Tad Williams

Memory Sorrow & Thorn

The Dragonbone Chair, Stone of Farewell and To Green Angel Tower make up this trilogy. Williams has created the land of Osten Ard in which these books take place. It is inhabited by ordinary people, 'the 'sithi'(elves), norns and numerous other peoples and strange beings. Hayholt is the largest city in Osten Ard, it is ruled by Prestor John. Hatholt is situated above the remains of an ancient subterranean city of the sithi. Rumor has it that the city is not entirely abandoned.... The old king dies and is succeded by one his sons. The son is 'guided' by a malovelent priest. The king's other son, Josua, is put under arrest. A young boy, Simon, who works in the kitchen begins his apprenticeship with Morgenes, wizard and leader of "The League of the Scroll". Simon succesfully gets Josua out of the dungeons. Josua then makes his escape through the undergound city of the sithi.
Then the story really picks up, the norns(dark elves) have a secret plan to conquer all of Osten Ard....
Williams has stated that he wrote this trilogy in part as a "dialogue" with Tolkien's famous work Lord of the Rings which impressed him greatly. Despite this the books have quite a different tone from Tolkien's. The line between good and evil isn't as distinct and several of the main characters have to cope with conflicting loyalties. Tolkien's world was heathen, Williams' on the other hand has elements of christianity. There are many characters in the series worth following.


All in all I think 'Memory sorrow & Thorn' will appeal to all readers of fantasy. I would rate it as second only to Tolkien's works.