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The Illearth War is the second volume of Stephen Donaldson’s First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Lord Foul’s Bane began the story and the conclusion is reached in The Power that Preserves. The Illearth War begins with Covenant once again at Haven Farm, his home in the “real world”. Events lead to his return to the Land and he finds that more than forty years have passed since he was last there. There are surprises awaiting Covenant, consequences of his behaviour when last there. Covenant still believes that what is happening to him is a result of visions due to being in a coma but the best way to cope with this is to pretend that it is in fact happening. He fears that acceptance may lead to insanity.
The Land is being ravaged by war and is in danger of being destroyed. There is still power within his white gold wedding ring but Covenant is unable to call upon it, rendering it impotent. The Council of Lords need Covenant to use his white gold magic to battle Lord Foul and the titular Illearth Stone.
This volume is a significant improvement upon Lord Foul’s Bane; he narrative is still extremely complex and requires patience and concentration but is ultimately highly rewarding.
The characters are developed well within Donaldson’s sophisticated narrative and Covenant remains very much the anti-hero, his behaviour very much unlike the generic fantasy hero. If asked to name an author whose style is similar to Donaldson then I would have to say that Steven Erikson’s Malazan Empire works do certainly bear comparisons.
Often, the middle volume of a series is the best and I believe that this is the case here. This is complex, beautifully written work that richly rewards the readers who are prepared to immerse themselves within its powerful spell. There is great imagination at work here and Donaldson does not simply use tried and trusted fantasy prose but created and maintains new directions for the genre.
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Anthony from Norwich
The ultimate anti-hero is back and as grumpy as ever! Not an easy central character to get behind but Donaldson makes him sympathetic enough so that you care about what happens to him.
Over-lapping stotylines converge into a gripping finale that leaves you eagerly reaching for The Power That Preserves.
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