Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for To Green Angel Tower by Tad Williams starting on February 1, 2025.


Happy Reading!

Thank you!

Proposed Schedule:

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn
1) The Dragonbone Chair (Sept 1) [link]
--People got busy, rescheduled for new year--
2) Stone of Farewell (Jan 1) [link]
3) To Green Angel Tower (Feb 1)
This one is such a chonker it was originally split into Part 1 and Part 2! Looking forward to it!

Middle books--King of Osten Ard prequels
1) The Heart of What Was Lost (Mar 1st) [link]
2) Brothers of the Wind (Apr 1st) [link]
---Requests Made Up to Here---

---NEED REQUESTS---
Last King of Osten Ard
1) The Witchwood Crown (May 1) [linkTBD]
2) Empire of Grass (Jun 1)
3) Into the Narrowdark (Jul 1)
4) The Navigator's Children (Aug 1)

Starting! But will probably go slow. SO HAPPY there's a recap at the beginning. Not only 'cuz I need it, but 'cuz it's psyching me up.

I'm planning on listening to a little at the end of the day, when I finish another book, and pick away at this slowly. We'll see how I do.

Through Chapter 2 (view spoiler)[The recap said that "Miramele allowed herself to be seduced...." ugh ugh ugh--I'd forgotten that she didn't manage to get away from the smarmy duke guy... He must know something... do you think he knows who she is, and is hoping to force his way to the throne through Elias's daughter? If so, he's biting off more than he can chew, I think... I really want Miramele to get some more backbone. Killing the duke is a good place to start. (hide spoiler)]

Through Chapter 4 (view spoiler)[Sure enough!! Asshole duke knew who she was the whole time!! Come on Miramele!! There's a time limit on her now, before he comes to her tonight... I really don't want to see her have to go through a whole trip being raped...

Maegwin seems to be taking over the role of interesting female character for now... (hide spoiler)]

Through Chapter 9 (view spoiler)[Finally getting Cadrach's backstory, and it's a doozy... I can forgive him for his drunken tricks and thefts.... I'm surprised he dared show up in the city to bump into Simon and Miramele at all... It makes so much sense that both he and Pryrates were both members of the Society of the Scroll...

And I am SO GLAD Miramele is away from that asshole! I loved it when she brained him with the oar. (hide spoiler)]

Made it to the end of Part I! Through Chapter 26. The story so far has a had a several exciting parts, but still feels like a river--slow moving, with rapids and undertow, beautiful scenery... (view spoiler)[Camaris is a mystery. I don't remember what legends were told about him--besides him being an old friend of I think Prester John? Maybe one of the people who helped him defeat the dragon and claim Bright Nail? I was super happy to see him beat up the asshole lordling, but seriously, why didn't they kill him? Then there's a prophecy around him, and that he's humming the Sitri song... suggesting he might have spent some time among them...

And on top of that, there was a hint--someone said that Josua is "definitely his father's son" and it didn't sound like they were talking of Prester John. I'm betting he's actually Camaris's son...

Simon's been through a lot lately... Feels like it was his first real taste of battle and war, for all he's been through in the other books. And finally all of our characters have been reunited--and he pledges himself to Miramele! His bumblings where she is concerned (and other women, but mostly her) are amusing. I'm also reading The Name of the Wind and he and Kvothe are of the same age--and have similar blindness when it comes to women. Simon is much more naive and much more blind though. He asks: "When will I ever understand women?" Oh Simon, never.

I'm super glad to see the two of them heading off on their own quest now though. More danger! More adventure! And the two of them together! I have a feeling Miri is heading to her father though, and that seems like just another stupid decision on a mountain of bad decisions she's made... Then again--if she's going to try and sneak Bright Nail out, to unite the three swords... and if that'll put Simon back in contact with Rachel the Dragon...chance to save Guthwulf (and the cat!) then I guess I'm for it. (hide spoiler)]

I am glad you are enjoying it! I am a bit intimidated by the behemoth but I will start this week too

I'm listening to a couple chapters every evening rather than attempting all at once. Like, if I finish a book and it's too late to finish another if I start, I'll listen to a bit of this baby. ^_^ Working well for me so far!

Yeah, bit by bit sounds less intimidating

Thankfully I was able to renew my library loan. ^_^ Apparently other folks also find it intimidating, lol.

I am all on my lonesome with mine so that also adds to the relaxing pace haha

Started! First 3 chapters (view spoiler)[ Good start. Simon is a knight, just like he dreamed and most of the key characters are finally in one place. Though some are going away with Isorn. Hopefully Maegwin wont behave so bad toward Eolin.

Miariameles chapters are the ones i still dont like. Nice to know more of the niskis but that is about it.

One thing i am thinking but i am probably wrong is the wheel in the forges at Hayholt. It reminds me of the wheel that appears on Simons dreams, but i think that wheel is more metaphorically that this one. Like Simon being dragged around by everyone and the dangers of the norns and the king. (hide spoiler)]

Nirkatze wrote: "Through Chapter 2 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ 100% sure he knows who she is! He goes at her very strong for a suposed minor noble going to a convent. I dislike so much this storyline because its so vague i just keep thinking the worse every time. It sounds weird but something more explicit would calm me more haha. I am going to pretend nothing happened.

i know! Miriamele is tired of fighting sure, but at some point you must! Its been a lot of time and pages doing nothing (hide spoiler)]

Ooh, I like your metaphorical interpretations of the wheels.

Ugh so ditto on Miramele!!

Starting Part 2! NOT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK! The chapters start over again.

Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[Noooo! Geloe!! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 2: (view spoiler)[Miriamele & Simon--I like that Simon is pushing Miramele to share. Though I can also see why she's hesitant--she was burned by trusting too easily. But Simon is not the asshole lordling.

Nice poem/song at end. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4 (view spoiler)["This was Simon, this was not her enemy." Yeah... I'm glad that she's having to deal with this trauma, and it's not just being swept under the rug. But it's also sad to see it sour what should have been a sweet moment for the two of them, two teenagers learning to respect each other and maybe falling in love... The hair-cutting scene made me go "awww". (hide spoiler)]

Part II Chap 8--(view spoiler)[glad it's all out but GGRRR SIMON GET YOUR HEAD ON STRAIGHT AND GO GROVEL! GROVEL! (hide spoiler)]

Chap 9 (view spoiler)[Aargh! Captured AGAIN?? Seriously?? I'm a big annoyed, 'cuz I feel like this is forcing Simon to stop giving Miramele the cold shoulder without actually forcing him to confront how stupid he's being over her heartfelt confession. (hide spoiler)]

Through Chapter 12--(view spoiler)[Guthwulf & Simon etc all in tunnels... they've got to run into each other soon... (hide spoiler)]

Part II Through Chapter 21 (view spoiler)[Gah! I'm still annoyed at Simon for his treatment and reaction to Miraimele. GROW UP!! Such a self-centered teenager woe-is-me response. Think about the other person!! But I'm also glad that he's finally run into Guthwulf. And OMG Doctor Inch?? Totally forgot about that weasel! He'd be pitiable if he wasn't such a backstabber. And Elias too... Simon's encounter with him evokes as much pity as it does ire... (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 23 (view spoiler)[Finally getting some big reveals... Simon's vision from the "angel"--Lilia or something like that? The name sounded familiar but I can't remember what... maybe Ineluki Storm King's wife? The ring the tired man handed off... bet that was Simon's ring, that he was left with as a baby... These books have been out for decades so I know ending spoilers, that (view spoiler)[Simon ends up as king, so this might be his ancestor--Fisher John? (hide spoiler)] And Miramele meeting some of the Navigator's Children--and they were the makers of the swords... right as the allies realize they need that information... (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 31 (view spoiler)[Great twist!! The quest to collect the swords is assisting Ineluki.... not to defeat or contain him! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 32 (view spoiler)["I will fear you, but I will not hate you." This makes me think of how many of the antagonists have had a sad side to them so far... (hide spoiler)]

And finished! I really enjoyed the journey, though for the length of the book the climax felt a bit rushed. (view spoiler)[I teared up a little when Rachel was finally reunited with Simon. But I still wish she'd played a bigger part, not just hiding out the worst of hit. I suppose her biggest part is yet to come.

I still feel like Simon & Miramele's romance and the whole "I'm not pure" thing didn't get a satisfying resolution. I want Simon to grovel, not just wait around puppy dog eyed until Miramele tells him she doesn't care that he's not noble. And then it turns out he is.

Was glad to see the theory on Josua being Camaris's son turn out to be true, but it was introduced in a way that kind of made it irrelevant. Which I guess it was. (hide spoiler)]

Do you want to postpone the next books, Paula? This one is definitely a chonker.

Yeah, this one will take me the whole month to read for sure. I am at chapter 9 so it will take awhile haha

Take your time! I can ask to have the next ones pushed back two months even, or a month and a half.

Until chapter 13 (view spoiler)[ I think Camaris is Josuas father. Towser went suspiciously silent when he mentioned Josua was like his father and then the other person said that he wasn't like the king. And then Miriamele noticed that Camaris reminded him of something. Josua would definetly like it if he wasn't the son of the king. Maybe Elias knows this and that's why he hates Josua (hide spoiler)]

That same line caught my attention--and I had the same thoughts. I didn't take it so far as to think it would explain Elias though--definitely agree.

I finished the first book! So I reached the halfway point (view spoiler)[ when everyone was finally reunited miriamele and Simon had to go away...Miriamele thinks she knows what she is doing but after her latest travels that where because she thought she knew what was going on, this is risky. She is probably right in this one but nothing backs it up. And Simon following again, at least he chose it this time, even when it was very rushed. Poor Binanik being ditched like this though, he has so much faith in him. And josua too I guess.

Camaris being sane and part of a prophecy, that took me by surprise. Like he is 70 or even 80 and he is going to save the day. I think it's the first time I read someone so old just being so well physically and being the hero.

By the way, wasn't Towsers death too convenient? Maybe Camaris strangled him even in his not sane mind to silence him? Too farfetched but I wonder. Camaris isn't very inclined to divulge either Josuas parentage nor his past with the sithas (though I think the latter he will talk about sooner).

And the darrows being the niskis is so fascinating, that race is so cool. (hide spoiler)]

@Nirkatze, Part I (view spoiler)[ Camaris was an enemy of John and then they met in combat and it was draw and then they became friends. I think. He was also the guardian of Josuas mother and John's wife (wink wink). I knoooow, why they couldn't kill him? I guess then the guards could have nothing to lose and attack them, but with Camaris it would be very easy to beat all of Aspitis men.

I think Simon is worse than kvothe. But kvothe is an unreliable narrator so for all we know he is even worse.

Yeah, I also agree thay Miriamele wants to take the other swords and talk to her father. I think it's to talk about him wanting to talk to her dead mother. Maybe convince him (but I think he is too far gone). I agree, Miriamele is doing another stupid decision, she hasn't learned. Yay, more Rachel the dragon. And poor Gunthwulf, I hope he has a good ending, like retired in a house with his pet cat. (hide spoiler)]

Awww, I like your idea for (view spoiler)[Gunthwulf retiring with the cat!!

As for folks with women--I feel like Simon is more blind but Kvothe is more... willfully ignorant? Stubborn? I'd bet on Simon getting laid before Kvothe.

Definitely don't feel like trusting Miramele with a mission--I'd feel so much better if Binabik was with them! Neither kiddos have developed much reason yet.

Thanks for the refresh on Camaris! Totally forgot everything already. And already forgot Towsers too, lol. That's the curse of reading too much... it all blurs together after a while... (hide spoiler)]

@Nirkatze (view spoiler)[ yeah, a mix of stubborn and pride for kvothe.

I would have liked Binabik to be with them too. I'll get the second book on Monday and see how much of a mess Miriamele has landed them in.

You are a reading machine! I see you in almost every buddy read, that's quite impressive (the forgetting side effect is understandable). (hide spoiler)]

Reading keeps me going... and it's nice to have people to talk to. And I literally do want to read pretty much everything, so having lots of different BRs around helps. I don't even have to suggest many, just enable other folks.

Yeah, buddy reading is nice. I am curious, do you read more physical books or audiobooks?

So stared Part II (or the second book), until chapter 6 (view spoiler)[ yay, binabik is going to search for Simon and miri. And I hope the whole relationship between them gets resolved quickly. Simon is very angry, which according to the pure standards of that time it makes sense, but reading it through moderns eyes is infuriating (hide spoiler)]

I'm reading more audio nowadays, since I can usually do 1.5 to 2 audio a day--it helps keep me sane while working horrid hours. But I'm also eye-reading about a book a week if I'm lucky... as long as they're quick reads, like 400 pages or so. Took me two weeks to read Wind and Truth, and six months to read Song of the Mysteries... that was dense. Seanan McGuire I can knock out in a weekend...

re: Part II--so agree on Simon--(view spoiler)[one of those things that just doesn't age well. Smack him for being a dumbass. This is worse for her than it is for him! Who cares that she slept with someone before falling in love with you? Seriously! You should be comforting her, not cold-shouldering her! (hide spoiler)]

Thats fast! Thats usually the speed i have on youtube videos. Mistwraith is very dense, I get you.

(view spoiler)[ Agreed, at least there was like only one chapter of drama, it could be worse. (hide spoiler)]

Until chapter 25 (view spoiler)[ Finally it picked up. I really enjoy Simon being lost in the tunels and then the wheel. I did not see him being tortured like that, where his dreams prophetic or just coincidence?

I would have liked to know where Gunthwulf got the sword but maybe he will tell Simon

Yay, cadrach appeared, the wild card

Leleth dying made sense since she was very attached to Geloe but Maegwin didn't. Her storyline was at times boring and then infuriating with the whole messenger of the gods. And then went north and died. She did nothing and then sacrifice herself to Simon. I do not like the way she was written, like most female characters are dying at this point. Isgrimnur was in combat and he was fine (even when I don't want him to die, but I think he will)

I also liked how John lied about the dragon. If Simon could prove that then his ascension to the throne would smoother, with the awe of the people. But maybe he doesn't want John's memory be tarnished (hide spoiler)]

@Nirkatze, Ch 8 (view spoiler)[ Grovel haha, he really need to (hide spoiler)]

ch 9 (view spoiler)[ good point, now there is no communication between them and all be resolved because magic. (hide spoiler)]

ch 21 (view spoiler)[ Elias is such a mess, sometimes seeing Simon and then only his could-have-been-son. He doesn't survive for sure. He will either kill himself or be killed. Inch is the worst (hide spoiler)]

ch 23 (view spoiler)[ Leleth was the name of the "angel". Yep, I also think the ring was simons. And the girl was his daughter and that was simons mom. Although how everyone didn't know who she was (besides morgenes) is puzzling me. Haha, me too, I also new about the ending of Simon. But there were quite a few hints in book one (hide spoiler)]

Finished! (view spoiler)[ I was glad Josua was alive and same for Camaris.

Poor Isgrimnur, his son died. When he was acting like Camaris i knew it was going to end badly.

I liked the ending, that in the end Simon and Miriamele saved the day. But i wanted more of a reunion for Rachel and Simon, it was barely a page. Though i liked that Simon said to Rachel that she will be the general of Hayholt and have armies of scullions, handmaidens, gardeners...

Simon's ancestry was well done but i would have liked to see Jiriki telling Isgirmnur. But i wanted more drama for Josuas ancestry. I think it would have been more interesting had he lived and that he would have had to tell everyone of his ancestry in order to abdicate. But then there is the problem of people following Josua and his kids and maybe doing a coup. This way Josua gets to be free and his ancestry is useless. The only thing of consequence it happened becausde of that is that the norms were scared of the secret that Camaris had in case Amaserasu had told him anything.

Poor gunthwulf, he died alone and nobody remembers him but Rachel and Simon.

Ans i was shocked at the Dragonbone chair being a plaything now. Maybe the Iron throne and the reverence people have for that have made a mark in me, especially now when i am starting A Feast for Crows haha

What i am pretty curious is about the twins and the prophecy. The girls part sounds sad, it said she will lose something but then she will find happiness were she lest expected. I wonder if the next series is going to be about the sitha. Like one of the twins being the gao between the mortals and sitha or even be the one who goes with the sitha in search of their ancient home. (hide spoiler)]

Nirkatze wrote: "Part II Through Chapter 21 [spoilers removed]

Chapter 23 [spoilers removed] And Miramele meeting some of the Navigator's Children--and they were the makers of the swords... right as the allies rea..."

ch 31 (view spoiler)[ I really liked that twist and the hopleness it came with it. They really have no clue what they were doing. But its also refreshing seeing everyone in the dark, it makes the villains had more of a chance to win since you have also no clue whats happening (hide spoiler)]

I also agree that some parts of the first half should have been cut and given more time to the ending. (view spoiler)[ Rachels reunion was the best, too short though! I also hope we get to see Rachel more.

And about simon, yeah, the part where Isgrimnur talked to him was good. But everything related to Miriamele was bad. Like she knows about him because of a little comment and then she asks if he is going to marry her and thats it. Nothing else about the pure thing or try to think what means for herself that simon is a noble now. I wanted them to talk.

I wanted more drama for Josuas heritage, it felt very flat (hide spoiler)]

Had a busy week and slowly getting around to commenting & reading! I'm enjoying your comments but need more sleep before I can respond properly. Grats on the finish!!

I did want to know though--do you want to put off the middle books longer? Or are you ok to jump in next month?

Dont worry, comment when you are ready. Thanks!

The next one is shorter so I am all for continuing next month. Especially since that one is like an epilogue bridging this trilogy and the next

At 25% in on this and so far it has been excellent. Given how much is occurring right now and how much is left, this is shaping up to be one heck of a ride.

Glad you are enjoying it! There will be plenty action later on too

Yay! Glad you're still with us Rob!