Rating: 
Summary: What a finish!
Review: A superb ending to an excellent series. The Gap Cycle has "super-light proton cannon"-ed its way into the class of the greatest science-fiction works of all time. Of special satisfaction is that Holt's fate is left to the imagination of the reader and not spelled out. So is Angus'. Some thing are better left unsaid. I can truly say that saving the world was never quite so difficult, though. Like Morn, we can now all heal, but watch out--the Amnion are *still* out there. Did you notice how sympathetic you were to Angus in this novel, in spite of his crimes? If Hashi though Warden was a genius, he should meet Mr. Donaldson.
Rating: 
Summary: deeper, more gripping, and over all better that covenant
Review: After having suffered thru both Covenant trilogies, i was none too eagre to pick up another of donaldson's work, but boy am i glad i did! the character development of the trinity (Morn, Angus, and Nick)was excellent, and rarely have i been so apphauled by a character in one breath, and so empathetic in the next as i was with angus (to me the central point of the series) having read sr donaldson before, i knew to hang on to the end, but at times it was rough, but in the end worth the wait.
ps, any aspiring novelists should at least pick up the real story just for the insight into donaldson's creative process!
Rating:
Summary: after 6 years, Donaldson finally delivers the goods!
Review: Donaldson has explored human nature for many years through his fiction, and in this, the final book in his 5-book Gap series, he completes yet another expedition into the the human soul.
The Gap series looks not simply at the gaps between stars, but the gaps between human beings. How can we ever bridge those spaces between our fleshy galaxies of cells well enough to truly know what another person is thinking, is really feeling beneath the exterior picture they exhibit? Donaldson tears apart, reassembles, reproduces, and permanently alters his characters while attempting to dig into this question. His deconstruction of humanity also includes the Amnion, an alien race which to not share this seperateness which all humans carry with them throughout their lives. This book, the culmination of plots and intrigue built, destroyed, hidden, and revealed layer by layer over the previous 4 volumes, finally lays all the cards on the table. And my oh my, what a hand we have been dealt.
In the end, Donaldson decides that bridging the Gap which all of us are born with isn't something that we ever truly want to do, no matter how much we may believe we need to find deeper levels of communication with others. Bridging The Gap, through this cycle of books, is a thrilling science ficition adventure which moves beyond the normal realm of mere sci-fi and into haunting memory.
Rating: 
Summary: Better late than never? Not really.
Review: Donaldson still can't bring a story to a satisfying conclusion. I love his work, but hate his endings. This one is no different. The good guys win, the bad guys get obliterated, the main characters all grow wiser and more compassionate. The usual.
After being dragged through four volumes of the harshest, darkest and sharpest picture of humanity in SF I wanted real meat at the end. It's not here
Rating:
Summary: Predictable yet I loved it
Review: Even when you know how things will end, who will live and who will die, you still enjoy the story. It's like viewing a good movie several times. In this case there is even more wild intrigue and fast-paced action. Morn survives (of course), the battles on the ship (between the travelers) are great, frenetic activity. In the end, there was no big mystery, nothing really happened in a spectacular way. The series did not exactly end with a whimper but instead, a long low sigh from the depths of space.
Rating:
Summary: The Gap Into Complexity
Review: Good series. I only give it 4 stars because it was "un-putdownable", as Stephen King would have said. Only series 1 of Thomas Covenant deserves 5. Character development is extensive if not overdone. Would have traded Davies, Hashi, and Ciro for more Min Donner and Vector Shaheed. Donaldson could have told this story well in 2-3 installments if he didn't spend so much time rehashing and ruminating his characters. Donaldson's stories have a way of sticking with you for a long time and this one will most likely do that also.
Rating:
Summary: I finished the series, where's my medal?
Review: How are the mighty fallen. It was a definite struggle for me to finish this series. The characters are almost to a man, totally unsympathetic. When they are bad, they are really, really bad and when I suspect they are nominally the good guys...Boy do they whine! By the end of the second book I wanted to slap Morn Hyland myself and tell her to get a grip. How unlike Linden Avery in The Second Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant; a character I care about to this day. The only remotely interesting character is Angus ( after he was welded ). The rest? I did not care if they all croaked. And I have not said anything about the misogyny. Lena, Terisa, Morn, do we see a pattern emerging here?
Rating:
Summary: this is the best you can get out there
Review: I 'm what everyone calls a die hard fan of Stephen Donaldson. This 4th book is realy fantastic. You should try it also. It reads like a train and blasts your head of like an hurricane.
Rating:
Summary: Bad reviews... I'm disappointed in their simplicity
Review: I cannot believe anyone gave this series a bad review... it is not hack, slash, bang 'em up... this series has depth and plot... It is seldom a good writer will make such a maggot of a character the unfortunate hero (Angus Thermopyle) while actually being played as a pawn, by the big guys... Honestly, this is a good series... Read it and judge for yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Overlooked too often -- One of the best books I've ever read
Review: I feel this series is truly one of the best I have ever read, and the most overlooked by serious science fiction readers. Those who were looking for the Thomas Covenant series would not find it here. I admit, I thought The Real Story was not as strong of a start as it could have been, but in my opinion each book was better than the last, and this climax is truly one of the most incredible books I have read. The characters have depth and expression provided by the contrasts between their flaws and their strengths -- and the complexity of the tale weaving through the books pulls together well. The beauty of the tale is summed up by Warden Dios -- he did not choose Morn because of who she was, but merely because she was conveniently at hand -- but she and the rest of everyone he put his trust in transcended him. I have read this series many, many times over and am always awed when I come to this last book.
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