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Review
I was rarely held so captive by a novel...Williams is our Tolkien (Fear )
Epic fantasy you can get lost in for days, not just hours (Locus )
Tad Williams proves himself as adept at writing science fiction as he is at writing fantasy. Best of all, however, are Williams's well-drawn sympathetic characters . . . (Publishers Weekly )
Williams must be considered one of the most accomplished writers in contemporary fantasy... (Xignals )
Epic fantasy you can get lost in for days, not just hours (Locus )
Tad Williams proves himself as adept at writing science fiction as he is at writing fantasy. Best of all, however, are Williams's well-drawn sympathetic characters . . . (Publishers Weekly )
Williams must be considered one of the most accomplished writers in contemporary fantasy... (Xignals )
LOCUS
'Epic fantasy you can get lost in for days, not just hours'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Dragonbone Chair kicks off the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (MSaT) trilogy - which is four books in paperback. The book starts slowly with the focus on the hero, the obligatory orphan boy, Simon. This makes a welcome change from recent fantasy novels I've read that pommel you into submission with action scenes from the first page. Halfway into the book the story gets going and branches out with three or four narrative strands on the go - a structure that is maintained until the end of the series.
The writing style is very similar to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time (WoT) Series - which is to say, a comfort read and very easy to lose yourself in the author's world. It also has in common, frequent access to the hero's thoughts for the added feeling of actually being there. So if you read and enjoyed the first four WoT books you will enjoy the MSaT series. And of course you have the added bonus of knowing there is an ending!
This is my favourite type of fantasy book. A low level of technology, high level of magic. Tolkienesque I suppose. Derivative? - Yes. But so what. MSaT is easily up there with Magician, Sword of Shannara, and Lord of the Rings.
The writing style is very similar to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time (WoT) Series - which is to say, a comfort read and very easy to lose yourself in the author's world. It also has in common, frequent access to the hero's thoughts for the added feeling of actually being there. So if you read and enjoyed the first four WoT books you will enjoy the MSaT series. And of course you have the added bonus of knowing there is an ending!
This is my favourite type of fantasy book. A low level of technology, high level of magic. Tolkienesque I suppose. Derivative? - Yes. But so what. MSaT is easily up there with Magician, Sword of Shannara, and Lord of the Rings.
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Though the paperback weighs in at 766 pages of text I wasn't bored or plodding through the story at all--rather I was racing towards the end, hoping that it would never come. Williams has crafted a fine tale set in a believable world. Follow the adventures of Simon (originally Seoman) the castle scullion. He lives in the Hayholt, capital castle for King John the Presbyter, High King of Osten Ard. Unfortunately King John is dying and his son Elias will inhereit the throne--however, not all is well with Elias and Pryrates, his mysterious counselor. Simon is thrust unwillingly into these tumultuous times and has to make the best of it.
Simon is definately the main character of the volume, yet as the story progresses you are introduced to a host of other characters and occasionally you'll see chapters and scenes from their perspective. Really everything weaves together in a tale that holds the imagination and attention while leaving you in anticipation of the next volume. I was also appreciative that the story stayed believable without falling into too many "fantasy cliches," and because of its length the development could go slowly (but not too slowly)--that is to say many things on the back cover weren't revealed for several hundred pages, :-). Don't expect to see characters who've never fought before suddenly wield a sword like an expert and become the kingdom's champion--Williams is more realistic than that, ;-).
The different cultures are well thoughtout, and the history of the world is anything but stagnant or "stuck in the Middle Ages." Rather there is a real sense of history and the rise and fall of nations. Don't expect to find a "typical fantasy" with humans, elves, and dwarves. Instead you'll find multiple believable human cultures, the mysterious Sithi, and diminutive Trolls.
Of worthy mention is the cover art and the maps. Michael Whelan produced the paperback cover art--and I have always enjoyed his work--true to the text as it is and wonderfully rendered. Additionally the maps were created by Tad Williams himself, and several enlargements appeared throughout the volume.
If you are looking for epic fantasy and a well crafted tale then look no further than <i>Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn</i>'s first volume <b>The Dragonbone Chair</b> to start you off.
20 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book begins the quartet of "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn," and is one of the better fantasy series currently available for reading. Well written, with a developed mythos, good characterization, and solid plotting, this series must stand as one of the better, if not among the best, of the fantasy series availble for reading. Much of the story and world are freshly rendered, and rarely does the reader encounter the overly familiar or implausible contrivances that plague so much of contemporary fantasy fiction. Nor are the characterizations idealized or juvenile. While this series does not rise, for me, to the imaginary involvement of works such as "Lord of the Rings," the first three "Chronicles of Thomas Covenant," Bradley's "Mists of Avalon," Kay's work since "Fianovar," and Martin's or Jordan's (despite its flaws) ongoing series, nonetheless, I cannot recommend this quartet highly enough.
One note of caution: Action addicts may have difficulty with the "Stone of Farewell" as the first 150 pages are devoted to establishing background and character development of the main protagonist, but I believe if they perservere, only the true adrenelin junkie will feel short-changed. And for you, there is always Eddings or Brooks or comics.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
a lot of fuss over a dissapointment.
er.... is how i start this review. Er because i have a liking to fantasy, espcially the "best of the best" as this book was called in many lists and recomendations. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Mr. M. C. Russon
Epic Fantasy
This is a mammoth trilogy, which strangely comes in four door-stopping volumes (at least the editions that I read), but don't let the sheer epic scale of this novel put you... Read more
Published 11 months ago by M. Cantrell
A slow start to an excellent series
One of the most underrated classics of the genre. Williams' Memory, Sorrow & Thorn takes the clichéd wide eyed fantasy boy that castrates so many titles and casts him adrift... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mike @ Books of Fantasy
Tad Williams Classic
Fabulous story, great characters, fast-paced and full of action. Couldn't put the book down. Highly recommend to any fantasy fan. Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2010 by C. Kemble
An effort, but worth it!
Not the most encouraging title for a review, perhaps, but the most apt I can think of. I'll explain shortly. Read more
Published on 13 Aug 2009 by N. Shepherd
Old school charmer
Well this book packs in just about everything that is totally out of vogue right now. A kitchen scullion boy with a mysterious heritage and burgeoning powers, magic swords, an... Read more
Published on 2 July 2009 by Mr. A. I. Harrison
Totally engrossing
These books (Memory, Sorrow & Thorn) are a remarkable achievement. Very readable, enveloping, and beautifully written. Read more
Published on 11 Jan 2009 by Antiplod
Too many characters, boring fillers
What do you do when a hundred pages are enough to tell your story but you need to sell three books?
I read 90% of the first book, about 75% of the second, as for the third I... Read more
I read 90% of the first book, about 75% of the second, as for the third I... Read more
Published on 25 Dec 2008 by Rachid Ben Yachou
Tad Williams is great
This is the first in a set of four books which focus on a young kitchen boy Simon who suddenly finds himself in the middle of an adventure he had never expected. Read more
Published on 21 Dec 2008 by Simon Wells
Intelligent
For all those who are saying that the beginning is boring, or that the final volume is the best - oh how wrong you are. Read more
Published on 3 July 2008 by Poppamies
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