The Power That Preserves is the sequel to The Illearth War and the final novel in the first trilogy about Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. Just as in the previous two books, Covenant returns to the Land after blacking out in the real world from an injury. Seven years have passed in the Land while only a couple days have transpired for Covenant. He finds the Land in the grip of an unnatural winter brought on by Lord Foul, whose forces have overrun most of the Land and nearly defeated all resistance. The Lords at Revelstone are the only major obstacle left for Foul to defeat, and Foul with his Illearth Stone is much more powerful than they are. Covenant's wild magic is the only hope to turn things around, but he doesn't even know how to unleash it!

I gave the previous novel, The Illearth War, a five-star rating. It was excellent fantasy from beginning to end. The sequel is just as good until the ending, which is a tad weaker in comparison. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great ending: explosive, climactic, and quite satisfying. But it doesn't quite "jive" with how Covenant and Lord Foul have been portrayed throughout the series. So it seems a bit contrived or artificial. You'll probably know what I mean when you get there. On the other hand, you may love the ending just as much as most of the other reviewers did. Anyway, though I think the ending is the weakest part of the novel, it's still a fine close to the series and you'll enjoy it. Solid four-star material, which ain't shabby at all! I'd rate it four and a half if that rating were available.

The siege against Revelstone by Lord Foul's minions is perhaps the best part of the book. High Lord Mhoram is awesome! The enemy general and his forces truly inspire dread. Covenant's long quest in the south is full of adventure too. You'll finally get to see what's become of Lena, the girl Covenant wronged in the first book. Triock plays a major role, becoming a tragic hero in one of the finest action scenes of the novel. Dead Elena (the High Lord killed in the last book) makes an appearance, though not in the guise you may expect. A couple welcome old friends from past books accompany Covenant on his quest.

Characters show more variation in personality than in the previous books, in which most of them seemed like they were cast from the same mold. There are a few quite gory moments in the battles, like one memorable scene where blood is pumping around a knife stuck in somebody's chest (sorry!). Overall, this series consists of the some of the best fantasy I've ever read. It doesn't quite rank up there with the Wheel of Time series (at least the first six books of it), but it succeeds admirably for its relatively short length. Jordan could learn a few pointers from this series, as in how to tie things up neatly.

Highly recommended and a must read to wrap up the first trilogy!

It would seem a monumental task for any writer to match andeven surpass the earlier two volumes in the "Chronicles of ThomasCovenant" trilogy, but this Donaldson has done with his typical flair and touch. This is, quite simply, one of the finest culminating chapters in any fantasy trilogy, with sufficient action to attract even the most hard-headed sword and sorcery buff, enough character development and plot intricacies to entrance the most demanding reader, and enough tragedy, drama, and yes...even hope, to live on in the minds and hearts of those who enter Donaldson's "Land" for years to come. Focusing on the final battle between Lord Foul and Ur-Lord Thomas Covenant, "The Power That Preserves", like it's preceding volumes, is often stylistically and thematically dark and brooding, yet with a subtle beauty and love of craft unseen in many fantasy authors today. Donaldson is, quite simply, the Heir Apparent to the Fantasy/Science Fiction throne. END

Once again, Thomas Covenant returns to the Land. Once again, he struggles with his unbelief, with his conviction that he cannot both believe and survive. He is a leper.

When ur-Lord Covenant returns to the Land, he finds that it is palled under the shroud of decay and ill health. Has it come to this, has his unbelief doomed the land he both loves so deeply and at the same instant denies? Can his sheer hate for Lord Foul awaken the latent power of his white-gold ring? These trials surface within "The Power that Preserves".

I cannot stress it enough, this trilogy of novels, "The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever", is one of the pinnacles of fantasy writing. Donaldson has both a mastery of style and voice matched by few authors. His vivid characters grip you and draw you into the Land. They almost force you to feel deep emotion about them. Whether that emotion is love, hate, or in the case of the Unbeliever, sheer frustrated anger tainted with unrelenting sympathy for those in his path, you cannot help but be moved. This series will remain a benchmark against which I judge other novels, and other realities. You owe it to yourself to read this trilogy.

A leper, shunned by his own world, is transported to another land where his nerves regenerate and the white gold wedding band he wears is a powerful weapon. To the people of the Land, Covenant is Berek Halfhand reborn - a hero whose wild magic is the only possible answer to the evils of Drool Rockworm and Lord Foul the Despiser. But Covenant cannot and will not believe in the Land. He cannot accept the responsibility the Land demands of him. To do so would be to ignore the discipline and vigilance he must maintain as a safeguard against the constant reality of his leprosy. If you are prepared to overlook the many, many points of similarity to "the Lord of the Rings", you will find much that is enjoyable, fascinating and genuinely original in the two trilogies. There is, however, a puzzle at the heart of the novel which is never adequately explained. If the Land is a dream, whatever Covenant does cannot affect him in the real world. So he may as well help the Land and fight its foes taking whatever "risks" to himself are necessary. On the other hand, if the Land is real, Covenant is not a leper there and need not exercise such caution. Whenever he is confronted with this logic, Covenant can only mutter, "It isn't that easy." This leaves the reader screaming,"Why not?" If you choose to read these books you'll have to accept that your question is never answered.

I started reading Fantasy of course with JRR Tolkien's Lord Of the Rings. My second introduction to the world of Fantasy was Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

Thomas Covenant's by some strange stroke of Fate or perhaps calculated strategy, finds himself in The Land - a place of unsurpassed beauty where Earthpower is a source of power/energy that is tapped on by its people. Covenant is given a message of Doom and asked to deliver this message to the Council of Lords. But Covenant vehemently denies the existence of the Land' fashioning himself as 'The Unbeliever' and his continuous battle with himself in this new but very real environment as well as the genuinely miraculous healing of his leprosy inflicted limbs, added to my wholehearted involvement in the novel. It was difficult to bear his continuous reluctance to accept The Land and shoulder the responsibilities handed to him - Thomas Covenant is not an immediately likeable character - in his rejection of The Land, he commits shocking acts and yet the reader is drawn to his vulnerabilities and his fierce struggle to above all, keep himself alive. I found myself urging him on - it was an extraordinary effect.

The language of the Land is also intriguing, an 'Old Style' English which I loved and as I got more engrossed in the book, found myself using in my everyday speech....

All in all, a superb book, 14 years later, I am yet to find a Fantasy Book that rivals this. Enjoy!

An epic to rival (but not surpass) The Lord of the Rings. Different in many ways, but fantasy epic nonetheless. Anyone interested in the environment would be amazed at the manner in which the author gives "The Land" a life force of its own. Each entity of life, nature and existence has a palpable, visible vitality, which is one of the reasons that the author has chosen to use a leper (whose degenerating nerves shouldn't allow him to experience it) to give it even more vitality than the people of the land appreciate. And those people appreciate it amazingly. A good, thorough vacation into fantasy.

This is Donaldson's best book -- the best of the Covenant series and better than any other fantasy written in the past 20 years. It's that good. Continuing the story from Lord Foul's Bane, the reluctant anti-hero leper Thomas Covenant returns to the mysterious Land, where he is again called upon to save it even as he must deny its existence to try and maintain his sanity. Of course, there is the added twist that he doesn't even know how to use the awesome power of the white gold wedding band at his wrist, even if he wanted to. Meanwhile, in the "real world," life is getting even tougher for Covenant. The forces of evil are at work in both worlds, with a titanic war splitting the Land and threatening to destroy it utterly. It's rare these days for a fantasy to be truly fantastic. Too often, hacks like David Eddings or Terry Brooks simply recycle plots from their earlier days and write hack and slash 'em pulp novels that are read one day and mind-flushed the next.

Donaldson's novels sear themselves into your brain, so that you remember them for years, decades after you last read them. The characters -- Foamfollower, the Bloodguard, Lord Mhoram, Lena -- each is deep and rich with emotional scars and a quiet strength and courage. Covenant in comparison can't help but appear bad, yet somehow, through his travels in the Land, he slowly, slowly manages to find his humanity again that had been stripped away by leprosy and VSE. If you haven't read the Covenant series, do yourself a favor and go read Lord Foul's Bane, then the Illearth War and the rest of the books. They are the treasure of modern fantasy.

Stephen R. Donaldson continues his epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever, with the second book, The Illearth War. Once again, the anti-hero, Thomas Covenant, has found himself in the Land; and this strange parellel world is still in the grip of a mounting terror in the form of Lord Foul, and needs the magic of Covenant's white gold ring more than ever. Covenant wrestles with his unbelief in the world and his desire to see it survive-but actually manages to be quite useless to everyone. Still, Donaldson increases the action as well as the complexity of the plot in this second volume, mainly by introducing new characters from both Covenant's real world and the Land who continue the battle against the Corruption of their home. Readers of the first book who thirst for more of the author's amazing attention to detail and thoroughly written story-as well as the lively prose inwhich it is written in-will not be dissapointed.

I've read better fantasy but The Illearth War is five-star material nonetheless. This is the sequel to Lord Foul's Bane, in which Thomas Covenant first discovered the Land and assisted in the recovery of an important magical artifact. This time around he again gets transported from the "real world" to the Land but while Covenant is only a few weeks older, 40 years have passed in the Land and the struggle against Lord Foul has become desperate. Foul is about to march against the Lords, who simply aren't prepared for what's coming!

The novel is slow to get going and most of the highlights come in the second half. The first half provides a lot of backstory and character development. We meet the important woman Elena, who develops a close relationship with Covenant (for good reason too, as you'll learn to your surprise later in the novel). Hile Troy, a military tactician who claims to also be from Covenant's world, leads the war effort and plays an even more central role in this book than Covenant. Lord Mhoram is a leading character this time around. Trell, the former loving gravelingas of Mithil Stonedown, is now a tragic and unpredictable character. The mysterious creature Amok holds a key to ancient and terrible power.

The second half of the book is where the action really hits. Donaldson gives us three simultaneous plot lines to follow; each is exciting and keeps you turning the pages. My favorite plot line was the mission to Seareach but all three are excellent! Just as in the last book, scenes of battle and gore are depicted admirably. Settings are described in lavish detail but the prose never gets exceedingly verbose unlike some other fantasy out there (*cough* Wheel of Time *cough*). The ending ties things up nicely, yet leaves the big picture unresolved and hence leads perfectly into the sequel.

Though still bitter from his experience as a leper, Covenant seems to have lightened up a bit. In fact in a couple parts of the book he actually feels genuinely happy, albeit briefly. Unfortunately, as in Lord Foul's Bane, most of the other characters aren't too unique and their personalities tend to be uniformly strong and heroic. Troy is an interesting one though.

Overall, top notch fantasy and certainly not to be missed after reading Lord Foul's Bane!

I just don't believe how bad this last, sixth book, of the Covenant series is. I truly love the rest of the series, and just finished a third reading of the complete set. This time I took my time. I did not rush. I waited after finishing the One Tree before starting the last book. All because I remembered not enjoying the White Gold Wielder (WGW) the previous time, and could not remember why. I figured I had just worn myself out, reading too late into the night as I sometimes do with a great writer. Maybe I had not given Donaldson the patience he insists on so often with his complex writing, patience that is well rewarded in the One Tree.

But the first half of WGW is excruciatingly bad. Donaldson simply gives up on trying to have the book make sense. And without the invention and wonder of the previous books, I wasn't able to excuse him this time. For example: why with 40 giants on the Search do only four go with Covenant and Linden back into the Land? Why does everyone work like hell to move about under the Sunbane, instead of during the night when movement would be much simpler? Why doesn't Donaldson come up with a single decent new idea until 40 pages left to go in this book? Is this just another author resting on his laurels, or was Donaldson really bereft of new ideas?

About halfway through, the story becomes somewhat readable, but only the last fifty pages or so are enjoyable. And what pain to get there for the reader! Perhaps Donaldson believes the reader, like Covenant, has to go through torment to earn that final reward. It is a good send-off, but the rest of this book really is poor.

I had remembered Lord Foul's Bane and the Wounded Land as being the least of each series. Lord Foul's Bane earns that recognition, as a terrible Tolkien rip-off and seriously flawed in character development. And the Illearth War and the Power That Preserves are truly great books that demonstrate clearly Donaldson's lackings with his first try. The Wounded Land is actually pretty decent, but shows similarities to the worst of WGW in the later half of the book. Donaldson has Covenant doing stupid stuff simply to extend the storyline. But the Wounded Land ends on a high note. And the One Tree I believe is the best of the series in many ways; certainly few books anywhere have as complex and compelling a love story as that portrayed here. And there are a couple truly great plot twists along the way.

So I had erased the displeasure of WGW from my memory... now I see that I had a simple case of unbelief.

I first read the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant over ten years ago, and each successive revisit only increases my appreciation of this series. Be warned that it is not a saga to embark upon lightly: I am a voracious reader, but it can take months for me to get through the six books, partly because Donaldson's style begs to be savored, not hurriedly swallowed, and partly because the sheer amount of angst experienced in seeing the Land corrupted in the second trilogy occasionally necessitates putting it aside for a few days in favor of something lighter. Sound painful? It is - exquisitely so.

*White Gold Wielder* is a stunning conclusion to the Chronicles, both in its power and in the unexpectedness of its method of resolution. It is especially refreshing in the wake of the drawn-out and sometimes seemingly pointless sea journey of *The One Tree* - Donaldson gathers up all the loose threads and weaves them seamlessly into a climax in which everything is seen to have its purpose after all. I would compare it favorably to the end of The Lord of the Rings, my favorite fantasy series, although detailing the parallels would spoil the plot. It is completely plausible in the context established and immensely satisfying.

I would like to add that Donaldson made a brilliant choice in bringing Linden Avery into Covenant's one-man antiheroic crusade. She is the perfect foil, and not just because she reminds us of Covenant's initial incredulous reaction to the fantastic Land. Covenant is caught, Hamletlike, between his belief in his own powerlessness and the Land's need for a saviour; Linden is terrified of using her power because she dreads the monster she knows herself capable of becoming. That these two flawed and unlikeable characters ultimately become deeply sympathetic and convincing heroes speaks volumes for Donaldson's genius.

Bottom line: If you enjoy dark, philosophical, challenging fantasy, complex characters, and a compelling Good-vs-Evil story in the tradition of Tolkien, allow this series to make your world a sadder, wiser, but more beautiful place.

The final book of the 2nd Chronicles does not fail to excite. This book is nothing but amazing. This book is full of so much emotion that it is hard not to feel it inside yourself. This book does take a while to read, only because it is so deep. You have to focus totally on what is happening to realize the vision that Donaldson is trying to invoke in all of us.

Covenant, Linden, and some of the Giants return to the Land in an effort to destroy the ruthless Clave and eventually take a path that leads them to Lord Foul himself. This book is a GREAT ending to the series. Questions are finally answered and plots finally come to a close. Sadness is something that runs rampant through this book. Be prepared for your heart to go out to one of the most troubled heros in the fantasy genre.

Donaldson starts out his new series by allowing hints of the Land to leak out into the real world. Then he transports Covenant and Linden Avery to the Land. Only this time, the Land is sick. I won't say how or why, but the result is a very good, mildly depressing dark fantasy. Covenant is more accepting of the existence of the Land in this book, but Linden is thrown into confusion by it.

This series is more her story than Covenant's. As Covenant was ill physically when he first entered the Land, Linden's wounds are on the inside, and she struggles with them throughout the trilogy. There's a lot of symbolism and allegory one can read into these books. Or one can just enjoy them as a story of a small group of people trying to restore a Land that once held joy, but is now the kind of place where a man would have to sacrifice his own family to feed a village. Good fantasy in a well-developed world.

4000 years later, Covenant and Dr Linden Avery returns to the Land, a place of former health and magic. Stephen R Donaldson proves his genius once more as he paints a darker, more grim need. White gold and the power of Wild Magic is rendered ineffectual and Thomas Covenant finds his magic and rage is not enough to heal the Land. The return of Despite and the danger of the Ritual of Desecration proves Covenant's past victory over Lord Foul shallow and ultimately self defeating because Covenant himself caused the destruction of the Staff of Law and led High Lord Elena to break the Law of Death. In a fundamental sense, Covenant is responsible for the current state of the Land. The war against Despite and Desecration rages on and Covenant must find the wisdom to overcome Lord Foul's venom. This book is a stunning return for the Reader because the Land is so fundamentally changed. An excellent book. Donaldson is a genius.

I read the first series and was blown away. The story is built on an immense scale. There are so many characters, so much background, so many journeys that you feel like you are there and care for the Land. This series isn't for everyone. If you aren't looking for a book to stimulate you intellectually with big words then go read The Dark Elf Trilogy.

I have to comment on one reviewer who said she didn't like the story because of its simplistic names (i.e. Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, and Lord Fould the Despiser). It is obvious she didn't read the whole story (even beyond her admission of not getting past the first 50 pages). Had she read further she would have realized that those names are integral to the entire series. Those names are symbolic. Unbeliever represents the conflict within Thomas Covenant. Any other name would make his struggles/conflict meaningless.

By whose standards should business be judged? Do corporations have any obligation to protect the human rights of those affected by their decisions? Large global companies increasingly find themselves facing ethical dilemmas in their dealings across multiple cultures while in the spotlight of the media and under the scrutiny of a wide variety of interest groups.

The two authors are distinguished professors in law and ethics. The resulting book is a detailed, even ponderous study of the philosophical and ethical considerations that need to inform decision making in these circumstances. The results are intended for practical application and are illustrated by a variety of case studies, but the argument is presented in formidably academic terms and is not easy to read.

The core of the model is a hierarchy in which there are:

• 'hypernorms' or universals that must be observed whatever the culture;

• norms or precepts that, although not universals, are consistent between all significant interests or stakeholders who may be affected by a decision; and

• 'moral free space' - factors which are not in conflict with any of the higher norms and where, after consideration of the various interests and stakeholders, decisions may vary according to company philosophy, culture of the host country and so on.

Tom Donaldson and Tom Dunfee are two of the leading business ethicists in the world. Both at the Wharton School of Business, Donaldson and Dunfee have developed a unique normative framework for assessing moral issues in business. They borrow from two kinds of contracts: the social contract tradition articulated by philophsers such as Hobbes, Rousseau, and Rawls and extant social contracts, which are the real contracts developed by institutions in real communities. Donaldson and Dunfee wish to respect the particularity of individual cultures and therefore accord significant moral weight to extant local norms. If those norms allow for individuals to consent to the norms, they are authentic. They are not morally obligatory, however, unless they also pass a second test. This second test requires that the local norms not conflict with "hypernorms" which are cross-culturally demonstrated moral principles that accord with formal philosophy. If norms pass this test as well, then they are also legitimate.

Donaldson and Dunfee develop a comprehensive set of criteria to determine whether or not a hypernorm exists and they also make numerous applications of their theory to actual business issues. In doing so, they also create "rules of thumb" or priority rules, to assist in determining what norms should apply when.

The book also contains a very interesting discussion on the morality of bribery. Donaldson and Dunfee argue that bribery typically violates local norms as well as hypernorms. This case stands as an interesting test of their theory.

This is one of the best books on business ethics available. For those inclined toward the persuasiveness of the social contract tradition, this is a must-read book. Even for those who are skeptical about that tradition, as am I, this book is an illuminating, challenging, and accessible book.

Tim Fort Bank One Corporation Assistant Professor of Business Administration University of Michigan Business School Ann Arbor, MI 48109

"Ties That Bind" is must reading for anyone interested in business ethics. It addresses one of today's most pressing questions: how do we define the ethical in a world with many different cultures, value systems, and beliefs? Donaldson and Dunfee, two Wharton School professors, avoid the pitfalls of ethical relativism by identifying shared values, or "hypernorms," which they incorporate into a broader framework that also respects cultural differences. This book is the most ambitious, thoughtful effort to date on this pressing subject. I've taught business ethics to MBA students at a number of top business schools around the world, and have consulted with executives at many Fortune 500 companies. Both students and executives find Donaldson and Dunfee's social contract approach to be the best model for ethical decision-making in international business contexts. The book will be extremely useful and interesting to thoughtful scholars, executives, and students. It is already becoming a classic in the field of business ethics.

THe One Tree is spectacular. So much of the nature of the series, both one and two, are revealed through the poetic form of Donaldson's delightful prose. This book has been said to drag on by some readers, but this is innacurate, because Donaldson doesn't waste words. Everything is necessary to meet an ultimate climax. The new giants are wonderful and giants in general bring so much hope for humanity whereas Covenant can bring cynicism and Lord Foul despair. Vain is a mystery and symbolic on a level: there is no one cure that will dispell all hurt and despair. But, Covenant is the white gold... This book is beautiful.

Thomas Covenant and Linden Avery move into The Land with the hope of salvation on a quest for a new Staff of Law. Of course, this a slow arduous process, and the one who has excited by the other books will find this a little slower going. It is excellent, nevertheless, and one needs the persistence and consistency to wade through these troubled waters. It's really interesting that this book made it to the New York Times Bestseller List, and it became an instant hit. And those who went before it become vogue already knew this to be a wonderful series. Highly recommended!!!

The One Tree does not fail to dissapoint if you are a fan of Thomas Covenant. In an effort to return the Earthpower to the Land: Thomas, Linden, and some newly met Giants (along with Vain and some new companions) go on a desperate search for the powerful One Tree. In the first Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Staff of Law was destroyed, and Covenant plans to make another one from the wood of the one tree.

Many things happen in this book. Though, it is the slowest book in the series. But, the action scenes to make up for the lulls. Covenant must endure with the sake of the Land at stake. With his friends, (old and new) he must go on a trek that seems almost impossible.

Donaldson fails to dissapoint with this book. It is filled with some of his best work and moves the story ahead to finish in the wonderful 3rd book of the series. The One Tree is a book full of plot twists, intrigue, action, and adventure. Be sure to check it out.

Thomas Covenant is a leper. He sees no one and no one wants to see him. Ever. Covenant has absolutely no hopes for the future whatsoever. When he is transported to "The Land," an other-worldly place where he is viewed as the reincarnation of a legendary hero, Covenant refuses to believe in a land so beautiful or in a people who hail him as a hero. Yet in the Land, Covenant posseses a power he can't control or even understand.

If Tolkien is a little too light, not hard-hitting enough, 'Lord Foul's Bane' may be exactly what you're looking for. Donaldson has written a dark, adult fantasy that is sometimes depressing, but always fascinating. Donaldson's Land is just as believable as Tolkien's Middle Earth, and a lot more satisfying in many ways. Covenant is the perfect anti-hero and one of the great characters in fantasy literature. I can't recommend this book (or the series) too highly. If you enjoy the book, don't stop! Donaldson wrote a total of 6 books and they're all good. Enjoy!

This was one of the first fantasy novels (series) that I read so my review may be biased by my excitement for something new. But this has since remained one of my favorites that I have read time and time again. While some of Donaldson's plots in this book do tend to parallel some of the greats such as Tolkien, he does have some unique and interesting ideas.

The characters do develop quite strong and unique personalities, the strongest difference probably is that the main character, Thomas Covenant, at times is hateable. How often are authors brave enough to allow their main character to be so full of flaws.

Throughout this novel and series, you get very attached to all characters while Donaldson does a nice job of preserving the mystery of if its all a dream by keeping all writing in Covenant's perspective. All fantasy readers must at some point pick up a Donaldson book and I hope they all choose the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant Series.

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever: Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen R. Donaldson, is a sheer masterpiece! I normally don't read fantasy but from reading the reviews here at Amazon, I thought I'd give this a try. I was NOT disappointed in the least. The story is of a man named Thomas Covenant who is a leper, a pariah in his community shunned by all. Without giving away too much of the plot, our very reluctant hero is transported to another dimension where he is faced with a very real battle of good versus evil. What makes Thomas special is that he is thought to be the incarnation of the mythological hero, Berek Half Hand (cool name huh?) Also, Thomas posseses a ring of white gold that is the key to untold power in battling the dreaded Lord Foul the Despiser and his minions. All the characters are fully brought to life in this tale and are fully believable and can have whole books written about them. The only complaint that I have, though very minor is that the map at the front of the book could have been a little clearer. Some of the text and diagrams were hard to read but not too bad. I'm looking forward to the Illearth war and can't wait to read it! If you'll like this, check out Gene Wolf's books of the Sun series, there you'll see some similarities that'll make you think.

I really like the Covenant series, and so I picked this book up to see how others reacted to it. What I found was a work that read far to much into Donaldson's work, missed some major points, and committed simple errors (such as which hand Covenant had fingers amputated from). Maybe it's because I'm not a huge fan of lit.crit., but I found this text very dense to work through, and Senior came across as trying too hard to make his points.

The book "variations" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys Donaldson's writing. The two interviews alone make it worth the cover price. Before I discovered Lord Foul's Bane, I never thought I would find a better fantasy series than Lord of the Rings. I was mistaken. Donaldson has been called the best pure writer of fantasy, and I have to agree. Tolkien was a linguist, but never claimed to be a writer. He wrote LOTR as an examination of the fictional Elven language. Donaldson writes his fiction in order to lay bare and expose the workings of the human psyche, and that is why his books win out in my mind in a comparison with Tolkien. You will CARE about his characters. Feel their pain, cheer for them, even curse and possibly despise them. Best fantasy series ever, in my opinion. Lots of battles and stuff too, for the action fans!

Keep in mind, contrary to most of the reviews below, this is NOT a novel by Stephen Donaldson. It's a scholarly book written by a PhD ABOUT Donaldson's Thomas Covenant trilogies. If you're looking for the actual books, don't get this one. As for this book, Variations on the Fantasy Tradition, it's readable, if somewhat over written and in places awkward--a common failing of academic writing. It examines Donaldson's Covenant books (mainly the First Chronicles) in light of general trends and tendencies in fantasy. As such, it's often a compare-contrast operation: this is what a fantasy hero is usually like; this is how Thomas Covenant is similar and different from the standard fantasy hero. It covers in its chapters the hero and how Covenant is something of an inversion of the typical hero; comparisons to Tolkien; myth and how it is used in the Covenant books; the significance/importance of knowledge in the books and how it is gained; the narrative structure; and how life and death are viewed and what meanings they are given in the text. It also does a general coverage of the Second Chronicles. Some "trivia" are gotten wrong or misstated, so that could have been tightened up, though that in itself doesn't affect any of the main points made. The scholarship isn't ground-breaking and it's fairly straightforward, but interesting to me as someone who liked the Covenant books and has taken English courses. The interviews with Donaldson are interesting, though I wouldn't buy it only for them ....If you liked thinking about the themes and ideas in the Covenant books, you may like this, though more of it is devoted to form and structure and than the meanings/reasons behind them (i.e. how Covenant differs from typical heros as opposed to _why_ make him not like other heros). But, then, that's not really why this book was written. It's aim is to locate Donaldson in the literary canon of fantasy. So in that sense, it does all right. Say, three and a half stars.

It is an excellent book for newcomers to the field of Business ethics.Being a new field the authors have given numerous examples of real life cases for the students to appreciate this field.The cases make understanding more easy.Its to be noted that this field has now drawn a roundtable among the giants of the corporate world.The book deals with the moral issues before going to the business front. Good reading.