The Runes of the Earth by Stephen R. Donaldson

The Runes of the Earth is the first book in The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever, a tetralogy that serves as a sequel to the original Chronicles. It was published in 2004, more than 20 years after the release of the last book in the original trilogy.

The book picks up the story of Thomas Covenant many years after the events of the Second Chronicles, with Covenant now living in the “real world” and struggling with the aftermath of his experiences in The Land. However, when his son is kidnapped by mysterious beings known as the Demondim, Covenant is forced to return to The Land once again.

In The Land, Covenant discovers that everything has changed. The old alliances and allegiances have shifted, and he must navigate a new landscape that is more dangerous and uncertain than ever before. Along the way, he is joined by a new group of allies, including a young girl named Linden Avery, who was also a key player in the Second Chronicles.

The Runes of the Earth is a dark and complex novel that explores themes of loss, grief, and redemption. It is notable for its exploration of difficult moral questions and its use of multiple perspectives and narrative threads. The book was widely praised for its masterful storytelling and its return to the world and characters of the original Chronicles after a long hiatus.