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Shadowmarch #1
Shadowmarch
Shadowmarch begins Tad Williams' first epic fantasy trilogy since his best-selling Memory, Sorrow and Thorn . Rich with detail and exotic culture, and filled with a cast of characters both diverse and three-dimensional, Shadowmarch is a true fantasy achievement, an epic of storytelling by a master of the genre.
656 pages, Paperback
First published November 2, 2004
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11962 people want to read
About the author
Tad Williams
347 books7,912 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 593 reviews
April 15, 2020
Shadowmarch is a slow-burning fantasy epic with fine world-building, interesting characters, and large amounts of political intrigue. It is mostly the groundwork that is set here of what I don't doubt will be a phenomenal series. Introducing the players, the factions, the warring nations, and a potential threat from the fabled Qar, the Twilight People.
It's a traditional high fantasy series that will appeal to fans of Robin Hobb's The Farseer Trilogy, John Gwynne's The Faithful and the Fallen, and Joe Abercrombie's Shattered Seas Trilogy. The Qar are similar to The Others from A Song of Ice and Fire. Whereas White Walkers dwell behind The Wall, The Twilight People reside behind the Shadowline. Humanity pushed them back to The Twilight Lands yet after hundreds of years the Qar have decided that they wish for their lands in Eion back. The closest of which is Southmarch.
"Most dreadful of all, as she lay with her shivering children on the cold ground just outside the murdered town, she could hear the destroyers of everything she had, and they were singing. Their voices were painfully lovely. Darkness claimed her then, but only for a while."
The action in Shadowmarch mainly takes place in, or around Southmarch. The main characters we follow are the Royal twins Barrick and Briony. Their father, King Olin, has been kidnapped and taken to Hierosol and we follow how the twins behave, live and change during his absence. Barrick has a crippled arm and has morbid dreams where shadows haunt his residence. Briony is a young Princess who doesn't wish to be treated like most the other girls, and has to learn how to cope in a man's court where murder, deceit, and betrayal is often the order of the day. These were my two favourite viewpoints. Even in this first entry of the series they develop a fair amount whilst having the fate of Southmarch weighing on their shoulders.
Other point of view perspectives in Southmarch are those of Captain Ferras Vansen, the poet Matty Timwright, and the funderling Chert. Funderlings are this world's equivalent of dwarves and Chert's tale was one of my favourites to follow. Towards the beginning he finds a young child abandoned, only just on the human side of the Shadowline, and takes him in as his foster son. The child is extremely mysterious but likeable, and there is no doubt that he is extremely important to the overall narrative.
"‘But he came . . . he came from . . .’ Chert looked at the boy, who was sucking his fingers and examining the landscape. He lowered his voice. ‘He came from the other side.’"
The other main character that we follow is Qinnitan who is a Sister of the Hive. This is a religious organisation in Great Xis. Xis is ruled by the Autarch - the God-King - and he chooses Qinnitan as one of his wives. The Autarch is power-mad and has been invading the southern regions of Eoin with an intended aim of taking over the entire land. Qinnitan's was the perspective I found least interesting and slightly dull but it gives us an insight into Xis which is completely unlike Southmarch. The conclusion of her tale here was actually pretty exciting and sets her story up to be really interesting in the forthcoming releases.
Unlike the White Walkers in A Song of Ice and Fire, the Twilight People here are presented through a point of view perspective of one of them. Here we have Yasammez - The Scourge of the Shivering Plain - a superpowerful, fairy-like hater of humans who wields a legendary sword.
Shadowmarch slowly builds up this epic and extremely detailed world. It isn't really action-focused at this point. The novel had intriguing moments though such as when Vansen gets lost behind the Shadowline, the Wyvern hunt, uncertainty regarding what happened in Prince Regent Kendrick's room. When reading Shadowmarch I kept overanalysing who the twins can trust and also which of the two mighty threats of Southmarch will materialise first, when, and will they be prepared/ able to cope at all? The ending was fulfilling and was great to see how things wrapped up in this first series entry. At the finale, at least four of the finale make/ are forced to make life-altering choices. I am so intrigued to see where this series will go next with Shadowplay. This novel is so deep and enthralling that, with the horrors currently happening all around us with coronavirus, it was great to immerse myself and escape to this world. Shadowmarch is the impressive first chapter in what may become one of my favourite fantasy series. I can't wait to find out more about what is hidden behind the Shadowline.
It's a traditional high fantasy series that will appeal to fans of Robin Hobb's The Farseer Trilogy, John Gwynne's The Faithful and the Fallen, and Joe Abercrombie's Shattered Seas Trilogy. The Qar are similar to The Others from A Song of Ice and Fire. Whereas White Walkers dwell behind The Wall, The Twilight People reside behind the Shadowline. Humanity pushed them back to The Twilight Lands yet after hundreds of years the Qar have decided that they wish for their lands in Eion back. The closest of which is Southmarch.
"Most dreadful of all, as she lay with her shivering children on the cold ground just outside the murdered town, she could hear the destroyers of everything she had, and they were singing. Their voices were painfully lovely. Darkness claimed her then, but only for a while."
The action in Shadowmarch mainly takes place in, or around Southmarch. The main characters we follow are the Royal twins Barrick and Briony. Their father, King Olin, has been kidnapped and taken to Hierosol and we follow how the twins behave, live and change during his absence. Barrick has a crippled arm and has morbid dreams where shadows haunt his residence. Briony is a young Princess who doesn't wish to be treated like most the other girls, and has to learn how to cope in a man's court where murder, deceit, and betrayal is often the order of the day. These were my two favourite viewpoints. Even in this first entry of the series they develop a fair amount whilst having the fate of Southmarch weighing on their shoulders.
Other point of view perspectives in Southmarch are those of Captain Ferras Vansen, the poet Matty Timwright, and the funderling Chert. Funderlings are this world's equivalent of dwarves and Chert's tale was one of my favourites to follow. Towards the beginning he finds a young child abandoned, only just on the human side of the Shadowline, and takes him in as his foster son. The child is extremely mysterious but likeable, and there is no doubt that he is extremely important to the overall narrative.
"‘But he came . . . he came from . . .’ Chert looked at the boy, who was sucking his fingers and examining the landscape. He lowered his voice. ‘He came from the other side.’"
The other main character that we follow is Qinnitan who is a Sister of the Hive. This is a religious organisation in Great Xis. Xis is ruled by the Autarch - the God-King - and he chooses Qinnitan as one of his wives. The Autarch is power-mad and has been invading the southern regions of Eoin with an intended aim of taking over the entire land. Qinnitan's was the perspective I found least interesting and slightly dull but it gives us an insight into Xis which is completely unlike Southmarch. The conclusion of her tale here was actually pretty exciting and sets her story up to be really interesting in the forthcoming releases.
Unlike the White Walkers in A Song of Ice and Fire, the Twilight People here are presented through a point of view perspective of one of them. Here we have Yasammez - The Scourge of the Shivering Plain - a superpowerful, fairy-like hater of humans who wields a legendary sword.
Shadowmarch slowly builds up this epic and extremely detailed world. It isn't really action-focused at this point. The novel had intriguing moments though such as when Vansen gets lost behind the Shadowline, the Wyvern hunt, uncertainty regarding what happened in Prince Regent Kendrick's room. When reading Shadowmarch I kept overanalysing who the twins can trust and also which of the two mighty threats of Southmarch will materialise first, when, and will they be prepared/ able to cope at all? The ending was fulfilling and was great to see how things wrapped up in this first series entry. At the finale, at least four of the finale make/ are forced to make life-altering choices. I am so intrigued to see where this series will go next with Shadowplay. This novel is so deep and enthralling that, with the horrors currently happening all around us with coronavirus, it was great to immerse myself and escape to this world. Shadowmarch is the impressive first chapter in what may become one of my favourite fantasy series. I can't wait to find out more about what is hidden behind the Shadowline.
March 8, 2018
It has been way too many years since I picked up a Tad Williams fantasy. I read the books surrounding the Dragonbone Chair back when they came out and I was extremely impressed by the writing quality and character, the slow burn and devoted character building, the inexorable finality of the grand explosion or magical release or bloodshed to come.
He builds slowly, carefully, and with enormous attention to detail.
Therefore, I knew very well what I was getting into here. These are long books and there are a lot of them, and true to modern epic fantasy form, we have a firmly established place and time. We get to know all our main characters, their little squabbles, their personalities, their little strivings.
It requires patience. Even to me, it required a lot of patience. I grew bored with long stretches, but nothing is permanent. Battles and magic and the Shadow come to those who wait, as well as long stretches underground, fae creatures, goblins, and a truly wicked scene being set.
Darkness and all the creatures in it will come to reclaim the land. And I mean literal darkness, neverending night, and this is no hyperbole. Tad Williams is setting the stage for an end-all epic scene of destruction and mayhem and horror.
I trust him as I trust few writers. His Otherland SF series was a brilliant romp of the imagination and his fantasy reaches high-brow status while never skimping on the gritty detail.
But again, it requires otherworldly patience. :) The taste of things to come at the end of this huge tome is well worth the wait. I feel like I've grown up with these folks now. I feel like I'm living here, that I love this place. The anticipation of its destruction is truly wicked.
Suffice to say, I can't let this end here. I'm in it for the long haul, and that's sometimes the only thing you can do. :)
He builds slowly, carefully, and with enormous attention to detail.
Therefore, I knew very well what I was getting into here. These are long books and there are a lot of them, and true to modern epic fantasy form, we have a firmly established place and time. We get to know all our main characters, their little squabbles, their personalities, their little strivings.
It requires patience. Even to me, it required a lot of patience. I grew bored with long stretches, but nothing is permanent. Battles and magic and the Shadow come to those who wait, as well as long stretches underground, fae creatures, goblins, and a truly wicked scene being set.
Darkness and all the creatures in it will come to reclaim the land. And I mean literal darkness, neverending night, and this is no hyperbole. Tad Williams is setting the stage for an end-all epic scene of destruction and mayhem and horror.
I trust him as I trust few writers. His Otherland SF series was a brilliant romp of the imagination and his fantasy reaches high-brow status while never skimping on the gritty detail.
But again, it requires otherworldly patience. :) The taste of things to come at the end of this huge tome is well worth the wait. I feel like I've grown up with these folks now. I feel like I'm living here, that I love this place. The anticipation of its destruction is truly wicked.
Suffice to say, I can't let this end here. I'm in it for the long haul, and that's sometimes the only thing you can do. :)
June 15, 2019
It took me two weeks to read 200 pages from The Quiet War and I finished this mammoth of more than 800 pages in just one. This says something about how good and gripping is Tad Williams’ writing.
If you’re used to his style, then you’ll know that this book is just a longer prologue for future events. There are a lot of things happening here as well, but the story is just beginning to unfold.
Shadowmarch is, like the Osten Ard Saga, another epic fantasy with a multitude of main characters, all caught up in a turmoil of war and betrayals.
There are a lot of magical and funny creatures, some good, some bad. We have a coming of age story of the royal twins, of an adopted strange six years boy who doesn’t know who he is and many others, all of them mingled in an intricate story, with bits and pieces of mysteries which keep you hooked.
Each of the characters is different from the other, each with its own story and different path so that you won’t get bored. I could not help it not to root for almost all of them and I can only begin to guess what’s to come so I can’t wait to read further.
It was a great read, with a lot of humor and I guess its magic put a spell on me ;)
If you’re used to his style, then you’ll know that this book is just a longer prologue for future events. There are a lot of things happening here as well, but the story is just beginning to unfold.
Shadowmarch is, like the Osten Ard Saga, another epic fantasy with a multitude of main characters, all caught up in a turmoil of war and betrayals.
There are a lot of magical and funny creatures, some good, some bad. We have a coming of age story of the royal twins, of an adopted strange six years boy who doesn’t know who he is and many others, all of them mingled in an intricate story, with bits and pieces of mysteries which keep you hooked.
Each of the characters is different from the other, each with its own story and different path so that you won’t get bored. I could not help it not to root for almost all of them and I can only begin to guess what’s to come so I can’t wait to read further.
It was a great read, with a lot of humor and I guess its magic put a spell on me ;)
July 10, 2020
This is volume 1 of Tad William’s outstanding Shadowmarch series.
I was a great fan of the Dragonbone Chair and also of Otherland, but with this series Williams takes it to a new level. He definitely has developed since.
As usual with Tad Williams we have extensive worldbuilding and a huge array of characters. Some of the reviewers seem not to be happy with this, I enjoyed it very much, though. Also I did not feel that the story is developing too slow.
I recommend this series from the bottom of my heart to anyone who is interested in epic fantasy.
5 stars, what else.
------------------------------
Mit der Shadowmarch-Reihe hat uns Tad Williams eine weitere wunderbare Epic Fantasy geschenkt.
Shadowmarch wurde 16 Jahre nach dem Drachenbeinthron veröffentlicht und das merkt man als Leser. Shadowmarch ist reifer und komplexer als der Drachenbeinthron.
Die zentralen Figuren in Shadowmarch sind das 15-jährige Zwillingspärchen Briony und Barrick. Sie sind die jüngeren Kinder des Königs und kommen schon bald in die Situation mehr Verantwortung übernehmen zu müssen, als so ein junger Mensch schultern sollte. Beide kämpfen mit ihren Rollen, dem was von ihnen erwartet wird und ihren persönlichen Dämonen. Speziell im Fall von Briony ist bereits in diesem ersten Band eine beeindruckende Persönlichkeitsentwicklung zu erkennen.
Neben den in einer Fantasygeschichte erwartbaren phantastischen Rassen lässt sich Williams Spezies einfallen, über die ich bisher so noch nicht gelesen habe.
Aber auch rein in der Menschenwelt entwirft Williams ein Szenario, das vollkommen ausreicht den Leser in Atem zu halten. Exotische Kulturen, mächtige und böse Herrscher, Wahnsinn und politische Intrigen soweit das Auge reicht. Natürlich darf in einer Fantasy auch Magie nicht fehlen. Hier ist sie jedoch eher dezent ausgeprägt und tritt überraschend auf.
Bereits in diesem ersten Band beginnt ein schrecklicher Krieg, den die Menschen möglicherweise sogar so verdient haben. Der Autor verzichtet auf Schwarz-Weiß-Malerei, was die Charaktere und die Story umso komplexer macht.
Am Ende des Buches findet sich ein Personenverzeichnis und ausführliches Glossar. Beides habe ich jedoch nicht benötigt.
Tad Williams verzichtet auch in dieser Reihe nicht auf ein ausfühliches Worldbuilding, wobei ich das sehr genieße. Die Kritik einiger Rezensenten, dass sich die Geschichte zu sehr zieht und zu langsam entwickelt, kann ich persönlich nicht nachvollziehen. Ich habe mich mit Band 1 dieser Reihe keine Sekunde gelangweilt. Schon lange übte kein Buch eine solche Sogwirkung auf mich auf. Ich bin richtig glücklich, dass ich noch weitere drei dicke Wälzer lesen darf, bis diese Geschichte zu Ende ist.
Für mich ist das eindeutig ein 5-Sterne Buch, aber auch nur, weil ich nicht mehr Sterne vergeben kann.
I was a great fan of the Dragonbone Chair and also of Otherland, but with this series Williams takes it to a new level. He definitely has developed since.
As usual with Tad Williams we have extensive worldbuilding and a huge array of characters. Some of the reviewers seem not to be happy with this, I enjoyed it very much, though. Also I did not feel that the story is developing too slow.
I recommend this series from the bottom of my heart to anyone who is interested in epic fantasy.
5 stars, what else.
------------------------------
Mit der Shadowmarch-Reihe hat uns Tad Williams eine weitere wunderbare Epic Fantasy geschenkt.
Shadowmarch wurde 16 Jahre nach dem Drachenbeinthron veröffentlicht und das merkt man als Leser. Shadowmarch ist reifer und komplexer als der Drachenbeinthron.
Die zentralen Figuren in Shadowmarch sind das 15-jährige Zwillingspärchen Briony und Barrick. Sie sind die jüngeren Kinder des Königs und kommen schon bald in die Situation mehr Verantwortung übernehmen zu müssen, als so ein junger Mensch schultern sollte. Beide kämpfen mit ihren Rollen, dem was von ihnen erwartet wird und ihren persönlichen Dämonen. Speziell im Fall von Briony ist bereits in diesem ersten Band eine beeindruckende Persönlichkeitsentwicklung zu erkennen.
Neben den in einer Fantasygeschichte erwartbaren phantastischen Rassen lässt sich Williams Spezies einfallen, über die ich bisher so noch nicht gelesen habe.
Aber auch rein in der Menschenwelt entwirft Williams ein Szenario, das vollkommen ausreicht den Leser in Atem zu halten. Exotische Kulturen, mächtige und böse Herrscher, Wahnsinn und politische Intrigen soweit das Auge reicht. Natürlich darf in einer Fantasy auch Magie nicht fehlen. Hier ist sie jedoch eher dezent ausgeprägt und tritt überraschend auf.
Bereits in diesem ersten Band beginnt ein schrecklicher Krieg, den die Menschen möglicherweise sogar so verdient haben. Der Autor verzichtet auf Schwarz-Weiß-Malerei, was die Charaktere und die Story umso komplexer macht.
Am Ende des Buches findet sich ein Personenverzeichnis und ausführliches Glossar. Beides habe ich jedoch nicht benötigt.
Tad Williams verzichtet auch in dieser Reihe nicht auf ein ausfühliches Worldbuilding, wobei ich das sehr genieße. Die Kritik einiger Rezensenten, dass sich die Geschichte zu sehr zieht und zu langsam entwickelt, kann ich persönlich nicht nachvollziehen. Ich habe mich mit Band 1 dieser Reihe keine Sekunde gelangweilt. Schon lange übte kein Buch eine solche Sogwirkung auf mich auf. Ich bin richtig glücklich, dass ich noch weitere drei dicke Wälzer lesen darf, bis diese Geschichte zu Ende ist.
Für mich ist das eindeutig ein 5-Sterne Buch, aber auch nur, weil ich nicht mehr Sterne vergeben kann.
September 17, 2018
Aquí la vídeoreseña: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yilmg...
Tad Williams lo ha vuelto a hacer.
Su fantasía no es nada rompedora, podría decir lo mismo con muchas menos palabras, su ritmo es muy lento, no hay nada de humor, la mitad de los personajes de este libro parecen clones de otros de "Añoranzas y pesares", tiene prólogo (odio los prólogos)... Y aún así me ha encantado y quiero más.
Es simplemente que Tad Williams no escribe novelas de fantasía épica, escribe sobre personas que da la casualidad que viven en un mundo de fantasía. Es gente que está viviendo tiempos de cambio (a peor), que padece, que tiene miedo, que ve gente a la que quiere sufrir. Personajes que a veces incluso mueren. Yo ya he apostado conmigo misma cuál va a ser el personaje bueno y amable que no ha hecho daño a nadie pero que aún así va a sufrir lo indecible y al final morirá. Porque eso ocurrirá. Lo sé yo, lo sabe Tad, y lo sabe cualquiera que haya leído sus novelas.
Yo entiendo que haya gente a quien le aburra Tad Williams, con su ritmo exasperantemente lento y su verborrea excesiva y esa tensión que no parece llevar a ningún sitio, pero que siempre está ahí. Entiendo sus quejas de que la mayor parte del tiempo "no pasa nada". Pero a mí me gustan las novelas donde aparentemente no pasa nada.
Y quiero seguir leyendo para saber qué les ocurre a esos personajes. Me ha dejado con la intriga, qué le voy a hacer.
Ahora bien, creo que hay que darle puntos al bueno de Tad porque ha resumido (y en gran parte resuelto) en un solo volumen varias tramas que a George R. R. Martin le costó 4 libros. Sí, de la misma manera que Martin se basó en Williams para escribir "Canción de hielo y fuego", puedo ver qué tomó Tad Williams de Martin para escribir "Shadowmarch".
Incluso con sus fallos, a mí esta novela me ha dejado ganas de más y necesito leer los otros tres tomos.
Tad Williams lo ha vuelto a hacer.
Su fantasía no es nada rompedora, podría decir lo mismo con muchas menos palabras, su ritmo es muy lento, no hay nada de humor, la mitad de los personajes de este libro parecen clones de otros de "Añoranzas y pesares", tiene prólogo (odio los prólogos)... Y aún así me ha encantado y quiero más.
Es simplemente que Tad Williams no escribe novelas de fantasía épica, escribe sobre personas que da la casualidad que viven en un mundo de fantasía. Es gente que está viviendo tiempos de cambio (a peor), que padece, que tiene miedo, que ve gente a la que quiere sufrir. Personajes que a veces incluso mueren. Yo ya he apostado conmigo misma cuál va a ser el personaje bueno y amable que no ha hecho daño a nadie pero que aún así va a sufrir lo indecible y al final morirá. Porque eso ocurrirá. Lo sé yo, lo sabe Tad, y lo sabe cualquiera que haya leído sus novelas.
Yo entiendo que haya gente a quien le aburra Tad Williams, con su ritmo exasperantemente lento y su verborrea excesiva y esa tensión que no parece llevar a ningún sitio, pero que siempre está ahí. Entiendo sus quejas de que la mayor parte del tiempo "no pasa nada". Pero a mí me gustan las novelas donde aparentemente no pasa nada.
Y quiero seguir leyendo para saber qué les ocurre a esos personajes. Me ha dejado con la intriga, qué le voy a hacer.
Ahora bien, creo que hay que darle puntos al bueno de Tad porque ha resumido (y en gran parte resuelto) en un solo volumen varias tramas que a George R. R. Martin le costó 4 libros. Sí, de la misma manera que Martin se basó en Williams para escribir "Canción de hielo y fuego", puedo ver qué tomó Tad Williams de Martin para escribir "Shadowmarch".
Incluso con sus fallos, a mí esta novela me ha dejado ganas de más y necesito leer los otros tres tomos.
February 5, 2018
I'm a fan of Tad Williams. I've read his Memory of Sorrow and Thorn series twice, and plan to read Otherland again someday. But this one is just not for me. It's definitely in the category of Dark Fantasy, and I'm not ready to read 2500 pages of bleakness, hopelessness, and madness.
I know when it starts out bad only to get worse, when everything that could go wrong does, and everyone who started out solid begins to fall apart and twist into something else, that it's not going to improve through the next 4 books. The intro/setup is likely the highest point in the whole series, which is not saying much.
I decided long ago not to put myself through depressing reading because it's not something I can enjoy. I had read reviews saying that this series fell into the Dark Fantasy category, but I had to try it for myself. I tried it. I don't want to read anymore of it. I will still read more of Tad Williams' work that is not in this category in the future.
Edit: I normally rate books 1 star that I can't even finish, but I'm giving this 2 stars just because I do like Williams' writing style. He's good.
I know when it starts out bad only to get worse, when everything that could go wrong does, and everyone who started out solid begins to fall apart and twist into something else, that it's not going to improve through the next 4 books. The intro/setup is likely the highest point in the whole series, which is not saying much.
I decided long ago not to put myself through depressing reading because it's not something I can enjoy. I had read reviews saying that this series fell into the Dark Fantasy category, but I had to try it for myself. I tried it. I don't want to read anymore of it. I will still read more of Tad Williams' work that is not in this category in the future.
Edit: I normally rate books 1 star that I can't even finish, but I'm giving this 2 stars just because I do like Williams' writing style. He's good.
October 2, 2017
Solid & well-written Fantasy. I decided to go with 4 stars simply because I thought it had some pacing problems. Instead of 800 pages, this felt like a tale that should have been edited down to 550 or so. Barring that, I enjoyed it.
February 14, 2023
This was so much better than the first Tad Williams book I read! I really enjoyed this, a blend of spooky elves, hard choices and lots of turmoil.
CONTENT WARNING:
Things to love:
-The world. Spooky, pastoral, obviously poised at the point of upheaval.
-The POVs. We get lots of different angles, everyone witnessing the death of their own canaries in the proverbial coal mine.
-The relationships. Well drawn, complex, relatable and/or creepy.
-Hey, it's trying. So, this world has trans people and/or is obviously pulling from drag culture. I...don't know that it's totally successful? But I also don't know that I've seen a respected drag queen in high fantasy before, either, so I'll call it out as a thing of interest, just know that it's not as respectful as we expect these days.
Things that keep it from 5 stars:
-A bit drawn out. I mean, it's very long. And we get it, women and poor people in this world don't really have much hope of a kind life. I could have forgone some of the chest beating about this.
-A few missteps. There are moments when it feels like the path the author set up for the characters encountered a few potholes. Not many, but enough I noticed and they nag me.
Overall, extremely well done, looking forward to book 2!
CONTENT WARNING:
Things to love:
-The world. Spooky, pastoral, obviously poised at the point of upheaval.
-The POVs. We get lots of different angles, everyone witnessing the death of their own canaries in the proverbial coal mine.
-The relationships. Well drawn, complex, relatable and/or creepy.
-Hey, it's trying. So, this world has trans people and/or is obviously pulling from drag culture. I...don't know that it's totally successful? But I also don't know that I've seen a respected drag queen in high fantasy before, either, so I'll call it out as a thing of interest, just know that it's not as respectful as we expect these days.
Things that keep it from 5 stars:
-A bit drawn out. I mean, it's very long. And we get it, women and poor people in this world don't really have much hope of a kind life. I could have forgone some of the chest beating about this.
-A few missteps. There are moments when it feels like the path the author set up for the characters encountered a few potholes. Not many, but enough I noticed and they nag me.
Overall, extremely well done, looking forward to book 2!
October 11, 2022
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“Most dreadful of all, as she lay with her shivering children on the cold ground just outside the murdered town, she could hear the destroyers of everything she had, and they were singing. Their voices were painfully lovely. Darkness claimed her then, but only for a while.”
High Fantasy ✓ Slow Storytelling ✓ Strong Emotions ✓
Far to the north, the towers in thick fog, looms the huge, labyrinthine Southmark’s stronghold. No one knows its age, and for centuries it was all but forgotten. But now its lonely location on the border of the eerie realm of the twilight dwellers can no longer protect it. Southmark is threatened.Armies are gathering in the misty world of the twilight zone in the north as well as in the realm of the power-obsessed autarch in the south. And their destination is Southmark’s stronghold, where the young royal twins, with their father languishing in captivity far away, must take over the affairs of government; where Ferras Vansen, Captain of the Royal Guard, is consumed in a passion of which those he is charged with protecting are unaware; where Chaven, who possesses secret knowledge from the Old Days, guards a magical mirror; and where the Funderling Chert finds a child – a child whose destiny is to lead him into the deepest heart of the Twilight Realm …
Williams depicts political intrigue, assassinations, murders, wars, perfidy, friendship and bonding with apparent enemies, courage even in seemingly cowardly people, strength of character, kindness and love, error, naivety, experience and learning. Everything as you would expect from Tad Williams. He created a huge world down to the smallest detail. Dozens of characters cross your path and you think you have known and loved them for years. In my opinion, his narrative style is unrivalled in this genre. Everything seems to flow and even banal things captivate the reader. He plays with emotions like a star pianist on the piano.
Worldbuilding
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The world of the book is a classic fantasy world, enriched by many classic races, which nevertheless have their own touch. Tad Williams’ world-building in this novel once again goes far beyond what is currently common in the fantasy genre. And the fact that Shadowmarch offers us only a small glimpse into an impressive new universe makes me curious about the next volumes! We meet the Funderlings – that is the dwarves. Of course, the elves should not be missing either. And the elves seem more epic than ever before, because this time they are not only the pointy-eared super-beings who shimmer with wisdom and profundity, but they seem to be more on the dark side of the powers. The Qar, the People of Twilight, are now pushing beyond the Shadowline to reclaim their lost lands. Then there are the Dachlings, which is something unique, and of course the humans. And this world stands out because of the mystical and threatening feeling that is given to us by the Shadow Boundary. Thus, this epic seems darker and more adult, like his epic work of Memory, Sorrow & Thorn.
Plot
Rating: 4 out of 5.⭐⭐⭐⭐
Not only does this book have a dark setting or atmosphere, but the whole plot seems dark and mysterious. There are so many secrets woven into the story that at first you don’t know where these stories might lead. Even if you are already a reader and lover of Tad Williams, you know that his stories need a lot of time before they really start and so it was here too, where you only get little hints and you have to wait a long time before you know what is really happening here. But I love this way of slowly building up the plot and gradually getting more answers. As the worldbuilding suggests, Shadowmarch is a massive story of magic, intrigue, terror, sacrifice and war. And even though there is not so much action in the first volume, every page is exciting as gradually the secrets are uncovered, but which again raises more questions, which undeniably creates interest in the sequels. I created, discarded or shelved many theories while reading. Whether some of them will come true remains to be seen, but it has been a long time since a fantasy novel has captivated me as much as Shadowmarch.
Characters
Rating: 5 out of 5.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The characterisations, always one of the author’s strengths, are brilliant. Williams is always a master at building characters and he has done it again in this series. We want to know more about Shaso, the Master at Arms of Southmarch, Captain Vansen, the God-Emperor Sulepis, the Autarch of Xand, Qinnitan, a seemingly ordinary girl chosen to become one of the Autarch’s wives, Chaven, the mysterious doctor, Yasammez, the Scourge of the Shivering Plains, the strange, nameless boy found by the Funderlings beyond the Shadow Boundary, the orphaned girl named Willow and so many more. We also want to know about the two dominant main characters Briony and Barrick. It is obvious that there is much more to both of them than meets the eye, especially with Barrick’s strange curse. The way both characters think, interact with others, talk, seems like true sibling love (or sometimes hate :D) to me. And yet, initially, my highlight was Chert the Funderling, who quickly grew on me with his dry manner. Despite the fact that there are so many storylines, each character has a unique way of being and so you can follow many different trains of thought.
Atmosphere
Rating: 5 out of 5.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Each country and its inhabitants are described in an atmospherically dense way, so that I got the feeling of smelling and feeling the climate. Of course, Tad Williams once again manages, through his outstanding writing skills, to create a feeling that this world is real and that you live in it yourself. I had a particularly haunting experience of the land of the Quar. When I was there and met the almost translucent creatures, I sometimes felt shivers run down my spine, but at the same time I felt the sad melancholy that their ruler Ynnir, the blind king, radiated, almost moving me to tears. The land itself exuded a disturbing and creepy atmosphere, no wonder people who strayed there went mad.
“Most dreadful of all, as she lay with her shivering children on the cold ground just outside the murdered town, she could hear the destroyers of everything she had, and they were singing. Their voices were painfully lovely. Darkness claimed her then, but only for a while.”
High Fantasy ✓ Slow Storytelling ✓ Strong Emotions ✓
Far to the north, the towers in thick fog, looms the huge, labyrinthine Southmark’s stronghold. No one knows its age, and for centuries it was all but forgotten. But now its lonely location on the border of the eerie realm of the twilight dwellers can no longer protect it. Southmark is threatened.Armies are gathering in the misty world of the twilight zone in the north as well as in the realm of the power-obsessed autarch in the south. And their destination is Southmark’s stronghold, where the young royal twins, with their father languishing in captivity far away, must take over the affairs of government; where Ferras Vansen, Captain of the Royal Guard, is consumed in a passion of which those he is charged with protecting are unaware; where Chaven, who possesses secret knowledge from the Old Days, guards a magical mirror; and where the Funderling Chert finds a child – a child whose destiny is to lead him into the deepest heart of the Twilight Realm …
Williams depicts political intrigue, assassinations, murders, wars, perfidy, friendship and bonding with apparent enemies, courage even in seemingly cowardly people, strength of character, kindness and love, error, naivety, experience and learning. Everything as you would expect from Tad Williams. He created a huge world down to the smallest detail. Dozens of characters cross your path and you think you have known and loved them for years. In my opinion, his narrative style is unrivalled in this genre. Everything seems to flow and even banal things captivate the reader. He plays with emotions like a star pianist on the piano.
Worldbuilding
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The world of the book is a classic fantasy world, enriched by many classic races, which nevertheless have their own touch. Tad Williams’ world-building in this novel once again goes far beyond what is currently common in the fantasy genre. And the fact that Shadowmarch offers us only a small glimpse into an impressive new universe makes me curious about the next volumes! We meet the Funderlings – that is the dwarves. Of course, the elves should not be missing either. And the elves seem more epic than ever before, because this time they are not only the pointy-eared super-beings who shimmer with wisdom and profundity, but they seem to be more on the dark side of the powers. The Qar, the People of Twilight, are now pushing beyond the Shadowline to reclaim their lost lands. Then there are the Dachlings, which is something unique, and of course the humans. And this world stands out because of the mystical and threatening feeling that is given to us by the Shadow Boundary. Thus, this epic seems darker and more adult, like his epic work of Memory, Sorrow & Thorn.
Plot
Rating: 4 out of 5.⭐⭐⭐⭐
Not only does this book have a dark setting or atmosphere, but the whole plot seems dark and mysterious. There are so many secrets woven into the story that at first you don’t know where these stories might lead. Even if you are already a reader and lover of Tad Williams, you know that his stories need a lot of time before they really start and so it was here too, where you only get little hints and you have to wait a long time before you know what is really happening here. But I love this way of slowly building up the plot and gradually getting more answers. As the worldbuilding suggests, Shadowmarch is a massive story of magic, intrigue, terror, sacrifice and war. And even though there is not so much action in the first volume, every page is exciting as gradually the secrets are uncovered, but which again raises more questions, which undeniably creates interest in the sequels. I created, discarded or shelved many theories while reading. Whether some of them will come true remains to be seen, but it has been a long time since a fantasy novel has captivated me as much as Shadowmarch.
Characters
Rating: 5 out of 5.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The characterisations, always one of the author’s strengths, are brilliant. Williams is always a master at building characters and he has done it again in this series. We want to know more about Shaso, the Master at Arms of Southmarch, Captain Vansen, the God-Emperor Sulepis, the Autarch of Xand, Qinnitan, a seemingly ordinary girl chosen to become one of the Autarch’s wives, Chaven, the mysterious doctor, Yasammez, the Scourge of the Shivering Plains, the strange, nameless boy found by the Funderlings beyond the Shadow Boundary, the orphaned girl named Willow and so many more. We also want to know about the two dominant main characters Briony and Barrick. It is obvious that there is much more to both of them than meets the eye, especially with Barrick’s strange curse. The way both characters think, interact with others, talk, seems like true sibling love (or sometimes hate :D) to me. And yet, initially, my highlight was Chert the Funderling, who quickly grew on me with his dry manner. Despite the fact that there are so many storylines, each character has a unique way of being and so you can follow many different trains of thought.
Atmosphere
Rating: 5 out of 5.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Each country and its inhabitants are described in an atmospherically dense way, so that I got the feeling of smelling and feeling the climate. Of course, Tad Williams once again manages, through his outstanding writing skills, to create a feeling that this world is real and that you live in it yourself. I had a particularly haunting experience of the land of the Quar. When I was there and met the almost translucent creatures, I sometimes felt shivers run down my spine, but at the same time I felt the sad melancholy that their ruler Ynnir, the blind king, radiated, almost moving me to tears. The land itself exuded a disturbing and creepy atmosphere, no wonder people who strayed there went mad.
June 17, 2020
3,5 stars
The first part in Tad Williams’ Shadowmarch quartet.
Even though the series is published during the 00’s era, Shadowmarch being first published in 2004, this book felt a bit like a 90’s fantasy. Maybe not such a weird thing considering Williams' other fantasy series (Memory, Sorrow and Thorn) began publishing in 1988 and his sci-fi series (Otherlands) were published during the 90’s. Just as Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (I have not read Otherlands so can’t speak on it) read like a classical fantasy adventure, Shadowmarch does too.
Most of the book is mainly set in the kingdom of Southmarch which is part of the continent Eion. Some characters we follow are in the south, the great Xis which is part of the continent Xand. North of Eion we have the Twilight realms, where the fairy folk resides. Southmarch is located in the north of Eion, separated to the Twilight realms by a barrier called The Shadowline. It doesn’t keep humans out, but most who pass it is not seen again. The Shadowline was created after many years of wars between humans and fairies where the fairies were forced north away from human civilisation.
In the south, Xis and the Xand continent is growing, taking over the south kingdoms of Eion, either by alliances or by force. In more north parts of Eion it’s looked upon with concern. Tension is created when the prince regent is found murdered in his rooms. Meanwhile more disturbances fall upon Southmarch as a human child from across the Shadowline is found, as well that the Shadowline is moving southward and stories of monsters attacking reach the court of Southmarch. Soldiers are sent out to examine the issue and it’s soon clear that the Twilight folks are waking up to take back what was once theirs.
The pacing is slow, slower than it could have been. For a book where the main story was about 750 pages, the story drags quite a bit in my opinion.
I first thought this book would be a dual-POV, with a focus on the twins princess Briony and prince Barrick, but we get a handful of other characters to follow as well: Chert, Qinnitan, Vansen, Matty Tinwright and Yasammez as well as a couple who only get a chapter at most). I disliked how the POVs changed mid-chapters, sometimes several times (though likely it was done with proper paragraph separations). I’m one who prefer when each character has their own chapter as it, for me, makes it easier to follow their story and it feels chopped up when the POV shifts to a character in a completely different place in the middle of a chapter.
I have yet to root completely for the characters. Some of them, like the twins, took some time to like and I’m still not sure if I like them: Barrick is such a broody, angsty little teen, you know in the emo edgelord kind of way. And Williams seem to have a thing for crippled princes (Barrick in this one, Prince Josua in Memory, Sorrow and Thorn). Briony, at the beginning, came across as a “not like other girls” in the way she condescendingly described the other noblewomen during the wyvern-hunt (which she was the only participating woman while the other women watched). She did grow a little when she took the role as regent, though at times she came across older as her 15 years (just a few times). I sort of liked Chert’s and Vansen’s POVs. Chert and his wife are those who found the human child from beyond the Shadowline and that the barrier was moving, and Vansen is a captain who leads the expedition to examine the attacks and the moving shadowline. At first I kept forgetting where Yasammez fit into the story until my brain could anchor her in the plot. I found Qinnitan’s parts mostly boring, mostly because I’m not that fond of harem plots and the escape from said harem (The Seclusion is basically a city for the Autarch’s wives, or wives-to-be, and no man (with a functional penis) is allowed inside).
Also, I would avoid reading the summary for some editions of this book as it gives away very spoilery stuff from this book’s ending. The ending is on a cliffhanger, so best have that in mind before starting this book.
The first part in Tad Williams’ Shadowmarch quartet.
Even though the series is published during the 00’s era, Shadowmarch being first published in 2004, this book felt a bit like a 90’s fantasy. Maybe not such a weird thing considering Williams' other fantasy series (Memory, Sorrow and Thorn) began publishing in 1988 and his sci-fi series (Otherlands) were published during the 90’s. Just as Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (I have not read Otherlands so can’t speak on it) read like a classical fantasy adventure, Shadowmarch does too.
Most of the book is mainly set in the kingdom of Southmarch which is part of the continent Eion. Some characters we follow are in the south, the great Xis which is part of the continent Xand. North of Eion we have the Twilight realms, where the fairy folk resides. Southmarch is located in the north of Eion, separated to the Twilight realms by a barrier called The Shadowline. It doesn’t keep humans out, but most who pass it is not seen again. The Shadowline was created after many years of wars between humans and fairies where the fairies were forced north away from human civilisation.
In the south, Xis and the Xand continent is growing, taking over the south kingdoms of Eion, either by alliances or by force. In more north parts of Eion it’s looked upon with concern. Tension is created when the prince regent is found murdered in his rooms. Meanwhile more disturbances fall upon Southmarch as a human child from across the Shadowline is found, as well that the Shadowline is moving southward and stories of monsters attacking reach the court of Southmarch. Soldiers are sent out to examine the issue and it’s soon clear that the Twilight folks are waking up to take back what was once theirs.
The pacing is slow, slower than it could have been. For a book where the main story was about 750 pages, the story drags quite a bit in my opinion.
I first thought this book would be a dual-POV, with a focus on the twins princess Briony and prince Barrick, but we get a handful of other characters to follow as well: Chert, Qinnitan, Vansen, Matty Tinwright and Yasammez as well as a couple who only get a chapter at most). I disliked how the POVs changed mid-chapters, sometimes several times (though likely it was done with proper paragraph separations). I’m one who prefer when each character has their own chapter as it, for me, makes it easier to follow their story and it feels chopped up when the POV shifts to a character in a completely different place in the middle of a chapter.
I have yet to root completely for the characters. Some of them, like the twins, took some time to like and I’m still not sure if I like them: Barrick is such a broody, angsty little teen, you know in the emo edgelord kind of way. And Williams seem to have a thing for crippled princes (Barrick in this one, Prince Josua in Memory, Sorrow and Thorn). Briony, at the beginning, came across as a “not like other girls” in the way she condescendingly described the other noblewomen during the wyvern-hunt (which she was the only participating woman while the other women watched). She did grow a little when she took the role as regent, though at times she came across older as her 15 years (just a few times). I sort of liked Chert’s and Vansen’s POVs. Chert and his wife are those who found the human child from beyond the Shadowline and that the barrier was moving, and Vansen is a captain who leads the expedition to examine the attacks and the moving shadowline. At first I kept forgetting where Yasammez fit into the story until my brain could anchor her in the plot. I found Qinnitan’s parts mostly boring, mostly because I’m not that fond of harem plots and the escape from said harem (The Seclusion is basically a city for the Autarch’s wives, or wives-to-be, and no man (with a functional penis) is allowed inside).
Also, I would avoid reading the summary for some editions of this book as it gives away very spoilery stuff from this book’s ending. The ending is on a cliffhanger, so best have that in mind before starting this book.
January 17, 2026
That was SO good! How come I never hear anyone talking about this series? Tad Williams just *gets* me. Such a good book 1 and I can’t wait for more!
May 16, 2007
Didn't finish. Got about a fifth of the way in and got tired of reading about all kinds of details but not having the story go anywhere. Skipped to end, and discovered that after six hundred some pages, nothing much more happened. Though I imagine there were lots of details.
October 10, 2010
I had high hopes for this book, after reading and liking The Dragonbone Chair series by the same author. Unfortunately, this book suffered from distracting disconnect and fragmentary storytelling. The book constantly switched between plotlines and characters, often multiple times in a single chapter. Just as I'd start to 'get into' a story I'd find the point of view switched to another character, or another country entirely! Then when I was interested in that story, it would be switched again. I fancy I have a higher tolerance than most for fragmented storytelling (I am of the internet generation- I'm used to receiving information in short bursts) but even so this book was too much for me. It took me a month to get through it just because I couldn't muster the long-term attention necessary to read it continuously.
That said, the story itself is rather impressive and well-laid out. I'm still debating whether my desire to know what happens will win out against the struggle it will be to read the rest of the books in the series. We will see.
That said, the story itself is rather impressive and well-laid out. I'm still debating whether my desire to know what happens will win out against the struggle it will be to read the rest of the books in the series. We will see.
February 15, 2022
In taking its sweet time to “set things up,” this slowest of slow-burn books takes over 500 pages to get around to even considering doing what is arguably its most important job: getting its reader to care about someone, anyone, who is centrally involved. There are simply too many protagonists here. Though we spend a lot of time seemingly inside their heads, watching them think (we certainly don’t spend that time watching them actually do much of anything until the mad scramble and ex-machina interventions of the last 50 or so pages, when the book suddenly remembers it should at least pretend to be a novel for a bit), they nonetheless seem thinly, roughly sketched, in part because there’s nothing all that interesting or striking about what or how they think. And the book has such a short attention span for its own myriad subplots that it shifts focus from character to character every five pages or so (no exaggeration—and the vignettes are often shorter still), so that nothing ever gains narrative momentum. There will be hints of incident, something very nearly about to happen, and our POV character of the moment will suddenly look away before saying or doing anything, retreat further into their head once again, the scene will end before it’s begun, and we’ll leave one fairly flat, propositional character aside to focus on another for a few pages. In these fragments of scene, which comprise 95% of this book, we might suspect, if we place great trust in the author, that we’re seeing the planting of narrative seeds, but the form of the fantasy “epic” being what it often is, these won’t bear fruit for hundreds and hundreds of pages, if they do at all.
About that form: it’s the first, most obvious, and least sophisticated criticism to make, but it’s often true, and certainly so here: these books are too long. This is partly just a consequence of the usual infamous fantasy bloat, of 150 pages of incident being given 700 pages of presentation, with only a small portion of the lavish extra ever convincingly justifying itself as part of what the serious fans call, with a sort of propellerhead technicality and undue authorial charity, “world-building.” (Shouldn’t all this “world-building” leave you with a strong sense of the world?) The rest truly is quite often just describing or summarizing in 10 sentences (or in 20, or in 35) what could be said clearly and compellingly in 2 or 3, even without sacrificing vividness.
But the other formal problem is that these “trilogies” and “tetralogies” are not series of stories at all. The individual volumes do not follow narrative patterns of rise and fall, do not chronicle developments at other time scales than the very long term, do not satisfy as stories ought to. The “series” that is four 800-page “novels” is usually really a single tumid 3200-page novel wrapped in four cardboard covers rather than one. (This is perhaps the other genre legacy of Lord of the Rings, which was famously written as one big book but was cut up and published as three. And it’s one of the many things that sets “series” like these apart from other proper series like spy novels or mysteries, which wouldn’t dream of making you wait three or four long books to see Poirot finally solve the case.)
This is all certainly how it is here. Shadowmarch is not a novel. It’s the first 40 chapters of a 200-chapter novel in four gigantic parts. And reading it as anything else is like spending a week feeling like you’re about to sneeze and the sneeze won’t come. I’m going to give the second volume a chance because of how much I liked Williams’s Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, because I’ve heard this particular “series” really picks up after the first “novel,” and because a lifelong soft spot for this genre makes me a bit more prepared to give it the benefit of the doubt, even with loads of other reading commitments professional and personal. But we’re off to a bad start here.
About that form: it’s the first, most obvious, and least sophisticated criticism to make, but it’s often true, and certainly so here: these books are too long. This is partly just a consequence of the usual infamous fantasy bloat, of 150 pages of incident being given 700 pages of presentation, with only a small portion of the lavish extra ever convincingly justifying itself as part of what the serious fans call, with a sort of propellerhead technicality and undue authorial charity, “world-building.” (Shouldn’t all this “world-building” leave you with a strong sense of the world?) The rest truly is quite often just describing or summarizing in 10 sentences (or in 20, or in 35) what could be said clearly and compellingly in 2 or 3, even without sacrificing vividness.
But the other formal problem is that these “trilogies” and “tetralogies” are not series of stories at all. The individual volumes do not follow narrative patterns of rise and fall, do not chronicle developments at other time scales than the very long term, do not satisfy as stories ought to. The “series” that is four 800-page “novels” is usually really a single tumid 3200-page novel wrapped in four cardboard covers rather than one. (This is perhaps the other genre legacy of Lord of the Rings, which was famously written as one big book but was cut up and published as three. And it’s one of the many things that sets “series” like these apart from other proper series like spy novels or mysteries, which wouldn’t dream of making you wait three or four long books to see Poirot finally solve the case.)
This is all certainly how it is here. Shadowmarch is not a novel. It’s the first 40 chapters of a 200-chapter novel in four gigantic parts. And reading it as anything else is like spending a week feeling like you’re about to sneeze and the sneeze won’t come. I’m going to give the second volume a chance because of how much I liked Williams’s Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, because I’ve heard this particular “series” really picks up after the first “novel,” and because a lifelong soft spot for this genre makes me a bit more prepared to give it the benefit of the doubt, even with loads of other reading commitments professional and personal. But we’re off to a bad start here.
January 22, 2023
I think the Goodreads rating of 3.75 stars is perfect for this book. It’s not as good as Dragonbone Chair but it’s good enough to fill the void I feel waiting for the last book in his latest Osten Ard series.
This is a Tad Williams book 1 of series and like every Tad Williams book 1 of series it is very very VERY slow.
The beginning is him building the characters, letting you really get to know them like you know a close friend. He then describes the landscape and buildings which I really love. At the end of most chapters he creates an ominous feel about the future war against mankind that will inevitably come.
The middle of the book will be so slow you’ll want to pull your hair out. It’s not necessarily just filler but it’s information you don’t really care about unless you want to know every single detail.
The ending is much better and everything is coming together and tensions have reached a breaking point and will come to a climactic end.
I’ve come to realize that people just don’t know how to read his books because most modern readers don’t have the patience. You have to pay close attention in the beginning and really let yourself imagine what he’s describing instead of just breezing through because you want to reach your yearly 100 book challenge. And if you start to get bored then just take a break from it and read another book then come back to it. That sounds like a lot of work but his stories are just so much worth it.
This story is about a land that was inhabited by the Qar (fairies) but they aren’t the cute cuddly Tinker Bell kind. They’re the white haired, pail skinned, black eyed kind with sharp nails that will open up a can whoop ass real quick. Somehow humans invaded them and pushed back to the north and in order to escape Man they created the Shadowline which is a magical wall where if a human crosses it they become disoriented and are never seen again.
Many years later, humans have settled into the land and worried about political intrigue. The king has been captured and the oldest son is bartering his sisters maidenhood to get the King back. Also a powerful man, considered a God, has taken over a southern island and is wanting to take over the world. All while the Qar are preparing to kill all humans.
There are several similarities to his previous series but his rich imagination of the land, people, and creatures makes everything so fun. If you’re a fan of Tad Williams then give it a shot but I would not start here if you’ve never read his work before.
This is a Tad Williams book 1 of series and like every Tad Williams book 1 of series it is very very VERY slow.
The beginning is him building the characters, letting you really get to know them like you know a close friend. He then describes the landscape and buildings which I really love. At the end of most chapters he creates an ominous feel about the future war against mankind that will inevitably come.
The middle of the book will be so slow you’ll want to pull your hair out. It’s not necessarily just filler but it’s information you don’t really care about unless you want to know every single detail.
The ending is much better and everything is coming together and tensions have reached a breaking point and will come to a climactic end.
I’ve come to realize that people just don’t know how to read his books because most modern readers don’t have the patience. You have to pay close attention in the beginning and really let yourself imagine what he’s describing instead of just breezing through because you want to reach your yearly 100 book challenge. And if you start to get bored then just take a break from it and read another book then come back to it. That sounds like a lot of work but his stories are just so much worth it.
This story is about a land that was inhabited by the Qar (fairies) but they aren’t the cute cuddly Tinker Bell kind. They’re the white haired, pail skinned, black eyed kind with sharp nails that will open up a can whoop ass real quick. Somehow humans invaded them and pushed back to the north and in order to escape Man they created the Shadowline which is a magical wall where if a human crosses it they become disoriented and are never seen again.
Many years later, humans have settled into the land and worried about political intrigue. The king has been captured and the oldest son is bartering his sisters maidenhood to get the King back. Also a powerful man, considered a God, has taken over a southern island and is wanting to take over the world. All while the Qar are preparing to kill all humans.
There are several similarities to his previous series but his rich imagination of the land, people, and creatures makes everything so fun. If you’re a fan of Tad Williams then give it a shot but I would not start here if you’ve never read his work before.
January 21, 2026
Great Start
I already was a fan of Tad Williams so this should not come as any surprise. What a great book 1. It does a really good job of slowly introducing worldbuilding with little to no info dumps. The characters are phenomenal and the mysteries he sets up even better if you like that sort of thing. I do personally. Pacing bros might be a little less than thrilled with this one. There is always interesting stuff happening but very little fights or battles so some might say it is slow. I disagree I think books don't need battles or frantic pacing to hold interest. I did feel some of the elements of the story felt similar to Osten Ard, but it's different enough and I love those books anyway.
I already was a fan of Tad Williams so this should not come as any surprise. What a great book 1. It does a really good job of slowly introducing worldbuilding with little to no info dumps. The characters are phenomenal and the mysteries he sets up even better if you like that sort of thing. I do personally. Pacing bros might be a little less than thrilled with this one. There is always interesting stuff happening but very little fights or battles so some might say it is slow. I disagree I think books don't need battles or frantic pacing to hold interest. I did feel some of the elements of the story felt similar to Osten Ard, but it's different enough and I love those books anyway.
April 11, 2017
Da mogu, dala bih joj i 10 zvjezdica. Toliko mi je dobra bila. Čak moram reći, u njoj sam više uživala nego u Martinovim knjigama. Glavni likovi, princeza Briony i princ Barrick su mi odlični, uz njih se pojavljuju još neki zanimljivi likovi. Radnja je zapletena preko svake mjere, ne zna se u biti tko je pravi negativac.
January 9, 2019
The first part of a series where the well-known writer returns to the spirit of the series that marked him, Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. These things I liked are here, with the plot and the writing style being very close.
The basic story is simple: in a kingdom that does not go through its best days, a threat from the past returns, a defeated race returns to take revenge, bringing chaos and destruction. The duty to deal with them falls on the young sons and the daughter of the king who, without being prepared, must discover what is happening and protect their own subjects, persuading their doubters. But the obstacles they have to face are many, as well as the external dangers they have to deal with dangerous political games from within. So we have an interesting mystery and an interesting emotional situation as our heroes try to find the inner power they need in front of what they have to do. Along with all this, somewhere far we have an Oriental story, where her heroine is confronted with the strange habits of a distant country.
All this in a book that introduces us very well into a story that seems to be very great. It gives us a picture of the imaginary world, where it is inhabited by cute creatures and some not so cute, while slowly the writer unfolds the mystery that becomes more and more intense as we go into the book. This unwinding may be slower than it should, as the plot does not go very fast, but this is not necessarily bad. So it's a pretty good first part that prepares the readers for a sequel where they can expect many interesting things.
Το πρώτο μέρος μιας σειράς όπου ο πολύ γνωστός συγγραφέας επιστρέφει στο πνεύμα της σειράς που τον ανέδειξε, της Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. Αυτά τα στοιχεία που μου άρεσαν βρίσκονται εδώ, με την πλοκή και τον τρόπο γραφής να βρίσκονται πολύ κοντά.
Η βασική ιστορία είναι απλή: σε ένα Βασίλειο που δεν περνάει τις καλύτερες μέρες του, μία απειλή από το παρελθόν επιστρέφει, μία ηττημένη φυλή επιστρέφει για να πάρει εκδίκηση, φέρνοντας χάος και καταστροφή. Το καθήκον να τους αντιμετωπίσουν πέφτουν στους στους νεαρούς γιους και τη μία κόρη του βασιλιά που χωρίς να είναι προετοιμασμένοι πρέπει να ανακαλύψουν τι γίνεται και να προστατέψουν τους υπηκόους τους, πείθοντας τους αμφισβητίες τους. Τα εμπόδια, όμως, που έχουν να αντιμετωπίσουν είναι πολλά καθώς εκτός από τους εξωτερικούς κινδύνους έχουν να αντιμετωπίσουν τα επικίνδυνα πολιτικά παιχνίδια εκ των έσω. Έτσι έχουμε μπροστά μας ένα ενδιαφέρον μυστήριο αλλά και μία ενδιαφέρουσα συναισθηματική κατάσταση καθώς οι ήρωες μας προσπαθούν να βρούνε την εσωτερική δύναμη που χρειάζεται μπροστά σε αυτά που έχουν να κάνουν. Παράλληλα με όλα αυτά κάπου μακριά έχουμε μία ανατολίτικη ιστορία, όπου η ηρωίδα της έρχεται αντιμέτωπη με τις περίεργες συνήθειες μιας μακρινής χώρας.
Αυτά σε ένα βιβλίο που μας εισάγει με πολύ καλό τρόπο σε μία ιστορία που φαίνεται να είναι πολύ μεγάλη. Μας δίνει μία εικόνα του φανταστικού κόσμου, όπου κατοικείται από χαριτωμένα πλάσματα και αλλά όχι τόσο χαριτωμένα, ενώ σιγά-σιγά ο συγγραφέας ξετυλίγει το μυστήριο που γίνεται όλο και πιο έντονο όσο προχωράμε στο βιβλίο. Αυτό το ξετύλιγμα ίσως γίνεται περισσότερο αργά από ότι πρέπει καθώς γενικότερα η πλοκή δεν προχωράει πολύ ��ρήγορα, αλλά αυτό δεν είναι απαραίτητα κακό βέβαια. Οπότε πρόκειται για ένα αρκετά καλό πρώτο μέρος που προετοιμάζει τους αναγνώστες για μία συνέχεια όπου περιμένουν πολλά ενδιαφέροντα πράγματα.
The basic story is simple: in a kingdom that does not go through its best days, a threat from the past returns, a defeated race returns to take revenge, bringing chaos and destruction. The duty to deal with them falls on the young sons and the daughter of the king who, without being prepared, must discover what is happening and protect their own subjects, persuading their doubters. But the obstacles they have to face are many, as well as the external dangers they have to deal with dangerous political games from within. So we have an interesting mystery and an interesting emotional situation as our heroes try to find the inner power they need in front of what they have to do. Along with all this, somewhere far we have an Oriental story, where her heroine is confronted with the strange habits of a distant country.
All this in a book that introduces us very well into a story that seems to be very great. It gives us a picture of the imaginary world, where it is inhabited by cute creatures and some not so cute, while slowly the writer unfolds the mystery that becomes more and more intense as we go into the book. This unwinding may be slower than it should, as the plot does not go very fast, but this is not necessarily bad. So it's a pretty good first part that prepares the readers for a sequel where they can expect many interesting things.
Το πρώτο μέρος μιας σειράς όπου ο πολύ γνωστός συγγραφέας επιστρέφει στο πνεύμα της σειράς που τον ανέδειξε, της Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. Αυτά τα στοιχεία που μου άρεσαν βρίσκονται εδώ, με την πλοκή και τον τρόπο γραφής να βρίσκονται πολύ κοντά.
Η βασική ιστορία είναι απλή: σε ένα Βασίλειο που δεν περνάει τις καλύτερες μέρες του, μία απειλή από το παρελθόν επιστρέφει, μία ηττημένη φυλή επιστρέφει για να πάρει εκδίκηση, φέρνοντας χάος και καταστροφή. Το καθήκον να τους αντιμετωπίσουν πέφτουν στους στους νεαρούς γιους και τη μία κόρη του βασιλιά που χωρίς να είναι προετοιμασμένοι πρέπει να ανακαλύψουν τι γίνεται και να προστατέψουν τους υπηκόους τους, πείθοντας τους αμφισβητίες τους. Τα εμπόδια, όμως, που έχουν να αντιμετωπίσουν είναι πολλά καθώς εκτός από τους εξωτερικούς κινδύνους έχουν να αντιμετωπίσουν τα επικίνδυνα πολιτικά παιχνίδια εκ των έσω. Έτσι έχουμε μπροστά μας ένα ενδιαφέρον μυστήριο αλλά και μία ενδιαφέρουσα συναισθηματική κατάσταση καθώς οι ήρωες μας προσπαθούν να βρούνε την εσωτερική δύναμη που χρειάζεται μπροστά σε αυτά που έχουν να κάνουν. Παράλληλα με όλα αυτά κάπου μακριά έχουμε μία ανατολίτικη ιστορία, όπου η ηρωίδα της έρχεται αντιμέτωπη με τις περίεργες συνήθειες μιας μακρινής χώρας.
Αυτά σε ένα βιβλίο που μας εισάγει με πολύ καλό τρόπο σε μία ιστορία που φαίνεται να είναι πολύ μεγάλη. Μας δίνει μία εικόνα του φανταστικού κόσμου, όπου κατοικείται από χαριτωμένα πλάσματα και αλλά όχι τόσο χαριτωμένα, ενώ σιγά-σιγά ο συγγραφέας ξετυλίγει το μυστήριο που γίνεται όλο και πιο έντονο όσο προχωράμε στο βιβλίο. Αυτό το ξετύλιγμα ίσως γίνεται περισσότερο αργά από ότι πρέπει καθώς γενικότερα η πλοκή δεν προχωράει πολύ ��ρήγορα, αλλά αυτό δεν είναι απαραίτητα κακό βέβαια. Οπότε πρόκειται για ένα αρκετά καλό πρώτο μέρος που προετοιμάζει τους αναγνώστες για μία συνέχεια όπου περιμένουν πολλά ενδιαφέροντα πράγματα.
November 8, 2010
This is epic fantasy at it's absolute best, but I should also warn you: it is DARK. So if you're not a huge fan of dark epic fantasy, this might not be for you. If you don't mind a little dark, though, I really can't see how you will be disappointed.
What I Have to Say:
Lately, I have been rediscovering epic fantasy, and I don't know how, but I seem to pick only the most amazing books with which to rediscover it. Because that is exactly what Shadowmarch is. Amazing. Tad Williams has constructed a creative, intelligent, solid piece of dark epic fantasy, and I'm a fan
What I most liked about Shadowmarch is that it is far more than just an epic fantasy. It is full of complexities. He takes familiar ideas and familiar things and turns them into SO much more - making you wonder why any other author would ever even try with similar ideas. Tad Williams has already done it and done it so well that it seems there's no point. (though I will admit: there were some things reminiscent of the Fraggles and the Borrowers, and I would be dreadfully sad if those didn't exist). It starts off so easily that, despite the length, you'll be halfway through before you know it and wondering where all the time went. I recently reviewed Acacia by David Anthony Durham, and in that book I was impressed with the parallels to the different countries we find in our world today; they were obivous without seeming forced or lacking in creativity. While, in Shadowmarch, the parallels to our world seemed to focus more on already dead civilizations, I was even more impressed with Tad William's way of making his story seem relevant while still allowing it to remain 100% fantasy.
I feel like I could turn this review into something almost as long as the book itself, but it seems kind of pointless as I gather it has already been done a thousand times before, and it would just give away too much. I almost think it is best to go into this book blind for ultimate enjoyment. So, to finish, there was just one small thing that I didn't love about the book, and that was that, with one minor exception, I didn't actually connect to any of the characters. They all seemed like they were only STARTING to be developed, and, since the book was so long, it seems like it could have taken a bit more time to help us empathize with the characters. But then, there are more books to the series, and I'm figuring by the end, I will either love or hate all of them. BEcause of this, though, it does occasionally feel SLIGHTLY slow moving towards the middle.
Shadowmarch is one powerful bang of a book, and fans of dark epic fantasy will absolutely NOT be disappointed. This book is definitely worth the time it takes to read it and more! If you know my reviews, you know that I don't give 5 stars lightly, and this book is definitely worth all 5 of them!
What I Have to Say:
Lately, I have been rediscovering epic fantasy, and I don't know how, but I seem to pick only the most amazing books with which to rediscover it. Because that is exactly what Shadowmarch is. Amazing. Tad Williams has constructed a creative, intelligent, solid piece of dark epic fantasy, and I'm a fan
What I most liked about Shadowmarch is that it is far more than just an epic fantasy. It is full of complexities. He takes familiar ideas and familiar things and turns them into SO much more - making you wonder why any other author would ever even try with similar ideas. Tad Williams has already done it and done it so well that it seems there's no point. (though I will admit: there were some things reminiscent of the Fraggles and the Borrowers, and I would be dreadfully sad if those didn't exist). It starts off so easily that, despite the length, you'll be halfway through before you know it and wondering where all the time went. I recently reviewed Acacia by David Anthony Durham, and in that book I was impressed with the parallels to the different countries we find in our world today; they were obivous without seeming forced or lacking in creativity. While, in Shadowmarch, the parallels to our world seemed to focus more on already dead civilizations, I was even more impressed with Tad William's way of making his story seem relevant while still allowing it to remain 100% fantasy.
I feel like I could turn this review into something almost as long as the book itself, but it seems kind of pointless as I gather it has already been done a thousand times before, and it would just give away too much. I almost think it is best to go into this book blind for ultimate enjoyment. So, to finish, there was just one small thing that I didn't love about the book, and that was that, with one minor exception, I didn't actually connect to any of the characters. They all seemed like they were only STARTING to be developed, and, since the book was so long, it seems like it could have taken a bit more time to help us empathize with the characters. But then, there are more books to the series, and I'm figuring by the end, I will either love or hate all of them. BEcause of this, though, it does occasionally feel SLIGHTLY slow moving towards the middle.
Shadowmarch is one powerful bang of a book, and fans of dark epic fantasy will absolutely NOT be disappointed. This book is definitely worth the time it takes to read it and more! If you know my reviews, you know that I don't give 5 stars lightly, and this book is definitely worth all 5 of them!
February 8, 2025
I shared my reading journey in the podcast: Fantasy Explorations!
You can find the link here to my website for this episode specifically: https://www.solseit.com/fantasyexplor...
Here on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5pKv...
Here on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast...
This is what I expect from Tad Williams: very large world building, many characters, heroes and villains, mystery and intrigue.
It is a thick book so sometimes I wonder if we needed to do the long journey. I find that this works really well for me; not sure everyone will appreciate it!
You can find the link here to my website for this episode specifically: https://www.solseit.com/fantasyexplor...
Here on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5pKv...
Here on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast...
This is what I expect from Tad Williams: very large world building, many characters, heroes and villains, mystery and intrigue.
It is a thick book so sometimes I wonder if we needed to do the long journey. I find that this works really well for me; not sure everyone will appreciate it!
August 29, 2025
And done! This took a long time to get through at a very slow pace but overall very good. Slow burn tale massive in scope and takes its time putting things in motion. Not sure where the story is heading after a 900 page book but I’m here for the journey!
February 17, 2011
The middle of the book is intriguing. The first and last quarters are not that great. I don't really like any of the characters; I think Tad's verisimilitude lapses get worse as the book goes on, the bit about Yasammez and the mirror in particular; there is no reason for Quinnitan to be in this book at all; and she contributes to the choppy, nauseating flipping between viewpoints. Worst of all, as the last half of the book grinds on you realize that Tad is NOT going to give you all, or even any, of the interesting details about how the world is constructed that he promises to. There is no way Chert's trip to the deeps could have been written with less satisfactory information being revealed.
Ugh. It's gripping enough to read, but it's now on the shelf with Wizard's First Rule where I'll probably track down the sequels and read them someday, but I am in no fricking hurry.
Ugh. It's gripping enough to read, but it's now on the shelf with Wizard's First Rule where I'll probably track down the sequels and read them someday, but I am in no fricking hurry.
January 7, 2010
This is the first of a trilogy. Tad Williams is the best writer of fantasy or Science Fiction today. That's my opinion. He is a master of invention and description. If you haven't read his "Otherland" books, you could start there. Anyhow, Shadowmarch is a fantasy novel and the cast of characters is vast and incredibly seductive. The plot, as usual with his writing, is intricate to the extreme and keeps you turning the pages. If there were 6 stars for his books, I'd give them.
October 24, 2019
Gelesen als "Wartezeitenüberbrückungsbuch" auf der Kindle-App. Hierfür war es überraschend gut geeignet, da es sich auch gut in kleinen Happen und über einen langen Zeitraum lesen lässt. Andererseits hat es mich - bis auf die letzten 8 % auch nie dazu bewegt, das Buch auch mal in der "normalen" Freizeit zu lesen.
February 9, 2008
I was about six hundred pages into this book - roughly 75% - when I looked again at the back of the book and noticed the word that I so horribly feared: TRILOGY.
I like Tad Williams. I think he's a lot of fun, and creates fascinating worlds that are well-built, deeply historical and full of complicated characters. But his stories are so. Damn. Long. They require a huge investment of time and energy, and by the end of this book I was mentally editing out passages that could have made it a lot shorter. This book is the reason why I've only read two books so far this month.
Like his Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series, this is an Epic Fantasy, spreading across half a world. The formerly great kingdom of Southmarch is at the northern edge of the world (there's an explanation for that at the beginning), the first target for the very angry armies of the Twilight People, long-term target for the Autarch, a southern god-king who is intent on spreading his rule to the north. King Olin of Southmarch is a prisoner, being held for an exorbitant ransom, which much be met by his children, who are all teenagers. At least, those children who manage to not die, get crippled or go crazy.
Here's the thing: the whole story of Southmarch is enough for a book, facing the invasion of the Faerie army. But no, Tad doesn't want things to be that simple. We have one of the thousand queens of the Autarch trying to escape her matrimonial prison, a Funderling (kind of like a Dwarf, but without all the martial aspects) who gets pulled into the plots of the shadowy folk, unfulfilled romances, demon servants, magic mirrors, underground labyrinths.... There's just too damn much going on here.
His previous mega-trilogies, Memory, Sorrow and Thorn and Otherland were long and sweeping, but held together tightly. There may have been dozens of seemingly unconnected characters, but they got connected right quick, and the overall story had an arc you could latch onto for a fun ride. This one is, after 800-someodd pages, still four different stories with minimal connectivity between the major characters. Who are, by and large, not very interesting. They're kind of archetypal end-times high fantasy characters: the princess who wishes she could get as much respect as a man, the prince who goes mad with jealousy and bitterness, the court physician looking into Things Man Was Not Meant to Know, the valiant guard captain in love with the princess, the insane god-king and his innocent young "wife" who is very surprised to find out that being married to the absolute ruler of the land isn't quite as much fun as she would have thought.
Tad has done better than this, and hopefully can pull himself together in the future. I'm not sure I'll be following this particular trilogy to the end....
I like Tad Williams. I think he's a lot of fun, and creates fascinating worlds that are well-built, deeply historical and full of complicated characters. But his stories are so. Damn. Long. They require a huge investment of time and energy, and by the end of this book I was mentally editing out passages that could have made it a lot shorter. This book is the reason why I've only read two books so far this month.
Like his Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series, this is an Epic Fantasy, spreading across half a world. The formerly great kingdom of Southmarch is at the northern edge of the world (there's an explanation for that at the beginning), the first target for the very angry armies of the Twilight People, long-term target for the Autarch, a southern god-king who is intent on spreading his rule to the north. King Olin of Southmarch is a prisoner, being held for an exorbitant ransom, which much be met by his children, who are all teenagers. At least, those children who manage to not die, get crippled or go crazy.
Here's the thing: the whole story of Southmarch is enough for a book, facing the invasion of the Faerie army. But no, Tad doesn't want things to be that simple. We have one of the thousand queens of the Autarch trying to escape her matrimonial prison, a Funderling (kind of like a Dwarf, but without all the martial aspects) who gets pulled into the plots of the shadowy folk, unfulfilled romances, demon servants, magic mirrors, underground labyrinths.... There's just too damn much going on here.
His previous mega-trilogies, Memory, Sorrow and Thorn and Otherland were long and sweeping, but held together tightly. There may have been dozens of seemingly unconnected characters, but they got connected right quick, and the overall story had an arc you could latch onto for a fun ride. This one is, after 800-someodd pages, still four different stories with minimal connectivity between the major characters. Who are, by and large, not very interesting. They're kind of archetypal end-times high fantasy characters: the princess who wishes she could get as much respect as a man, the prince who goes mad with jealousy and bitterness, the court physician looking into Things Man Was Not Meant to Know, the valiant guard captain in love with the princess, the insane god-king and his innocent young "wife" who is very surprised to find out that being married to the absolute ruler of the land isn't quite as much fun as she would have thought.
Tad has done better than this, and hopefully can pull himself together in the future. I'm not sure I'll be following this particular trilogy to the end....
October 1, 2009
I liked “Shadowmarch”, but I wasn’t crazy about it.
Here’s why it earned the three stars: (1) Williams writes beautifully and descriptively. I love when he described a full moon as the top of a skull looming in the sky. He really knows how to place the reader in a setting. (2) Williams is astonishingly creative. I thought the whole concept of the Shadowline has great. (3) His opening storyline with the Qar returning a mysterious boy back to the humans for some unknown yet war-sparking reason really piqued my interest. (4) The last third of the book was exciting and had me staying up late at night. (5) I really enjoyed the two storylines based around Ferras Vansen and Qinnitan. (6) His character development is quite good. A handful of the characters are very likable and endearing: Ferras Vansen, Qinnitan, Chert, and even Briony. And even when I was not so enamored with a character, he made them complex enough that I couldn’t flat out hate them. In particular, I found Barrick’s character whiny and self-indulgent, but Williams also gave me glimmers of Barrick’s intelligence and several understandable reasons for his sullenness.
Here’s why I withheld those last two stars: (1) The first two-thirds of the book were slow. I had a hard time pushing through. (2) He definitely could have beefed up the romance factor. He had two sets of potential lovers, but left both storylines unrequited. (3) The main villains of his story are the immortal Qar. Aside for their shared hatred of people and preference for dark skies, his descriptions of the Qar are very board. For example, one might resemble a beautiful woman while another looks like a hairy box. I had lots of unanswered questions about their abilities, their appearance, their history and such. I cannot decide if it is scarier to let the reader paint their own picture of the Qar, colored with their own personal fears, or if I just needed more specific descriptions. (4) He gave the history of his world in an introduction before the story begins. It read like a history textbook (albeit a juicy one). I felt like I should have been taking notes. I would appreciated if he had woven the history of the world into the actual story. (My husband fiercely disagrees with me here, but I stand by my opinion.) (5) The storyline based in Xis, a separate empire, never really tied into the several storylines based in the Shadowmarch. (6) The ending. Oh, the ending! It left so many questions unanswered! Sure, he solved one mystery, but it wasn’t the one I was really curious about.
In the end, I enjoyed the book, but it all felt like a lead-up to the next book. And I was indecisive about continuing the series until I found the sequel, “Shadowplay” for half price at my local used bookstore and thought “What the heck? I am curious to see what happens”.
Here’s why it earned the three stars: (1) Williams writes beautifully and descriptively. I love when he described a full moon as the top of a skull looming in the sky. He really knows how to place the reader in a setting. (2) Williams is astonishingly creative. I thought the whole concept of the Shadowline has great. (3) His opening storyline with the Qar returning a mysterious boy back to the humans for some unknown yet war-sparking reason really piqued my interest. (4) The last third of the book was exciting and had me staying up late at night. (5) I really enjoyed the two storylines based around Ferras Vansen and Qinnitan. (6) His character development is quite good. A handful of the characters are very likable and endearing: Ferras Vansen, Qinnitan, Chert, and even Briony. And even when I was not so enamored with a character, he made them complex enough that I couldn’t flat out hate them. In particular, I found Barrick’s character whiny and self-indulgent, but Williams also gave me glimmers of Barrick’s intelligence and several understandable reasons for his sullenness.
Here’s why I withheld those last two stars: (1) The first two-thirds of the book were slow. I had a hard time pushing through. (2) He definitely could have beefed up the romance factor. He had two sets of potential lovers, but left both storylines unrequited. (3) The main villains of his story are the immortal Qar. Aside for their shared hatred of people and preference for dark skies, his descriptions of the Qar are very board. For example, one might resemble a beautiful woman while another looks like a hairy box. I had lots of unanswered questions about their abilities, their appearance, their history and such. I cannot decide if it is scarier to let the reader paint their own picture of the Qar, colored with their own personal fears, or if I just needed more specific descriptions. (4) He gave the history of his world in an introduction before the story begins. It read like a history textbook (albeit a juicy one). I felt like I should have been taking notes. I would appreciated if he had woven the history of the world into the actual story. (My husband fiercely disagrees with me here, but I stand by my opinion.) (5) The storyline based in Xis, a separate empire, never really tied into the several storylines based in the Shadowmarch. (6) The ending. Oh, the ending! It left so many questions unanswered! Sure, he solved one mystery, but it wasn’t the one I was really curious about.
In the end, I enjoyed the book, but it all felt like a lead-up to the next book. And I was indecisive about continuing the series until I found the sequel, “Shadowplay” for half price at my local used bookstore and thought “What the heck? I am curious to see what happens”.
September 22, 2019
Me encanta Tad Williams. Me sorprende que este autor sea poco conocido entre los amantes de la literatura fantástica. Actualmente vivimos una época excelente para este tipo de literatura a raiz del éxito de Juego de tronos. Otras sagas como las de Geralt de Rivia o autores como Sanderson o Abercrombie están gozando de una amplísima aceptación entre el gran público.
Pero en los 80 y 90 se cimentaron las bases para este boom actual y es gracias a autores como Hobb o Tad Williams que fueron pioneros en crear mundos y personajes maravillosos.
Durante mi juventud disfruté enormemente con la saga de Añoranzas y pesares, una mezcla de fantasía clásica con una ambientación y descripción medieval enormemente precisa que contenía momentos de aventura realmente épicos aunque su ritmo fuera irregular. De echo, si de algo se le tilda a autores como Hobb o Williams es de enrollarse como una persiana.
En Shadowmarch parece que el autor ya había aprendido un poco sobre esto y es más comedido. El ritmo es mucho más rápido y la ambientación de sobresaliente.
Breve sinopsis, nos encontramos tres frentes abiertos:
El castillo donde viven los protagonistas, dos hermanos mellizos que se ven abocados a reinar después del secuestro de su padre.
La tierra de los crepusculares, una linea de sombra que separa el reino de los mortales del reino de las hadas, que fueron expulsadas y planean una rebelión para recuperar sus tierras. A destacar que esta facción esta compuesta de razas de diverso pelaje: elfos malignos, pequeños trolls, gigantes y una reina con espinas y maléfica.
Y el tercer reino, el reino del autarca, donde un tirano déspota somete a su pueblo y conquista tierras sin parar.
A parte tenemos la historia de Sílex, un enano que encontrará a un misterioso niño humano de pelo blanco expulsado del pais de las sombras.
El libro me ha durado tres semanas y se lee como agua porque la historia es super entretenida, las batallas son sangrientas y no escatiman en crudeza, un toque moderno que Williams añadió y que creo que es más acorde con los tiempos actuales.
Un buenísimo libro que de seguro influenció a Martin y un autor del que nunca he leído nada malo. Saga a seguir :)
Pero en los 80 y 90 se cimentaron las bases para este boom actual y es gracias a autores como Hobb o Tad Williams que fueron pioneros en crear mundos y personajes maravillosos.
Durante mi juventud disfruté enormemente con la saga de Añoranzas y pesares, una mezcla de fantasía clásica con una ambientación y descripción medieval enormemente precisa que contenía momentos de aventura realmente épicos aunque su ritmo fuera irregular. De echo, si de algo se le tilda a autores como Hobb o Williams es de enrollarse como una persiana.
En Shadowmarch parece que el autor ya había aprendido un poco sobre esto y es más comedido. El ritmo es mucho más rápido y la ambientación de sobresaliente.
Breve sinopsis, nos encontramos tres frentes abiertos:
El castillo donde viven los protagonistas, dos hermanos mellizos que se ven abocados a reinar después del secuestro de su padre.
La tierra de los crepusculares, una linea de sombra que separa el reino de los mortales del reino de las hadas, que fueron expulsadas y planean una rebelión para recuperar sus tierras. A destacar que esta facción esta compuesta de razas de diverso pelaje: elfos malignos, pequeños trolls, gigantes y una reina con espinas y maléfica.
Y el tercer reino, el reino del autarca, donde un tirano déspota somete a su pueblo y conquista tierras sin parar.
A parte tenemos la historia de Sílex, un enano que encontrará a un misterioso niño humano de pelo blanco expulsado del pais de las sombras.
El libro me ha durado tres semanas y se lee como agua porque la historia es super entretenida, las batallas son sangrientas y no escatiman en crudeza, un toque moderno que Williams añadió y que creo que es más acorde con los tiempos actuales.
Un buenísimo libro que de seguro influenció a Martin y un autor del que nunca he leído nada malo. Saga a seguir :)
January 8, 2026
Wavering a little between 4 stars and 5 stars as this didn't grip me quite as hard as The Dragonbone Chair. But I'll go with 5 stars because it's Tad Williams building another immense and well-lived in world and that's what I'm here for. Also, the slowwwwww build-up and even slower movements of various characters across a mostly hidden-board. I'm positively in love with this manner of storytelling. And becoming addicted to it, such that I see a book and it's not for me unless it's at least 800 pages long and part of a series.
I'm hooked by all the mysteries and the strange places, the strange creatures, the strange war that is just beginning in this first book. I'm also intrigued by where most of the characters are going and hurrah for a teenage female character who is exceptionally well written and worth rooting for. As I wait for the conclusion of the second Osten Ard series, this one is definitely ticking all the boxes and will give me the Tad Williams fix I need.
I'm hooked by all the mysteries and the strange places, the strange creatures, the strange war that is just beginning in this first book. I'm also intrigued by where most of the characters are going and hurrah for a teenage female character who is exceptionally well written and worth rooting for. As I wait for the conclusion of the second Osten Ard series, this one is definitely ticking all the boxes and will give me the Tad Williams fix I need.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2016
Everything you could wish for in an epic fantasy, this one has it all. Multiple POVs, interesting characters, different folks with juicy politics, immense worldbuilding, lurking danger and most important a sense of wonder on every corner. During all those 800 pages I never get bored and enjoyed every beautiful written word. Yes it's slow sometimes and most things are just placed into position, but there is so much going on and it ends with a bang that throws me immediately to book #2 to dive in again.
June 8, 2015
Barrick and Briony might me the two most annoying protagonists in any book I've ever read. I listened to this as an Audio book so maybe the narration added to it, as the narrator voiced them both as extremely whiny. There were parts of the book I enjoyed. I liked the Chert and Flint subplot, but I dont think thats enough to keep me reading/listening to this series.
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