scroggin_cooper's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty grand ending to a pretty grand series, although Book 2 was painful. I really quite liked how Williams writes tension, it genuinely makes me feel like I'm there with Simon or Rachel. I also really liked Simon and Miriamele being cute at the beginning of the novel, which is weird since I'm not that big of a fan of romance novels. The climax was fantastic, however. But, there was a bit of Terry Goodkind-esque torture scenes. I also think Josua should have died in a completely different way, preferably working with Miriamele to kill Elias. The same goes for Pryrates. If anyone, it should have been Simon who killed Pryrates. While yes, he does die from his hubris, I never saw him as a hubris-filled character.
leukippe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mensenkinderen's review against another edition
5.0
I devoured this series in my teenage years and still have very fond memories about it. The world of Osten Ard may seem like a stereotypical fantasy setting, but Williams' style of writing and the overall plot of "Memory, Sorrow & Thorn" make the series something special, in my opinion.
madgin's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
sambora's review against another edition
3.0
Finishing To Green Angel Tower: Storm marks the end of a series that I've been following for the past 6 months.
I have enjoyed my time with Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, but - in my opinion, it suffers a slight dip in quality going into it's second half.
These books were written in the early 90's, and BOY has the genre evolved since then. The audience and their tastes have also grown and changed.
What at one point was new, creative and distinct now reads as cliché and trope-ish. This isn't meant as much of a criticism, as I grew up on fantasy much like this and the story telling characteristics and style gave me a strong sense of nostalgia for the fantasy genre pre-grimdark.
Kitchen boys turn hero's, dark and mysterious overlords of bygone eras returning, soft magic systems, quests for magical swords imbued with powers enough to thwart the enemy and a variety of races - inspired by elves and dwarves, falling on one side or the other of a world shattering fight between good and evil.
It's classic and a lot of fun.
But, as I said, the past two entries, (Part 1 and 2 of To Green Angel Tower) seemed a little stale to my mind.
Many of the POVs we've met throughout the world start to merge, the stage gets smaller and smaller and characters, both those fighting for good and those fighting for power, congregate in the capital of Osten Ard for the final confrontation.
Somehow despite this convergence, it still seemed as though the plot had been spread a little too thin, therefore the culmination of the story felt a little lackluster.
Keeping it spoiler-free, I shall just say that maybe the story would have benefitted somewhat from a character/POV culling? Maybe that's the modern expectation of darker fantasy talking, but our primary characters DID feel very safe, so this last book felt a little cluttered from all the overlapping scenes.
Of course, the ending is a very important and difficult thing to pull off with a series of this size. This ending in particular didn't fail... but neither did it wow me. It wrapped up a great many of the characters plot lines, leaving a couple open for the obligatory connections to a following series set in the same world, but it was all a bit predicable, or at least predicable in it's attempts to be unpredictable.
The characters and their evolutions are always one of my favourite elements of epic fantasy, and Williams did this very well with his chosen few characters; Simon, Miriamele, Tiamak, Elias and Rachel. They all grew and changed and reacted on a personal and emotional level to their situation.
The rest, however, I felt didn't change at all over the course of the books.
They certainly learned and achieved a lot (and failed at times too!), but knowledge and experience didn't change their outlook or behaviour. I shall admit, it frustrated me at times, particularly as some of these were my favourite characters; looking here at Cadrach, Binabik and Jiriki.
This book, To Green Angel Tower: Storm, I have given 3 stars.
The series on a whole, I believe, deserves the same.
It's good. It's fun. It's nostalgic. However, unfortunately, I can't see it being very memorable for me.
I don't think I'll be reading anything else by Tad Williams, but as I said in the opening of this review - despite what may seem like harsh criticism throughout, I have enjoyed my time with this series.
____________________________________
Thank you for reading my review!
Feel free to add me as a friend here on Goodreads - I am always looking to connect with more SFF people and check out what everyone else is reading. And, if you have any reading suggestions, be sure to comment them below! I'm open to any and all!
I received some more proofs and ARCs recently too, which I'm 100% sure will be a VERY mixed bag. I'll have them read and reviewed pre-release.
Next review: Count Zero by William Gibson.
Thanks again and I hope you have a good day!
I have enjoyed my time with Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, but - in my opinion, it suffers a slight dip in quality going into it's second half.
These books were written in the early 90's, and BOY has the genre evolved since then. The audience and their tastes have also grown and changed.
What at one point was new, creative and distinct now reads as cliché and trope-ish. This isn't meant as much of a criticism, as I grew up on fantasy much like this and the story telling characteristics and style gave me a strong sense of nostalgia for the fantasy genre pre-grimdark.
Kitchen boys turn hero's, dark and mysterious overlords of bygone eras returning, soft magic systems, quests for magical swords imbued with powers enough to thwart the enemy and a variety of races - inspired by elves and dwarves, falling on one side or the other of a world shattering fight between good and evil.
It's classic and a lot of fun.
But, as I said, the past two entries, (Part 1 and 2 of To Green Angel Tower) seemed a little stale to my mind.
Many of the POVs we've met throughout the world start to merge, the stage gets smaller and smaller and characters, both those fighting for good and those fighting for power, congregate in the capital of Osten Ard for the final confrontation.
Somehow despite this convergence, it still seemed as though the plot had been spread a little too thin, therefore the culmination of the story felt a little lackluster.
Keeping it spoiler-free, I shall just say that maybe the story would have benefitted somewhat from a character/POV culling? Maybe that's the modern expectation of darker fantasy talking, but our primary characters DID feel very safe, so this last book felt a little cluttered from all the overlapping scenes.
Of course, the ending is a very important and difficult thing to pull off with a series of this size. This ending in particular didn't fail... but neither did it wow me. It wrapped up a great many of the characters plot lines, leaving a couple open for the obligatory connections to a following series set in the same world, but it was all a bit predicable, or at least predicable in it's attempts to be unpredictable.
The characters and their evolutions are always one of my favourite elements of epic fantasy, and Williams did this very well with his chosen few characters; Simon, Miriamele, Tiamak, Elias and Rachel. They all grew and changed and reacted on a personal and emotional level to their situation.
The rest, however, I felt didn't change at all over the course of the books.
They certainly learned and achieved a lot (and failed at times too!), but knowledge and experience didn't change their outlook or behaviour. I shall admit, it frustrated me at times, particularly as some of these were my favourite characters; looking here at Cadrach, Binabik and Jiriki.
This book, To Green Angel Tower: Storm, I have given 3 stars.
The series on a whole, I believe, deserves the same.
It's good. It's fun. It's nostalgic. However, unfortunately, I can't see it being very memorable for me.
I don't think I'll be reading anything else by Tad Williams, but as I said in the opening of this review - despite what may seem like harsh criticism throughout, I have enjoyed my time with this series.
____________________________________
Thank you for reading my review!
Feel free to add me as a friend here on Goodreads - I am always looking to connect with more SFF people and check out what everyone else is reading. And, if you have any reading suggestions, be sure to comment them below! I'm open to any and all!
I received some more proofs and ARCs recently too, which I'm 100% sure will be a VERY mixed bag. I'll have them read and reviewed pre-release.
Next review: Count Zero by William Gibson.
Thanks again and I hope you have a good day!
jmschomers's review against another edition
4.0
I think that the journeys they took along the way in the book was better than the ending itself. Good series
davehershey's review against another edition
4.0
Sometimes there are books you know are good but you just don’t resonate with them? Tad Williams’ Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series is that for me. These books have generally good reviews. There are only four of them (well, the 3rd and 4th are technically one book) so I don’t have to wait years for the end of the series or slog through 12-14 books.
Yet, as I read, they never struck me. Sure, they’re a bit slow, but I don’t mind slow books. Honestly, I think there are just too many other books on my radar right now that I want to read. I want to reread Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive to get ready for book 4. I want to read the next Dresden Files book. I have other fiction on my shelf. I have a three volume biography of MLK Jr. as well as biography of Malcolm X. A few books about the shift from the premodern to modern world and the ways science, theology and philosophy relate.
Unfortunately, I feel these books just got lost in the shuffle. I wonder if they will get read by anyone without some level of nostalgia. Williams wrote just before Martin released Game of Thrones and around the time Jordan wrote Wheel of Time. Those changed fantasy writing and Williams definitely echoes Tolkien more than newer fantasy. That said, these books are better than Terry Brooks’ Shannara trilogy (I’ve only read the original 3). For a list of fantasy books between Tolkien and Jordan, these are probably near the top, not that I’m an expert. But again, unless you’re a hardcore fantasy fan who reads nothing else, or unless you read these and have nostalgia, they probably will fade.
Although, I saw Williams has begun releasing new books in the same world. So maybe they’ll make a comeback. Maybe one day I’ll reread them. I do suspect a reread would be better, as the structure of the first two books was a bit frustrating. Overall, certainly a good series that deserves more praise than I am giving it. I hope its enough I recognize its good and commend it to other fantasy fans who want a series that is completed.
Yet, as I read, they never struck me. Sure, they’re a bit slow, but I don’t mind slow books. Honestly, I think there are just too many other books on my radar right now that I want to read. I want to reread Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive to get ready for book 4. I want to read the next Dresden Files book. I have other fiction on my shelf. I have a three volume biography of MLK Jr. as well as biography of Malcolm X. A few books about the shift from the premodern to modern world and the ways science, theology and philosophy relate.
Unfortunately, I feel these books just got lost in the shuffle. I wonder if they will get read by anyone without some level of nostalgia. Williams wrote just before Martin released Game of Thrones and around the time Jordan wrote Wheel of Time. Those changed fantasy writing and Williams definitely echoes Tolkien more than newer fantasy. That said, these books are better than Terry Brooks’ Shannara trilogy (I’ve only read the original 3). For a list of fantasy books between Tolkien and Jordan, these are probably near the top, not that I’m an expert. But again, unless you’re a hardcore fantasy fan who reads nothing else, or unless you read these and have nostalgia, they probably will fade.
Although, I saw Williams has begun releasing new books in the same world. So maybe they’ll make a comeback. Maybe one day I’ll reread them. I do suspect a reread would be better, as the structure of the first two books was a bit frustrating. Overall, certainly a good series that deserves more praise than I am giving it. I hope its enough I recognize its good and commend it to other fantasy fans who want a series that is completed.
tetipea's review against another edition
3.0
I dunno man I'm just glad it's over. The twist is really not a twist at all. A really unbelievably huge amount of build up for absolutely nothing.