Secondary Character Shocker! 'Bait and Switch,' of the Main Character Revealed!: "When I signed up for the role of Lena in 'Lord Foul's Bane,' I had nSecondary Character Shocker! 'Bait and Switch,' of the Main Character Revealed!: "When I signed up for the role of Lena in 'Lord Foul's Bane,' I had no idea that the role of Thomas Covenant was secretly being played by Jeffrey Epstein." - Lena - Journal of the Harvey Weinstein School of Publishing.
I find myself in the position of re-reading this book (and possibly the series) in an attempt to validate my own memory... a quixotic enterprise, but one I'm undertaking because I have a particular bee in my bonnet about understanding the success of these books.
Of course, reading this book makes me think deeply about rapists, psychopaths, aggressive narcissism, and the concepts of restitution, redemption and the comparison of deontological and consequentialist ethics.... neither yours' nor my typical entertainment.
When I first read these books I was fresh off a farm, a youngster for whom rape was an abstraction that I'd fortunately never come across. When Covenant raped Lena I was shocked, horrified and perplexed - like - WTF? But I was also a naïve nerd who continued reading because book, fantasy, epic, might be as good as LoTR... and I read the whole series.
So, why read this again? I'm giving this another go. I'm non-plussed that a character as thoroughly unlikeable as Thomas Covenant could capture people's imagination and sympathy and I'd like to understand why.
I have a hypothesis (in multiple parts)... which is unlikely to be popular, but here it is.
[PART 1: Situational Psychopathy]: Thomas Covenant 'the unbeliever,' is situationally positioned as a psychopath, a creature driven by aggressive narcissism whose 'disbelief,' of the Land and its inhabitants renders him into the grandiose position of 'the one real thing,' relative to everyone else in the Land.
This is precisely the pose of psychopaths everywhere who envision themselves the narcissistic center of their own universe surrounded by human 'nothings,' that only have value in terms of their utility to the psychopath.
Our culture has substantial psychopathic and narcissistic traits embedded within it, especially the closer you get to the top of society.
Thomas Covenant's disbelief in the Land invites us all to position ourselves in 'his position,' as 'the one real thing,' in a dream world without real repercussions and accountability, and then to sympathize with Covenant within that positioning.
HOOK #1: Invite the reader to sympathise with vicarious psychopathy by proxy.
[PART 2: Normalisation of Sexual Predation]: Throughout the first 20% of the book, Covenant obsessively sexualises every female he comes across with special attention given to anyone who is a teenager. I.e. positioned between a child and a woman.
Covenant is the Jeffrey Epstein of fantasy literature.
The character of Lena, 16 yo and a virgin, is precisely his obsessive sexual target. Lena saves his life, heals him, feeds him, shelters him, and offers him nothing but compassion and kindness and so - he hits her (violence) then rapes (aggravated rape) her because it satisfies his immediate personal needs to do so.
The absence of justice for Lena is a tacit endorsement of sexual violence. In our culture and society, especially amongst the ruling elements, sexual violence is an accepted part of life. I posit that part of this book's success comes from its tacit endorsement of one of the worst features of our culture and society.
The subtext of this story is that rape is ok, and that any evil act committed in an environment without accountability (in this case, a dream world) is allowed. The key message is that 'it is only the presence/absence of accountability that makes an act right or wrong.'
In other words, 'Anything you want to do and can get away with is good!'
HOOK #2: Invite the reader to normalise Sexual Predation.
[PART 3: Myth of Universal Redemption*]: The idea that any evil act can be redeemed by a sufficiently impactful good act. This is a comforting belief that many people like to believe in. One day, one special day, we'll all be redeemed from our sins.
However, I believe that redemption rests on a foundation of restitution, of making the subject of the original harm whole, as if the harm had never been inflicted. If restitution can not be made then redemption can not be achieved.
Thievery (you can return stolen goods) can be redeemed. Lying (you could tell the truth) can be redeemed. But, Rape, like Murder, can not be undone. A murdered victim cannot be restored to life and filled with health. A raped soul can not be un-raped.
Thomas Covenant has no path to redemption, but this story will tell you he does - which overlays his act of evil in raping Lena with a soothing (and justice denying) blanket of 'somehow it's all right...'
*This is a corollary of the Myth of the Moral Ledger ... next part.
HOOK #3: Invite the reader to validate the soothing myth of universal redemption for any evil.
[PART 4: Myth of the Moral Ledger]:
"Consequentialism is a class of normative, teleological ethical theories that holds that the consequences of one's conduct are the ultimate basis for judgment about the rightness or wrongness of that conduct." REF: Wiki: Consequentialism.
This is the dominant ethical idea informing our culture. It is often framed as underpinning actions that are 'for the greater good,' but always ends up as 'the end justifies the means.'
I.e. Any act no matter how evil can be morally balanced, and even overwhelmed, if it results in a greater good.**
If Thomas Covenant saves the Land from Lord Foul, how many times can he rape Lena before his rapes outweigh his heroic act of saving the Land? One, ten, a hundred ... a million?
But if rape can not be restituted, Covenant can never un-rape Lena, he can never make her whole. No action of his can ever be measured against his rape of Lena and found capable of restoring her.
One day, she may forgive Covenant, but that would be her heroism - not his.
**In our world, 'For the greater good,' exists within a justification framework that is often abused to enable/commit acts of evil for 'expected goods,' that are never realised. All we are left with are the acts of evil and no 'greater goods.' This is normal human society.
HOOK #4: Invite the reader to validate the idea that the end justifies the means.
[SUMMARY]: This book has two stories within it.
[1] The superficial story: We are invited to journey with a leper through a world that could be (and is implied to be) real, but which he believes is a figment of his imagination. In his journey, he commits an atrocious evil deed, and then proceeds to the seat of local power where he admits to the local rulers that they are a dream. They assume he is a saviour and proceed on that basis to the end of the book, where he does indeed bring about a victory for the people of the Land. In the process, he attempts redemption for his evil deed by sending intelligent horses to 'pay homage,' to the victim of his evil deed.
On this level, the story appears to be a redemption arc from disbelief to belief. On the very last page, Covenant finally cares about what happens in the Land.
[2] Then there's the deeper story: Covenant obsessively sexualises every teenaged girl he meets. He is summoned to the Land, and meets Lena (16yo, virgin). She treats him with complete kindness and compassion to which he responds with violent Rape. Covenant luxuriates in the aftermath of the Rape, until he is struck by a fear of retribution and flees. He meets Lena's mother who becomes (awkwardly) his guide. He is confronted by Lena's angry boyfriend and is saved by 'The Oath of Peace.' Covenant then forgets about the rape and engages in a false dilemma while he struggles to adjust to the reality of the 'Land.' Setting up for the final act, Covenant suddenly remembers the 'Rape of Lena,' at Manhome and feels bad about it (indicating engagement with the Land as real (there was much preceding internal monologue where Covenant vacillates b/w the Land is real/dream as both impossible - an irreconcilable false dilemma leading up to this...)). Covenant commands the 'free spirits,' of the terrified Ranyhyn, and sends them 'as a redemptive gesture,' to Lena.*** The human guardians of the Ranyhyn, the Ramen, who are normally violently opposed to any harm to the sacred horses they care about, respond to this display of force through terror by literally falling at the feet of Covenant and worshiping his dominance. (Stockholm Syndrome in full display). Primed by all this, Covenant embarks into the final act, and successfully prosecutes the Quest, as he now, finally at the very end, believes enough to try, and reaches for the 'Staff of Law,' in an attempt to help.
There are two ways to read this book, [1] as a epic fantasy about a rapist leper who overcomes his doubt to save a Land filled with magic, beauty and terror, or [2] as a story validating psychopathy, rape culture, violence against women, the love of abuse, that the end justifies the means, and that any evil can be redeemed by a suitable good.
***There is also something infinitely creepy about Covenant's gesture of sending a Ranyhyn horse to Lena on an annual basis. Imagine a rapist sending their victim a single red rose on an annual basis... Covenant's behaviour turns my stomach.
It was with relief that I finished this book.
Final P.s. So, why was this book successful? Its hooks reflect dominant features of our culture and hence worked.
Not Recommended: 1 'No Justice for Lena,' stars....more
Evil Science Shocker! Protomolecule Weapons Go AWOL! "Well, who knew they'd evolve past their constraints. It's almost like they've been watching JuraEvil Science Shocker! Protomolecule Weapons Go AWOL! "Well, who knew they'd evolve past their constraints. It's almost like they've been watching Jurassic Park or something." - The Sinister Science Scribbler
Another awesome volume in this series. I loved the new characters, arch-power-operator Avasarala and Martian Marine Bobbie Draper, and how they joined the crew of the Roci' to thwart a thoroughly diabolical plan.
A diverse group who pulled together in the face of some of the worst evil humans can do to each other.
Awesome! I feel like I did reading science fiction as a teenager. The same sense of wonder and suspense. Thrilling, evocative story-telling at its best.
Strongly Recommended. 5 'Space Crew with the Right Stuff,' stars
Reread with the fine folk over at Nightmares and Dreamscapes in Nov/Dec 2022....more
Ministry of Magic Scandal! Hogwarts students defy Headmistress and steal [REDACTED]! "I don't know what Ms. Umbridge was teaching at Hogwarts, but I dMinistry of Magic Scandal! Hogwarts students defy Headmistress and steal [REDACTED]! "I don't know what Ms. Umbridge was teaching at Hogwarts, but I did not expect espionage!" - Hogwart's Herald
"Harry Potter, Rescue Mission." - it says so right on the Ministry of Magic badge....
I'm amazed. This was such an easy five stars to award. Loved it. It had been so long since I last read this book, that I had largely forgotten what was in it. I was delighted to discover that this is JK Rowling's best book so far in this series.
As for a rescue mission, any reader would need a rescue mission after encountering the twisted, excited, breathless, twee, EVIL of the new Hogwarts Professor, Ms. Dolores Umbridge.
But let's not guess as to what is in the mind of the polarizing figure of Ms. Umbridge, let's ask her to tell us all about it in her own words.
Beware, contentious notions and dangerous comments ahead - read at your own risk!
FADE IN: INT: PROFESSOR'S OFFICE
Umbridge: (Lolling on a wide lavender pouffe, she flicks a little orange something from the edge of her mouth) "Oh my, is that a cat hair (sotto voice: 'My breakfast was frisky today')... I must say, I have no idea why the author didn't persist with me as the Main Character for the rest of the series. It's almost as if ... (high pitched titter) ... she doesn't like me ... (shakes head perplexedly) but surely not, surely she would realize just how important I am to the story... look here, (lifts reams of notes) I've been taking notes on my performance as a teacher at Hogwarts all year, look (taps the front page of her notes repeatedly) here, here, and here! Outstanding, every single word is, and I mean every single last word, 'Outstanding...'
Then, of course there are other people's experiences ...
CUT TO: INT: HOGWARTS MAIN HALL
McGonagall: (In a fit of temper) (ZAP!) "Well, Professor Umbridge, I'll not have you torturing the students. Let's see how you like the next twenty-four hours as a piece of porcelain plumbing!"
Fred: (Speaking to George) : "Hey, did McGonagall just transfigure Umbridge into a toilet bowl?" George (Grins broadly): "Yeah, and on the eve of the Quidditch World Cup." Fred: "Ooohhh! Are you thinking what I'm thinking..." George: "I'm assuredly am bro."
(Later...)
CUT TO: EXT: ABOVE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP STADIUM
Peeves: (Clutching a large day pass issued by Dumbledore) "Wheeee! Out for the day! Wheeee! Look at all those tents. Wheeee! It's the Quidditch World Cup! (Suddenly possessed by a sly grin) Ahhh... toilets ... must block plumbing .... must block plumbing .... Ohhhh! All but one - just one to leave behind for everyone to use .... Wheeee!"
(Later... after the game...)
CUT TO: INT: WORLD CUP BATHROOM TENT
Willy Widdershins: (Stepping warily, approaches the one working toilet outside the Quidditch World Cup.) "I'll teach them to give me a minor role. What was it, three mentions, and not even a sniff of dialog, let alone a POV scene.... well. I'll show 'em (points wand at lone toilet bowl) 'Regurgito!' (The bowl lurches, then expands - transforming into Hogwarts Professor, Ms. Dolores Umbridge, projectile vomiting twenty hours worth of Quidditch World Cup fecal matter...)
(Next day...)
CUT TO: INT: DAILY PROPHET OFFICES
Rita Skeeter: (Gazing at the headlines on the front page of the Daily Prophet, 'Charming, or just Charmed? Umbridge in Imbroglio? Ex-Professor applies for job in Magical Sanitation...') "(Sighs contentedly) I do love my work ...(whispers) and I'm dead sexy too."
Of course, not everyone was happy that Umbridge got the role ...
CUT TO: LOWEST LEVEL OF HELL
Satan: (Shrugs his broad shoulders, his great wings flaring behind him. He leans forward, his flaming eyes narrowing with indignation) "I applied for the role of Prof. Dolores Umbridge, and what happened? They passed me over ... can you believe it? (Shakes his head in bewilderment) You know what they said? (Snorts in disbelief, flames spurting from his nostrils, and shouts) ... I'M NOT EVIL ENOUGH! ... So, they gave it to her!
FADE OUT.
P.s. The movie sucks and is such a disappointment when compared with this book. Strongly recommended, 5 'Wizardly Secret Super-Spy,' stars.
Reread this in March/April 2023 with the fine folk over at Nightmares and Dreamscapes....more
Brackenford Scandal! Real Estate Agent Takes Advice From Talking Cat! "Its fake news, he never actually listens to me." - Oscar - The Talking Furball Brackenford Scandal! Real Estate Agent Takes Advice From Talking Cat! "Its fake news, he never actually listens to me." - Oscar - The Talking Furball Tattler
When destiny grabs you by the bollocks, you're guaranteed to go from zero to hero.
The energy in his fingertips crackled. 'Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough,' ...
Trevor Irwin was perfectly comfortable with his microwave dinners, pints at the pub, a small circle of friends, and his career as a real estate agent. Life was a slushy wet oyster waiting to be sucked off a plate with a bag of chips and a big glass of beer - until, he saw a ghost...
Now, if only he could stop seeing them he could get back to his life, but sometimes - life is just going to drag you kicking and screaming to your destiny as a better version of yourself - unless it kills you first.
Ghosts turn out to be the least of Trev's problems, because someone wants him dead and not just dead - but expunged from existence.
So, dear reader, what's in this book? A quick checklist could help.
An unlikely Hero with 'destiny,' thrust upon him.....check. A kindly Mentor who likes scotch.....check. A stern, brave Ghost.....check. A 1000s of years old Cat Spirit with a scathing wit.....check. Ghouls that could be goblins who love the letter of the law and speak in 'Tabloid,'.....check. Magic weapons that talk.....check. Other dimensions.....check. Body possessing Shades.....check. Big Bad Demons with a penchant for collecting souls.....check. A mystery to solve.....check. Werewolves with a self-help group.....check. Vampires with agendas.....check.
And a barrel full of chuckles and belly laughs.....check.
Nick Moseley has written a very clever, very witty, urban fantasy that treads the fine line between comedy and drama - well done.
Some readers have remarked the pacing could have been sharper in the first half of the book. On my first read, I found the same and rated this book at 4 stars. On this re-read (July 2019), I didn't experience it the same way, and just enjoyed Trev's desperate and witty/sarcastic attempts to avoid his destiny.
So, I'm re-rating this as 5 stars because it was better the second time around.
P.S. Loved how the ghouls understanding of English was based on tabloid headlines - that's a cracker.
NOTE 1: Had a great time buddy reading this book during July 2019 with the wonderful members of the Fantasy Buddy Reads group: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
NOTE: Recommended this book to my friends on GR. At time of rec (17/Feb/2019), the series is 7 volumes with 159 independent ratings with an average of 4.46 stars.
Own Goal Shocker! Coach Ends Siege Early! "Well, Lord Foul sent a huge emerald sign in the sky, so I quit the siege of Revelstone and went Full Bad GuOwn Goal Shocker! Coach Ends Siege Early! "Well, Lord Foul sent a huge emerald sign in the sky, so I quit the siege of Revelstone and went Full Bad Guy, Attack! Attack! Attack!" - Satansfist, visiting team captain.
"We were on the ropes, everyone was losing their minds with terror, and we'd nearly run out of food. Then the bad guys ended the siege on the verge of victory and attacked. It sent Trell berserk, I levelled up to a new source of power, and fired up Loric's +5 Raver Slayer Krill. Geez, (shakes head) everyone knows you never go Full Bad Guy!" - Mhoram, home team captain.
"Excuse me? What green sign in the sky? Hey, that wasn't me!" - Lord Foul, visiting team head coach.
Ohhh ... please save me from chronically stupid bad guys.
Now for the review.
On the plus side, in this volume Covenant does not rape anyone, lust after his daughter, coerce noble intelligent horses with terror or betray those who love him to their deaths, and ultimately he defeats his own self-hatred (Despite = Lord Foul) with the power of mirth born from an act of self-remembrance and self-validation.
And there's the diminishment of Lord Foul and the destruction of the Illearth stone to boot.
On the minus side, while he acknowledges the many heinous things he's done, he never actually takes responsibility for them and the thought of seeking justice to expiate his guilt/crimes never enters his head.
In fact, the whole theme of expiation of a crime through justice vs an attempt at (in Covenant's case: impossible) redemption is ignored in this story.
Covenant also conveniently forgets how he luxuriated in the aftermath of raping Lena, and then fled the scene fearing retribution from Lena's village. He also forgets that he manipulated his own rape-sired-daughter to her death for the sole reason of avoiding any responsibility for the welfare of the Land or anyone living there.
Covenant (mostly) acknowledges what he has done, but never examines the why of his actions beyond blaming his vile deeds on his Leprosy - happily playing the victim card.
This avoidance allows both Covenant and the reader to avoid acknowledging that the why precisely defines who he is. Someone who loves to rape women, who enjoys coercing through terror, who happily manipulates those he loves to avoid the smallest amount of personal responsibility for the welfare of anyone else.
Your basic narcisstic bastard.
And then there is the pure weird fracking stuff in this novel. At 60% in, Covenant is saved from a Healer, who is trying to kill him to save her own life, by 'glaucous, alien gleams,' - a hilarious absurdity - apparently introduced to save the main character from the Author.
These 'glaucous, alien gleams,' are never explained - ever.
This is all part of the 'Morinmoss,' episode where Covenant goes through a process of death-rebirth that completely inverts the 'Gandalf vs Balrog,' death and rebirth where Gandalf fights and dies to save those he loves and is reborn as Gandalf the White.
Donaldson inverts this. Covenant stumbles (without agency and the vast help of a handful of deus ex machinas) upon the healer's domain, she saves him, heals him, and dies (is sacrificed) in the process. Covenant walks away with a new attitude and purpose in a superb white robe provided by the healer. Covenant is now 'Covenant the White.'
Gandalf becomes his true self through an act of self-sacrifice, death and rebirth. Covenant is reborn through the sacrifice of another. Pure inversion - and strikingly Satanic.
I was shocked when I read this passage - this was like (and I'm not a Christian) walking into a room to find a magic circle etched into the floor, a dead baby in the middle of the circle, and an inverted black cross dripping with fresh blood hovering a yard above it...
This weirdness is quickly followed by Covenant encountering Elena's ghost, Bannor and Foamfollower, and Raver possessed Triock, which blows away his newly acquired, 'comprehension and purpose,' derived from the Healer's sacrifice and he resolves to confront Lord Foul because, now he 'must.'
Which event, renders the whole Morinmoss sequence null and void. So why even have it in there if not to explicitly invert the iconic 'Gandalf vs Balrog Self-Sacrifice and Rebirth,' motif?
These flip-flops of purpose and motivation happen all the time. Covenant has no agency and he is not alone in that lack. The sheer absence of character agency throughout the series grates like the sound of fingernails dragging over a blackboard. I'll only say this, if you like the idea of puppet plays, then look no further than this series - for the characters are nothing more than articulated blocks of dull wood dancing on strings held by the author.
If you want multi-dimensional characters invested with life, acting out their own stories - you'll have to look elsewhere - you will not find such within the pages of this series.
Lastly...
If Donaldson wanted to tell a story about overcoming self-hatred with humour he could have done it far far better, without rape, incest fantasies and satanic inversions. By adding those elements, he takes whatever positive value may be found in his solution for self-hatred and drags it through a sewer as black as a demon's heart.
What a terrible decision, and what a terribly missed opportunity this whole series is.
And to end the story - the heroes of the Land, Mhoram and the rest, sing a song celebrating Covenant's life...
I shake my head - appalled.
Not Recommended: 1 'An Unmitigated Disaster of Satanic Foulness,' stars....more
Evil Plan Scandal! Minions Too Stupid to Fail! "Well, (Shakes Head), I just don't know what to do next. I had my minions, Elena, Covenant, Hile, and tEvil Plan Scandal! Minions Too Stupid to Fail! "Well, (Shakes Head), I just don't know what to do next. I had my minions, Elena, Covenant, Hile, and the other lords just where I wanted them, and yet despite making colossally stupid decisions they still managed to snatch some sort of victory out of the ashes of defeat. Well, I'm sure I'll do better next time!" - Lord Foul - Evil God Gazette.
Themes established in the first book are expanded and further developed in this one. As follows,
[1] The normalisation of rape culture is expanded to include incest.
[1.1] At the magic pool, Glimmermere,
Covenant is confronted by the desires of his daughter and responds with ...
Violence
28%. "Treading water and sputtering, he looked around until he located Elena. “Fair warning!” He tried to sound angry despite Glimmermere’s fresh, exuberant chill. “I’ll teach you fair warning!” He reached her in a few swift strokes, and shoved her head down."
Flirting
"He felt her tugging at his feet. Grabbing a deep breath, he upended himself and plunged after her. For the first time, he opened his eyes underwater, and found that he could see well. Elena swam near him, grinning. He reached her in a moment, and caught her by the waist. Instead of trying to pull away, she turned, put her arms around his neck, and kissed him on the mouth."
Intimate gestures
"Clenching himself, he rolled over, and found that she sat close to him, regarding him softly. Unable to resist the sensation, he touched a strand of her wet hair, rubbed it between his fingers."
And finally a smidgeon of awareness.
"but when he tried to relax and flow with it, his pulse throbbed uncomfortably in his chest. He was too conscious of Elena’s presence."
Clearly attracted to his daughter and not perturbed by it. In this process, Elena is beginning to throw herself at her father. This reaches its apex at Trothgard.
[1.2] At Trothgard.
Elena comes on to her father and Covenant is attracted by his rape daughter.
78%, "Then the High Lord interrupted his reverie. She had left her robe and the Staff of Law on the grass by her graveling. Wrapped only in a blanket, and drying her hair with one corner of it, she came to join him. Though the blanket hung about her thickly, revealing even less of her supple figure than did her robe, her presence felt more urgent than ever. The simple movement of her limbs as she seated herself at his side exerted an unsettling influence over him. She demanded responses. He found that his chest hurt again, as it had at Glimmermere."
Gets in some more violence against women, and once again the trusty Bloodguard are missing in action.
"She did not answer aloud. Instead she turned toward him. Tears streaked her cheeks. She was silhouetted against the darkening vista of Trothgard, as she stepped up to him, slipped her arms about his neck, and kissed him. He gasped, and her breath was snatched into his lungs. He was stunned. A black mist filled his sight as her lips caressed his. Then for a moment he lost control. He repulsed her as if her breath carried infection. Crying, “Bastard!” he swung, backhanded her face with all his force. The blow staggered her."
Elena, Covenant's daughter by rape proposes to him.
"Her answer seemed to spring clean and clear out of the strange otherness of her gaze. “You cannot ravish me, Thomas Covenant. There is no crime here. I am willing. I have chosen you.”"
Covenant shows out-of-character restraint...
"He stroked away the salt pain of her tears with his thumbs, and kissed her forehead tenderly."
Covenant just manages to avoid having sex with his daughter, but this sudden shift to paternal tenderness doesn't wash. It's just too convenient for an Author where the needs of the narrative drive character choices [Ref 4 below].
The bottomline, the story engages in the normalisation of rape, violence against women, incest, and the idea that victims of abuse will come to love their abusers.
[2] Ubiquitous Stockholm Syndrome is everywhere*
*Except for fellow Earther, Hile Troy, and rape victim Lena's father Trell.
From Wikipedia "Stockholm Syndrome results from a rather specific set of circumstances, namely the power imbalances contained in hostage-taking, kidnapping, and abusive relationships."
Here's my take on Stockholm syndrome. Some people by default will align themselves with whomever they perceive as the most powerful person, despite how much abuse they may receive from that person.
Cases in point,
[2.1] Lena.
17%. "My mother understood at once that this was a gift from you. And she shared it with me. It was so easy for her to forget that you had hurt her. Did I not tell you that I also am young? I am Elena daughter of Lena daughter of Atiaran Trell-mate. Lena my mother remains in Mithil Stonedown, for she insists that you will return to her." - Elena
So, according to Elena, Lena forgot that Covenant raped her... and expects Covenant to 'return to her.' This is Stockholm Syndrome writ large. The implicit message is that rape victims will forget their agony and come to love/desire their abusers... All this is painted by Elena as a good thing.
[2.2] The Ramen Manethrall (leader),
34%. “You are young and I am old. This journey has taken much from me. I have few summers left. There is nothing.” “My time has a different speed. Don’t covet my life.” “You are Covenant Ringthane. You have power. How should I not covet?” He ducked away from her gaze; and after a short pause she added, “The Ranyhyn still await your command. Nothing is ended. They served you at Mount Thunder, and will serve you again—until you release them.”
The Manethrall Rue, leader of the Ramen is demonstrating that despite (pun intended) her people's professed and actualised lives of service to the fabulous Ranyhyn, she and her ilk are devoted to worshipping Covenant's power and by extension, Covenant himself. The intelligent, free-spirited, forces of nature - the Ranyhyn, who are terrified of Covenant - get thrown under the bus as soon as Covenant displayed his power over them... The Ramen are slaves to power wielded through terror - and this is held up as good and right? It would have been far more believable if the Ramen were implacably opposed to Covenant.
[2.3] Elena.
See [1.2] above, where Elena declares her love for her father directly after he 'staggers her,' with a back hander.
[2.4] The Oath of Peace enables this process of alignment.
37%. “You should have expected it. Or what did you think this Oath of Peace is about? It’s a commitment to the forgiving of lepers—of Kevin and Trell. As if forgiveness weren’t the one thing no leper or criminal either could ever have any use for.” - Covenant
The Oath of Peace is the perfect victim framework for exploitation by psychopaths. A mass of people who will keep on forgiving, even in the face of atrocity, rather than instantiate justice. Mercy, without justice is weak. Justice without mercy is brittle. Together - they become tempered steel. A key subtext of this story is the denial of the value of justice.
Of course, Covenant remains unpunished.
[3] Covenant's False Dilemma.
"If he did, he would soon come to resemble Hile Troy—a man so overwhelmed by the power, of sight that he could not perceive the blindness of his desire to assume responsibility for the Land. That would be suicide for a leper. If he failed, he would die."
If Covenant gives up his unbelief and believes in the vivid reality of the land, he will be forced to accept responsibility for the Land, which will kill him.
Simply put Covenant's 'false,' dilemma is that he must choose between unbelief and survival vs belief and death. This is a false dilemma. A fake construct provided by the author.
Covenant's real character-driven dilemma is between believing in the vivid reality of the Land and stepping up to the responsibility of saving the Land, and in the process put his life in service to the welfare of others, vs maintaining his narcisstic self-obsession with his leprosy, his powerlessness, and his futility, and above all else the avoidance of responsibility.
The character of Hile Troy, fellow Earther transported by magic to the Land, is precisely an externalization (REF 5 below] of the other side of Covenant's real dilemma. Hile Troy is who Covenant could be. In this book Hile Troy is the most well drawn character (has the most depth of any character in the first two books). He displays doubt and fear, and an unhealthy obsession with Elena, yet he also overcomes his doubts and fears with faith and courage, and despite his often poor generalship of the Lord's forces - he never gives up.
Having the main character driven by a false and easily avoidable dilemma is extraordinary to say the least.
[3.1] Covenant's Real Dilemma Sneaks Through
Covenant is obsessed with avoiding responsibility for the Land, this comes to the fore in the final act.
82%. "The next instant, he saw Elena’s gaze again, felt it sear his memory. He halted. A sudden idea threw back the chill. It sprang practically full-grown into view as if it had been maturing for days in the darkness of his mind, waiting until he was ready."
Covenant conceives of the idea of sacrificing his daughter rather than himself. All he had to do is manoeuvre her into taking full responsibility in fighting Lord Foul, and he can (Phew) stay in the calm shadows of total irresponsibility.
Here is the exact nature of Covenant's real dilemma. To believe in the Land and take responsibility for saving it or 'unbelieve' in the Land and avoid all responsibility for saving it.
How does Covenant answer his real dilemma. He remains the unbeliever and avoids responsibility. I'm beginning to think that Covenant is not just a violent rapist with a quiet hankering for his own rape-sired daughter, but that he just might be the stupidest main character in fantasy. The sort of stupidity that with exacting precision avoids the simple and obvious conclusions and choices, and instead clings to every indefensible belief with an absolute certainty born of his unshakeable conviction in his own rightness.
Covenant might be an unbeliever but he never doubts his own rightness for a second.
[4] Character driven Narratives vs Narrative driven Characters
If your wondering why Donaldson's characters are typically paper thin cardboard cut-outs that change their 'character,' on a dime leaving this reader perplexed and disappointed with their incoherence, look no further than the fact that Donaldson uses his narrative to drive his characters actions.
[4.1] Case in point, Covenant and the Blood Guards...
"16%. He grasped the krill in both fists, its blade pointing downward. With a convulsive movement, he stabbed the sword at the heart of the table, trying to break its blunt blade on the stone. ... “Unbeliever—you have brought the krill to life.” ... then at 19% ... That Covenant could not refuse; he was too ashamed of his essential impotence, too angry. Kicking himself vehemently into motion, he strode out of his suite."
Covenant commits an act of rage and violence within the High Lord's sanctum and not a single Bloodguard comes running - not even after Covenant was explicitly warned against violence mere minutes earlier by the Bloodguard leader, Morin. High lord plus Covenant plus a newly activated super weapon and the loyal Bloodguard are invisible... then only minutes later, Covenant bemoans his powerlessness and futility after he activated a magic sword no one else could activate and thrust it into a rock.
Covenant's reactions to events make no sense, and the Bloodguard, magic ageless guardians of the Lords go missing every single time their vow would get in the way of the narrative.
[4.2] Case in point, Lord Callindrill.
62%. "Callindrill was trying to help them. Rapidly he tore their clothing into strips, made tourniquets and bandages. He did not look up to see his danger."
Lord Callindrill does something stupid in the middle of a strategic and tactical retreat which puts everything at risk. Yes, he acted to save brave soldiers - but they were all dead a few moments later. His act changed nothing while putting the whole mission, and hence the Land he has sworn to protect, at risk.
Donaldson does this all the time. He does not build defined characters who then play out against each other - hence having the characters drive the narrative. For Donaldson, the process is reversed. The narrative drives the characters. If the narrative requires that a character behave 'out of character,' then they do. Callindrill, who is 'wizard smart,' is suddenly dumb, to enable another round of derring-do.
This blows out my reader engagement with the action due to a sudden attack of disbelief that Callindrill could be so stupid at a critical moment. If Donaldson had simply played his characters to the best of their ability, there'd be plenty of action, and the narrative would be much sharper and believable. Part of his problem is that his villains are also weakly defined, like nearly all his characters - mere cardboard cut-outs. The good guys and the bad guys are mirrors of each other. And like mirrors - any depth is an illusion.
On further reflection (no pun intended), this is aligned with Donaldson's stated view (paraphrased) that characters play out their internal struggles in the events and opposing characters. I.e. the external is the internal writ large ... mirrors indeed.
Perhaps it can be said, that for Donaldson, characters are ciphers for the drawing of specific internal/external conflicts. The force driving narrative focus becomes the conflict itself (and its eventual resolution) rather than the characters. Hence why the characters are so thinly drawn. They have to be transparent, or else they'll get in the way of Donaldson's method of externalising internal conflicts.
I.e. For Donaldson, paper-thin characters are a feature not a bug.
[5] Useful further reading from the Author on the nature of Epic Fantasy.
In Donaldson's own words he defines fantasy as
"Put simply, fantasy is a form of fiction in which the internal crises or conflicts or processes of the characters are dramatized as if they were external individuals or events. Crudely stated, this means that in fantasy the characters meet themselves - or parts of themselves, their own needs/problems/exigencies - as actors on the stage of the story, and so the internal struggle to deal with those needs/problems/exigencies is played out as an external struggle in the action of the story."
Further, Lord Foul is precisely defined as
"In fantasy, however, the ultimate justification for all the external details arises from the characters themselves. The characters confer reality on their surroundings. This is obviously true in "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant." The villain of the piece, Lord Foul, is a personified evil whose importance hinges explicitly on the fact that he is a part of Thomas Covenant. On some level, Covenant despises himself for his leprosy - so in the fantasy he meets that Despite from the outside; he meets Lord Foul and wrestles with him as an external enemy."
This is writ large in a kinda opening of the 4th wall.
"30%. “No,” Covenant said. “I recognized something in what you said—I’m starting to understand this. Listen. This whole crisis here is a struggle inside me. By hell, I’ve been a leper so long, I’m starting to think that the way people treat lepers is justified. So I’m becoming my own enemy, my own Despiser—working against myself when I try to stay alive by agreeing with the people who make it so hard. That’s why I’m dreaming this. Catharsis. Work out the dilemma subconsciously, so that when I wake up I’ll be able to cope.”
REF: The author's official web site at 'stephenrdonaldson.com' epic fantasy pdf.
Not Recommended: 1 'Rape and Incest are Normal,' star....more
A wonderful book, rich with feeling. 5 stars easily earned.
The 2nd in the Empire trilogy pits Mara and her classy team of experts against the despicabA wonderful book, rich with feeling. 5 stars easily earned.
The 2nd in the Empire trilogy pits Mara and her classy team of experts against the despicable villainy of Tasaio and the powerful Minwanabi family.
I love the characterization, which is rich and nuanced, these are characters you can really care about. The narrative is extensive and broad, suiting the Epic Fantasy genre. The story got me in and I was immersed - even though I've read this book multiple times before.
I was often smiling while reading this book, it does that to you. Although there are heart rending moments as well.
There is romance and it occasionally gets pretty physical at times, but the narrative context is always strong, and the scenes are very tastefully written - hence nothing gratuitous.
The bottomline, this is a fantastic part of the "The Empire Trilogy," and I would happily recommend it to anyone to read - provided you read "Daughter of the Empire," first....more
"A thing of despair fashioned in a shape of utter horror descended from the sky." - What a great line.
It's been so long since I last read this, that i"A thing of despair fashioned in a shape of utter horror descended from the sky." - What a great line.
It's been so long since I last read this, that it was like reading it for the first time. This is a middle book, that works really well to setup for the finale in 'Darkness at Sethanon.'
In general, I loved the book. I think the pacing could have been a little better, especially at the start, but that's a quibble.
As is usual for a Feist novel, themes of love, courage, duty and sacrifice in the face of tremendous, supernatural evil are front and center.
I enjoyed seeing Jimmy the Hand emerge as an important character in this book, he's one of my favorite characters in the series.
Interdimensional Imbroglio! Hound Thwarts Ceremony with Secret Advantage! "Snuff really had a secret edge over the other players. It all had to do witInterdimensional Imbroglio! Hound Thwarts Ceremony with Secret Advantage! "Snuff really had a secret edge over the other players. It all had to do with the pep talk he got at half-time from one of the opposition coaches. I tell you, there were some awful shenanigans going on right there!" - The Shub-Niggurath Scuttler.
Loved this story about Openers vs Closers in a Lovecraftian war to bring forth or deny entry to the Eldar gods.
All told from the point of view of Snuff, a loyal, and highly capable near-immortal hound living as a familiar for one of the main players.
Brilliant stuff - go read it.
October 2021 - time for a re-read of this classic. Now done (18Oct21). Brilliant.
October 2022 - reread with the fine folk over at the Nightmares and Dreamscapes group.
2023 Reread - Just in time for Halloween with the fine spooktober folk over at Fantasy Buddy Reads.
Strongly Recommended: 5 'Snuff is a Very Good Boy,' stars....more
Magical Mayhem! Wizard Posse Punches Arch-Villain's Trump Card! "Well, I'd just become a 'Living Trump,' able to transport myself anywhere throughout Magical Mayhem! Wizard Posse Punches Arch-Villain's Trump Card! "Well, I'd just become a 'Living Trump,' able to transport myself anywhere throughout the multiverse at will. You'd think that'd make a difference. (Shakes head disconsolately), But No! Merlin still thwarted my Evil Plan!" - Jurt - The Vigilant Villain
'The whiffling, the wailing, and the burbling suddenly echoed down the shaft, along with hissing, scraping and occasional snarls. The two beasts came together and tore at each other, eyes like dying suns, claws like bayonets, forming a hellish mandala in the pale light which now reached them from below.' A fire angel and a Jabberwock in a boss fight...
With more intrigue than a bagful of hairless primates fighting over the last peanut, this volume kept me awake at night.
Magic Garden Gone Wrong! Mage Dumps Fertilizer in Final Insult! "Well, I was certain that I had Merlin on the back foot with my magical attacks, but tMagic Garden Gone Wrong! Mage Dumps Fertilizer in Final Insult! "Well, I was certain that I had Merlin on the back foot with my magical attacks, but then he trumps out while dumping a truckload of manure on my head! I mean ... who gets to do that in a magical battle?!" - Mask - The Wizards' Weekly
Merlin largely spends this book trying to work out, 'What the Bloody Frack is Going ON!!!' and 'Who the Hell is Trying to Kill Me!!!' Frankly, it's one mysterious villain after another, even the help - here's looking at whoever is possessing Vinta Bayle - is mysterious. That said, he begins to seize the initiative by the end of this volume and assert some authority on events.
Creator Imbroglio! To Kill or Not To Kill? "Well, Merlin made me everything that I am today, but now he's on a mission to shut me down! What in the muCreator Imbroglio! To Kill or Not To Kill? "Well, Merlin made me everything that I am today, but now he's on a mission to shut me down! What in the multiverse did I do wrong?" - Ghostwheel - The A.I. Intelligencer.
I could almost ping a star for Merlin being kinda naïve, but then he is also kinda a 'computer nerd,' and so I get it. Very much full on entertainment and thoroughly refreshing compared with some of the dross that I'm currently wading through (here's looking at you Thomas Covenant).
Recommended. 5 'One Damned Thing After Another,' stars....more
Like wrapping a blood-drenched knife in cotton wool, this is a five star novella wrapped in a 2 star novel. There's just way too much unnecessary flufLike wrapping a blood-drenched knife in cotton wool, this is a five star novella wrapped in a 2 star novel. There's just way too much unnecessary fluff.
On re-read with the fine folk over at Horror Aficionados it has become clear to me that this is an extremely flawed book.
The core of the story is the relationship between Oskar and Eli, everything else is secondary to that. Unfortunately, subplots relating to Tommy, Lacke, Virginia, Jocke, and especially Hakan litter the pages with distracting stuff that is largely irrelevant to the main narrative.
Half of the book could have been cut to produce a tightly written, pacey novella that carried all the scare, chills and horror implicit in the story.
But, instead we got a bloated novel that spends pages and pages on irrelevant relationships and the mental drivel of a guilt-ridden child rapist and serial killer who doesn't have the courage to end his problem once and for all.
As for the core narrative, 5 stars for creating a character in Eli that transgresses so many boundaries at once as to be quite unforgettable, as for Oskar - he's mostly a prat.
As for the narrative as a whole, this is a dark, and chilling book, and I'm left with the sneaking suspicion that Eli is simply replacing Hakan with Oskar, who will be the latest in a two-hundred year long line of stooges that he has bent to his will.
Oskar, being the prat that he is, will welcome the iron servitude to a dark master wrapped in the velvet glove of acceptance and friendship.
Unfortunately not recommended, 2 'Too Much of the Pedophile Hakan Drivel,' stars....more
Undead Scandal! Lord Vampire Outwitted by English School Mistress!: "Who knew that Mina Harker would be the nemesis of the great lord himself!" - TranUndead Scandal! Lord Vampire Outwitted by English School Mistress!: "Who knew that Mina Harker would be the nemesis of the great lord himself!" - Transylvanian Tattler
"There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive."
"I find in a high great tomb as if made to one much beloved that other fair sister which, like Jonathan I had seen to gather herself out of the atoms of the mist. She was so fair to look on, so radiantly beautiful, so exquisitely voluptuous, ..."
Oh ... the brides!
I'm finding this review difficult to write.
It's been a long time between blood red drinks with this novel. I've read it once before, many years ago, and my response to re-reading it is to drop it from 5 stars to 4.
Stoker's writing style is an uneven mix of brilliance and tedium. His plot development ranges from magnificent to flawed.
His drawing of characters is basically two dimensional and I have to search hard to find examples that provide a greater depth. (I.e. characters are either all good, or all evil, with little in the way of shades of grey. Noting that Renfield, is by his final actions, one of the few characters that shows dimensionality....)
I know some who found the beginning slow. I would disagree. I found the initial journey of Jonathan Harker to Dracula's castle and his subsequent trials and tribulations there to be brilliantly composed narrative. There is a slow and steady progression from hints to warnings to threats to manifest risk of death and worse than death enslavement of the soul to forces beyond darkness.
The visual depictions of Dracula descending the vertical walls of his castle and the spooky manifestation of Dracula's brides is effective and affective writing.
The log of the Demeter is another masterwork of the slow advance of impending doom. The hint of a threat that grows with each night as one by one the crew disappear. Until it is a ghost ship that comes to land in Whitby, Yorkshire. This is manifest brilliance.
To say that Lucy Westenra cops it in the neck would be a bit trite. Her eventual fate left me inspired to write a Haiku.
Mina Harker (the primary hero of this story as she is the one who has to confront the greatest risk and persevere beyond it) is the brains (on multiple occasions) behind the operations of the Van Helsing Vampire Hunting Club.
Mina gets left behind while the boys go galavanting about Carfax looking for evidence of Vlad and when the obvious happens - no one notices. It's a raging plot flaw (i.e. Major hero gets in trouble because everyone is suddenly as thick as two short planks) I hadn't noticed this in my earlier read. I must be getting pickier about such things as I get older...
I would also like to note that Stoker's use of a psychic connection between Mina and Dracula is strikingly echoed in multiple ways by J.K. Rowling with Harry and Voldemort. I think also for the same purpose, as the psychic link is used to move the narrative forward in both Dracula and the Potter books. Is J.K. a fan of this book?
Some things I didn't like which got in the way of the telling.
The use of vernacular by anyone not in the Van Helsing Vampire Hunting Club such as "'ere like tha'..." Was positively grating.
Van Helsing's speech was mostly annoying for the same reason as we are asked to 'appreciate' that this learned dutchman can't speak grammatical English...
On the question of writing the whole novel in epistolary form (letters, diary notes, log books, etc). I think it works very well for this novel. However, something could be missing. What I would like to see is a great big diary written by Vlad Dracula...
The bottom line: I love the story but I don't always love how it was written. Would I recommend it? Yes. Well worth reading for those moments of brilliance that have carried this story for more than a century.
Ur-Lord of Reason Imbroglio! Incoherent or just Incompetent? "Well, (scratches his head) I was trying to tell Covenant that he could let go of responsUr-Lord of Reason Imbroglio! Incoherent or just Incompetent? "Well, (scratches his head) I was trying to tell Covenant that he could let go of responsibility for other people's expectations and he (shakes head) just ... started running around in a circle shouting, 'I'm a GOLDFISH!' over and over again. Then Linden hissed at him, 'It's all my fault, but I can't help you. No I just wont! So, there!' and I'm left thinking, (lifts and spreads his hands) I gave up my whole village for this?" - Sunder - The Graveler's Chronicles
Unlike the first trilogy with its dark genius of holding up a mirror to endorse our society's rulership based upon psychopathic satanic depravity ... this volume has no such charms, and I'm left with reading 200+ pages of utterly incoherent drivel masquerading as a fantasy epic.
These 3 and a half books have taught me much, but now it's time to end the pain.
I literally can go no further. Reading this book is like stabbing my brain with a knife.
Noting that I brought the hard cover when it came out and read it in full, along with the rest of the 2nd Chronicles. I'm amazed at the difference in my experience of this story. While the book remains the same, this reader has changed enormously from the inexperienced and naïve youth I once was.
Wizarding Shocker! Young Harry Left with Muggles for over a Decade! "I was kept under the fracking stairs by my Uncle, Aunt and Cousin. It was horriblWizarding Shocker! Young Harry Left with Muggles for over a Decade! "I was kept under the fracking stairs by my Uncle, Aunt and Cousin. It was horrible!" - Hogwart's Herald
Completed a re-read after many, many years... with the good folk over at Fantasy Buddy Reads. This book should be required reading for any budding story teller as it displays a huge amount of skill.
I could go on and on, but the characters are whispering that they want a word or two.
Beware, potentially dangerous and/or possibly humorous material ahead
Vernon Dursley: "I have no idea why the Potter boy had to come back from School. By the way, would you like a nice drill bit, I have thousands..."
Petunia Dursley: "Vernon ... could you tell me about your drill bit again? About the length of the shaft? About the thickness of the shank? I really would like to hear this story more than once."
Dudley Dursley: "It's a little known fact, that post surgery I kept my little pig's tail in a jar of embalming fluid. I've got it hidden beneath my bed. I often think of it, sometimes I take it out and stroke it. It whispers things to me, wonderful things, dreadful things, things I'd like to do one day...."
Hagrid: "Well, I must say, my elocution lessons have paid off handsomely."
The Sorting Hat: "Centuries ago, I proposed the school houses be called, 'The Dungeons,' 'The Tower,' 'The Basement.' 'The Other Tower' (Yeah, I know, confusing, but that would be part of the fun), and then I'd get to say to new students, 'Off to The Dungeons with ye,' or 'Off to the Tower,' - what fun! - but was I allowed? No. Bloody Wizards!"
Draco Malfoy: "I applied for the role of 'Harry Potter,' and look what happened, (shakes head disconsolately), it's a complete balls up. I complained to the author, but it did no good. Now I'm struck in the dungeons with Crabbe and Goyle, and they're no fun. Now, where's that nifty 'make your own lightning bolt scar makeup' ... it must be somewhere round this gloomy place."
Ron Weasley: "I applied for the role of 'Harry Potter,' too, but fortunately, I got the 'best friend,' role. Everyone knows the best friend always survives. And also, just quietly, you know, there's that thing with Ginny and Harry in the future, and you know, well, just ewwww! - she's my sister!"
Hermione: "Well, it's called 'The Voldemort Smackdown Club,' and I'm president. Well, it makes perfect sense to me - don't you agree?"
Professor Snape: "I applied for the role of Voldemort. I know, I didn't get it, now stop bloody well reminding me about it."
Scene #38: Take #14: INT: The Leaky Cauldron: Professor Quirrell shakes Harry's hand for the first time.
Quirrell: "Potter, pleasss-ed to meets you. Pleasss-ed exxx-scuse my lissssp."
"CUT! Quirrell, it's a stutter, not a lisp. Now set up for take #15... Geez, now get it right."
Quirrell: "I can't help it! It's him, beneath the turban, he's telling me to do it!"
Voldemort: "Well, I applied for the role of Potter as well. My plan was brilliant, flawless, a perfection of genius. I would solve all my problems with a single stroke - yes, it would be that easy - I'd just kill myself."
Professor Dumbledore: "A nudge here, a nudge there, and whipsabobbly, Fanny's your uncle and Bob's your aunt, or some such."
Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback: "Well, Teddy. It's just you and me now. Send us off in a crate to Romania did they? Just wait till I grow up - I'll show 'em what a chew toy really looks like."
And finally Harry...
Harry Potter: "I literally spent ten years living in a cupboard under the stairs, half-starving myself, and giving myself wedgies every night in preparation for this role. Boy, was I relieved when I got it. Imagine, if I'd done all that for nothing?"
And there you have it, a 5 'Wizarding,' star masterpiece.
Re-read this classic with the fine folk over at Nightmares and Dreamscapes in Nov/Dec 2022. Swapped my original review to the kindle version - just borrowed via Prime, (12Nov2022) as my paperback has mysteriously vanished...