[Zsinj16]

I was wondering, is anybody currently reading or have read the Memory, Sorrow,& Thorn Trilogy by Tad Williams? What do you think of it? I've just started reading The Dragonbone Chair, which I bought just a few days ago, and already I can't put the book down! I'm currently at the part where Simon and Dr. Morgenes rescue Prince Josua from Pryrates dungeon and reveal a secret tunnel out of the castle stronghold through Morgenes laboratory. So far the book looks very promising. I've heard that Tad Williams is currently working on a series called Otherland, which is supposed to be a Sci-Fi series. I don't know if I'll read that series or not, because, other than the Star Wars novels and the X-Men, Nick Fury, Spider-Man,and Avenger novels, I'm not really that into Sci-Fi novels.

[Rob B]

Zsinj16:

I think Tad Williams is one of the top fantasy writers today. He can write a great story, make you feel like you are with the characters every step of the way. Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is one of the best fantasies I have ever read. MS&T is one of those series that I will find my self re-reading for years to come, finding something new that I didn't see in previous reads. He really carved a nice niche with his turn on the Great Epic Fantasy.

The fourth and volume of his Otherland series was just published, and I am eager to pick it up. It is a great blend of SciFi and Fantasy. It is a SciFi setting but told very much like an epic fantasy.

When people ask me what fantasy writer(s) to recommend, he immediately jumps in my mind as one of the top 5.

Enjoy!

[Ntschotschi]

I have to agree with Fitz.
I was a bit annoyed about the slow motion of the third book in his Otherland series, so I stopped reading it.
After Fitz' strong recommendation I picked it up again and didn't regret it.
I think it's one of the best current sciencefantasy series. Very innovative and original thinking.
The dragonbone throne is classic in my opinion. Very worthwile reading.

[daigoro]

Definitely one of my favourite authors, personally I think Memory, Sorrow and Thorn is one of the best Fantasy series.

I also think the Otherland series is quite good, although I was a bit disappointed with the second book I thought the third book picked up pace again and like FitzFlagg I'm looking forward to the fourth volume.

[Aleya]

I agree with the others. Don't let the science fiction designation put you off Otherworld.

It's more technically science fantasy, and has been labelled 'fantasy' by many booksellers (though this may be something to do with their idiocy about keeping an author to one section of shelf space too - apparently it's less confusing for us - duh!).

Otherland also happens to be brilliant http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Have you seen the new ShadowMarch site? TW is gonna publish a serial novel online, with maps, and graphics, and all sorts available, not just your usual e-book rubbish (Does anyone else here hate them?).
http://www.shadowmarch.com

For all you UKers, he's also on a UK signing/reading tour at the minute. The full list of UK events is on my webpage:
http://silver-oak.com/events/ukilist.asp

Aleya http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Cadfael]

MS&T is one of the best IMHO, as FitzFlagg has pointed out, Williams has a knack of getting you to live in the characters head... there is a section in the final book, that really got to me, for a chapter or two, Williams showed me what it was like to lose ones mind, and to be afraid of the dark http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

DO read the 'Otherland' books, don't let the Sci/Fi label put you off, there are a lot of Fantasy elements in there as well. In fact this is one of the books where the distinction between the genres becomes 'fuzzy'.

I myself have become very dis-illusioned with the Sci/Fi genre in the past few years, but this book is one of the few shining lights IMHO.

[Arty]

Yes I LOVED these books! They were my first really BIG fantasy books....I always recommend them to people who are interested in getting into fantasy! You won't be dissapointed in them.

[Shadowen]

I _LOVE_ this series - its the one that showed me what real epic fantasy was all about (previously I'd been reading Eddings and Brooks). My paperback copy of the Dragonbone Chair (bought about 10 years ago) has a 'cut out' front cover (don't know how else to describe it!) and a friend and fellow fan offered me £30 for it! Is this type of cover unusual? Any collectors out there? http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Cannon Fodder]

I don't really know if I hear like Tad Williams, there is no way I can tell. Don't know if I see or smell like him either... (:

[Zsinj16]

My Dragonbone Chair paperback copy has a little cut out window on the front of it too!! That is so cool!! I think I might try the Otherland books too, just as long as they don't turn out to be incredibly boring.
As I said I don't really care for any other Sci-Fi series other than the Star Wars series of novels. The reason for this is that Star Wars seems to me, in my opinion, to be the most original, intriguing, and exciting of all Sci-Fi series. I think that almost any other type of Sci-Fi books are either incredibly boring or just a hack or rip off of Star Wars.
Now no offense to the Trekkies out there, but I absolutely hate the Star Trek novels. No, I haven't read them, nor do I care to. Not only do I hate the Star Trek novels, but I also hate all the Star Trek series ever made. They all seem terribly boring, and all the aliens look like lame versions of mutated humans, except that one species on Voyager called Species #1198 or something like that, they were cool, I guess, and maybe the Borg, but I can't stand Star Trek.
The Orson Scott Card, Anne McCaffrey, Isaac Asimov, and DUNE novels don't seem like they would catch my interest either.
And one Sci-Fi book series, I don't know if I should even call it that because its so lame, that I will never read is that blasted Poke'mon. I can't believe they made that sorry trading card game/video game into actual novels and graphic novels!! When will the craze ever end?!!! For Pete's sake, thy've already made four movies based on it in one year and not to mention the blasted cartoon series that practically controls the whole WB network!!!

The Babylon 5 books look alright, I guess, it just doesn't seem like they would match up much to the Babylon 5 television series. Now that is one of the very few Sci-Fi tv series I actually love!!! Although, sometimes it can be a little bit boring, though.
Now the book series based on the marvel super heroes such as Wolverine, the X-Men, Nick Fury, The Avengers, and Spider Man do look very interesting to me. I think I'll try reading them one of these days. I know the comics based on them rock!!!
But, as I said before, my main interest in Sci-Fi right now in the Star Wars books. If anyone here cares to know, these are the Star Wars books I've read so far:

The Phantom Menace
Books 1&2 of the Young Han Solo Trilogy, yes I plan to read the last novel in the trilogy
The Bounty Hunter Wars Trilogy
Books 1-6 of the X-Wing series, yes I plan to read the rest
The Thrawn Trilogy
Dark Empire 1&2 (I haven't seen 3 in bookstores yet, but I bet it's there now. I'm definitely going to read it!!)
X-Wing: Rogue Squadron: Battleground Tatooine
Boba Fett: Death, Lies, and Treachery
Star Wars Droids: The Kalarba Adventures (Droids was lame, trust me! http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/frown.gif )

Next up for me to read is gonna be The Lando Calrissian Trilogy, but I'm not going to read that until I finish the MS&T Trilogy by Tad Williams because I like to alternate between Sci-Fi and Fantasy books every once in a while.
Well, I better stop rambling on about what I like and don't like in Sci-Fi books, because I think the moderators of this board would much rather have me discuss this topic in the Sci-Fi message board, than here in the Fantasy message board. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif