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The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant #3
White Gold Wielder: The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant Book Three
After bitter defeat on the Isle of the One Tree, Thomas Covenant, Linden Avery and the Giants of the Search take ship again. Across the frozen oceans they return to the Land, now perilously close to destruction from the ravages of the Sunbane. Drawn inexorably towards the caverns deep below Mount Thunder, Covenant and Linden Avery prepare to meet their bitterest foe. Even the white gold they carry may not serve against Lord Foul's powers. For once the wild magic is released, the Arch of Times will crack, and Lord Foul's conquest of the Land will be assured...
515 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1983
254 people are currently reading
3253 people want to read
About the author
Stephen R. Donaldson
149 books2,720 followersStephen Reeder Donaldson is an American fantasy, science fiction, and mystery novelist; in the United Kingdom he is usually called "Stephen Donaldson" (without the "R"). He has also written non-fiction under the pen name Reed Stephens.
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION:
Stephen R. Donaldson was born May 13, 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio. His father, James, was a medical missionary and his mother, Ruth, a prosthetist (a person skilled in making or fitting prosthetic devices). Donaldson spent the years between the ages of 3 and 16 living in India, where his father was working as an orthopaedic surgeon. Donaldson earned his bachelor's degree from The College of Wooster and master's degree from Kent State University.
INSPIRATIONS:
Donaldson's work is heavily influenced by other fantasy authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Roger Zelazny, Joseph Conrad, Henry James, and William Faulkner. The writers he most admires are Patricia A. McKillip, Steven Erikson, and Tim Powers.
It is believed that a speech his father made on leprosy (whilst working with lepers in India) led to Donaldson's creation of Thomas Covenant, the anti-hero of his most famous work (Thomas Covenant). The first book in that series, Lord Foul's Bane, received 47 rejections before a publisher agreed to publish it.
PROMINENT WORK:
Stephen Donaldson came to prominence in 1977 with the The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, which is centred around a leper shunned by society and his trials and tribulations as his destiny unfolds. These books established Donaldson as one of the most important figures in modern fantasy fiction.
PERSONAL LIFE:
He currently resides in New Mexico.
THE GRADUAL INTERVIEW
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION:
Stephen R. Donaldson was born May 13, 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio. His father, James, was a medical missionary and his mother, Ruth, a prosthetist (a person skilled in making or fitting prosthetic devices). Donaldson spent the years between the ages of 3 and 16 living in India, where his father was working as an orthopaedic surgeon. Donaldson earned his bachelor's degree from The College of Wooster and master's degree from Kent State University.
INSPIRATIONS:
Donaldson's work is heavily influenced by other fantasy authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Roger Zelazny, Joseph Conrad, Henry James, and William Faulkner. The writers he most admires are Patricia A. McKillip, Steven Erikson, and Tim Powers.
It is believed that a speech his father made on leprosy (whilst working with lepers in India) led to Donaldson's creation of Thomas Covenant, the anti-hero of his most famous work (Thomas Covenant). The first book in that series, Lord Foul's Bane, received 47 rejections before a publisher agreed to publish it.
PROMINENT WORK:
Stephen Donaldson came to prominence in 1977 with the The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, which is centred around a leper shunned by society and his trials and tribulations as his destiny unfolds. These books established Donaldson as one of the most important figures in modern fantasy fiction.
PERSONAL LIFE:
He currently resides in New Mexico.
THE GRADUAL INTERVIEW
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews
January 23, 2023
*** 2023 Reread -
This wraps up the second chronicles of Thomas Covenant.
I first read this as it was published back in 1983, I would have been 14.
I understand now that I did not have the emotional maturity to really get this back then. I just thought it was a cool and intense fantasy unlike any I had read before.
Donaldson is a woefully under appreciated fantasy writer; his literary gifts should have him listed with such names as Gene Wolfe and Ursula K. LeGuin.
This series, this character, this world building, are superbly well crafted but Donaldson asks much of his readers. Not just in the sometimes outrageous scenes, but in this complex fantasy.
“Complex,” you say. “Not at all, it’s just Narnia without the Christian allegory.”
Yes, complex I say, this works on many levels, and are you sure it’s not a Christian allegory? Donaldson has many tricks up his sleeve.
OK, we have the surface story of a mostly unlikeable guy who gets weirdly transported to a fantastic Land and he has adventures.
AND! You have the metaphorical tale of health versus disease, good versus evil. But then that leads to to next level - reality versus imagination. Or can we have some multiverse complexities mixed in too?
And finally, does Donaldson himself break the fourth wall in some wild Grant Morrison / PKD / Trevanian asides and musings? I know some are saying, OK Lyn, you just lost me there, but consider: the two central characters are named Thomas Covenant and Lord Foul. This is either a juvenile oversimplification or satire. But no, the narrative is told straight and written at a postgraduate level and just about all of the themes are way past young adult. So why the corny names? If we shift our camera focus to behind the writer’s chair, look over SRD’s shoulder, what do we see? Does he have a heavy hand, shades of Vonnegut? Guiding the action recklessly with dry rubber bands?
Maybe, maybe not, but we have much to consider in this conclusion of this chapter in the larger story (Donaldson would return to this story twenty-one years later). Excellent, if very dark fantasy, told with erudition and skill, and leaving the reader with lots to think about.
This wraps up the second chronicles of Thomas Covenant.
I first read this as it was published back in 1983, I would have been 14.
I understand now that I did not have the emotional maturity to really get this back then. I just thought it was a cool and intense fantasy unlike any I had read before.
Donaldson is a woefully under appreciated fantasy writer; his literary gifts should have him listed with such names as Gene Wolfe and Ursula K. LeGuin.
This series, this character, this world building, are superbly well crafted but Donaldson asks much of his readers. Not just in the sometimes outrageous scenes, but in this complex fantasy.
“Complex,” you say. “Not at all, it’s just Narnia without the Christian allegory.”
Yes, complex I say, this works on many levels, and are you sure it’s not a Christian allegory? Donaldson has many tricks up his sleeve.
OK, we have the surface story of a mostly unlikeable guy who gets weirdly transported to a fantastic Land and he has adventures.
AND! You have the metaphorical tale of health versus disease, good versus evil. But then that leads to to next level - reality versus imagination. Or can we have some multiverse complexities mixed in too?
And finally, does Donaldson himself break the fourth wall in some wild Grant Morrison / PKD / Trevanian asides and musings? I know some are saying, OK Lyn, you just lost me there, but consider: the two central characters are named Thomas Covenant and Lord Foul. This is either a juvenile oversimplification or satire. But no, the narrative is told straight and written at a postgraduate level and just about all of the themes are way past young adult. So why the corny names? If we shift our camera focus to behind the writer’s chair, look over SRD’s shoulder, what do we see? Does he have a heavy hand, shades of Vonnegut? Guiding the action recklessly with dry rubber bands?
Maybe, maybe not, but we have much to consider in this conclusion of this chapter in the larger story (Donaldson would return to this story twenty-one years later). Excellent, if very dark fantasy, told with erudition and skill, and leaving the reader with lots to think about.
September 23, 2023
I loved this one so much. White Gold Wielder. It made me interested in getting things not fashioned from yellow gold or silver, but from the rare beauty of white gold. Great story here. I guess I consider white gold as carrying somewhat magical properties now 🌟
October 12, 2012
Unlike other reviews I've read, I liked the second trilogy as much as the first. And I can understand why the author took almost two decades to tackle his third trilogy (The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever). I attempted to read the first trilogy when I was much younger than I am now, around 12, and just couldn't get into it. And not because of the "big awful" that happened near the beginning of the first book... just because I hadn't experienced enough life to scratch the surface of the meaning of the books. The anti-hero has become more popular these days. And in the first trilogy, Thomas Covenant WAS a very hard hero to like. But his struggles are the same struggles that *I* have experienced in life. The journey through guilt, dishonor and disbelief to redemption is one that I have lived. Thomas Covenant was a real person, flawed, dealing with his life (and the "dream" of the Land) in the only way he knew how. And in the end of the first trilogy, he found that balance within himself, redeemed himself. In the second trilogy, we have TWO deeply flawed characters, but they are damaged in different ways. Linden Avery was driven by her powerlessness in the face of despair and death. Thomas Covenenant, in the second trilogy, was driven by similar demons, except that he had experienced redemption and was put to new challenges, the loss of what he had loved and saved. Both Linden and Avery in the end were able to turn their weaknesses into strengths, and redeem themselves. It was a vastly satisfying read. It doesn't MATTER if the Land is real or not. What matters is the journey of the main characters. And what they conquer in themselves in infinitely satisfying. I didn't know that there was a third trilogy until I was reading reviews of Thomas Covenant online (which I always do after reading a series, because I'm sad it's over and want to read other people's views on it). But I'm excited to start reading it... it's a series of four books, but the fourth hasn't been released yet. And Donaldson said he waited so long to start because he was afraid he wouldn't be able to bring the story to completion and due it full justice. In the end, he decided to face his fears and make the attempt, because the greatest thing he risked was failure. And in that, you can see that much of WHO his characters are is drawn from within himself. Which makes for the best writing. I would recommend these books to anyone. And I've seen them given horrible reviews. But people giving these books horrible reviews usually haven't read the entire series, and I'd wager my admittedly unimpressive bank account against the fact that they haven't struggled with some of the things that Covenant struggles with on a daily basis. If you understand the why of a person, you find their journey fascinating, no matter how unappealing they may seem when you first are introduced to their character.
March 17, 2008
I pretty much wanted to see Thomas Covenant strangled, but I couldn't stop reading the darn series
November 15, 2022
Since, I've DNF'ed The Wounded Land: The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant Book One, I'm abandoning my plans to re-read this book and the series. For my reviews of what has gone before and led up to my abandonment of this series, see below.
Review of Lord Foul's Bane.
Review of the Kindle version at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All my notes and highlights for Lord Foul's Bane are at https://www.goodreads.com/notes/32179...
Review of The Illearth War.
Review of the Kindle version at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All my notes and highlights for The Illearth War are at https://www.goodreads.com/notes/19186...
Review of The Power That Preserves.
Review of the Kindle version at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All my notes and highlights for The Power That Preserves are at https://www.goodreads.com/notes/19049...
Review of The Wounded Land.
Review of the Kindle version at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All my notes and highlights for The Wounded Land are at https://www.goodreads.com/notes/18902...
Review of Lord Foul's Bane.
Review of the Kindle version at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All my notes and highlights for Lord Foul's Bane are at https://www.goodreads.com/notes/32179...
Review of The Illearth War.
Review of the Kindle version at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All my notes and highlights for The Illearth War are at https://www.goodreads.com/notes/19186...
Review of The Power That Preserves.
Review of the Kindle version at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All my notes and highlights for The Power That Preserves are at https://www.goodreads.com/notes/19049...
Review of The Wounded Land.
Review of the Kindle version at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All my notes and highlights for The Wounded Land are at https://www.goodreads.com/notes/18902...
March 18, 2023
If I only had one word to describe this book it would be
Pain!
If I was allowed a second word it would be
Despair!
If granted one final word it would be
Hope?
Pain!
If I was allowed a second word it would be
Despair!
If granted one final word it would be
Hope?
February 22, 2014
"We are mortal, and the visage of failure is heinous to us. But we are not required to succeed. It is required of us only that we hold fast in every gale and let come what may."
"That is the grace which has been given to you. To bear what must be borne."
In this third and final installment of the second Thomas Covenant trilogy many secrets are revealed, much despair is wrought, love is rekindled, and hope begins to flourish once more. Covenant, Linden, and their band of friends make their way to Mount Thunder to confront Lord Foul and put an end to his destruction once and for all.
This book was a very, very emotional read. The previous two books in the trilogy were just so hard to read due to all the terrible things that these characters were forced to endure. It made me realize just how much I was starting to care for them, and how much I wanted them to succeed in their quest. I won't give the ending away, but I will say that I never expected it to end the way that it did. And I feel that all of the characters, particularly Covenant and Linden, grew with such spectacular leaps and bounds that I sincerely wanted (and want) the very best for them all.
I really urge you to give this wonderful fantasy series a chance. It truly is remarkable.
"Hope doesn't come from us. It doesn't depend on us. It comes from the worth and power of what we serve."
"That is the grace which has been given to you. To bear what must be borne."
In this third and final installment of the second Thomas Covenant trilogy many secrets are revealed, much despair is wrought, love is rekindled, and hope begins to flourish once more. Covenant, Linden, and their band of friends make their way to Mount Thunder to confront Lord Foul and put an end to his destruction once and for all.
This book was a very, very emotional read. The previous two books in the trilogy were just so hard to read due to all the terrible things that these characters were forced to endure. It made me realize just how much I was starting to care for them, and how much I wanted them to succeed in their quest. I won't give the ending away, but I will say that I never expected it to end the way that it did. And I feel that all of the characters, particularly Covenant and Linden, grew with such spectacular leaps and bounds that I sincerely wanted (and want) the very best for them all.
I really urge you to give this wonderful fantasy series a chance. It truly is remarkable.
"Hope doesn't come from us. It doesn't depend on us. It comes from the worth and power of what we serve."
November 12, 2020
Ipak na silu.
Tri zvezdice se u ovom slucaju odnose na celu sagu (pve i druge hronike) o Tomasu Kovenantu, Neverniku i Nosiocu Belog Zlata.
+ Jako realistican iako pise cistu epsku fantastiku. Nekada i presurov u predstavljanju bola i ptatnje, unutrasnje borbe koju vodi svaki covek, jada koji donose ocekivanja naspram mogucnosti i realnosti. Ali zar takav i nije ovaj zivot.
+ Koegzistentan stil pisanja, prozet jakim recenicama i cvrstom formom. Ne gubi nit.
+ Ume da dovede radnju do "epskih" proporcija.
- Plagijator.
- Resanja koja okrecu radnju u jdnom ili drugom smeru su precesto slabo razradjene ideje.
- Predvidljiv, jos vise time sto se trudi da to ne bude. Kontraefekat.
Tri zvezdice se u ovom slucaju odnose na celu sagu (pve i druge hronike) o Tomasu Kovenantu, Neverniku i Nosiocu Belog Zlata.
+ Jako realistican iako pise cistu epsku fantastiku. Nekada i presurov u predstavljanju bola i ptatnje, unutrasnje borbe koju vodi svaki covek, jada koji donose ocekivanja naspram mogucnosti i realnosti. Ali zar takav i nije ovaj zivot.
+ Koegzistentan stil pisanja, prozet jakim recenicama i cvrstom formom. Ne gubi nit.
+ Ume da dovede radnju do "epskih" proporcija.
- Plagijator.
- Resanja koja okrecu radnju u jdnom ili drugom smeru su precesto slabo razradjene ideje.
- Predvidljiv, jos vise time sto se trudi da to ne bude. Kontraefekat.
August 24, 2011
While I enjoyed the series, and thought it was a fascinating universe with interesting characters, I had two major problems.
#1 - Both the first and second Chronicles are almost entirely composed of suffering and death. I've got no problem with dark stories, but spending days/weeks reading nothing but horrible events can take its toll. I often had to limit my reading to night time, because of I read early in the day I'd spend all day depressed.
#2 - Without going into any spoilers, I will say that the protagonist kicks off the series by committing a horrific act. Much of the remainder of the series is spent trying to atone for that act, but as a reader I was never able to fully forgive him. It's difficult to root for a character you dislike, and I'm not sure I can ever fully wipe away my dislike for him, no matter how the stories may end.
That said, there are many things to love about these books. I am not aware of any other fantasy books who could place a modern man in their world and keep both sides interesting and believable. Nearly all the characters have a lot of depth and personality, and the protagonist, Thomas Covenant, is very lifelike and has a distinct personality. Many authors write their main character to be a perfect flawless hero, but Covenant is quite the opposite. He's bitter, dishonest and selfish, and has little in the way of redeeming qualities. While that may not make him loveable, it does make him feel real.
#1 - Both the first and second Chronicles are almost entirely composed of suffering and death. I've got no problem with dark stories, but spending days/weeks reading nothing but horrible events can take its toll. I often had to limit my reading to night time, because of I read early in the day I'd spend all day depressed.
#2 - Without going into any spoilers, I will say that the protagonist kicks off the series by committing a horrific act. Much of the remainder of the series is spent trying to atone for that act, but as a reader I was never able to fully forgive him. It's difficult to root for a character you dislike, and I'm not sure I can ever fully wipe away my dislike for him, no matter how the stories may end.
That said, there are many things to love about these books. I am not aware of any other fantasy books who could place a modern man in their world and keep both sides interesting and believable. Nearly all the characters have a lot of depth and personality, and the protagonist, Thomas Covenant, is very lifelike and has a distinct personality. Many authors write their main character to be a perfect flawless hero, but Covenant is quite the opposite. He's bitter, dishonest and selfish, and has little in the way of redeeming qualities. While that may not make him loveable, it does make him feel real.
September 9, 2024
*** 3.6 STARS *** words 182,688
Of the first six books of the Thomas Covenant series White Gold Weilder is my least favourite.
The best aspects of this series is the world-building and (some) characters. There are a ton of themes in these books that are repeated throughout. This is one of the aspects I didn't like. This goes double for White Gold Weilder. Things that were explained at the beginning of the book (and previous books) are constantly being brought up. The only other thing I didn't like, in this book in particular, was the writing. Stephen Donaldson is a good writer, however, I found his word choice, at times, very odd. And the dialogue was, just, ok.
This second series, in the Thomas Covenant series as a whole, is not as good as the first. I found it to be quite boring in certain parts, and quite excellent in others. However, my favourite part, so far, in this series is the whole first part of The Wounded Land, which is book one of the second series. I absolutely loved that part so much; I loved all the sections set in Earth before Thomas Covenant went to The Land. Sadly, the rest of the book didn't live up to that great beginning. But, my favourite book in the series is first book in the first series, Lord Foul's Bane.
Overall, a very good series. I'm looking forward to see what Stephen Donaldson will do with The Final Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Hopefully his writing will have improved.
Of the first six books of the Thomas Covenant series White Gold Weilder is my least favourite.
The best aspects of this series is the world-building and (some) characters. There are a ton of themes in these books that are repeated throughout. This is one of the aspects I didn't like. This goes double for White Gold Weilder. Things that were explained at the beginning of the book (and previous books) are constantly being brought up. The only other thing I didn't like, in this book in particular, was the writing. Stephen Donaldson is a good writer, however, I found his word choice, at times, very odd. And the dialogue was, just, ok.
This second series, in the Thomas Covenant series as a whole, is not as good as the first. I found it to be quite boring in certain parts, and quite excellent in others. However, my favourite part, so far, in this series is the whole first part of The Wounded Land, which is book one of the second series. I absolutely loved that part so much; I loved all the sections set in Earth before Thomas Covenant went to The Land. Sadly, the rest of the book didn't live up to that great beginning. But, my favourite book in the series is first book in the first series, Lord Foul's Bane.
Overall, a very good series. I'm looking forward to see what Stephen Donaldson will do with The Final Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Hopefully his writing will have improved.
September 1, 2012
The Earth's crust was still cooling when I read this.
So, we come again to the last book in the trilogy. Things haven't gone well for the home team (but no spoilers). Our hero and the Doctor return again to fight for the Land.
In this novel, Donaldson surpasses his previous ending. Covenant takes actions that surprise not only his enemies, but friends as well. In this book he has finally come to terms with much that he was told/should understand, using that knowledge to force things to a victory.
Some might say that it is a hollow (or "Phyrric" for you classicists out there) victory given the cost, but it does the job. As before, the book wraps up many plot lines. even if the reader does not like the end, they cannot complain that they were short-changed. Another fine novel.
So, we come again to the last book in the trilogy. Things haven't gone well for the home team (but no spoilers). Our hero and the Doctor return again to fight for the Land.
In this novel, Donaldson surpasses his previous ending. Covenant takes actions that surprise not only his enemies, but friends as well. In this book he has finally come to terms with much that he was told/should understand, using that knowledge to force things to a victory.
Some might say that it is a hollow (or "Phyrric" for you classicists out there) victory given the cost, but it does the job. As before, the book wraps up many plot lines. even if the reader does not like the end, they cannot complain that they were short-changed. Another fine novel.
April 20, 2013
The second trilogy really pales in comparison to the first. It opens with promise as we see the Land, which Donaldson imbued with so much beauty and spirit in his first trilogy, warped and ruined. The first book was about action, reaction, and learning. Plots and subplots were put into motion and promised an epic battle for the heart and soul of the living Land.
However, Donaldson wallowed in lugubrious reflection, second guessing, and overwrought emotion. Thomas Covenant was an anti-hero. We were supposed to root for him, but not like him. After all, his first act in the Land was to rape a 16 year old girl. He finds redemption in the first trilogy.
But he’s not very likeable in the second trilogy because he’s a whiny, petulant, mouse of a man. Every little setback turns into page after page of morose introspection. Covenant is cleansed of this narcissistic brooding by his immersion in the Banefire. But by then, it is too late for the reader because the remainder of the book is written from Linden’s point of view.
Linden isn’t very likeable either. She’s no anti-hero, although Donaldson makes a half-hearted effort at making her one. We learn that Linden killed her mother by suffocating her as she lie dying in a hospital bed. This would be a tragic and painful ordeal for a real person and would certainly fill them with guilt. But it lacks the despicable nature that creates an anti-hero. The seminal and defining event in Linden's life that makes her so unsure of her emotions is seldom referenced and does not serve as a defining characteristic. It seems tacked on.
Linden is also almost always sulking about something. Much of the second trilogy, especially the second book, is page after page of Linden brooding about something Covenant said or did. Reading the interaction between them was like hanging out with a couple who look for the smallest reasons to fight with each other and ruin your evening. You don’t want to hang out with them anymore and there were times that I wanted to put these books down and quit spending time with Mr. Doom and Mrs. Gloom, aka Thomas Covenant and Linden Avery.
The second book was pointless. Through 500 pages, little new information was revealed. The plot advanced little. The point of the book turned out to be false. It was as if Donaldson was cranking out words and storylines while searching for the resolution of his story – a resolution he did not find before completing the second book.
WHITE GOLD WIELDER brings some redemption to the story. We rejoin the main plot. As he head toward Revelstone with the goal of bringing down the Clave and ending the Sunbane, Thomas Covenant once again becomes a man of action. With purpose defined, he becomes a less brooding figure and a more heroic one.
The story’s climax is fitting and almost makes it worth enduring the second book. The climax is brilliant because it is rather anti-climatic, but revealing. At the beginning of the book, Foul tells Covenant that he will willingly hand over the white gold. The reader dismisses this as boastful bloviating. The anti-climax is developed as Covenant does just that. There is no epic battle, just simple surrender and self sacrifice. Foul is not destroyed. We find that Foul and his existence are as essential to the existence of the Land as is the staff of law.
The end of the second trilogy sets up another sequel which Donaldson would undertake almost 30 years later. Three books have been published in the FINAL CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT.
Reading this trilogy was frequently a struggle, but worth it for no other reason than it sets up the third Chronicles. No matter how badly Donaldson’s plots sometimes falter, he remains a brilliant wordsmith. His expansive vocabulary, his strong character development (when they are not overwrought with self pity), and his descriptive narrative make him one of the most enjoyable writers I’ve ever read.
However, Donaldson wallowed in lugubrious reflection, second guessing, and overwrought emotion. Thomas Covenant was an anti-hero. We were supposed to root for him, but not like him. After all, his first act in the Land was to rape a 16 year old girl. He finds redemption in the first trilogy.
But he’s not very likeable in the second trilogy because he’s a whiny, petulant, mouse of a man. Every little setback turns into page after page of morose introspection. Covenant is cleansed of this narcissistic brooding by his immersion in the Banefire. But by then, it is too late for the reader because the remainder of the book is written from Linden’s point of view.
Linden isn’t very likeable either. She’s no anti-hero, although Donaldson makes a half-hearted effort at making her one. We learn that Linden killed her mother by suffocating her as she lie dying in a hospital bed. This would be a tragic and painful ordeal for a real person and would certainly fill them with guilt. But it lacks the despicable nature that creates an anti-hero. The seminal and defining event in Linden's life that makes her so unsure of her emotions is seldom referenced and does not serve as a defining characteristic. It seems tacked on.
Linden is also almost always sulking about something. Much of the second trilogy, especially the second book, is page after page of Linden brooding about something Covenant said or did. Reading the interaction between them was like hanging out with a couple who look for the smallest reasons to fight with each other and ruin your evening. You don’t want to hang out with them anymore and there were times that I wanted to put these books down and quit spending time with Mr. Doom and Mrs. Gloom, aka Thomas Covenant and Linden Avery.
The second book was pointless. Through 500 pages, little new information was revealed. The plot advanced little. The point of the book turned out to be false. It was as if Donaldson was cranking out words and storylines while searching for the resolution of his story – a resolution he did not find before completing the second book.
WHITE GOLD WIELDER brings some redemption to the story. We rejoin the main plot. As he head toward Revelstone with the goal of bringing down the Clave and ending the Sunbane, Thomas Covenant once again becomes a man of action. With purpose defined, he becomes a less brooding figure and a more heroic one.
The story’s climax is fitting and almost makes it worth enduring the second book. The climax is brilliant because it is rather anti-climatic, but revealing. At the beginning of the book, Foul tells Covenant that he will willingly hand over the white gold. The reader dismisses this as boastful bloviating. The anti-climax is developed as Covenant does just that. There is no epic battle, just simple surrender and self sacrifice. Foul is not destroyed. We find that Foul and his existence are as essential to the existence of the Land as is the staff of law.
The end of the second trilogy sets up another sequel which Donaldson would undertake almost 30 years later. Three books have been published in the FINAL CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT.
Reading this trilogy was frequently a struggle, but worth it for no other reason than it sets up the third Chronicles. No matter how badly Donaldson’s plots sometimes falter, he remains a brilliant wordsmith. His expansive vocabulary, his strong character development (when they are not overwrought with self pity), and his descriptive narrative make him one of the most enjoyable writers I’ve ever read.
September 19, 2020
This book wasn't what I remembered it being. When I was 16 or so, I recall reading this novel for the first time and thinking it bleak and unrelenting. Nonetheless, the ending moved me and the story had a profound impact on me for years to come. My memory was of the characters struggling through a cold and lonely landscape, suffering terrible tragedy after terrible tragedy. However, I also vaguely remember it feeling like a frigid, difficult, and even somewhat boring slog. As an adult, the difficulty remains. But the other adjectives are questionable.
White Gold Wielder picks up immediately after The One Tree. Thomas Covenant, Linden Avery, and the remaining members of the Search leave the isle of the One Tree and attempt to return to the Land. They wind up being blown north, into icy waters. Eventually, they must travel on foot over ice floes and across a wintry landscape to head south into the Land. They meet up with old friends (Sunder and Hollian) and head to Revelstone, where Covenant plans to confront the Clave, even though he does not have a new Staff of Law with which to fight them. But even if he destroys the Clave, will that be enough to defeat Lord Foul? Or is a second confrontation with the Despiser inevitable?
Much of this book deals with loss and how the various characters deal with it. Although there are certainly physical confrontations - creatures to be fought, elements to be battled, demons to be exorcised - Donaldson remains focused on the psychological. As people sacrifice themselves to keep Covenant alive, how can he deal with the grief or the feelings of inadequacy? What can he do to live up to their expectations? For Linden Avery, the doctor with the dark past, how can she accept that to heal she may first have to do harm? Is there another way out, rather than asserting her will on to another being? This is thorny, knotty, dense stuff and it sometimes devolves into hand-wringing and navel-gazing. However, Donaldson keeps the pages moving with enough plot so that the inner voices of the characters do not become all consuming.
After so many years, I had forgotten how the final conflict between Foul, Covenant, and Avery played out, which made the ending of the book both bittersweet and satisfying. The understanding that Covenant comes to relies on the acceptance of losses, both large and small. It's also a very adult moment, where pain mingles with joy, hope with sadness. There is none of the cheery triumphalism I often see in epic fantasy. Although vastly different, Donaldson writes in the tradition of Tolkien, where great victories are achieved at great price. And, as always, I appreciate that the emphasis is not on the myth of redemptive violence. Love has other tools to fight evil than simply killing.
The objective part of my brain says that Donaldson's occasional excesses and deficiencies as a writer-storyteller make this a three star book. The emotional part of me still leans toward the four star rating, probably because, for a young teenage boy who hated himself, this book gave me hope. Hope that even a life that looked ugly, clumsy, and unlovable could be made meaningful. Looking at this work through the lens of many more years of life experience, I have my doubts as to whether the answers here are sufficient. But I am grateful that my 16-year-old incarnation had these ideas to turn to in an hour of need.
White Gold Wielder picks up immediately after The One Tree. Thomas Covenant, Linden Avery, and the remaining members of the Search leave the isle of the One Tree and attempt to return to the Land. They wind up being blown north, into icy waters. Eventually, they must travel on foot over ice floes and across a wintry landscape to head south into the Land. They meet up with old friends (Sunder and Hollian) and head to Revelstone, where Covenant plans to confront the Clave, even though he does not have a new Staff of Law with which to fight them. But even if he destroys the Clave, will that be enough to defeat Lord Foul? Or is a second confrontation with the Despiser inevitable?
Much of this book deals with loss and how the various characters deal with it. Although there are certainly physical confrontations - creatures to be fought, elements to be battled, demons to be exorcised - Donaldson remains focused on the psychological. As people sacrifice themselves to keep Covenant alive, how can he deal with the grief or the feelings of inadequacy? What can he do to live up to their expectations? For Linden Avery, the doctor with the dark past, how can she accept that to heal she may first have to do harm? Is there another way out, rather than asserting her will on to another being? This is thorny, knotty, dense stuff and it sometimes devolves into hand-wringing and navel-gazing. However, Donaldson keeps the pages moving with enough plot so that the inner voices of the characters do not become all consuming.
After so many years, I had forgotten how the final conflict between Foul, Covenant, and Avery played out, which made the ending of the book both bittersweet and satisfying. The understanding that Covenant comes to relies on the acceptance of losses, both large and small. It's also a very adult moment, where pain mingles with joy, hope with sadness. There is none of the cheery triumphalism I often see in epic fantasy. Although vastly different, Donaldson writes in the tradition of Tolkien, where great victories are achieved at great price. And, as always, I appreciate that the emphasis is not on the myth of redemptive violence. Love has other tools to fight evil than simply killing.
The objective part of my brain says that Donaldson's occasional excesses and deficiencies as a writer-storyteller make this a three star book. The emotional part of me still leans toward the four star rating, probably because, for a young teenage boy who hated himself, this book gave me hope. Hope that even a life that looked ugly, clumsy, and unlovable could be made meaningful. Looking at this work through the lens of many more years of life experience, I have my doubts as to whether the answers here are sufficient. But I am grateful that my 16-year-old incarnation had these ideas to turn to in an hour of need.
January 21, 2009
Much like the first trilogy, this is also a dark read, but oh, so worth the journey. Thomas Covenant has an equally-flawed assistant, and it is even more fascinating to see their issues interact than it was just watching TC make it through the first trilogy.
If you missed my review of the first series, you might want to read it, as I did a much better job with that one.
Mr. Donaldson remains extraordinary, and the Second Chronicles are just as worthy of all the praise heaped upon the First Chronicles. Don't read this just for moments a day, and don't read it while you're multitasking with the kids, the TV, or the spousal or parental units - you won't do it justice, and you'll miss out on some of the most gorgeously crafted prose existing in American fantasy.
This review applies to the entire trilogy.
If you missed my review of the first series, you might want to read it, as I did a much better job with that one.
Mr. Donaldson remains extraordinary, and the Second Chronicles are just as worthy of all the praise heaped upon the First Chronicles. Don't read this just for moments a day, and don't read it while you're multitasking with the kids, the TV, or the spousal or parental units - you won't do it justice, and you'll miss out on some of the most gorgeously crafted prose existing in American fantasy.
This review applies to the entire trilogy.
September 12, 2012
Arguably the best epic fantasy since JRR Tolkein (with apologies to Roger Zelazny and the Prices of Amber series), this is the last in the second trilogy of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever (read the other trilogy first to appreciate this trilogy). It is a terrific coda. However, I must note that it starts off with a violent act and should only be read after your parents have signed off on the mature themes.
October 25, 2012
Re-read this (and all the Covenant books) in preparation for the anticipated 10th and final Covenant book publication in fall, 2013. A magnificent ending to the Second Chronicles - Donaldson is even better in this trilogy than in the first!
September 4, 2024
Re-reading this for the second time after 35 years allowed me to appreciate this so much more than the first time. A masterful and clever ending and climax to the second chronicles.
December 30, 2019
The final volume in Thomas Covenant’s trilogy begins with him being a broken man and directionless. Covenant has come to the conclusion that he and his White Gold wedding ring together are instruments of evil and Linden Avery, his accidental cohort, is the true potential savior of the Land. His ego is having a difficult time with the idea that he’s not the It guy and should relinquish his white gold ring to Avery.
The adventure appears to revolve around the nature of pride and struggling to act upon our better nature. Thomas Covenant in the trilogy is one major Mr. Crabby Pants and, by the third book, his sourpuss demeanor was getting on my nerves. I thought it would help if Covenant took a ride on the shaggin’ wagon. Well, he did and it did help, but it was short-lived, then he was back to having serious anger-management issues. One of the downsides to the trilogy is that Covenant and Avery ruminate a lot… and I mean A LOT! On the upside I enjoyed the series because there are many interesting endearing characters in the Land and solid suspense as well as action. Not everyone comes out of it alive. Mr. Donaldson also has created a few more interesting frightening creatures that are more than a match for the hapless group who are forging towards an ultimate confrontation with the evil Lord Foul. Covenant wants to heal the Land but flies by the seat of his pants in efforts to do so. Much of their group bandies about different suppositions because so much of what occurs during their adventures is cloaked in mystery. The story has a satisfactory conclusion. It answers all the mysteries and also places a positive twist on loss, love, and reconciliation.
‘White Gold Wielder’ is an entertaining story, but apparently, reading three large fantasy books in a row is more than my limit. Much like Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, I can only take so much fictional same-genre material before I need to read some nonfiction works or I’m going to find a creative way to buddy up with the Grim Reaper. If ‘White Gold Wielder’ was a standalone story, I would’ve been satiated. However, you need to read the two previous large works, ‘The Wounded Land’ and ‘The One Tree,’ to understand the story’s dynamics. Mr. Donaldson wrote another quartet (published from 2004-2013) about Thomas Covenant after the conclusion of the second trilogy. I’m going to hold off for a few years before reading those babies. Too much sourpuss Covenant at one time is bad for my emotional state.
The adventure appears to revolve around the nature of pride and struggling to act upon our better nature. Thomas Covenant in the trilogy is one major Mr. Crabby Pants and, by the third book, his sourpuss demeanor was getting on my nerves. I thought it would help if Covenant took a ride on the shaggin’ wagon. Well, he did and it did help, but it was short-lived, then he was back to having serious anger-management issues. One of the downsides to the trilogy is that Covenant and Avery ruminate a lot… and I mean A LOT! On the upside I enjoyed the series because there are many interesting endearing characters in the Land and solid suspense as well as action. Not everyone comes out of it alive. Mr. Donaldson also has created a few more interesting frightening creatures that are more than a match for the hapless group who are forging towards an ultimate confrontation with the evil Lord Foul. Covenant wants to heal the Land but flies by the seat of his pants in efforts to do so. Much of their group bandies about different suppositions because so much of what occurs during their adventures is cloaked in mystery. The story has a satisfactory conclusion. It answers all the mysteries and also places a positive twist on loss, love, and reconciliation.
‘White Gold Wielder’ is an entertaining story, but apparently, reading three large fantasy books in a row is more than my limit. Much like Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, I can only take so much fictional same-genre material before I need to read some nonfiction works or I’m going to find a creative way to buddy up with the Grim Reaper. If ‘White Gold Wielder’ was a standalone story, I would’ve been satiated. However, you need to read the two previous large works, ‘The Wounded Land’ and ‘The One Tree,’ to understand the story’s dynamics. Mr. Donaldson wrote another quartet (published from 2004-2013) about Thomas Covenant after the conclusion of the second trilogy. I’m going to hold off for a few years before reading those babies. Too much sourpuss Covenant at one time is bad for my emotional state.
July 15, 2018
GReat story. Got some other books to read first, but will get into the next part of the series....
Thomas Covenant knew that despite his failure on the Isle of The One Tree, he had to return to the Land and fight. After a long and arduous journey, fighting all the way, he readies himself for the final showdown with Lord Foul, the Despiser, and begins to understand things he had only just wondered about before....
Thomas Covenant knew that despite his failure on the Isle of The One Tree, he had to return to the Land and fight. After a long and arduous journey, fighting all the way, he readies himself for the final showdown with Lord Foul, the Despiser, and begins to understand things he had only just wondered about before....
October 22, 2018
This one was okay. It wrapped up the plotlines from the previous two novels in the second trilogy, but I've already stated that I liked the first trilogy better. In the first chronicles, Covenant was exploring and coming to an understanding of The Land. In the second chronicles, Covenant totally understands The Land. Donaldson seems to go out of his way to have his heroes wandering around discovering new creatures and landscapes. Far too much of the second chronicles involves the party traveling with no clear goal, but White Gold Wielder is at least punctuated by some epic conflicts.
There's very clear parallels to the third book in the first trilogy. The first half of the book goes toward winning the war and accomplishing the thing that needs to be done, in this case ridding Revelstone of the accursed Raver Gibbon. But even after the battle is won, Lord Foul's torment has been too extensive for The Land to recover on it's own. It is necessary for Covenant to journey to Mount Thunder (in a plotline ripped directly from "Lord of the Ring's") to confront Lord Foul directly. In this case the ending makes sense, even if the author tries to build up some tension about whether Covenant is really in his right mind.
But before the party gets to Revelstone they have to fight some ice giants or something, which kind of come out of nowhere. And in between Revelstone and Mount Thunder, there's some angsty emotional conflict between Covenant and his friends that I find boring. I'd be interested in reading an abridged version if such a thing were possible.
There's very clear parallels to the third book in the first trilogy. The first half of the book goes toward winning the war and accomplishing the thing that needs to be done, in this case ridding Revelstone of the accursed Raver Gibbon. But even after the battle is won, Lord Foul's torment has been too extensive for The Land to recover on it's own. It is necessary for Covenant to journey to Mount Thunder (in a plotline ripped directly from "Lord of the Ring's") to confront Lord Foul directly. In this case the ending makes sense, even if the author tries to build up some tension about whether Covenant is really in his right mind.
But before the party gets to Revelstone they have to fight some ice giants or something, which kind of come out of nowhere. And in between Revelstone and Mount Thunder, there's some angsty emotional conflict between Covenant and his friends that I find boring. I'd be interested in reading an abridged version if such a thing were possible.
January 26, 2020
This brings to an end the Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, and somewhat redeems the series after the abysmal second book in the series, The One Tree. This second series is not as good as the First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. A second major character is introduced in this series, but she doesn't lead to any easing up of the doom and gloom of Covenant as she seems to be filled with even more self-loathing than he is.
The story is resolved, and redemption achieved for both of them by the end of this book. This gives me some hope that the Third Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (written some 30 years later) may not be the slog through negativity that the first 6 books were, but I'm not going to get my hopes up too high. I will be taking a break and reading something a bit lighter before I continue.
Although it may not seem like it from my review, I do consider Donaldson to be an excellent author - his world-building is wonderful and his supporting characters are well-developed. He does, certainly in the second trilogy, suffer somewhat from word bloat, and I'm not sure that will improve in the third series, as each of the books is over 700 pages.
The story is resolved, and redemption achieved for both of them by the end of this book. This gives me some hope that the Third Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (written some 30 years later) may not be the slog through negativity that the first 6 books were, but I'm not going to get my hopes up too high. I will be taking a break and reading something a bit lighter before I continue.
Although it may not seem like it from my review, I do consider Donaldson to be an excellent author - his world-building is wonderful and his supporting characters are well-developed. He does, certainly in the second trilogy, suffer somewhat from word bloat, and I'm not sure that will improve in the third series, as each of the books is over 700 pages.
February 16, 2019
A very good conclusion to this trilogy. Donaldson resolved all the threads of the story smoothly. Lord Foul was again brought down in a rather unsuspecting way. Interested to see how the next one goes...
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December 8, 2018#11 1988
February 12, 2024
An excellent finale to an incredible trilogy, I can't wait to read the next books and see how he wraps up this story cycle!
November 28, 2025
I have read all the Thomas Covenant series. It kept my interest despite being a bit disjointed at times.
April 29, 2018
This is the third and final novel of the Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, and stands as the sixth novel out of all the series. For some twenty years, this was the final Covenant novel, until author Stephen Donaldson wrote the third series. It is now book six of ten.
As a finale to the second chronicles and, for decades, to the entire series, this book is both satisfying and somber. Donaldson writes no completely happy endings. As with the first series, victory can only be obtained at great cost. Many characters lose their lives in this final installment of the second series.
That being said, this is one of the most satisfying endings to a long-running series I have ever read. There is a great deal of "closing the circle" here. Locations and occurrences from the first few books return in a new form. Old violations are made right. And the truth of how the Wild Magic, the Arch of Time, and Lord Foul himself work (only hinted at in the first five books) are finally made clear to the reader.
Perhaps most importantly, the characters of Covenant and Linden are resolved in powerful and profound ways. Each achieves much in this last novel. And if you thought Covenant was an S.O.B. before, I can say without providing any real spoilers, he completely redeems himself in this novel. I had come to like him before this when I first read the series -- grudgingly in the first Chronicles, and then more genuinely in the previous two books of this series. But his behavior in White Gold Wielder cements Covenant for me as one of my favorite characters.
And what can I say about Linden Avery. Much though I like Covenant, and even characters like Foamfollower, Pitchwife, Bannor, and the First, Linden is far and away my favorite character in this series. She is rich, complicated, interesting... and her plight is one with which I always empathized. Unlike Covenant, I'd have made a lot of the choices she made. And indeed, her love of Covenant is perhaps one reason I came to like Covenant so much. She does not disappoint in this novel.
For many years, White Gold Wielder stood as the capper to this series, and for that reason, much as I love it, I could not fully enjoy reading it because I knew that it represented the end of my journey in the Land. Now, with four books coming after it, there is nothing to mitigate my pleasure in this novel. Indeed I read almost the entire second half o fit in 24 hours again this most recent time through. This happens most of the time -- once I get to the mid-point of this novel, I can't put it down until the end.
If you have liked the other novels in this series, White Gold Wielder is well worth a read.
As a finale to the second chronicles and, for decades, to the entire series, this book is both satisfying and somber. Donaldson writes no completely happy endings. As with the first series, victory can only be obtained at great cost. Many characters lose their lives in this final installment of the second series.
That being said, this is one of the most satisfying endings to a long-running series I have ever read. There is a great deal of "closing the circle" here. Locations and occurrences from the first few books return in a new form. Old violations are made right. And the truth of how the Wild Magic, the Arch of Time, and Lord Foul himself work (only hinted at in the first five books) are finally made clear to the reader.
Perhaps most importantly, the characters of Covenant and Linden are resolved in powerful and profound ways. Each achieves much in this last novel. And if you thought Covenant was an S.O.B. before, I can say without providing any real spoilers, he completely redeems himself in this novel. I had come to like him before this when I first read the series -- grudgingly in the first Chronicles, and then more genuinely in the previous two books of this series. But his behavior in White Gold Wielder cements Covenant for me as one of my favorite characters.
And what can I say about Linden Avery. Much though I like Covenant, and even characters like Foamfollower, Pitchwife, Bannor, and the First, Linden is far and away my favorite character in this series. She is rich, complicated, interesting... and her plight is one with which I always empathized. Unlike Covenant, I'd have made a lot of the choices she made. And indeed, her love of Covenant is perhaps one reason I came to like Covenant so much. She does not disappoint in this novel.
For many years, White Gold Wielder stood as the capper to this series, and for that reason, much as I love it, I could not fully enjoy reading it because I knew that it represented the end of my journey in the Land. Now, with four books coming after it, there is nothing to mitigate my pleasure in this novel. Indeed I read almost the entire second half o fit in 24 hours again this most recent time through. This happens most of the time -- once I get to the mid-point of this novel, I can't put it down until the end.
If you have liked the other novels in this series, White Gold Wielder is well worth a read.
December 29, 2019
The end of the Second Chronicles is brilliant. I like how Donaldson ends his series by bringing pieces together. The Giants, Sunder and Hollian, Vain and Findail, the Haruchai--all their stories wrap up effectively here. The struggle of Vain and Findail--nature and law--is very interesting and even comical. Sunder and Hollian--Stonedownor and Woodhelven--come to take charge of the Land's nurture. The Haruchai bend their purposes to serve all the Land and its people. And of course, Linden and Covenant--male and female, power and vision--work together to affirm purpose, meaning, hope, nature, and law against despair, disharmony, and degradation of nature and self. I have always felt like Donaldson writes fantasy for grownups, not thrill-seeking kids, and this book argues that claim eloquently. I especially like two concepts--that as one accepts punishment, blame, and suffering, one comes to be worthy of such things. Second, that unearned knowledge is dangerous, that one cannot just share the import of experience and make it meaningful. Meaning and purpose are achieved. I will go on to read the final four books after a little break to read other things, though I did not like that series as much on a first read. I will come back to the first two series of the Chronicles again, though. It's Donaldson's greatest work, in my opinion.
September 8, 2009
This book, and the other books of this series about Sir Thomas Covenant are the only books that actually made me sweat when reading them. They are intense. After reading this book, the first I read of the series, I said I would never read this author again. I couldn't help myself though, after I recovered from the first book. I started another one, and made my way through it. By the time I had read all the books in the series, I was more accustomed to Donaldson's writing style, and after reading about his childhood (very interesting, and a must read in itself), I understood why the characters were so real, and why I went through so much reading the series. The books are dark, but there is redemption, of a sort, and overall this book is not one that is forgotten easily.
June 13, 2023
Brilliant ending to a classic fantasy series. I really enjoyed this reread. Covenant the anti-hero full of despite for himself and his leprosy and the land he's fighting to save.
You have to make up your own mind about the likability factor of Covenant. I can see why his nilihistic views turns people away from the series. For me, I've grown up reading the Covenant series, this latest reread nicely sets up a first time read of the final chronicles.
Overall an enjoyable and at times an emotional read, which will challenge you with the slightly archaic language. Forget the Tolkien similarities which are few and far between. Just enjoy a fully immersive and engrossing read.
You have to make up your own mind about the likability factor of Covenant. I can see why his nilihistic views turns people away from the series. For me, I've grown up reading the Covenant series, this latest reread nicely sets up a first time read of the final chronicles.
Overall an enjoyable and at times an emotional read, which will challenge you with the slightly archaic language. Forget the Tolkien similarities which are few and far between. Just enjoy a fully immersive and engrossing read.
March 16, 2010
I read this entire series. Unlike most series, it doesn't fade in interest after the first book. As the publisher states: "These books have never received the recognition they deserve. It's one of the most powerful and complex fantasy trilogies since Lord of the Rings, but Donaldson is not just another Tolkien wanabee. Each character-driven book introduces unexpected plots, sub-plots, and a host of magical beings so believably rendered you'd believe you might bump into them on your way to the bookstore." Thomas is such a strange and unlikely hero!!
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