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'Fatal Revenent' continues 'Thomas Covenant' saga of twists and turns
When readers finished the first book of Stephen R. Donaldson's fantasy series "The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant," heroine Linden Avery was at Revelstone, the main fortress of the Land, and could see that riding toward her on horses were her adopted, mute son, Jeremiah, and Thomas Covenant, the famed hero of the Land and her former lover who died at the end of "The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant." It was a great ending twist.
"Fatal Revenant" picks up where "Runes of the Earth" left off, then twists things in a few more directions.
Covenant apparently has returned, but his explanations are strange, and he does not display the same personality as before. Instead, he's much harsher toward Linden. He has his reasons, but are they believable? The formerly unresponsive Jeremiah can now communicate, and it appears he idolizes Covenant.
Linden, in possession of the Staff of Law, the even more powerful white gold and her own doubts, has a hard time getting on top of the situation, and before the book is over, she will travel back in time, meet noted figures of the Land's past, encounter powerful forces and take on formidable opponents.
 | | "Fatal Revenant: The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (Book Two)" by Stephen R. Donaldson (Putnam Adult, $27.95) Reviewed by Chris Richcreek |
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Donaldson continues to weave a complex tapestry in "Fatal Revenant," the second of four planned books for the final chronicles (and eighth of 10 books overall in the Thomas Covenant series). His writing can be somewhat wordy (enthusiasts of the word "puissance" will enjoy how many times it shows up in its various forms), but the book presents an engaging tale.
Ultimately, at the end of "Fatal Revenant," the reader is hit by one more twist, along with a desire to get the next book. Alas, "Fatal Revenant" arrived three years after "Runes of the Earth," which means Thomas Covenant fans likely have three more years to ponder what comes next.
Books reviewed in this column are available online or at your local bookstore.
(c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.
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