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Book Details

Gap into Ruin: This Day All Gods Die

85.7% complete
1996
1996
2 times
Hyland, Morn (Fictitious character) - Fiction
Science fiction
Thermopyle, Angus (Fictitious character) - Fiction
See 55
1 - Hashi
2 - Ciro
3 - Hashi
4 - Hashi
5 - Angus
6 - Davies
7 - Morn
8 - Angus
9 - Min
10 - Min
11 - Koina
12 - Maxim
13 - Marc
14 - Warden
15 - Angus
16 - Warden
17 - Koina
18 - Morn
19 - Warden
20 - Morn
21 - Morn
22 - Koina
23 - Hashi
24 - Morn
25 - Davies
26 - Warden
27 - Davies
28 - Angus
29 - Morn
30 - Warden
31 - Dolph
32 - Mikka
33 - Koina
34 - Morn
35 - Cleatus
36 - Min
37 - Cleatus
38 - Ciro
39 - Lane
40 - Koina
41 - Holt
42 - Warden
43 - Angus
44 - Davies
45 - Ciro
46 - Min
47 - Davies
48 - Angus
49 - Mikka
50 - Angus
51 - Angus
52 - Warden
53 - Holt
54 - Morn
55 - Hashi
Book Cover
Has a genre Has an extract Has a year read Has a rating In my library In a series 
32
Copyright © 1996 Stephen R. Donaldson
To
Sensei
Mike Heister
and
Sempai Karen Heister:
two of the best.
It was typical of Hashi Lebwohl that he did not report to Warden Dios as soon as he returned to UMCPHQ.
May contain spoilers
Perhaps humankind will survive without its gods.
No comments on file
Extract (may contain spoilers)
I need a better answer.

For some reason those words were all she remembered from the time Trumpet had spent in the grip of the black hole.  For a while she'd regained consciousness - just long enough to speak to Davies; see that he was alive.  Then the pain of her shattered arm had forced her back down into the dark.  And afterward -

I can't do this again.  When I'm in trouble, the only thing I can think of is to hurt myself.

Someone must have taken her to sickbay.  Davies, presumably.  The cast on her arm and the straps holding it across her chest were unmistakable.  And the muffling of the hurt was also unmistakable.  Drugs: lots of them.  Otherwise she wouldn't have slept so long.

She remembered none of it, however.  Only the unexpected promise she'd made to herself remained.  Despite her conversation with Davies, her thoughts still moved slowly, wandering through veils of sleep and medication.

I need a better answer.

Saying that was easy.  Doing it would be more difficult.

Forces she didn t know how to evaluate and couldn't control hunted the gap scout.  With a Class-1 homing signal to guide them, they could hardly fail.  And Trumpet had been damaged: sabotage.  Poor Ciro - Angus surely knew how to repair her.  But after his ordeal outside the ship he might not be in any condition to make the attempt.  He may have been harmed in ways sickbay couldn't treat.  Or his programming - or his own perversity - might interfere.

Eventually someone would have to deal with the pursuit.  At the moment Morn couldn't imagine any way to do that which didn't involve sacrificing herself; buying the lives of her companions with her own.

Her arm should have hurt more than this.

If she meant to come up with a better answer, she'd better get started.  Nevertheless she spent a few minutes in her cabin with her son while he slept, reminding herself that he was alive and still relatively whole; worth fighting for.

Nearly cocooned in his g-sheath, he lay motionless, heavy with exhaustion.  For a while, at least, the tension which usually drove him was gone.  From time to time a brittle snore caught in his throat, then sank away.

Asleep, he looked more like a kid, less like his father - more vulnerable and unformed, less accustomed to brutality.  More like he needed cherishing.  Yet his parentage was clear: she saw Angus in him more than she saw herself.

Looking at him, she felt a complex pang, despite the drugs.  Angus had raped and abused her; done everything in his considerable power to break her spirit.  This was the result.  She had a son who was precious to her.  In addition she had friends now - Vector and Mikka and lost, brave Sib Mackern - who were willing to stand by her.

Yet Angus himself was still the only person aboard who might be able to save her.

The pang in her heart was complex with a vengeance.  It seemed to twist simultaneously in all directions.

Driven by the necessities of his tormented soul, Angus had allowed Angus had allowed her to guide his decisions.  First he'd rescued her from the Amnion.  Then he'd let her convince him to take Vector to the Lab - and to broadcast the results of Vector's analysis.  During the time he'd spent taking Nick's orders, anguish had poured off him like the raw sweat his soul.

 

Added: 25-Nov-2002
Last Updated: 22-May-2024

Publications

 01-May-1996
Bantam Books
Hardback
In my libraryI read this editionOrder from amazon.comHas a cover imageBook Edition Cover
Date Issued:
Cir 01-May-1996
Format:
Hardback
Cover Price:
$11.98
Pages*:
635
Catalog ID:
11537
Read:
Once
Reading(s):
1)   1 May 1996 - 1 May 1996
Internal ID:
20
Publisher:
ISBN:
0-553-07180-7
ISBN-13:
978-0-553-07180-1
Printing:
1
Country:
United States
Language:
English
Credits:
Diane Stevenson - Book Design
Jamie S Warren Youll - Jacket Design
Paul Youll  - Cover Artist
Front flap:

Stephen R. Donaldson has won a worldwide reputation for his bestselling, critically acclaimed work of imaginative fiction.  In a stunning science fiction cycle, the Gap series, he has created a vast panorama of characters and events, an epic adventure of galactic struggle amid the uncertainties of human destiny.  Now this tumultuous saga comes to a shattering climax in its final, apocalyptic chapter...

THE GAP INTO RUIN:
THIS DAY
ALL GODS DIE

As the crippled starship Trumpet drifts in space, its drives sabotaged from within by a crewman tainted with an alien mutagen, a deadly game is being played out on a satellite near Earth in the headquarters of the UMC Police.  In the wake of a suicide attack in the chambers of the Governing Council for Earth and Space, UMCP Director Warden Dios is preparing to expose the secret machinations of the Dragon, the corrupt head of the United Mining Companies.  But Dios's own dangerous actions are about to come to light and may precipitate all-out war with the Amnion, leaving Dios - and all humanity - to pay a terrible price for what could be termed treason.

Though dead in space, Trumpet broadcasts to any ship in range the formula of the mutagen's antidote - a drug the UMC has suppressed for its own sinister purposes.  A small band of battered survivors, these fugitives hold the key to Earth's future: Morn Hyland, a former UMC cop whose obsession with the Amnion has grown so fierce she is becoming something even her son doesn't recognize; Angus Thermopyle, cyborg tool of the UMCP, released from his cybernetic enslavement and now testing the boundaries of his new freedom; Ciro Vasaczk, tormented by the damage done him by the Amnion mutagen - and by the damage he

(Continued on back flap)

Back flap:

(Continued from front flap)

himself has done Trumpet while in thrall to the drug.

Their escape from the Calm Horizons will prove to be only a temporary triumph if the alien combat craft survives its battle with the UMCP ship Punisher and returns to the Amnion with the antidote's formula - and the key to the destruction of all human life.  Morn Hyland can see just one way out of their situation.  As Min Donner and Punisher close in on the disabled Trumpet to arrest the fugitives, Morn prepares for a desperate gamble.  To commandeer the police craft by any means necessary... and take it back to Earth.

As Dios in Earth's orbit and Morn in deep space each make dire, far-reaching decisions, the Amnion act with swift fury, and suddenly Earth stands threatened with fiery destruction.  This Day All Gods Die is a thrilling tale of high adventure, powerful emotion, and labyrinthine intrigue, as humans and aliens collide in the cataclysmic showdown that will mean either the survival of all humankind... or its absorption and annihilation.

STEPHEN R. DONALDSON made his writing debut in 1977 with the first Thomas Covenant books; the series quickly became an international bestseller and earned him worldwide critical acclaim.  Stephen R. Donaldson was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and currently lives in New Mexico.
Cover:
Book CoverBook Back CoverBook Spine
Notes and Comments:
No price on cover
No cover price visible
Cover price shown is from isfdb.org
 19-May-1997
Voyager
Order from amazon.comHas a cover imageBook Edition Cover
Date Issued:
19-May-1997
Pages*:
752
Cover Link(s):
Internal ID:
118
Publisher:
ISBN:
0-006-47023-8
ISBN-13:
978-0-006-47023-6
Country:
United States
Language:
English
Cover:
Book Cover
Notes and Comments:

Other book covers for this series run

 31-Dec-2012
Audible Studios
Audiobook
In my libraryI read this editionOrder from amazon.comHas a cover imageBook Edition Cover
Date Issued:
31-Dec-2012
Format:
Audiobook
Cover Price:
$31.81
Length:
31 hrs 5 min (706 pages)
"Read":
Once
Reading(s):
1)   10 May 2024 - 22 May 2024
Cover Link(s):
Internal ID:
43596
Publisher:
ISBN:
Unknown
Country:
United States
Language:
English
From audible.com:

Hailed as his greatest work ever, Stephen Donaldson's best-selling Gap series is rapidly attaining the status of a classic. Now, one of the most exhilarating space epics ever told comes to a shattering climax in a thrilling tale of high adventure, powerful emotion, and labryrinthine 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.
Cover:
Book Cover
Notes and Comments:
©1996 Stephen R. Donaldson ℗2012 Audible, Inc.
Image File
01-May-1996
Bantam Books
Hardback

Image File
19-May-1997
Voyager


Image File
31-Dec-2012
Audible Studios
Audiobook

Related

Author(s)

 Stephen R Donaldson
Birth: 13 May 1947 Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Notes:
Stephen Reeder Donaldson (May 13, 1947 - ) was born on May 13, 1947  in Cleveland to his parents James R Donaldson and Mary Ruth Reeder.  James  Donaldson was a medical missionary and his family lived in India while  Stephen R Donaldson was between four to sixteen years of age.  His father  was a medical missionary and worked with lepers.  Stephen R. Donaldson  earned his BA degree in 1968 from the College of Wooster (Ohio) and his MA  in English in 1971 from Kent State University.

The first series Stephen R Donaldson wrote, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeleiver, was awarded first prize by the British Science Fiction Society in 1977 and 1978.  He also received the John W Campbell Award as the best new science fiction writer of 1978.

AI:
Stephen Donaldson is an American fantasy author known for his highly stylized, complex novels that blend elements of epic fantasy, science fiction, psychological drama, and political intrigue. Born on May 13, 1947, in Cleveland, Ohio, Donaldson grew up in a working-class family and struggled with dyslexia throughout his childhood. Despite these challenges, he developed a deep love of reading and storytelling, which would eventually lead him to become one of the most imaginative and acclaimed authors of his generation.

Donaldson attended The College of Wooster in Ohio, where he studied English and graduated in 1968. He then went on to earn a Master's degree in English from Kent State University in 1971. After completing his studies, Donaldson worked for several years as a medical copyeditor, but he always felt drawn to the world of writing and fiction. In 1977, he published his first novel, Lord Foul's Bane, which would become the first book in his landmark trilogy, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever tells the story of a cynical and embittered bestselling author who finds himself mysteriously transported to a magical realm known as The Land. There, he discovers that he has been chosen to be the savior of this world and is given the power to heal and destroy with a single touch. However, Covenant has trouble accepting his destiny and struggles with both his faith and his own personal demons. The trilogy was a groundbreaking work in the fantasy genre, and it cemented Donaldson's reputation as a master storyteller.

Over the next several decades, Donaldson would go on to write several other critically acclaimed series, including The Gap Cycle, the Mordant's Need duology, and The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. His stories often explore themes of guilt, redemption, morality, and the nature of reality itself. Donaldson's writing is known for its intricate plotting, vivid imagery, and complex characters. He has been praised for his ability to create fully realized fictional worlds and for his unique blend of mythic and futuristic elements.

Despite his success as a writer, Donaldson has faced his share of challenges over the years. In addition to his struggles with dyslexia, he has also battled with depression and health issues. However, he has remained committed to his craft, and his work has inspired generations of readers and writers. Today, he is considered one of the greatest living fantasy authors, and his influence can be seen in many contemporary works in the genre.

In addition to his writing, Donaldson has also been an activist and advocate for environmental causes. He is an outspoken critic of industrialization, urbanization, and the destruction of natural habitats. He has written extensively on these topics and has lent his support to various organizations and initiatives aimed at preserving the environment.

Overall, Stephen Donaldson is a prolific and visionary author who has left an indelible mark on the world of fantasy fiction. His complex, thought-provoking stories have captivated readers for decades, and his legacy as a master storyteller is sure to endure for generations to come.

Awards

No awards found
*
  • I try to maintain page numbers for audiobooks even though obviously there aren't any. I do this to keep track of pages read and I try to use the Kindle version page numbers for this.
  • Synopses marked with an asterisk (*) were generated by an AI. There aren't a lot since this is an iffy way to do it - AI seems to make stuff up.
  • When specific publication dates are unknown (ie prefixed with a "Cir"), I try to get the publication date that is closest to the specific printing that I can.
  • When listing chapters, I only list chapters relevant to the story. I will usually leave off Author Notes, Indices, Acknowledgements, etc unless they are relevant to the story or the book is non-fiction.
  • Page numbers on this site are for the end of the main story. I normally do not include appendices, extra material, and other miscellaneous stuff at the end of the book in the page count.






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