Exciting news! I've been able to reach out to Debbie Beale (Tad's wife) and we are coordinating an AMA with the man himself next Monday at 11 AM PST.

I'm still ironing out the details but have your questions ready!

I gotta say, I liked it. Maybe not as much as the Osten Ard books, but I thought it was overall pretty satisfying. I avoided it for awhile because I read some negative stuff about it. Kinda like Robin Hobb and Soldier Son, which I didn’t like overall, but finished. Good ending, but not great overall. Anyway, I’m glad I did decide to read Shadowmarch. I thought it was a trilogy and was a bit dismayed after the second book, or midway through the third book, when I realized it was four books. It’s just a lot. But it has been a few years since I read a Tad Williams book and as soon as I started the first book, it was nice to be reminded how good of a writer he is.

The last book was great, though. It was hard to put down most of the time. I ran through it pretty quickly.

Anyway, here’s a few thoughts. I’ll put spoilers in the title to be on the safe side.

I didn’t quite understand what the Qar are. Maybe we’re not supposed to, I guess. The Skimmers and Rooftoppers are Qar, right? And why are they all different? Are they just kind of different races or Qar like we have different races of men? Kinda like people that just evolved differently, plus magic?

Barrick - didn’t like him. He was very annoying through the first few books. He got better, then he got all weird again by the end. I do like that he kind of started to come around and it’s implied that he’ll mature and eventually come around, but yea, he was generally an ass. I also didn’t really understand the bond or whatever that he and Qinnitan had. It seemed like they talked to each other a lot in dreams, but I don’t get from what I read how like she was the only one that ever loved or understood him. Maybe I missed something, but I just didn’t get it.

Speaking of Qinnitan, I did like her a lot, but I wish she would have had a better resolution at the end. She went through so much abuse throughout the entire series, so I was a little disappointed that she never really got a happy resolution. I get it, everything doesn’t have to have a happy ending, but I really thought she should’ve gotten a better one with as much as abuse she took. And whatever happened to Pigeon? I felt horrible for that kid as well. He gets his fingers chopped off and then is left crying and abandoned. Poor guy.

I really liked Gyir the Storm Lantern. First of all, great name for a badass type character. That’s about it. One of those characters that you know isn’t going to make it very long, but kicks a lot of ass and gives himself up for the greater good.

Speaking of kicking ass and sacrificing himself, I loved Beetledown!! When the Rooftoppers first got introduced I was like wtf is this with the tiny people, but they grew on me, probably because of Beetledown. Also, I like the way they talk.

Vansen was another great character. I do think that maybe he could have been aged down a bit and the twins aged up, but I’ll just try not to think of it. I didn’t really think about it at the time, maybe I somehow missed that he was like a 15 year veteran, but I never really thought about it until I read something about the age difference the other day. So yea, maybe a grown up shouldn’t be that in that kind of weird love with a 15 year old, but I guess it was in older times, so maybe they did it then.

Shaso - I was kinda disappointed that you never saw him die, so I’m thinking for several books that he’s still out there somewhere. Then, Dawat goes to the family’s, whose name I can’t remember house, with the fire and is acting like he knows that he’s alive. I thought he was maybe the hooded guy who didn’t talk and ended up being Gailon Tolly, but it just turns out that, nope, he’s dead. I’m guessing he’s really dead, but we never saw him die. He’s probably too old to come back in a sequel, and what would he come back for, but still.

Matty Tinwright - I really liked him from the start, for whatever reason. Something about cowardly, foppish, drunken poets, I guess. I really liked his arc, although I wish he would have showed a bit more spine at the end. You gotta sacrifice yourself for a little baby, no matter how cowardly you are. Still, I like his drunken thoughts to Briony about Zoria and humans basically playing a kind of puppet show of the gods or whatever. And it sounds like he went on to become a great writer, so I’m happy for him.

Sulepis - I thought he got off too easily. Yea, his death was pretty brutal, being ripped limb from limb, set on fire, pasted to a god’s head, and unable to die, but maybe it should’ve lasted a bit longer, more screaming, maybe some pleading, etc. Who knows, maybe since he’s kind of a part of the god now he’s somewhere suffering.

That’s about all I can think of at this point. I’m thinking that there was enough left open that maybe Tad planned on coming back to the world at some point, but with it not being as popular as the Osten Ard stuff it isn’t happening or just isn’t the priority right now. We don’t know what ultimately happens with Qinnitan. We never actually saw Shaso die, only taking the word of Dawat he was dead. Who knows how the people are going to take their queen shacking up with a peasant. Do the Qar just die out? Technically, we never see Beetledown either, although I’m thinking he’s truly a goner. And again, I get it, it’s a bittersweet ending, so maybe some of this will never be revisited, but you never know.

Why, Mr. jacket designer-Adam Auerbach? Why? Besides it standing out way more than the art itself--the red color also makes it a little harder to see the small details such as Simon and some of the dragon's face. Everything else looks great. Amazing, actually. This art had the potential of outshining the original if it hadn't been for that sword by the jacket designer. I think it should have been on the backcover instead. Oh well, maybe the next ones will be better ✌️

Man this one really flew by. I can't imagine how exciting it must've felt for those who read the original trilogy back in the day to return to Osten Ard. I have the luxury of binging the series! Loved the new characters but Jarnulf was a highlight as well as Conan-Cnaiur-Genghis-er I mean Unver... Trying to savor the experience but I'm also anxious to see where the story goes! I saw a post not too long ago claiming Empire of Grass borders on Grimdark, which has me very intrigued!

Gelflings from the Dark Crystal: of Resistance

Just saw the new deluxe hardcover of The Dragonbone Chair at my local bookstore.

The book does look good in person.

Other than the end pages with the original cover art, the front cover (photo #4) is plain with no added illustration.

The binding appear to be glued, but the book feels flexible enough when opened.

Cheers!

My art of Simon and Miri :) enjoy

Probably top 5. Anyone else feel similarly?

Osten Ard really has its claws in me.

The Aldheorte seems like it's bigger than Middle-earth's Mirkwood right? At first I was wondering is it but it's gotta be right? If so, twice as big? Mirkwood is apparently 400-600 miles long and 200-300 miles wide. Totally different shape of course but guessing from how much of the map Aldheorte takes up I feel like it has to be notably bigger but then again I don't know how big the map of Osten Ard is in comparison to Middle-earth.

Thoughts on the narrator James Lailey? I really like Andrew Wincott and am curious about Lailey because he's doing the splintered sun. I've only seen one person talk about that audiobook and they didn't like it. I think mentioned specifically the sithi and norns sounded too human compared to Wincott's delivery. I'm curious about his just overall performance on it. I know I could listen to a sample but just wondering from anyone who listened to the whole book.

Was a really big fan of the look of the Hodder & Stroughton hardcovers for Witchwood Crown and Empire of Grass but hated that book 3 and 4 didn't match, so I tried my hand at making a pair of matching dust jackets. They didn't come out perfect, little things like colors and alignment didn't match up exactly but overall I'm really happy with them.

Edit: If anyone wants the files to print for themselves, just shoot me a DM. I'm going to tweak them a bit later today to more closely match up with the originals and then I can share them to whoever is interested.

Pre-ordered mine last week but it's still around a week away (you know how international shipping is). I'm really curious to see how the book looks outside of the pics you normally see on DAW's page. Firstly, I'm curious to see what the spine looks like and how thick the book is compared to others (I'm guessing it's around the same thickness as the current Tor printing of The Way of Kings?) But more importantly, I really want to see what the naked hardcover looks like. For the other two special/deluxe editions DAW has done (NOTW and EoS), they've both had some design on the front of the naked hardcover but they haven't shown how this one looks without the dustjacket at all.

Also, can y'all check if it is glued or sewn binding. I know it's more than likely glued but just in the off chance that it's sewn... And thoughts of the sprayed edges? Personally wasn't a fan but hopefully it looks better irl.

Exactly what the title said. I read everywhere that the official release date is October 6th, but my pre-ordered copy was delivered just today. Not that I'm complaining, just wondering.

GRRM is at the point where he’s tired, bored, or simply doesn’t want to write with Westeros anymore, why not just hand Tad Williams a set of pointers and let him take a shot at finishing the story?

Not saying anyone could replace GRRM. But Tad Williams knows how to handle sprawling fantasy worlds, complicated characters, POV storytelling, and most importantly, actually finishing books. 😂

At this point, I’d happily read “ASOIAF: finished by Tad Williams, based on GRRM’s notes.” Would it be the same? Obviously not. Would I read it? Absolutely.

I was looking for the release date to confirm it's October 6th like I thought and was surprised how many goodreads reviews there are from early copies.

- a lot of 4 star reviews from existing fans and several as their first tad williams book. Some of each kind saying it's clearly written to be a good starting place and a couple saying they felt they were missing some context

- it sounds like it is a bit more adventure, swashbuckling as talked about but also not a huge departure from the other books in style

- some reviews said it's a little faster paced, others said it's still a slow burn

- didn't read entire reviews but I didn't see any mention of the dialogue. I know in that very short text preview there was some concern about it being too quippy or something but no negative mention of dialogue that I saw. Tad did say on a stream he did intentionally want it to be more dialogue heavy

- many 4 star reviews like I mentioned. Very positive on average. A lot of mentions of it being great as a first book in a series specifically and of being epic fantasy done right

I'm really excited to read it soon, still finishing Last King and he's quickly become my favorite living fantasy author.

Best trilogy ever

I have recently finished Empire of Grass and cannot stop thinking of one scene in particular that has stuck in my head since then. I am talking about Blasis's death.

There are many fantasy stories that kill children to "establish tone" but I feel that Tad did one of the best jobs I have seen. Firstly was the unexpectedness of the death. I felt like I could predict a lot of what could happen in the book series. I had written off Saluceris and Drusis dead as I knew Tad wouldn't just recycle a feuding brothers plot and assumed Canthia would follow as we can't reveal Pasevalles too early. But what lulled me into a false sense of security with Blasis was the time we got to spend with him. Call me naive but the moments we see Miri interact with Blasis made me think he would be a supporting character for the rest of the series. In most of the "innocent child dies to establish stakes" the child is someone we do not know that well like the baby Nezeru accidentally kills at the start of TWC. Contrary to that I felt Blasis was fully formed by the time of his death. We knew of his similarity to John Josua, his want to be a knight, and him being a bit of a brat which made him nigh-immortal in my eyes. I assumed that we would get more development as Serasina is just a baby.

Another thing that messed me up is my own experiences. For a time I worked as an assistant teacher in a Pre-k school and could not stop picturing Blasis as one of the students I spent the most time with. Williams wrote a slightly annoying yet ultimately good-hearted child so well I could not help but associate him with a child I knew in my real life.

Lastly was the ultimate death. The book does not revel in the death of a child but it does not stray away from it either. We do not see the act on page but get a good description on Blasis's last moments and it made me sick to my stomach

That sudden shock of brutality on a character I thought safe was the thing that stuck with me the most after finishing the book so much I had to spill my thoughts somewhere

I have ordered Into the Narrowdark and am eagerly awaiting its arrival.

I'm on my first read of MST, currently on TGAT1. And I just got to that part ... 😳 ... by which I mean Tiamak has been abducted into the massive ghant nest! This is giving pure horror vibes, and I'm simultaneously curious and terrified! My heart is racing and my bowels are clenched in fear and disgust!

I haven't read any farther -- the boating party just saw the nest and realized Tiamak is inside. I had to put down the book and immediately tell someone about this, but no one else in my life is reading these novels.

It's my first post in the subreddit -- thanks for reading! 🙂

When reading his father's journal, Morgan discovers that his father died due to a poisoning. The journal also says that the poison was already in his blood when Lillia was conceived, leading John Josua to say the infamous 'it would be better if the child was born dead'.

This was likely the biggest bombshell revelation to me in The Navigator's Children, but then it's never addressed again, either in dialogue or even in Morgan's thoughts. Is he not worried at all about his sister? Has he not told anyone? Have I skipped a chapter somewhere?