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Any reader familiar with the Land, Stephen R. Donaldson’s setting for The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, will be pleased to learn of this new story: a previously untold episode of The Illearth War.
This is the tale of Korik Bloodguard, the Lords Shetra and Hyrim, and their company, on their mission to Seareach. Many dangers and many hard decisions await them on their journey, as they travel through Grimmerdhore Forest and encounter ur-viles, a pack of wolves, and Gilden-Fire.
In this story we gain more background and understanding into the lives and motivations of the dwellers of the Land, as well as the history of the Bloodguard – of great interest to anyone who enjoyed the Thomas Convenant novels.
This is the tale of Korik Bloodguard, the Lords Shetra and Hyrim, and their company, on their mission to Seareach. Many dangers and many hard decisions await them on their journey, as they travel through Grimmerdhore Forest and encounter ur-viles, a pack of wolves, and Gilden-Fire.
In this story we gain more background and understanding into the lives and motivations of the dwellers of the Land, as well as the history of the Bloodguard – of great interest to anyone who enjoyed the Thomas Convenant novels.
72 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1981
4 people are currently reading
720 people want to read
About the author
Stephen R. Donaldson
149 books2,718 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 39 reviews
May 20, 2023
A nice add in section of the 2nd book of the first trilogy. Interesting new perspective on the story. Recommended
September 1, 2016
This is a novella from the Thomas Covenant Books - a series which took the fantasy world by storm in the 80s and early 90s. Covenant was the ideal anti-hero for readers as he slightly subverted the high fantasy world of Tolkien away from the black-and-white faced good and evil of the LOTR world.
Donaldson could be long winded with his descriptions at times but at this shorter novella length his pacing is strong.
Lord Foul has found the Illearth Stone and disaster and fire will follow unless some courageous folk take up the fight.
It's traditional fantasy but done very well. I personally recommend it for lovers of the genre.
Donaldson could be long winded with his descriptions at times but at this shorter novella length his pacing is strong.
Lord Foul has found the Illearth Stone and disaster and fire will follow unless some courageous folk take up the fight.
It's traditional fantasy but done very well. I personally recommend it for lovers of the genre.
November 14, 2020
I have never read anything by Stephen R. Donaldson.
I had no idea that this was a small part of a much larger series.
The Fabian art coupled with the fact that I had never seen or heard of this title before prompted me to pick this one up and purchase it.
Interesting little snippet. Not much dialogue. Certainly not a complete story because it is meant to be read as a supplement to the series.
Still not convinced to read more of the Covenant books.
I had no idea that this was a small part of a much larger series.
The Fabian art coupled with the fact that I had never seen or heard of this title before prompted me to pick this one up and purchase it.
Interesting little snippet. Not much dialogue. Certainly not a complete story because it is meant to be read as a supplement to the series.
Still not convinced to read more of the Covenant books.
September 1, 2019
This short story was originally part of The Illearth War but was cut due to Donaldson's need to reduce the word count. Some 4 years after the publication of the final book in the First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (and a year after the first book of the Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant) this book was published.
There are two areas of main interest to me in this (and the main story isn't one of them). The first is Donaldson's introduction, in which he gives some thoughts on why he choose this particular part of the original manuscript to edit out. One of the reasons he gives is that it provides a chapter in which Thomas Covenant doesn't appear, and he felt this might tip readers towards believing that The Land was real, rather than just Covenant's dream - a question he had been very careful to leave unanswered at this point. That consideration was clearly secondary during the third book, as there are several chapters which takes place away from Covenant - yet Donaldson still manages to leave that question without a definitive answer.
The second area of interest is the early part of the story in which Korik details the origins of the Bloodguard, something that was never detailed in any of the three books that comprise the First Chronicles.
The main story, which details the beginnings of the mission of Lords Shetra and Hyrim and the Bloodguard to find out what has happened to the Giants, is nothing special. The results of that mission are detailed in The Illearth War, and this story really doesn't add much to the tale.
This story probably shouldn't be read by those who haven't already read the First Chronicles, as those readers are unlikely to have sufficient background to follow the story at anything other than a superficial level.
There are two areas of main interest to me in this (and the main story isn't one of them). The first is Donaldson's introduction, in which he gives some thoughts on why he choose this particular part of the original manuscript to edit out. One of the reasons he gives is that it provides a chapter in which Thomas Covenant doesn't appear, and he felt this might tip readers towards believing that The Land was real, rather than just Covenant's dream - a question he had been very careful to leave unanswered at this point. That consideration was clearly secondary during the third book, as there are several chapters which takes place away from Covenant - yet Donaldson still manages to leave that question without a definitive answer.
The second area of interest is the early part of the story in which Korik details the origins of the Bloodguard, something that was never detailed in any of the three books that comprise the First Chronicles.
The main story, which details the beginnings of the mission of Lords Shetra and Hyrim and the Bloodguard to find out what has happened to the Giants, is nothing special. The results of that mission are detailed in The Illearth War, and this story really doesn't add much to the tale.
This story probably shouldn't be read by those who haven't already read the First Chronicles, as those readers are unlikely to have sufficient background to follow the story at anything other than a superficial level.
July 10, 2009
excellent missing chapter from the first chronicles
January 29, 2012
I just re-read this short story, which is actually an excerpt from Stephen Donaldon's early drafts of Covenant #2 "The Illearth War." He did not include it in the final book for various reasons, but for fans of the Covenant series it is a must-read. It is particularly interesting for the details it provides of the origins of the Bloodguard, who are an essential part of Donaldson's creation. It deserves a 5 star rating, like the rest of the Covenant works.
September 25, 2018
Taken out of the original book “ The Illearth War” but given as a supplement for the fans. It takes us through the Grimmerdhore Forest in the quest to reach Seareach and the Giants. The band must fast ur-viles and Kresh before they are able to continue their journey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
August 23, 2018
This slight volume is an excised episode in the timeframe of The Illearth War, in which the Lords Hyrim and Shetra and a company of Bloodguard journey to the forest Grimmerdhore on their way to find the Giants of Seareach. Though the book is short, most of it is over before anything much happens; still, the climax is action-packed and exciting.
There's not a great deal going on in terms of characterisation and dialogue, and the focus on a stolid Bloodguard forestalls any internal conflict. The handful of illustrations I found perfunctory and superfluous. It's an interesting footnote to the Covenant canon, but no more.
There's not a great deal going on in terms of characterisation and dialogue, and the focus on a stolid Bloodguard forestalls any internal conflict. The handful of illustrations I found perfunctory and superfluous. It's an interesting footnote to the Covenant canon, but no more.
January 4, 2010
The missing episode from Illearth War - so only read this after finishing the First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. (Although it would seem good to read it before finishing the Last Chronicles as the story feeds into some of the issues between the Haruchai and Linden.
September 7, 2008
A bit of an afterthought from the Covenant Chronicles but a must addition if you've read them.
August 27, 2014
9/10
Fantastic novella from the world of The First Chronicles, when Donaldson was at his best. Worth the read.
Fantastic novella from the world of The First Chronicles, when Donaldson was at his best. Worth the read.
August 9, 2021
Gilden Fire is a short novella and outtake from the second book ’Illearth War’ from the First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant Unbeliever. It sits about 70 pages into Illearth War.
If you're a fan of Thomas Covenants chronicles then this book might have some appeal. If you can get your hands on a copy through the secondhand market as it is now long out of print. Even Donaldson says that it's not even commercially viable to print, so it's unlikely to be printed again. Plus it has very limited appeal.
The story is an outtake from the Illearth War. The book is from the POV from Korik Bloodguard. It brings into question the validity of the reality of the land not being told from Covenant’s viewpoint. As the whole first chronicles are only from his POV.
What is fascinating, is through Korik, we learn more about the history and customs of the Haruchai. Korik’s mission is to lead a smallish group of Bloodguard and High Lords to find out what has happened to the Giants of Seareach.
It’s a nice little adventure, we learn a bit more history regarding the Bloodguard. It contains plenty of additional material that really should be available in an index at the back of a reprinted Illearth War in my opinion. I think readers who haven't and won't get the chance to read it will really appreciate it.
If you're a fan of Thomas Covenants chronicles then this book might have some appeal. If you can get your hands on a copy through the secondhand market as it is now long out of print. Even Donaldson says that it's not even commercially viable to print, so it's unlikely to be printed again. Plus it has very limited appeal.
The story is an outtake from the Illearth War. The book is from the POV from Korik Bloodguard. It brings into question the validity of the reality of the land not being told from Covenant’s viewpoint. As the whole first chronicles are only from his POV.
What is fascinating, is through Korik, we learn more about the history and customs of the Haruchai. Korik’s mission is to lead a smallish group of Bloodguard and High Lords to find out what has happened to the Giants of Seareach.
It’s a nice little adventure, we learn a bit more history regarding the Bloodguard. It contains plenty of additional material that really should be available in an index at the back of a reprinted Illearth War in my opinion. I think readers who haven't and won't get the chance to read it will really appreciate it.
April 25, 2018
Good little story... Love the Bloodguards and Ranyhyn.
Having found the Illearth Stone, Lord Foul intends to wield its evil power over the Giants of Seareach.
But a force, led by Korik Bloodguard together with the Lords Shetra and Hyrim, undertake a perilous mission - to try and warn the Giants of their horrible fate...
But they must travel across hostile land and through the menacing Grimmerdhore Forest. They must save themselves from the evil flames of the Gilden-Fire which threaten to engulf them.
And Bloodguard must escape the hungry wolves and ur-viles so that he can complete his mission and remain loyal to his vow.
Having found the Illearth Stone, Lord Foul intends to wield its evil power over the Giants of Seareach.
But a force, led by Korik Bloodguard together with the Lords Shetra and Hyrim, undertake a perilous mission - to try and warn the Giants of their horrible fate...
But they must travel across hostile land and through the menacing Grimmerdhore Forest. They must save themselves from the evil flames of the Gilden-Fire which threaten to engulf them.
And Bloodguard must escape the hungry wolves and ur-viles so that he can complete his mission and remain loyal to his vow.
February 5, 2014
A removed chapter from The Illearth War, this fills in some of the blanks of that much longer book. Don't attempt this if you haven't read TIW, but it's a decent interlude to the whinings of Covenant.
February 10, 2014
"Gilden Fire" is a must-read if you are a fan of the Thomas Covenant series. Having just finished the "Last Dark", the tenth and last book in the series, this was my last opportunity to appreciate "The Land" and its unforgettable characters.
Read
August 8, 2008Thomas Covenant Short Story
Read
April 11, 2010Gilden-Fire by Stephen R. Donaldson (1981)
June 28, 2024
I'd forgotten this story, and really enjoyed the added narrative and texture to Korik's mission to Seareach. Obviously this is only for readers of the First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.
April 9, 2020
Should have left this in the book. It is sad to see it as a separate entity, yet it is delightful to read it in any form.
August 26, 2023
Real nerds love a director’s commentary on a favorite movie, and that’s what this is. Stephen R. Donaldson himself in the foreword calls this an outtake, which in itself is interesting as a cultural touchstone. Future historians of the arts will have to write the definitive works on what it meant for authors writing in the late 20th century to begin conceptualizing their written work in cinematic terms.
Highbrow speculation aside, Donaldson picked these pages off the cutting room floor and published them as a “deleted scene” that he removed both for space and narrative purposes. Set during the Lords’ mission to contact the giants of Seareach, it deepens characters who received short shrift during “The Illearth War,” the second volume in “The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.”
These pages aren’t necessary for the series’ plot, but they do enlighten some of the more opaque facets of the Bloodguard, and of the Vow that kept them sleepless and vigilant for 2,000 years. They also better explain why the Bloodguard make the decisions they do in the third and climactic volume.
If you’re lost at this point, that just means you didn’t read the series and you aren’t a nerd (at least not this kind of nerd). I was most interested, as a student of the art of writing, in Donaldson’s reasoning both for excising these pages and for publishing them separately. For you see, I am a nerd, and it is always in my heart to better understand what makes writers tick.
Highbrow speculation aside, Donaldson picked these pages off the cutting room floor and published them as a “deleted scene” that he removed both for space and narrative purposes. Set during the Lords’ mission to contact the giants of Seareach, it deepens characters who received short shrift during “The Illearth War,” the second volume in “The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.”
These pages aren’t necessary for the series’ plot, but they do enlighten some of the more opaque facets of the Bloodguard, and of the Vow that kept them sleepless and vigilant for 2,000 years. They also better explain why the Bloodguard make the decisions they do in the third and climactic volume.
If you’re lost at this point, that just means you didn’t read the series and you aren’t a nerd (at least not this kind of nerd). I was most interested, as a student of the art of writing, in Donaldson’s reasoning both for excising these pages and for publishing them separately. For you see, I am a nerd, and it is always in my heart to better understand what makes writers tick.
November 30, 2020
Interesting but not exactly sure why it was released on it's own even though Mr Donaldson provides an explanation in the introduction. He made it sound like a full fledged story on its own right. To me it felt like 2 maybe three chapters.
Anyway, I am not sure the story was interesting enough to warrant publication on its own. It fit into the overall story of the Illearth War and had a few good moments of action but then it ended. I thought this was going to encompass the whole journey of this group without T Covenant. Instead it depicts their departure and a rather quick, if harrowing, adventure in the Grimmerdhore forest. Then it just ends long before they reach their final destination. I was expecting the whole mission with more detail than was provided in the Illearth War.
Not bad but much shorter than expected and a tad bit disappointing because of it.
Anyway, I am not sure the story was interesting enough to warrant publication on its own. It fit into the overall story of the Illearth War and had a few good moments of action but then it ended. I thought this was going to encompass the whole journey of this group without T Covenant. Instead it depicts their departure and a rather quick, if harrowing, adventure in the Grimmerdhore forest. Then it just ends long before they reach their final destination. I was expecting the whole mission with more detail than was provided in the Illearth War.
Not bad but much shorter than expected and a tad bit disappointing because of it.
March 30, 2025
Nice addition to The Illearth War, I was disappointed when I realised I'd reached the end. Makes me wish we had gotten the section entirely from Korik's view as originally written rather than as a report :p.
My favourite thing about this is probably how we got more Haruchai lore. This one outtake gave us stuff about Haruchai / Bloodguard never mentioned in the ten books iirc - the workings of the Bloodguard, more details about the events of the Vow, the story of the two warring clans and how that leads to internal politics (Korik chose five from each clan for the mission in order to keep a balance) etc.
Also, Shetra and particularly Hyrim were interesting in The Illearth War and it's good to get more of them here. Their personalities and worries made for a nice contrast and fun interactions.
My favourite thing about this is probably how we got more Haruchai lore. This one outtake gave us stuff about Haruchai / Bloodguard never mentioned in the ten books iirc - the workings of the Bloodguard, more details about the events of the Vow, the story of the two warring clans and how that leads to internal politics (Korik chose five from each clan for the mission in order to keep a balance) etc.
Also, Shetra and particularly Hyrim were interesting in The Illearth War and it's good to get more of them here. Their personalities and worries made for a nice contrast and fun interactions.
May 29, 2022
There are a lot of problems with the Covenant books, but I read them when I was much younger and still remember some parts fondly. Gilden-Fire is a section of the second book, "The Illearth War", thay was cut for space. It was honestly nice to spend time back in The Land, especially since the rapist anti-hero of the first series, Thomas Covenant, is barely mentioned. Instead this is from the point of view of Korrik of the Bloodguard, at the start of the quest to Seareach. There's a lot of great stuff here about the Bloodguard and the Haruchai that you don't otherwise get until the second trilogy, or even at all ever.
Anyways, for people who either are fans of the Covenant books or once were this is a nice read. If you've never read them, this is not going to make any sense to you.
Anyways, for people who either are fans of the Covenant books or once were this is a nice read. If you've never read them, this is not going to make any sense to you.
September 20, 2022
A very short read. I've been after it for a while but really it was so short it was over before it had begun almost.
The idea is a good one, this is a Covenant book that doesn't actually feature Covenant himself so is, I guess, the point where The Land becomes defined as real, not just a figment of TC's imagination.
I'm glad I've read it but don't feel I have missed out by waiting so long.
One for the completists 2.5/5*
The idea is a good one, this is a Covenant book that doesn't actually feature Covenant himself so is, I guess, the point where The Land becomes defined as real, not just a figment of TC's imagination.
I'm glad I've read it but don't feel I have missed out by waiting so long.
One for the completists 2.5/5*
July 30, 2025
I totally love all six main books in the Thomas Covenant series. Bought this side story booklet as enjoyed them so much but never really got into it. Still well written it never grabbed my attention as mcuh as the main books, which I've read at least 3 times each. I'll summarise by saying I never read this to the end. Not even once.
July 9, 2018
I was unsure for a long time about Stephen Donaldson's work so this proved an ideal introduction. While I'd quibble about his writing style and thats just a minor issue for me, I enjoyed this enough to read his other larger works in due course
November 9, 2025
Quick read. Wanted short book for a journey. Have read, many years ago, the first trilogy and recall I was bored by end of book 3.
Despite author stating this fits in the Illearth War (book 2) it was OK as a standalone.
Despite author stating this fits in the Illearth War (book 2) it was OK as a standalone.
September 20, 2018
Forgotten how much I enjoyed this series.
February 25, 2021
They should of just kept this in the Illearth war instead of making Donaldson cut it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews