Third Trilogy-Your Hopes?

[Zahir]

Presumably I'm not the only one hoping for a third Chronicles. My own thoughts have sometimes wandered in that direction over the years and here are some things I'd love to see in such:

-Haruchai women (who are likely to be mighty impressive, btw!)
-The fate of the Waynhim, plus maybe the redemption of the ur-viles.
-Some other bane or banes discovered underneath Mount Thunder.
-Some new folks who've come into the Land, making it their own in some way or form. And by that I don't necessarily mean humans, because Creator knows that Earth has loads of other races.

What'd be on your wish-list?

[Landwaster]

Restoration of Doriendor Corishev.

[[Syl]]

or the One Forest around it.

[Tenara]

I can't think of any particular people/events/whatever that I'd like to see. I'd simply like a return to the feel of the first chronicles .....

I was going to try and explain what I mean, but I could write pages and not really explain it, and you probably all understand anyway

[[Syl]]

I think I know what you mean. I'd like to see some characters more like Mhoram and Saltheart, less like Sunder and Hollian (no disrespect to the two, mind you). Probably not possible, but a kind of return to innocence. I enjoyed seeing Covenant's heart broken by beauty more than being broken by its passing. Maybe a spring-like renewal?

Actually, that was being done already in the first book, recovering from the Ritual of Desecration. I'm sure enough time has passed that the Land could have returned to a more primordial state (restoration of the One Forest). In the third cycle, Foul would have to be more surreptitious, more invidious like he was with Kevin, I think. He seems to be at his weakest in direct confrontation (lost twice to Covenant, draw with Kevin).

[Tenara]

Sylvanus, that's exactly what I mean. I've heard rumours (and I'm sure they're mentioned on this site) that SRD has said the world will end in the third chronicles. If that happens, I'd like to remember the Land and its people in all their beauty and courage, and not as they were in the second chronicles.

Of course, if the rumours are true, and he is writing it, he'll probably surprise us with something that none of us could possibly expect.

[Mouseglove]

I've heard people say that his intention is to make the Land inaccessable to anyone else who might desire to write about it after he's gone.

However... destroying the Land won't do that. There are what must be eons prior to TC's first appearance in the Land that could provide soil for growing "new" stories.

I was hoping that, in the 3rd chronicles, we'd see him becoming Berek, and the end of the 3rd book leading, cyclically, back to LFB, with time in the Land more of a loop than a line. Obviously, that's not going to happen, but that was my hope.

-Mouseglove

[Sevothtarte]

My big wish would be for the third NOT to take place after the second Chronicles. Reasons:

- Covenant is dead. Bringing him back somehow would be cheesy. I don't want Linden as protagonist and also not someone totally new (Linden's and Covenant's child being the protagonist would be horrible, far too ordinary). Third Chronicles of Thomas Covenant without Thomas Covenant? No way.

- For me, the Chronicles are basically about the development of personality. Covenant's development is finished, nothing can be added anymore.

- I think that the Land has gone through a full cycle. Now everything's starting anew, with a new Staff of Law, a new bonding between the people and Earthpower, new Lords (Sunder Lord-Fatherer, anyone?)... After what we've been through seeing another beginning would be kinda weak. We had the big final, a new beginning can't beat that.

- Similarly, Foul was at his best (worst) in the Second Chronicles. Don't think SRD could come up with something more sinister than the Despiser's workings there - Sunbane, One Tree, teaching Covenant to wield power...

What I'd like to see are stories about the past. Kevin, forming of the clave, (most of all) early life of the Ravers... something like that.

[Skyweir]

I can see your point .. but Covenant is not gone .. he just dead

I mean Mhoram and co are all dead and they had a valued part to play in the 2nd chons ..

TC .. is not entirely like the spectres is he? from memory he is something a bit different .. firstly he is not from that world .. his physical body is presumably dead and buried in our world ..

TC's spirit self .. or what-have-you .. is not dead .. what kind of being he is now .. is not entirely clear .. he may be a fundamental part of the Land .. interwined into the AoT ??? .. somehow???

but he remains still .. and is still undoubtedly and will always be a threat to Foul as long as he is present in the Land .. no matter in what form ..

there has been some specualtion that he becomes Foul .. I dont buy that notion .. not totally convinced ..

but apparently SRD has begun his work on the 3rd chrons of TCTC .. so presumably TC remains a force to be reckoned with .. and THE protagonist

we also believe that is is not a prequel .. there are threads devoted here to this very question .. and one in which one of our posters .. supplied information of being present at a reading by SRD of a few pages of the new work ..

Whatever .. SRD puts together .. I cannot wait to read it! He may include more info and elaboration of events prior to the 1st chrons .. who knows??

mmm ... SRD! lol

[Zahir]

Ever since finishing <i>White Gold Wielder</i> my own thought has been that the ideal new character to build a third chronicles around would be Roger Covenant, the Unbeliever's son.

Myself, I see a third Chronicle taking place in a vastly changed Land--one where the Haruchai call Revelstone their home, where descendants of Hollian and Sunder somehow embody the Earthpower--perhaps being able to "bend" the Law of Death. I can easily see the elements of a long-simmering disagreement there, perhaps erupting after many centuries into open conflict. Foul, in whatever form he's taken, can use Roger as the ultimate pawn--one the Ur-lord won't harm under any circumstances but who is himself vulnerable to confusion.

Imagine for a moment how Roger might react to seeing his dead father who (realizing how perilous it is for the Dead to reveal anything to the living) refuses to answer all kinds of vital questions! Shades of the Waynhim and Vain, don'tcha think?

Anyway, its an idea.

[amanibhavam]

Let's cite that interview again, where SRD said that since the Law of Life is broken, nothing prevents TC's coming back...
Of course he might have changed his mind since then, but I do not think so. I believe he is fond of TC as a character and won't let him go easily.

And if the world will come to an end at the end, that opens up interesting possibilities... How will it relate to "our" world? Will SRD give a definite answer whether the Land is real or not?

[Tenara]

I don't think SRD will give up TC that easily either. With all the laws that have been broken, practically anything can happen now, so he's got a lot of room to surprise us.

That's an interesting perspective on it, Zahir. I've never much liked the idea of Roger being the protagonist in the third chronicles ..... until you put it that way. It opens up a world of possibilities.

[Vain]

I'd be keen for an all out, against the odds, battle that in many ways mimics the desecration but with a twist that sees Lord Foul losing

I enjoyed the battle scenes the most

[Waynhim_Metalhead]

Like quite a few of you my only wish for the 3rd Chrons is that Thomas is involved...after all it is called 'The Third Chronicles of Thomas Covenant'. He has to be there.
Other than that i'll enjoy whatever SRD comes up with i'm sure...the beauty of his 6 books so far is u never knew what was round the corner

[Lumikant]

im interested in seeing what happened between the first and second chronicles, although it wouldnt involve covenant it would still make for a wonderful series. (insert shameless plug) Im so interested in what happened between the first and second chronicles that im working on a game based in that time period (end shameless plug) I would also be interested in a prequel to the chronicles

[Waynhim_Metalhead]

SRD has already said he wont write a prequel.
My other wish...now i come to think of it...is that the link with the real world is maintained throughout.
In my opinion the beauty of the Chronicles was that link..it made it very unique and if that is taken away then it will just revert to a run-of-the-mill fantasy.

[[Syl]]

The law of Life and Death was broken before the staff of law was, so restoration of the staff won't necessarily restore that law. Also, Covenant is the white gold, existing beyond the reach of the law, right? I say he's back.

[Skyweir]

yeah very interesting pov zahir!! I also never really cherished the addition of Roger into the equation .. but I like that spin!!

SRD has said no prequel .. I guess he's been there and done that .. with Gilden Fire .. yet there is no reason for him not to enlighten us to past events in his 3rd chrons .. as he has subtley throughout the earlier chrons.

[Guardian]

Myself, I see a third Chronicle taking place in a vastly changed Land--one where the Haruchai call Revelstone their home....

I expect this one. Especially after re-reading Gilden-Fire,

Here, amid warmth and lushness, fertility and food and sunlight, was a single rock home capacious enough to enclose the entire Haruchai people and hold them free of want forever.
...
In the rush of their unfamiliar passion, they swore an oath that they would conquer this Keep and make it their own.

and cross-referencing with WGW, Ch. 12:

Durris: The Vow of the Bloodguard was sworn to meet the bounty and grandeur of High Lord Kevin and Revelstone. It was not regretted. Do you ask such an oath of us again, that we may preserve the meaning of our lives?
Covenant: No. There's something else I want you to do. I want you to stay here. In Revelstone. With as many of (my italics, ed.) your people as you can get.

Covenant goes on to give reasons, but in effect, he's giving his blessing to the original oath their people swore before they even met Kevin.

Durris concludes:

Ur-Lord, we will do it.

[Guardian]

Roger schmoger. Let's not forget Linden so quickly, shall we? After all, Donaldson has shown a definite tendancy towards writing from a woman's point of view. Daughter of Regals was FIRST PERSON, for god's sake. And Morn Hyland? Hello....

I fully expect the Last Covenant to begin with Linden. Perhaps not end, but definitely begin. Anything else would be out of character for the writer, IMO.