Misha's Reviews > Lord Foul's Bane
Lord Foul's Bane (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, #1)
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I've often lamented that five-star rating systems, such as the one used by GoodReads, don't allow for ratings lower than one star. Were it possible, I'd give this book negative stars; I think it actually sucks the quality away from books shelved near it, and generally makes the world a less joyful, less intelligent place to be.
You might assume from the previous statements that I dislike this book. Given that "dislike" is a pretty mild, milquetoast term on the sliding scale of affection, you would be wrong. I loathe this book. This is one of the very few novels I've ever literally thrown across a room once I'd finished it, and if I had the chance, I'd cheerfully do so again... preferably at Donaldson himself, were he within range.
Why? Let's start with the protagonist -- and please, don't even try to sell me on the notion that he's an anti-hero. Thomas Covenant is one of the most loathsome, self-involved creations ever to emerge from a writer's psyche, and the fact that he himself would agree with that assessment alleviates his repulsiveness not one bit. Covenant is whiny to the point of self-parody, self-pitying to the point of ego collapse, and constantly uses his (admittedly real) hardships as justification for not accepting responsibility for anything... including a heinous act of sexual violence which Donaldson thoughtfully sketches out for us just enough to make sure we don't miss the point: yes, Covenant really does rape a character after she's just healed him of his leprosy.
Ladies and gentlemen, Our Hero.
Of course, that's merely the most glaring flaw in a book chock full of awful. Donaldson's writing style gives new depth and nuance to the concept of "purple prose," and his "epic" story reads like an overcooked pastiche of Tolkien with some cheery "realism" (for which read "late 20th-century self-involvement") stirred in for flavor. I'd go on further, but honestly, there's only so long I can stomach kicking this dog of a novel before I feel the need to wash the taste of Donaldson's florid writing and his "hero" out of my brain.
I regret ever reading this book, and I am absolutely flabbergasted that it has enough readers and fans to have led to seven-count-'em-seven sequels as of this writing. I mean, sure, I know there's no accounting for taste, but damn.
You might assume from the previous statements that I dislike this book. Given that "dislike" is a pretty mild, milquetoast term on the sliding scale of affection, you would be wrong. I loathe this book. This is one of the very few novels I've ever literally thrown across a room once I'd finished it, and if I had the chance, I'd cheerfully do so again... preferably at Donaldson himself, were he within range.
Why? Let's start with the protagonist -- and please, don't even try to sell me on the notion that he's an anti-hero. Thomas Covenant is one of the most loathsome, self-involved creations ever to emerge from a writer's psyche, and the fact that he himself would agree with that assessment alleviates his repulsiveness not one bit. Covenant is whiny to the point of self-parody, self-pitying to the point of ego collapse, and constantly uses his (admittedly real) hardships as justification for not accepting responsibility for anything... including a heinous act of sexual violence which Donaldson thoughtfully sketches out for us just enough to make sure we don't miss the point: yes, Covenant really does rape a character after she's just healed him of his leprosy.
Ladies and gentlemen, Our Hero.
Of course, that's merely the most glaring flaw in a book chock full of awful. Donaldson's writing style gives new depth and nuance to the concept of "purple prose," and his "epic" story reads like an overcooked pastiche of Tolkien with some cheery "realism" (for which read "late 20th-century self-involvement") stirred in for flavor. I'd go on further, but honestly, there's only so long I can stomach kicking this dog of a novel before I feel the need to wash the taste of Donaldson's florid writing and his "hero" out of my brain.
I regret ever reading this book, and I am absolutely flabbergasted that it has enough readers and fans to have led to seven-count-'em-seven sequels as of this writing. I mean, sure, I know there's no accounting for taste, but damn.
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Reading Progress
Finished Reading
November 18, 2008
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Covenant is a misogynistic, self centered, egoist who spends the bulk of the series bemoaning his life, making everyone around him miserable and refusing to face or accept (objective) reality.
It's too dangerous to believe you see...for three books.
So the writer spends 3 volumes (unless of course you forge through the SECOND TRILOGY) beating the same dead horse, with Covenant using the same arguments and facing every situation(s) almost the same way. The story in the trilogy could have been told better in a short 200 page volume.
Just my moronic opinion of course.
Fell free to express your opinion, many agree with you and like the book. Feel free to disagree with opinions expressed in reviews... But calling names and simply pronouncing an opposing opinion "moronic" isn't disagreement. It's simply throwing a tantrum.
As noted (and this isn't my review, though if you go to it you'll be just as disenchanted) I find this book distasteful, I don't like the character and I don't care for the storytelling. Covenant takes forever to develop and the books almost spin in place for a while.
And no, I don't like the rape.
Now...I'm glad you like the books. Many do. But you aren't going to find universal approbation for any title.
I'm sorry, [redacted], but randos from the Internet don't get speaking privileges around here! Especially randos who feel a need to play the "my dad can kick your ass" card on an eight-year-old review of a shitty fantasy novel. Come back when you've stopped letting your mom cut your hair, "wordsmith," and maybe we can have a grown-up conversation. In the meantime, don't bother responding; anything else you write here will be deleted.
Have an outstanding day. ^_^
Oh, you're adorable. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? After she's finished breastfeeding you and dropping off your allowance for the week, I mean.
Bye, Felicia! ^_^
My goodness, aren't you just the cutest little thing!
As I said before, [redacted], randos from the Internet don't get speaking privileges around here. You've been amusing me, which is why I've preserved your comments in quoted form. Your obviously sincere suggestion that we "meet up" so we can have ourselves a little grade-school fistfight has had me laughing all morning. The joke is getting pretty tired at this point, though, and I've got other trolls to fry, so I'm done playing with you. Any future comments you care to post here will be laughed at, then deleted. If you need to whine and cry about it on Facebook, that's your prerogative, but honestly, it just makes you look weak and sad.
Oh, and as for "wanting a piece of [my] bitch ass," I'm sorry to let you down, but I don't think of you in that way, and besides which, I'm happily married. They have dating services and hookup spots for what you're looking for, even in southwest Alabama, so I'm sure you'll bounce back soon.
Run along, now. I'm bored, and I'm sure you've got another "epic high fantasy" novel to write.
Toodles! ^_^
And now, thanks to the magic of the Internet, you're entitled to my ignorance, too! ^_^ Toodles!
I think the series profoundly explores a lot of the paradox that exists in the human psyche and, when you look at it in more a metaphysical view, existence and matter itself. I fail to understand how an artist who can make you hate their character as much as you obviously do Covenant can also be a complete failure in his writing, especially since his goal was entirely that. You’re supposed to hate Covenant, right? So is it not fair to say that he succeeded as a writer? Not to mention this paradox of a hero is, in my opinion, a nearly perfect narrative device to explore the nature of consciousness and the universe itself, idk I might just be uneducated and assigning meaning and validation where it isn’t worth, but I think you have seriously misjudged this book.
You don’t have to like a book for it to be a well-written book; this series, as I understand it, was the life work of Donaldson, and I think it’s unfair to shit on his most valued creation because its main character disgusted you.
Colin, I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit - it's the only way to be sure at this stage.
(See what I did there, fans of this book?)
Some of the commenters here don't realise the irony of their use of "stereotype" in its context here :eyebrow-raise: way to sound like an incel
Please accept a virtual high five.