Lord Foul’s Bane: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Book 1

Read it. Read it. Read it. You may have to get past a central theme that the main character is a very dark individual and commits a despicable act early on. But you will fall in love with the characters and their trials. Beautifully written

I'd heard a lot about this series over the years and finally decided to dive in. Lord Foul's Bane begins a fantasy trilogy set in a land known simply as, well, The Land. Actually, the book begins in 20th century America down South somewhere (Louisiana is mentioned as being nearby). We learn the bitter protagonist Thomas Covenant's background: soon after writing a successful book he contracts leprosy and becomes an outcast of society almost overnight, losing his wife, son, and friends. In addition, every day becomes a gamble of the disease killing more nerves in his extremities if Covenant doesn't keep a vigilant watch for physical damage and the ensuing infection. Donaldson depicts Covenant's deplorable situation admirably, and his decision to make a leper the hero of his series certainly makes for a unique start.Though the novel begins in the U.S., a scant 30 pages into it Covenant suffers an accident and is whisked away to The Land, a classic fantasy setting similar to many others in books you may have read. Covenant soon christens himself The Unbeliever because he thinks he's dreaming. Is he? Well that question isn't really answered in this book, but if so it's one heck of a dream! I was greatly intrigued by this connection to the "real world" and hope to see this question resolved by the end of the series.The story is enjoyable but standard good versus evil, swords and sorcery. With the added twist of Covenant, the stranger from another world with a magic wedding ring that he doesn't know how to wield. Donaldson's writing is excellent, especially with regard to renditions of settings and battle. Characterization of Covenant and a couple others is quite good (i.e. Foamfollower), but the majority of the characters all seem to have about the same personality: heroic, strong, somewhat bland. Covenant himself is frustratingly bitter and negative, not the sort of guy you'd want your kids to hang around with (and they wouldn't want to either). So bitter that it's hard to believe he was a nice guy before the onset of leprosy. The pacing of the story is perfect for most of the novel but seems a bit rushed for the last 100 pages or so. Nevertheless, the climactic final battle is a real page turner!I recommend this as an excellent beginning to, by all accounts, one of the best fantasy series around. I just started the sequel (The Illearth War) and am anxious to see how Lord Foul meets his demise! Painfully, I hope.

I have read this series multiple times and am humored by the negative comments here. Highminded reproach of the Covenant is silly because that is exactly the authors point.I belive the author uses the C.S. Lewis tool of the space trilogy here. The earthly characters are deeply flawed and are longing for better relations although unsure how to do this. They are introduced to a world that is not tainted by our "sins". Lewis' contrast is more, with the good angels and evil. This contrast is what sold me on the Donaldson series.The characters of the heroes are what we should aspire to. They are a like a light box and us/Covenant the X-ray. Banor the blood guard and Saltheart Foamfollower are the courage and faithfullness we want to be. It, I believe, is a image of the man prior to the fall in Eden.Who would ever want to return to the world of leprocy. A world where people can't feel. This is a picture of a world of emotional numbness and fear, our earth. The Land, a term used to describe the alternate world, is lifegiving and makes one sensate.Covenant responds to this new environ with a rape. This is the seminal moment in the series. He does not believe it is real. It is a fantasy of rape if you will. Completly detestable. It is what we would be like around a "pure world". Not rape per-se but destruction and entropy to follow. Like Covenant we need a remedy.The Land is sick because of evil gaining power. There are places where evil has no sway. These places are called Andelain(sp?). An oasis of pure good, where the soul and flesh are nourished. I wish this were the Church to modern man.Some will still abhor this book because of the complicated anti-hero. I see him as a bit part. He is the black against the white seen in the pure heroes in the series. In this series the ring weilder is carried, dragged to his mount Doom. That is the point. The people of the land are the heroes.Thomas (the doubter of Jesus) the unbeliever. Covenant- the gift of commitment by God to man. Donaldson is the son of christian missionaries and this perspective shines through.I would and have given this book to many. It is a good allagory. I think the second series is weaker but still potent in the character of pitchwife.

I read this book the1st time around 1983. Read it a few more times not long after and now again 40 years later and it is still an awesome read!

Used to have all the hardcovers - lost in a fire. Ordered this to re-read after 20 years. Amazing author

It's the first book of the series (10 novels in total) and since the beginning Thomas Covenant is a hideous character. But the Land and its inhabitants are fantastic. I read it in Italian long ago, now I finally have all the series in English.

Beautiful cover and good story

sta serie está muy bien escrita. Puedes imaginarte inmerso en el vívido paisaje y cara a cara con los personajes.Una serie que volverás a leer muchas veces y en cada ocasión te maravillarás de la cizalla de imaginación necesaria para pintar un cuadro tan fantástico.

Ich kenne das Buch schon seit Ewigkeiten, für mich ist das die spannendste und gelungenste Fantasy-Reihe überhaupt