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Shadowmarch #2
Shadowplay
A year ago, the March Kingdoms were at peace, the Eddon family held the throne, and all was right in Southmarch Castle and the north of the world. Now the family has been shattered. King Olin Eddon is a prisoner in a faraway land. Olin's heir Kendrick is dead - slain by treachery and dark, bloody magic - and Kendric's younger brother and sister have barely escaped several attempts on their own lives. With their father and brother taken from them, the royal twins Barrick and Briony have done their best to hold the kingdom together, but now Barrick has been captured in a failed war against the immortal Twilight People and Briony has been forced to flee the castle. Everywhere in the north the fierce Twilight People, led by the ageless warrior-witch Yasammez, hold sway. Old magics are stirring beneath the ancient castle and behind the Shadowline, and the machinations of gods, fairies, and mortals threaten to spread devastation across the entire world. Meanwhile, the Autarch, the insane god-king of the southern continent, has set in motion his plan to bring the entire northern world - and most especially Southmarch Castle - under his way. Behind the Shadowline, Prince Barrick Eddon of Southmarch is lost and spellbound in the land of the fairies. Though he has barely begun to uncover the strange secrets of his own past, Barrick must also solve the mystery of his even stranger destiny - a destiny which will lead him to places no man has ever gone and force him to take on a burden even the greatest hero couldn't bear - preserving the lives of all humans and fairy-folk. As she flees Southmarch, Princess Briony finds both allies and deadly enemies in unexpected places far from the land of her birth. In her quest to survive and win back her family's throne she encounters spies and murderers, traveling players and ancient gods. During their desperate journeys the twins discover that even a land's rulers may know little of its true history, and that both families and nations can hide dark and terrible secrets. But even if Barrick and Briony survive learning the astonishing truths at the heart of their own family and of Southmarch itself, they must still find a way to do the impossible - they must reclaim their kingdom and rescue their home and people from a multitude of powerful enemies - from traitors, tyrants, a god-king, and even the angry gods themselves.
656 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
268 people are currently reading
4060 people want to read
About the author
Tad Williams
350 books7,845 followersTad Williams is a California-based fantasy superstar. His genre-creating (and genre-busting) books have sold tens of millions worldwide, in twenty-five languages. His considerable output of epic fantasy and science fiction book-series, stories of all kinds, urban fantasy novels, comics, scripts, etc., have strongly influenced a generation of writers: the ‘Otherland’ epic relaunches June 2018 as an MMO on steam.com. Tad is currently immersed in the creation of ‘The Last King of Osten Ard’, planned as a trilogy with two intermediary novels. He, his family and his animals live in the Santa Cruz mountains in a suitably strange and beautiful house. @tadwilliams @mrstad
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews
April 23, 2020
In Shadowplay, Prince Barrick and Captain Ferras Vansen find themselves behind the Shadowline. The young prince has been assigned a task by the Qar noblewoman Yasammez, although he doesn't yet fully understand what it is. Elsewhere, upon realising the treason committed by the Tolly family to the crown of Southmarch, Princess Briony and the master-of-arms Shaso try to escape the city with the aid of the young Skimmer girl Ena.
"Let us hope for your sake that you did indeed sense some of Gyir’s thoughts, Captain Vansen. Because there are other things behind the Shadowline, as you doubtless already know, that you would not want crawling around in your head, or anywhere else on you."
Qinnitan is finally free of the Autarch and has been residing for a month in the huge city of Hiersol as a washerwoman, whilst looking after her adopted brother, the mute boy Pigeon. Unbeknown to her, the Autarch is keen to reclaim her and has sent a mercenary spy to do his bidding. In addition to this, the Autarch, the God-on-Earth of Xis, is sending his gigantic war fleet to Hiersol as his first step into taking rule of all Eion.
The above mentioned are the main storylines that we follow but we also find out more about the court poet Matt Tinwright who is love-stricken, about the funderling Chert and the physician Chaven and how they intend to reclaim Chaven's stolen mirror, and about a young Nobel woman in Hiersol who becomes unlikely friends with the prisoner, King Olin.
Although Shadowplay is still a slow-burner, events progress more swiftly here than they did in the previous entry. We get to know the point of view players in more depth, travel to and see a vast amount of the detailed fantasy world, and are given much more information about the Gods. The latter is presented via segments at the beginning of chapters and through stories told by characters as part of the main narrative. This sheds more light on the Gods' presence, or lack of, during current events. There are about four new point of view perspectives that are new to Shadowplay yet none of these, with the possible exception of Daikonas Vo, are yet as interesting as those that we followed previously.
There are some brilliant new characters in Shadowplay. Gyir the Storm Lantern has an exceptional role here and he's become one of my favourite characters that I've read about in fantasy for some time. He's a faceless, powerful, fairy-warrior (Qar) who hates humanity, ("sunlanders" as he refers to them), but an unlikely situation dictates that he becomes allies with two of the main players and they face some horrendous scenarios together. Another standout character is Skurn, the awesome, quite comedic talking raven. I have a soft spot for talking animals in fantasy so Skurn definitely ticks that box. Finally, the previously mentioned Daikonas Vo, who wins the respect of the Autarch in a warrior showdown is an enticingly cunning, scheming and brutal character with many skills an assassin would kill for. (No pun intended.)
It is a welcome feeling too when likeable side characters from the previous entry return such as the rooftopper Beetledown, and Gil-the-pot-boy who I'm sure is far more important than has been revealed thus far.
There are a huge amount of standout moments in Shadowplay, far more than the first entry. A showdown versus a demigod, a dreamlike passage through another dimension, the unpredictable death of a major player, and the heroic death of another main character are just a handful of examples. Although less than a year has passed since the events presented at the beginning of Shadowmarch, so much has taken place.
“I'm tired of being lost and I'm tired of dying, so I'm going to try something different this time.”
At the novel's finale, there are about eight different story arcs that are happening concurrently. I was extremely satisfied with the ending of the tales, especially Brionny's, Qinnitan's, Barrick's, and Vansen's. Some of the final moments were exciting and intense, others were unpredictable and surprising, but at the halfway point in the Shadowmarch saga, I am now completely engrossed. I am finding it impossible to get into any other novels at the moment as I am so gripped by, and invested in Williams' world. I'm completely lost in this epic story like Prince Barrick is behind the Shadowline. Shadowplay is an excellent continuation of the epic, dark fantasy tale that started with Shadowmarch and I can't see myself reading anything else until I've finished both Shadowrise and Shadowheart.
"Let us hope for your sake that you did indeed sense some of Gyir’s thoughts, Captain Vansen. Because there are other things behind the Shadowline, as you doubtless already know, that you would not want crawling around in your head, or anywhere else on you."
Qinnitan is finally free of the Autarch and has been residing for a month in the huge city of Hiersol as a washerwoman, whilst looking after her adopted brother, the mute boy Pigeon. Unbeknown to her, the Autarch is keen to reclaim her and has sent a mercenary spy to do his bidding. In addition to this, the Autarch, the God-on-Earth of Xis, is sending his gigantic war fleet to Hiersol as his first step into taking rule of all Eion.
The above mentioned are the main storylines that we follow but we also find out more about the court poet Matt Tinwright who is love-stricken, about the funderling Chert and the physician Chaven and how they intend to reclaim Chaven's stolen mirror, and about a young Nobel woman in Hiersol who becomes unlikely friends with the prisoner, King Olin.
Although Shadowplay is still a slow-burner, events progress more swiftly here than they did in the previous entry. We get to know the point of view players in more depth, travel to and see a vast amount of the detailed fantasy world, and are given much more information about the Gods. The latter is presented via segments at the beginning of chapters and through stories told by characters as part of the main narrative. This sheds more light on the Gods' presence, or lack of, during current events. There are about four new point of view perspectives that are new to Shadowplay yet none of these, with the possible exception of Daikonas Vo, are yet as interesting as those that we followed previously.
There are some brilliant new characters in Shadowplay. Gyir the Storm Lantern has an exceptional role here and he's become one of my favourite characters that I've read about in fantasy for some time. He's a faceless, powerful, fairy-warrior (Qar) who hates humanity, ("sunlanders" as he refers to them), but an unlikely situation dictates that he becomes allies with two of the main players and they face some horrendous scenarios together. Another standout character is Skurn, the awesome, quite comedic talking raven. I have a soft spot for talking animals in fantasy so Skurn definitely ticks that box. Finally, the previously mentioned Daikonas Vo, who wins the respect of the Autarch in a warrior showdown is an enticingly cunning, scheming and brutal character with many skills an assassin would kill for. (No pun intended.)
It is a welcome feeling too when likeable side characters from the previous entry return such as the rooftopper Beetledown, and Gil-the-pot-boy who I'm sure is far more important than has been revealed thus far.
There are a huge amount of standout moments in Shadowplay, far more than the first entry. A showdown versus a demigod, a dreamlike passage through another dimension, the unpredictable death of a major player, and the heroic death of another main character are just a handful of examples. Although less than a year has passed since the events presented at the beginning of Shadowmarch, so much has taken place.
“I'm tired of being lost and I'm tired of dying, so I'm going to try something different this time.”
At the novel's finale, there are about eight different story arcs that are happening concurrently. I was extremely satisfied with the ending of the tales, especially Brionny's, Qinnitan's, Barrick's, and Vansen's. Some of the final moments were exciting and intense, others were unpredictable and surprising, but at the halfway point in the Shadowmarch saga, I am now completely engrossed. I am finding it impossible to get into any other novels at the moment as I am so gripped by, and invested in Williams' world. I'm completely lost in this epic story like Prince Barrick is behind the Shadowline. Shadowplay is an excellent continuation of the epic, dark fantasy tale that started with Shadowmarch and I can't see myself reading anything else until I've finished both Shadowrise and Shadowheart.
April 3, 2018
One shouldn't go into a Tad Williams epic fantasy romp expecting nonstop action or grimdark developments or a cookie-cutter plot. Indeed, if you decide to dive into his works, you can expect a very awesome and deeply fleshed-out worldbuilding with enough history to choke a horse.
This isn't a bad thing. Indeed, I'm rather floored by how much love and care has been put into every single detail herein. From the plays and the poetry to the deep past, the corruptions of history, the way the remembrances of the gods fail to match up to their appearances in the novel, or the amazing depth and complexity each of the regular characters, be they human or fae, exhibit.
Indeed, aside from a failed expedition, plenty of warcraft between the shadow peoples and the humans who have apparently been squatting on the land out of antiquity, of a few certain characters' captures and settlement behind enemy lines, and gender-bending playacting, this novel could be described as a deep history lesson. I'm learning so much of this place! :) As a wonderful whole-cloth piece, I've rarely been treated to so much rich unique mythology, art, and exploration of such different peoples.
I include the shadow races here. Most of the novel takes place away from the human lands and in deep shadow.
I should mention that the shadow is a real thing, an actual line of demarcation, and monsters and fae live on the far side. In this novel, we're treated to a deep look into them and the gods of this world. Some of those gods are still alive and some of their ancient artifacts are still rather functional. Don't mistake this aspect as some kind of knock-off to a thousand other fantasy novels, however. The world-building is very rich and I can't find cause to complain.
However, I should mention that these books DO require a modicum of patience. The things that are most praiseworthy can sometimes be a chore to break through. :)
All in all, this is rather rewarding, if long. :) Of course, that's sometimes a decent selling point, too. :)
This isn't a bad thing. Indeed, I'm rather floored by how much love and care has been put into every single detail herein. From the plays and the poetry to the deep past, the corruptions of history, the way the remembrances of the gods fail to match up to their appearances in the novel, or the amazing depth and complexity each of the regular characters, be they human or fae, exhibit.
Indeed, aside from a failed expedition, plenty of warcraft between the shadow peoples and the humans who have apparently been squatting on the land out of antiquity, of a few certain characters' captures and settlement behind enemy lines, and gender-bending playacting, this novel could be described as a deep history lesson. I'm learning so much of this place! :) As a wonderful whole-cloth piece, I've rarely been treated to so much rich unique mythology, art, and exploration of such different peoples.
I include the shadow races here. Most of the novel takes place away from the human lands and in deep shadow.
I should mention that the shadow is a real thing, an actual line of demarcation, and monsters and fae live on the far side. In this novel, we're treated to a deep look into them and the gods of this world. Some of those gods are still alive and some of their ancient artifacts are still rather functional. Don't mistake this aspect as some kind of knock-off to a thousand other fantasy novels, however. The world-building is very rich and I can't find cause to complain.
However, I should mention that these books DO require a modicum of patience. The things that are most praiseworthy can sometimes be a chore to break through. :)
All in all, this is rather rewarding, if long. :) Of course, that's sometimes a decent selling point, too. :)
August 12, 2020
Volume 2 of the Shadowmarch series is in every aspect as good as the first volume.
The great war extends and involves more an more parties and also more and more violence and cruelty.
Our main characters have all to face life-threatening, dangerous and painful situations.
And we as the readers get slowly a feeling that and how the the different story lines could connect.
Full recommendation from my side also for this second part of the series: 5 stars.
-----------------------------------
Auch Band 2 der Shadowmarch-Saga hat mich wieder vollkommen hingerissen.
Der in Band 1 emporziehende und beginnende Krieg hat sich entwickelt und weitere, teilweise völlig unerwartete Teilnehmer gefunden. Die Kriegshandlungen beschreibt Tad Williams alles andere als zartfühlend und sehr graphisch.
Unsere Hauptprotagonisten, das Zwillingspärchen Briony und Barrick, befinden sich das ganze Buch über voneinander getrennt auf der Flucht und müssen erkennen, dass sie bisher ganz schön priviliegienverwöhnt waren.
Mir hat gut gefallen, dass der Autor die beiden nicht als Fantasy-Königskinder, die über allem stehen, zeichnet, sondern immer wieder herausstellt, dass sie neben dieser Rolle auch häufig ganz normale unausstehliche und rotzlöffelige Teenager sind.
Wir lernen in diesem Band auch König Olin besser kennen, der tatsächlich ein ziemlich beeindruckender König ist.
Ich habe auch angefangen, die den Kapiteln vorangestellten Zitate aus der Götter Mythologie von Shadowmarch genauer zu lesen und muss sagen, dass ich recht beeindruckt von diesem komplexen Gebilde war (auch wenn ich nicht immer ganz folgen konnte).
In diesem Band konnte man auch schon erkennen, wie der Autor die einzelnen Erzählstränge näher zueinander führt. An manchen Stellen konnte ich mir schon ausmalen, wohin die Geschichte möglicherweise führt, an anderen Stellen habe ich nach wie vor gar keine Ahnung, wie die Geschehnisse ins Bild passen. Man merkt aber, dass alles und alle in irgendeiner Form zusammenhängen.
Am Ende des Buches haben sich alle wesentlichen Charaktere (bis auf einen Glücklichen) in ziemlich brenzlige Situationen gebracht bzw. wurden in diese Situationen getrieben. Die geneigte Leserin will wirklich gerne wissen, wie es weitergeht.
Wie beim ersten Band gibt es von mir 5 Sterne. Ich bin unvermindert begeistert.
The great war extends and involves more an more parties and also more and more violence and cruelty.
Our main characters have all to face life-threatening, dangerous and painful situations.
And we as the readers get slowly a feeling that and how the the different story lines could connect.
Full recommendation from my side also for this second part of the series: 5 stars.
-----------------------------------
Auch Band 2 der Shadowmarch-Saga hat mich wieder vollkommen hingerissen.
Der in Band 1 emporziehende und beginnende Krieg hat sich entwickelt und weitere, teilweise völlig unerwartete Teilnehmer gefunden. Die Kriegshandlungen beschreibt Tad Williams alles andere als zartfühlend und sehr graphisch.
Unsere Hauptprotagonisten, das Zwillingspärchen Briony und Barrick, befinden sich das ganze Buch über voneinander getrennt auf der Flucht und müssen erkennen, dass sie bisher ganz schön priviliegienverwöhnt waren.
Mir hat gut gefallen, dass der Autor die beiden nicht als Fantasy-Königskinder, die über allem stehen, zeichnet, sondern immer wieder herausstellt, dass sie neben dieser Rolle auch häufig ganz normale unausstehliche und rotzlöffelige Teenager sind.
Wir lernen in diesem Band auch König Olin besser kennen, der tatsächlich ein ziemlich beeindruckender König ist.
Ich habe auch angefangen, die den Kapiteln vorangestellten Zitate aus der Götter Mythologie von Shadowmarch genauer zu lesen und muss sagen, dass ich recht beeindruckt von diesem komplexen Gebilde war (auch wenn ich nicht immer ganz folgen konnte).
In diesem Band konnte man auch schon erkennen, wie der Autor die einzelnen Erzählstränge näher zueinander führt. An manchen Stellen konnte ich mir schon ausmalen, wohin die Geschichte möglicherweise führt, an anderen Stellen habe ich nach wie vor gar keine Ahnung, wie die Geschehnisse ins Bild passen. Man merkt aber, dass alles und alle in irgendeiner Form zusammenhängen.
Am Ende des Buches haben sich alle wesentlichen Charaktere (bis auf einen Glücklichen) in ziemlich brenzlige Situationen gebracht bzw. wurden in diese Situationen getrieben. Die geneigte Leserin will wirklich gerne wissen, wie es weitergeht.
Wie beim ersten Band gibt es von mir 5 Sterne. Ich bin unvermindert begeistert.
June 29, 2020
While I find myself overall interested in the story, the plot is a slowmoving gal. At parts it's really interesting, at others kinda boring. Another bump was that every time I found a good reading groove, I happened to be in situations where I wasn't able to read a lot, which ruined my groove and I had to struggle to build it up again. I'm still not too warm for any of the characters, though I am interested in a few's stories.
Expect cliffhanger ending.
Also there's talking bird and I love talking birds.
I think I'm still gonna continue the series, but not in the close months. I don't have book 3 and 4 so I have first to wait until I get those.
Expect cliffhanger ending.
Also there's talking bird and I love talking birds.
I think I'm still gonna continue the series, but not in the close months. I don't have book 3 and 4 so I have first to wait until I get those.
January 14, 2019
In the second part of this quadrology we are opened up to new horizons. The protagonists of our story are scattered in various kingdoms of people and ... other creatures, even in places where the rules do not apply and the gods can touch the world. This latter one is a big concern to us throughout the book as our heroes are confronted with revelations that show that what they have taught about the goodness of the gods and their adventures is not exactly true, and that reality is far more threatening. Around this, the author gives us elements of an interesting mythology-theology influenced by many cultures of the real world, in which there are different perspectives and approaches to the different peoples living in this imaginary world, which along with several cultural details adds to the wealth of the scenery where our story is developing.
This is, of course, one part of this that makes this book something extraordinary. Our heroes face a lot of difficulties, intense emotional moments, long trips, betrayal, adventures, entanglements in situations where they have to go beyond their limits, try to solve mysteries and more generally to fight for their lives, but also for much bigger things. This the author showing us in a way that allows us to connect with these heroes and to sympathize with them while at the same time making sure that we learn them better so that the image we have for them to be more complete. Of course, some characters may be one-dimensional, almost caricature, and at some point, the rhythms fall to a great extent, with the result that the interest is somehow diminished. This, however, in the end, did not affect my final impression that much as the reader is compensated for them, both with what I have said so far but also with some moments in the book that are so good that they can make a difference by themselves. To be honest, however, I am still waiting for something more in the series.
Στο δεύτερο μέρος αυτής της τετραλογίας ανοιγόμαστε σε νέους Ορίζοντες. Οι πρωταγωνιστές της ιστορίας μας μας βρίσκονται διασκορπισμένοι σε διάφορα βασίλεια ανθρώπων και... άλλων πλασμάτων, ακόμα και σε μέρη όπου οι κανόνες δεν ισχύουν και οι θεοί μπορούν να αγγίξουν τον κόσμο. Αυτό το τελευταίο μας απασχολεί περισσότερο σε όλο το βιβλίο καθώς οι ήρωες μας έρχονται αντιμέτωποι με αποκαλύψεις που δείχνουν ότι αυτά που διδάχτηκαν για την καλοσύνη των θεών και για τις περιπέτειες τους δεν είναι ακριβώς αλήθεια και ότι η πραγματικότητα είναι πολύ περισσότερο απειλητική. Γύρω από αυτό ο συγγραφέας μας δίνει στοιχεία μιας ενδιαφέρουσας μυθολογίας-θεολογίας επηρεασμένης από πολλές κουλτούρες του πραγματικού κόσμου, στην οποία υπάρχουν διαφορετικές οπτικές γωνίες και προσεγγίσεις στους διάφορους λαούς που κατοικούν σε αυτόν τον φανταστικό κόσμο, κάτι που μαζί με αρκετές πολιτιστικές λεπτομέρειες προσθέτει στον πλούτο του σκηνικού όπου διαδραματίζεται η ιστορία μας.
Αυτό είναι φυσικά το ένα μέρος αυτού το κάνει αυτό το βιβλίο να είναι κάτι ιδιαίτερο. Οι ήρωες μας αντιμετωπίζουν πολλές δυσκολίες, έντονες συναισθηματικές στιγμές, μακρινά ταξίδια, προδοσίες, περιπέτειες, μπλέκονται σε καταστάσεις όπου πρέπει να υπερβούν τα όρια τους, προσπαθούν να λύσουν μυστήρια και γενικότερα να παλέψουν για τη ζωή το��ς αλλά και για πολύ μεγαλύτερα πράγματα. Αυτό ο συγγραφέας μας τα παρουσιάζει με έναν τρόπο όπου συνδεόμαστε με αυτούς τους ήρωες και συμπάσχουμε μαζί τους ενώ παράλληλα φροντίζει να τους μάθουμε καλύτερα, για να είναι η εικόνα που έχουμε για αυτούς περισσότερο ολοκληρωμένη. Βέβαια ίσως δεν αποφεύγει κάποιοι χαρακτήρες να είναι μονοδιάστατοι, σχεδόν καρικατούρες ενώ από κάποιο σημείο και μετά οι ρυθμοί πέφτουν σε μεγάλο βαθμό με αποτέλεσμα λίγο το ενδιαφέρον να μειώνεται. Αυτό, όμως, στο τέλος δεν επηρέασε τόσο την τελική μου εντύπωση καθώς ο αναγνώστης αποζημιώνεται για αυτά, τόσο με όσα ανέφερα ως τώρα αργά και με κάποιες στιγμές μέσα στο βιβλίο που είναι τόσο καλές που από μόνες τους μπορούν να κάνουν τη διαφορά σε σχέση. Για να είμαι ειλικρινής, όμως, περιμένω ακόμα κάτι περισσότερο στη συνέχεια της σειράς.
This is, of course, one part of this that makes this book something extraordinary. Our heroes face a lot of difficulties, intense emotional moments, long trips, betrayal, adventures, entanglements in situations where they have to go beyond their limits, try to solve mysteries and more generally to fight for their lives, but also for much bigger things. This the author showing us in a way that allows us to connect with these heroes and to sympathize with them while at the same time making sure that we learn them better so that the image we have for them to be more complete. Of course, some characters may be one-dimensional, almost caricature, and at some point, the rhythms fall to a great extent, with the result that the interest is somehow diminished. This, however, in the end, did not affect my final impression that much as the reader is compensated for them, both with what I have said so far but also with some moments in the book that are so good that they can make a difference by themselves. To be honest, however, I am still waiting for something more in the series.
Στο δεύτερο μέρος αυτής της τετραλογίας ανοιγόμαστε σε νέους Ορίζοντες. Οι πρωταγωνιστές της ιστορίας μας μας βρίσκονται διασκορπισμένοι σε διάφορα βασίλεια ανθρώπων και... άλλων πλασμάτων, ακόμα και σε μέρη όπου οι κανόνες δεν ισχύουν και οι θεοί μπορούν να αγγίξουν τον κόσμο. Αυτό το τελευταίο μας απασχολεί περισσότερο σε όλο το βιβλίο καθώς οι ήρωες μας έρχονται αντιμέτωποι με αποκαλύψεις που δείχνουν ότι αυτά που διδάχτηκαν για την καλοσύνη των θεών και για τις περιπέτειες τους δεν είναι ακριβώς αλήθεια και ότι η πραγματικότητα είναι πολύ περισσότερο απειλητική. Γύρω από αυτό ο συγγραφέας μας δίνει στοιχεία μιας ενδιαφέρουσας μυθολογίας-θεολογίας επηρεασμένης από πολλές κουλτούρες του πραγματικού κόσμου, στην οποία υπάρχουν διαφορετικές οπτικές γωνίες και προσεγγίσεις στους διάφορους λαούς που κατοικούν σε αυτόν τον φανταστικό κόσμο, κάτι που μαζί με αρκετές πολιτιστικές λεπτομέρειες προσθέτει στον πλούτο του σκηνικού όπου διαδραματίζεται η ιστορία μας.
Αυτό είναι φυσικά το ένα μέρος αυτού το κάνει αυτό το βιβλίο να είναι κάτι ιδιαίτερο. Οι ήρωες μας αντιμετωπίζουν πολλές δυσκολίες, έντονες συναισθηματικές στιγμές, μακρινά ταξίδια, προδοσίες, περιπέτειες, μπλέκονται σε καταστάσεις όπου πρέπει να υπερβούν τα όρια τους, προσπαθούν να λύσουν μυστήρια και γενικότερα να παλέψουν για τη ζωή το��ς αλλά και για πολύ μεγαλύτερα πράγματα. Αυτό ο συγγραφέας μας τα παρουσιάζει με έναν τρόπο όπου συνδεόμαστε με αυτούς τους ήρωες και συμπάσχουμε μαζί τους ενώ παράλληλα φροντίζει να τους μάθουμε καλύτερα, για να είναι η εικόνα που έχουμε για αυτούς περισσότερο ολοκληρωμένη. Βέβαια ίσως δεν αποφεύγει κάποιοι χαρακτήρες να είναι μονοδιάστατοι, σχεδόν καρικατούρες ενώ από κάποιο σημείο και μετά οι ρυθμοί πέφτουν σε μεγάλο βαθμό με αποτέλεσμα λίγο το ενδιαφέρον να μειώνεται. Αυτό, όμως, στο τέλος δεν επηρέασε τόσο την τελική μου εντύπωση καθώς ο αναγνώστης αποζημιώνεται για αυτά, τόσο με όσα ανέφερα ως τώρα αργά και με κάποιες στιγμές μέσα στο βιβλίο που είναι τόσο καλές που από μόνες τους μπορούν να κάνουν τη διαφορά σε σχέση. Για να είμαι ειλικρινής, όμως, περιμένω ακόμα κάτι περισσότερο στη συνέχεια της σειράς.
May 16, 2019
Tad Williams sigue siendo incapaz de ser sintético (como si cobrara por palabras), sigue manteniendo un ritmo muy lento hasta las 100 últimas páginas (cuando hay que acelerar para el "cliffhanger" de rigor), sigue siendo demasiado esotérico y convirtiendo la trama en algo más obtuso de lo preferible, y aún así, lo sigo queriendo.
Me ha enganchado ese trasfondo mitológico que esas tres culturas parecen compartir (y que a todas luces es el corazón de todo el misterio). A Tad Williams lo del "juego de tronos" no le interesa tanto, pero la idea de "Bran al otro lado del Muro" le flipa. Los diferentes lugares donde transcurre la acción no es que sean el colmo de la imaginación (Hierosol es obviamente Constantinopla), pero parecen lo suficientemente verosímiles y complejos, y sirven a su propósito. Los personajes en general me parecen interesantes, aunque a Bran le hubiera metido un puñetazo más de una vez. Agradecí que Sílex Cuarzo Azul tuviera un papel menos relevante en esta parte porque su trama me parece de las más flojas (aunque estoy segura de que será importante en el desarrollo futuro de la historia). El duo de la duquesa Merolanna y la hermana Utta, detectives en acción, me ha encantado y ojalá en los siguientes volúmenes sigan teniendo algún papel. Lo admito, cuando Briony (que parece tanto Arya Star que duele) se encuentra con la compañía de teatro y se une a ellos me reí. Pero hay que tener en cuenta que Tad Williams escribió este libro antes de que a GRR Martin se le ocurriera esa trama en particular, así que puntos para Tad.
Aunque se va aclarando poco a poco el panorama, aún no sé lo que está pasando exactamente (cierto evento del libro anterior no ha sido explicado del todo todavía, aunque me huelo que el Autarca algo tendrá que ver), pero me sigue intrigando y por supuesto que voy a seguir leyendo la saga.
Me ha enganchado ese trasfondo mitológico que esas tres culturas parecen compartir (y que a todas luces es el corazón de todo el misterio). A Tad Williams lo del "juego de tronos" no le interesa tanto, pero la idea de "Bran al otro lado del Muro" le flipa. Los diferentes lugares donde transcurre la acción no es que sean el colmo de la imaginación (Hierosol es obviamente Constantinopla), pero parecen lo suficientemente verosímiles y complejos, y sirven a su propósito. Los personajes en general me parecen interesantes, aunque a Bran le hubiera metido un puñetazo más de una vez. Agradecí que Sílex Cuarzo Azul tuviera un papel menos relevante en esta parte porque su trama me parece de las más flojas (aunque estoy segura de que será importante en el desarrollo futuro de la historia). El duo de la duquesa Merolanna y la hermana Utta, detectives en acción, me ha encantado y ojalá en los siguientes volúmenes sigan teniendo algún papel. Lo admito, cuando Briony (que parece tanto Arya Star que duele) se encuentra con la compañía de teatro y se une a ellos me reí. Pero hay que tener en cuenta que Tad Williams escribió este libro antes de que a GRR Martin se le ocurriera esa trama en particular, así que puntos para Tad.
Aunque se va aclarando poco a poco el panorama, aún no sé lo que está pasando exactamente (cierto evento del libro anterior no ha sido explicado del todo todavía, aunque me huelo que el Autarca algo tendrá que ver), pero me sigue intrigando y por supuesto que voy a seguir leyendo la saga.
March 16, 2023
Hm.
This was a filler book. I think it should have been half as long, and where the first book at least tried to have some interesting positive takes on non-white and non-heterosexual people, this one...fails.
I think what's weirdest to me is that this book about boys and girls failed by the men in their lives is written in honor of this dad's kids.
CONTENT WARNING:
I was in all the way in with book 1. Now I'm out. I don't regret the hours I spent with this book, but I have no inclination to continue either. Between the fumbling, repetitive dialogue, the derogatory look at gay men, the lack of forward story movement, the constant sexual assault threats, the vague ending and the sudden swerve into D&D archetypes, I'm uncomfortable and bored. There's way better epics out there that manage not to disparage 70% of the world.
This was a filler book. I think it should have been half as long, and where the first book at least tried to have some interesting positive takes on non-white and non-heterosexual people, this one...fails.
I think what's weirdest to me is that this book about boys and girls failed by the men in their lives is written in honor of this dad's kids.
CONTENT WARNING:
I was in all the way in with book 1. Now I'm out. I don't regret the hours I spent with this book, but I have no inclination to continue either. Between the fumbling, repetitive dialogue, the derogatory look at gay men, the lack of forward story movement, the constant sexual assault threats, the vague ending and the sudden swerve into D&D archetypes, I'm uncomfortable and bored. There's way better epics out there that manage not to disparage 70% of the world.
May 24, 2018
Blew book one away on every level
April 1, 2011
Book 2 of the Shadow tetralogy (mmmph...applying such a recondite word to this workmanlike slog of a fantasy series seems silly) picks up the pace a little from the bad parts of the first book, but is still not exactly a brilliant, inspiring masterwork. Let me see. I just read Books 2 and 3 in the course of a transatlantic flight and my first few days in Europe while I've had bronchitis, constipation, and a horrific fever that comes and goes, so it's hard to pull the two books apart in my mind, but here goes.
Plot: The Wheel of Time, for better and worse, is probably the dominant fantasy series of the last twenty years, and illustrates both towering heights and soul-crushing depths of plotting. Literally thousands of pages occupy each moderately devoted fan's shelves that are COMPLETE WASTES OF FUCKING SPACE, WHERE NO PLOTLINE IS ADVANCED OR CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT TAKES PLACE--WHY, O GOD, WHY?...cough, cough...sorry about that. Suffice it to say that I refer to this sin (permitted to established fantasy authors and perhaps others whose reputation intimidates someone into publishing their work without subjecting it to serious editorial critique) as "Perrin slogging through the snow." Perrin slogs through a lot of damn snow in these first two books, and some characters' POVs continue to do so into the third, but let us not get too far afield. The author's dipshit habit of ending a chapter at the climax of a dangerous scene, flipping through ~5 POVs, then coming back to the scene with all the tension dispelled and interest dissipated, continues full force, although you get numb to it (or maybe I'm just self-medicating that heavily).
On the other hand, while there are certainly verisimilitude gaffes, the bloody asinine facer of "the Pact of the Glass" mercifully remains unique to the first book. Indeed, Tad starts pulling up lines of plot/history (bleeding into setting, as fantasy novels by their nature must do) that begin to make the world and the books' plot much more interesting. A lot of time is wasted in the Barrick/Vansen POV, but it has some really interesting revelations about the world and the course of events.
Characters: Let's see...the POV characters are Briony, Barrick/Vansen (together for this book), Chert, Quinnitan, Matty Tinwright, Pinimmon Vash...there's more, but that's enough to go on with. There are definitely too many POV characters for a four book series, but for a hackmanlike piece of standard early 21st century fantasy, the characters are all pretty solid and believable if you add 5-7 years to the teenage characters' ages (MOST of the time, and by the standards of fantasy literature, that is a triumph of characterization, even if the choice to have three teenage POV characters is predictably tiresome).
Setting: The depth of the world gets better. It's not a world I'd ever create or want to write in, but I come to respect it as a piece of fantasy craftsmanship.
Plot: The Wheel of Time, for better and worse, is probably the dominant fantasy series of the last twenty years, and illustrates both towering heights and soul-crushing depths of plotting. Literally thousands of pages occupy each moderately devoted fan's shelves that are COMPLETE WASTES OF FUCKING SPACE, WHERE NO PLOTLINE IS ADVANCED OR CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT TAKES PLACE--WHY, O GOD, WHY?...cough, cough...sorry about that. Suffice it to say that I refer to this sin (permitted to established fantasy authors and perhaps others whose reputation intimidates someone into publishing their work without subjecting it to serious editorial critique) as "Perrin slogging through the snow." Perrin slogs through a lot of damn snow in these first two books, and some characters' POVs continue to do so into the third, but let us not get too far afield. The author's dipshit habit of ending a chapter at the climax of a dangerous scene, flipping through ~5 POVs, then coming back to the scene with all the tension dispelled and interest dissipated, continues full force, although you get numb to it (or maybe I'm just self-medicating that heavily).
On the other hand, while there are certainly verisimilitude gaffes, the bloody asinine facer of "the Pact of the Glass" mercifully remains unique to the first book. Indeed, Tad starts pulling up lines of plot/history (bleeding into setting, as fantasy novels by their nature must do) that begin to make the world and the books' plot much more interesting. A lot of time is wasted in the Barrick/Vansen POV, but it has some really interesting revelations about the world and the course of events.
Characters: Let's see...the POV characters are Briony, Barrick/Vansen (together for this book), Chert, Quinnitan, Matty Tinwright, Pinimmon Vash...there's more, but that's enough to go on with. There are definitely too many POV characters for a four book series, but for a hackmanlike piece of standard early 21st century fantasy, the characters are all pretty solid and believable if you add 5-7 years to the teenage characters' ages (MOST of the time, and by the standards of fantasy literature, that is a triumph of characterization, even if the choice to have three teenage POV characters is predictably tiresome).
Setting: The depth of the world gets better. It's not a world I'd ever create or want to write in, but I come to respect it as a piece of fantasy craftsmanship.
September 5, 2023
Tad Williams’ second books are always so freaking good. He of course still rights slow but the politics, love, and betrayal continue to ramp up.
The prince is continuing his journey in Qar territory, led by an uncontrollable urge to continue into ebony territory where he must face god(s) knows what.
The princess has been lead to “safety” by the master of arms, Shaso.
The Xis king is preparing to invade from the south and Qar are preparing to invade from the North and certain Gods have plans of their own. I know the the last books are going to be epic!
I took off a star because the last 100 pages or so started to really get boring to me when I’d rather end on a higher note, but a great story nonetheless.
The prince is continuing his journey in Qar territory, led by an uncontrollable urge to continue into ebony territory where he must face god(s) knows what.
The princess has been lead to “safety” by the master of arms, Shaso.
The Xis king is preparing to invade from the south and Qar are preparing to invade from the North and certain Gods have plans of their own. I know the the last books are going to be epic!
I took off a star because the last 100 pages or so started to really get boring to me when I’d rather end on a higher note, but a great story nonetheless.
June 11, 2015
It took me a while to get into this. I read the first book, SHADOWMARCH, when it first came out, which was several years ago, and I honestly remember nothing about it except that it was about twins whose father is gone and their stepmother . . . is evil? Something something a coup? Basically, it was no MEMORY, SORROW, AND THORN, which is probably my all time favorite high fantasy series. (Yep. I like it better than LORD OF THE RINGS, deal with it.) Anyhoo, the first couple of hundred pages were kind of slow going while I tried to remember who everyone was and where they were at and why I cared. Then I had to put it aside to read a book I'd been asked to blurb (LAST SONG BEFORE NIGHT, which was great, by the way), and I came back to this just in time for things to seriously pick up! I caught the rhythm of the story, the characters became clearer in my mind, and by the last hundred pages I was making plans to get the next book ASAP and keep going! And so today I have purchased SHADOWRISE and will embark on it shortly!
If you're a fan of high fantasy, Williams does it right. He's got his feet firmly in reality when it comes to life in a medieval society, no one is riding a horse at a gallop for days on end, or picking up a sword and suddenly being a great warrior, but he's also got plenty of immortal beings, demigods, and unhinged, inbred royals to add spice.
If you're a fan of high fantasy, Williams does it right. He's got his feet firmly in reality when it comes to life in a medieval society, no one is riding a horse at a gallop for days on end, or picking up a sword and suddenly being a great warrior, but he's also got plenty of immortal beings, demigods, and unhinged, inbred royals to add spice.
February 11, 2012
Tad Williams remains the most criminally underappreciated writer in fantasy. Shadowplay deepens and enriches the world of Shadowmarch as a good sequel should. The curtain rises on the continent of Eion outside Southmarch and the city of Xis. The theological history is pieced together through chapter headings that offer competing mythical interpretations of the events of creation and what the characters call the Trigonate "Theomachy." And Williams continues to spin a powerful yarn that centers around fate, destiny, faith, truth, and our ability to reach any or all of them.
Time got it wrong. As much as I admire George R. R. Martin--and there is much to admire there--Williams is the American Tolkien. His creation is as real as Martin's, and his writing at a word-for-word and sentence-for-sentence level far outstrips what Martin offers us. Also, Williams' vision of the world as shown in his books reflects a belief in nobility and heroism--or at least the potential for such--that much better reflects the spirit of Tolkien's trilogy than the more "realistic" (re: cynical) world of George R. R. Matin.
Time got it wrong. As much as I admire George R. R. Martin--and there is much to admire there--Williams is the American Tolkien. His creation is as real as Martin's, and his writing at a word-for-word and sentence-for-sentence level far outstrips what Martin offers us. Also, Williams' vision of the world as shown in his books reflects a belief in nobility and heroism--or at least the potential for such--that much better reflects the spirit of Tolkien's trilogy than the more "realistic" (re: cynical) world of George R. R. Matin.
July 5, 2019
With this volume, things start to get really complicated: King Olin is still a prisoner, Briony and Barrick are separated. The Qar start the war against Southmarch kingdom, however, it can be avoided if a mission, which is meant to fail from the beginning, is being carried out successfully.
Both of them get some unusually allies in their quest to save their lives and people, but they also learn that very few are to be trusted.
Briony’ story on the way to Syan among the players was a bit too long even for my taste, but it gets compensated by Barrick's adventure behind the Shadowline.
Moving on to the third part.
Both of them get some unusually allies in their quest to save their lives and people, but they also learn that very few are to be trusted.
Briony’ story on the way to Syan among the players was a bit too long even for my taste, but it gets compensated by Barrick's adventure behind the Shadowline.
Moving on to the third part.
October 29, 2025
Really great series. This definitely feels like a middle book but the scope gets expanded significantly and there's still a lot of great moments, just less of a clear beginning and end goal with a lot set up for the conclusion of the story.
Has one storyline that's one of the best Tad's written so far but also a couple that are treading water the whole book. However, even some of the slower ones have high moments and all the POVs end up in pretty interesting spots.
Tad makes some major world building choices here that are great and really commit the series to an interesting direction, still a lot of mystery left to uncover.
Looking forward to continuing, definitely one of the most overlooked series by a master of dark epic fantasy.
Has one storyline that's one of the best Tad's written so far but also a couple that are treading water the whole book. However, even some of the slower ones have high moments and all the POVs end up in pretty interesting spots.
Tad makes some major world building choices here that are great and really commit the series to an interesting direction, still a lot of mystery left to uncover.
Looking forward to continuing, definitely one of the most overlooked series by a master of dark epic fantasy.
May 8, 2022
Much better than the first volume, and many of the pacing problems that plagued that earlier novel are fixed here. Not all, though; this is fantasy, and Tad Williams at that, so of course it’s five pounds of novel in a ten-pound bag—much too long and often far too slow. But the characters seem more like fully realized people here than the mere propositions and plot functions that they seemed to be in Shadowmarch, and I’m invested enough in their story to continue.
November 8, 2013
There's an epidemic among modern fantasy writers today of glacial bloat. Don't mistake my meaning - I have no problem with a large book or series if the plot advances at a natural, readable pace. But with writers like George R.R. Martin and Robert Jordan, we are seeing plots dragged out far longer than actually need be, for purposes known only to the writer and certainly not to the benefit of the reader. I've always respected Tad Williams' work in that he writes huge novels with excellent pacing, sacrificing neither world-building nor advancement of his stories in his fantasy and science fiction epics. Unfortunately, Shadowplay disappoints, and becomes his first novel in memory to finish up only a few paces from where it started, despite its staggering size and numerous plot threads.
It's a shame, too. The world-building is truly excellent in Shadowplay (and is, in fact, so good that it brings this review up slightly due to my prejudice in favor of great world elements). The rich mythology and religious aspects, both familiar and strange in the very best of ways, are definitely the highlight of the series as a whole. There's a complex story behind the scenes here of gods, demigods, and mortals, but unfortunately, the reader is forced to slog through endless pages of two-dimensional characters and a plot akin to Nyquil.
The characters are far beneath Williams' considerable talent, a tragedy given that this is the man who brought us such vibrant characters in Memory, Sorrow, and Thorne, Otherland, and The War of the Roses. Each one is given a single distinguishable character trait - the guardsman Vansen is guided by his unrequited love for a woman he can't have, Barrick is abrasively angry and depressed, and the rest of the characters often play lost, confused pawns in games larger than them. Instead of using the girth of the novel to explore these characters more or give them characteristics beyond the little they're given, we're bashed over the head repeatedly by these single traits until it's impossible to care about any of them.
I'm also bewildered as to how the plot could advance so little. I imagine you could probably read the first chapter, skip ahead to the last fifth of the novel, and still be perfectly in synch with the story. Certainly, the chapters within contain some rich imagery (particularly with regards to the demigod Jack in Chains, an excellent villain who unfortunately isn't given nearly enough time), but the book's most interesting elements are glossed over in favor of... well, word fat.
It's not that this is particularly a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. But honestly, with Tad Williams writing so many other good-to-great novels, I just can't see recommending this series to anyone. Go read something else of his - anything else, in fact.
It's a shame, too. The world-building is truly excellent in Shadowplay (and is, in fact, so good that it brings this review up slightly due to my prejudice in favor of great world elements). The rich mythology and religious aspects, both familiar and strange in the very best of ways, are definitely the highlight of the series as a whole. There's a complex story behind the scenes here of gods, demigods, and mortals, but unfortunately, the reader is forced to slog through endless pages of two-dimensional characters and a plot akin to Nyquil.
The characters are far beneath Williams' considerable talent, a tragedy given that this is the man who brought us such vibrant characters in Memory, Sorrow, and Thorne, Otherland, and The War of the Roses. Each one is given a single distinguishable character trait - the guardsman Vansen is guided by his unrequited love for a woman he can't have, Barrick is abrasively angry and depressed, and the rest of the characters often play lost, confused pawns in games larger than them. Instead of using the girth of the novel to explore these characters more or give them characteristics beyond the little they're given, we're bashed over the head repeatedly by these single traits until it's impossible to care about any of them.
I'm also bewildered as to how the plot could advance so little. I imagine you could probably read the first chapter, skip ahead to the last fifth of the novel, and still be perfectly in synch with the story. Certainly, the chapters within contain some rich imagery (particularly with regards to the demigod Jack in Chains, an excellent villain who unfortunately isn't given nearly enough time), but the book's most interesting elements are glossed over in favor of... well, word fat.
It's not that this is particularly a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. But honestly, with Tad Williams writing so many other good-to-great novels, I just can't see recommending this series to anyone. Go read something else of his - anything else, in fact.
April 17, 2023
Leading up to the final 100 pages I was very happy with this instalment as it was quite a large improvement in quality over the first entry, sure there was one part of one of the PoVs that was not particularly interesting and was a bit too slow even for Tad Williams, but the rest was thoughtful and melancholic in a way reminiscent of Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, but different and managing to explore vastly different themes. So up to the final 100 pages I would have given it 4 stars, but the last 100 pages where so jaw-droppingly amazing that I will give it 5 stars. Is it perfect? No, like I said, the pacing is a bit slow even for Tad Williams and some plot points where only ok, but overall the story is fantastic and has a fantastic thematic exploration and character arcs, so 5 stars it is.
March 16, 2023
Seeds of greatness mired with moments of apples meets oranges world building. While not to the height of his Osten Ard work, still entertaining. Excited to see how this wraps up in the back half.
November 6, 2021
"Ich bin Leere. Du könntest mich mit allen Meeren der füllen, und ich wäre immer noch nicht voll, weil Leere niemals gefüllt werden kann. Du könntest alle Wesen der Welt zu Hilfe holen und würdest mich immer noch nicht heben können, weil Leere sich nicht bewegen lässt."
"Das Spiel" ist die gelungene Fortsetzung von Tad Williams' epischer, vierteiliger Shadowmarch-Reihe.
Zum Inhalt möchte ich euch nichts sagen, damit würde ich zu sehr spoilern. Nur soviel: Es geht ungemein spannend weiter. Allianzen und Zweckgemeinschaften finden sich zusammen und manch einer muss über sich hinauswachsen. Teilweise wird es auch sehr düster.
Auch diesmal wechselt Williams beim Erzählen wieder zwischen verschiedenen Perspektiven. Wenn ich mich nicht verzählt habe, gibt es zwölf Sichtweisen, aus denen die Geschichte vorangetrieben wird. Die Geschichte ist wie ein Spinnennetz aufgebaut, jeder Faden hängt irgendwie mit anderen zusammen. Und so langsam erfährt man einige Zusammenhänge, aber vieles bleibt auch noch offen.
Nach wie vor finde ich die Vielfalt der Völker einfach großartig. Zu den Qar, Funderlingen, Skimmern, Dachlingen, Menschen und Göttern, gesellen sich noch einige seltsame grausige Kreaturen aus dem Zwielichtlande.
Die Charaktere wirkten auf mich nach wie vor sehr lebendig und glaubwürdig. Meine Lieblinge sind auf jeden Fall der Funderling Chert und Pelaya, die Tochter eines Grafen von Hierosol.
"Das Spiel" ist die gelungene Fortsetzung von Tad Williams' epischer, vierteiliger Shadowmarch-Reihe.
Zum Inhalt möchte ich euch nichts sagen, damit würde ich zu sehr spoilern. Nur soviel: Es geht ungemein spannend weiter. Allianzen und Zweckgemeinschaften finden sich zusammen und manch einer muss über sich hinauswachsen. Teilweise wird es auch sehr düster.
Auch diesmal wechselt Williams beim Erzählen wieder zwischen verschiedenen Perspektiven. Wenn ich mich nicht verzählt habe, gibt es zwölf Sichtweisen, aus denen die Geschichte vorangetrieben wird. Die Geschichte ist wie ein Spinnennetz aufgebaut, jeder Faden hängt irgendwie mit anderen zusammen. Und so langsam erfährt man einige Zusammenhänge, aber vieles bleibt auch noch offen.
Nach wie vor finde ich die Vielfalt der Völker einfach großartig. Zu den Qar, Funderlingen, Skimmern, Dachlingen, Menschen und Göttern, gesellen sich noch einige seltsame grausige Kreaturen aus dem Zwielichtlande.
Die Charaktere wirkten auf mich nach wie vor sehr lebendig und glaubwürdig. Meine Lieblinge sind auf jeden Fall der Funderling Chert und Pelaya, die Tochter eines Grafen von Hierosol.
May 13, 2017
Shadowmarch Castle is in crisis. Barrick Eddon is missing, presumed killed in battle, whilst his sister Briony has also vanished from the castle, leaving it under the redoubtable stewardship of the ambitious and scheming Hendon Tolly. An army of the Twilight Folk has occupied the landward side of the fortress but not besieged the castle proper, but far to the south the great city of Hierosol is under attack by the armies of Xis, threatening the safety of both the fugitive Quinnitan and King Olin Eddon, a captive of the city's rulers.
Shadowplay is the second volume in the Shadowmarch quartet and carries the series past its halfway point. As with the first volume it's a competently-executed, traditional secondary world fantasy, but as a novel it's even slower-moving and more badly-paced than the first book.
The book is divided into several widely-separated narratives: Barrick and Ferras Vansen's adventures beyond the Shadowline, Briony on the run with a bunch of theatrical players, Olin as a captive in Hierosol, Chert the Funderling trying to help his amnesiac, adopted son and various characters in Southmarch living under the new regime. Unfortunately these narratives aren't really tied together well. They also vary wildly in quality and execution. The autarch's assault on Hierosol is tense and well-handled, but Briony on the road with the travelling players is dull. Even worse is Barrick's adventures beyond the Shadowline, where Williams aims for a kind of surreal mysticism and ends up with turgid boredom (though a few moments are genuinely unsettling). Chert, the most interesting character from the first book, is also hugely reduced in importance and gets little to do here.
The book's biggest problem is that whilst we have some big battles, some ominous scenes and some intriguing (if sometimes soap opera-ish) developments, the overall storyline doesn't develop very far. For only the second in a four-book series, it feels like Williams has far too many balls in play and is only able to move each of them forward a very small amount rather than the whole thing forward decisively (probably a reason why this trilogy expanded to four volumes).
The book is somewhat frustrating as Williams is still a good writer and some storylines and characters are well-handled, but overall the book's pace feels misjudged and there are no real surprises here.
Shadowplay (***) is a competently-executed fantasy novel, but the plot is slow to develop and there are too many storylines which feel extraneous or badly-handled to be really satisfying.
Shadowplay is the second volume in the Shadowmarch quartet and carries the series past its halfway point. As with the first volume it's a competently-executed, traditional secondary world fantasy, but as a novel it's even slower-moving and more badly-paced than the first book.
The book is divided into several widely-separated narratives: Barrick and Ferras Vansen's adventures beyond the Shadowline, Briony on the run with a bunch of theatrical players, Olin as a captive in Hierosol, Chert the Funderling trying to help his amnesiac, adopted son and various characters in Southmarch living under the new regime. Unfortunately these narratives aren't really tied together well. They also vary wildly in quality and execution. The autarch's assault on Hierosol is tense and well-handled, but Briony on the road with the travelling players is dull. Even worse is Barrick's adventures beyond the Shadowline, where Williams aims for a kind of surreal mysticism and ends up with turgid boredom (though a few moments are genuinely unsettling). Chert, the most interesting character from the first book, is also hugely reduced in importance and gets little to do here.
The book's biggest problem is that whilst we have some big battles, some ominous scenes and some intriguing (if sometimes soap opera-ish) developments, the overall storyline doesn't develop very far. For only the second in a four-book series, it feels like Williams has far too many balls in play and is only able to move each of them forward a very small amount rather than the whole thing forward decisively (probably a reason why this trilogy expanded to four volumes).
The book is somewhat frustrating as Williams is still a good writer and some storylines and characters are well-handled, but overall the book's pace feels misjudged and there are no real surprises here.
Shadowplay (***) is a competently-executed fantasy novel, but the plot is slow to develop and there are too many storylines which feel extraneous or badly-handled to be really satisfying.
August 9, 2016
3.5 stars
Pro tip: don't wait four years in between reading two parts of a series if you can help it. Though sometimes it isn't really your fault. (I'm looking at you, Mr. Martin) In this case however it was my fault. This one was definitely a test of my retention capabilities. As such, I decided to have a look at my review of the first one and amongst other things, this is what I said: It is too damn slow!
Well, it is STILL too damn slow. It annoys me greatly because there is quite a lot of good about this work, this story has potential, but bloody hell it drags along at a snail's pace. Nearly eight hundred pages and I could probably summarise it in less than a page without leaving out ANY vital information. The story lines veer away from each other and most of what the characters seem to do is aim around purposelessly. Take Qinnitan for instance: .
You'd have something fun happen and then a whole lot of filler. I'm also not really a big fan of having so many storylines that it takes ages before you come back to another chapter in the same storyline. All in all, there was quite a bit of room for improvement.
On a side note. I did not like the translation by Erica Feberwee. She attempted to translate names, places and certain other things that don't have a translation nor do they need one. It seemed to give the place and characters a Dutch feeling. But this is a fantasy realm, it isn't supposed to feel Dutch. It greatly annoyed me for the most part, definitely not my favourite translator.
Pro tip: don't wait four years in between reading two parts of a series if you can help it. Though sometimes it isn't really your fault. (I'm looking at you, Mr. Martin) In this case however it was my fault. This one was definitely a test of my retention capabilities. As such, I decided to have a look at my review of the first one and amongst other things, this is what I said: It is too damn slow!
Well, it is STILL too damn slow. It annoys me greatly because there is quite a lot of good about this work, this story has potential, but bloody hell it drags along at a snail's pace. Nearly eight hundred pages and I could probably summarise it in less than a page without leaving out ANY vital information. The story lines veer away from each other and most of what the characters seem to do is aim around purposelessly. Take Qinnitan for instance: .
You'd have something fun happen and then a whole lot of filler. I'm also not really a big fan of having so many storylines that it takes ages before you come back to another chapter in the same storyline. All in all, there was quite a bit of room for improvement.
On a side note. I did not like the translation by Erica Feberwee. She attempted to translate names, places and certain other things that don't have a translation nor do they need one. It seemed to give the place and characters a Dutch feeling. But this is a fantasy realm, it isn't supposed to feel Dutch. It greatly annoyed me for the most part, definitely not my favourite translator.
May 26, 2016
After the amazing first book in this series, we herewith put the brakes on a bit. The characters we come to love has to suffer a lot and with all the talking about gods and history the story really slows down. I must admit I felt every single one of the 813 pages and sometimes almost lost interest. On the other hand we go deeper into the dark parts and everyone is targeted into his position for the next book, which I will read for sure (after a small break)
August 2, 2025
Przeczytałam niewiele ponad połowę, dalej nie mam ochoty. Pierwsza część niezwykle mi się podobała, druga teoretycznie też jest dobra, autor rozbudowuje świat w bardzo ciekawym kierunku (szczególnie podobał mi się świat za Granicą Cienia, postacie są dosyć ciekawe), jest kilka zwrotów akcji (chociaż w sumie to był chyba tylko jeden), język ponownie świetny, ale ... napisane to bez polotu i powieść czyta się przeraźliwie nudno. Przez jakieś 3 tygodnie próbuję się przekonać do czytania tej książki, i trochę mi szkoda, bo na pierwszy rzut oka jest dobrą kontynuacją, ale nie potrafi mnie zaciekawić. Może kiedyś wrócę do tej serii, i może mi się spodoba ... na razie czytanie jej wydaje się męką, mam ochotę poczytać wieczorem, ale jak widzę tą książkę to ochota mnie odchodzi, lub zasypiam nad nią ...
Do tego niektóre wątki jakby były ciągnięte na siłę, może i prowadzą do ciekawego rozwiązania w przyszłości, ale póki co prowadzone są w strasznie nużący sposób. Np. wątek Rogowca, strasznie wymęczony. Autor przeskakuje pomiędzy różnymi perspektywami, co normalnie uwielbiam, ale tutaj w połowie z nich nic się nie dzieje przez jakieś 400 stron. Nie mam nic przeciwko powolnym książkom, w których jednak czuć, że autor, powoli rozwijając wątki, ma jakiś cel, poza tym może być ciekawie nawet jak akcja powoli idzie do przodu, ale chociaż idzie; tutaj to, co autorowi tak dobrze wyszło w 1 tomie, się sypie, a akcja stoi w miejscu.
Do tego niektóre wątki jakby były ciągnięte na siłę, może i prowadzą do ciekawego rozwiązania w przyszłości, ale póki co prowadzone są w strasznie nużący sposób. Np. wątek Rogowca, strasznie wymęczony. Autor przeskakuje pomiędzy różnymi perspektywami, co normalnie uwielbiam, ale tutaj w połowie z nich nic się nie dzieje przez jakieś 400 stron. Nie mam nic przeciwko powolnym książkom, w których jednak czuć, że autor, powoli rozwijając wątki, ma jakiś cel, poza tym może być ciekawie nawet jak akcja powoli idzie do przodu, ale chociaż idzie; tutaj to, co autorowi tak dobrze wyszło w 1 tomie, się sypie, a akcja stoi w miejscu.
October 17, 2024
Loved every part of this book, but the characters are what really made me hungry for every next page of this book. Shadowplay was great and it immediately hooked me for the next installment which I can't wait to get to
January 6, 2025
Definitely feels like a middle setup book mostly. Still a great book though. A bit slow at times and a storyline or two I find less interesting than the others, but overall very enjoyable.
January 24, 2015
I'm sitting here on Friday night reviewing a book. Because that's what I do. I love to read.
First off, I love this series. Tadd Williams is a guy that gets fantasy. That's not true of all fantasy Authors, not eve the bestselling ones. There's fantasy writers who play with the tropes, those that revel with them, those that forget that they're there, and use them over and over and over....You get the point. Tadd Williams, on the other hand, is just a guy that loves fantasy.
This series has awesome world building. From top to bottom it's well formed and interesting, with elements borrowed from many cultures, and utilized in wonderful and surprising ways. There's a love there, too. The guy loves his craft. You can tell when you read him.
And the language. *Cue the drooling sound.* He gets it. His language and metaphors add to the story without ever distracting the reader from the story. It's a perfect blend. One that gives you space to admire without taking you out of what you're reading.
The characters are great, but its what he DOES with them that's truly spectacular. The combination of Gyir, Barrick, and Ferras Vansen all interacting in a strange, and wonderful land left me salivating for more. Given that particular story line is just a bit more tantalizing than the rest of it, but only by a small margin. The rest of the story still pulls its wait.
What more can I say? It was a wonderful read. I look forward to reading his other series. He's definitely made a fan of me.
First off, I love this series. Tadd Williams is a guy that gets fantasy. That's not true of all fantasy Authors, not eve the bestselling ones. There's fantasy writers who play with the tropes, those that revel with them, those that forget that they're there, and use them over and over and over....You get the point. Tadd Williams, on the other hand, is just a guy that loves fantasy.
This series has awesome world building. From top to bottom it's well formed and interesting, with elements borrowed from many cultures, and utilized in wonderful and surprising ways. There's a love there, too. The guy loves his craft. You can tell when you read him.
And the language. *Cue the drooling sound.* He gets it. His language and metaphors add to the story without ever distracting the reader from the story. It's a perfect blend. One that gives you space to admire without taking you out of what you're reading.
The characters are great, but its what he DOES with them that's truly spectacular. The combination of Gyir, Barrick, and Ferras Vansen all interacting in a strange, and wonderful land left me salivating for more. Given that particular story line is just a bit more tantalizing than the rest of it, but only by a small margin. The rest of the story still pulls its wait.
What more can I say? It was a wonderful read. I look forward to reading his other series. He's definitely made a fan of me.
May 7, 2014
Cuando comencé a leer El juego de las sombras, segunda entrega de la tetralogía "Shadowmarch", lo hice con la confianza que me daba tanto el escritor como la historia que había leído a lo largo de su primer tomo, La frontera de las sombras. Puedo decir sin temor a equivocarme, que la historia ha conseguido alcanzar exactamente las expectativas que me había creado en torno a ella. Como ya dije en su momento, en un tiempo en el que hay todo tipo de experimentos en lo que a narrar fantasía se refiere, se agradece poder refugiarse en un oasis de aquella fantasía más clásica que en su día a todos nos embrujó. Tad Williams, al igual que hizo con su famosa saga de "Añoranzas y Pesares", es único para reflejar un mundo realmente inabarcable con aparentemente poco esfuerzo. Algo que todo amante de la fantasía adora y que estoy segura que conseguirá atraer a muchos nuevos lectores a nuestro mal llamado “lado oscuro”.
Sigue leyendo: http://www.laespadaenlatinta.com/2014/05/resena-shadowmarch-juego-sombras-tad-williams.html
Sigue leyendo: http://www.laespadaenlatinta.com/2014/05/resena-shadowmarch-juego-sombras-tad-williams.html
did-not-finish
September 28, 2012I liked the first book in this series because each chapter ended with a cliffhanger. That kept me going through the abundance of detail and lack of plot progression. The chapters in this book were short just like the first book, but they ended on a bland note instead of an exciting one. After too many pages of characters walking, characters walking, characters talking, characters walking some more, and, surprise, more walking, I couldn't take it any more. It's unfortunate because I really liked the world presented here and I was curious about how things would turn out. I just can't sit through a few thousand more pages of little to no plot progression. This series definitely had potential, and if it was written with a little more oomph and a lot less walking I would have continued reading the series. I do appreciate that the author chose to create characters that weren't perfect, and were at times even irritating, but the characters alone couldn't carry this.
February 6, 2013
This book continues the tale started in Shadowmarch, and does an admirable job of building the mystery of the world, and setting the characters on their journey. What needs to be known, however, is that the pace of the book is haphazard at best. This is the "Two Towers" of Shadowmarch, a second book with second-book syndrome, but without a major battle to keep reader's interest. The cast is growing (The king is alive!) and the villains are fleshed out (The traitorous cousin was a name in a list of names, but he's also a main villain? Huh?) but at the same time, there's a certain amount of reader fatigue that sets in with this book. The stories themselves are too disparate, too slow, and the adventures the characters go on don't serve any greater purpose. For the most part all the adventures are there to spin the wheels before something big actually happens, which I'm certain will happen eventually.
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