Books like White Gold Wielder

Unlike other reviews I've read, I liked the second trilogy as much as the first. And I can understand why the author took almost two decades to tackle his third trilogy (The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever). I attempted to read the first trilogy when I was much younger than I am now, around 12, and just couldn't get into it. And not because of the "big awful" that happened near the beginning of the first book... just because I hadn't experienced enough life to scratch the surface of the meaning of the books. The anti-hero has become more popular these days. And in the first trilogy, Thomas Covenant WAS a very hard hero to like. But his struggles are the same struggles that *I* have experienced in life. The journey through guilt, dishonor and disbelief to redemption is one that I have lived. Thomas Covenant was a real person, flawed, dealing with his life (and the "dream" of the Land) in the only way he knew how. And in the end of the first trilogy, he found that balance within himself, redeemed himself. In the second trilogy, we have TWO deeply flawed characters, but they are damaged in different ways. Linden Avery was driven by her powerlessness in the face of despair and death. Thomas Covenenant, in the second trilogy, was driven by similar demons, except that he had experienced redemption and was put to new challenges, the loss of what he had loved and saved. Both Linden and Avery in the end were able to turn their weaknesses into strengths, and redeem themselves. It was a vastly satisfying read. It doesn't MATTER if the Land is real or not. What matters is the journey of the main characters. And what they conquer in themselves in infinitely satisfying. I didn't know that there was a third trilogy until I was reading reviews of Thomas Covenant online (which I always do after reading a series, because I'm sad it's over and want to read other people's views on it). But I'm excited to start reading it... it's a series of four books, but the fourth hasn't been released yet. And Donaldson said he waited so long to start because he was afraid he wouldn't be able to bring the story to completion and due it full justice. In the end, he decided to face his fears and make the attempt, because the greatest thing he risked was failure. And in that, you can see that much of WHO his characters are is drawn from within himself. Which makes for the best writing. I would recommend these books to anyone. And I've seen them given horrible reviews. But people giving these books horrible reviews usually haven't read the entire series, and I'd wager my admittedly unimpressive bank account against the fact that they haven't struggled with some of the things that Covenant struggles with on a daily basis. If you understand the why of a person, you find their journey fascinating, no matter how unappealing they may seem when you first are introduced to their character.