White Gold Wielder - Book Three of The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

Despite the crushing failure at the Isle of the One Tree, Covenant and Linden realize that they have no choice but to go on fighting the nefarious plots of Lord Foul. They decide to return to The Land and attempt to extinguish the Banefire hoping that this will slow the desecration of the Sunbane. The minions of Lord Foul are poised to oppose them every step of the way. They also know that even if they slow down the Sunbane, they still must eventually find a way to stop Lord Foul himself. Donaldson brings the trilogy to a brilliant conclusion in this volume. Linden finally comes to terms with the "ghosts" of her past and realizes that she is not inherently evil despite having made mistakes in the past. Covenant achieves an inner peace after he finally accepts what he must do to defeat Lord Foul. The triumph of two flawed human beings over the "devil incarnate" provides an interesting premise for Donaldson to explore the frailties of human nature. I finally began to like Covenant in this volume and I actually began to empathize with him. Although we expect Covenant and Linden to win in the end, the ending was inventive and engaging and not at all what I expected. There is a rumor that Donaldson may write the Third Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. I, for one, am avidly awaiting their publication.

I first read the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant over ten years ago, and each successive revisit only increases my appreciation of this series. Be warned that it is not a saga to embark upon lightly: I am a voracious reader, but it can take months for me to get through the six books, partly because Donaldson's style begs to be savored, not hurriedly swallowed, and partly because the sheer amount of angst experienced in seeing the Land corrupted in the second trilogy occasionally necessitates putting it aside for a few days in favor of something lighter. Sound painful? It is - exquisitely so.*White Gold Wielder* is a stunning conclusion to the Chronicles, both in its power and in the unexpectedness of its method of resolution. It is especially refreshing in the wake of the drawn-out and sometimes seemingly pointless sea journey of *The One Tree* - Donaldson gathers up all the loose threads and weaves them seamlessly into a climax in which everything is seen to have its purpose after all. I would compare it favorably to the end of The Lord of the Rings, my favorite fantasy series, although detailing the parallels would spoil the plot. It is completely plausible in the context established and immensely satisfying.I would like to add that Donaldson made a brilliant choice in bringing Linden Avery into Covenant's one-man antiheroic crusade. She is the perfect foil, and not just because she reminds us of Covenant's initial incredulous reaction to the fantastic Land. Covenant is caught, Hamletlike, between his belief in his own powerlessness and the Land's need for a saviour; Linden is terrified of using her power because she dreads the monster she knows herself capable of becoming. That these two flawed and unlikeable characters ultimately become deeply sympathetic and convincing heroes speaks volumes for Donaldson's genius. Bottom line: If you enjoy dark, philosophical, challenging fantasy, complex characters, and a compelling Good-vs-Evil story in the tradition of Tolkien, allow this series to make your world a sadder, wiser, but more beautiful place.

This review applies to White Gold Wielder and also to the five books preceding it in the series. The Thomas Covenant chronicles was my first real foray into fantasy saga, having developed a fascination and affinity for the genre through playing Dungeons & Dragons as a young teenager, and reading the occasional novel. I read all six books over a one year period (age 18-19), and was utterly hooked almost immediately upon starting Lord Foul's Bane (yes, I'm a slow reader, but I savoured every minute of it!). What impresses me the most is how Donaldson so completely transports you to The Land, and creates in you such a love and wonderment for all its poignant beauty, legendary richness and inhabitants, that you cannot bear to see any ill come to it; it takes on a quality of sacrosanctity. Covenant himself quickly establishes himself as a tragic (if unlikely) hero, but with certain character flaws and frailties which reinforce his humanness. His leprosy is used skillfully as a vehicle to keep himself sane in this fantastic world, which he fears is a construct of madness closing in. His "unbelief" that this "Land" is reality at all lends the saga a delicious aspect of irony, as he nonetheless fights to preserve its beauty and history from the ravages of Lord Foul, the Despiser. The conflict between good and evil is well-defined; never corny or predictable; Foul is undeniably evil, and his contempt for the sacred Land truly disturbing; Thomas Covenant, through the power of his white gold ring (the only hope The Land has of salvation) is a muddle of self-doubts and paradoxes, but undeniably loves The Land and plans to defend it no matter what the cost. The ravage and war waged on The Land is both extremely exciting, and unbearably brutal. The sub-plot of fellow "real-worlder" Dr. Linden Avery affords us a look at a new dimensions of Covenant than were possible in the first trilogy. Now he has female companionship, allowing potential for a physical and emotional bond, and an ally whose incredulity at this Land is similar to that of his own in the first three tomes. Covenant's love for The Land is infectious, and his gradual acceptance of it truly moving. This Land is the only thing left that Covenant cares about, having been shunned by the world to which he used to belong. Donaldson has ensured that character development throughout all six books is rich and revealing, the descriptions of The Land, its customs, creatures and peoples exquisite. Maybe it was the age I was at, or the state of mind I was in, but never have I been moved since by a book (or series of books) like I was with the Covenant chronicles. I still remember reading the last line of Wielder in my grandmother's house, at four in the morning, after a marathon read. Still remember the shiver that went down my spine. The following words are my attempt to do justice to this masterwork: Fantastic, breathtaking, goosebump-giving, exquisi

There is so much to like in The Second Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant. Linden Avery is a totally believable and ( for me ) sympathetic character. I like Vain, the Sandgorgons, the meeting with Elena in Andelain; that tears my heart out every time. I like the Bloodgaurd's admonition to Linden, "You must give him succour. We see that he holds you in his heart". I like the camorra for the Giants at the end of "The Wounded Land". Strangely, I like the Second Chronicles more than the First, even though, yes, I realize that events in the first trilogy have big consequences in the second. The six books that comprise the Thomas Covenant novels stand out as the best that sf/fanatsy has to offer. I put them up there with Frank Herbert's 'Dune' and that is no mean company to be in.