what would u like in 3rd series?

[Ellester]

I was just looking over some posts here and I thought I would pose a question about the new Tomas Covenant book.

What do you not want to see in the 3rd Chronicles? Or what do you want to see in the 3rd Chronicles?

A pretty simple question really, but a pretty decent question if you think about it. Let me express my thoughts. The 1st 2 trilogies were a struggle between Covenant and Lord Foul, and both were epic struggles to save the world (The Land). Do we want to see the same epic struggle against Lord Foul to save the Land again? I don’t know if I want to go through the same story again, hearing how Lord Foul was almost destroyed and it took him a thousand years, etc.. to finally get back his strength so he could destroy the Land to get at the Creator. Sure Covenant is now dead and shouldn’t be the main character, but if it’s an epic struggle against Foul again and he summons Linden Avery to the Land because she now has the white gold, etc.. it all sounds extremely familiar.

Now, what would I like to see? I don’t know. But, I do know I would like something different. I hate to say it, but a new villain maybe. Or how about internal powers struggle within the new Lords in Revelstone ala “The Mirror of her Dreams”. I think something needs to be drastically different in this trilogy to make it original. But, again I don’t know what it would be, so I will read what else everyone else has to say about what they would like to see.

Btw, it’s not liked I disliked the first 2 trilogies; in fact I loved them. It’s just I would like to see something different.

btw, sorry for the horribly phrased topic title.

[Zahir]

I certainly don't want a retread of the first two chronicles (which I agree were and are great). But look at it this way--the Second Chronicles were actually quite different from the first. Covenant had someone with him from "our" world, and that developed into a genuine love story. Yet the Land itself was a fetid shadow of what it once was, and Covenant found himself the advocate of something no one else believed in--now, <i>that's</i> a major change! Likewise, he travelled outside the Land, and faced all kinds of mysteries and dangers.

So I'd like to see at least as much difference in the #3 as there was between #1 and #2.

Probably I'd want to Covenant's son Roger voluntarily go looking for a way into the Land, believing in it from the start. I'd want to learn that the Haruchai had indeed been changed by living as a people in Revelstone. And what if Lord Foul came up with a plan of surpassing subtlety and patience--so that no one had any idea danger threatened and frankly doubt such could be true?

Just some thoughts...

[The Leper Fairy]

I think that an all out war of the entire earth, uniting against Lord Foul and his minions, once and for all would be awesome! (however unlikely) But how would that be accomplished without TC? (You have to forgive my ignorance of what happens to the ring, I'm not done with the the 2nd Chron. yet, all I know is that he dies, that is already too much to know).

[Satansheart]

If it's gonna involve Roger and/or Linden again I'd like there to be plenty of interaction with the 'real' world. I think the 2nd chronicles sadly lacked this, I really missed the moving from one to the other which happened frequently in the 1st.

Other than that I don't really care how the story goes cos as long as it's SRD's baby then it's bound to be somehow original just like the first 2 were.

I wait with increased trepidation and anticipation.

[Tohrm]

One thing that I would definitely want to see is the return of all of the original races and more history of the land. The past can illuminate and make the way clear for the future.

[Reisheiruhime]

The thing i'd like to see is where the Haruchai go along with their plan to take over the Land.
Or where LA comes back to the Land and moksha Raver is the good guy and turiya Raver is the bad guy.

Maybe I'll write that myself. Whaddayathink?

[Nav]

SRD has talked about the Third Chrons a little already. He has said that they will be about "acceptance" and that "they will finish with the end of the world." Read into that what you will. Another interesting thing he said was "in a place where the laws of life and death have been broken, there's no logical reason why Covenant should stay dead."

I'm pretty sure that Covenant will be a significant character, but possibly not the main one. I expect he'll be resurrected in The Land in the same manner as Hollian, and would thus be dependent on Earthpower to stay alive. My gut feeling is that Foul will corrupt The Land in his must insidious and subtle way yet, as he'd have to be able to rebuild his power without Covenant noticing. Covenant may actually be the one who summons someone from the 'real' world.

I think that the story will largely be told from the perspective of whoever is summoned. It could be Roger, but I suspect that he would have little knowledge of his father, and even less of the Land, although we can only guess what direction Jean's life took after the 2nd chrons. It could be Linden or, another possibility which occurs to me, maybe Linden fell pregnant when she was in the Land. Either way, the passage of time in the Land would present problems. Earthpower is likely to extend Covenants life (?unlife) by quite a bit, but Roger would have been about 11 in the second chronicles, and in the time it'll take him to grow up, a few thousand years will pass for Covenant.

[The Leper Fairy]

That new poll got me thinking... what if Roger was summoned to the land?! Like... maybe they mistake him for TC because they are so much alike... Or Roger inherited the ring or something... Oh the possiblities.

[Serpreme]

The point is this. Thomas Covenant is the Convent Chronciles. How can there be a third without it? Did you not read each book,each chapter,each page about him? Struggle with him...now for them to throw some new guy on you would be cheap and whorish. Sorry if that seems harsh but i dont think Thomas should have died. Period. I mean come on.

[Fist and Faith]

I'm going to seem like a ghoul, but I want to see Kevin. I want to see him when he first learns that one of the Lords is Foul!!! I imagine he was just surprised at first. Then I want to see him try and fail in one attempt after another to get rid of Foul, and watch him go from surprise to betrayal to anger to fear to despair. I want to see as he comes to the conclusion that only the Ritual of Desecration can do the job, and feel the anguish he must have felt when he made the decision.

And I want to see the Ritual itself. I want to hear the words that Kevin and Foul spoke. I want to see the extraordinary power that was being manipulated. I want to see Kevin's horror as he watches it happen. With his sight, he must have seen every Stonedown and Woodhelven being consumed, every person turned to dust. I want to taste the fear of the people. I want to see the Forestals shock and outrage when they realize what is happening, and feel their helplessness in the face of it.

And I want to see Foul laughing at him in the end. That laugh that must have made Kevin realize that he could, unimaginably, feel even worse than he had up until that moment. To go through all that, causing more harm than anyone had ever imagined, only to find it was all in... ahem... Vain!!!!! Elena thought he would be able to do pretty much anything after hearing that laugh.

[Ellester]

The point is this. Thomas Covenant is the Convent Chronciles. How can there be a third without it? Did you not read each book,each chapter,each page about him? Struggle with him...now for them to throw some new guy on you would be cheap and whorish. Sorry if that seems harsh but i dont think Thomas should have died. Period. I mean come on.

But, Donaldson never planned on doing another Convent chronicles. So, he tried to end the series by having him die. Heck, it took him 18 or so years before he would start writing Covenant material again.

I will admit his last book did leave him in a pickle, by having Thomas die. But, we really don't know, maybe Donaldson always did envision coming back to the series, and maybe he had an idea for what to do about Thomas.

Also, I guess this trilogy would have to be the end of the world. What else could be more epic in scope than the destroying of the Sunbane? Anything else would seem minor compared to the Second Chronicles.

[Relim]

I can't seem to find anything relating to SRD writing this 3rd chronicles - anyone confirm that he's actually doing this?!

[Romeo]

Yes. I heard him do a reading from it at the 2002 World Fantasy Convention (Nov 2002), and I heard someone else say that he read the same chapter at a different convention.

[mezzaninedoor]

If SRD is writing a third chronicles then that's great news as I'm just about to start re-reading my twenty year old copy of the novels, they are the UK editions with the central picture and with black spines.

I havn't read them for a long while but with the lack of quality material to read and an infectious need for quality fantasy i thought I would return to the chronicles.

Tony

[Romeo]

If you're looking for something new and good to read...

F. Gregory Keyes has two really good fantasy series out. The first book in his first series is Blackgod. His second series is historical fantasy/sci fi about "what if Newton really did discover philosopher's stone". The main character is young Ben Franklin. After reading it, I'd say its farther off the fantasy path than I usually wander, but it was entirely worth the trip. The first book is called "Newton's Cannon". Absolutely must-read series.

I also have the pleasure of knowing another up and coming author - Carol Berg. Her first book is "Transformation", and the third in that trilogy just came out in 2002. She's working on her next series, and from the reading she did at the last World Fantasy, it's going to be even better than her first three.

Two other friends of mine are published, but they went through a small publishing company that is now out of business - so it might be a bit harder to track down the books. But you can look for Mackay Wood's "Wolf's Cub" and Curtis Craddock's "Sparrow's Flight".

[[Syl]]

Keyes is a very good author, though I've only read the waterborn books. underrated, in my opinion. i recommended him a while back in an Other Fantasy thread.

[Ellester]

If you're looking for something new and good to read...

F. Gregory Keyes has two really good fantasy series out. The first book in his first series is Blackgod. His second series is historical fantasy/sci fi about "what if Newton really did discover philosopher's stone". The main character is young Ben Franklin. After reading it, I'd say its farther off the fantasy path than I usually wander, but it was entirely worth the trip. The first book is called "Newton's Cannon". Absolutely must-read series.

I also have the pleasure of knowing another up and coming author - Carol Berg. Her first book is "Transformation", and the third in that trilogy just came out in 2002. She's working on her next series, and from the reading she did at the last World Fantasy, it's going to be even better than her first three.

Two other friends of mine are published, but they went through a small publishing company that is now out of business - so it might be a bit harder to track down the books. But you can look for Mackay Wood's "Wolf's Cub" and Curtis Craddock's "Sparrow's Flight".

I've heard some good stuff about Keyes from a few sources. He has a new book that just came out this month, called the Briar King. I ordered it and am eagerly awaiting it.

[Serpreme]

I'd like to see Mhoram come back and Covenant have to fight him to free him of some evil things control.
Or possible in Lord Fouls weakend state a raver posses him and then the raver becomes ungodly strong etc....

[Romeo]

I just got Greg's book the other day, but I'm in the middle of another and can't get to it right away. Wonderful quotes on the front and back cover, though - Terry Brooks, Charles deLint, Melanie Rawn, Katherine Kurtz, Robin Hobb & John Maddox Robers. Quite an impressive list!

[Revan]

Let's see, an existence might be good.