Product Description

A new-cover reissue of the fifth and final book in the bestselling sf series created by the world-famous author of the Thomas Covenant chronicles -- and acclaimed as the 'best work of his career'. One of the most exhilarating space epics ever told comes to a shattering climax in a thrilling tale of high adventure, powerful emotion and labyrinthine intrigue. As the conflict between humankind and the Amnion aliens heads for crisis, Morn Hyland, cyborg Angus Thermopyle and the survivors on board the crippled starship Trumpet must return from deep space to Earth. Only they can prevent the titanic struggle between UMCP director Warden Dios and Holt Fasner, the corrupt head of the UMC, from precipitating all-out war with the Amnion -- and leaving humanity to pay a terrible price. As Dios in Earth's orbit and Morn in deep space both make far-reaching decisions, the Amnion act with swift fury, and suddenly Earth stands threatened with fiery destruction!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #189388 in Books
• Published on: 1997-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 752 pages

Customer Reviews

This day our story ends
Summary: The gripping conclusion to Stephen Donaldson's Gap Saga

The remaining characters, Morn, Davies, Angus, Warden and Holt Fasner are all in here. Challenging, hoping, preying on each other. Each has their own agenda but together they hold the fate of humanity in their hands.

Are the days of the UMC about to come to a close. Will war finally break out between the Humans and Amnioni.

Morn Hyland has blindly struggled and suffered to keep both herself and her force-grown son, Davies (the off-spring of Angus' multiple rapes), alive. She managed to escape the clutches of Angus once (with the help of Nick Succurso) but is now dependent upon Angus' co-operation (willing or not). Can she (and Davies) avoid falling into the hands of the Amnioni to be studied to see why she is immune to the Amnioni mutagens.

Angus, a rapist, pirate and habitual coward. Transformed into a powerful cyborg by the UMCP, is desperate not to fall back into their hands. The software the UMCP loaded him with makes him an unwilling puppet to their wishes, Can he escape and gain his freedom.

Holt Fasner, the head of the UMC, is busy trying to manipulate the tensions between Humans and Amnioni to hold onto his position as the most powerful human being alive.

Warden Dios, one of his Chiefs of staff, knows he must depose this self made emperor and is determined to bring this about.

The Amnion, the only alien race ever met by humans, is now aware that the humans have a defence against their mutagens. They begin to realise that if they don't strike now, the human race may never be conquered.

This gripping finale will have you reading into the wee small hours, and then some. Who will emerge victorious. Indeed just who will be left alive at the end of this, the fifth and final chapter of the Gap series. Read it to find out.

Whilst I must admit to prefering Stephen Donaldsons Fantasy based writings, this series is compelling and I have had to have each book more or less on the day of it's release. The characters are believable and each have their strengths and weaknesses.

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!
This is a stunning end to a magnificent series. The plot is so intricate, with so many sub-plots and ulterior motives, it isn't a simple case of good vs. evil. Even Angus Thermopyle, who raped, killed and stole had a good side, and the so called 'goodies' at the start soon showed their darker nature. It shows that everyone in fallible, no matter what their power, and it just takes one man to bring them down. I was stunned by the complexity of the series, and I loved how you were kept guessing about everyone's true agenda right up to the last page.

Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!
Oh my god! For one person to have so much talent seems to be unfair to all the other authors on the planet, but Donaldson, who had already demonstrated an incredibly detailed, and absorbing style through the Covenant chronicles, and the Mordants need series has completed outdone himself and everyone else with these books, and this final installment finishes off in style. The most refreshing thing about these books is there unflinching portrayal of good and evil, and the ambiguities which lie therein. The storyline is so complicated that it is difficult to explaint he amazing intricacies that surround the plot. Needless to say that with Nick Succorso, Morn Hyland, and many others, Donaldson has created a plethora of extremely complicated and deep characters- but his two greatest triumphs are Angus Thermopyle, and Warden Dios, the first being the epitomy of all anti-heroes, and the second being one of the most wonderfully constructed protagonists i have ever seen in the pages of a book. The true success here though is the way in which Donaldson pulls no punches when describing all the characters motivations. All the events are caused by charcters whose self obsessions and psychological problems are both intense and highly realistic. Bleak, epic, and consuming- you'll never read a better series of books, BUY THEM NOW!