Gradual Interview
(answers from July 2008, as of Apr 30 2026, 2:46:41 AM)
www.StephenRDonaldson.com
© 2004 by Stephen R.Donaldson

Teresa

This is not at question, but a thank you to Stephen. When I first encounterd Thomas Covenant I felt repelled, but soon I was caught. The chronocles have followed me growing up, together with Mordants need. To discover that you are working to complete the chronicle gave me great satisfaction. Sadly the latest books has not yet been translated (to Swedish) but in return I have come to appriciate reading the books in the original language. I must say you are my favourite writer, of all. Again, thank you for bringing your stories into my life.

This seems like as good a time as any to make a couple of points of about the Gradual Interview.

First, I know I've been away for a while.  For a variety of reasons (including two deaths in the family), one of which is that I've been proofreading Orion's upcoming edition of the GAP books, a task which has pretty much sucked up every spare moment.  I hope to be back to what I laughingly call "normal" next week.

Second, when one (not to mention "Teresa" by name <grin>) posts a question or comment without leaving an email address, one precludes the possibility of a personal reply--which would have been appropriate in this case.  My site suppresses email addresses automatically whenever I make a question or comment "public".  And when I send a personal reply, the site then deletes the email address to which I sent it.  That should obviate most privacy concerns.

(07/02/2008)

Craig

Hi Stephen,

A question not about your works...rather a question about your life. I do understand a "celebrities" (good grief...how do you feel about THAT?) reluctance to talk about their personal lives given the number of "number one fans" out there and, well, just a wish to keep something of themselves for themselves, but I would like to ask one hopefully not too personal question.

When you do take a holiday/vacation, what sort of things do you do? Do you go rough and camp, luxuriate in five star hotels, stay in the US or go abroad. Do you have a "favorite" get away place (without of course revealing a getaway place!)

At this point I will make a shameless plug and say 'Go to New Zealand for a few days or so, you may find "the Land" transmogrified."

Thanks

Craig

I really have no intention of using the GI to reveal or discuss my personal life (although of course I give out hints all the time <sigh>, some inadvertent, some not).  If memory serves, I've explained my reasons elsewhere.  But I can tell you--without bending any of my rules for myself--that I live in a desert, so to "get away" I like water.  Rivers are good:  oceans are better.  And having been poor almost to the level of real poverty for 30+ years of my life, I got "roughing it" out of my system a long time ago.

(07/05/2008)

Phill Skelton

you wrote:

"Somewhere on the web, there is--or was--a site that gave down-and-dirty two-sentence summaries of a number of novels, including both of the original "Covenant" trilogies. That also was a lot of fun."

http://www.rinkworks.com/bookaminute/ might be the site you are referring to (although it might not, there are probably other similar ones out there). But their abridged "Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" is one of their best efforts regardless.

For the general enjoyment of readers who are interested.

(07/05/2008)

Reuben Hartgerink

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(07/05/2008)

Terry Hornsby

I've been reading the past comments on cover art and totally agree with you about those wonderful Fontana/Goodfellow covers - I love the way the books join together to make a panoramic painting and think the scenes are beautifully painted and apt. It was these covers that drew me to your books and I miss them dreadfully on the latest series. I wish the publishers will bring out matching editions with covers like these.

The impact of covers on the serious consideration given to fantasy/sf works is double-edged. Many high-brow readers would not read the Covenant books for the same reason I did. Some of the best British covers (in my opinion) are lurid. For example, I loved the Coronet covers for Vance's Demon Princes series, the early Arrow covers for Bradley's Darkover series & the earlier covers for Tubb's Dumarest potboilers, which I read in my teens. Such covers limit the readership, but also promote the readership.

Putting that aside, I wondered whether the Land obeyed any rules of conservation of energy. For example, the world of LoTR does - the more magic is used, the quicker the decay, with Sauron's powers much diminished with the war of the ring than with his first war and even then, only slight in comparison to Melkor.

The Land's Laws suggest there is a finite source for such power, which begs the question: Are Lord Foul's powers diminishing? Are everyone's? Can the Land ever recover, earthpower being so omnipresent within it, when it is being used up so wantonly?

You're right.  "The impact of covers...is double-edged."  "Genre" covers appeal immediately to "genre" readers--and usually cause "non-genre" readers to turn aside at once.  But there's no guarantee that "non-genre" covers will appeal immediately to "non-genre" readers.  Hence the difficulties that publishers have figuring out how to advertise and promote books like mine.  Usually publishers decide to just target "genre" readers--and then pray that word-of-mouth will interest other readers.

From my perspective, it's clear that the Land *does* obey "rules of conservation of energy"--in the same sense that *our* reality does.  Sure, the sun is burning out--but it ain't burning out anytime soon.  Individuals, however, inevitably become weak if their energies are not restored.  So if you think of Earthpower as comparable to sunlight....  "Can the Land ever recover...when [Earthpower] is being used up so wantonly?"  Well, can *we* ever recover from the way we use up our planet (which is, after all, the mechanism that converts sunlight to useful energy)?  In both cases, time will tell.

(07/05/2008)

Michael from Santa Fe

What is your favorite food?  When you finally finish the Last Chronicles, after slitting your wrists, will you go out for a nice meal?  You would certainly deserve it, just try not to get any blood on the white linen tableclothes...

<sigh>  I spent all of my formative years choking down awful food, not because I needed it to live (although I did), but because I was punished if I didn't eat it.  As a result, even today I take little or no comfort or pleasure in food.  (Surely you've noticed the absence of *feasts* from my stories?)  Slitting my wrists, on the other hand, is something I can relate to.  <rueful smile>  One of the worst moments of my childhood was when I realized that what was happening (e.g. eating that meal) was *not* going to kill me.

(07/13/2008)

Clay

Mr. Donaldson, I've wondered this for some time: Would it be considered, by you or your publishers, copyright infringement to use one of your personal coinages in a work of published fiction? I was thinking, specifically, "gallow-fells", which I consider to be a truly evocative and original word. Thanks for your time in reading this, and I look forward to seeing your response.

In order for issues like "copyright infringement" or "plagiarism" to arise, a certain...*length* is usually required.  If you took a paragraph or creative concept (or, in extreme cases, a sentence) out of one of my stories and claimed it as your own, that would be plagiarism.  If you took, say, an entire page (with or without attribution) without obtaining permission from the rights holder, that would be copyright infringement.  But "neologisms" occur everywhere all the time, and no one ever gets in trouble for using them.  (Except the original author.  <sigh>)  A reader might encounter a coinage like "gallow-fells" in your work and think, "Hey, he stole that from Donaldson."  But there would be no other negative consequences.

One can always debate specific exceptions.  A writer today who described a magical lake and called it "Glimmermere" could conceivably be accused of plagiarism (although personally I wouldn't bother).  But now we're talking about a name that refers to a very specific creative invention.  In contrast, a writer today who decided to name one of his/her characters "Glimmermere" should not be accused of anything, except possibly--and this is the worst-case scenario--a failure of imagination.

(07/13/2008)

Blind.Mystic

Mr. Donaldson:

I have no real question to ask because I pretty much read the entire gradual interview and any question I have is either something you wouldn't want to give away or you have yet to formulate it.  My comment is thus: Had you been born during the time of the greek golden age or the roman empire and you had conceived of the covenant story, Judith Hamilton would be having a field day with your stories and characters.  I can see it now... the chronicles of Thomascus Covenantecles... or something.  All cheap wit aside, your Covenant stories are both gorgeously written and of an epic form you never see in modern literature.  They are filled with the human condition on a both positive and negative aspect and they give insight to solutions any person could take to heart and live by. As annoyed and frustrated I am with the publishing schedule, I understand. I noticed you said you occasionally let things from this interview effect the story line of the books, so if there was a cyber suggestion  box for me to drop comments and ideas in, please give thought to the possibility of linden and covenant somehow ending up in a place where they could share their lives.  I'm not talking about a sugar coated happy ending... but at least a compromise and solution to covenant's and Linden's personal isolation.  It's probably dorky to you that someone could care so much for characters, but after a person gets over covenant's constant grouchiness and Linden's constant self doubt, they're both good people who deserve a little glory... and you write them so effectively and with such subtle reality they are as good as real. The sad thing is, most people in reality are nowhere nearly as full of desire and depth as your characters.  This includes your Mordant and Gap series as well.  I'm not saying these things to get autographed copies or a messy nose... you really write your characters with such depth and humanity a reader can almost think they're reading a biography.

Also, if you don't mind, consider the possibility of having the ending lose its ambiguity concerning the reality of The Land.  I truly applaud you for a comment you made regarding the cheesy, cruddy and crappy ending of the Dark Tower series.  The ending of that near epic was so useless the pages wouldn't make decent toilet paper.

Now, I understand if my suggestions don't make the cutting room floor and from the dislike of the DT series you displayed I'm sure the ending will be worth the wait.  I won't be disappointed if it doesn't turn out crystal clear and at least a little less gloomy than the others.  I only ask to give it some thought.

Keep keepin' on,

Blind Mystic

Thank you!  I've been especially fortunate in my readers.  But I feel constrained to say that I don't take "suggestions" from the Gradual Interview literally.  I have my own intentions, which have been clear to me for a very long time.  The effects that the GI have had on the story have been subtle--and rather oblique.  Often I don't even recognize them until after they've already happened.  The most common:  questions or observations that inspire me to think of better ways to weave the entire "Chronicles" into a coherent whole.

(07/16/2008)

K. P. Rooney

Hello Mr Donaldson. I'm enjoying Fatal Revenant at the moment, but I have a question on the Second Chronicles, if you'd be willing. 
Can you say anything about how you got your inspiration for the *mechanics* of the Sunbane - a sun that changes its appearance (and the environment) every few days  - which has always seemed to me one of the most startling devices in your books. I was delighted by your ability to make every single sunrise - I never counted them (!) - a consistently varied (and terrifying) narrative experience. I first read your book to a soundtrack consisting of Haydn's The Seasons - strangely appropriate given its representations of sunrise and hostile weather! 

A quick supplementary question - what's your favourite recorded version of Wagner's  Ring? 
Thanks for your time, and best wishes for the  writing of your next two books!

The Sunbane (and its mechanics), like the Land itself, never *felt* like an "inspiration" to me.  From my entirely subjective perspective, I was simply following the logic of my original conception.  If Lord Foul decides to attack the natural order (the structure of Law) instead of the defenders of that order, what form--I asked myself--would or could the attack take?  As I say, my answer to that question felt like an exercise in logic rather than a burst of inspiration.

Of course, I'm well aware that how I feel about my ideas and what those ideas actually *are* are two very different things.  Logic schmogic.  Where could the Sunbane and its mechanics possibly have come from, if not from my imagination?  I'm only talking about the *sensations* aroused by ideas.  Saltheart Foamfollower's personality *felt* like a stroke of genius (if you'll pardon the word):  the Sunbane simply felt, well, reasonable.  In other words, the "inspiration" here was the idea for an attack on the natural order, not the application of that idea (the Sunbane).

As for where *that* "inspiration" came from:  alas, it too felt like a logical extension of what I had created in the first trilogy.  It made the story new without altering the underlying structure of my intentions.

btw, of the *many* recordings of Wagner's "Ring" I've heard, overall I prefer Solti's.  Although there's a special intensity to Karl Bohm's reading that I haven't heard matched anywhere else.  Sadly, Bohm's cast is a bit uneven, and the sound quality is less than ideal.

(07/16/2008)

Vince Gregory (Yorkshire, England)

Hi Stephen

Many thanks for the Gradual Interview. At times it makes fascinating reading, and it certainly helps to bridge the gap between books. I'm pretty sure this question MUST have been asked before but I'm afraid I can't find it so sincere apologies if I'm asking you to repeat yourself.

I would love to be able to converse with the great Tolkien and the equally great (in my view at any rate) Frank Herbert via their own Gradual Interviews, and wondered who you would Email in your spare time (ha ha!)if only you had the chance?

p.s. I know you have  fairly cruel streak, and I've never quite forgiven you for the fate you bestowed on the Giants of Seareach so I hope you don't do anything horrible to Covenant now you've resurrected the poor bugger!

I wouldn't email anyone, alive or dead.  At times, I'm mildly interested in how other writers think about their work--so when writers like Conrad or Sir Walter Scott write prefaces to their novels, I read them.  But I'm much more concerned with how *I* think about *my* work:  how else am I going to write True Donaldson instead of Ersatz Tolkien?  The example of how other writers think about their work simply doesn't seem pertinent to me.  And it can be intimidating.

That said:  when I have a personal relationship with another writer, I do occasionally discuss narrative problems with him/her.  But the conversation is always very abstract (sometimes too abstract to be useful).  I don't discuss my narrative problems in concrete terms, and I don't refer to anyone else's work when I do it.

What, a CRUEL streak?  You shock me.  I have to wonder what you think stories like mine are *for*?  If I'm not writing about pain--in one form or another--I don't have anything to write about at all.  Pain, I often think, is the only true test of character.  And it is the only thing that we all have in common.

(07/16/2008)

Brent

Mr. Donaldson, I have read you since I was about 12 (and I am 39!!!), Thomas Covenant was the first fanasy character I met after JRRT.  He was quite different than what I had met in Middle Earth and I must admit I had to reread The Chronicles when I was older to fully grasp everything in them.

Anyway, my question is actually about the Gap Series, which I find to be your best work.  One thing that strikes me in that series as a bit implausible is the idea of capital punishment for humanity. Given the fact that most Western societies have outlawed capital punishment now (heck some of them won't even extradite criminals who face that possible outcome to countries that still practice it), do you think that the premise that Angus could have been executed for his crimes was perhaps not realistic??  Or did you forsee humanity going back to a less civilized criminal justice system in the future?  Or is this something that you didn't think about when writing that series?

Keep up the great work.

In the GAP books, I was imagining a future in which self-interested corporations, rather than society as a whole, were the arbiters of "justice".  In view of how dehumanizing corporations (especially *large* corporations) tend to be, I consider the premise you question to be eminently plausible.  After all, certain illegal human activities serve the Amnion; and the Amnion threaten the very existence of humankind.  Not to mention the existence of the corporations--and their profits.

Personally I oppose capital punishment.  But there's a good argument to be made in its favor.  Surely death is less "cruel and unusual" than, say, permanent incarceration.  I think it was Joseph Conrad who once wrote, "There are many worse things you can do to a man than kill him."

(07/16/2008)

Stephen Collings

Hi Stephen.
Thanks for your kind reply to my "Time Travel" ideas.

I am curious about something that you might like to answer:
Did you ever consider, or want to call the Second Chronicles, "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant and (Dr.) Linden Avery"? (or even vica versa!?) (or any title at all which mentions them both!)

I ask because (a) it would have been truer, and I like the idea, and(b) with you now not calling the third chronicles, "The Third Chronicles", suggests an aversion to numerically-titled sequels.  

Now, I think I recall that your editor Lester Del Ray didn't like the idea of a female protagonist at all (!), so I am already guessing that it would have been a NO-GO with him!  Also I think that "Second Chronicles" *is* a good title in this case, because I think we were all very happy to have a second helping!

But I am asking whether you thought about "putting Linden up there", and whether you would have liked it, and whether you thought it might appeal successfully to your readers, and to the browsing public.  I do see one problem in that, for me, in Britain, both "Linden" and "Avery" are unfamiliar to me as names.  (But she could have had different names.)  And I am curious, if your answer is "yes" "I wanted Linden in the title!" , as to what might "The Last Chronicles" would now be called!   :-)

Also, I'd like to ask you about the dropping of "Unbeliever", and about Covenant's, er, outlook on the Land, at the beginning of 2C.  I mean he tell's Linden it's a dream (and it look that way, as they're both laying unconcious out in the woods) but also he's experienced Joan's raw, raving condition, and he thinks it is Foul, yes (?), so I guess he must now think it must all also be more than *just* a dream.  I understand that the real/unreal question is not so important to him after the climax of the Power that Preserves, but I wonder how he felt about it all having a greater reality than he once thought.  As we see this through Linden's eyes, we don't get any insight into this.  Could you elucidate Covenant's thoughts and reactions to this? 

Thank you again for your enticing tales.

I wish I had something interesting to say about all this.  Sadly, I don't.

1) No, I never considered putting Linden Avery's name in the title of "The Second Chronicles".
2) Lester would certainly have vetoed the idea.
3) In retrospect, I have no regrets.  Both thematically and personally, Covenant has always been central to my intentions.  In some respects (and please don't take this as IN ANY WAY reducing Linden's vital significance), Linden's function in the story is as a "way in":  a window through which to view Covenant's struggles; and a means by which to extend, elaborate on, and develop those struggles.  I also never considered putting her name in the title of "The Last Chronicles."  Nor do I regret not doing so.
4) "The Unbeliever" was dropped from the title of "The Second Chronicles" for the reason you mention ("unbelief" has ceased to be a central theme), and also because "The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever" seemed too long even to me--never mind to Lester.
5) This last story is not called "The Third Chronicles," not because I object to using numbers, but rather because I consider it absolutely essential to emphasize that this is indeed THE LAST.  After this, there ain't no more.

(07/16/2008)

Ian Lyall

Any chance you might finish ALL of the chronicles of covenant by....say....october 2008?

kindest regards
Ian Lyall

Well, let's see.  If lightning strikes me dead, say, tomorrow, "The Last Chronicles" will be effectively FINISHED.  <grin>  Complete, no:  finished, yes.  Eventually, no doubt, my publishers would release what I've written so far on "Against All Things Ending"--and after that you'll all be free to imagine your own conclusions.

Always leave 'em wanting more.  [insert something that signifies malicious humor here.]

(07/16/2008)

Iain

A few questions back you challenged us (the readers of the GI) to think (quickly!) of a female villain in your works.
Sorus Chatelaine?  Maybe Saddith?

Hmm.  Saddith is pretty amoral, I admit; but I mostly felt sorry for her.  She certainly didn't *mean* any harm:  she sure enjoyed her power over men; but I don't recall that she felt any malice--or saw any hurt in what she did.  (Master Eremis, in contrast, knew all about the consequences of his actions.)  And Sorus Chatelaine switched sides before the end, so I don't think of her as one of the Bad Guys.

Just my personal opinions.

(07/16/2008)

Chris Bonn

Not a question, just a point of interest for you.  Of which you already might be aware.  Author Terry Brooks, on his website, answers five questions a month from his readers and posts the questions and answers.  

Imagine how your life, and the GI, might have been different if you had limited yourself to five questions a month!

Anyway, the following reader 'question' and Terry's response were posted as one of his five May 2008 questions.  I've copied the text from www.terrybrooks.net for you:

Joseph Jones writes: Hello Terry. In a revised version of The Gunslinger, the first book in Stephen King's Dark Tower series, he wrote an introduction to share some of his thoughts about his work. In it, he made reference to the the sources for his inspiration of the story. He lauded heavy praise onto JRR Tolkien for his work (the basis, or origins for modern fanatasy standards), but proceeded to mention Stephen Donaldson (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant: Unbeliever) and Terry Brooks (Shannara) as 'fathers' of modern fantasy—people who have upheld fantasy standards and sold it to a wide audience. I just wondered how you felt about such comments? Do you feel a shared writers connection with the others?

Terry Brooks replies: I didn't know about King's comments, Joseph. But they are certainly appreciated. Stephen Donaldson and I broke into publishing at about the same time, both with Del Rey, both raised up under Lester del Rey's none-too-gentle hand and marketed with uncanny instincts by Judy-Lynn del Rey. So I share a lot of history with Stephen. But I think all of us as writers share a community with each other, a sort of been there, understand it knowledge of the business. All of us who write fantasy grew up in the shadow of J.R.R. Tolkien and then tried to find our own way. We all took different paths, but we all owe a debt to writers who went before and contemporaries who inspire us.

If I were you, I would find it gratuitously satisfying to have one of history's most prolific and read authors (King) explicitly cite my work as inspiration for his own seminal work.

I don't have a copy of the version of King's 'Gunslinger' that includes the introduction referenced by Brook's reader, but I will be looking for it on my next bookstore trip.

To your knowledge, have any other authors explictly cited you or your work as inspiration?

(Speaking of five questions....  So I had this fantasy that I was going to get "caught up"--whatever that means--on the Gradual Interview.  So naturally the city decided to replace a sewer line.  So naturally the trenching equipment cut the broadband cable.  So naturally the cable company declined to repair the cable until the city was done trenching.  So naturally I've spent 10+ days without Internet access.

(So it goes.  Naturally.)

But to resume my pretense of actually answering people's questions....

I was aware that Stephen King has made gracious--and possibly gratuitous--reference to my books in more than one context.  Of course, I'm (quick, a "gr" word) grateful.  But I feel constrained to point out that King's work can easily stand on its own merits.  And if anyone else has ever cited me or my work "as inspiration," I'm not aware of it.

(07/30/2008)

What progress and ETA can you please suggest for "Against All Things Ending"?

Is it that time again already?  I do so wish people would occasionally look for answers elsewhere on this site.  For example, if you go to "publications" and click on "Fatal Revenant," you'll find an estimated publication schedule for the rest of "The Last Chronicles" as well.  And there are other sources.  Meanwhile I post progress reports under "news"--when I have progress to report.

(07/30/2008)

Dan Wolf

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(07/30/2008)

DM

Hey, long time reader, first time questioner. Obviously a fan or I wouldn't be here, but I'll skip the parts where I praise you for your work (I have nothing new to say that hasn't already been said, anyway).
Okay, my question. Reading the GI, I've noticed that you are reluctant to answer personal questions regarding religous belief. That's understandable, I'm much the same. Rather than put you on the spot, though, I want to ask something that *hopefully* isn't too personal.
Let's say you're at a book signing, doing your usual thing, when a random reader comes up and asks, in front of a large crowd, "So, what religion do you believe in?" (Or insert alternate awkward question as appropriate.)
What answer would you give? Do you decline politely, or explain the same thing as in the GI (not relevant to the books). Again, I understand if you would rather not answer this. I'm just curious.
One more question (much more light hearted)... ever had any adoring female fans come up and... ahem... make friendly 'offers', like some sort of literary groupies? (Yes, I know that sort of treatment is typically reserved for movie and rock stars, but I've always wondered if it might occur in the literary world also)
In conclusion, thank you in advance for your time and work and best of luck for the future... both yours and Covenant's.
Regards, DM

In public, I find, readers are usually very polite.  (Which sure makes talking to them easier.)  They seldom ask me "impertinent" questions.  When they do, I usually try--also being polite--to avoid the question by discussing *why* I don't consider it pertinent.  This only fails when I'm "off my game" for some reason (low biorhythms, perhaps, or extreme fatigue).

Sadly--or perhaps happily, who can say?--I appear to have no "literary groupies".  I can't speak for other writers, of course.

(07/30/2008)