[Ringthane]

Please humour me. I have to write a thematic essay comparing the chronicles of Thomas Covenant to Reaper's Gale. I was hoping you could suggest some prominent themes that appear in Reaper's Gale, as I am terrible at anlyzing literature. Also, if you know of any good quotes, I would be extremely grateful.

[Gem Windcaster]

Good luck with that - simply thinking about doing such a thing makes me a little insane. To do this, you'd have to simplify big time. The only likeness I can think of on the top of my head is that they are both tragedies.

[Slum]

What class gives you the choice to analyze fantasy books? Can I take it online? Is it a 400 level english class, perchance?
Just Kidding. I'm waist deep in TS Eliot's "The Waste Land" and it's driving me nuts.
Good luck. I'm not much help, I know. I've never read Donaldson, and I've only read Repaer's Gale once.

[Aptorian]

Ringthane;208811 said:

Please humour me. I have to write a thematic essay comparing the chronicles of Thomas Covenant to Reaper's Gale. I was hoping you could suggest some prominent themes that appear in Reaper's Gale, as I am terrible at anlyzing literature. Also, if you know of any good quotes, I would be extremely grateful.

You're terrible at analyzing litterature? And you choose those two tittles?

What class is this you're attending?

I've only read a hundred pages into the first Thomas Covenant book but my immediate impressions is that there's a world of difference between the two.

Ones centralised on Covenant the other one is set around more of a plot than actuall characters. Is it only the first three Covenant books we're talking about here, like "the first chronicles" or?

Random brainstorming... things to work with:

Economy, powerty, Tyranny, Freedom, war, death, rebirth, sorrow, vengeance, love, hate, christianity, worship, longing, loss... Irac War II?

There's all kinds of weird stuff in Malazan Books you wouldn't even begin to pick out.

If I were you I'd read Covenant through and through and take what themes in there and look ofr the same things in RG and see what picture that paints. Covenant drowns in the multiplicity of the Malazan world would be my worry.

This is such a weird assignment... does your teacher even know what these tittles are on about?

[Murrin]

Reaper's Gale has a big slant toward showing interpersonal relationships. It's pretty clear Erikson set out to explore different kinds of relationships in this: there's the leader/follower relationship of the inquisitor and his lackey (I can't seem to remember people's names today, and I can't find the book to look them up); the torturer/victim relationship of aforementioned lackey and the lecturer; you have Tehol/Bugg as a more obvious one; and Feather Witch and the Errant. Nimander/Phaed is probably another good example, and Fear Sengar/Silchas Ruin. There are a lot more scattered through the book, lots of different ways that people interact with each other.

With a book that is so much about these interdependancies, a book that is so much focused on one man's internal conflicts is an odd one to compare it with.

[Ringthane]

Thank you for the advice. To answer your questions it is for grade 11 english. We were given the asignment to compare and contrast two novels of our choice for our isp( independant study project) due at the end of the semester. These are the only books I could think of. Any better suggestions would be appreciated, but I hoped for some help with reapers gale themes, due to the fairly complex nature of covenant and his relationships it is easier to analyze. Most of Erikson's work just leaves me trailing behind him in the dust.

[Dolorous Menhir]

If I was doing your assignment, I would've chosen a book with a stronger unifying theme than Reaper's Gale. For example, any book that has a unifying theme.

Covenant is a good choice - remember that the unifying theme in that series is "DON'T YOU GET IT??? HE'S A LEPER!!!!"

[Mentalist]

One thing that struck me in RG was the "conflict of civilizations/worldviews", and the "consumerist culture, its decadence and the wy it corrupts those around it" themes.. but that's prolly because im taking politics in university, so i tend to analyze those things more.....
Like somone above me, never read Donaldson, so can't help you much with that.....

[Locke Reaper]

I read the first two book of the original covenant and the only thing that struck me was how much self pity was expressed by thomas. I know he is a leper but seriously...

Two things that would be intresting to think about is the fact that in reaper's gale there is no distinct enemy, which would relate to today's society while in thomas covenant there is a very specific enemy.

Another thing about thomas is the selfcenteredness while in reapers gale it is the fate of a larger group, yet are they being saved or just repressed by another 'evil'.

[farengi]

well one thing that comes to mind is that Thomas Covenant is a leper shunned by society ... Crippled God seems to have some affliction and is shunned by everyone else as well. Covenant is a flawed character, who nevertheless after much trial and tribulation does manage to overcome his weaknesses and rescue the day. Erickson makes a point of describing his characters as ambiguous ... each one has both good and bad elements, just look at Rhulad.
It's been years since I've read Covenant so can't offer more .... Erickson mentioned that as one of his favorite series in one of his interviews.

[Clip]

I have only read a bit of the first covenant but the thing about RG is that it is incredibly tragic. ex: All three Sengar brothers dying, especially Trull. ex2: Toc the Younger dying just as Tool (I think) showing up. ex3: Beak.

RG is a tragedy and that could be an important factor in comparing themes, because the themes in RG are tragic.

[Skywalker]

RG and Thomas Covenant are like apples and oranges.

You might be better off comparing the First and Second Chronicles with each other. Or even just the concluding parts of those two trilogies...

Like DM said, Malazan books are too complex for direct comparisons with other works. At least until SE reveals his unifying theme (which he probably wont do until book 10... or 15 counting ICE's contribution)

[Abyss]

It's a stretch, but there is a theme of 'searching' in both books. Covenant is searching for his... i dunno, purpose, meaning, motive to live, reality, reason not to rape any more teenage girls, something... while over in RG, there is the quest of the Marines to prove themselves, Hedge to find a point to his existance, Trull to redeem his family, etc etc.


I'm digging, but damn, those books are so utterly way far apart, THE HOBBIT would have more in common with either of them.

- Abyss, just had to read War and Peace in grade 11 english...

[Pallol One Eye]

Remember also, that to Covenenant, "The Land" is not real, he can't afford to let it be for it would confound his ability to deal with the realities of his disease and the 'real' world. Beleiving he could live in a fantasy world of health would ultimaltely kill him.

None of the protagonists in RG beleive that their world is not real. If any thing they all beleive to a certain degree in multiple realities (worlds/warrens etc).

There are lots of differences in terms of Structure, single POV versus multiple, traditional One Bad Guy and slaves versus lots of shades of Grey, black and white, teams with multiple objectives.

But next time pick something easy like comparing Gravity's Rainbow with Harry Potter.

[Sucka27]

Some themes from the entire series that you'll find in the books are:

- Certainty is a poison
- Society is doomed to repeat its own mistakes. Cultures and societies come and go over thousands and thousands of years and although we are aware of the mistakes that doomed our predecessors, we are unable or unconcerned that they will apply to us. But they always do.