Book Review: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R Donaldson

Thomas Covenant contracts leprosy and is lead to believe that he cannot be cured, but with suitable medication his disease can be kept in check. He struggles to come to terms with his disease, and with the loss of a finger he almost regresses into lunacy.

When he tries to save someone’s life, he is transported into a mystical world full of magic and danger; in this world his leprosy is cured. However, he assumes that as he has been told that there is no cure, that this land Illearth is an imaginary land in which his mind has retreated.

In this land he reluctantly tries to battle the evil Lord Foul, assisted by a band of followers who see him as a powerful wizard; his Golden wedding band signifying that he has magical powers. As he believes he is dreaming this land, he is forced into mistakes and often makes incorrect and devastating choices.

Firstly it should be pointed out that these books are at times difficult to read, and deal with some very moralistic issues such as rape. Thomas Covenant is an anti-hero in a way; he reluctantly becomes the leader of the ‘hopeful’ but doesn’t really believe in the land, and therefore often uses his powers unwisely.

What is interesting about this book is that it often is a metaphor for the dangers of modern society and how no one is perfect, and there really isn’t a right or a wrong course. Donaldson is an excellent writer and takes us into a vivid and dark world, one that is imperfect; he introduces us to some amazing storylines and characters, and uses the device of sacrifice and suffering to really enhance the plot.

It’s interesting in which he uses real world situations and then parallels them in Illearth; while Thomas Covenant slowly becomes used to his role, we see the land almost become more real.

This isn’t just another Lord of the Rings clone; it is a detailed examination of the human spirit, and it doesn’t simply look at the good side, but delves into the darkness that is in us all. It is one of the most daunting and difficult series to read, but you come away with a feeling of satisfaction – it’s almost a rite of passage, if you can complete the series then you have overcome many obstacles.

The first and second series are definitely amongst my favorite fantasy series of all time (I am just reading the final series now) – the characters are real and I can identify with the main character. For once a hero just doesn’t accept his role and go and conquer the bad guys; it’s a lot more complicated than that, and Donaldson really builds on the challenges that Thomas Covenant faces.

Overall this is a great series, it has an excellent plot, it is written extremely well and it doesn’t apologize for the darkness and evil it explores.