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bekab20's review against another edition
4.0
Very very slow start. But by the end of the book, I want to pick up the second one. So hopefully he doesn't drag it all out again in the second one and just jumps in where this one left off.
paromita_m's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
cameronkc's review against another edition
3.0
Notes (so I remember what this is about):
1) a young girl married off to an all-powerful leader
2) Chet, the founderling, who I imagine looks like a hobbit, but is good with stone.
3) Two young royalty
4) A doctor, who knows more than he should
5) A bad ass women 'bad guy'. Really hates mortals.
6) The kings guard
All of them appear to working towards helping themselves, or friends of theirs. Surprisingly, some of these characters do not get along. A number of POV story lines, some bad guys, castles, sharp teeth, swords, magic, and I am guessing overcoming adversity. I feel like I have read this type of story line before.
1) a young girl married off to an all-powerful leader
2) Chet, the founderling, who I imagine looks like a hobbit, but is good with stone.
3) Two young royalty
4) A doctor, who knows more than he should
5) A bad ass women 'bad guy'. Really hates mortals.
6) The kings guard
All of them appear to working towards helping themselves, or friends of theirs. Surprisingly, some of these characters do not get along. A number of POV story lines, some bad guys, castles, sharp teeth, swords, magic, and I am guessing overcoming adversity. I feel like I have read this type of story line before.
schreibratte's review against another edition
3.0
Viel habe ich bislang von Tad Williams gehört und war deshalb sehr gespannt, aber Shadowmarch 1 konnte meine Erwartungen nicht erfüllen. Zugegeben war das Lob auch meist für eine andere Reihe, an die ich dann doch noch herangehen werde, während es mit Shadowmarch an dieser Stelle für mich endet.
Es ist ein solides Buch - aber doch sehr austauschbar. Immer mal wieder fand ich es zäh und ein richtiger Pageturner wurde es nie. Was Briony und Barrick, Vansen, Chert und Qinnitan so passiert ... sie dürfen es gern für jemand anderen erleben, aber für mich fehlt auch nach Ende des Buches noch der Antrieb, das zu lesen. Auf die ein oder andere Art hat man es dafür schon in zu vielen Fantasy-Epen gelesen und es gab nicht genug Einzigartiges, was mich reizt. Dachlinge und Funderlinge sind ja ganz nett, aber es blieb eben alles nur das: ganz nett. Nicht überragend, nicht sensationell, nicht spektakulär. Und während man ja auch mal die "nur ganz guten Bücher" für zwischendrin braucht, sind mir dann 800+ Seiten einfach zu lang, um noch mehr davon zu lesen.
Da fieber ich lieber weiter dem nächsten ASOIAF-Band entgegen und lese in der Zwischenzeit Goodkind, Jordan und Schwartz, an die ich mich hier und da erinnert gefühlt habe und die doch alle interessantere Welten erschaffen haben.
Es ist ein solides Buch - aber doch sehr austauschbar. Immer mal wieder fand ich es zäh und ein richtiger Pageturner wurde es nie. Was Briony und Barrick, Vansen, Chert und Qinnitan so passiert ... sie dürfen es gern für jemand anderen erleben, aber für mich fehlt auch nach Ende des Buches noch der Antrieb, das zu lesen. Auf die ein oder andere Art hat man es dafür schon in zu vielen Fantasy-Epen gelesen und es gab nicht genug Einzigartiges, was mich reizt. Dachlinge und Funderlinge sind ja ganz nett, aber es blieb eben alles nur das: ganz nett. Nicht überragend, nicht sensationell, nicht spektakulär. Und während man ja auch mal die "nur ganz guten Bücher" für zwischendrin braucht, sind mir dann 800+ Seiten einfach zu lang, um noch mehr davon zu lesen.
Da fieber ich lieber weiter dem nächsten ASOIAF-Band entgegen und lese in der Zwischenzeit Goodkind, Jordan und Schwartz, an die ich mich hier und da erinnert gefühlt habe und die doch alle interessantere Welten erschaffen haben.
imfhd's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-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? No
4.0
kadomi's review against another edition
3.0
3-3.5 stars. Now, I should say that I am one of the biggest Tad Williams fans. You have no idea how many times I have read Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. This trilogy of books was a gamechanger for me back then. After spending my teenage years reading a lot of fantasy crap, I keenly remember picking up the huge Dragonbone Chair, and reading reading reading. I felt like I had never experienced such beautiful fantasy writing as I did with TDC. I loved the characters, the setting, the world.
Many years later, Tad has returned to fantasy, and I should be excited, but Shadowmarch simply fails short. In a way it is incredibly reminiscent of MSaT. We have the sprawling castle of Southmarch. We have the headstrong Princess that dreams of being a man, Briony. We have the redhead adolescent Prince Barrick. We have a mysterious physician, Chaven. The equivalents go on and on. And yet what is lacking is that none of those characters are as touching as they were in The Dragonbone Chair. Barrick is no Simon and is often eyeroll-inducing. So is Briony. Chert the Funderling isn't as adorable as Binabik was. And the Tolly family falls short of being personified evil like Pryrates was.
I did genuinely enjoy everything about Quinnitar's story arc. The autarch's world is exotic and different, and I am excited about her role in the rest of the books.
Maybe the book's greatest flaw is that for about 400 pages it feels like nothing is happening. You have one big event fairly early on, and then just buildup that's just not very exciting. The last 100 pages are fairly action packed, but they don't save the book.
Of course I will keep reading. I should note this was a re-read and I do know that the second book picks up a lot, but I wouldn't blame anyone for not being interested in Tad Williams as a writer if you tried this as your first. Go read MSaT or Otherlands, and then maybe you'll regard this offering more favorable, if with the same sense of disappointment that I had. He can do so much better.
Many years later, Tad has returned to fantasy, and I should be excited, but Shadowmarch simply fails short. In a way it is incredibly reminiscent of MSaT. We have the sprawling castle of Southmarch. We have the headstrong Princess that dreams of being a man, Briony. We have the redhead adolescent Prince Barrick. We have a mysterious physician, Chaven. The equivalents go on and on. And yet what is lacking is that none of those characters are as touching as they were in The Dragonbone Chair. Barrick is no Simon and is often eyeroll-inducing. So is Briony. Chert the Funderling isn't as adorable as Binabik was. And the Tolly family falls short of being personified evil like Pryrates was.
I did genuinely enjoy everything about Quinnitar's story arc. The autarch's world is exotic and different, and I am excited about her role in the rest of the books.
Maybe the book's greatest flaw is that for about 400 pages it feels like nothing is happening. You have one big event fairly early on, and then just buildup that's just not very exciting. The last 100 pages are fairly action packed, but they don't save the book.
Of course I will keep reading. I should note this was a re-read and I do know that the second book picks up a lot, but I wouldn't blame anyone for not being interested in Tad Williams as a writer if you tried this as your first. Go read MSaT or Otherlands, and then maybe you'll regard this offering more favorable, if with the same sense of disappointment that I had. He can do so much better.
shane_tiernan's review against another edition
4.0
I really didn't think I was going to like this but it grew on me right from the beginning. It's big in scope and so it seems to move slow but it didn't really get boring for me. I did it on audio and the narrator was great. I really like his writing style, seems very polished and just flowery enough for me. Definitely ends with some cliffhangers so I can't wait to start the 2nd book, I feel like things will move faster now that the intros have been made and the big ideas are out there.
christinajl_gb's review against another edition
5.0
I love epic fantasy as a genre, so no surprises here that I really enjoyed Shadowmarch. This is a dark fantasy and well written. I found myself getting involved with the storyline and the characters were interesting and engaging. Book 2 already on its way!!
ailurophile_bibliophile89's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars
Original, well-written, and imaginative, Williams does an excellent job at building up the plot. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed his writing. Thankfully I don't have to wait for the next book - I bought all four on a whim (My originals are MIA).
Original, well-written, and imaginative, Williams does an excellent job at building up the plot. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed his writing. Thankfully I don't have to wait for the next book - I bought all four on a whim (My originals are MIA).
kodermike's review
4.0
Like every Tad Williams book I've read, it takes 100+ pages to get the story going, but once set it's worth the wait. My only complaint (hence the spoiler marker, sorry) is that the answer to one of the mysteries was very much Deus ex Machina - the death caused by a thing we hadn't even heard of until the moment it was revealed to be the murderer. Otherwise, a great read, looking forward to the rest of the series.