The Dragonbone Chair (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, #1) in Building a SciFi/Fantasy Library

Oct 21, 2007 April rated it liked it

The Dragonbone Chair is about the adventures of Simon, a servant in Hayholt Castle, who goes from simple scullion to reluctant hero over the course of this book, the first installment of the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series. I've had the books in this series on my to read list for awhile but have avoided them because of Williams' reputation of slow build-up.

There are several things to enjoy in this novel. The story, while somewhat formulaic, is nevertheless a fun ride through a colorful world of The Dragonbone Chair is about the adventures of Simon, a servant in Hayholt Castle, who goes from simple scullion to reluctant hero over the course of this book, the first installment of the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series. I've had the books in this series on my to read list for awhile but have avoided them because of Williams' reputation of slow build-up.

There are several things to enjoy in this novel. The story, while somewhat formulaic, is nevertheless a fun ride through a colorful world of intrigue, magic, and religion. Williams successfully mixes different cultures and belief systems in a realistic manner, forming a diverse set of characters with varied backgrounds who bring their own personal tales to the table. Many of the secondary characters act believably and show how different factors- age, loyalty, sex, religion- can influence our decisions and create the messes that we as a human race seem unable to stop forming.

Williams also has a special way with words, as shown in the following passage:
"Glaring down into the muddy water, he had a sudden nervous premonition that the crabs were somehow a step ahead of him- were perhaps even now waiting for him to drop the cage down lardered with another pop-eyed head. He could picture a whole tribe of them scuttling over with expressions of glee to poke the bait out through the bars with a stick or some other such tool recently granted to crab-kind by some beneficent crustacean deity.

Did the crabs worship him as a soft-shelled providing angel, he wondered, or did they look up at him with the cynical indifference of a gang of ne'er-do-wells taking the measure of a drunkard before relieving him of his purse?"

He demonstrates his knack for description as well as delving into hilarious anthropomorphism, a favorite form of humor for me.

However, Williams' strong suit is also a vice, as he struggles with the correct ratio of description to action/ dialogue. He sometimes seems to get wrapped up in showing the reader these details and forgets that he has an obligation to move his story forward. I suppose that in itself is a backhanded compliment, since the description itself is done so well. But it is my biggest beef with The Dragonbone Chair and the main reason for its lower rating. The book probably could have been a lot better with the removal of about 150 pages.

I'm also not 100% sold on Simon as the hero. I can certainly see his slow progression into young adulthood, but I still feel there were too many deus ex machina-type moments where Simon is saved at the last second by sheer luck or being in the right place at the right time. I'd like to see more of him really figuring things out himself and taking charge in the next installment.

Overall, I would recommend this if you are a high fantasy aficionado, or if you love good description. But be prepared for a few dull moments on the journey. ...more

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Apr 02, 2019 John rated it really liked it

I can't say for sure when I read this for the first time, but I'll bet it was pretty close to when it came out in the late 80s, given that The Dragon Bone Chair was a SF&F Book Club edition and the next two volumes were hardbacks (my pre-adolescent and/or adolescent self didn't tend to buy in hardcover unless there were no other options and I just couldn't wait!). I don't think I've re-read it since then, so my memory for the details was a little thin. I cracked it now because all three volumes I can't say for sure when I read this for the first time, but I'll bet it was pretty close to when it came out in the late 80s, given that The Dragon Bone Chair was a SF&F Book Club edition and the next two volumes were hardbacks (my pre-adolescent and/or adolescent self didn't tend to buy in hardcover unless there were no other options and I just couldn't wait!). I don't think I've re-read it since then, so my memory for the details was a little thin. I cracked it now because all three volumes and the newer series in the same world are all available on audio from my library, so it seemed like a good chance to revisit a series I loved long ago and get into the newer work. Given some of the books that I also enjoyed at this age, I had no idea whether this would hold up to my rosy memories.

All that prologue behind me, I was pretty pleasantly surprised by how well this held up. In my mind, I was remembering the Sithi as similar to Tolkien's elves, and Simon as something like the proverbial farm boy who becomes The One, but that doesn't give Williams nearly enough credit. Reading it this time, I see how--while there are some similarities with Tolkien, Williams is really drawing much more on the tradition of Faerie stories (which, of course, does also inform Tolkien), and I picked up this time around (duh!) the obvious connection between Sithi and Sidhe. The world of Osten Ard is very medieval European in its shape, with religion and institutions and languages so similar that you almost wonder why he bothered to tweak names, but whatever.

And there's no real apotheosis of Simon here, no Rand-al'Thor-like escalation. Yes, he does clearly have some kind of connection to mystical powers that we see growing, but he still feels like a little boy in a big world, dependent on his friends for survival as he is thrust outside his usual milieu. It's very gradual and believable.

I think I also saw more in Prince Josua this time around. I think I was more attuned to his melancholy, to the weight of years of disappointments and traumas, than I could have been when I was younger.

Likewise, I was more aware of the weight of history throughout, the way that hatreds and prejudice grow between a people, and even here in a story with an undead king intent on wiping out humanity, it's less "good vs evil" (which it seems like on the surface) and more a clash of civilizations that have a hard time understanding--let alone trusting--one another, and the way that these simple, natural forces spiral into a place that is more or less irreconcilable.

Well, anyway, that's my rather disjointed thoughts on this second reading. I enjoyed it, and as I write this I've already re-read the 2nd book and I'm waiting for the 3rd to become available. I'm certainly going to finish and look forward to the new series. ...more

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Apr 18, 2008 Kat rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy-scifi

Slow to get started, but I really enjoyed the last third of the book. I found all the exposition and history in the first two thirds of it rather plodding and slow, almost boring. I also didn't care for the different names for months/weekdays/etc., as they would throw me out of the story for several moments while my mind made the conversion.

All in all, not a bad read and am looking forward to starting the next one in the series. ...more

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Feb 15, 2008 Margot rated it really liked it

Shelves: adultfantasy

I was warned this book has a leisurely pace with excruciating detail, but I don't mind that when it's done well. That's what I read fantasy for. I found enough gems in the writing to please me. ...more

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