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I'm halfway through the first book of Tad Williams's Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series. It's OK so far... but not really grabbing me yet... and there's a few annoyances, like some clumsy metaphors, plus some jarring viewpoint changes.
I'll finish out the book, but I'm wondering if the series gets better... think I first heard about the series here at Hatrack, so I'd be curious to hear folks' take on it!
Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
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I've read the series in Dutch translation. But that was over six years ago, so it'd be hard for me to give a detailed description of my take on the story. I do remember that the later installments brought tears to my eyes at several points, but that could just be because I'm so sappy. Anyway I do think it's worth the effort to finish the work. Regarding the few annoyances you mentioned, please keep in mind that Memory, Sorrow and Thorn was Williams' first attempt at writing a lengthy fantasy tale.
Posts: 993 | Registered: Jul 2006
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I read them a long time ago, but I remember liking them enough to finish the series. They must have been pretty good, because I won't bother wasting my time with a book I don't like...
Not after Steven King hurt my soul with Gerald's Game. May he have a festering sore on his backside one minute for every person who ever read that rubbish pile of a book!
Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
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Plaid, I felt the same way you did halfway through the first book, except maybe more so -- I was considering not finishing it, which I never do. A friend talked me into finishing, and it kinda picked up near the end, so I figured I'd go ahead and read the series.
Complete waste of time. I wish I hadn't even finished the first. And it's a LOT of book to waste your time with. It never stopped being just on the edge of boring and annoying, to me, and the ending was a huge disappointment. Everybody else here pretty much disagrees with me, but I'd say unless you have a complete sea change before the end of the first book, don't read the rest. It's not worth it.
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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I had the exact same experience as ElJay, for what it's worth.
On the other hand, when I read Otherland, I -- quite literally -- could not believe it was the same author. His writing chops certainly came up to snuff, in my opinion.
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Weird. Otherland is the one that bored me to tears. I won't say MS&T was the best series I've ever read, but I enjoyed it more than Otherland.
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MST kept me just slightly warmer than indifferent throughout - I was interested while reading it, but had no time putting it down to read mountains of other things in the meantime. The floodgates never opened and no angels sang, but it WAS interesting, I thought. Posts: 2762 | Registered: Sep 1999
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quote:Originally posted by plaid: I'm halfway through the first book of Tad Williams's Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series. It's OK so far... but not really grabbing me yet... and there's a few annoyances, like some clumsy metaphors, plus some jarring viewpoint changes.
I'll finish out the book, but I'm wondering if the series gets better... think I first heard about the series here at Hatrack, so I'd be curious to hear folks' take on it!
I haven't read it since high school, but I remember really enjoying it quite a lot back then. I'm recalling that I particularly liked the second book, and that I found the writing to be really beautiful and moving in that one...but I was in high school, so who knows? I should re-read it one of these days.
Posts: 1006 | Registered: Jun 2006
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quote:Originally posted by zgator: Weird. Otherland is the one that bored me to tears. I won't say MS&T was the best series I've ever read, but I enjoyed it more than Otherland.
I couldn't finish Otherland, either. I should try it again. I picked it up in 1999, I believe, when I was really too busy to read good books. I keep hearing it's great, so I ought to give it another go. I did like the fact that there was a character in it named !Xabu.
Posts: 1006 | Registered: Jun 2006
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I put MS&T down halfway through the first book about two years ago and have never been inspired to pick it up again, despite rave reviews from some Hatrackers.
Posts: 5264 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Thanks for reviews... I'm listening to it as an audiobook, so since I'm listening to it while I'm working or doing chores, I've got a lot more patience for it than if I were reading it. That said, if I'm not excited by it by the end of the book... there's a lot of other things I can listen to before I'll try the next book!
Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
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I am going to say that Eljay, CT, Frisco, and Brinestone all had the exact same reaction I did (except I didn't finish the first one).
It took an entire month to get through the first half of the first book, and then I just gave up. I read the entire ASOIAF series in 10 days (when there were three books) to give you and indication of how slow 200 pages in a month was for me.
However, from reading the other reviews of the books here, it appears that if someone does enjoy the first book, then they will almost universally love the entire series. It is even in a bunch of hatrackers favorite fantasy list.
So it must be a matter of taste.
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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Tom, would you say that Noeman should continue, based on his feelings so far, or was your feeling at that point far enough away from his (and mine) that you suspect he won't enjoy the rest?
I ask, not just for Jake, but because I bought the entire series at the same time, and I hate that after two years I still have three and a half books unread on my shelf...
(Note: Eljay's description of hating the beginning, and then seriously regretting soldiering on carries a lot of weight with me, but for some reason I still want to be convinced I think.)
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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I absolutely loved memory sorrow and thorn. So did my brother. Both of us enjoyed the series more then LotR, for whatever that is worth.
I didn't get bored during the first book, though, although I will admit that it moves slow for about 250 pages.
Posts: 4112 | Registered: May 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Elizabeth: Um, wait a goldurned minute. Plaid is Noemon?
No. Xavier is Confused.
I read William's Shadowmarch. The whole darn thing. Just WAITING for it to get interesting!
It never did. No, that's not fair. Bits and pieces were fairly intriguing, as were some of the characters. But in terms of the plot as a whole, I just really could not have cared less.
And I have no intention of ever picking up another book by the author.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I quit MS&T halfway through and I've never looked back. Though I also quit Otherland after the first book, so apparently I just don't care for the author. He simply bores me to the point where I can't go on.
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Noemon would never make an "-ish" neologism, so no.
I'm firmly in the "Williams is boring and must be paid by the pound" camp. I read one of his long books and it dragged horribly. He just couldn't sustain my interest. Never again will I give him the chance.
Some seem to love him? I guess he's one of those writers you either love or hate.
Posts: 6316 | Registered: Jun 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Morbo: Noemon would never make an "-ish" neologism, so no.
You know, I'm fairly certain this is false, and can be disproved by several counter examples, but I'm feeling far too lazy at the moment to bother searching.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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For the record, I know Noeman is not plaid, especially having met both of them .
Not sure how I got confused, but somehow I must have. My confusion was not thinking that they were the same, but for some reason misremembering who the thread starter was.
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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I should try it again. I picked it up in 1999, I believe, when I was really too busy to read good books. I keep hearing it's great, so I ought to give it another go. I did like the fact that there was a character in it named !Xabu.
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