while i will maintain that the chronicles of thomas covenant are a fantasy classic and well worth reading, i must also maintain it to be the single most depressing work of fiction i have read since i was 10 years old. Countless are the times i found myself muttering "don't touch me" under my breath, for no apparent reason. I even caught myself performing a self-check for injury a few times, even though i do not suffer from leprosy to my knowledge.

also, this article has inspired me to one day write a novel made up entirely of plot devices, just to see if the formula holds true.
now, a really TALENTED writer would look at this article and be inspired to write a novel entirely DEVOID of plot devices, but i am as yet skeptical of whether this can actually be done.