And Thorn - The Stone of Farewell - Book Two of Memory

I have very little to say about Tad Willaims other than he has an astounding imagination and is always a joy to read. This is the second book in the trilogy. I almost gave up after 100 pages or so of the first book. After I stuck with it I realized that the reasons for me not enjoting the first part of this book are the same reasons I loved the rest of the trilogy. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys fanatsy.

One star refers to the publisher, not the author or the story. I am giving up on "mass market" printing. The publishers must all have phenomenal vision. My eyes correct to 20/20 vision, yet I can't comfortably read any page. Squinting doesn't help. I don't get the publishing rational--- whatever it may be. You're putting out crap, publisher. Worse yet, you are aware your mass market printing is crap.

The story is wonderful. Tad gets five stars.

If you read the first book (Dragonbone Chair) and thought that was slow, this second volume is much worse. At least in the first book there were some snippets of excitement, but in this effort the pace is slower than a snail moving on flypaper. I finished it as I would finish some laborious duty that must be performed because I like to read the books I buy all the way through. Unfortunately the payoff was nil.

The borrowing from Tolkien also became too much, unlike the first one where it was more disguised. Here we have the Dwarrow (Dwarves, he couldn't even bother to change the name that much), Sithi are the Elves, Binabik is more of a rip off of the Star Wars character Yoda (he even talks like him) and Pyrates ("I want power!"), the main villian is as cliche as a paper-thin evil bad guy gets.

Another pain is Simon, the main character. He gets even more annoying than in the first book, and in just about every scene he is either whining and moaning about his fate or in drama queen tears. I guess Williams thought that this device would ellicit emotion from the reader and would lend some kind of weight to the story, but the problem is the emotion elicted is exasperation and rolled eyes.

This is somewhat mitigated by the cutting to other storylines involving other characters that are more interesting, such as Miriamele and Cadrach's ship board adventure, but Williams cuts around too much and it gets confusing keeping track of all the various characters and their situations.

I have heard the last volume is the best, and I sincerely hope so because so far it has gone from an average fantasy book (Dragonbone Chair) to a mediocre one (Stone of Farewell)

While Mr. Williams is one of my favorite writers, these books are far too wordy. There was the distinct feeling that he wrote at a $ per word. Since the majority of his readers are teens and early twenties, it may well be that they prefer "all the extras"

Elias rules as the High King of Osten Ard, but his policies have triggered war between the provinces and civil war within some of them. The continent is slipping into chaos and the only hope may be the mad king's younger brother, Josua Lackhand. Escaping a devastating siege, Josua travels eastwards to find a new stronghold, gathering allies as he goes. Meanwhile, it is said that only three great swords of legend can defeat the machinations of Elias's puppet-master, Ineluki the Storm King. Simon Snowlock has recovered Thorn from a remote mountain, but two of his friends have been sentenced to death by the Qanuc, his own erstwhile allies.

Stone of Farewell continues the story begun in The Dragonbone Chair, and is less the sequel than the simple continuation of that story. Memory, Sorrow and Thorn is really one titanic, 1.2 million-word novel split into three (or four, depending on edition) for ease of publication.

Williams expands and deepens the story in this book, with a more thorough exploration of the various cultures of Osten Ard. In particular, the Qanuc, Sithi and Norns all get more screentime and we learn more about the meadow-people of the Thrithings, the political and religious intrigue in Nabban and how the Hernystiri are surviving in exile.

These elements are fascinating, but also come at the expense of critical plot development and incident. The Dragonbone Chair was itself a relaxed novel, but Stone of Farewell is even more chilled out. Simon spends a long time kicking back amongst first the Qanuc and later the Sithi, Josua's apparently desperate flight to safety has more of the feel of a holiday outing and Miriamele spends altogether too much time hanging out on a boat. It's more the stories inbetween that resonate, with Isgrimnur's increasingly fed-up journey into the south being enjoyable for its brevity and our glimpses into life in the Hayholt (effectively under occupation by Elias's troops) via characters like Rachel and the redoubtable Guthwulf.

There are moments of real horror when the story kicks into a higher gear, such as Pyrates's confrontation with the Lector or the Red Hand's assault on Jao e-Tinukai'i, but these are relatively few and far between. Instead, the novel expands itself on helping the characters (particularly Simon and Miriamele) grow into more interesting people.

Stone of Farewell (****) is well-written, richly characterised and features moments of real tension and horror. It arguably takes its hands off the throttle at the wrong moment, however, allowing momentum to dissipate a little rather than ramping up for the grand finale. But if you can forgive the slower pace, a fascinating, enjoyable and deeper fantasy novel than most awaits.

The second volume Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy appears at first to be an event-laden set up piece for the grand finale series, however Stone of Farewell turned out into something more in-depth especially when it comes to characters. From various locations around Osten Ard, characters that have survived the events of The Dragonbone Chair start heading to the legendary Stone of Farewell, a temporary sanctuary for those fighting against the tide of evil brought by the Storm King. While others continue their noble, and sometimes misguided, personal quests.

From the north, Simon's journey begins with saving the lives of his friends from a death sentence then heads to the southern border of the Old Forest only to be separated from his friends. In the west, Prince Josua leads a ragtag band of survivors in the Old Forest first in a battle of survival then into a quest that leads them to the vast plans in the east of the country to the Stone. Miriamele learns her quest to bring Nabban to her uncle's side a failure before her arrival then finds herself being secretly traded from one political player to another while Duke Isgrimnur's search for the wayward Princess gets sidetracked to find small Wrannaman along with a legendary figure. And in occupied Hernystir, Maegwin leds her exiled country in the depths of the mountains and finds a lost city.

From the first page the action is always moving forward unlike the beginning of The Dragonbone Chair. Simon's sojourn with the exiled Sithi is a interesting and very necessary change of pace in the later half of the book as the reader continues to learn that things aren't necessary as they seem. While the vast majority of the book is a great read, there are parts that are somewhat of a drag and questionable. Both Miriamele and Maegwin seem to be well-written one page then clichéd the next, its very maddening as a reader. Another is the fact that the majority of Josua's journey to the Stone comes from Deornoth's point-of-view, while Deornoth is a great character it questionable that a major player like Josua seems sidelined by the writer.

Stone of Farewell is a wonderful middle volume of a trilogy that is not only an adventure in itself, but builds up the story for the finale. If you've read The Dragonbone Chair and are thinking about if you really want to continue with the series, I recommend you read the first 100 pages because you won't want to put it down.

This is part 2 of the 4 book trilogy from Tad Williams. I loved the first book and adored this one. The complex and slow evolution of the characters continues. This is one aspect which I really enjoy as the journey of the various characters is slow and well thought. Simon, the scullion does not become what he is at the end of the book overnight and because of one single event. Like true human beings, it is the compilation of all the experiences we live through that makes us who we are. Another aspect I really appreciated is how well Tad Williams uses the weather as a huge impediment and an harbinger of doom. The Storm King is not just a title, it is a power. We follow a lot of different characters as they go through their trials and tribulations, from the High King to a mooncalf scullion, all with a role to play. If you have read the Dragonbone Chair, I can tell you this is even better than that excellent book. If you like creative, intelligent fantasy, I cannot recommend enough the "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn" trilogy.

Anybody that has read Dragonbone Chair knows about those dreaded first 200 pages, This has has very few boring pages, of endless landscape and people getting introduced. In this book the first 200 hundred are the most exciting, they're four groups of people, and three single individuals that the book follows and when one seems to to be out of the clear the other seems to get it in trouble. It keeps the pace pretty rapid, not that there aren't a few chapters that you have to sludge through, there are, but they are few and far between. the Maedgewin chapters are little to slow for me.

The best part is how Williams ties all these characters together, its reminiscent of the Two Towers, but instead of multiple chapters to one character he will tell multiple story lines during a chapter, which sounds confusing, but it makes perfect sense the way it is told.

In the first book I was really confused where people were in the land, he does a better job with making that make sense and keeping the reader in the loop of where characters are relation to one another.

It a great read and I'm on to the next book To the Green Angel Tower.

Simon escapes a witch, only to be lost in the frozen wilds, he is saved by and lives with the Sithi. Magic becomes more wild and dangerous - the Red Hand reach across the Sithi barrier and kill Amerasu, the Lector in Nabban is magically slain by Pyrates, Rachel stabs Pyrates but it has no affect, Pyrates retaliates but instead burns away Guthwulf's eyes when he intervenes. Josua duels to the death, Isgrimmnur finds the knight presumed dead Cammaris, Miriamele is seduced and entrapped aboard a ship - and all the while the storm from Ineluki grows and covers the entire land.

This book moves slowly, but it is an early model for what modern fantasy became. Unlike most fantasy books I read as a youth, I still enjoy reading this series. Tad Williams is a talented writer.

The Stone of Farewell is the second installment in Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series. Like the first installment, this is a hefty-sized book that will keep the fantasy enthusiast well-entertained for some time.

Please know that epic fantasies are not for everyone. They are bigger, slower, and involve a whole lot of characters (many with goofy names). Personally, I enjoy the bigger stories as I feel it just makes the fictional world more real and enjoyable, but I understand others may feel weighed down by all the detail.

Stone of Farewell is divided into several storylines as characters are all over the place doing very different things. You'll follow Simon, Binabik and Sludig as they try to bring the magic sword "Thorn" to Josua at the Stone of Farewell. You'll also follow Prince Josua and his remaining party from the disastrous fall of Naglimund as they also seek the Stone of Farewell. You'll tag along with Miriamelle and Cadrach as they just try to stay out of trouble, rather unsuccessfully. You'll spend more time with Tiamak, the swamp native who is a member of the League of the Scroll as he really makes his way into the story. And you'll also follow along with Eolair and Maegwin as they adjust to life under the mountains, and what they encounter there.

Sure, it sounds like a lot to keep up with, and it is. But Williams does a good job of keeping most of these storylines engaging. The only one I didn't care for much was Miriamele and Cadrach's. I didn't find these pages particularly exciting. In fact, at times, I thought their story could be told in half the time that was spent on them.

Williams writes beautifully, decribing scenes in wonderfully vivid details. The characters feel like real people. It is rare that I would think that one of their actions seemed completely unreasonable for their character.

This is an enjoyable read, and if you read the first book, you really need to read this one. It's even better. I can't wait to get through the third. Enjoy.

After reading this second volume in Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, I am of mixed feelings. While Tad Williams is undeniably one of the most talented writers at creating vivid and emotional scenes, plus the story and the characters are believable and easy to love, I can't help but to feel a little cheated. After DRAGONBONE CHAIR, I was expecting this book to pick up right where the exciting end of that book left off, with the forces of good and evil ready to duke it out in a glorious show down and the first of the 'star swords' recovered and ready to be put to use. Instead, I was disappointed to find these characters I love being relentlessly whipped and chased towards a strange goal that they know nothing about. Chapter after chapter of desperate, cold, and weary heroes just gets old after a while.

The brief episodes of action seem thrown in to placate the reader, but don't usually contribute to the overall progression of the story. Actually, at the end of this book, I felt as though I didn't really understand what was happening on the whole any better than I did after the first. Not even the characters grow in any major ways that I could tell. Simon Snowlock is still the self-pitying 'mooncalf' from the first novel and Josua Lackhand still has no idea of how to overcome the overwhelming odds he's up against. While every Williams novel I've ever read could have been edited down some, most of them at least reward you with progression through the story.

Of course, I can't say that I'm not looking forward to the next in the series, praying that all of my questions will finally be answered. I love the world Williams has created, with its multitude of races and realistic personalities, not to mention its absolutely fascinating mysteries and secrets. I tell myself that there is no way I could be disappointed in the final book!

Updated March 2017

Twenty-five years ago I read Tad Williams’ MEMORY, SORROW & THORN trilogy and since that time I’ve considered it one of my favorite fantasy epics. For years I’ve been planning to re-read it when an audio version was published and that happened recently, so here I am. A few weeks ago I reviewed the first book, The Dragonbone Chair, which you need to read before picking up this second book, The Stone of Farewell (1990). If you haven’t, stop right here because there be spoilers (and dragons) beyond this point.

After a quick synopsis of the first book, The Stone of Farewell begins where The Dragonbone Chair left off. Simon has killed a dragon, has been “touched” by the dragon’s blood in some way (which left him with a white streak in his hair so now people are calling him “Snowlock”) and has obtained Thorn, one of the three swords needed to defeat mad King Elias. Binabik the troll, Simon’s best friend, has been caught and jailed by his tribe due to breaking one of their laws and Simon is trying to get him released so they can continue on their quest. Prince Josua, younger brother of King Elias, escaped the besieged castle with only about a dozen followers. They continue to be harried and attacked as they flee through a forest. Miriamele and Cadrach, who had left Josua to seek help from allies in Nabban, are traveling together and Miri doesn’t know if she can trust her companion (and neither do we, but we do learn more about him in this book). Duke Isgrimnur is trying to find Miri and Cadrach when he stumbles upon a legendary hero that everyone thought was dead. Meanwhile Maegwin, now the reluctant leader of the Hernystiri after her father and brother were killed, leads the remnant of her people to underground caves where she attempts to get help from the Sithi, but everyone thinks she’s crazy (and she kind of is).

Eventually all of these folks learn that the allies that oppose King Elias are gathering at the Stone of Farewell, a legendary and powerful Sithi landmark. Most of the action in The Stone of Farewell details the adventures and drama the characters have while trying to get to the Stone. These include various traps, treachery, captures, escapes, duels, battles, magic, romance, a wedding, and even some sexual abuse. And lots and lots and lots of travel. Along the way, Simon develops quite a bit both physically and mentally. He gets tall, grows a beard, learns to use a sword, acquires some leadership skills, struggles with his faith, and develops some ability with visions and prophecy (perhaps due to the dragon blood).

The Stone of Farewell by Tad WilliamsMeanwhile, back at the Hayholt, life continues to degenerate as King Elias becomes more mad and tyrannical due to the influence of Pryrates, his evil scheming advisor, and the sword Sorrow. Guthwulf, until now a loyal retainer, has had enough of Pryrates. So has Rachel, the castle’s headmistress, whom Simon lovingly calls “the Dragon.” They both try to do something about it. Unfortunately, the evil is not only affecting the Hayholt, but throughout the region crops are failing as the weather is affected. The land seems cursed and has spawned various monsters including giants and zombies.

The Stone of Farewell is everything we’ve come to expect from a middle book in a well-written traditional medieval-style epic fantasy trilogy. Depending on your goals, that can be a good or bad thing. If your primary goal is to completely lose yourself for a long time in a fantasy world, this is a great place to do that. Tad Williams’ world-building is second-to-none, he has created some loveable characters, and he’s a great storyteller.

But for me, who hopes to read a few dozen books this year, The Stone of Farewell seems excessively lengthy (768 pages in the mass market paperback) and not nearly as interesting as the first book. It often drags as Williams takes a long time to get his players (and not even all of them yet) to the Stone, the launching place for the next novel. Many of the adventures they have along the way seem unnecessary as they don’t add much value or interest to the story. I got impatient and ended up skimming some of the segments showing the perspective of my least favorite characters (e.g, Tiamak and Maegwin). I hate to say it, but The Stone of Farewell feels like a 768-page waiting room. Fortunately, the story gets a lot more exciting in the next volume, To Green Angel Tower, which is, amazingly, much longer than this one.

The audiobook version of The Stone of Farewell is 32.5 hours long and is nicely narrated by Andrew Wincott. My only complaint is that Wincott’s deep voice doesn’t have the range for many of the characters with higher-pitched voices, so he substitutes a slightly hissing voice for some of the female and non-human characters. It’s noticeable, but not too big of a deal.

Originally posted at Fantasy Literature.

Stone of Farewell by Tad Williams is the second book in the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy.

This book picks up right after the end of The Dragonbone Chair, and continues the story of Simon and the friends that follow him through the story. This book also does a good job of exploring the secondary plot-lines that were merely mentioned in the first book. When thinking how to review this book I thought back to what really happened in this one, in terms of memorable events and plot shifts etc. Yet, the more I thought about it the more I realized not a whole lot really happened in this book. That's not to say this is not a good book, it is well written for sure. However, the premise seems to be character development and advancing the characters to the point of the next book To Green Angel Tower.

The character development in this book is fantastic. Williams does a very good job at showing how the characters choices they make can affect them down the road. For instance, the choices the character Simon makes throughout the book reverberate during the later half. The Sithi are also shown the power of their choices. I could list more examples, but I won't bore you. I was a little disappointed that there was not a larger development of the character Elias, hopefully that will be rectified in the third and final book.

The plot line of this book seems to amble along without much teeth to it. Again, that's not to say it's a bad book or bad plot, just that it is slow moving. For fans of an action packed novel, this is certainly not the book for them. For fans of books that make you think and that take time to develop this would be a good read for them.

I think it needs to be said that Tad Williams is not the prototypical fantasy writer. Many fantasy writers jump right into a plot and character development. However, Williams is more of a painter with a broad brush and takes his time in the development of both his story and his characters. I can easily see some fans of the genre would not like Williams' writing, so if you do read these books just be aware of that.

I would recommend this book, and the one before it, to fantasy fans who do not expect an action packer novel. It is a refreshing read and one that should be read by many people. It is quite a long book though and I see the 3rd book is even longer, so be prepared to spend some time with this one.

Stone of Farewell is the second book in the fantasy trilogy Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams. The first book is The Dragonbone Chair. Williams is an exceptionally gifted fantasy writer in the style of Tolkein. For Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, Williams gives us the world of Osten Ard. There are parallels to our own world - regions that are cold with races resembling the Vikings (Rimmersmen) and Eskimos (Quanuc trolls), South Seas (Wran/Wrannamen), grasslanders, coastal cities, and the mysterious eternal summer land of the Sithi, a race resembling elves. There are forests, mountains, a vast ocean, and an ancient abandoned underground city. The reader just gets lost in the book, and the journey of the many characters.

The main characters are Simon and his troll friend Binabik and his Sithi Prince friend Jiriki. They are travelling across Osten Ard to try to find Prince Josua, who has been ousted by his brother the king. The king has made the evil priest Pyrates his chief counselor. The book switches from one group of characters to another. There is Josua and his ragtag band of escapees, the king's daughter, Princess Miriamele and the mysterious monk Cadrach, and a group going to investigate the abandoned underground city.

Winter is creeping over Osten Ard, as the evil Norns are leaving their home in the ice lands of the north. Three swords called Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn have great power. The corrupted king has one, Simon has one, and the other is missing. No one is safe. Even the lectern (pope) and the belief in Usires (Jesus) are not enough to stop the vile Pyrates and his scheme to use the kingdom to aid his evil master.

Williams writes with descriptive skill such that you fall into the book and into this world. There are some chilling parts that scared me pretty bad. There is some romance but not too much. Lots of adventure, challenges, magic, tragedy, lore and legend.

Highly, highly, highly recommended.

Stone of Farewell - one really excellent book. A great, fully-realized sequel to Dragonbone Chair. I originally read this book before Dragonbone Chair because as usual the excellent (hardcover)cover had caught my eye and the first book wasn't immediately accessible. The way this one plunges into the story straight away helped me read the Dragonbone Chair later without finding it tedious or being impatient with the slow development of plot. Osten Ard and especially the forzen mountains of the troll-folk were excellently described. This book isn't the normal action-packed, paperback fantasy with sword-fights and ripped-guts galore, (which can be fun in its own way, I grant you) but a very special, very real classic. A lot happens in this book on a grand scale and the author isn't afraid to kill characters, which kept me holding my breath and not daring to form predictions. I really like his characters. I love Simon, not because he's a great hero, because he isn't; nor because he's cool: he isn't. I like him because he feels real and because Williams makes us understand him and feel the story. The supporting characters are great! I love adorable Binabik and his hilarious troll quotes and his funny speech. Duke Isgrimnur is a bear of a gem. Prince Josua is intriguing and his queer humor and scholarliness sets him apart from the usual run. The only main character that I'm not all that crazy about is Princess Miriamele, but she's no where as bad as some of Robert Jordan's female creations!

The work of Tad Williams can easily seat with honor beside the Lord of the Rings on my shelf. I have yet to find a Fantasy writer this good. Even though it's size is intimidating, I found I just couldn't put it down. I kept looking with dread at the amount of pages left to read wishing the book will never end. When I try to analyze and evaluate a Fantasy story, I consider the following: Characters, Plot and the Fantasy world build around them. Williams scores a perfect 10 in all categories.
His characters are dynamic, as the plot evolves around them they evolve. Simon changes from a clumsy daydreaming boy to a clumsy hero. The Bad guys are not whole black, they have their shades of gray also the good guys have their share of skeletons in the closet.
The plot is captivating, the choices made by the heroes make the difference. Unlike many other writers, Williams doesn't leave us with unfinished subplots or holes in the story.
The world of The Memory, Sorrow and Thorn Series, it is the strongest essence. We have Religion and we have Magic. We have History true or false one (depends on who's looking). We have mysteries unsolved from the past and much much more. But to my opinion the best job Williams have done was with the different races. In regular Fantasy story books the Elves are treated as Humans with pointy ears, the Dwarves/Gnomes/Halflings (Williams trolls) as short humans. The races in most books suffer from sever Tolkien stereotype (Elves are noble keepers of the forest, Hobbits are shy etc..) Williams races on the other hand are completely alien. They follow a different set of rules, has a foreign civilization structure, has a set of customs, history and bounds of honor. They share a world with suspicious medieval human society, and so when they get with humans, conflict usually arises (Which is the foundation of our story). To sum it all up, this series is a great reading, leaves you with a taste for more.
Thumbs up Tad Williams

"Stone of Farewell" continues the "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn" series, returning with all the characters from the prior novel. The author's wonderful writing compliments reasonable action with thorough imagery of emotional and physical exertion.

The mixed perceptions concerning Simon's component in the developing saga craft a skilled story despite his irksome self-pity "scullion" comments. While the separate yet elegant storylines involving Maegwin and Miriamele maintain the overall plot continuity, the fascinating adventures devoted to Josua and Deornoth may grab the reader's greatest attention. The outcome of Ingen Jegger from the prior novel becomes spellbinding whereas Duke Isgrimnur grows engaging near the end with a phenomenal discovery.

Sufficiently detailed maps precede each of the three sections relating to the Storm King's tactics. Conventional characters and races inhabit the vivid realm, such as the Sithi or Fair Folk containing Tolkien's Elven traits and mannerisms. The great assortment of royal characters might leave one hoping for a more comprehensive appendix, perhaps a section in alphabetical order or with a genealogical chart.

I highly recommend this series to any fan of the fantasy genre.

Thank you.

The action really picks up here. What with siege of Naglimund, and the adventures that follow, Tad Williams proves his ability as a master of plot development. The writing becomes more evocative with every passing scene and description, and as a result, more terrifying. The power of language is utilized to the fullest extent to breathe life into nightmare. Few other writers have the courage to plunge into blackest despair as Tad Williams does here; and one cannot help but imagine that it is hopeless, that all is lost. Evil is no longer a bed-time story, but a full-blooded, horrifying reality. There is no respite, no sugar-coating of the consequences. Although the author truly cares for his characters, he gives them no quarter in escaping from suffering.
As to the characters themselves--now they have started to truly develop and grow, in the readers' hearts as well as on paper. Simon is growing up the hardest way imaginable, by being forced to deal with the harshest realities possible. Josua is a wonderful character, a leader whose last desire is to lead. One of my favorite scenes in this book is his wonderfully choreographed sword-fight in the Thrithings. Maegwin takes a strange turn, and Miriamele is tested to her limits. The only drawback to this book are the segments with Tiamak, which are rather dull and easily skipped or skimmed.
No hope is extended here for how the conflict will end--the atmosphere of hopeless despair is staggering. The reader's only assurance is that surely something good must be coming, else why would there be another two books following? For those who think this series has possibilities at this point, all I can is, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Stay tuned.

"Stone" continues right where "The Dragonbone Chair" left off (in rather climactic fashion). Well, this sequel moves slower and IMO is somewhat less satisfying. I give it 3.5 stars (I really wish the store had a ten-point rating system). It's well written and we learn much more about the mysterious Sithi, as well as get some helpful background on the evil Pryrates and his superiors the Queen of the Norns and the Storm King. However, the plot meanders with few events of real importance.

Williams tackles several disconnected threads at once but fails to allow anything momentous to happen in any of them except at the end of the book, with Simon in the Sithi vale. So as a result, the novel kind of drags and serves mainly to make the situation of Josua and his allies (the 'good guys') look even more desperate than it was before. Which means the third book's going to have to have quite a few dramatic events in it. No wonder Williams had to split the third book into two large paperbacks: there was simply too much to turn around for the good guys to win.

I don't have much more to say. It's a good book, just not that exciting. It's the middle of the series and is typical of most books in that position: more buildup than real action.

Wow, Williams does it again. If I was impressed by The Dragonbone Chair I was certainly not disappointed by the next volume in Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. The quest for the magic swords continues along with the struggle against Elias.

I actually read this book alongside the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, reading a chapter of one and then the other--thus the suspense from chapter to chapter was heightened, but what was naturally there was still very good. The cast of characters has increased and the time given to each larger than in the first book. However, I don't think that there were too many characters or too much time was spent switching between them. Rather it helped to heighten suspense and keep the plot moving.

Again the cover artwork by Michael Whelan is superb, only adding to an excellent volume. I appreciate that Simon isn't a typical hero, quickly learning expert swordsmanship and leading an army by the start of the second book. I think the following quote captures the mood perfectly:

"Walking in silence beneath the stars, Simon thought aobut the things he had seen since leaving the Hayholt. To think that once he had feared he would live and die as a castle-drudge! Was there to be no end to teh strange places he must go, to the strange people he must meet? ...he was growing weary of strangeness. But the strangest thing, he thought suddenly, was that no matter where he went or what he saw, he always seemed to remain teh same old Simon--a little less mooncalfish, perhaps, but not very different from the clumsy kitchen boy who lived at the Hayholt. Those distant, peaceful days seemed utterly gone, vanished without hope of reclamation, but the Simon who had lived them was still very much present."

Yes, some of the characters seem typical, but far more are like Simon, not your typical epic characters. Furthermore, the volumes are each long enough that the story isn't rushed, but things are allowed to take their natural course and not appear to be happening too fast. Despite the summary you definately need to read The Dragonbone Chair first, but if you're looking for good epic fantasy go no farther.

This book begins the quartet of "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn," and is one of the better fantasy series currently available for reading. Well written, with a developed mythos, good characterization, and solid plotting, this series must stand as one of the better, if not among the best, of the fantasy series availble for reading. Much of the story and world are freshly rendered, and rarely does the reader encounter the overly familiar or implausible contrivances that plague so much of contemporary fantasy fiction. Nor are the characterizations idealized or juvenile. While this series does not rise, for me, to the imaginary involvement of works such as "Lord of the Rings," the first three "Chronicles of Thomas Covenant," Bradley's "Mists of Avalon," Kay's work since "Fianovar," and Martin's or Jordan's (despite its flaws) ongoing series, nonetheless, I cannot recommend this quartet highly enough.
One note of caution: Action addicts may have difficulty with the "Stone of Farewell" as the first 150 pages are devoted to establishing background and character development of the main protagonist, but I believe if they perservere, only the true adrenelin junkie will feel short-changed. And for you, there is always Eddings or Bradshaw or comics.

The second in the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy. About 3/4 of the way through this volume, too much of the influence began to show. Not that such an occurrence is surprising--it's damned difficult to write a fantasy epic without Tolkien influencing it in some way--but something pegged a memory cell, and I winced at the similarity. As I said about The Dragonbone Chair, Williams isn't as bad as Terry Brooks. Brooks' main character was a short halfling type; Williams' is a young boy who is maturing quickly. Brooks' main good wizard was a mysterious man who comes and goes; Williams kills off the good wizard halfway through the first book. The similarity that made me wince, however, was the knowledge that the main bad wizard (as opposed to the overlord baddie) was once a member of the good wizard group. Shades of Saruman, and, as Jill pointed out, Star Wars.
To break it down into these stereotyped roles is to reduce the work. Williams does a wonderful job in scene description, and his plotting ain't too shabby. Many times I was caught in a storyline that I wanted to see resolved. These were often the times that Williams would break from that action to cover a slower scene elsewhere, in the hopes that you stay fixed to the book looking for the resolution of the first. Unfortunately, there's more than just two of these situations going on, but something like four or five. Tolkien did the same thing, but in large chunks. (In fact, if my memory serves me, Tolkien had one group move on, and then returned to another and the time had to backtrack several months. Williams' sections seem to match fairly consistently in shorter durations than that.)
I'm still enjoying it, though I think I might take a little breather before attacking the last, and thickest, volume.

This is the second volume in the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn Tetralogy (starting with The Dragonbone Chair, ending with To Green Angel Tower: Siege and To Green Angel Tower: Storm).
As the great Storm is building up in the North and a terrible winter is spreading all over Osten Ard, Simon and his friends escape from Yiqanuc and start their long and perilous journey down the mountain and across the frozen plains to the Stone of Farewell, where they have to meet Prince Josua's party of exiles and deliver the sword Thorn.
In the meantime Princess Miriamele, accompanied by the enigmatic Brother Cadrach, travels southwards to seek help from her family, Maegwin and her folk hide in the Grianspog caves, where she discovers what seems like an ancient Sithi city, and King Elias and his advisor, the red priest and alchemist Pryrates, conspire with the evil Norns.
A great epic, full of unexpected new turns as the plot unfolds, varied characters you get immediately attached to, and marvelously detailed descriptions, like those of the beautiful legendary cities of the Elf-like Sithi folk. Definitely a great read. Can't wait to read To Green Angel Tower.

"Stone of Farewell" is the second volume in Tad Williams "Memory, Sorrow, Thorn" high fantasy trilogy which began with "The Dragonbone Chair". This novel is not quite as long as "The Dragonbone Chair", but it still weighs in at a hefty 570 pages in trade paperback. This middle volume continues the story of Simon, now called Simon Snowlock by some, and of his quest to bring the sword "Thorn" to the exiled Prince Josua to aid him in his fight against his brother, the King of Osten Ard. King Elias and his advisor Pyrates are being aided and corrupted by a great evil coming down from the frozen north and a thought long dead Sithi King is coming to bring destruction to the land while Elias ruins his own kingdom. Prince Josua has to find a way to fight his brother, who has a strong grip over Osten Ard and he knows that fighting Elias means at some point fighting the Storm King from the north. The true darkness that is facing Osten Ard is the Storm King and not Elias but few know the truth.

Like "The Dragonbone Chair", this book offers the reader a good deal of detail and proceeds at a leisurely pace. Critics of the book may call it a plodding pace, but I think that is a matter of perspective. While Simon does go on a long journey and goes some place very few humans have ever been, it almost does not seem as if he really gets anywhere...that his portion of the story just sort of stumbles along. Prince Josua has a much greater journey.

The level of detail and the overall storyline is vast and we are starting to get closer to an ending since there is only one book left. But there still seems so much more to do that I find it hard to understand how Williams can end this in a single book...except that the single book is as long as Books 1 and 2 combined. I am enjoying reading "Memory, Sorrow, Thorn", so the pacing does not bother me, but at times I wonder that it has taken Tad Williams 1100 pages to tell this story so far when it could probably be have shortened by a good 400 pages and nobody would have noticed. It's just a thought.

The bottom line is that to read "Stone of Farewell" the reader must have first finished "The Dragonbone Chair". There is enough back detail to fill the reader in, but much would be lost without having read the first book. Is this book good? Yes. Is this book better than the first book? Also, yes. It is a fairly big time investment and there are better books, but this is a worthwhile trip to Osten Ard and the world of Tad Williams.

-Joe Sherry

if there is a complaint I have with the creation Osten Ard it is that Williams inserted so many mundane aspects of medieval Europe into a world that contains actual immortal intelligent beings, dragons, giants, and other incredible creatures. I love the Sithi, who are basically Japanese Elves with some native americanism thrown in. In fact I love the Sithi and Tinukedaya too much and lose interest in the human characters. I certainly don't need to hear silly preaching about Jesus (Usires) in such a fantastic world and the inclusion of Rome (Nabban) and catholocism is just unnecessary. That being said the Sithi world is fantastically realized along with the troll society early in the book. The Wrannamen culture is also interesting. I'm looking forward to reading the third book again. Truth be told if I could spend the rest of my life among scantily clad immortal Sithi women in a city of summer, a future the character Simon was so unhappily facing at one point in the story, I think I could die a happy man.

Having moved past the hundreds of pages of exposition and Simon's "ordinary life" in the first book, Stone of Farewell picks up the pace significantly and establishes Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn as a worthwhile, though not mandatory, genre read.

The action crescendoes, especially in the first half of the book, as Josua leads his men from ruined Naglimund, and Simon, Binabik, Sludig deal with the trolls in the north. A couple unforeseen turns of event bring Binabik and Sludig closer together (their banter marks the high point for characterization in the novel) and send other characters into some novel and some traditional fantasy encounters. The pace slows toward the end, especially when Simon has an adventure of his own.

One thing I really enjoyed about the novel was that it continually demonstrated how many of the characters' choices carried a price. Simon particularly makes a choice which may save his life, but it costs him it a way he could not have foreseen.

I look forward to To Green Angel Tower, but not so much that I won't break up my M,S,& T reading before tackling that monster.

Book Two of Tad Williams' long epic series Memory, Sorrow and Thorn is great. It starts out right where the last story left off and even gives a synopsis of the first book for those who are too lazy to read it. However, after reading that part, it really doesnt help much and one could easily get lost if they hadnt read the first book, the Dragonbone Chair first. Plus, you miss out on so much character development. Anyways, Stone of Farewell picks up a lot faster than the first book and continues on its pace all the way through to the end. I like how the author continued to have SImon's character grow up, becoming more and more of a man. I was worried this would not be the case, but Williams accurately describes Simon's coming of age and his eventual maturing and does it very well. Some new characters are introduced, which is pretty typical for fantasy, and it really becomes apparent the battle of good versus evil. What is really great is how Williams builds the characters. He really gets you attached to them and care about what each of them have to say. SOme parts of the first book were very confusing but Tad straightens us out in this second helping. A side note: this book is much shorter and easier to read than the Dragonbone Chair. Pick it up, but make sure you read the first book first, fans of fantasy rejoice, Mr. Williams has done it again.

It is a time of darkness, dread and ultimate testing for the real of Osten Ard, for the wild magic and terrifying minions of the undead Sith ruler, Ineluki, the Storm King, are spreading their seeming undefeatable evil across the kingdom. With the very land blighted by the power of Ineluki's wrath, the tattered remains of a once-proud human army flee in search of a last sanctuary and rallying point-the Stone of Farwell, 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 fulfill missions which will take them from the fallen citadels of humans to the hidden mountain caves of Qanuc trolls..across storm-tormented waters to discover the truth behind an almost-forgotten legend..to the secret heartland of the Sithi, where the near-immortals must at last decide whether to ally with the race of men in a final war against those of their own blood.

Now known as Simon Snowlock, because of the white tuft of hair on his forehead, the former kitchen boy continues his arduous journey in the service of the rebel Prince Josua, brother to the (human) High King, and enters the last great citadel of the Sithi.

Being the middle book of this epic tale, there are a lot of moving parts, but not a lot of resolution.

It has been over 20 years since I last read this, and it was like reading it for the first time.

I love the way Tad paints his world with the words he uses.

Stone of Farewell, the second volume of Tad Williams' trilogy Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, is amazingly good, easily surpassing in almost every way (except length) the first book in the saga. It starts with the technical details. The pretty frequent typos and grammatical errors found Dragonbone Chair are virtually eliminated here. And the story itself has become much more unique and self-defined, drifting out of the standard Tolkien rut the first book was in.
The characterisations continued to advance believably, enjoyably, and sympathetically, and some of the characters not focused on from the first book enjoy a much more prominent role here. The action and interactions are superb, the pacing excellent, and the author wisely chooses not to show the POV of the characters with twisted minds or royal blood.
The Sithi society is interesting, not too human but not so inhuman that we can't relate, either.
This is one of the best fantasy works that I have seen in years, and I'm very much looking forward to reading the third book in the cycle.

I'm not going to rehash the earlier reviews, but I did want to add my two cents to the mix.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable second book in a well-written trilogy. True, the main character does have to bumble around a bit as an adolescent before he comes into his own, but that's standard fare for most fantasy trilogies.

Williams does an excellent job of fleshing out the characters and the situations. In fact, he's one of the best sci fi/fantasy writers I've come across in a long time at honing the descriptive aspects of everything in a story. It helps bring you into the scene that he so masterfully paints for you.

I'm in the middle of the Belgariad series by David Eddings and I have to say Williams' Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy trumps it (even though it's some of Eddings' earlier writing). I've purchased the first of Williams' Shadowmarch series and I anxiously await more.

In essence, if you're on the fence about purchasing this and like epic fantasy, I wholeheartedly encourage you to try it. I believe you'll sincerely enjoy it as much as I did.

Tad Williams is certainly one of my favourite authors. If you read Dragonbone Chair, part 1 is a little slow and complicated, but once Simon meets Binabik, things get going. From there on in Memory, Sorrow and Thorn had my complete attention. Williams has created wonderful characters that you can really relate to (like Simon) and beautifully written environments. There is a wealth of information you have to read through, but for readers like me this is nothing. I say MT&S is classic fantasy. It is just as good as Tolkien, if less poetic. It's much easier to relate to Simon and Miriamele than Frodo Baggins. (I'm not knocking Tolkien, I love it, too.) I enjoyed To Green Angel Tower Part 1 by far of all the trilogy, though. But Stone of Farewell is definetely a worthy sequel. So, keep it up Mr. Williams. I am eager to start reading Otherland.

Here's one for all you that "happen" upon this book and haven't read the first book in the series --- you really don't need to read the first book. There's a synopsis in the beginning that gets the reader up to speed on what's happened, and then the reader can just jump right in. Granted, I would like to read the first book and the third book, and I probably will (actually, I know I will), but I just want to let anyone and everyone know that Williams has made it possible for anyone to pick up Stone of Farewell and jump right into it. I felt that Williams did an excellent job in creating an epic story that covers so many characters and locations. The plot was interesting all the way through, and the ending, while not really an "ending" in the literal sense, it is very satisfying regardless.

Though the series as a whole is wonderful and highly-recommended, Stone of Farewell led me on an unexpected emotional journey. William's number one strength is his characters - Miriamelle aside (I almost gave this book four stars because she annoys me so much) However, reading it through for a second and third time and skimming through her passages made this a perfect read. Secondly, he has a great sense for the visual. Mists, flowers, groves, hills, towers...his visions fill my mind for days after I put the book down...
Though all the sub-plots are engrossing, especially those involving Maegwin and the journey of Prince Josua, I found the journey into the Sithi-stronghold some of the most amazing story-writing I've ever encountered. The Sithi come to life in a magical, three-dimensional way with me striving to understand like some whacked-out, hungry anthropologiest. It's been a long time since I've wanted to get the 'heck' out of this world or ours and jump headfirst into another - but this is where I would go if I could find it. Like a shot. I'm also an adult reader, so if you're a kid looking for massive amounts of sword-play and 'cool' magic (though I think these things DO lie here-in), this isn't the book for you. But if you enjoy a depth to your story, striking characterizations and dialogue that is actually enjoyable to read (read: NOT Goodkind) then you will enjoy this series and especially this volume.
This is also one of the only series - and certainly the first since I was TWELVE - that I find myself concocting alternate stories in my head before I fall asleep in the eve or even day-dreaming during my day (fan-fiction of the mind, if you will!).
I cannot emphasize what a cut above the rest of fantasy-schlock this triology is. It even gets better on a second read. But I do believe you have to have a certain tolerance for steady pacing, emotional complexties, drawn out descriptives (which I adore), and the bittersweet undercurrents of beauty lost beyond retrieving.

Perusing the bookshelves at a local bookstore, I once overheard a conversation between two women about the novels of Tad Williams. Hefting the first part of TO GREEN ANGEL TOWER, one of the women mused, "He writes such nice long books, if only he wrote better." Sadly, this is a very accurate description of Williams's fantasy series MEMORY, SORROW AND THORN.
The second book in his New York Times best-selling series, STONE OF FAREWELL, continues Williams's tale of the scullion Simon and his adventures in the land of Osten Ard. The darkness is spreading, Ineluki the Storm King and his Norn minions move across the land, and the forces of good must retreat to the Stone of Farewell, their only sanctuary in these perilous times. The charismatic Prince Josua Lackhand hatches plans to reclaim his kingdom from his brother, the mad King Elias and the evil sorcerer Pyrates, while Simon and the dwindling number of the League of the Scroll seek to fight their battle on a different front.
STONE OF FAREWELL can be easily summed up as being "more of the same" of THE DRAGONBONE CHAIR. Williams admirably moves the reader through what is a commonly tedious section of the fantasy novel, the development to the climax. Fast-paced action interspersed with moments of introspection, Williams's characters are well-rounded and identifiable. The plot is somewhat predictable, but readers will enjoy it nonetheless. Reading MEMORY, SORROW AND THORN is almost like hearing a more detailed retelling of a story everyone knows. Political intrigue and the courage of man are delved into during the calmer parts of the story. Morality is a constant theme in the series, what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil.
For readers who worked their way through THE DRAGONBONE CHAIR, it is highly recommended that they read STONE OF FAREWELL. If the first novel in the series left you feeling empty, you might not be as well served working through the rest of this series. However, for avid readers of fantasy, with the amount of detail in Williams's epic, it should be enough to keep them coming back for more.

The Dragonbone Chair was an amazing opening to the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series and Stone of Farewell is a wonderful sequel. In the first book we journeyed with Simon from the Hayholt to the far north, discovering ruins of ancient cities, visiting castles, and seeing the wonders of Urmsheim -- all of which Tad Williams paints with such imaginative delicacy. That's one of main things I love about Tad's style, and all the characters and everything in the world is so alive and intricately detailed as a result. And he not only continued in that direction from The Dragonbone Chair but surpassed it in many ways as well.

If you've read The Dragonbone Chair, you'll know that things are looking pretty grim for all involved at the end. Stone of Farewell sees the characters continuing their journey towards the one place that is their last hope for safety. There's many great twists and turns along the way, but it's the arrival at a certain city towards the middle of the book that is the real highlight of Stone of Farewell -- that and the city's citizens who are easily my favorite created race ever, be it sci-fi or fantasy.

It's no ordinary arrival either. As one of the characters mentions: "It is not a road that takes us there. It is a sort of song." This is just one sort of wonderful exoticness that defines this place, and it goes even deeper. It is definitely the most imaginative and well realized place in the entire series -- there's a few odd rules of its own that make it seem like the characters have discovered another world almost. Never have I read anything before that was described with such fantastic imagery and in such a beautifully vivid way -- strangely simple yet alien-like. The city, the events there, and its strange inhabitants are bound to be burned into my mind for years to come -- as will the book as a whole.

While it's not my favorite book in the series, the visit to said city is one of the most impressive and remarkable things out of any of the books and probably one of the first things I'll think about whenever this series comes to mind in the future.

5/5 for this book and the series itself.

P.S. If you plan on buying these books prepare some free-time, because you're bound to get lost in this series for weeks -- I did. It's that good.

This is the second time I have read Tad Williams epic fantasy series, "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn." The first time through, when I was fifteen years old, and the series had only been out for a couple years, I didn't understand that I was reading a unique, and unprecedented series. I wasn't aware that many of the other series I would read in the next thirteen years would be only pale shadows of this series in terms of quality and originality - all I knew at the time was that I couldn't put the books down.

I've learned a lot in the thirteen years since I first read the series. I've learned that the fantasy genre is a chaotic, fickle ocean of "literature", filled with terrible novels, surrounded by shores mediocre novels, with only a small island of great stories in the center. I've read hundreds of fantasy books and series, and while some were great, and many were good, a vast majority were underwhelming - even some that many critics consider greats, I can barely make it through the first or second book in the series.

I picked up "The Dragonbone Chair," the first book in the series, a few weeks ago, with the intentions of just browsing a little bit while I was bored. Little did I know that this act would take me back in time, and once again, I wouldn't be able to put the book(s) down until they were done. However, I'm reviewing the second book, "Stone of Farewell," because I just turned the last page this morning, and it is freshest in my mind.

Farewell picks up literally where Dragonbone left off, with one group of heroes fleeing for their lives, and the second group in an uncertain scenario after besting the villains atop Ursheim mountain. We immediately get a feel that this novel will not only be continuing the important main sequence, but will also be expanding on other important characters as new plot lines, new information, and new characters are introduced. It is these new characters that I believe I was so fascinated with. Every single one has his or her own personality, with quirks and annoyances, as well as heroic and comforting properties. One character who we have had no reason up until now to believe is anything other than a rogue and scoundrel shows a side that helps us understand his predicament, and even gives us some sympathy towards him. Other characters, who seemed infallible and unbreakable are shown to have human flaws and weaknesses that truly make us empathize with them. The characters learn from their experiences and actually grow because of them.

Stone of Farewell is where Tad Williams begins to really pick up the plot, and show that the stakes are high. He is not afraid to kill off a character just because we love him, and he is not afraid to show evil at its worst. The villains have true motivations that slowly begin to become apparent, but all their motivations are their own, and unique. The Storm King wants something different from the Norn Queen, who in turn wants something other than what Pryrates wants, who's goals have nothing to do with Elias. Webs of intrigue are sewn masterfully, and the twists are surprising, while at the same time logical.

The different cultures and kingdoms really stand out as well. It is extremely obvious that sithi society is nothing like that of the Erkynlanders, and that Qanucs are not just short Rimmersmen. All the cultures have their own religions, societies, arts, crafts, languages, and lifestyles, and each is as real as the next. It is almost hard to believe this is written about a fantasy world, and not just a past version of Earth.

Tad's writing itself seems to also have made a few leaps by this book. It is perhaps a little-known fact that "Dragonbone" was his breakthrough into the fantasy genre, and many readers could tell this - I couldn't, the first time I read, but I could this time around. However, by the second chapter of the second book, I could swear I was reading the works of someone so established in the genre, that I thought, "How could this series not be one of the most popular, well-known fantasy series around??" This book is also where we see a true break from the standard Tolkien-esque fantasy, and the plot takes real, unique directional leaps that have never been seen before or since.

I was able to stop turning pages long enough to write this review, but "To Green Angel Tower" is calling me, and I fear I must come to beck. I don't know if I will ever read this series again, ten or twenty years from now, but I know that the world of Osten Ard is a great place to visit, and I wouldn't mind coming back to hear the stories again. If you're looking for a great fantasy series to read that is different in style and plot from Tolkien, Eddings, Feist, and Jordan, then I highly recommend giving this series a try. Many people have said that the first 150 pages of Dragonbone are too slow, but I just think it's a slow acceleration to a non-stop joyride, giving you all the background information you need to jump headlong into the series. You won't regret picking this book up.

(Edited to correct spelling)

The second part of one of the most outstanding epic fantasies I have ever read. I noticed there's been some comparison between Ender's Game and this book. This is apple's and oranges folks. Science Fiction and Fantasy are TWO COMPLETELY SEPARATE GENRE'S. I LOVED Ender's Game. Outstanding story, I loved it's companion novel Ender's Shadow as well but I can't compare Card to Williams. Impossible. Two different styles, two different genre's. I agree that Tad does like to talk, the Otherland series is a prime example of this, but it is SO worth the effort. Trust me. You will not be disappointed. A fine author and fine book, but let's keep this real.
Thanks for your time.

"Ender's Game" falls flat when I compare it to "Stone of Farewell." Ender has conflicts that are not really quite conflicting development-wise. Hel-loo! He is six years old at the beginning of the book with the mentality of a 30 year old. "Stone" leaves us with characters that we can watch as they develop. Besides that, its a darn good read.
The beginning of it takes place with Binabik and his people, and its not boring. No, its fun. (Not just because Binabik's one of my favorite characters!) Williams knows how to write, unlike some other people out there. And he gives us thousands of pages per series -- I'm all for the gargantuan novel thing. He doesn't pointlessly babble. He is as worthy of note as George R. R. Martin -- by the way, Martin read MEMORY, SORROW, AND THORN, and even picked up a few tips from Tad. (The comet = the Conqueror Star, the Dothraki = upside down Thrithings-men,...and whose to say that Qantaka (sp?) didn't inspire the direwolves!., etc.)
Begin with "The Dragonbone Chair" -- pull through the fifty or so introductory pages -- and READ THIS SERIES. Then get your copy of OTHERLAND, vols. 1 and 2, and enjoy. Unfortunately, you will have to wait for vol. 3. Sigh. Of course, you can read "Child of an Ancient City" while you're waiting, and pick up a copy of "Caliban's Hour" at your library or used bookstore. I will shut up now. I think that you get the idea.

My library isn't the most impressive, but I have hit most of the high points. I just finished the Wheel of Time, finally, I've read Tolkien, Lewis, King, Koontz, Friedman, Weis and many many others. For my money no other series can top Memory Sorrow and Thorn and no other author, save perhaps Gaiman, can top Tad Williams. In addition to this you should also pick up the Otherland series which is another epic read that you will never regret.

This series is a true epic which will go down in memory as one of the finest yarns to ever grace the pages of fantasy. William's undaunted prose and fully realized characters mix to create a tale that will make you cheer. Williams takes that classic fantasy beginning of a young boy and his trials and tribulations on his way to greatness and he adds a new twist that the fantasy genre has not seen in years: HE DOES IT RIGHT. The story is great, the setting realistic, the characters palpable, and most improtant of all for legitimate fantasy readers, the magic is realistic and believable. This is one tale that you will not want to miss, and the entire series is done being written and in paperback print. Williams is one of this age's finest fantasy authors and deserves the praise to be mentioned along with other greats such as David Feintuch and George R.R. Martin. Bravo!

If you look at the reviews for the first book in this series, many complain about a very very slow start. I agreed with those people and ended up skipping to the last 1/5 to see what happened. Based on that, it appeared the story was about to pick up the pace.

The story does indeed pick up the pace, but the main character, Simon, grows very little. After over 1,000 pages, he's still a bumbling kitchen boy. Yes, he's done a few 'great' things, but they are all by accident, luck, etc...He still has no training in magic, no great skill as a swordsman, no magical abilities which give him power, and no great intellect to think of clever plans or snappy dialogue. He's...just...an...average...boy. Who gets lucky. If that is your idea of a grand fantasy, following around a boy who literally has nothing remarkable going for him, where every other character he meets is more remarkable, then this is for you. Personally, I'll take a Terry Goodkind hero who is perhaps _too_ perfect, but infinitely more integral to the story than some idiot lackey who bumbles his way to victory which is what you're given here.

Additionally, there are many long slow passages, like 7-10 pages of description at a time. These could have easily been pared down to 1-2 pages, but we have to keep hearing about how cold it is, how the bones ache, etc...I've never seen anyone so enthralled with giving you a play-by-play of each step on a path a character takes. Get on with it already!

The reason I gave it 2 stars is because there are just enough interesting parts, mysteries, new places uncovered, that you at least feel the need to keep skipping around just to see what happens. As torturous as it may be, I'm even considering picking up the last one just to know what happens. I may only read 100 out of the 700 pages, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

If you're reading this review, the chances are that you've read The Dragonbone Chair and are wondering if it's worth continuing. The answer is: Definately. The trilogy really picks up momentum about half way through this book, dragging the reader, spellbound, through it, and after reading this book, I was clamouring for the next. Throughout this book, Williams enhances the intricate and wonderful world of Osten Ard and weaves tangled webs of intrigue, love and hatred between all the characters that he has painstakingly painted hitherto. If you've read The Dragonbone Chair and are wondering whether this book is worth reading - yes, a million times yes.

A lot of readers seem to like "The Stone of Farewell" better than "The Dragonbone Chair," but I felt the opposite. In this second volume of Tad Williams' breathtaking series, the action seems haphazard and events or plot drive the story, rather than characters. Some readers think this is an improvement on the slower pace of the first book, but I enjoyed the slow beginning and beautiful background scenery of "The Dragonbone Chair."
While I still count this series as one of my all-time favorite fantasy epics, it let down my expectations after reading the first book.
I found myself eager to reach the end of each chapter and a change of scene and characters instead of enjoying every detail as I had in the first book. Action seems to happen randomly and pointlessly, especially to Simon and Binibik. When Simon arbitrarily slams headlong into a tree while fleeing the witch-girl's house, I almost stopped reading from annoyance. And that incident sets up Simon's storyline for the rest of the book! Hadn't we seen him starving and whining by himself in the forest already? I didn't really like seeing the Sithi homeland either; I loved the first book because it kept the Sithi distant and mysterious, and something was lost in this book.
And when haphazard events aren't happening, the pace drags. It took me forever to get through the chapter where Maegwin encounters the Dwarrow.
Most disappointing of all, though, was the development of the female characters. Maegwin going mad, unable to handle her grief and her feelings for Eolair? I liked her because she seemed strong and practical and ready to be a competent leader to her people, but in this volume she acts like a child throwing a tantrum.
And Miriamele is no better. She has no control over anything that happens to her, although I really liked the scene where she threw Cadrach overboard. But Cadrach is also one of my favorite characters (and I'd like to know what terrible things happened in his past!) and later it seemed clear that he was trying to repent and that Miriamele should be able to trust him, but she is really mean and childish to him. And letting that lord on the ship seduce her at the end? I know she felt frightened and alone, and that it's a sign of good storytelling when characters have weaknesses, but I was very disappointed with her.
There aren't very many female characters. Williams might have kept one of them emotionally strong.
Despite all that, though, I enjoyed reading another volume of an epic filled with depth, beauty, and mystery. I hope the last volume improves the series.

Good character development; good plotting; noce prose style. There is meticulous care and superior writing talent demonstrated in this 3-volume series. Here is a writer who respects his readers and has a mature appreciation of style.

Come on people, its good, but not THAT good...for one thing, it was very boggy and many parts I had to lag through because, and only because, I wanted to read the whole book, and not just parts. 5 stars should be reserved for PERFECT books, such as 'Enders Game' and 'Seventh Son' by Orson Scott Card, 'The Forever King' by Molly Cochran and Warren Murphey, 'The Eye of the World' by Robert Jordan, 'Magician' by Raymond E. Feist, and last but certainly not least 'Wizard's First Rule' by Terry Goodkind. Read all these and their sequels, then rereview this series, it's very good, but far from perfect...

I just finished this book.. over the past week it was hard to put down. Williams is a master at bringing his characters to life, and I was repeatedly blown away by his use of words when describing Osten Ard. He brought the world to life in a way that far surpasses some of the other fantasy 'writers' out there, who write like ESL students. Very fresh, unique, personal style.

BUT I have one major issue: NOTHING happens in this book. Not much happened in Dragonbone Chair either, but that's fine because it had the discovery aspect.. you were still meeting new characters, taking it all in.. but at volume 2 that enthusiasm runs dry, and it's time to make these grunts WORK. Yet there wasn't much of the intrigue and exciting plot that some other reviewers mention. This book was 760-odd pages - and yet now at the end I can remember clearly how it started since the chain of events was so SHORT. If you like having the whole situation turn upside down, if you genuinely like being surprised by new developments, if you like intrigue, then look elsewhere. This tome rumbles by like an old tractor. A beautiful old tractor, to be sure..

What redeemed the book for me, and what gave it 4 instead of 3 stars, was the fact that Williams made all the characters real and lovable. Even though the plot sure as hell didn't keep me excited, I still wanted to see what happened to them. Binabik is by far my favorite. There are a few passages where Williams almost effortlessly describes the nuances of his peculiar way of talking and acting.. in the end I feel like I have been hanging out with Binabik face to face. The way the characters interact is also very compelling. The tensions between them make them more real. Miriamele and Cadrach in particular (each poking holes into each other) and Binabik and Sludig too. As the book goes along you just can't help but follow along, eager to see what happens to them.

In short, if you want a slow and yet indulgent, beautifully written ride and don't care that much for plot and intrigue, then check this out (Dragonbone Chair first, of course). I will soon be picking up Green Angel Tower.

'The Stone of Farewell' is the middle book of Tad Williams's 'Memory, Sorrow & Thorn' trilogy, and as such it is a bit of a mixed bag. The positives include appealing characters, several interesting plot lines and a comprehensive back story for his world. The negatives include a slow paced and somewhat mundane plot. The whole book feels like Williams is maneuvering the pieces around on the chessboard to get them where he wants them for the final book without regard to making the journey compelling. This wouldn't necessarily be an issue, except 'The Stone of Farewell' weighs in at 700+ pages in paperback. This was a definite step back from 'The Dragonbone Chair'.

The Stone of Farewell is the second book in the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series. It is the story of Seoman Snowlock, formerly Simon Mooncalf the Kitchen Scullion and his friends Binabik the troll and Princess Miriamele. This is a great follow up to the Dragonbone Chair which if you haven't read, you need to read before reading this. In this, the second of the series, the forces of the rebel Josua Lackhand are beginning to organize. But the dark powers that have been ranging throughout the land will do anything to stop them. This is a great book that any fan of fantasy will thoroughly enjoy. Williams expands on already fleshed-out and memorable characters and introduces some more. No other series except maybe Lord of the Rings has such an epic feel to it. You really feel the enormity and difficulty of the task that is before the characters. Loaded with intrigue, battles, mystery, and romance this book and the rest of the series are a requirement of any fantasy fan.

Have you ever watched the TV show 24? The hook is that you are supposed to be watching everything unfold in real time; that after watching a one hour episode, one hour has passed for the characters as well. This author seems to be going for the same effect. Unfortunately, the characters are going on weeks-long journeys over which little of note takes place. At least 24 has the courtesy of refocusing the narrative on other characters while the main characters are "in transit" between destinations. Williams has decided to bore us with a wealth of detail about the weather and surroundings which only ends up being relevant to about 20 pages of plot (and most of even that plot turns out not to be important in the long term scheme of things).

That isn't to say that interesting things aren't happening. An old prophecy, which everyone is staking their hopes on, was made by a crackpot who wrote a book about the future. Unfortunately, they only have second hand quotes from other sources, as the original book was lost. The prophecy hints that the present crisis can only be diverted by gathering up three magical swords. One sword (Sorrow) is definitely in the hands of the enemy king Elias, one (Memory) is thought to have been lost at sea or be hidden somewhere in Elias's stronghold, and the third (Thorn) was taken on an ill-fated quest to the north (hence the book's subtitle). Since Thorn is the only sword they have strong intell on, the impromptu council that Prince Josua has called organizes a search party to go look for the black sword. The rather passive Simon gets himself attached (rather like the piece of baggage he emulates) to the expedition. While there is plenty of wonder as Simon wanders through first the troll society and, later, a city belonging to the elf-like Sithi, these passages are too brief or focus too closely on (to me) uninteresting details like the arrangement of buildings and architecture. Who knew that the blessing of eternal life would make a society too lethargic to be interesting to us mere mortals?

The siege of Naglimund turned out to be the most interesting "long-term" event to me. Sadly, it is an event that only lasts a few days, and the book devotes a corresponding brief amount of time to it. The tantalizing hints that the three swords are somehow linked are also intriguing, but more is revealed about their diverse and separate origins and histories, than about the relationship between them.

I gave this book two stars because there are interesting things going on here. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like it was worth wading through nearly 1,500 pages (paperback) between the first and second books to get the few morsels available. This book reads better as a travelogue to polar regions than as the high fantasy adventure that it pretends to be. I read the first and second books consecutively, so I'm a little hazy about the separation between the two. It is possible that this review includes some events at the end of the first novel.

Tad William's Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy is one of the five best fantasy series ever. The characters and story make the trilogy great.

The characters are endearing and capable of producing emotional responses from the reader (Simon--sympathy/empathy, Miriamele--frustration/fear-for, Binabik--delight, Pryrates--that 'ol "love-to-hate-em" deal). No character is melodramatically good/evil and you feel empathy for the "villians" (Guthwulf, Ineluki, Elias). Cadrach/Padreic is another classic character. Unlike some fantasy series, women play a vital role (Utuk'ku, Maegwin, Miriamele, Amerasu, etc.).

The story is not a bright, cheery one. There is plenty of despair, depression, hopelessness, and death. These dark aspects serve to make the triuphs and happiness all the more satisfying. It is also unconventional and provides some real surprizes/twists, unlike many fantasy books which are predictable to the point of farce.

There are similarities to Tolkien: Immortal elf-like creatures who originate from a paradise "across the sea," who are dwindling at the face of encroaching mankind. Long-range communication systems (palantiri/harps, shards, and pools). However, there is plenty of originality for any reader.

I've read all of William's published works to date and this is his finest. A must for all fantasy readers.

The dragonbone chair might start a bit slow but it really speeds up in the end. The book is well written all through and includes some humor to the difference of Jordans books.You can put fantasy writers in two groups. They are those who almost copy Tolkiens books and those who pretend that they had never been written, but Tad Williams finds an alternative way from the Lord of the rings and he does it excellent.

This definitely had the feel of a filler book, setting up the final book of the series. This book just felt like all the characters were on a journey that never ended. Not enough action I guess is what I am saying. No, I'm not slamming it, because I thought the climax was pretty good, but I couldn't help feel relieved when I had finished it. I do think there is great potential for the final book (1600 pages in 2 paperbacks), but I hope the future books don't take as long for something to actually happen.

In the second book Semon finds himself in the troll community in which Binabik left long ago. From there he ends up a sort of prisoner of the Sithi. Along with the king's daughter who is stuck on a boat which is owned by an Earl who is under the direct control of her evil father's councilor. So many points going on at once but Tad Williams keeps going strong.

The only reason I gave it one star is because it finally ended. Everything I hated about the first book in this series has magnified in the second. Nothing happens. All the characters just sit around and complain about how bad everything is. Simon just cries all the time. Frustrating.
One thing I personally hate in a book is when the protaganists get captured. Frustrating. Binabik wouldn't speak b/c he broke his oath! Ahh, poor baby. Why don't you cry me a river. Did you also know the world is ending? Quit crying and do something about it. They spend the whole book walking to a rock. Wow. Real excitement. Can I have another 1500 pages of nothing? Oh, wait, that's about the length of To Green Angel Tower. Boy, I can't wait to fall asleep.
I've literally read hundreds of Fantasy Adventure (I guess this is just Fantasy, since there isn't much of an Adventure) books. Everything from Tolkien-and comparing this to that is blasphemy- and 1930's Conan to Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance and Warhammer. Most of them may not have the "character developement" or the "plot mechanics" all of the other reviewers seem to place on Memory, Sorrow and Thorn but every single one has been more fun to read. Even the ones I didn't like.
The fighting scenes are just more frustration. They are not seen from a direct view. It's all seen from a skewed angle. Deornoth hurts his head and can't see what is going on around him when they get ambushed in the woods. Haeston is killed but we don't see the actually blow, he simply lands at Simon's feet. This literary device of using subtle violence can be great when used from time to time, but not ALL the time.
"Oh, but the descriptiveness is sooo good," yeah, well, when you use three pages to describe a mountainside it just becomes tiresome. I could describe taking a dump in either three pages or one sentence. Which do you prefer? If I want over-descriptiveness, I'll read a Romance novel. I'd rather read details about vaginas and breasts then mountains and woods.
Tad Williams, thanks for draining two weeks out of my life. I'll never get them back.

If your looking at this, I assume you've read the first book. With that said, I will give no spoilers but will say that your long hours of suffering through the crawling pace of the fist half of The Dragonbone Chair will pay off with this one. By the time you finish this one you wont be able to move on to book 3 fast enough. The story moves along at a good pace and I can honestly say that it only gets better with To Green Angel Tower books 1 and 2.

I'm the type of fantasy reader that will plow through 1,000 pages in 2 days if the book is good enough. This one took me 6 months - it just couldn't hold my interest. In the meantime, I read Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy and Patrick Rothfuss' two new books - both series I find much better than this one. I feel like this entire second book is just setup for the third one. I'm annoyed enough I might not bother finishing the series.

If you liked Dragonbone Chair in the slightest bit, keep reading this series. Do not let the following book's size deter you. For me, the middle of a trilogy is nine times out of ten the weakest part. Not so here. There is always something happening to keep you engaged in this book, and they all flow seamlessly together.

It's no mystery that Tad Williams draws much of his "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn" series from the J.R.R. Tolkien well - and most contemporary fantasists drink from these same waters, point of fact - but what Williams does not replicate is the intensity of "The Two Towers," the middle volume in Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings." "The Stone of Farewell" is a bloated tome that rambles more often than it compels. Even so, the characters introduced in "The Dragonbone Chair" are strong enough to warrant the effort spent on "Farewell," and the concluding volume ("To Green Angel Tower") promises a resounding conclusion. I can't help but think that "Farewell" just runs on too long, especially during those times when nothing of any real consequence is actually taking place. To be curt, it can be very boring. On the other hand, there are some very moody and inspiring sequences - they just happen to be trapped in the tangle. As a bridge between "The Dragonbone Chair" and "To Green Angel Tower," "The Stone of Farewell" is definitely worth the hike - but even books in an ongoing series should, to some extent, satisfy on their own. "Farewell" suffers from the middle volume blues. Still, my interest in the series continues despite the drudgery of this particular journey, and that says a lot.

This book is faster paced than the first and much more enjoyable. All the strengths of the first (identifyable world, characters) are present, its just faster paced. A good story, but destined to get better - the final book(s)is my favorite of all time.

In part two of the epic story, williams again tells a great story that you just don't want to put down. I'm glad i came onto these books after they were all published because i was able to do a marathon session cuz i never wanted to stop the story.

"The Stone of Farewell" is an amazing book. I have not found a better epic piece of fantasy since J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings." Tad Williams has crafted a fantasy of epic proportions that imerses the reader in rich details. The story catches at you and compels you to read on. The first book of the series, "The Dragonbone Chair", is a little slow to start but if you can stick with it this series is worth it! This is a must for anyone who enjoys Tolkien and good fantasy novels.

In answer to the Dragonbone Chair, Williams tells the tale of poor Simon, and others, after the fall of his good Prince's stronghold. More hints tug at our imagination, showing again the vast scope of Williams' research in writing his books. Good is crippled by evil, but hope is not lost. The promise of prophesy wars with the reality of evil's victory on many fronts, and the teasing hints at history's play in current events continues. Enjoy Book Two -- it sets the stage for a mind-blowing third installment.

I loved this book. It was full of action that led you to turn the page. He created a wide variaty of characters with vivid personalities to go with them. I hope he continues to write books as good as this!

i remember when this work first came out...i raced my young self to the book store in a frenzy. now, almost 10 years later i pick it up once more. and i still got caught up in the story. staying awake until three in the morning because i just needed to know what was going to happen next. this is a wonderful book that again captures the mind, just as williams did the first book. highly recommended

wow. even though the story skips around a lot, i loved this book. the characters' emotions, especially simon's, are clearly expressed. i thought this book to be different and, well, fun to read. the Sithi are my favorite, they have their ancient rules and secrets, but still have a human air about them. i strongly recommend this book. if you like long, interesting novels, you'll like stone of farewell.

Ok, if you've made it through "Dragonbone" and are now reading this one, you don't have much farther to go. Sure, the pace has been slow, but things really take off in "To Green Angel Tower", with a few nice surprises at the end that make the whole thing worthwhile.

This was by far the best book I ever read and positivly the most far reached detail book I ever read. Tad Willams makes the most vived worlds. It almost brung me to tears to see it end (but theres always the Green Tower!) so I recommend this book to any reader, because it's simply the best.

The conflict in the ice could make you feel that biting, terrible cold,
so that was very well done. Simon, no longer a boy, but a man capable
of taking care of himself, has done the fantasy thing and won the sword
from the dragon.

Prince Joshua, in the meantime, while waiting for the sword, has
his own problems with battles and politics, and must try to reach the
Stone of Farewell, while surviving the bitter winter that his nemesis
has brought about.

4 out of 5 (1 out of 5 for georestrictions)

An absolutely spellbinding novel. In the fantasy genre, I often find the second volume of a trilogy to fall flat, but Stone of Farewell fairly crackles off of the pages. I just ordered the third volume and can't wait 'till it comes in. Highly recommended to anybody who enjoys epic fantasy.

Unique in all aspects of fantasy. As an avid reader of Tad Williams, Anne Rice, Phil Rickman, and all great fantasy writers I must say that all who read book one of this series, book two is a must read. Between this book, and 'Realm of the Sword', my reading has been fantastic this week.

The series is long and some times of mixed quality but overall is a pretty good read if you like Lord of the Rings - there are a lot of similarities with both the story line and the types of characters that exist.