The Official Gilden-Fire thread.

[Barnetto]

OK, just rereading TIW for the first time in 25 years.... and have read it inserting Gilden Fire before Runnik's report. Frankly, I think the POV argument fails (for me). I know that SRD argues that writing a large portion of the book from Troy's POV doesn't invalidate the ambiguity of the Land's reality, but for me it does. It is either all in Covenant's head or it isn't. I don't see how Covenant can be dreaming it from Troy's POV (or even if he can why that would be so different from Mhoram's / anyone else from the Land's viewpoint). In any event, the important point is that Covenant doesn't know whether it is in his head or not - I don't see how it is that important that the reader doesn't know for sure.

Mental editing aside (the conflict between the Gilden Fire chapter and Runnik's report), I'm surprised that SRD didn't find the space to include some of the material in this chapter - I agree with others that it is important in fleshing out the Bloodguard (in a way that the Last Chronicles do more thoroughly) - not sure whether it adds an awful lot to Hyrim/Shetra, will reserve judgment til I finish TIW.

Anyway, nothing new here I'm sure but I'm just enjoying posting on this site! And I agree with some others who suggest that the real issue here was the perceived (unfortunate) limit on the length of the books and that the POV issue was raised post hoc to justify cuts made for length reasons. I just think it is a bit of a shame that this (lame ) excuse has been held onto for so long...

If SRD wanted consistency on the Covenant viewpoint and retain the ambiguity from the reader's perspective he would have needed to continue to write it all from Covenant's perspective. But I can see that would have become increasingly restrictive, artificial and convoluted... I think he had to break the constraint and write from other perspectives and I don't think that actually detracts from the central theme (at least of LFB and TIW) that Covenant doesn't know if the Land is real or a dream.

[Barnetto]

PS I also think that Gilden Fire goes someway to alleviating that feeling you get when reading LFB and TIW that the Land is oddly under-occupied. At least as they ride east they ride through occupied lands.

[Earthblood]

re-reading the chrons and into TIW, had to pull my autographed by SRD copy of GF out of the library (yeah, I'm braggin'!!).
I guess I get the POV issue, although, by this time having Troy in the mix kinda lessened the impact of a different POV for me.
After all, I transport myself to the Land everytime I start reading, so it's ALL real to me!
I really enjoy the history of the Haruchai the most out of GF - the mission description is not so vital, as it gets described later anyway.

And Guns - you could be right about the winter hell hole concept I've been complaining about winter for almost 10 yrs here...

I did have some minor 'alterations' done to my av tho...

Glad you're here!!

Earthy
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"You're afraid of yourself."

[Blackhawk]

the lands reality has never been much of an issue with me... i have always insisted on its reality, if the whole thing is in TCs head then I will be in a serious state of denial when that revelation comes about. but the fact that the last chrons has been written, it almost removes any possibility of it being all a figment of TCs imagination..PLEASE LET IT NOT BE A DREAM!!! or even worse.. what if Linden wakes up wondering.. I had a dream about a guy named Thomas Covenant.. but he doesnt exist.... could it all be from Lindens point of view in the end? ok ..im getting off track now...


I would love to see Gilden Fire Expanded and Woven back into to The Illearth War somehow,.... I already did it with the Audio version I have but there is some overlap. I am all for a special edition of the Illearth war...Authors Cut
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