false 28694 11 The Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series established Tad Williams's preeminence in fantasy. Now, after an absence of more than a decade, the <I>New York Times</I> bestselling author has returned to high fantasy with his Shadowmarch trilogy. Exciting, ambitious, intricate, and insightful, <I>Shadowmarch: Volume 1</I> demonstrates that Williams is still America's best high fantasist.<p> <I>Shadowmarch: Volume 1</I> introduces a world conquered by humans, who have driven the Qar, or fairy folk, into the far north. There, the Qar hide behind the "Shadowline," a mysterious veil of perpetual mist, which drives mad any human who dares enter it. Bordering that mist and named for it is Shadowmarch, the northernmost human kingdom.<p> Shadowmarch has lately fallen on hard times. Its king has been captured by a rival kingdom, the regent has been mysteriously slain, and the new regents are callow fifteen-year-olds. Moody, crippled Prince Barrick is uninterested in their responsibilities and haunted by eerie dreams. His twin, Princess Briony, takes their new duties seriously, but is hot-tempered and headstrong. How can they defeat the greatest threats in Shadowmarch history? Their nobles plot to overthrow them--and the plotters may include their pregnant stepmother, seeking the throne for her own child. The expanding empire of Xis has sent its agents into Shadowmarch. And, for the first time since it appeared centuries ago, the Shadowline has starting moving. As the maddening mist spreads south over Shadowmarch, it does not quite hide the powerful, uncanny, and vengeful Qar army of invasion... <I>--Cynthia Ward</I> 832564 2004 Shadowmarch (Shadowmarch, #1) total:756|5:141|4:289|3:250|2:66|1:10| 756 2753 1162 66 3 1 false false Mon Sep 14 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Jul 19 07:19:17 -0700 2009 Thu Oct 01 06:46:48 -0700 2009
Here’s why it earned the three stars: (1) Williams writes beautifully and descriptively. I love when he described a full moon as the top of a skull looming in the sky. He really knows how to place the reader in a setting. (2) Wi...more...]]> 3 3 false false Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2003 Fri Jun 22 07:30:04 -0700 2007 Fri Jun 22 08:34:23 -0700 2007
First off, the strengths. As a fantasist...more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 09 13:25:13 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 09 13:33:27 -0700 2009 more...]]> 1 1 false false Tue May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Tue May 15 17:46:08 -0700 2007 Tue May 15 17:48:24 -0700 2007 2 0 false false Mon Apr 06 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Mar 15 20:19:21 -0700 2009 Mon Apr 06 21:13:58 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Jul 12 15:03:13 -0700 2008 Wed Aug 26 14:36:49 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Fri Feb 17 00:00:00 -0800 2006 Thu Jan 31 06:54:45 -0800 2008 Sat Feb 09 04:20:24 -0800 2008
I like Tad Williams. I think he's a lot of fun, and creates fascinating worlds that are well-built, deeply historical and full ...more...]]> 3 0 false false Mon Jun 08 05:17:03 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 08 05:24:20 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Aug 13 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 14 08:52:27 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 14 09:00:54 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 1 false false Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Jan 30 08:38:39 -0800 2008 Thu Feb 28 08:37:16 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Fri Jul 04 06:34:06 -0700 2008 Thu Jan 01 16:47:19 -0800 2009
The story: many years ago, there was a war between humans and the Twilight Peop...more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Mar 25 12:07:32 -0700 2009 Wed Mar 25 12:07:36 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Dec 27 20:32:53 -0800 2008 Sat Dec 27 21:01:07 -0800 2008 5 0 false false Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2006 Tue Apr 22 21:38:05 -0700 2008 Tue Apr 22 21:44:58 -0700 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Aug 13 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Aug 11 08:44:17 -0700 2009 Thu Aug 13 19:47:01 -0700 2009 1 3 0 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Thu Nov 01 16:01:21 -0700 2007 Wed Jan 23 06:47:05 -0800 2008
November 30th update
Ok this does indeed start very slowly, and it is difficult to like many of his characters. Who is important? Which way is it going? Page 470 of 796 Book 1 of what looks ...more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Jun 21 18:23:22 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 21 18:24:56 -0700 2009 2 0 false false Sat Jun 20 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Feb 17 14:49:00 -0800 2009 Sat Jun 20 21:21:08 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Fri Mar 07 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Feb 20 06:53:25 -0800 2008 Wed Feb 20 06:53:25 -0800 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Mon Feb 02 15:32:34 -0800 2009 Mon Feb 02 15:34:23 -0800 2009