Against All Things Ending

Against All Things Ending

First edition cover
Author	Stephen R. Donaldson
Cover artist	Sidonie Beresford-Browne
Language	English
Series	The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
Genre	Fantasy novels
Publisher	Putnam
Publication date	Oct 19, 2010
Publication place	United States
Published in English	28 Oct 2010
Media type	Print (Hardback)
ISBN	ISBN 978-0399156786 (first edition, hardback)
Preceded by	Fatal Revenant
Followed by	The Last Dark

'Against All Things Ending' is the third novel by Stephen R. Donaldson in the four book series The Last Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant, and the penultimate book of the entire story of Thomas Covenant. It was released on October 19, 2010 in the USA and on 28 October 2010 in the United Kingdom.

A preview of the book's first chapter is currently available in PDF form from the author's website

Plot introduction

Thomas Covenant is resurrected by Linden Avery, again a leper, but his mind slips in and out of human reality as an after-effect of spending millennia as part of the Arch of Time. As a result of this use of wild magic, the Worm of the World's End is awakened, and moves towards the Land to drink of Earthblood, which will result in the destruction of all things and the release of Lord Foul. The Elohim flee the Worm. Major enemies to Linden and Thomas include Lord Foul, the Worm, Kastenessen, Roger, Raver-possessed Joan, She Who Must Not Be Named and other creatures loosed upon the land. Linden and Avery, accompanied by Ramen and Giants, seek to find a way to stop Joan, find and free Jeremiah, and stop the Worm.

Plot summary

After the resurrection of Thomas Covenant, Covenant's mind is fractured and will become lost amongst his vast memories of the Land's past, from Covenant's existence within the Arch of Time. Linden Avery resolves to find Jeremiah before confronting The Worm of the World's End, when The Harrow claims that he can take her to him. However, The Ardent, the representative of The Insequent arrives to ensure that The Harrow does not betray Linden Avery. Thomas Covenant, who must struggle with his memories, takes the Krill from its place in Andelain, however his former wife Joan is able to attack Covenant with wild magic, through the Krill. It is announced that without the Krill's protection, the Skurj and the Sandgorgons (now under control by the Raver Samadhi Sheol) will lay waste to Andelain, and the surrounding Salva Gildenbourne.

The Harrow and The Ardent transport Linden and her companions to The Lost Deep, the ancient domain of the Viles, to find Jeremiah. In The Lost Deep a powerful bane called 'She Who Must Not Be Named' is slumbering - a being made of the tormented souls of various women who have been betrayed over the ages, including Kastenessen's lover, and the banished wife of The Creator.

When Linden's companions are enthralled by the wondrous creations of the Viles, The Harrow leaves them to take Jeremiah himself, for his own ambitious schemes. However, Linden follows him and manages to break a structure that masks Jeremiah's presence to beings such as the Elohim, and this causes Roger Covenant to be able to arrive at Jeremiah's location. Roger kills The Harrow and then fights his father Thomas Covenant, who tries to use the Krill. In the conflict Thomas Covenant's hands are burned until he loses his fingers. Esmer arrives, with the Ur-viles and Waynhim, to transport Roger away.

The conflict of powerful forces, such as the wild magic, awakens She Who Must Not Be Named. Linden and her companions must follow the Ur-viles and Waynhim to escape. They take Jeremiah with them, and hold the Croyel at bay with the Krill. The Skurj also arrive to worsen the situation. Linden loses all hope and falls into a catatonic state of despair. Covenant lets Anele use Liand's orcrest stone to summon the spirits of his parents, Sunder and Hollian. They leave, however, and instead Elena's spirit is left as bait for She Who Must Not Be Named. This ploy fails, and The Ardent only just manages to transport the company away while Elena is consumed.

The group are left by The Ardent near Landsdrop. The Ardent can no longer assist them since he failed to protect The Harrow, and begins dying as a result (he finally leaves to Revelstone with Bhapa and Pahni, who must convince the Masters to aid Linden and Covenant). The group are later attacked by caesures, and in the ensuing chaos Kastenessen posesses Anele, and makes him kill Liand, who is trying to use the orcrest to free Jeremiah from the croyel. The devastated group are then attacked again later by Roger and an army of cavewights, during which Galt is slain, and Anele dies after successfully freeing Jeremiah from the croyel. Linden drives Roger and his cavewights away in a blaze of wild magic. Esmer, who tried to stop Anele, is made powerless by the manacles of the Ur-viles. Stave then kills Esmer with the Krill.

After the battle, Covenant leaves with the two remaining Humbled to confront Joan. Linden and her companions follow the Ranyhyn. They lead Linden to a quarry of bones. The bones belonged to Quellvisks, an extinct race of giant creatures that Lord Foul had convinced could overthrow the Elohim. Jeremiah, whose mind is still imprisioned within himself begins building a construct with the Quellvisk bones. Infelice appears and intends to kill Jeremiah - she claims that Lord Foul intends to use Jeremiah's abilities to trap the Creator. Infelice overpowers Linden and Stave, but Linden is able to throw Jeremiah's old toy race car (that Esmer had previously repaired) to Jeremiah, who uses it to activate his construct. Infelice vanishes, and Jeremiah's mind is free.

Meanwhile, Thomas covenant travels to the ruins of Foul's creche to face Joan. On the journey he speaks to the Feroce, diminutive creatures who worship the Lurker of the Sarangrave. The Feroce tell Covenant that the Lurker wants to be allied with Covenant, since it has realised the peril of the Worm. Covenant accepts this alliance, and the Feroce later help him when they battle with the Skest. Covenant reaches Joan by entering a caesure. He realises that Joan is beyond reach as she rebukes his efforts to help her, and intends to kill him. Covenant calls the Ranyhyn, who are able to distract Joan - due to her love of horses. Covenant then kills her with the Krill, and takes her white gold wedding ring. He uses wild magic to repair his fractured mind.

Covenant and the Humbled climb onto the shore to evade a tidal wave caused by the Worm's approach. They see that the sun is gone, and Thomas Covenant watches as the stars disappear one by one.

Characters in "Against All Things Ending"

• Thomas Covenant
• Linden Avery
• Jeremiah (Adopted son of Linden Avery)
• Roger Covenant (Son of Thomas Covenant)
• Anele (Son of Sunder and Hollian)
• Stave (A Haruchai; a Master of the Land)
• Liand (Stonedowner)
• Esmer (Son of Cail and the Mere-wives)
• Mahrtiir (Manethrall of the Ramen)
• Bhapa (Cord of the Ramen)
• Pahni (Cord of the Ramen)
• Branl (Humbled of the Masters)
• Galt (Humbled of the Masters)
• Clyme (Humbled of the Masters)
• the Harrow (Insequent)
• the Ardent (Insequent)
• Rime Coldspray (Ironfist of the Swordmainnir of the Giants)
• She Who Must Not Be Named (Bane)
• Hyn (Ranyhyn)
• Hynyn (Ranyhyn)
• Infelice (Elohim)