Book Review: Stone of Farewell by Tad Williams (Book 2 of Memory, Sorrow and Thorn

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy, is fashioned in the style of the classical, high fantasy fictions. It gained popularity in the late 80s and the early 90s, and this trilogy also heavily influenced some of the famous, modern works of fantasy fiction, such as A Song of Ice and Fire, and Inheritance Cycles. Personally, I deeply enjoyed this trilogy, and I thought it is definitely one of the “must read” series for fans of the fantasy genre. Today, I will review the second installment of this trilogy, titled “Stone of Farewell”.

Synopsis:

Following the events in The Dragonbone Chair; Simon, the troll Binak, and their companions finally retrieved the great sword Thorn, one of the three legendary swords foretold by an ancient prophecy to thwart the coming of Inekuli, the Storm King. In the meantime, Prince Joshua was attacked by his brother, the high king Elias. An alliance was forged under an unholy pact between the high king, Elias and the Storm King. Elias enlisted the help of Norns, who are the horrifying minions of the Storm King. Joshua suffered a dreadful defeat in the hands of Norns, and was forced to flee from his city into the frozen waste with a small band of survivors.

The remaining members of League of Scrolls embarked on a quests to guide the scattered heroes to an ancient, mysterious citadel called Stone of Farewell. At this place, the heroes will regroup, preparing a final stand before the coming threats of Storm King. Meanwhile, the elder races of Osten Ard are about to make a decision that will change the fate of Osten Ard..

What I think about this book:

Stone of Farewell maintained the same style of storytelling as its predecessor, The Dragonbone Chair. The writings are detailed and descriptive. However, in comparison to the previous installment, Stone of Farewell moves at a faster pace. This book is also has a complex structure. There are multiple subplots spiraling around the main plot. This means the readers need to pay close attentions, in order to keep track of the story development. Thankfully, the author planned these subplots very well, and the book is not overly complicated, and readers can still comprehend the story progression easily.

Memory, Sorrow and Thorn is a character driven story. In Stone of Farewell, the author depicted the characters, their emotions and thoughts in vivid details. I was particular impressed by the depictions of Joshua, who slowly became embittered and frustrated, after his defeat in the hands of Norns. Many main characters in this book faced their inner despairs, as they struggled to persevere and cling on to hopes, making this a great book with 3-dimensional characters. My opinion, is that the characterizations in this book seems to be superior than the previous installment.

Lastly, as I was reading this book, I couldn't help but notice how this trilogy influenced George R.R Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. While Memory, Sorrow and Thorn and A Song of Ice and Fire, are completely different stories, each is unique and original in their own ways. Yet, I can certainly see how this trilogy influenced A Song of Ice and Fire. For example, it is not hard to observe both series have story elements such as: 1) A long lasting, frozen winter, 2) A menacing, ancient threat which awakens in the north, 3) The personal transformation of a protagonist, from an lowly castle boy, to a hero, 4) Sentient wolves serving as friend/protectors to the protagonists, 5) Multiple characters with unique strengths, weaknesses, and motivations, 6) Plentiful of court intrigues, Ladies, knights and wizards. I once read an article where George R.R Martin reportedly to have said, that his A Song of Ice and Fire series is heavily influenced by Tad William's Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. I think the major difference, is that Memory, Sorrow and Thorn is more akin to the traditional, Tolkien-style fantasy books, mainly a story about good vs. evil. While A Song of Ice and Fire, is more inline with modern fantasy books, with morally ambiguous story elements and characters, set in a grim, dark world. Having said this, I do think fans of A Song of Ice and Fire will probably also enjoy Memory, Sorrow and Thorn.

After I finished this book, I eagerly opened the final (or pan-ultimate) episode to this trilogy, titled “To Green Angel Tower Part 1”, the review for the next installment will follow, once I finish reading it.

In the meantime, happy reading!