Lord Foul's Bane

Rating is 3.5

Overall:
The world Donaldson has created holds lots of promise. Thomas Covenant is a tortured and at times very frustrating character to read, but when he makes progress it feels very touching and real. The beginning of the book really grounds TC's character, it helps to explain why he is the way he is, this was critical to appreciating the character growth. Lord Fouls Bane is controversial to many, but for what it is I think the fantasy genre is much better with it, and all that has sprung from it, than without it.

Minor cons:
The narrative is blatantly structured like The Lord of the Rings, so make sure you read it after a long rest from Tolkien and classic high fantasy narratives. Donaldson's prose is at times rough, and the long passages without dialogue can test ones patience. In the end I still enjoyed this story and the character arc of Thomas Covenant. I'm hoping the writing improves.