The Illearth War (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, #2)

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The Illearth War (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever #2)

3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 · rating details · 11,472 ratings · 153 reviews

The second volume in the epic Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.
Thomas Covenant found himself once again summoned to the Land. The Council of Lords needed him to move against Foul the Despiser who held the Illearth Stone, ancient source of evil power. But although Thomas Covenant held the legendary ring, he didn't know how to use its strength, and risked losing...more

Paperback, 544 pages

Published October 12th 1987 by Del Rey (first published 1977)

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May 18, 2013 Dave rated it 5 of 5 stars

*For anyone reading my reviews, this is a cut-paste of my review of Lord Foul's Bane. I will write a separate review for the Second Chronicles, but for each of the first series, I will use the same review. Thanks*

Tolkien was not my introduction to fantasy fiction (neither was Donaldson); my first experience with SFF was RA Salvatore's The Crystal Shard. However, I immediately jumped into Tolkien, and afterward, Donaldson.
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are as different from Tolkien's world as...more

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May 11, 2013 Jason Olson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Book 2 of the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. I read these when I pretty young, 5th grade I think. Alot of the big words probably went right over my head. I think the important thing is that I felt like I knew what the author meant. "Roynish" for example, always made me think "thick and syrup and regal". So when it was used to describe Ur-Viles barking, I always thought of them as having menacing growls that were thick but somehow more dignified or intelligent than a dog barking. The word actuall...more Book 2 of the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. I read these when I pretty young, 5th grade I think. Alot of the big words probably went right over my head. I think the important thing is that I felt like I knew what the author meant. "Roynish" for example, always made me think "thick and syrup and regal". So when it was used to describe Ur-Viles barking, I always thought of them as having menacing growls that were thick but somehow more dignified or intelligent than a dog barking. The word actually means something more like "Mangy". I kind of like my version better.

But see? Completely being wrong about the word didn't take me out of the story, so I think in this way a 5th grader (or anyone else) can enjoy books that contain a bunch of words that they don't understand. I have read the criticism that Stephen R Donaldson probably wrote these books with a thesaurus close by, and maybe thats true (although I tend to believe he just has a large vocabulary), but I personally didn't suffer from all of the unique words. They added a character to the book that other books didn't seem to have. I still make up my own meaning on the fly, and occasionally look up the words later. Don't sweat the small shit in my opinion, so no points docked for crazy words.

Anyway, being pretty young is probably one of the reasons I was blown away by this series when i first read it. The world building is my favorite so far, the characters seemed very real. Middle Earth, Narnia, and Shannara could never capture my interest afterwards. Those other books are probably considered high fantasy, I think the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are more like Adult Fantasy (OK that sounds dirty), or maybe Psychological Fantasy. I don't know what you call it, but these books and all other fantasy books I have read over the years are not in the same category.

If you were not a big fan of Lord Foul's Bane, I would still hazard to guess that you will actually enjoy this book quite a bit more. Covenant is still having his own issues dealing with everything, but Lord Foul's armies are on the move, and his Ravers are wreaking havoc. There are more lords, more plot lines, and there is more action throughout the book. You get a break from Covenant's internal dilemas and get to explore Hile Troy's internal dilemas for roughly a third of the book. At first, I didn't want to leave Covenant (Lord knows why) but by the end of Hile Troy's section, I was loath to return to Covenant. Suffice to say, Donaldson is just a great frickin story teller.

I love Lord Foul as a bad guy, and his Ravers are every bit as evil as he is. More so in a way, they are less individual characters and more like condensed evil. Satansfist, Fleshharrower, and Kinslaughterer are their names. Giants really have a knack for names. Satansheart Soulcrusher is their name for Lord Foul. Do I care that Satan is a fictional character in our world and does not strictly appear in the land? Not at all! What other name besides "Satan" is going to evoke the feeling that paticular name brings about in all of us? Plus maybe they're the same dude, why the heck not?

During the last section of the book, there is a scene that literally made my stomach turn. In a moment of confrontation between Covenant and Elena, I thought for sure Covenant was going to commit his most dispicable act yet. Somehow, it would have been even worse than his previous most dispicable act. And maybe he would have (can you imagine what Foul would have done with THAT?) but Elena throws him for loop. It's quite a scene, one that really shows us some different facets of both characters. And one that totally had me in complete suspense/shock for a few moments. Which is pretty amazing to me, considering they are only words on a page! The story takes a different track after that, the repercussions of Covenant's acts always come back to haunt him and hurt the land and the people he is coming to care for more and more as the books go on.

We also get to learn alot more about the Bloodgaurd and Kevin's Lore. Amok is a strange character, and kind of pitiable in the end. He acts according to his nature, and is not about to help the good guys beat the bad guys. Good in this case being just a little better than Lord Foul, since Thomas and Elena have... issues...

Anyway, I love this whole series and have re-read it more times than i can remember. Foamfollower is not in this book, which is kind of a bummer, but the plot thickens, moves forward, and really delivers when Donaldson pulls the trigger.

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Apr 27, 2013 Martin Adil-Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Part two of the The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever is definetly better than the first installment.

My issues with part one were that the main character was fundamentally unlikeable and his attitude/ world-view remained unchanged throughout the book. Coupled with a horrific sexual attack - which he appears to never be brought to justice for - made me leary of the second installment.

How wrong was I? Thomas Covenant is sucked back into realm of The Land where 40 years have passed in a...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Brian Schwartz rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Usually, the second installment of a trilogy – be it books or movies – is the strongest. When one arrives at the second installment, the characters are established, so there is room for a great deal of plot advancement, new character introductions, and a cliffhanger to lead you into the third installment.

In my reading of Donaldson’s works, I’ve found that his second installments are usually the weakest. There are several shortcomings in THE ILLEARTH WAR of three books.

First is the introduction o...more Usually, the second installment of a trilogy – be it books or movies – is the strongest. When one arrives at the second installment, the characters are established, so there is room for a great deal of plot advancement, new character introductions, and a cliffhanger to lead you into the third installment.

In my reading of Donaldson’s works, I’ve found that his second installments are usually the weakest. There are several shortcomings in THE ILLEARTH WAR of three books.

First is the introduction of Hile Troy. A large portion of the book is told from his point of view. Yet, he is under developed and the reader never really comes to care for or despise Troy. Inasmuch as Donaldson masterfully developed the anti hero Thomas Covenant whom we loath for his self pity and bitterness, yet root for because of his core character, Troy is flat and meaningless.

Donaldson puts forth Troy’s jealousy of Covenant and the relationship he enjoys with the High Lord. Jealousy is perhaps the strongest of all motivations. Yet, he does nothing with it. Nor does he make Troy heroic, cowardly, likeable, or despicable. For as large a role as he played in this second book, the reader finds Hile Troy to be an enigma.

A book short on character development ought to have epic battle scenes or something that creates great peril for the heroes. We will come to find out that Elena’s actions have grave consequences. But as this second book ends, Donaldson doesn’t hint at or tantalize the reader with what those consequences will be.

Nor does the book advance Donaldson’s character arc. He leaves the Land in at the end of the second book the same man with the same feelings as he had at the beginning.

Having said that, a trilogy must be judged by the gestalt of the story – not the individual parts. The story in its entirety is compelling and Donaldson has set things into motion that will make the third installment riveting. I know this because I’ve read the books before. But I remember putting down the second installment wanting more. I didn’t want more because I was excited to see what was next. I wanted more because I felt THE ILLEARTH WAR was an unsatisfying reading experience. (less)

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Dec 04, 2012 Lucinda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another treasured edition to add to the extensive Thomas Covenant trilogy, that is an indisputable classic within the fantasy genre.

As a fan of Stephen Donaldson’s trilogy ‘the second chronicles of Thomas Covenant’ I was naturally keen to also read the first trilogy that started it all, being ‘the chronicles of Thomas Covenant: the unbeliever’ with this book (the illearth war) being the second volume following on from Lord Foul’s bane. I am constantly overwhelmed by how similarly to renowned au...more Another treasured edition to add to the extensive Thomas Covenant trilogy, that is an indisputable classic within the fantasy genre.

As a fan of Stephen Donaldson’s trilogy ‘the second chronicles of Thomas Covenant’ I was naturally keen to also read the first trilogy that started it all, being ‘the chronicles of Thomas Covenant: the unbeliever’ with this book (the illearth war) being the second volume following on from Lord Foul’s bane. I am constantly overwhelmed by how similarly to renowned author JRR Tolkien; Stephen Donaldson’s work is for it has stood the test of time by being as much loved today as it was in 1977. This has to be the most richly detailed and compelling work since ‘The Lord of the Rings’, with its complex plot and vast world-building that takes epic fantasy to ambitious heights.

Volume two: the illearth war continues the story of Thomas Covenant who has spent days in his ‘real’ world before then being summoned once more to the land. Forty bitter years has passed with Lord Foul, the immortal enemy pushing forwards to fulfill his prophecy of doom. With foul the despiser clutching upon his person the Illearth stone (an ancient source of evil & deadly power), the Counsel of the Lords have found their magic useless and no match for the opposition. As the high Lord Elena in desperation turns to Covenant and the legendary white Gold magic of his ring that he is in possession of, their task is simple; to find out how to use the power that is nestled within the ring before it is too late…

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are really special, memorable and such distinctive works that aficionados of high fantasy will love, and be enchanted by the dangers and magic that lies within each installment of this epic work. Comparable to Tolkien at his very best I cannot enthuse and praise Stephen Donaldson highly enough, for his work is truly sublime and inspirational which many authors of today can only dream to reach similar heights. His remarkable and noteworthy achievement has empowered many writers to discover the delights of this genre and to go beyond by pushing boundaries with your creativity and imagination, for after all nothing is impossible as he has here proved to readers. Highly acclaimed and cherished throughout the world, Thomas Covenant is a literary figure to remember and the world that surrounds him is one of excitement, discovery, and danger and is truly extraordinary. This is a trilogy of sheer remarkable scope, depth and sophistication and one that will blow you away by its great magnitude that is astonishing and mind blowing. Totally original, unique, clever and inspired this is a trilogy that is both most convincing and gripping; one in which you will loose yourself within.

An epic fantasy saga by an author whose books constantly amaze and delight, and which I recommend to all fantasy fictional lovers and avid readers of this genre!!! Just incredible…
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Feb 27, 2013 Roy rated it 2 of 5 stars

I really had to force myself to read this book. And it is as bad as the first one. But to be fair I plugged on so that at least I can have a solid base for saying what needs to be said.

Not that I object to the three basic premises of the whole series:
1)the true anti-hero, the utterly unvilling and despicable character being the focal point of the story. Pretty good idead that.
2) The inanely stereotypical names (Lord Foul, T. Covenant, Rockbrother, Seareach) and plot devices (the quest) - That c...more I really had to force myself to read this book. And it is as bad as the first one. But to be fair I plugged on so that at least I can have a solid base for saying what needs to be said.

Not that I object to the three basic premises of the whole series:
1)the true anti-hero, the utterly unvilling and despicable character being the focal point of the story. Pretty good idead that.
2) The inanely stereotypical names (Lord Foul, T. Covenant, Rockbrother, Seareach) and plot devices (the quest) - That could actaully be part of the same deconstruction of the fantasy setting.
3) The overly constructed language. A constructed language and use of words is a powerful way to tell a part of the story without detailing everything.

BUT:

Donaldson does all these things so badly.

1) the anti-hero needs some internal logic. TC doesn't have any. The protagonist need to have some development, some change, some revelation. Either to the better or the worst. But TC - our protagonist is simply something the writer brings out to be inconsitently mean whenever another ten pages of incoherent dialouge is needed.

2) In a satirical or deconstrutivist way, using superbly obvious names on everything can add to the surrealism. But Donaldson doesn't to that. The names of places and persons seem like working titles put on them at an early stage and then never revised. If you want to deconstruct something, you need to have some substance to start with. You cant start with your own straw man of incoherency. And a quest, a journey is normally a simile for an internal jorney of the protagonist, and even when you want to kill off that concept, you cant just put in 200 pages of drivel to prove that being on a quest doesn't mean anything.

3) When constructing a language it is important to have internal logic to it. Not just look up a lot of words that sound unfamiliar to you and put them together. There has to be ethymology, cohesion, some connection between the words used, and the world, the history etc. When the big baddie of the universe is "Lord Foul", you can't go around letting one of his henchmen call himself "Satan's fist" without having an idea of where Satan comes into play in this universe. Sure - in our world Satan is a concept. But in the land - where they don't really believe in a creator at all - where did they get the concept of "Satan". How to people there see this as different from any other name like "Johnny" or "Treehugger Treeperson"

So since none of the contrary ideas of the books pan out to work. What you are left with is simply badly written, two dimensional, poorly thought out tripe.
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Jun 23, 2010 Junnibeib rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I remember reading this book when i was a bit younger and it was actually by accident as a friend of mine just gave me the first 2 books when i told her that i liked fantasy. i put them in my shelf and read them maybe a year later and i couldn´t put it down.. i found the world that Thomas visited was so wonderful. it has been a long time so i can´t really get into any specifics but i will recommend this collection to everyone wanting a good fantasy ! i read the first 2 books and i searched every...more

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Aug 19, 2012 M. J. rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This was interesting and well-written, and it escaped the feeling of deja vu created in the first book in the series even though the team divides. That was something I learned, as a writer and game referee, from Lord of the Rings and Dune, what I call "multiple staging", to have the key characters go different places so that the reader keeps reading to find out what is happening to the people not currently in the spotlight. It was not terribly well executed.

At first we were weaned from the focus...more This was interesting and well-written, and it escaped the feeling of deja vu created in the first book in the series even though the team divides. That was something I learned, as a writer and game referee, from Lord of the Rings and Dune, what I call "multiple staging", to have the key characters go different places so that the reader keeps reading to find out what is happening to the people not currently in the spotlight. It was not terribly well executed.

At first we were weaned from the focus on the title character to another, Troy, who claimed also to come from his world, built from a tension between them. He felt like a foil, a character challenging Covenant's intentional disbelief with his own embracing of the world, and gradually he felt more like a distraction; it was not until they separated that I realized he was the new focus of this part of the story. Then although I kept wondering what was happening with Covenant's group, when he shifted to cover that he first told us which members of that group returned alive and how they were reunited with Troy's group, so much of the tension was drained from that section.

Troy is a mistake in another way as well. Covenant has every reason to believe that the land he visits is a delusion, a dream, and nothing in the first book clearly says otherwise; like Dorothy in the film version of Oz, he might very well have just awakened from his unconsciousness, or he might have been in another land. The occasional glimpses into the thoughts and feelings of the other characters around him don't really impact this, as he might well know what they think and feel in a dream; and the reports of events and actions elsewhere are consistent with this. Nothing ever happens without direct relation to and knowledge by him. But when we are forced to follow Troy, we as readers are forced to accept that Troy is a separate person, and unless we are accepting a concept of a telepathically shared delusion, we must accept that the land is real, and Covenant is really there--even though there is nothing that forces him to the same conclusion. Note that he does not dream Troy's part of the journey; he is unaware of what the other character does or where he is until they are reunited.

I also had some trouble with Elena's secret. I recognized the truth as soon as she appeared, and the author drops several hints before clearly informing the reader of this. However, it was decided not to tell Troy--and somehow, Troy, who has many of the pieces and obtains more during the course of the story, never guesses. It seems to me that a lot of his grief would have been eased had he simply recognized the truth, even been told early in the adventure, instead of having it sprung on him when he was most upset and looking for someone to blame.

The book also has what we might call a "second in the trilogy" feeling. The heroes pull through, but their losses are great and they are going to need a miracle if they would achieve victory by the end of the third book. In this it is reminiscent of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, bringing the good guys to a low from which they must arise in Return of the Jedi.

There were many interesting fantasy concepts here, and it was worth reading for its ideas of fantasy magic, and the story is reasonably compelling, but I have read better fantasy books in recent years.(less)

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Dec 17, 2011 Sebastien rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fan de Dark Fantasy et de Anti-Héros

Recommended to Sebastien by: Guillaume Michel

Shelves: dark-fantasy

Étant encore sous le choc du premier volume, je n'était vraiment pas sûr si je voulais lire la suite. Oui c'était bon, oui je m'attendais à un héros pas très cool, mais pas à une enfoiré de chialeux fini qui ne sait que s'apitoyer sur son sort à ce point là. J'ai rarement autant espéré qui arrive malheure à un personnage principale à ce point. Thomas Covenant fait des crime impardonnable dans le premier livre et il est toujours traité avec respect par les personnages secondaires qui le voient co...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Melanie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

More like 3.5*s, but I didn't like it enough to round up.

This book is a lot easier to read than Lord Foul's Bane, and there's a lot more going on. Without all the introductory stuff you're more straight into the story. And in terms of the former, there wasn't quite as much spent in the head of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever/Idiot with some changes of POV in there too.

Though, to be fair to T.C., he didn't come across as as quite as much of an idiot in this book. Maybe also because we're not in hi...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Zane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This review is for the trilogy as a whole, and may contain conceptual spoilers (but events will not be talked about).

The novels may seem dark and depressing, but Donaldson has weaved a remarkable alternate world that bears only passing similarities to generic high fantasy in Tolkien's vein.

The inner and outer conflicts surrounding Thomas Covenant, the protagonist, are engaging and thought-provoking. By being a leper, he has to deny the validity of a magical world he falls in love with in order t...more

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Feb 14, 2012 Mark E. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Illearth War, the second book in The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, continues with the intensity of the first. When Covenant is returned to his own world, his leprosy also returns, and with the leprosy, the only reality he is willing to believe. The second time he is summoned to the Land, he has as much difficulty believing it real as he did the first time. This unbelief keeps him from engaging himself fully, and keeps him unable to accept his healing, but it also protects him...more

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Sep 22, 2010 Vomithatsteve rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed this one much more than the first one. Covenants motives are explained much better. By the end of this one, I understood why he was so loathe to believe any of what was happening.

It was a lot bleaker than the first one too, which I think is to the book's benefit.

My biggest complaint is that a large portion of the book is told from a different character's perspective, and I felt that interfered with suspension of disbelief. When the entire story is told from Covenant's perspective, the...more

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Oct 14, 2010 D-day rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 100-mod-fant-list

'The Illearth War' is the second part of the 'Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever'. In this installment Covenant returns just a week later in real time, to find that 40 years has passed in the Land. Lord Foul is on the move and High Lord Elena has summoned him in the Land's time of need.
Part of the problem with the first installment, 'Lord Foul's Bane', was that Covenant was so bitter and unsympathetic. This time Covenant is basically absent for the middle section of the book, giving th...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Columbine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Slogging on through the trilogy, Covenant is still a clueless jerkwad, nobody else makes much sense except maybe the Bloodguard (OK, Caerroil Wildwood is more or less comprehensible), and the only "character" I like, the Land, is in worse trouble than before. On to The Power that Preserves, just because I want to see how this all shakes out. Honestly, I don't mind Donaldson's overwrought prose so much as the fact that he tries to be preachy by way of a character whom no sane person could stand....more

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Jul 28, 2009 Gabriel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ok, I skipped Lord Foul's Bane and went to the second book. Still, I figured out what I missed and was very impressed with the ideas present in this book. While some of the aspects I was most looking forward to (the possibility that this is just a dream is a little hard to swallow when we follow characters that are not Thomas Covenant for a third of the book) were not present, others were there. It was obvious to me why Stephen King recommends this trilogy in his treatise on horror, Danse Macabr ...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Ken Baumbach rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Covenant set of series is a bit of a conundrum.

Pros: Vivid fantasy land with wondrous scenery and (usually) rich, compelling story.

Cons: The protagonists are hard to care about. Thomas Covenant is crazed most of the time and Linden Avery, well, let's just say she needs to be slapped upside the head. Donaldson tends use too many $10 words that throw the reader out of the story. He also tends to beat us over the head with emotion. Okay, we get that Linden is upset. We don't really need to wall...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Jamie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I first read Donaldson's Gap series, so I was in some ways prepared for the tormented character of Thomas Covenant. I find the sustained disbelief in the reality of the Land to be completely believable as characterized. Thomas Covenant, while not the most endearing hero, is fully realized. I understand WHY he is pulled in opposing directions by the mental state REQUIRED for survival as a leper. The story, as always, was compelling. I wanted to know more, all the while wondering how it would end,...more

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Sep 18, 2010 Josh Meares rated it 3 of 5 stars

Occasionally I grew tired of Covenant's constant deals and his unwavering despondency. But I think Donaldson is setting him up for real change. One idea I like was the idea that we are all powerless in the only really important sense ... the power to avoid death.

The only real complaint I have is Donaldson's exceptionally dense vocabulary. Words like "lambent" and "roynish" are as plentiful as they are obscure. It belittles the author to obfuscate his story with such verbiage ... or, in plain en...more

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Dec 02, 2011 Daniel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This second book of the "Chronicles of Thomas Covenant The Unbeliever" series was good, in some ways better than the first book. Covenant's character has already been established and this book is able to focus more on the nuances of his character. His internal struggles become less confusing (which was my one complaint about the first book).

In ILLEARTH WAR we encounter some characters from the first book, though much time has elapsed between Covenant's visits to the world. Some mysteries are ex...more

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Jun 28, 2011 Amber Harris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned, read-in-2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Illearth War is just more of the same. Whereas in my previous review I excused Donaldson for being tedious because it was the first book in the series and required a certain amount of introductory information, he has thusfar failed to add any level of excitement. The reader's feeling of "leaving the story just as soon as something interesting has happened" becomes stronger, and more disappointing.

Some things felt too obvious, and perhaps it was intended to be that way, in order to let the re...more The Illearth War is just more of the same. Whereas in my previous review I excused Donaldson for being tedious because it was the first book in the series and required a certain amount of introductory information, he has thusfar failed to add any level of excitement. The reader's feeling of "leaving the story just as soon as something interesting has happened" becomes stronger, and more disappointing.

Some things felt too obvious, and perhaps it was intended to be that way, in order to let the reader feel like they know something about the book, only to throw them off later. Things such as the High Lord's lineage, which are not stated immediately, but are obvious to even the casual reader. As the reader, I kept waiting for there to be some sort of immense, plot-shattering surprise, and was frustrated when I did not find one.

A new aspect in this book that was not present in Lord Foul's Bane was shifting perspectives. Despite being called "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever," the reader finds herself sucked into a new character's mind for the majority of the story: Warmark Hile Troy. While Troy is not incredibly unlikeable, his side of the story is nothing more than a grueling marching pace - literally, the reader spends half the book watching the Land's army march. I found it to be draggy and unexciting, and perhaps this is a reader's fault, since I have been raised in the world of instant gratification and over-dramatacism... but the lengthy descriptions of Troy's inability to come up with a sufficient battle plan and the struggles of the army to march fast enough without dying becomes tedious.

There are some aspects of the book that are more interesting than in the first in the trilogy. For example, instead of giving a long speech to explain an event, there is a point where Donaldson chooses to use a flashback. This flashback is considerably more interesting than the alternative (and, unfortunately, a little more exciting than most the rest of the book).

Once again, as the reader, I found myself disappointed as, at the end, the action was only just beginning, but Covenant was being sucked back into his world and the book had ended, just as the "good part" was starting. No resolution, yet again.

(( x-posted on my blog: http://morteana.blogspot.com ))(less)

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Nov 11, 2012 David Sullivan rated it 5 of 5 stars

I picked up Lord Foul's Bane, the first book of the first Thomas Covenant series, while trying to recover from my first divorce. At first, the atmosphere seemed unpleasant. But the more that I read on, I came to realize that the image being portrayed strongly resembled my own life. I read on... and on... and became so totally absorbed in the book that I quickly found Stephen R. Donaldson's style and imagery to be something that I strongly related with. Within a matter of months I completed all s...more

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Feb 18, 2012 Ross Kitson rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Illearth war

This is the second book in the First Thomas Covenant trilogy and I must say that I enjoyed it far more than the first. I'm uncertain whether that was simply because I'm more used to Donaldson's distinct style, or because the book is simply more engaging.
In the book Covenant returns to the land to find forty years have passed and Lord Foul's armies are on the move. He reunites with the Lords (I won't spoil the twist but it was fairly easy to anticipate) and travels with them to ba...more

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Jun 02, 2010 Mykl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Immediately drawn in by the impact of "the Land" upon Covenant being back in his own world. Had to suspend belief a bit when again he is knocked unconscious and returns to the "Land."

Interesting knowing the author was a conscientous objector and the role of the Oath of Peace in the story. Who is to define when it is time to resort to violence, whether to maim or kill?

The destruction of the Giants was a surprise and I do like that cause and effect take place consistently in terms of choices/actio...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Robert Day rated it 4 of 5 stars

I seem to remember this being a dark and depressing fantasy about someone transposed from the world as we know it, where he has a corrosive medical condition, to another world or dimension or mad dream where he makes very slow and torturous progress towards completing a quest or saving the world or something like that. Six books I read like this (2 trilogies) and guess what - I've bought the first book of the third trilogy.

I'll probably read through this trilogy too thinking the same thing as be...more

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Jun 07, 2010 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2010

Yeah, I really didn't like the first book. But this, surprisingly, really grew on me. I even found myself craving this book at the times where I couldn't afford to spend time reading. I was literally in love with this book. LOVE. As in, one of my favourites. Seriously.

Firstly, I'd like to comment on the writing. The prose was clear and yet deliciously descriptive. I could visualise everything perfectly, and then some. I felt myself drawn to every moment. It had the same complex qualities as in t...more Yeah, I really didn't like the first book. But this, surprisingly, really grew on me. I even found myself craving this book at the times where I couldn't afford to spend time reading. I was literally in love with this book. LOVE. As in, one of my favourites. Seriously.

Firstly, I'd like to comment on the writing. The prose was clear and yet deliciously descriptive. I could visualise everything perfectly, and then some. I felt myself drawn to every moment. It had the same complex qualities as in the first book, with the occasional overused big word, and he still encorporated some of that good ol' purple prose, but there was certainly a minimsed amount that made me sigh with satisfaction. I was also glad to find that the copious amounts of 'songs' that were present in the first book were toned down, with only a handful appearing within these pages. No offence to the guy or anything, but a career as a poet wouldn't work for him.

One of my main issues with the first book was how the main character, Thomas Covenant was incredibly whiny. To the point where I could barely go on. To the point where I wished that his leprosy would just eat him up already. I wanted him to die. I suppose that was the idea, though, to make him an anti-hero, but jeez, no need to make him emo.
But in this book, he toned down the emo whiny-ness. He hardly ever complained, and saved me from countless groans. I suppose a reason why I wasn't so annoyed with him this time was because about a third of the book follows another character. This character is afflicted with an ailment, too; he was born with no eyes. I don't know what it is about characters that are mentally or physically broken (such as Eon from the book Eon by Alison Goodman), but I just LOVE them. The change of pace that this change in point of view created was a relief. The part of the story from Hile Troy's perspective was eerily amazing. Because of the magic of the Land, when he arrived, he found that he could see, despite the lack of eyes. When he later loses that sight, we are able to see Covenant's anguish, we are able to see from Troy's perspective why Covenant refuses to acknowledge and accept the existance of such a land. More interesting, we see that Hile Troy, despite turning back into the blind man he was before he came to the land, he doesn't turn into a bitter 'Unbeliever', like Covenant is. This massive contrast shows what I love most about this novel.

The plot was consistant as it followed the separate paths of Hile Troy and Thomas Covenant in their adventures, and it was accurately measured in days (so, you know that Donaldson was paying attention and thinking hard when he wrote this). We would b told the amount of days that had passed, and it sort of just amazed me at how much work it must have taken to make sure that there were no innaccuracies in the separate plot lines.
I loved the aspect of the war, and the massacre of the giants brought me to tears. If you're grossed out by things, then skip this paragraph. Okay, here goes: The giants were killed by having some evil being sliding his hand into their head (like a ghost would) and then clenching his fist to make their heads explode. Like, KABOOM! with blood splatter everywhere. It disturbed me quite a bit, but the way it added to the story, and the way it moved me and literally almost made me cry (okay, so maybe I cried just a teeny bit), I found that to be a sure-fire win for this book. Any book that can make me cry is a good book, I think.

Anyways, this is a book that kept me up for hours past my bed time. I was that intrigues and engrossed with it. I think it's worth reading the trashy first book to read this (okay, maybe I'm being harsh on the first book, but still...). Also, this bok is so full of surprises. I found myself swearing on the bus because I am bad with surprises, and this kind of broke me with the amount of surprises it held.
Worth a read, and a good second book for a massive epic series of a million books.(less)

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May 01, 2008 Gary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Some reviewers have commented on the Donaldson books that he tends to annoy by going out of his way to use English words that rarely ever appear in print. I have a pretty extensive vocabulary, but Donaldson was a Uni professor and his subject was English, so no surprise! I admit he pulled out quite a few words that I had never enountered before. I took it for a learning experience! As for The Illearth War, Covenenant the Leper finds himself back in the Land, where he has no choice but to be. Aga...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Macha rated it 3 of 5 stars

second book in this series of trilogies. this time the central figure's PoV remains so unpleasant that even the author can't stand it, and retreats to a new character (also unlikeable) and his PoV for long periods of time. there's a certain sick fascination to this stuff, which consists partly of wondering what the author is thinking. beyond that, it's a pretty standard setting and plot. i'll finish the trilogy, just on the off-chance something interesting might happen, but after that no more. p...more

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Oct 16, 2007 Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

This, the second book in the first trilogy, may be my favorite of the entire series. Donaldson delivers great writing, story and allusiions with depth and conviction few others can attain. His use of Cause & Effect throughout the series is nothing short of masterful. His characters have depth and motivations beyond most writers'.

lets face it, Thomas Covenant is a bitter, twisted jerk. He's started a chain reaction that will change this alternate world and continually looks for ways to absol...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Darya rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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About Stephen R. Donaldson

Stephen Reeder Donaldson is an American fantasy, science fiction and mystery novelist. He earned his bachelor's degree from The College of Wooster and master's degree from Kent State University. He currently resides in New Mexico.

Stephen R. Donaldson was born on the 13th May 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio. His father, James, was a medical missionary and his mother, Ruth, a prosthetist (a person skilled i...more

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Books by Stephen R. Donaldson

Lord Foul's Bane (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, #1)

The Power That Preserves (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, #3)

The Wounded Land (The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, #1)

White Gold Wielder (The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, #3)

The One Tree (The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, #2)

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“Another blast from Rivenrock shivered the air. It snatched Mhoram's head up, and he faced Covenant with tears streaming down his cheeks. "It is as I have said," he breathed achingly. "Madness is not the only danger in dreams."” — 1 person liked it

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The Illearth War (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever #2)

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