Runes WHGB

dlbpharmd · Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2004 9:08 am Post subject: Runes WHGB

This post doesn't really contain spoilers but I'm posting it here in the Runes forum for courtesy's sake.

SRD wrote the What Has Gone Before section for Runes, a major change from the previous WHGBs (which IIRC were written by Lester Del Ray.)

I really like SRD's WHGB - the change in style was very refreshing. But I do have two problems with either a) his memory or b) his internal consistency:

a) SRD tells of the incident at the Isle of the One Tree - he says that Seadreamer's Earthsight vision which took away his voice was Covenant's risk to the Worm; I always thought it was the Sunbane.

b) SRD tells of Covenant's caamora in the Banefire, and says that Covenant quenched the Banefire by it - that is not what happens at all. Linden and Nom quenched the Banefire by routing Glimmermere down into the city.

Gart · Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 9:14 pm Post subject:

There was one more I picked up on:

c) SRD says that Covenant believed that a battle with Lord Foul would "unleash enough force to destroy Time". Not so, as I recall he believed that using power once he was wild magic/venom alloyed would contaminate the Arch of Time with venom and desecrate the whole earth.
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UrLord · Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 3:28 am Post subject:

I think it was both, actually...
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Revan · Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 9:18 am Post subject:

heh, no ones perfect, not even SRD Wink

dlbpharmd · Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 9:55 am Post subject:

But that's what editors are for, Darth. If SRD doesn't have someone who checks to make sure his continuity is consistent, then he needs to.

And I volunteer. Very Happy

Revan · Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 10:01 am Post subject:

heh, cool. Razz

burgs · Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 8:57 pm Post subject:

He may not be perfect, but he did write these books. Perhaps there is deeper meaning in the reasons he gives than is readily apparent.

I also liked the WHGB segment. It was a terrific summation for people who have never read Covenant. Obviously they're interested in getting new readers, as well as old. I pointed this out almost to prolixity in a review that I posted on Amazon. My intent with that was the same as SRDs and his publishers - I want to see new readers come to Covenant too.
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dlbpharmd · Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2004 2:19 am Post subject:

I noticed this line for the first time tonight:

burgs · Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2004 11:33 am Post subject:

Definitely one of the seeds that SRD said he planted.
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dlbpharmd · Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:25 pm Post subject:

Bump

Wayfriend, you've never weighed in on this thread, and I'd like your imput. I've just re-read the WHGB section again, and I'm struck by how revealing it is.
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burgs · Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 4:20 am Post subject:

It's been so long that I'm not sure what we're talking about anymore. Not that I'm "Wayfriend", but anyway...

dlbpharmd · Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 10:59 am Post subject:

You're always welcome here, burgs.

That line is from the WHGB section of Runes, at the top of page xviii (hardcover.)
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iQuestor · Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 10:09 pm Post subject:

You know, I don't think I read this section carefully, and definately is very different now that SRD has written it. It does have a lot of great insight.

I'd like to weigh on on these discrepancies, if I may:

1. Cable Seadreamers Earthsight: I remember that Cable Sea Dreamer's vision was thought to be the sunbane after the purpose of the search was revealed to Covenant and Linden, but I can see also how Sea Dreamer reacted to the visit to the island of the One Tree. I think that SRD relating that the events at the One Tree were in fact the evil he saw with the Earth Sight is plausible and in keeping with the text.

2. Rending the Raver:

I'm Murrin · Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 10:37 pm Post subject:

On the banefire thing, I don't believe it matters much. As a catch-up for those unfamiliar with the previous books in the series, it works just as well as stating specifics about the banefire. Ditto with the Earthsight: He saw the sunbane, but also saw Covenant and the danger that would occur at the Tree--and that he would have to sacrifice himself. It was the event at the isle that was the more important and powerful of his visions.
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burgs · Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 10:50 pm Post subject:

Agreed
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Avatar · Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 7:04 am Post subject:

Fair enough point Murrin. And since the other WHGB's were even more inaccurate... Wink

--A
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Borillar · Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 8:28 pm Post subject:

In addition to the error about who put out the Banefire, the WHGB for Runes also says "The Sunbane remains, but its evil no longer grows." I don't believe that assessment is supported by the text either. When Linden surveys the Land with the Staff and ring in hand, I think the narrator comments that the Sunbane may grow to destroy the entire Earth even without the Banefire, unless it's stopped (although I don't have text in hand to support this).

wayfriend · Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 9:18 pm Post subject:

That's fair enough. It should have said something like "The Sunbane remains, but a significant contributor to its growth has been removed" to be more accurate. But, for a synopsis, I think that "but its evil no longer grows" is sufficient.
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Zarathustra · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:25 pm Post subject:

On the Sunbane vs Worm danger that Seadreamer perceives, the WHGB actually says:

wayfriend · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 1:34 pm Post subject:

That might possibly be true -- I haven't thought of it that way.

But isn't it possible that Seadreamer has seen more than one thing?