saraishelafs's review against another edition
3.0
The story didn't keep my attention even though the MC was likeable. There are sequels, but I doubt I will continue
keh's review against another edition
3.0
I would have loved this, at a certain young age . . .
If I hadn't read Lord of the Rings first.
I didn't catch on to how derivative it was for awhile (which is embarrassing). The build up was somewhat interesting, and different enough that I was able to go with it. But then Simon reached Naglimund, and then it was all totally "Council of Rivendell". And Mordor, Sauron and normal tropes. The storytelling got super lazy at the end, and it was overall too episodic. This book was 50% longer than it needed to be, since Simon seemed to wander off on weird side adventures.
Also, the super christian saintly king and the heathen peoples he converted to Christianity were really unnecessary. And Miriamele had too little agency, and Joshua's hot girlfriend was obviously going to betray him and seemed to exist solely to annoy the other characters. Damn you white male authors from the 1980s, and your complete failure to write a beliveable female character.
I'll be damned if I'm going to waste my time on the rest of the books.
If I hadn't read Lord of the Rings first.
I didn't catch on to how derivative it was for awhile (which is embarrassing). The build up was somewhat interesting, and different enough that I was able to go with it. But then Simon reached Naglimund, and then it was all totally "Council of Rivendell". And Mordor, Sauron and normal tropes. The storytelling got super lazy at the end, and it was overall too episodic. This book was 50% longer than it needed to be, since Simon seemed to wander off on weird side adventures.
Also, the super christian saintly king and the heathen peoples he converted to Christianity were really unnecessary. And Miriamele had too little agency, and Joshua's hot girlfriend was obviously going to betray him and seemed to exist solely to annoy the other characters. Damn you white male authors from the 1980s, and your complete failure to write a beliveable female character.
I'll be damned if I'm going to waste my time on the rest of the books.
pbanditp's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the story and the characters but nothing seemed very compelling. There was no “hook”. Orphan boy trying to grow up in the castle as kitchen help who gets thrown into an adventure with dark magic and creatures that he believed were just stories but are real. Very typical with few exceptions. Until the end, now I want to read book two to see where this goes
alkinn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
aulasw's review against another edition
Just couldn't get into the story. A third if the way throught the book and not much ineresting happened. A lot of exposition and descriptions when I would rather experience it through the characters.
abattleofmice's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
pihlen76's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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? It's complicated
4.5
Its getting better every time I read it.
sebastiansbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
4 out of 5 stars
As a huge fan of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, it is surprising it took me this long to begin the very series that inspired Martin to write “his own seven book trilogy”: Tad Williams’ Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. And what did I think of the first book, 1988’s The Dragonbone Chair? Let’s find out here.
The Dragonbone Chair takes place in the peaceful land of Osten Ard, where peace will soon end as a war is about to begin. And only small group, the League of the Scroll, realizes how much danger this war will bring to Osten Ard. A castle scullion named Simon will go on a dangerous quest to find the only salvation for Osten Ard…
A Game of Thrones is an amazing first book. Straight from the prologue, you’re hooked, and the book, while long at 800+ pages in the illustrated edition, it never gets boring. George R.R. Martin’s writing and worldbuilding are top notch as well. Be warned that this book is quite brutal, so if you aren’t into that, skip this. But if you are into that, go ahead and read this.
First of all, I have to bring up the writing style of Tad Williams himself: it’s amazing. I don’t normally pay attention to the quality of prose, but Williams has already jumped up to my “authors with the most beautiful prose” list alongside greats like Ray Bradbury and Robin Hobb. The book begins glacially slow, but later picks up greatly. However, it you’re looking for an earlier version of A Song of Ice and Fire…you aren’t finding it here. There’s a few similarities, but this book is more akin to a darker version of The Lord of the Rings, as written by Robin Hobb.
Regardless, The Dragonbone Chair needs more attention, and I will continue my journey in Osten Ard hopefully this February. We shall see!
-- Sebastian C
As a huge fan of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, it is surprising it took me this long to begin the very series that inspired Martin to write “his own seven book trilogy”: Tad Williams’ Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. And what did I think of the first book, 1988’s The Dragonbone Chair? Let’s find out here.
The Dragonbone Chair takes place in the peaceful land of Osten Ard, where peace will soon end as a war is about to begin. And only small group, the League of the Scroll, realizes how much danger this war will bring to Osten Ard. A castle scullion named Simon will go on a dangerous quest to find the only salvation for Osten Ard…
A Game of Thrones is an amazing first book. Straight from the prologue, you’re hooked, and the book, while long at 800+ pages in the illustrated edition, it never gets boring. George R.R. Martin’s writing and worldbuilding are top notch as well. Be warned that this book is quite brutal, so if you aren’t into that, skip this. But if you are into that, go ahead and read this.
First of all, I have to bring up the writing style of Tad Williams himself: it’s amazing. I don’t normally pay attention to the quality of prose, but Williams has already jumped up to my “authors with the most beautiful prose” list alongside greats like Ray Bradbury and Robin Hobb. The book begins glacially slow, but later picks up greatly. However, it you’re looking for an earlier version of A Song of Ice and Fire…you aren’t finding it here. There’s a few similarities, but this book is more akin to a darker version of The Lord of the Rings, as written by Robin Hobb.
Regardless, The Dragonbone Chair needs more attention, and I will continue my journey in Osten Ard hopefully this February. We shall see!
-- Sebastian C
noelrk's review against another edition
3.0
Firmly in a 2.5 star camp, but I decided to round up because I liked the last little bit.