Tad Williams (showing 1-41 of 41)

[Hope]

Am I the only one who thinks it's about time that a Tad Williams be picked?

What Tad Williams book do you think would be the best book(s) to start out with/be a good pick for the podcast?

[Kris]

I agree totally and I think a certain female host agreed to that many moons ago. I would vote for the Dragonbone Chair.

[[deleted user]]

Thats an excellent idea, I have been thinking about him recently have heard a few recommendations from Patrick Rothfuss and other people, I would be up for a Tad pick.

I would like to read his new book Dirty Streets Of Heaven, or one of his fantasy books The Dragon Bone Chair.

[Matthew]

I hope Tad's other earlier books are not nearly as long and brutal as the Otherland series. Those were fantastic, but they were incredibly tough to get through at points.

[Hope]

Matthew wrote: "I hope Tad's other earlier books are not nearly as long and brutal as the Otherland series. Those were fantastic, but they were incredibly tough to get through at points."

His new book The Dirty Streets of Heaven
is not as long as his others I think... I think he said something along those lines in the podcast he was interviewed in....

[terpkristin]

Yeah, there has been a small contingent here thinking that...well, practically forever. Doubly so since he was a guest on the podcast! He's come up for a vote (and lost) twice...so I can only hope that a dictatorial pick will end up selecting Tad Williams at some point. I've never read any of his stuff and would love the excuse to jump him ahead in my queue.

[Leavey]

Yes! And since he's got a new book out it would be the perfect time to. So I'd vote for The Dirty Streets of Heaven or one of his standalones. The first books of his series, are a lot of set up and character introduction and you only get to the real meat of the story in the later parts. (I have to admit I've read Memory, Sorrow and Thorn at least 4 times, and I've always skipped The Dragonbone Chair and never missed it)
Also if you CAN choose a Standalone, why not?

[Rob, Roberator]

The Dirty Streets of Heaven is on my list too.

Plus I've never read Tad Williams, so I'd be up for that.

I really want to see how his take on Angels compares to the Remy Chandler books I read.

[Hope]

I suppose since i did start the thread, I should say what I'd vote for. My picks would be The Dirty Streets of Heaven or The War of the Flowers. Though I would be happy to read any of his works. :)

[Rik]

I've only read his Green Angel Tower and Otherland series. While both were very good in parts they also felt overly long and padded with things happening for no apparent reason other than to make the books longer.

Do his stand alone's read more smoothly?

[AndrewP]

The Dirty Streets of Heaven is book one of what will be a 3 or 4 book series. Because of the way his books are really just very long stories, and not separate books as such, I will wait until he has finished before starting.
One of his stand alone's would be a better choice I think.

[Christina]

If I had to choose, I'd probably pick The War of the Flowers or Tailchaser's Song. You can't go wrong with a stand alone novel.

[Rick]

Dirty Streets is excellent (about 50% in). I'd be interested in discovering other stuff of his as a selection but please, no series novels unless they are pretty self-contained. I liked Assassin's Apprentice, but the pacing was relaxed in part due to the fact that the story seems to be intended to be told over three volumes. Without more volumes it's incomplete. On the other hand, Leviathan's Wake worked because it's a pretty complete story.

[Leavey]

For those who are interested but haven't heard yet, there will be an animated film of Tailchaser's Song.
http://www.tadwilliams.com/2012/08/ta...


Here is also a link to a trailer for a short that the company, wich is producing the Tailchaiser Movie, made:
http://www.tadwilliams.com/2011/11/ta...
Can't say anything to that one, because I live in carpetia and can't watch it.

[Tamahome]

Both Felicia Day and Patrick Rothfuss liked Dirty Streets of Heaven:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Ryan]

Dragon Bone Chair, Shadow March or War of the Flowers would all be good choices.

[Rick]

Finished Dirty Streets last night, haven't done a review. Good book, 3.5 to 4 stars for me (I don't rate very much 5 stars). It's not for people who like tons of magic or magical places but the world building is very good and we get a feel for Bobby. Bobby does visit Heaven, but he's mostly on Earth for the novel and he's mostly kind of human for it, i.e. he doesn't do a Dresden and pull out lots of magic himself.

It's the start of a series but is mostly self-contained with just enough open ends for more books (two are planned). The immediate issues in the book are resolved so you don't get the annoying cliffhanger feeling but not everything is neatly tied up and closed off which makes it feel more realistic. It's more like Leviathan Wakes than Assassin's Apprentice in this sense and could be an S&L selection without people feeling that they need to read the next book to be satisfied.

Recommended.

[Linguana]

Darren wrote: "I was trying to find an ebook of Tailchaser's Song this week. No such beast, alas."

I'm also reading that one now.
My favorites are still the Otherland books but picking a 4000-page story is maybe not such a good idea.

The new one - The Dirty Streets of Heaven - may be a good choice. Or The War of the Flowers which is also a standalone.

Either way, I agree. Tad Williams is adorable (I've met him at the Frankfurt book fair once) and writes long, long, long (and beautiful) books. He should be a pick.

[Tamahome]

He was just interviewed on The Agony Column. He talked about the Tailchaser adaption, a possible prequel to the Otherland series, and derivative fantasy:

http://agonycolumn.com/agony/news/201...

[Rob, Roberator]

Wired just posted a new interview

[Ian]

Please god not the Dragonbone Chair! I remember liking it when it came out, but re read it a few years ago and it really hasn't aged well. Its very derivative fantasy fare and about 3 times longer than it needs to be. After reading more modern fantasy like GRRM/Joe Abercrombie it feels very dated and dull in comparison.

Would be up for trying his other books though

[Kristina]

Tamahome wrote: "Both Felicia Day and Patrick Rothfuss liked Dirty Streets of Heaven:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."

K I know nothing of Tad Williams, but based on those reviews I'm placing my vote towards this book becoming a pick!

[Rob, Roberator]

I read it..I think it's overhyped. Not a bad book by far..but it was a let down for me.

You can read my full review if you're so inclined.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

Kristina wrote: "I know nothing of Tad Williams, but based on those reviews I'm placing my vote towards this book becoming a pick! "

It's already in the calendar as the November S&L book. (See November 2nd)
http://www.swordandlaser.com/calendar/

November and December S&L Books are already locked in.
November: The Dirty Streets of Heaven by Tad Williams and
December: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

[Rob, Roberator]

Hmm. They must have just added November yesterday or something, cuz I swear I checked that Monday.

I wish they had announced it sooner, I would have waited. Oh well, more time to work books off my backlog.

[Margit]

Darren wrote: "I was trying to find an ebook of Tailchaser's Song this week. No such beast, alas.


*edit* Apparently there's one for the nook, but not for the kindle. Not at all sure what's up with that, but I o..."

You must not have looked very hard. Here's a link to the ebook on amazon.com - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002...

[terpkristin]

Yay!!!!

[Tamahome]

Maybe an angel was hiding it.

[Hope]

Tassie Dave wrote: "Kristina wrote: "I know nothing of Tad Williams, but based on those reviews I'm placing my vote towards this book becoming a pick! "

It's already in the calendar as the November S&L book. (See Nov..."

Thank you so much for posting this! Knowing me I never would have seen it...

I am going to see about ordering The Dirty Streets of Heaven from the library on Friday and I've been meaning to reread the hobbit. :)

[[deleted user]]

Tassie Dave wrote: "Kristina wrote: "I know nothing of Tad Williams, but based on those reviews I'm placing my vote towards this book becoming a pick! "

It's already in the calendar as the November S&L book. (See Nov..."

Cool, Thanks for posting that, will look forward to reading it.

[Hope]

I just ordered The Dirty Streets of Heaven from the library! hopefully it will come in soon. :)

[Margit]

I did, but that didn't exist when I typed that. It's easy t..."

I wasn't being condescending, I was just pointing out the fact the book was available. I ordered it on August 15, 2011, which is a year before you say you looked for it, thus the comment. Since I don't know you or where you're from or which amazon you searched, I made the default assumption it was the same as mine.

[Alex]

I gotta for for The Dirty Streets of Heaven, I'm finishing it up now and it's great! Also that would put me a book ahead!

[Kevin]

Just finished The Dirty Streets of Heaven and absolutely loved it.

[Tom, Supreme Laser]

So... are y'all happy we picked Dirty Streets of Heaven?

[Rob, Roberator]

Personally I was disappointed with it, and didn't feel it lived up to the hype. Not to mention I read it before it was a pick. Had I known ahead of time I would have waited. It wasn't bad, just nothing special.

Oh well, I have plenty of other things to read this month. Plus I loaned the book to a friend this month so they can try to read along.

I'm sure some people will like it though.

[terpkristin]

Tom wrote: "So... are y'all happy we picked Dirty Streets of Heaven?"

I'm happy to finally read a Tad Williams book, but would be interested to know if this is the same style of Tad Williams book that made V fall in love with his stuff.

[AndrewP]

At only 406 pages this is practically a novella by Tad Williams standards:)

@Terpkristin - from what people are saying, it doesn't sound much like his other works. But then again, the two series I have read from him were very different from each other too, so that's not a negative.

[Meghan]

Tom wrote: "So... are y'all happy we picked Dirty Streets of Heaven?"

There were some moments where I laughed very very hard. For the most part though, it didn't leave much of an impression. It was good, but I'm not sure it would be anything I loan out.

[Rick]

I read Dirty Streets a couple of months ago. It's in the same class for me as Leviathan Wakes... I liked it, I read it easily and didn't feel any struggle to read it but I wasn't blown away or compelled to read the next one RIGHT NAO. AS with LW, I'll read the next one, but when it's in paperback/at paperback prices for the ebook.

In Goodreads terms, they're both about 3.5 stars for me... above average, definitely worth the time and money but not quite hitting the outstanding category. Dirty Streets also has the same issue for me that Assassin's Apprentice had which is that it is the first book in a series and so sets some things up and feels paced as a series book vs a self-contained, this-is-all-you-get-folks book.

That said, I think Dirty Streets has a lot of things that make it a great book club choice - The spiritual world as Bobby knows it, the relative lack of magic flash bang stuff, etc.

[Kristina]

OMG I have a hold on it at the library, who lists it as due back on Oct 18... so who knows :(