Brothers of the Wind, by Tad Williams. An Osten Ard book

Cafe Society
1

The 8th book in this universe is now out, and I devoured it the other day.

Anybody else following this series, which began with The Dragonbone Chair so many decades ago?

I love it, it’s a rich tapestry and while it does lean on some of Tolkien’s concepts somewhat heavily, it fleshes out a nice alternate world.

This particular volume is all about the brothers Hakatri and Ineluki, and how they managed to weave their own doom and that of many others with ill-timed oaths and general stubbornness.

I’ve kept up with the other writings in the world of Osten Ard, now numbering 5 main novels and 3 shorter prequels/interquels (of which this latest book is one), with one final wrap up novel to go. That volume (The Navigator’s Children) is due out in October 2022.

I’ll not blather on further about it unless others wish to join in said blatherings. I’d request spoilers regarding significant material which came after the original 3 books (Dragonbone Chair, Stone of Farewell, To Green Angel Tower).

2

Eighth book? I didn’t know he wrote any after To Green Angel Tower!

One of my favorite fantasy trilogies, back in the day. I don’t read much fantasy fiction any more, but I’ve been hoping for a while that the LotR/GoT popularity would inspire someone to option them.

3

Here’s a list of Osten Ard books in a sort of order. Get busy! I found the later books VERY enjoyable.

Williams is prominent in my upper tier list of fave SF/Fantasy authors, and I like how he’s mixed the genres in the past too.

4

Well, I’m about to need a new audiobook and The Dragonbone Chair clocks in at 33 hours. That’ll occupy a whole lot of commutes.

5

I consider Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn my perfect fantasy series, the one that truly took me away on a journey, as so many others promise but never quite succeed, despite my love for them too. But I have not gotten around to seeking out the follow-ups, as I have fallen out of reading fiction in recent years. For when I retire, perhaps.

6

Same here. I adore this series. I’ve got a signed first edition of To Green Angel Tower that I managed when he came to town in the mid-90s for a reading (of his next series, but he happily signed TGAT). Very friendly, approachable guy, IMO.

7

Tad Williams has written some great stuff. Among my other faves by him:

  • The Bobby Dollar stories. War between Heaven and Hell, fought not only in those locations but also in California.

  • The Shadowmarch series. Medieval conflict playing out on an otherworldly background that keeps breaking through.

  • Otherland series; Both global and personal struggles are played out in a complex virtual world.

  • Tailchaser’s Song; the secret life of a domestic cat.

8

I bought the first three from the Science Fiction Book Club when I was a teenager, and thought they were stand-out books (still have those hardcovers on the shelf), but didn’t follow up with looking up his other works, and I had no idea that he had continued the series.

Maybe I’ll re-read the first three and see if it inspires me to pick up 4-8.

9

My shelves are still full of SFBC volumes, which I began obtaining back in 1971 or so. Dune and A Princess of Mars were among my first selections. SFBC finally dropped me as a member back in the late 90’s because I didn’t keep a current valid credit card # listed with them. I’m still pissed about that.

I did a re-read of the original “Memory, Sorrow and Thorn” books before embarking on the new volumes. It definitely helped me.

10

This was the first Williams book I read and led me to Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. It’s a very enjoyable read, kind of a Watership Down for cat people.