With the return of bestselling author comes a transcendent, spectacular new trilogy that is ambitious and breathtaking!! After a decade Tad Williams returns with a new trilogy that takes the fantasy genre to new heights, with the most ambitious and impressive work that I have encountered this year. Unlike ‘the memory, sorrow and thorn’ series Shadowmarch is totally original, unique and set within a distinctive world that is on one hand so far removed from his other works but which contains just as much imaginative inspired creativity within a complex plot that it could only be produced by this writer. This is high, epic fantasy at its very best that is exciting, intricately detailed (especially in the world-building) and insightful, which sent chills down my spine as I lost myself within a captivating & compelling saga. Shadowmarch, Volume 1 is set within a world that is dominated by the human race that has proved their supremacy and dominance over all, by forcing the Qar into the far North. The boundary between the Qar and the humans is a veil of mist called the Shadowline that renders any trespasser to loose their mind; hence no one has as yet ever attempted to cross it. The Northernmost kingdom occupied by humans, Shadowmarch, falls on hard times as its King is captured by a deadly foe leaving the land in disarray to young fifteen year olds. A young crippled Prince called Barrick is unconcerned as to the nature of his responsibilities, and Princess Briony is headstrong and tactless in her manner and approach to matters of state thus the kingdom is doomed to failure when an enemy calls. The greatest threat in all of history now stands at Shadowmarch’s door and as the impending danger looms on the horizon, the youngsters are faced by other enemies within the city’s walls including their own Stepmother. Suddenly as the Shadowline begins to move after many centuries, the vengeful and merciless army of Qar begins to march across the land and into battle with their worse fears about to come to pass… This magnificent new world is truly spellbinding and which juxtaposes all other works by combining Fae and beings of mortal flesh, together in one inspired and remarkable creation that is truly fantastical. The complexity and detail is absolutely extraordinary, leaving me astonished knowing that I had encountered something quite special within the fantasy genre. Character-driven and full of electric tension, drama and twists & turns the intensity of the plot will have you glued to the page and lost within the most thrilling tale, of revenge and retribution. The historical detail that emphasizes the meaning of duty and responsibility, leadership and betrayal is exquisite and the main element within this book that I really did love for it gave it so much depth and realism to the human’s kingdoms & world. Combining Fae was a most peculiar twist but one that works brilliantly and is so convincing, it just makes this fantasy world even more exciting as if you have plunged into the most imaginative dream; that is ingenious. This epic tale of magic and hidden mystery, revenge and ambition is so absorbing and intensely gripping and so once you have picked it up you will not want to put it down! Full of action and drama, this first part in a trilogy will appeal to fans of Stephen Erikson’s ‘Mazalan book of the fallen’ series and Greg keyes ‘the chronicles of Thorne and Bone’ series or Russell Kirkpatrick’s ‘Fire of haven’ trilogy. 4 ½ stars
Another library book...straight to the head of the "currently reading" list.This is the first book/series by Mr. Williams I've read since his Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy ( The Dragonbone Chair, Stone of Farewell, and To Green Angel Tower ) which I liked very much. I have his Otherland books on my shelves but haven't gotten to them...long term "to be reads". I truly hope that they are better than this series.About chapter 5 it became apparent to me I wasn't going to be able to ingest enough caffeine to stay alert through the introductions, plot expositions, conversations and so on. I was a few times on the point of walking away from this one and did skip a lot ("maybe we can skip ahead here...lets see. Yep that's still going on maybe I can skip again... nothing that new..."). There are character stereotypes here or (and I hate this word) "tropes". That in itself isn't a bad thing as these characters types get known and used for a reason, but the story just kept refusing to get going. Like a plane that needs more and more runway it just never (for me) seemed to get off the ground.By the last couple of chapters (70 and 71)we finally get to a "partial" climax of sorts. This book was (apparently, though I never read it this way) started out as an on line serial (shades of Charles Dickens!) and it seems to show. I've read good reviews here but also a lot conditional reviews...this is another case (I think) of I (we) want to like it, but... The idea here is good, despite having been used before but the endless political maneuvering, back stabbing, and so on seemed to me to just go on too long or too far or Too much. I was heartily sick of it by the last couple of chapters and even though we get "some" answers I just didn't care anymore. I know some will love the intricacy here and it can be followed with just a little thought but for it seems just not worth it. If this is your style, go for it an enjoy. I (again) don't think (at least for the foreseeable future) I'll be following the story of the shadow line.*********************** Some spoilers below *******************Let me see what have we here...a mortal child in the hands of fairies (they're not calling them fairies? Doesn't matter they're fairies). Hmm, the child's left for other humans too find. Have we seen that before? Oh well.Oh here a disinherited brother who's dissatisfied is the one who finds the child. Oh and he's a special type of person who carves stone. Look here it's against Royal Law for them to have carved a passage under the Royal Palace...and they did anyway. Oh, but only a few special people know about it. Well, that'll never get out. Oh and they took the boy from the fairies there... but he'll never remember.. Hmm.Should I go on? Well, enjoy if it's your cup of tea. For now I don't think I'll follow the series. Maybe later??? Who knows?
What do You think about Shadowmarch (2006)?
I've read some of Tad Williams' other fantasy novels and generally thought he was a competent author, certainly better than many in the field. When this new series came out, I eagerly checked it out of the public library. Unfortunately, after 180 pages or so, I lost interest and stopped reading. The first major problem with the book is that it moves at a snail's pace, without letting the reader in on various secrets hinted at in the story. This might suit people who are into mysteries, but not me, especially since the secrets were not all that tantalizing. In fact, the book felt like it was written deliberately slow to stretch the story out into multiple volumes. This is a bad habit in the fantasy genre. The second major problem is that the book is terribly derivative of George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, including disconnected chapters featuring various characters' points of view, a troubled noble family with a father in prison, a female character chosen to be a queen in a distant land, a northern barrier with mysterious and magical creatures behind it, etc. Personally, I'd rather read Ice and Fire over again than sit through this long and plodding imitation. If you like high fantasy and have plenty of time on your hands, go ahead and read it. Just don't set your expectations too high.
—Corey
I really like Tad Williams' writing style. I can't say exactly what it is, but I really enjoy how he puts words together. Also, he has some impressive ideas for stories. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean that everything he writes is golden. He has a tendency to drag things out and his characters are often less-than-likeable and on occasion, he is a bit disjointed while telling various threads of a story that have yet to come together. Shadowmarch, unfortunately, is a good example of all of his strengths and all of his weaknesses. His world-building is superb, his creatures are excellent (though I must note that we get far too few of them here), but some of his main characters are whiny and annoying and he stretches things out A LOT. I have no idea how he is going to get 4 books out of this, except that, as with his other series', it just seems to be starting at the end of the book.In any case, I will keep reading. I am curious about what happens next and would like to know more about what is really going on. But at the same time, I'm not driven.So in the end, I liked this book, but didn't love it as much as I'd hoped. But I love Williams' writing enough to give him the benefit of the doubt and to keep going. Here's to hoping the series just gets better with each installment.
—Jeffery Moulton
This was a long book that had many different plots going that had to to match up by the end of the book. In truth the book did not end so much as stop. I know it is book one of three but still I would have preferred a more distracted ending. Granted the army stopped advancing, but two chars are on the run and anther play has once again forgotten himself and that book ends. Over all it was not to my liking. I would read the next one if I come across it, just to know how the stories come together. However, I will not be running out to by it. in fact if I but it it will be at a used store, and under two dollars. otherwise I will read it if I get to a library that has his books. It is debatable as to whether or not I will bother trying to find a place on my selves for this book.
—Rosezeata
