Stone of Farewell

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn #2

by Tad Williams

The second book in the trilogy that launched one of the most important fantasy writers of our time.

It is a time of darkness, dread, and ultimate testing for the realm of Osten Ard, for the wild magic and terrifying minions of the undead Sithi ruler, Ineluki the Storm King, are spreading their seemingly undefeatable evil across the kingdom.

With the very land blighted by the power of Ineluki’s wrath, the tattered remnants of a once-proud human army flee in search of a last sanctuary and rallying point—the Stone of Farewell, a place shrouded in mystery and ancient sorrow.

And even as Prince Josua seeks to rally his scattered forces, Simon and the surviving members of the League of the Scroll are desperately struggling to discover the truth behind an almost-forgotten legend, which will take them from the fallen citadels of humans to the secret heartland of the Sithi—where near-immortals must at last decide whether to ally with the race of men in a final war against those of their own blood.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Adventure, Young Adult

608 pages, Paperback

First published August 7, 1990

About the author

Tad 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

Reviews

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stone of Farewell is all about preparation for the grand conclusion.

“Old cities and old stories were now part of his very life. It was strange how the future seemed tied inseparably to the past, so that both revolved through the present, like a great wheel...”

Before I start my review, I want to say Tad Williams has been setting the correct example of what to include in sequels since the 90s. Stone of Fareweel begins with a recap of key points of events that happened in The Dragonbone Chair, and I find it a bit crazy that this hasn’t become a standard in epic fantasy series. Including this shows that the authors care and understand readers sometimes do not have the time to reread. And at the same time, this will be beneficial in making readers remember crucial moments from the previous book, which usually enriches the reading experience of the specific sequel. Did I need it? Not really for this one because I just read The Dragonbone Chair, but it is good to have it there for those who need it. If you have been following my reviews recently, you will know I’m a recent fan of The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams. The first book in Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy, or the entire trilogy, is a series beloved by many epic fantasy readers but doesn’t seem to get the recognition it deserves. Especially when it has inspired several popular and highly acclaimed fantasy series like The Kingkiller Chronicle and A Song of Ice and Fire to reach their eventual stardom. Considering how much I loved The Dragonbone Chair, it should be believable that I was so looking forward to reading its sequel: Stone of Farewell. And here it is, my full spoiler-free thoughts on it. I don’t think it’s as good as The Dragonbone Chair, but it was certainly another great book from Tad Williams that made me excited to read To Green Angel Tower ASAP.

“Not everyone can stand up and be a hero, Princess,” he said quietly. “Some prefer to surrender to the inevitable and salve their consciences with the gift of survival.”

Stone of Farewell is the second book in Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy. The story continues from where the previous book left off, and it was easy for me to feel immersed in the writing again. It is a delight and a joy to be reading Tad's writing. I have mentioned it several times; we fantasy readers need to spotlight Tad Williams' writing skills more frequently. Lyrical, beautiful, carefully crafted, and melancholic. It is not often I read a fantasy book that can conjure the same feeling of melancholia and nostalgia I get from reading Tolkien's writing, and that is what is delivered by Tad's prose. Added with a sense of modernity. And for the writing alone, it goes without saying that I had a wonderful time reading Stone of Farewell. But to go back to what I said earlier, let me get the things that did not work for me out of the way first, Stone of Farewell did suffer from a middle book syndrome occasionally encountered in epic fantasy trilogy.

“Hope… is like the belly-strap on a king’s saddle—a slender thing, but if it snaps the world turns topside-down.”

What I meant by this is that the majority of Stone of Farewell revolves around the main characters being separated and located at a different place from one another, and each one of them is trying to get to their destination: Stone of Farewell. Because of this, Stone of Farewell is heavily filled with traveling montages and getting the characters to their respective destination so the story can presumably proceed toward an explosive ending in the next book. Although I don't usually mind characters being placed in different locations, it can be a bit of a struggle sometimes here because my favorite characters (Simon and Binabik) of the series don't share a scene together for hundreds of pages. In some sections of the book, we don't even get to read some of the other main character's POV chapters appearing for a long time. And then there were also Miriamele and Maegwyn (the M&Ms) chapters that often felt like a slog to get through. I am generally not a fan of seafaring portions in my fantasy books, and here, approximately half of Miriamele's story takes place on a boat. It made her chapters feel more stagnant. As for Maegwyn, other than learning about the lore and world-building in her chapters, I did not find myself invested in her story. All of these, combined with the slow-pacing nature of the narrative, decrease my enjoyment of Stone of Farewell.

“Too often it is that men think those who serve are doing it from inferiorness or weakness… Folk who have those beliefs should ride a mount like Qantaqa, who could eat them if she chose. They would then be learning humbleness.”

Fortunately, as I said, Stone of Farewell remain another superb installment in Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn thanks to the lovely writing, tremendous world-building, and likable main characters. The themes of friendship, love, legacy, responsibilities, leadership, good and evil, were strongly evident. Simon and Binabik may not share as many scenes as they did in The Dragonbone Chair, which is unfortunate and yet necessary, but the powerful scenes they shared together intensified my affection for the two of them. They are becoming one of my favorite duos or brotherhood in the genre. Simon, as a reluctant hero, went through many hardships and defining moments in his journey here. Sorrow, rage, regret, loyalty, and more. Tad showcased how much of a big deal it is to have a friend like Binabik in his life. And the same situation, for reasons I cannot mention due to spoilers, can be applied the other way around for Binabik, too.

“Are you still my friend, Binabik?” he said at last.
The troll took the flute from his lips. “To death and beyond, Simon-friend.”

Of course, these two are not the only saving grace of the novel. Joshua was awesome. Jiriki's friendship with Simon was intriguing, Sludig is even more likable now, Cadrach surprisingly developed into a complex character, and some fascinating new characters like Aditu were introduced. In a time of darkness, dread, and ultimate testing for the realm of Osten Ard, where terrifying minions of the undead Sithi ruler, Ineluki the Storm King, are spreading their seemingly undefeatable evil across the kingdom, alliances and friendships need to be formed. And these characters be integral to the fate of Osten Ard. Where their story stopped in Stone of Farewell made me incredibly excited to read To Green Angel Tower.

“Never make your home in a place… Make a home for yourself inside your own head. You’ll find what you need to furnish it—memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey.

Lastly, the world-building in Osten Ard is starting to feel more expansive and immersive. We get to learn, quite extensively, further about the cultures and lore of the world. I loved how connected the past is to the present conflict. As I mentioned in my review of The Dragonbone Chair, the world of Osten Ard feels intricate, fantastical, and yet believable. I always consider it a positive sign when I read a fantasy book or series, and what I get to read in the present timeframe makes me eager to find out more about what happened in the past. This has been achieved stupendously in Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. I mean, there were several times when the events of the past long gone made me want to read about them more than the current conflict. Especially when we're talking about Ineluki and the three great swords.

“There was little inspiration in the crumbling ruins of Enki-e-Shao’saye. They seemed only to demonstrate that even the Sithi were bound within the sweep of time; that any work of hands, however exalted, must come at last to ignoble result.”

There were revelations regarding one of the great swords, Memory, in this book, and it felt like a thing I should've seen coming but did not. That's a testament to how immersed I was in the story and world that I forgot to think about this detail for a second. Speaking of Ineluki the Storm King, I did wish to witness more of his overwhelming hatred and vengeance in Stone of Farewell. But it seems like this is being saved for the next book. Some readers have told me I should read Brothers of the Wind prequel novel for this, too, and I think I will do that after I finish reading To Green Angel Tower. Also, it was interesting to read the name Navigator's Children for the first time here. The Navigator's Children is the title of the upcoming fourth and final book in The Last King of Osten Ard series.

“Ineluki has changed… He has become something the world has not seen before, a smoldering ember of despair and hatred, surviving only to redress those things which long ago were injustices and mistakes and tragic underestimations, but now are simply facts. Like ourselves, Ineluki dwells in the realm of what was. But unlike his living kin, Ineluki is not content to wallow in memories of the past. He lives, or exists—here is a place the mortal language is too inexact—to see the present state of the world obliterated and the injustices made right, but his only window is anger. His justice will be cruel, his methods even more horrible. ”

Despite a few personal hiccups with the pacing and story structure, I still highly enjoyed reading Stone of Farewell. Lovable characters, detailed world-building, and beautiful prose remain strong as the main highlights of this sequel for me. No doubt about that. Depending on To Green Angel Tower, Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy might become one of my favorite series. Maybe even the entirety of The Osten Ard Saga because I plan to read all the published books in the series. But first, let's finish Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. To Green Angel Tower is a 520,000 words beast, and although it is intimidating, I am undeniably to find out how the first part of Osten Ard Saga concludes.

“It has always been the same world, Prince Josua… It is only that in these troubled hours things are seen more clearly. The lamps of cities blur many shadows that are plain beneath the moon.”

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[Library of a Viking · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, slow burn fantasy. Tad Williams is a wordsmith!

4.5

[Dirk Grobbelaar · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review of The Dragonbone Chair did not do the novel justice. It was written in haste, a few quickly typed lines before I launched into The Stone of Farewell. See, The Dragonbone Chair ended on such a note that I just did.not.have.the.time to think about a decent review. I simply had to know what happened next.

The first novel went to great pains to establish the world, so there wasn’t such a lot of exposition required for The Stone of Farewell. This freed the author up to do what he apparently does best: write awesome, and remarkably cinematic, fantasy. There is an epic sweep to Memory, Sorrow and Thorn that does both Tolkien and David Lean proud. George R.R. Martin is on record saying that this series inspired him to write A Song of Ice and Fire.

Simon is a great reluctant-hero type. He is often resentful and bitter as he is swept along in the story. He rarely comprehends the significance of events and he never volunteers, but is unable to remove himself from the forefront of the stage. He often alternates between self pity and self loathing, which makes him pretty believable given the circumstances. And yet, ever so slowly, the reader starts perceiving the subtle changes, because among all the other things this novel aspires to, it is also a bildungsroman. As for Binabik the troll: he has to be read to be believed. There is some truth to the “dynamite in small packages” saying. The Miriamele/Aspitis sequence frustrated me to the point of orthostatic hypotension, but I have a niggling feeling that this was exactly the author’s intention. I could go on and on: the characters in here are as real as it gets in genre fiction, and there are many of them.

At times touching, at times amusing, but always rousingly epic - this is the series to read if you’re into high fantasy. I don’t have the next book close at hand (it is still in the mail), which is a pity, since this one also ends on such a fever pitch that I would have loved to launch straight into To Green Angel Tower, Part 1, without losing momentum. Alas.

Note: Jumping into a river to attack a crocodile is probably the second stupidest thing you can do (I’m reserving judgement about the first). It didn’t affect my rating, but you might want to bear it in mind.

[Read By Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most middle middle to ever middle. It's not even a middle. It's an iddl.

There's a season of The Walking Dead where, after the heroes have been holed up in a prison that is attacked by enemies, they are then scattered in many directions. And the show spends episodes upon episodes upon episodes dealing with them all separately wandering around until they get to the point in which they all meet again.

This 800 page book is an elongated version of those episodes, but if every character stopped and talked about the history of every town and zombie and raccoon they wandered by.

I was gonna try to finish this trilogy before the end of the year, but I need a break. I'll read To Green Angel Tower next year.



Can someone tell me an attribute of Simon? Any attribute. Not being picky here. I can't think of anything. Alive? Is being alive an attribute?

[Курило Євген · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10⭐
Потужна, гарна, динамічна, епічна та неймовірно цікава історія. Не дивлячись на великий обсяг, книга дуже швидко читається, бо постійно щось відбувається, книга безупинно набирає обертів та тримає градус напруги до кінця. Багато персонажів яких разкидало по всій карті світу. У кожного свій шлях та ціль. Кожна окрема сюжетна гілка цікава та важлива для розвитку глобального сюжету, навіть якщо спочатку здається що це не так. Подорожуючи світом гг відвідують нові місця, одні будуть неймовірно гарні, інші моторошні та повні небезпеки. Та зустрічі з істотами про яких є згадки тільки у легендах. Друга частина трилогії більш похмура та місцями навіть депресивна, бо могутність ворога дуже велика, він сильний, хитрий, безжальний та переважає кількістю, а протистоїть йому невеличка група хоробрих воїнів, яких нажаль стає все менше в цьому жорстокому та нерівному протистоянні. Але надія є, маленька, але є. Також є ті хто допомагає як порадами так і діями. Тож супротив триває. Вирішальна битва попереду.

Ця історія захопила та поглинула весь мій вільний час. Завдяки неймовірному письменницькому таланту та фантазії автора, беручи книгу до рук я поринав у цей дивовижний світ та наче подорожував разом з його героями. З нетерпінням чекаю на продовження. Та дуже раджу цей цикл всім поціновувачам епічного фентезі.

[Jake Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still really enjoyed the characters, and character interactions, the worldbuilding and lore is still fantastic, and Tad's writing is still very good, I don't love it as much as some do, but it is still very good. (even if I sometimes get annoyed by the sheer quantity of adverbs). This book also just feels like the poster child for middle book syndrome. The main plot of this book feels like it is just to get people in a situation where they can start the final book, and most of the conflict of the book is driven by sub plots along the way.

So it's a 4 star, but it is a mildly disappointing 4 star given the skill and talent of the author.

7.3/10

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit too long even for my taste, although, if you ask me, I don’t know what could have been cut from it. We follow our heroes’ quest throughout Osten Ard, but now we have more threads. The remaining ‘good guys’ are scattered throughout the land, each trying to reach the Stone of Farewell, the last safe bastion from the Storm King.

There is a single wow moment, for me at least, and it was at 96%. However, there isn’t a single dull moment in the whole book. It’s just that their journeys are taking too long and I’m tired and frustrated that nothing good happens to them. Just like in LOTR, where the chain of misfortunes doesn’t seem to end for Frodo and Sam.

Anyway, I thought I would take a break but given the revelation at the end my curiosity was piqued even more than it was so here I go on the last part of the adventure.

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read.

I definitely liked this book better the second time. I suppose it's just one of those things. It seems slow-going only because I kept expecting something else.

In point of fact, I loved the land of the Sidhe here, the hints and the worldbuilding, and the great, deep tragedy.

The epic part of this fantasy is not in the battles, although they are there, but in how the fantasy deeply diverges from the normal tropes. It swerves rather far from normal expectations and does it in a deep way. It's not surface level. The corruption of Osten Ard, the way we keep coming back to it with a truly surprising PoV, the Dragon (NOT an actual Dragon, mind you), really gives us a sense of how bad things are getting while the true storm brews in the background, threatening to overrun all the lands.

As I said in the previous book's review, these books are detail-rich, deeply grounded, and never overpowered. The same is true here. Simon is always out of his depth. He's such a sweet kid, trying so hard. I really like him. And I feel for him, too. Even though there was a lot more time spent with different characters, I really got into the Sidhe sections.

I still remember what happens in the next book, so this is pretty much the lull before the storm.

[Aurora · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate this book. Here, let me sum it up for you so you don't waste all the time I did hoping this monstrosity would get better.

Some people walk through a forest. A fight happens. Someone falls down and has a prophetic dream that they never tell anyone about. More walking through the forest.

Repeat ad nauseum.
Yes, that was the entire book. People 'falling senseless' or whatever the heck every ten pages, a lot of whining, and the occasional anticlimactic pointless battle followed by more passing out and walking through the forest. What a waste of time and space.

[Solseit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great second book in a series.
Plenty of characters, great characters, challenges which showed more of the main characters reactions and humanity.
Amazing plot, properly written and developed. Just the right amount of cliffhangers.
Also, great female characters, stronger than average and annoyed by being contained in a stereotype.
I felt completely immersed in the story and invested in the characters.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars
This was a solid sequel with the same quality of writing and character work. I look forward to seeing how this all comes together in the final volume.

[Kitty G Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book #2 in the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series and it's a pretty classic fantasy series. I find that classic fantasy often tends to fall into some of the tropes I don't love very much (sloooooow pacing and not so developed characters were the two major complaints with this book) but when I am in the mood to read a classic fantasy series I do enjoy a good one and I think this one is that :)

Simon is the main character for a lot of the first book but I feel like in book two we start to branch off into a few different plot threads and follow more people in detail. Simon is our young 'chosen one'. The boy who used to sleep in the kitchens, until he was sent off on the most important quest of all time...to find Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (3 magic swords) and hopefully fix THE WORLD :)

We also have Binabik who is a personal favourite of the series for me. He's a troll, and he lives in a land full of trolls (well, normally he would but up until now he's been on a quest with Simon). I loved getting to see him with his people (even though they're pretty mean to him) and seeing ALL the trolls - They're kind of like cute little trolls rather than big scary ones!

Jirki is a Sitha, one of the ancient magical races of the world who might be able to help if only they would stir themselves into action and actually worry about the destinies of mortals (can you tell I've read a few books where this happens?!)

Prince Josua is an exiled Prince by this book and he's on the run and in hiding from the evil Norns and the others who would seek to do him harm (that's most people). He's the land's best noble chance for redemption so must be protected at all costs.

Miriamele was the worst developed character in my opinion, she's the daughter of the crazy King (he's the reason so much of the world is an issue - or one of them) and yet ALL she seems to do is be scared, flirty, weak or whiney... I have to say from experience there's a lot more than that to a lady and she's just not a convincing character. A lot of her plot felt forced and anti-climatic to me in this book which was a shame as I think she could be great when used properly...

Maegwin is probably one of the most far-off from the rest of the characters and the most intriguing to me. Her plot just keeps picking at me and making me wonder where it's going and how she fits into everything. She's a princess who's in hiding as the last of her line with the last of her loyal followers...

The plot of this book certainly had some wonderful moments but equally it suffers from the slow pacing that this sort of book is known for. I don't mind a slow read when I am audio-booking (which is what I did with this one) but sometimes this felt like a lot could have been shortened/cut.

In terms of the book as a whole I did enjoy it even though I have issues with it. It's one of the better classic fantasies I've read and I have fun being in the world, I just think it doesn't hold up alongside some of the other more modern books. It's a good adventure and I'm committed to seeing where it goes, so I am diving straight into book #3 and will report back. 3*s for this one.

[Brooke (~!Books are my Favorite!!~) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It is not for you to say whether or not you have failed me."

"There is no change without cost. You cannot move forward without leaving something behind."

"You are still the Queen's Hunter."
"The world still spins but it spins towards us."

"You will be made stronger for your coming task will be a hard one."

on the Norn..."you are a devil spawn and devils are masters of lies."

[Chris Gousopoulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

  The apocalypse that has befallen the world of Osten Ard is fully unveiled. It might be a slow unravelling but it is a very satisfying one. The worldbuilding is tremendous. Our view of the world expands and its full of magnificent places, people and their stories. Especially the various subraces of the elvenkind are awesome. Apart from the Middle Earth this is the only place that I can say that I love the Elves. They share the grandeur and the drama of their Tolkien counterparts but they are at the same time very original and unique.
  I also liked a lot the horror and darker elements that appeared in bigger numbers. The enemy is spreading like a plague and the world is turning fast to a menacing and dangerous place.
   I dont know if that kind of storytelling would appeal to everyone. Especially to people who prefer faster and action oriented stories but if you like a more romantic and adventurous approach u ll probably appreciate these books a lot.

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I look back on the reading experience for Stone of Farewell, I wonder exactly why I enjoyed it so much? I mean, not an awful lot happens. Simon returns to being a pouty, immature boy more often than not. There’s an awful lot of walking, while keeping a look-out for the bad guys. In fact, you could probably sum up the whole book in one sentence: Most of the good guys get to the Stone of Farewell.

I guess what made it worthwhile for me was learning quite a bit more about the Sithi (Williams’ version of Elves). Plus getting some back-story for Ineluki, the Storm King, to find out what turned him into the vengeful creature that is threatening all of Osten Ard. There’s also a peek into Troll culture and a love interest for poor, patient old Binibik.

The character who really gets left in the lurch in this volume is Miriamele, King Elias’ daughter. I would be reading book three regardless, but it is her fate that really is pulling me along at this point. I must know what happens!

This is pretty standard fantasy fare and if you enjoy high fantasy, you are likely to enjoy the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series. Those who don’t like elves, trolls, and magic swords should definitely pass this series by!

Book 250 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy reading project.

[Ahdam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok first review of 2018 and what do you know its 5 stars out of 5

Anyway this book is a huge improvement on the previous book which was already fantastic, I think what stood out for me in this book was the pace and tension kept building as it wasn't like in the great hunt where it starts all over again for each book. I felt the story moved much more here than in Dragonbone chair and I was invested into what the characters were up to as they got on with there tasks set for them in Osten Ard.

That is another thing I loved about this book the number of characters is just amazing and it was such a joy to revisit some (Rachel) and I was invested in all of the POV's as not only did I feel attached to the characters I was fascinated because I was learning of the huge world that is Osten Ard whether it is the mythical sites our heroes visit or the history behind certain places I loved learning about this world and being a part of it along with the characters. Simon still has a way to go but he has definitely evolved from the mooncalf back in Hayholt and I can't wait to see what he will do next because I see great things for him as he begins to mature to the Snowlock he is especially in the ultimate 1600 pages (split into 2 books of course) finale that is green angel tower

I love this series so much the writing is exquisite, the details are so fascinating and matching it with its pace is probably the main reason why I love this book much better than the first 2 books of the wheel of time as I personally rank Osten Ard as one of my favourite fantasy world along with Roshar. I'm so glad I finally returned to this series after 9-10 months and getting into it felt like a breath of fresh air or more like cold air for this case.

I would recommend everyone to give this series a try with The Dragonbone Chair, if you want a classical fantasy story with great worldbuilding and fine details I would start here and like I said earlier I personally enjoyed this series more than the first 2 books of the Wheel of Time series.

[Benghis Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars for a middle book that went surprisingly well for me considering how I was having trouble fully gelling with Williams’ writing in book 1. Taking this one slowly and not racing to finish for a buddy read chat helped me settle in with Tad’s luscious prose and deliberate pacing. This is just not the series where you want to be antsy about making quick progress.

As is often the case with book 2s, I loved being able to hit the ground running with the plot lines and groups we left off with from bk 1 having gotten all the set up out of the way. I liked the mix of POVs and the rate at which we were switching between them, though I did think the two young female POVs were noticeably weaker than the others. I wish Tad had done something different with those two characters, but the events and characters around them were compelling so I was still engaged through those chapters.

I can easily see how this slow-developing middle book would make many restless, but I found almost all of the individual scenes to be worthwhile and interesting on their own — like with the Odyssey, the whole point of the first chunk before Odysseus gets home is about the stops along the way of the journey. And I kinda felt Stone of Farewell felt similar, where all our groups are traveling pretty much the whole time and encountering major obstacles of various kinds that they have to overcome through bravery and wits (or running away as fast as they can). I found a lot of these stops offered fantastic bits of worldbuilding, and that aspect of Tad's storytelling was connecting with me more strongly than it had in bk 1 where the worldbuilding felt a bit more by-the-numbers. Spending more time in new intriguing locations all around the map really helped me feel like I was exploring a unique fantasy world.

Overall I’m enjoying the mythic scale of the major story arc, and Tad just consistently delivers powerful lines and emotional moments. I can feel my emotional investment with this series steadily growing, which makes me excited to dive into the massive finale.

[Oleksandr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Що може бути ліпше, аніж прочитати ще крутіше продовження крутої книги? Авжеж, усвідомлення, що мене чекає ще цілих два томи наступної частини))
Скеля прощання - ідеальна наступниця наївнішої та легшої Трону з драконових кісток. Тут історія стає по справжньому похмурою, події часто моторошні, герої страждають, а лиходії тріумфують. І над цим усім нависає холод і Зима. Часті і детальні описи страшних холодів, завірюх, зими серед літа додають "атмосфери"
Я пропав у цій історії, які ще можуть бути ліпші похвали книзі?

[Zoe Stewart (Zoe's All Booked) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this entirely on audio while doing things around the house, and it was the perfect companion. I'm still holding out hope for certain characters to come back, but I feel like I'm setting myself up for failure LOL

[Pavle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iako je po prirodi onaj klasični spojni deo bez mnogo stvarnih narativnih, a sa puno karakternih pomaka, drugi deo Vilijamsove trilogije sasvim radi svoj posao pripremanja scene za klimaktični okršaj. Mali a značajni trenuci pojedinih likova je ono što ovde nosi radnju, kao i daleko veći fokus na vilenjačku rasu u svetu Osten Arda. I dalje je stilska raskoš najupečatljiviji deo ovih romana, kao i potpuno jedinstveno shvatanje sveta i likova koji ga populišu. Treći deo sledi posle kraće pauze.

4

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal 👏
Will definitely be moving To Green Angel Tower up on the TBR ‼️

[Olena · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Прості відповіді на складні життєві питання. Це була б така потужна магія, якої я ніколи за все своє життя не бачив."

«Скеля Прощання» - це друга книга трилогії “Пам’ять, скорбота і шип”, сюжет у цій книзі розвивається набагато швидше, ніж у попередній, є також кілька поворотів, які добре підтримують темп.

Автор продовжує розгортати різні погляди на вже існуючі фентезійні норми, завдяки чому начерк історії є заспокійливим, знайомим, але при тому має свою родзинку. Історія часом повільна (я б сказала толкінівська – бо головні герої майже завжди в дорозі, тут досить легко побачити аналогії з Володарем перснів), але вона, безумовно, набагато більш запаморочлива, ніж попередня.

Мені дуже подобається, як переплетені сюжетні лінії. Вони продовжують, завершують, доповнюють одна одну надзвичайно гармонійно. І хоча часто ми дізнаємось важливі деталі швидше, ніж персонажі, це жодним чином не применшує напруги. Натомість, ви будете проживати всі біди та пригоди з ними і подекуди вам захочеться відчайдушно кричати персонажам, що їм робити і куди йти.

Другу книгу трилогій найчастіше називають “паршивою вівцею”. Можливо, хтось з вас скаже так і про «Скелю Прощання» – тут присутні довгі роздуми про життя і це часом буває нудно – але для мене це наче затишшя перед бурею, коли всі готуються до кульмінації, до битви, яка чекає на них у заключній частині. І замість того, щоб важко пробиратися крізь це, я насолоджувалась кожною миттю.

Одна річ, яка мені справді подобається і тримає в напрузі це те, як Вільямс розвиває стосунки між Саймоном та Міріамель (бо я не фанатка відкритих та швидких романтичних стосунків у фентезі). За всю цю чортову книгу вони жодного разу не бачаться, але майже щоразу, коли до них хтось підбиває клині і вони задаються питанням, чи подобаються вони комусь, то обидва думають одне про одного. Тут я така “боже, діти, та ви ж закохані одне в одного, алооо” 😩

І ще декілька рандомних штук: друге – Валада Джелоє, неймовірна, загадкова, таємнича сильна жінка, яка допомагає самому принцу! І майже нічого не пояснює 🤭

Третє – цю книгу варто прочитати до кінця лише заради того, щоб побачити у власній уяві Ясіру – Залу для зібрань з метеликами. Це був просто феєрверк емоцій у моїй голові 😍

Четверте – на мою думку, тут якраз добре витриманий баланс напружених подій та спокійного темпу. Бо, погодьтеся, інколи буває занадто нудно, а інколи надто напхано всього, щоб просто тримати нас в шоці, але незрозуміло для чого.

Найкраще, що я можу порадити, читайте цю частину одразу після «Трону із Драконових Кісток», щоб сюжетні лінії були свіжими у вашій пам'яті.

[aria ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old cities and old stories were now part of his very life. It was strange how the future seemed tied inseparably to the past, so that both revolved through the present, like a great wheel

“Stone of Farewell” is the second instalment of the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy in the greater Osten Ard Saga. Told in three parts: Storm's Eye, Storm's Hand and Storm's Heart, the sequel diverts from Simon's perspective, introducing more characters.

Back in Asu’a we follow Pyrates, King Elias and Rachel. King Elias seems to descend into madness and those who believed themselves his friends, now seek to escape his company. The best of these parts was Rachel. She believes Simon to be dead and the way she rallied those under her, seeking to protect them while dealing with her grief, was so inspiring. Still, it was hard to watch her grieve for her adopted son.

She had been almost a mother to the boy, had she not? Raised him—with the help of her chambermaids, of course—since his first hour, when his mother had died in childbirth despite all Doctor Morgenes’ attempts to save her. So shouldn’t Rachel know if he was truly gone? Shouldn’t she feel the final severing of the cord that had bound her to that stupid, addle-pated, gawky boy?

Princess Maegwin in her grief, is slowly descending into madness and Eolair is helpless in aiding her. She seems to hate him now and when she sends him away, he has to obey. I honestly don’t care about the two of them but I found their parts enjoyable nonetheless. Miriamele, daughter of King Elias, continues to think she knows better than everyone else and strikes off on her own, which lands her in trouble, again. One thing about Tad Williams is that his female characters are just as well developed as his male ones.

Prince Josua has escaped the siege with his life and a few survivors. When he is told of the Stone of Farewell, he makes it his mission to reach there and rally a resistance against his brother. I find Josua such an interesting character. He has serious self-esteem issues which can be seen with his self-deprecating comments but those who follow him will not let him suffer in silence. The friendships in this book are so good. The men are allowed to cry and seek comfort from each other and it’s so beautiful. I can’t help but highlight just one heartwarming moment.

“It is just as well, I suppose, that I am not left to stand guard alone,” Strangyeard said. “My sight is not good, you know—and that is in my one remaining eye.” He chuckled apologetically. “There is nothing more frightening than to see the words in my beloved books growing fainter every day.”

“When we are safe, Strangyeard,” Deornoth began suddenly, “if you cannot read, I will come and read to you. My eyes are not as quick as yours, nor my mind, but I am stubborn as an unfed horse. I will grow better with practice. I will read to you.”

Simon, Sludig, Jiriki and Binabik are held prisoner with Sludig and Binabik being held accused of crimes against the Qanuc. We are introduced to more of the Qanuc but of importance is Sisqinanamook, or Sisqi as Binabik calls her. Tasked with returning one of the legendary swords, our team struggles to reach the Stone of Farewell, where they wish to reunite with Prince Josua and his people.

Simon really had his faith shaken in this book. His childish views of war have been overturned and he is angry. “I thought that it would be like a story. That we would find the sword and it would be a powerful weapon, that we would destroy our enemies and things would be right again. I didn’t think any more people would die!” He finds himself snapping at his friends, overwhelmed with all that’s happening but he is quick to apologise. Binabik, his closest friend, is understanding and helps him understand his emotions while Sludig helps him transition from his beliefs as a boy to those of a man.

“Are you still my friend, Binabik?” he said at last.

The troll took the flute from his lips. “To death and beyond, Simon-friend.” He began to play once more.

The world is changing. War tears the country apart and those who survive the brutality of Elias and his rule, seek refuge elsewhere. But no place is safe. Everyone, of ancient race and men, find themselves leaving their homes to escape. Nothing shows the brutality of this as when Simon observes the Qanuc.

“Why do they look so sad, Binabik?”

“We are having a saying on Mintahoq,” the little man explained, “—‘Mourning is for home.’ When we are losing one of our folk on the trail we bury them in that place, but we save our tears until we are safe in our caves once more. Nine of our folk died on Sikkihoq.”

“But you said ‘mourn at home.’ These people are not home yet.”

Binabik shook his head, then answered a quiet question from Sisqi before returning his attention to Simon. “These hunters and herders are making ready for the coming of the rest of Yiqanuc’s folk. The word is even now flying from one mountain to another: the highlands are not a place of safety and spring is not coming.” The little man smiled wearily. “They are home, Simon-friend.”

But even as the world seems to be crashing down, there are still moments of hope. When one person makes a choice to help instead of hurt, it makes all the difference. As said: “And bravery is by no means the province only of soldiers and nobles” and it is these common people, who wish for things to be better, that make all the difference.

“We are very small,” Simon said between swallows. The kangkang seemed to be flowing in his veins like blood.

“So are the stars, kundë-mannë,” Sludig murmured. “But they each one burn as bright as they can.”

Despite not having enough of Duke Isgrimnur, this was an amazing sequel that expands the world of Osten Ard. The world feels so massive with a history so rich and full of life. There are times I think it’s a real world with how well-loved the world is. I can’t wait to start book three. It’s over a thousand pages long and I know it’s going to be epic.

“Perhaps. But if we are not trying, then there is no chance of anything but this antlike crushing, so we must try. There is always something beyond even the worst of bad times. We may die, but the dying of some may mean living for others. That is not much to cling to, but it is a true thing in any case.”

[Trent · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Stone of Farewell was a continuation of everything that was great about The Dragonbone Chair, while also improving in some of the areas where I felt the first book was weaker. Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is shaping up to truly be one of my all-time favorite fantasy series.

Once again, the world of Osten Ard is the star of the show. It’s deep and fascinating, and Tad reveals its secrets at a nearly perfect pace. It reminds me of some of the best parts of Middle Earth, while still being different enough to be a world I want to revisit and learn more about.

The characters just feel....real. None are perfect, and the majority of them are remarkably grey in their motivations (i.e. Cadrach). And for a book written in 1990(ish), there is a pretty amazing amount of female representation, which I love. Yes, they may be princesses or chief’s daughters, but Tad makes it clear that they are competent and will be important to the defeat of the Norns and the Storm King.

The writing continues to be beautiful, but slow, (though not at the plodding pace of the first 200 pages of The Dragonbone Chair). It is more reminiscent of, say, Robin Hobb. Williams is a beautiful writer and he clearly revels in slowly revealing the details of Osten Ard. And here he proves that he can actually speed things up for a good chase or fight scene, and when he does - I’m on the edge of my seat.

Overall - Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn continues to be an effective bridge between the writing and world-building of Tolkien, and the characters and plotting of GRRM, Jordan, and Hobb.

It is an amazing combination - I can’t wait to begin the finale!

[Szaman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Offf ciężkie mi to ocenić. 3.5 pewnie bo tak - weszlo duuużo, dużo lepiej niż pierwsza część, ale jak mi zostało jakieś 50 stron do końca to zorientowałam się, że nie było tu za bardzo jakiejkolwiek fabuły oprócz tego, że wszyscy mają ostatecznie się dostac do Kamienia xD rozwój postaci i świata był w międzyczasie, a jakże, ale całość to bardzo, baaaaardzo rozciągniete przygotowanie do finału (który przeczytam, żeby nie było).

Z dalszych luźnych przemyśleń powtórzę to co już pisałam przy kolejnych aktualizacjach. Wspaniałe jest to umiejscowienie świata i fabuły w pewnym okresie historycznym, gdzie pewne rzeczy już przeminęły i pozostała po nich pamięć i smutek (tak, to celowe), a nostalgia i tęsknota siedzą w czytelniku trochę jak zadra (albo cierń). To jest absolutnie piękne i to coś, co kocham w klasycznym fantasy, bo tego jest też pełno u Tolkiena.

Nie ma postaci, która w tej książce wkurwiałaby mnie bardziej niż Miriamele, noż do licha, dziewczyno, get over yourself.

Odkryłam też kolejną inspirację Christophera Paoliniego i jest to ta seria xD

Bardzo mnie cieszył wątek Joshuy i Vorzhevy, i to jak bardzo widać tam było rozwój. Zresztą Vorzheva to super bohaterka i strasznie ją lubię.

[mikey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75/5


Stone of Farewell, the second book in Memory Sorrow and Thorn, is another densely packed, beautifully crafted fantasy adventure that further contextualizes the world, and further characterizes all playing pieces within the realm of Osten Ard.

All of our characters are given lots of time to develop even more on their quest to safe haven within The Stone of Farewell, Simon, Miriamele, Josua, even Rachel, and Guthwulf being some of the key highlights in this book.

Themes of belonging, criticality of religion, and friendship stood out the most to me in this entry, and I can’t wait to see them explored more in the final installment.

And I cannot stress enough how beautiful and vivid Tad William’s prose is, some of his quotes and descriptions making me misty eyed off of beauty alone.

“Never make your home in a place,” the old man had told him that day. “Make a home for yourself inside your own head. You’ll find what you need to furnish it—memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey . . .”

My only complaint about this book is that sometimes the pacing would slow to a halt right when things were about to pop off with one of the other povs. This works a lot of the time in fantasy, but because this book is already so densely packed, it would somewhat kill my momentum from the last pov. These feelings are short lived though, because I would very quickly become entranced once again with the current character I was reading.


The ending really made me excited to read To Green Angel Tower, so much so that I am still currently debating on if I should pick it up right this second. Regardless of when I do, I know that Tad won’t let me down.


“There’s work to be done, and no rest this side of Heaven.”

[Joshua Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always have thought of myself as a "slow burn" literature type of reader: some of my favorite authors in this genre and others can be described as this type. But this book challenges that original thought, as this was one of the slowest books I think I've read, and the further I got into the book, the less I enjoyed it. I really enjoyed the first book, despite being critical of the plotting-namely that the non-Simon POVs felt felt forced and like tokens in the work-so I was pleasantly surprised to see the beginning of this book Williams employ an ever-changing point of view kind of narrative.

And at first, I enjoyed it... until it became a slog. At about the 3/4 point of the book I honestly had no desire to finish it. The story at that point in 10 or 11 different places by my count, and by the end I honestly only found one of the storylines interesting. My biggest concern going into the final book is that I honestly feel very little connection with the story or any of the characters; if I weren't leading a read along, I honestly wonder if I'd be reading the finale at all.

There were some great moments in this book, but barely enough to be above the "liked it" range for this book. I do hope that To Green Angel Tower works for me, as I do like his writing style, even if the beginning of this series I find extremely slow and inconsistent.

[Max · Rating 5 out of 5]

I forgot how many memorable scenes this second instalment had. Maegwin and Eolair in the tunnels, Simon in the Sithi village, Miriamele still on the run, the Prince in Fikolmij's camp.. and as always, a great cliffhanger-end to this book. It made me pick up part three right away, even though my eyes were nearly falling shut and I had already been reading for hours.

It's long, but that's why I love it!

[Jagoda Szulc · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[Viv (vivianneslibrary) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow freaking burn fantasy. As much as I LOVED book one this one slowed down a bit more and I was getting lost with all of the characters names. It took away some of my enjoyment but overall I am still loving the story. Now on to book three, the biggest fantasy book I will ever read lol.
4.25⭐️