since its publication in 1977 stephen donaldsons awardwinning trilogy has become an indisputable fantasy class hailed by the critics and loved by millions of readers around the world now all three books are available in one paperback volume for the first time thomas covenant an embittered and cynical writer afflicted with leprosy and shunned by society is fated to become the heroic savior of the land an alternate world in the novels he struggles against the satanic lord foul the despiser who intends to escape the bondage of the physical universe and wreak revenge upon his archenemy the creatorstephen r donaldsons works are infused with psychological undertones involving an exploration of the darker side of the protagonist thomas covenant whilst preserving strong humanist ideals the contextual richness of the lands varied geography races cultures and history enables all three series of the chronicles to explore and expand upon an increasingly diverse and storied environment