Tad Williams' "Shadowmarch"

[Rane Longfox]

Hooray! Not that I'm impatient or anything. Oh no. Just doing my forumly duty

 

[dwndrgn]

Ok Brood, the review has been posted. I've done my best to keep out any spoilers.

And now, since I've finished the book, I will, as promised, send my copy to the forum member who can first answer this question:

What is the name of the Storm King from Williams' trilogy Memory, Sorrow and Thorn?

 

[Rane Longfox]

Ooh, I know this one!

Ineluki.

I am on my way to read your review this very minute

 

[GOLLUM]

Hi all!

I've basically read everything Tad Williams has written in the fantasy genre, so you can tell he's one of my favourite authors right??

I especially enjoyed the Memory,Sorrow and Thorn series. His Otherland series was for me not as well handled but his most ambitious project to date and for that I applaud him.

His current Shadowmarch trilogy, which, as has already been alluded to was originally part of an on-line "experiment" into e-publishing, is basically a return to the high fantasy or medieval traditional fantasy setting I personally feel Tad is best at. Like a number of people here, I'm curently into Book 1 Shadowmarch and enjoying it so far.

In case it hasn't been mentioned so far, Tad has confirmed that he is at work on Book 2 to be titled Shadowplay, relase date yet to be confirmed but maybe sometime late 2006?

All for now..

 

[rune]

Finally ordered this book from the book club I'm a member of, it was on offer so thought why not.
After reading the review I wasnt sure if it's not going to be too detailed for my taste, but you never know I may be surprised

 

[GOLLUM]

Finally ordered this book from the book club I'm a member of, it was on offer so thought why not.
After reading the review I wasnt sure if it's not going to be too detailed for my taste, but you never know I may be surprised

Let us know how you go!

 

[rune]

I'm going to start reading this book this weekend. Looks complicated, but here's hoping it's not

 

[GOLLUM]

YES it is a little complicated and I know you don't like books with multiple sublpots, characters and a thousand and one side stories but this is quite a good read. Not as good as his classic Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy. This is still his best work IMO. Have you read that particular work before??

 

[rune]

I'm sorry but I gave in on this book half way through There were a few storylines that to me were going nowhere. I need more than what was offered in this book to keep me reading, not mountains of tidbits and detail and history..... grr

I think there should be a rule of a book being no longer than 500 pages, it would help author focus their thoughts more and not meander through a tale to the detriment of ones sanity

 

[GOLLUM]

I'm sorry but I gave in on this book half way through There were a few storylines that to me were going nowhere. I need more than what was offered in this book to keep me reading, not mountains of tidbits and detail and history..... grr

I think there should be a rule of a book being no longer than 500 pages, it would help author focus their thoughts more and not meander through a tale to the detriment of ones sanity

Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy this. Then again I now better understand how you're not big on super-complicated mulit-plot EPIC books whereas I'm the opposite, so I'll need to keep that in mind when recommending stuff....

 

[rune]

Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy this. Then again I now better understand how you're not big on super-complicated mulit-plot EPIC books whereas I'm the opposite, so I'll need to keep that in mind when recommending stuff....

Dont bother about recommending books, I like to try and find new authors I tend to ask more questions if there is something that intrigues me, and yep, I do try and keep away from very complex storylines. Strangly enough I would say most of my favourite books all into the Epic theme, but they tend to have less sub-stories going on. I think I have a limit as to how much I can actually cope with when reading

 

[GOLLUM]

Fair enough...

 

[Rahl Windsong]

I can't even remember the characters name, the blind guy wandering in the sewers in To Green Angel Tower part one or two I don't remember. But that part of the story I felt as though I was there with Guthwulf? was that the name? Tad is definetly one of my favorite authors and I would rate his books right up there with George RR Martin and some others in terms of enjoyment while reading a story.

Rahl

 

[GOLLUM]

I can't even remember the characters name, the blind guy wandering in the sewers in To Green Angel Tower part one or two I don't remember. But that part of the story I felt as though I was there with Guthwulf? was that the name? Tad is definetly one of my favorite authors and I would rate his books right up there with George RR Martin and some others in terms of enjoyment while reading a story.

Rahl

Yep it was Guthwulf Earl Of Utanyeat and I know exactly the passage you refer to because it's one of my fav passages of desriptive prose by Tad.

 

[Rahl Windsong]

Is this Shadowmarch series Sci-Fi or Fantasy or a mix of both? I see the book on the shelf of my local bookstore and I am a bit tempted, tell me Gollum, cause I know you like an epic storyline with lots of subplots, can you tell me if you enjoyed Shadowmarch? I seem to like many of the same authors you do and I would value your oppinion before I put out the cash.

Rahl

 

[GOLLUM]

Is this Shadowmarch series Sci-Fi or Fantasy or a mix of both? I see the book on the shelf of my local bookstore and I am a bit tempted, tell me Gollum, cause I know you like an epic storyline with lots of subplots, can you tell me if you enjoyed Shadowmarch? I seem to like many of the same authors you do and I would value your oppinion before I put out the cash.

Rahl

It's pretty much fantasy Rahl, which as you know I like. It's more of a return to the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn style but not as good IMO. Still an enjoyable read with some elements of an epic storyline there certainly with a cast of characters etc...Don't forget this is only Book 1 of this trilogy so a little like how M,S,T started off slowly this may also blossom in the later books. Still some nice prose from Tad as expected.

M,S,T still remains my favourtie Williams work.....

Maybe wait for some other people to voice their opinion as I know Rosemary has read this book.

 

[Rosemary]

It's pretty much fantasy Rahl, which as you know I like. It's more of a return to the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn style but not as good IMO. Still an enjoyable read with some elements of an epic storyline there certainly with a cast of characters etc...Don't forget this is only Book 1 of this trilogy so a little like how M,S,T started off slowly this may also blossom in the later books. Still some nice prose from Tad as expected.

M,S,T still remains my favourtie Williams work.....

Maybe wait for some other people to voice their opinion as I know Rosemary has read this book.

Heard my name mentioned! Afraid I can only agree with Gollum on Shadowmarch, Rahl. I enjoyed reading it and will probably get the next volume in this trilogy. However, it is certainly not as good as Memory, Sorrow and Thorn.

 

[Rahl Windsong]

Well thats strange because I needed something to read, the only book I had was The Dragon's Son, by Margaret Weiss and I was finding it so predictable, though I did enjoy some of her and Tracy Hickman's characters in their Dragonlance series. Anyway, like I said, I needed something to read so I rushed down to the bookstore last night just before they closed and purchased Shadowmarch and I am about 75 pages in.

I have enjoyed the story so far and to tell the truth its as good or better then the beginning of The Dragon Bone Chair, which I just read for the first time recently. You see I read that trillogy by starting with To Green Angel Tower part 1 and then read part 2 because those were the only books my brother had and I still have to get my hands on The Stone of Farwell.

So just recently I noticed TDBC on the shelf so I bought it and though I did love it, I will say for the record that Shadowmarch, so far, is as good or better.

In many ways I think it is better as well, simply because when Tad wrote The Dragon Bone Chair it was very early in his career and now he is quite naturally a better writer.

I also noticed in this book an invitation to join his Shadowmarch.com website and that he visits that site often and looks forward to meeting me online, so I might just do that.

Rahl

 

[GOLLUM]

Well Rahl when its all said and done both M,S,T and Shadowmarch are well written books/series and Tad is a wonderful writer as you say. Glad you had a go at Shadwomarch and are enjoying it. Please don't hesitate to ask for other suggestions post Shadowmarch as there's a number I can recommend to you...

 

[Rahl Windsong]

Well after having finished Shadowmarch, I must say that it was a good book but a strange one. There really is no hero in this story, the only hero's I would name are the Funderling Chert, and Captain Vansen at least so far in this story, and they are rather reluctant hero's. A very good story though and the evil from beyond the shadowline feels evil to the reader, very well done.

Bit of a spoiler for the first book anyway.....

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How do you fight against an enemy that is willing to destroy the world to win? I can't wait to read the next book and find out more about what is beyond the shadowline.

Oh and I would love to hear any recomedations you might have on the authors you have enjoyed, Gollum.

I just started a book called Time and Chance by Sharon Kay Penman. I noticed her as a recomendation on George RR Martin's reading now list and I must say so far its been excellent.

Rahl