The Illearth War by Stephen R. Donaldson, Review
The Illearth War is the second book in Stephen R. Donaldson’s First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever. While each book in this trilogy tells a story in its own right they are part of an overall plot which really should be read in the correct order. After spending a little time with Covenant in the “real” world where we discover that his life is slowly collapsing around him, we are soon transported back to The Land.
Although it has only been a few months for Covenant, it has been 40 years in the Land and Lord Foul has been busy. In Revelstone, the Lords, lead by High Lord Elena, wait for word of Foul’s army while Warmark Hile Troy plans a strategy he believes can defeat even the Despiser.
Covenant’s second trip to the land see’s him dealing with the results of his actions from Lord Foul’s Bane. If there’s one consistent law in Donaldson’s books it’s that actions have consequences. Much of the suffering we see in this book flows as a result of a single action which Covenant took. But it would be simplistic to blame Covenant for everything that happens as the characters have the opportunities to avoid their fate.
An interesting addition in this book is the character of Hile Troy who also apparently hails from the “real” world. Troy is a blind man given sight by the Land and with an uncanny skill for strategy. Unlike Covenant, he embraces the Land and is determined to save it. Some people have suggested that Troy is the hero of this novel, but they are mistaken. As I said about the first book, Lord Mhoram is the hero of this story and Covenant is the character who redeems himself.
The telling thing about the character of Hile Troy is a comment made by Covenant near the beginning of the book where he says “they’re going to make another Kevin Landwaster out of you.” (I’m paraphrasing probably). Throughout the Illearth War, Troy feels the pain of his actions on other people and makes promises that he must rely on other people to make happen. At one point he almost commits suicide. Troy is not High Lord Kevin. He has the potential to be, but in the end he overcomes that potential.
There are subtleties to this book that went unnoticed by me on my first couple of reads. Hile Troy was encouraged by High Lord Elena to become Warmark. She has a fascination, almost hero worship, for High Lord Kevin. And in the end Elena shows that she too has the potential to be a Landwaster. Lord Mhoram has worried that he might be such a person, yet he clearly is not.
What distinguishes him from Elena and Hile Troy is his capacity to see shades of gray. For Elena and Troy their own certainties force them into paths they can’t see the results of. Mhoram’s self-doubt and his recognition that life has shades allows him to face despair and continue on.
And what of the Unbeliever himself? What of Thomas Covenant. In The Illearth War, we see the very beginnings of Covenant’s redemption. He still does not believe in the Land, but he slowly begins to accept that it matters. His desperate (and rather futile) attempt to save Elena at the risk of his own life is a genuinely selfless act.
But Covenant is on the whole a selfish person in this book. While he shows guilt for his actions in Lord Foul’s Bane and the results which he discovers in this book, he continues to make bargains and attempt to avoid his fate.
Eoghann Irving is amongst other things the creator and Editor of Solar Flare. He has a life long interest in all forms of science fiction and fantasy and a pressing need to share this interest with anyone who will listen. Find out more at his personal website eoghann.com..
No Comments, Comment or Ping
Reply to “The Illearth War by Stephen R. Donaldson, Review”