With FR coming out next week, I am rereading Runes, perhaps about a third of the way into the book.
I had forgotten how it is a bit irritating in how many mysteries in both the real world and in the Land Donaldson has introduced, with so few answers. In addition, all of the other six novels in the Covenant series could be read individually. I know this is true, as the first time I read them as a teenager, they were out of order. Sure, I did not pick up every nuance, but I could comprehend enough that I could more or less understand The Illearth War without ever having read Lord Foul's Bane. This is simply not true of Runes. It is not a complete story on its own.
So many mysteries:
* what is the significance, if any, of the faerie castle that Jeremiah made on the same day he made Revelstone and Mount Thunder? Is it significant that Jeremiah himself took down Mount Thunder and Revelstone, putting their materials safely away, while Roger Covenant destroyed the faerie castle? Is it significant that Linden had a feeling of safety from the Castle and had wanted it left up?
* what is the deal with the race track Jeremiah makes, and the toy car?
* how and why is Roger so violent and crazy?
* how long has Joan been possessed by a Raver? If it was in our world, how did the creepy thing get here, or have power here?
* how did Joan know that Covenant goes somewhere he is important? how does Roger know? how can Roger reach Joan in the mental hospital?
* why are so many characters - Joan, Roger, Jeremiah, Esmer, and Anele - mad or otherwise abnormal mentally/emotionally/socially?
* what is Kevin's Dirt? who has made it and why?
* what are the skurj? I can tell that they are connected to Kastenessen and the fire in the north that could destroy the Earth, but what exactly are they?
etc. etc. etc.
One thing is clear - while the First Chrons focus on individuals and the Second on couples - the Third appears to be focusing on family relationships - particularly between children and parents. Perhaps especially mothers.
I do not think that it is any small matter that two characters - Roger and Jeremiah - do not have fathers (Roger was taken away from Thomas when he was too young to remember his father; Jeremiah's father left his mother when she was pregnant with him), have such troubled biological mothers, and are raised for at least part of their childhoods by people who are not their biological parents.
I also do not think it is any small matter that when Linden first sees Anele on Kevin's Watch that she is reminded immediately of Hollian - not Sunder, but Hollian. This is, of course, long before she knows who Anele is.
** sigh **
I am hoping that at least some of these mysteries will be solved in FR. I am also hoping that there will not be another cliff hanger ending.
I am reminded again on why I did not want to take part in the dissections. While there is a whole lot to speculate about, there are few real answers.
