Tad Williams Was Late to His Own Revolution | A Spoiler-free Overview of His Fantasy & SF Works
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- Опубліковано 18 кві 2023
- Early in his writing career, Tad Williams was a trendsetter who helped push the evolution of modern high fantasy beyond the Tolkien template. He set a standard that other writers have striven to match (and few have surpassed) for complex and realistic worldbuilding that incorporates politics, religions, economic systems, and the grime, grit and brutality of life in a medieval world.
He also wrote an early cyberpunk science fiction epic that seems remarkably prescient nearly 30 years later. However, his venture into science fiction sidetracked him for several years, allowing authors Robert Jordan and George R. R. Martin to claim the crown as the kings of the fantasy genre in his absence.
In total, Williams has written 26 novels and dozens of short stories over the past 40 years. In this video, I discuss some of what makes his writing distinctive, and I briefly review nearly all of his works.
0:48 Prelude
1:36 Bio
2:38 Hallmarks of his writing
5:28 Common themes
5:54 Subversive goals
9:10 Why he isn't more renowned
14:58 Tailchaser's Song
17:05 Memory, Sorrow & Thorn
22:01 Otherland
26:10 The War of the Flowers
28:09 Shadowmarch
30:24 Ordinary Farm
31:52 Bobby Dollar
35:58 Last King of Osten Ard
39:49 Shorter fiction
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The detailed reviews of Memory, Sorrow & Thorn by Jimmy @thefantasynuttwork that I reference in the video can be found at:
• THE DRAGONBONE CHAIR -... (Review of Book 1, The Dragonbone Chair)
• MEMORY SORROW AND THOR... (Review of the complete trilogy)
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Due to events outside my control (including heavy professional commitments, travel, and an untimely bout with the flu) this video took a lot longer to produce than I expected. I apologize to anyone who's been waiting patiently since my community post teased it three weeks ago.
one of the best booktubers out there!
No worries at all, take your time whenever you need to, and thank you for making the extra time to do these very informative videos, cuz it's a lot of work to make quality videos like this, especially 40+ minutes worth! Before finding your channel, a lot of us already had a lot on the 'to read' list, but now those lists are much longer, and better, with many authors who we should've been reading long ago, so thank you for helping us improve those lists to get the most out of our reading time.
No worries, take your time.
I hope to see David Gemmel overhere at somepoint in the future😊
Don’t scare me like this, I thought you were about to say your not making videos anymore….
Forces outside your control. Wouldn't have anything to do with the Tad curse would it?
It's a crime he hasn't been recognized for his works. He truly is a master of epic fantasy.
There's truly nothing better than someone with a pleasant voice talking at length about something they're both knowledgeable and passionate about. This is an absolute gem of a channel, and I've found some great books I've never even heard of through videos like this one.
Thank you for your wonderful comment! I appreciate your very kind words.
absolutely agree with this. the voice is soothing and the content is interesting
Tad Williams is quite popular over here in Germany. I met him about 26 years ago during a book presentation and afterwards me and my wife had dinner with him and his agent. He is such a sweet and nice character and he certainly deserves better. I love all his books, but still my favourites are his 4 Otherworld novels. I had never read anything like this ... and have never since. Brillant!
Hallo! What a wonderful opportunity! Williams seems like he would be a fascinating dinner companion. He's one of my favorite authors, and I made this video in the hope that it would inspire more people to read his books.
There is one small thing that Tad Williams does that no other author I've read does consistently, and that's adding a "the story thus far..." summary at the beginning of each new book in a series. This, to me, feels like he respects his readers and is aware most of us would've read dozens or more books in between the last entry and the latest. It may seem like a small thing, but for us avid readers who can't stand still between releases of a single series, it is a great help. Plus, it makes his books easier to revisit whether by going through them all over again or just picking and choosing your favorite passages. I only just read Otherland back in 2015, but for two months of my life I could think of nothing else than those books, so enthralled was I. Few other authors have managed to hold my attention captive even when doing something other than reading. Not Martin, not Rothfuss (both of whom I don't care much for, if I'm to be perfectly honest), not even Sanderson with his intricate (oftentimes confusing) shared universe. The downside to this may be that Tad is the kind of author you have to set special time apart for the first time you jump into his worlds, and his books have a hard time being that book you only read during your morning commutes.
That's a great point about the synopses Williams writes at the beginning of the later books in his series. They're very helpful. Stephen R. Donaldson is another author who does it. Thanks for sharing your thoughtful comment!
Robin Hobb does too! I highly recommend her books, she is a magnificent writer
Scott Bakker does it as well, and sometimes the Story So Far summaries draw attention to plot points in the prior books that had gone under the radar in fan discussions, or conversely sometimes set up red herrings in the narrative.
Stephen R. Donaldson does this as well.
I think Tad Williams is probably the best fantasy writer ive read. Memory, sorrow, and thorn. Reads like that missing piece in fantasy. In between that classical epic fantasy and the new modern epic fantasy. Using the best of both worlds
Tad deserves more attention than he has now and I am so glad for this video! Him inspiring GRRM is perhaps the understatement of the year. So many elements in ASoIaF have their origins in Osten Ard. I hope more people give him a try.
I couldn't agree more. I had fun with the Memory, Sorrow & Thorn section of this video by using visuals from Game of Thrones to illustrate many of the plot and thematic elements of Williams' trilogy (a meta commentary on Martin's debt to Williams).
I'd also like to point out that ready player one lifts a god awful lot from his otherland series and just replaces classic lit with 80s pop culture.
This bothers me far more than the martin stuff because Martin's always citing Williams as his inspiration but the guy who wrote ready player 1 never seemed to acknowledge the series, which irks me.
@@thelibraryladder
There is even a tribute in A Song of Ice and Fire. The sons of Lord Willum are Josua and Elyas.
Obviously a reference to Williams and the royal brothers, Elias and Josua.
@@pepeedge5601 that's pretty cool
To be fair Martin has fully acknowledged Tad’s work as his inspiration and fully praises him. They even did a panel together and Tad told a story of one of their previous meetings and Tad mildly vented about how no one seemed to know who he was was at conventions and Martin responded with “That’s outrageous! They should treat [tad] like a visiting prince”
So yeah Martin (and a lot of other more well known authors in the genre) have huge respect for him
A lot of people enter the fantasy genre by traveling through middle-earth or Narnia, Hogwarts or westoros or randland, but my 14 year old self began that journey by beating a weary traveler of osten ard.
Tad still to this day is my favorite contemporary author next to Gene Wolfe. He is so sublime in his writing and worldbuilding and storytelling that, as a struggling writer myself, he's one of those guys that teaches me utter humility at being such a master of his craft.
You certainly picked a propitious starting point for your journey through the fantasy genre. Be thankful you didn't start someplace like Xanth or Mithgar instead. [shudder]
Wolfe is on my horizon. I plan to do a similar overview of his many works in the coming year.
@@thelibraryladder ya know, I've got a friend who's actually really into the xanth books. Never read them because I saw the map of the kingdom and thought "This is Florida. I already live in Florida and I hate it. Why would I want to read a fantasy set in Florida?"
On the subject of Wolfe, we can talk endlessly about how underappreciated Tad is but Wofe genuinely takes the award for underappreciated given his bibliography. I could gush for hours about how much I love his work so I'm excited to check out that vid when it pops up.
If you like Williams you should try Kay (if you haven't already). Read Under Heaven or Sailing To Sarantium.
I read Otherland a long time ago and it still hangs with me. My friend who passed a couple of years ago gifted me The Dragonbone Chair and it’s time to read it!! Thank you for bringing Tad to UA-cam!!!
Thanks! When I first discovered BookTube just a couple of years ago during the pandemic, I was surprised by how little attention Tad (and many other authors who got their start more than 20 years ago) received. It was one of my motivations for starting this channel. I want to help more people discover his (and their) works and decide to read them.
Reading memory sorrow thorn books was like sticking VHS tapes in my brain and watching the movie.
I was excited to see Seoman and the other characters grow over time.
It was something completely new for me.
I remember feeling Binabik as the best companion one can have!
Great comment! With friends like Binabik, we'd all fare at least a little better.
One of the best booktube videos I’ve ever watched. Tad is such a legend and a heck of a guy. Love seeing a big video like this dedicated to him. You’re quality is great!! Thanks so much for the mention 😃
Thanks, Jimmy! Your two MS&T videos were my first introduction to your channel about a year and a half ago. I thought you did a terrific and thorough job discussing the books and putting them into the larger context of other fantasy works. Your book reviews are consistently some of the most thoughtful in the SFF corner of BookTube, and I thought they deserved a shoutout.
@@thelibraryladder means so much to me!
Chatting with Nutts episode. Let’s go.
@@mattbennett3589 would be a pleasure
Sounds like fun!
Tad Williams may be a slow writer but he at least finishes his series, as opposed to other highly acclaimed authors (yes, GRRM and Patrick Rothfuss, am looking at you!). I read Otherland back then as soon as each of the books have been published. I could hardly wait for the last volume "The Sea of the Silver Light" to be finally published. Just two weeks ago I started a reread of the series and must say I enjoy and value it even more now than 20 years ago. Highly recommend it. Wiliams deserves much, much more attention for his work. Thank you for giving him justice.
It surprises me just how much Otherland seems to be overlooked in the science fiction genre. To me, it's one of the seminal works of the past 30 years, clearly influencing many other authors and standing on its own as a satisfying SF epic.
Yes, this. Martin doesn't do much for me, but i love Rothfuss's writing style. But the length between his books is absolutely ridiculous. And to make it worse, he's started to get snippy at people for harping on him for not getting book 3 out after what, 15 years now?
I completely agree with "He's been one of my must-read authors ever since I first read 'Memory, Sorrow and Thorn'"
Great video. I believe that George RR Martin said after reading The Dragonbone Chair that somebody is finally doing something with the fantasy genre. Memory, Sorrow and Thorn still stands the test of time.
I've been a huge Williams fan ever since a friend from church recommended Memory Sorrow and Thorn to me almost a decade ago. I'm glad someone's giving him the recognition he rightfully deserves. I also love the focus on the Sithi and Norns in the sequel series, since the Sithi twins were two of my favorite characters in the original.
Also, I love this guy's voice. Just subscribed and I look forward to hearing more from him.
Thanks! In hindsight, the conflict between the Norns and SIthi in MS&T feels slightly underdeveloped to me now, given how much depth Williams has added to that part of the story in the Last King of Osten Ard books.
@@thelibraryladder Agreed. That's one of my favorite aspects of the new series. More of both of them when you'd only get small tastes in the original.
Can't agree with you more. Tad's prose is probably my favorite I've ever read. Beautiful and poetic but also very accessible and easy to read. The world and character building is so natural and immersive. I suggest him to everyone who will listen lol. He really is "your favorite writer's favorite writer" lol
Williams' prose is some of the best I've ever encountered in the fantasy genre, although I'd give the top mark to Guy Gavriel Kay. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I only started reading fantasy four years ago at age 55 with Gardens of the Moon. I had no idea fantasy could be written like this and this well. I have since completed books by about 36 fantasy authors and more than double that in booktuber recommended books which I decided not to read after reading the Kindle samples.
Guy Gavriel Kay and Tad Williams are easily my favourite fantasy authors because they are the only two authors whose hardcover books I buy at full price on release 🙂
Your taste in authors tracks closely with my own! :D
Starting to read fantasy at that age is a wonderful decision. Would you mind sharing how and why you started? I fee like I'm on the complete opposite side of the spectrum with fantasy being a one of my childhood loves and me being 19. Interestingly, I love both of the authors you just talked of too
@@krishbohra5536 I was on Amazon looking for historical fiction when Gardens of the Moon showed up. Just visible below the Sample button I could see the first lines of the chapter 1 excerpt and for some inexplicable reason I started reading it and then expanded the excerpt and continued reading what turned out to be the entire chapter 1 excerpt. I then downloaded the Sample which was the Prologue and read that as well. I was hooked. I bought the Kindle version of Gardens and by the time I was half way through the book I was so immersed that I started looking for and buying all the paperback books in the series.
Had it not been for that chapter 1 excerpt being partially visible I would almost certainly not be reading fantasy today because I know I would not have clicked on the Sample.
The writing style just connected with me.
While reading Malazan, discovered that there is an online fantasy community and booktubers who reviewed books. But 95% or more of the books I see hyped on booktube do not interest me at all. After a few letdowns, I started to rely mostly on recommendations by authors whose books I enjoyed and book samples before buying any book.
I'm to say that I can now add Janny Wurts to the short list of fantasy authors I would buy pay new book price for. I would say new hardcover, but none of her new books are being released on hardcover 🙁
Tad Williams is one of my favorite writers in any genre. It’s been decades since I read Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn and certain scenes and lines still stick with me. So few authors have his natural skill. It’s a crime that he’s not better-known!
I agree. It's one of the key reasons I made this video. Thanks for watching it!
I've also been waiting for The Last King of Osten Ard to be finished before I actually read them. Did read The Heart of What was Lost and Brothers of the Wind though, and they certainly felt like Williams had never left that setting. Good stuff!
Perfect time for this video. I was just thinking about reading his trilogy for the 1st time, these last few days... Been wanting to get into fantasy again after reading more literary work these last few years. Was thinking this might be the place to jump back in.
I can think of _many_ far worse starting points for your reintroduction to the genre. It might help to keep in mind that nearly all of Williams' series start out slow and gradually build in pace and intensity (just in case you start questioning your decision halfway through the first book).
Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is such an underrated epic fantasy series. One of the best! You are on the mark when mentioning Robert Jordan. I think the reason Tad Williams never became more popular was because Jordan overshadowed him with The Wheel of Time series, which had similar trope/theme but was a simpler read and therefore more popular. Wheel was a great series in its own right until it got repetitive and long winded.
Sir, a podcast with your voice talking about fantasy, science fiction books, authors and the legacy of these books would be godsend
Thanks for the feedback and suggestion! It's an intriguing idea. I'll have to give it some thought.
Within the first five or so minutes, you sold me on this author. Steven Erikson has been a revelation for me over the last few months, and to hear about another author who scratches that itch is wonderful.
I don't know if Erikson was directly inspired by Williams, but it wouldn't surprise me if he was. They both share an interest in realistically complex worldbuilding and in exploring the historical myths upon which societies are built and collapse.
@@thelibraryladder One of the things that really clicked for me with Erikson was the anthropological/archeological focus of his worldbuilding, so if Williams does that, I will probably be into it.
There's an element of that in Williams' MS&T, Osten Ard and Shadowmarch fantasy series.
What a great and wonderfully detailed video.
I have been a Tad Williams fan for close to 30 years, reading Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, the Otherland series (which totally blew me away), The War of the Flowers, the Shadowmarch quartet. I'll read theThe Last King of Ostern Ard series when the last book is published, but probably do a reread of Memory Sorrow and Thorn beforehand. Glad to hear you are enjoying it. Also, I was never aware of his short story collection.
Thanks! I definitely recommend re-reading MS&T before starting the Last King of Osten Ard. There are a lot of people, places and histories to keep straight. Also, be sure to read the two, short prequel novels that provide helpful insight into the Norn and Sithi cultures and conflicts.
@@thelibraryladder Yes I have both of those prequel books on my TBR. as well. Thank you.
I'm currently on my second read of Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn and am loving it. I am itching to dive into the sequel series, Last King of Osten Ard, having heard nothing but great things about it. Some fans have gone as far as to say that Last King feels like the main entry in Tad Williams' Osten Ard setting and that the original trilogy, by comparison, feels like a prequel that was written after.
I think the biggest difference between the two series is that the culture and conflicts of the Norns and Sithi are given a lot more attention in the recent books, which can make those aspects of MS&T feel a little underdeveloped by comparison (although I certainly didn't feel that way when I first read MS&T).
Tad Williams is probably my favourite author. I was late to the game in discovering him, but ever since I got very heavily into reading about eight years ago, I came upon The Dragonbone Chair, and I loved every page. The day after I began reading that book, I went straight to the bookstore and bought the rest of trilogy and devoured it in a few weeks. Every book of his I've read since has been pure joy. I love huge, sprawling, complex fantasy that doesn't rely on nonstop, super bloody battle scenes.
The Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn Trilogy to this day remains the best high fantasy trilogy I've ever read. Will definitely read the sequels someday.
It was good to learn about Tad Williams, as his works and his name have hovered around the periphery of my attention for years, but I'd never dedicated any proper time for reading them. Well, I didn't know anything about Williams and now I know a bit more.
I'm currently reading the Hyperion novels, and I'm frankly in awe of them so far... needless to say, your recommendations for "Essential Reading" have been fantastic so far and I'm excited to read Tad Williams' books in the near future.
Thanks again for the wonderful overview video, these commentaries on careers and works are fascinating and really fill in a lot of the context that I don't know around the creation of novels. Your videos help me understand the literary lineages that my favorite works arise from, and that really is an enriching experience. Cheers!
Thank you! I love learning about the historical context and literary lineages that led to authors to write their works. It helps me to appreciate more the creativity inherent in many of the works (and to excuse some of their faults). I hope others (like you) enjoy it as much as I as do.
Tad Williams is a phenomenal author. So glad to see you talking about him.
I was so sad when I found out the publisher wasn't doing anything to mark the 25th anniversary of Otherland. It's one of my favourite series.
I suspect Williams and Grim Oak Press have a limited edition of Otherland for sometime in the next couple of years. Grim Oak is currently in the process of publishing limited editions of Williams' Tailchaser's Song and the Memory, Sorrow & Thorn trilogy. Keep your fingers crossed!
Your videos are great. Always a treat.
I didn't really expect you to cover Williams, so this is a pleasant surpirse for me. I have only read his Osten Ard books, but I have liked them so much so far that I'm quite interested in reading his other stuff.
Thank you for giving more visibility to an author whose work deserves more recognition in today's literary internet circles (specially among younger people).
Thanks! I hope you enjoy the rest of his books at least as much as I do. With only a couple of exceptions, they're really remarkable books in my opinion.
Another good one! Thanks, Bridger!
I just started Stone of Farewell today. Williams is such a beautiful writer. The Dragonbone Chair might have been a slow read, but his amazing prose was worth it. Can't wait to explore more of his work!
Thank you so much for the great insights , MY TBR list is ever growing thanks to you!
I've only read MST and I gotta say I love the range he is able to display. He's such an underrated author. Loved the video!
FINALLY!!!! a deep dive into Tad Williams is what i’ve been wanting forever. thank you.
Another immensely helpful and entertaining overview. This video has been well worth the wait.
Thank you - love this content 🙏
i was hesitant to watch this video with the low views, worrying it would be low quality. I am absolutely confused now as to why this channel doesnt have more attention. subscribed
Thanks for your wonderful comment! I've been pleased with my channel's growth since starting it a year and a half ago, although UA-cam's algorithm frustrates me when it gets confused by my tendency to discuss books and authors from a variety of genres. I'm trying to make substantive content that might appeal to a broad spectrum of readers/viewers, but the algorithm is designed to help content creators (and by extension, advertisers) target more narrowly defined audience niches. As a result, it doesn't show my videos very widely, and then often to the wrong audiences. The algorithm is trainable, though, so I just need to keep making more videos, and eventually the algorithm will have a large enough sample size to unlearn the assumptions it currently makes about my content (or at least that's my hope).
One of my favourite writers of all time. Criminally underrated for his impact, and simply the quality of his writing.
I love the effects you used with the words. So cool!
Thanks! I'm teaching myself video editing through these videos, and I have fun experimenting with different techniques and effects in each one.
Super excited to watch this. Thank you so much.
Thanks! I hope you find it informative and entertaining!
An impressively thorough analysis of one of my favorite authors !
Thanks for this! I can’t wait to try some of his works.
I appreciate that you show us excellent books that aren’t the same old Sanderson or Martin.
Found your channel through the amazing guy gavriel kay tier list video. I love the presentation and you have the coziest voice ever. A great channel for a fantasy geek like me.
Thanks for your very kind words! I have plenty more fantasy genre content planned for the future.
Fantastic video. Kudos 🙏🏽.
Great video! Very comprehensive
Fantastic video! Makes me want to push Tad higher up my TBR pile.
Thanks! My mission has been accomplished. :)
I just finished reading Memory Sorrow and Thorn today and I adored it! Thanks for your video
Great! I hope you enjoy more of Tad's works.
Really happy I stumbled onto this channel and its awesome that you're shining a light on some not as widely discussed authors. I've been getting back into reading for fun in the past couple years and read through the MST trilogy, the two bridge novels, and the released LKOOA novels in quick succession. Needless to say I can't wait for Navigator's Children and its a shame that the Last King series hasn't gotten more buzz. Currently reading Tigana as my first GGK novel and loving it and found your videos when I was trying to find more discussion of Kay's bibliography. Excited to check out your other videos and find some hidden gems. Keep up the good work!
Such a great video! I'm currently in the middle of reading Tad William's books for the first time. Currently reading Stone of Farewell, and I'm shocked why he is so underrated. A bit ridiculous. He deserves to be hail as high as the best epic fantasy authors!
Thanks! I agree. Tad is one of my favorite authors, and it amazes me how little attention he and his books tend to get these days. My hope with this video is to interest more people in reading him.
I definitely need to take long breaks between reading Tad Williams novels, but they always impress me when I do. Otherland really stands out; I read it last year, and it felt so much more recent than it was.
I'm not huge on long fantasy series, but Williams' willingness to actually end them in a reasonable span makes me a lot more forgiving. Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is over in fewer pages than Wheel of Time takes to fall off so hard I stopped reading it. (A shocking number of fantasy series are longer than all of China's "four great classical novels" put together, and at that point my patience starts to wear thin.)
It's a crime that he hasn't won more recognition, especially given some of the lackluster award winners I've read.
I feel much the same way about a lot of epic fantasy series these days that are overwritten to pad their length (and their earning potential) and that require a _substantial_ time commitment from readers in return for an uncertain emotional payoff at the series' conclusion. A few years ago, I largely stopped reading unfinished fantasy series. In nearly all cases, I now wait until a series is finished to decide whether to start it. I also have a much greater appreciation of standalone novels and the difficult craftsmanship involved in telling complete and satisfying stories in one volume.
Lovely video!!! I’m starting The Dragonbone Chair this month 😊
Your audio is a work of art as well. You sound disembodied but very very polished. Very cool. And thank you for the recommendation 🙏🏽
Thanks (from my disembodied fingers typing on a keyboard)! :D
The audio is one of my biggest challenges when filming, because the room I'm in is an acoustical nightmare, filled with hard, flat, reflective surfaces that create a lot of reverb. I use a directional shotgun mic mounted just above my head to minimize the distortion.
I love these deep dives into specific authors and their works. Along with your recommendations of where to start reading them!
Thanks! I love making these kinds of videos. In my next one, I'll be exploring the full range of Jack Vance's science fiction, fantasy and mystery fiction and his influence on other authors.
What an excellent primer. I have long been curious but never read Tad Williams, probably due to the marketing missteps and unlucky timing highlighted in the video. Now I’m eager to plunge in and correct that.
I'm starting memory sorrow and thorn very soon! Your videos always get me excited to read new authors. Seeing you mention Erikson makes me very interested in hearing your thoughts on his works one day 👀
Thanks! Erikson isn't high on my priority list at the moment. I enjoy his books, but they already get a lot of attention on BookTube, and I prefer to focus instead on authors and books that aren't part of the current YT echo chamber. At some point, I'm sure I'll make a video about Erikson, but not anytime soon.
Thank you again for a great video on an author who doesn't usually get the book tube love he deserves but is definitely appreciated by many of us who grew up reading high fantasy in the 80s & 90s. Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is definitely one of my all-time favorite series (I'm a bit more forgiving of Simon, though...but you're spot on about Miriamele) and I've really been enjoying The Last King of Osten Ard so far. I can't quite say the same about Otherland --- personally I found it a bit of a slog though the ending payoff was good; I'm probably not really the "cyberpunk" target audience. Also, love the shout outs to other series (I'm actually currently re-reading L. Sprague De Camp's The Reluctant King series) and can't not mention that screen shot of Douglas Adam's excellent Infocom game "Bureaucracy".
Thank you for the great comment! When I first read MS&T 30+ years ago, it really opened my eyes to what high fantasy could encompass and accomplish. My reaction was probably similar to GRRM's, although it didn't inspire me to write a world-famous fantasy series of my own.
De Camp is an author I have great fondness for, and I plan to do a similar retrospective of his many fantasy, science fiction and historical fiction works at some point.
@@thelibraryladder Ooh-- looking forward to when you do that retrospective! I really do appreciate your channel being one of the few on booktube reminding everyone that there were actually several authors writing really good fantasy before GRRM came on the scene.
I plan to feature more of those authors in the future. Stay tuned!
Another great deep dive Bridger! Thank you so much for this. He’s been on my list of authors I need to try for a while.
Thank you, Chas! Williams is an author who I think is best read chronologically to decide if you like his style. I suggest starting with Tailchaser's Song before moving on to Memory, Sorrow & Thorn.
@@thelibraryladder good to know, thank you. I know a lot of people lobe that book.
Your review has bumped my next novel to read with the Dragonbone Chair.
Excellent! Your timing is great. The final volume in Tad's sequel series is scheduled to be published around the end of this year.
Thanks to this video, I am finally going to tackle my mountain pile of Tad Williams novels! I've had his books on my shelves for many years but haven't given them a chance due to the sheer size of his books. You have convinced me beyond understanding that I must start the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy TODAY!!! Thanks!!!!
And also, I am new to your channel! I love your in-depth analysis of the books you review, and I will be eagerly diving into all your other videos!
Wonderful! One of my goals with this video was to inspire more people to read his books. Most of them really are remarkably good (if you can adapt to the pacing, which tends to build slowly but steadily). And thanks for the kind words! I hope you enjoy my other videos.
This is an amazingly detailed review of Tad Williams work and writing style. He is criminally underrated indeed. However you should definitely be a book narrator! You have an amazing voice for it! I would be happy to listen to your reading of his works!
Thanks! I plan to narrate some classic fantasy stories in the coming months and make them available here. I recorded a couple of horror stories for fun last October, and they're here on my channel.
I read The Dragonbone Chair earlier this year and enjoyed it immensely. I'm looking forward to the rest of that series as well as Williams' others.
Informative video...thanks. 🙂
Thanks! I hope you enjoy the rest of his books at least as much as I do.
All I have read is his Otherland series which I absolutely loved. I think you have convinced me to try his fantasy books now.
Thank you, really enjoyed this video! I haven't read any of Tad Williams yet, didn't realise what I was missing. I will add MST to my TBR to definitely start this year. I also fancy Otherland.
Both are great reads, but be sure to set aside plenty of time for them, because they're not quick reads. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Great ASMR voice and great content. I love Tad Williams
Thank-you so much for the this detailed and definitely very helpful overview of Tad William's career and this novels. I've been curious about his work for years and keep meaning to pick up one of the series. Now I have an idea of which ones would suit me best. Thanks again.
Hayley ^_^
I'm so glad you enjoyed it and found it helpful! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Yooo, your audio mixing is so good now, great work :D
Thanks! I've been working to improve it.
Great vid
Much as this is interesting and well done, the constant musical elevator action in the background is a grind.
I quite literally grew up with Simon, aging through puberty as the books released.
Great to see them mentioned again!
I'm quite glad that I watched this video. I loved the Memory, Sorrow & Thorn series as a kid - it was work getting through the first part of The Dragon Bone Chair at that age, but I'm really glad that I did. Otherland was a fantastic read with so much amazing world building, and I more recently thought that the Bobbly Dollar series was hugely entertaining. I had no idea though that he'd gone back to the world of Osten Ard. I'm definitely going to be checking those out!
Really enjoyed this one. I’ve read Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, but this video inspired me to pick up a copy of Otherland.
You've officially inspired me to pick up The Dragonbone Chair! Thank you so much for this video, I can see I am overdue to get into Williams!
Wonderful! My mission has been accomplished. Thanks!
I loved this video! I will be starting Otherland in September and I’m looking forward to being able to talk about it with you!
Thanks, Jonathan! I’ve read Otherland three times over the past 25 years (most recently about two years ago), and each time, I’ve grown more amazed at how prescient aspects of it are. I have feeling you’re going to enjoy it.
What a wonderful video! I finished Memory, Sorrow and Thorn a few weeks back and it became an instant favorite of mine. After a short break I'm almost ready to continue with the sequel series. MST first caught my interest quite a while back but just as I was about to start it, The Last King of Osten Ard was announced, and I also decided to wait until the final book was close to publication.
Thanks! With MS&T fresh in your mind, you're in great shape to jump into TLKOOA. Be sure to start with the short prequel novel, The Heart of What Was Lost, as it's told from a Norn perspective and provides essential background on Norn culture and internal politics that will be helpful throughout the rest of the series.
Brilliant analysis. And your reasons for holding back on starting Last King of Osten Ard mirror my own. I have them all (so far) but have yet to start them. I was trepidatious, due to MS&T being so special to me.
Thanks! As I mention in the video, once I finally started reading The Last King of Osten Ard, it took me a while to decide whether I liked it or not. Some aspects were frustrating, and some were sublime. Ultimately, the sublime parts prevailed. You definitely should read the short prequel novels. They provide important backstory about the Norn and Sithi societies and cultures that underpin the four main books in the series.
Great video!
I am now certain I want to give Tad Williams a try.
I recommend Tad Williams all the time!!
I am german and never knew that we were his main audience :D kinda funny but i rly like memory sorrow and thorne as a child. They were my first real books outside of Harry Potter and gave me the love for books i now have. Thank you Mr. Williams.
This was great. I received The Dragonbone Chair as a gift and looking forward to reading this series. Most likely late this year or early next year, but I have a feeling that Tad Williams will be an author that I'll enjoy. I appreciate the work you put into this overview!
Thanks! Given what I know of your reading taste, I have a feeling you're going to enjoy getting to know the land of Osten Ard and other Williams creations (such as Otherland). He's been one of my favorite authors for a long time.
Yes, Tad Williams along with GGK (I'm reading The Lions of al-Rassan later this month) are two authors that I just have a very strong feeling they are for me. The only other author I've felt this before I read them was Robin Hobb, and I was definitely correct there!
I discovered Tad in 2021 and tore through his bibliography. MST and LKoOA are definitely my favorites, but Otherland was mind-blowing as well. He absolutely deserves FAR more recognition. Seems to be more of a writer's writer.
Unintentional ASMR! At the local library in South africa I saw oodles of Tad Williams books....there were so many but I couldn't figure out which one was first so I kept overlooking them.
Completely unintentional! I'd never even heard of ASMR until viewers informed me about it. :D
I hope I helped you find an entry point to Tad's works. I generally think reading his books and series in publication order works well.
Tad Williams is the dark horse of fantasy. Dude's a born writer.
In my opiniion, The Navigator's Children is THE fantasy book of the year, and anticipation is super high among me and my fantasy-loving friends.
Great video! I'm really liking your channel. I'm intrigued now to read the Last King of Osten Ard series, though I'll probably need to re-read Memory, Thorn, and Sorrow first, as it's been 25 years since I read those. Also, I'm currently re-reading The Lions of Al-Rassan after watching your Guy Gavriel Kay video, which was also fantastic!
Thanks! I'd strongly recommend re-reading MS&T before starting the Last King of Osten Ard. I'm glad I did, because MS&T contains a lot of lore, history and other worldbuilding that readers are presumed to know already in the new series.
Rereading M,S&T recently it was so apparent the effect his series has had. I can see how his style bridges the gap from the pulp of the 80s to the maturing of the fantasy genre that took place in the 90s. It says a lot that so many lauded author's point to Williams as inspiration. Toss in the notion that decades later he is releasing a STRONG sequal to his best selling trilogy and you have nothing less than a living legend.
Great comment!
Great video! I have recently been making my way through The Last King of Osten Ard as well now that the last book is imminent and have been loving it! I had only read MS&T of Williams’s work previously but Last King has fully convinced me that I love him and I have been picking up every book of his that I can get my hands on. I look forward to the deep dive, and this video was a great primer on what I have in store ahead of me!
Thanks! I hope you enjoy his books at least as much as I do!
Tad Williams as an author reminds me of this quote about the Velvet Underground: "Not a lot of people came to their first show, but nearly every one that did went out and started a band after hearing them."
Great quote! I haven't heard that one before.
Oh my god, when you were describing The Dragons of Ordinary Farm, it felt reminiscent of a book I read in my childhood that I couldn't remember the title of, nor much of its plot, just the feel. Lo and behold, you mention Island of the Aunts, the exact book that was coming to mind but that I couldn't remember! Clear evidence to me that you are an expert in describing the feelings evoked by the stories you review.
Thank you for the kind words! Eva Ibbotson's children's books are wonderful and don't get nearly enough attention, in my opinion.
I was thinking about Otherland the other day. I've always thought of it as a fantasy series in disguise, so I was glad that I'm not the only one who thinks so.
Normally i don't write comments. And especialy not english ones.
But this time i just wanted to say, that i love youre videos. Every one of them is impressively good researched.
As a Tad Williams reader from germany i was always thinking, all his novels were huge hits all over the world and especially in the US. Here in germany the series has got the same publisher as the german edition of the Lord of the Ring's. It is (i think) the bigest and oldes publisher for fantasy novels in germany since the 50's. A large portion of the novels who always get new editions every few years at that publishers program are the Tolkien classics and the Tad Williams ones.
And i was always wondering why nobody talked about the many similiarities of Memory, Sorrow and Thorn and the a Song of Ice and Fire series.
Vielen dank! Tad has said in interviews how much he enjoys and appreciates his German fanbase. At first, he was surprised by his success there, but he discovered that his publisher had marketed his books as prestige titles, unlike most other fantasy or science fiction books published at the time.
I had fun in the video using Game of Thrones clips to illustrate plot and thematic elements from MS&T.
I have a different take than most on Shadowmarch. I think it's very underrated. The stuff about the shadow line and the fairy's,as well as the typical Tad Williams secret passageways thing ( I'm always a sucker for those) was Great. As well as great supporting characters. Also it was one of his most imaginative. That being said I can see how the prince's sulky attitude could turn some off. I would actually say with a more charismatic main character this could have been a massive hit. It's still super fun and interesting and imaginative and a fun read. But I could definitely see your points. Very good overview on Tad Williams. One point you make that I have always thought about is the timing aspect... If many of his books were published at different times they would have been more successful. He really does deserve more credit than he gets. Hopefully word gets out and more people will pick up his books. Great video. I subbed
Thanks for sharing! I can see your viewpoint about Shadowmarch. I do in fact enjoy the series, and some of the worldbuilding and character work is wonderful (although I don't think it surpasses MS&T). My frustration with the series stems partly from a 'bait and switch' feeling I experienced going from the first book to the second. In the first book, the focus is on Briony, and I quite enjoyed her character in it and was looking forward to Williams building the series primarily around her. However, in the second book, the series' focus shifts to her brother Barrick, who isn't nearly as enjoyable, and I felt like the focus mostly stayed with him rather than Briony.
@@thelibraryladder that's a problem I had as well. Her character was way more likable and interesting than Barrick and I wanted more focus on her. Although I found the situation that Barrick was in ( the adventure over the shadow line) to be the more interesting situation. If she was the one venturing into the shadow line instead of him it would have been far better. Or if he just wasn't as whiny.
I read Otherland when it was first released and I remember enjoying it, I think it's due for a reread. Nice!
Tad Williams is my favorite fantasy author currently above ground. His books are well-written, exciting and (relatively speaking) original, and best of all, he doesn't take 25 years to complete a series. 😉 He's the only writer who doesn't seem to think it's OK to string readers along for decades.
Those are all important qualities for an author to have to make it onto my own top tier list. Thanks for watching and sharing!
My first experience with Tad was War of the Flowers. I like to try an authors standalone books before digging into a series and I never looked back after that book! Wordsmith, but very fluid prose!
He's always been one of my favorite fantasy writers. I had no idea he doesn't get the attention he deserves.
After Lin Carter reintroduced Dunsany to fantasy readers in the late 1960s/early 1970s, most of his works fell out of print again for the next 30 years. As a result, many readers who discovered the genre in the 1980s and 90s never had the opportunity to read or encounter them, which limited the positive word of mouth about Dunsany passed along to the next generation of fantasy readers in the 2000s.
As always, a fantastic video! You have interested me in an author that I have--unfairly, it seems--neglected.
I've had Drogonbone Chair on my shelf for 20 years, but never got round to reading it. It just jumped to the top of my list.