Tad Williams

[Dallandra]

I've just started to read Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. I've only read the first book yet, it was really good!!!

What do you think of this author and his books?

What other books has he written?

 

[ObtusePunubiris]

Yeah, that's a good series. Williams took an old story and made it new again.

I haven't read anything else by him, but he does have an older book called "Tailchaser's Song", and a newer series called Otherland .

 

[DonMarsh]

Tad Williams is one of my favorite authors. I really enjoyed his Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series. I haven't read the Otherland series yet, but i've heard excellent things about it.

Another great book by Tad, one that is not really recognized much, and may be hard to find, is Caliban's Hour. If you can find this, give it a shot... it's pretty short, so reading it will be much quicker than most of Tad's other works, but it's an excellent story.

 

[Rob B]

Dallandra,

Tad Williams is a favorite of many people here, myself included.
MS&T is probably my favorite completed fantasy saga. His other work includes:

The four volume "novel" Otherland
City of Golden Shadow
River of Blue Fire
Mountain of Black Glass
Sea of Silver Light

This novel/series has elements of both Fantasy and Science Fiction. It reads like an Epic Fantasy, but is set in the future and much of the action takes place in a VR World, not unlike, but much more advanced tha TRON. Regardless of *what* genre you consider it, it is a fantastic read.

His first novel was Tailchaiser's Song which concerns cats. He collaborated with Nina Kiriki Hoffman on Child of an Ancient City authored a short novel Caliban's Hour which was based on Shakespeare's The Tempest.

His most recent novel, and a superb novel at that, is War of the Flowers, Click me

His next books will be the ShadowMarch saga, which intially started out as a subscription based, internet novel. The first 6 months or so of episodes were great. The financial burden of maintaining S'march was too great, luckily for all of us, DAW will be publishing the saga in traditional book format.

He will be releasing a collection of stores based on Osten Ard, the world of MS&T entitled A Chronicle in Stone. Not sure when it publishes though. One of those stories The Burning Man was published in the Legends anthology in 97/98 and he will have an Otherland short in the forthcoming Legends II anthology

...whew... I think that covers it. Glad to see others enjoy his work and that fabulous series. Linkage:
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn: The Dragonbone Chair - any opinions and info fromm you?
Does anyone here know if Tad Williams will come back to fantasy?
Otherland Discussion **SPOILERS**
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn
Shadowmarch, Tad Williams

 

[Dominus]

Excellent use of color FF, very pretty.

 

[Sirand]

I thought The Dragonbone Chair was a really bloated book. The story is very good overall but is tediously unoriginal for a large part of the time.

 

[Vladimir]

I had to give up at book 2 of MS&T :\ just couldn't stand that story anymore

City of Golden Shadow was very good thought but the story slows down in the two next books but the last one is very good as well

of course that's the scifi parts of the series I guess... go figure

 

[Headwound]

Dont give up during the slow parts of MS&T (2nd book)...
The 3rd book was a powerhouse.. Im still recovering..

 

[Hemingway]

I thought the Otherland series was phenomenal, although it began a downward spiral further into the series. On a more pessimistic note: Memory, Sorrow and Thorn was a little too reminiscent of Tolkien. I did make it through the series, and it’s not terrible, but it just doesn’t possess that spark of originality. Characterization was a little flat at times to.

 

[Sammie]

Otherland is one of my favorite reads of last year. Fantastic, loved it, etc etc . Vidid imagery, general well paced, with some VERY exciting moments, some original ideas, and a nice underlying tension.

MS&T, otoh, i have tried to start and i just CANNOT get into the first book. I'm sorry but i just don't care whether the castle's clean or not!!

 

[DarthV]

Tad's definitely one of my favorite authors, I'd probably put in my Top 5.

 

[Beldaran]

I like the M&S,T. I think Tad W has created a nice world with wonderful charachters. Nothing special, but still great

I once tried to read Otherland but I didn't get into it

 

[Dallandra]

I have seen the Otherland books in the library but haven't tried to read them yet.

What is the story in the books?

 

[Bear]

I read the DragonBone Chair sometime back and thought it was decent, but not great.

Pros: a fleshed out world and, thankfully, the Villian was not a wimp. Hate that.

Cons: too predictable, pacing left something to be desired, characters didn't make much of an impact.

Admitted, high-fantasy isn't really my thing, but I've read better. I'm certainly the minority here, though. Most people really like Williams.

 

[Dallandra]

I don't really know if I like him or not yet, the first book was really good I thought but the second that I'm reading right now is...I don't really know why, but I'm having trouble finishing it

 

[Miriamele]

Originally posted by Dallandra
I have seen the Otherland books in the library but haven't tried to read them yet.

What is the story in the books?

The Otherland books aren't in a traditional fantasy setting. They take place at some time in the future--Williams never comes out and says when, but it seems like about 50 years from now--and although the various characters involved are from around the world the story takes place predominantly in South Africa.

There is some debate over whether the story is fantasy or sci-fi. I don't think it's important to know which. There are elements of both in there, and it really works for the story.

I can't really tell you what the story is about without giving anything away, but basically it has to do with a virtual-reality world, which is so sophisticated that you can't tell it isn't reality. The group of characters has some fabulous adventures in this world. And of course there are a couple of really bad guys who have to be stopped. I don't want to say any more but take it from me, Otherland is a great series--long winded at times, but it's worth it. When you get to the end you will be in awe of Mr. Williams's imagination. (At least I was.)

 

[Twelve]

Tad Williams was, for quite some time, my favorite writer of all. And it all had to do with the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series.

I've still never read a fantasy book that drew me in to much...that made me FEEL like I was there. I kept starting the The Dragonbone Chair and putting it aside, because it was simply freaking me out too much.

I took that to be quality writing...anyone who can grab me like that is a great author in my opinion.

I'm STILL waiting for the day when I can read this series with a cool, controlled state of mind. Those books just do something to me...I don't know.

Meanwhile, I've read everyone of Tad's books except Caliban's Hour(I can't find it) and Child of an Ancient City.

Tad's position as my favorite writer of all started to slip right in the beginning of the OTHERLAND series, however....


12

 

[Sammie]

How many people liked Otherland AND MS&T? Cos it doesn't seem like many....?

They DO seem like quite different bks to me - mb people who like one don't tend to like the other much?

Just postulating....

 

[mistri]

I really enjoyed both series. They share a sense of 'epicness', partly because of length but also in the sense of a group of characters fighting for what they believe is right. However in other ways the books have very different feels. Otherland is quite heavily based on science fiction ideas, and although much of it still takes place in what could be construed as a fantasy-like world many readers who usually prefer to read fantasy, might find it hard-going.

Memory, Sorrow and Thorn is basically what is says on the tin...er book - epic fantasy, young boy grows up to fight evil. Most people who read it will know what to expect and consequently enjoy it (IMO) - unless they expected it to be different to/more original than what the cover suggests it will be.

Otherland is harder to catergorise and so either puts readers off picking it up at all (it's the size of a fantasy but kind of looks like sci-fi) or attracts a wider range of readers than people who just want fantasy (or just want SF) thus ensuring that there's more chance that some of them won't like it.

I personally love sci-fi and fantasy so love M,S&T for its fairly trad. fantasy strong points, and love Otherland for its mix of SF/F.

 

[Sammie]

Nice summary Mistri, thanks.

I loved Otherland - but MS&T does seem to start VERY slowly - does the pace pick up any time soon?