REVIEW: Stone of Farewell by Tad Williams

Stone of Farewell by Tad Williams
Publishing information: Paperback; 588 pages
Publisher: Daw; April 2005
ISBN: 0756402976
Series: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn #2
Copy: Received by publisher
Reviewer: Tyson

Amazon

Synopsis: "The second book in the trilogy that launched one of the most important fantasy writers of our time.

It is a time of darkness, dread, and ultimate testing for the realm of Osten Ard, for the wild magic and terrifying minions of the undead Sithi ruler, Ineluki the Storm King, are spreading their seemingly undefeatable evil across the kingdom.

With the very land blighted by the power of Ineluki’s wrath, the tattered remnants of a once-proud human army flee in search of a last sanctuary and rallying point—the Stone of Farewell, a place shrouded in mystery and ancient sorrow.

An even as Prince Josua seeks to rally his scattered forces, Simon and the surviving members of the League of the Scroll are desperately struggling to discover the truth behind an almost-forgotten legend, which will take them from the fallen citadels of humans to the secret heartland of the Sithi—where near-immortals must at last decide whether to ally with the race of men in a final war against those of their own blood."

Not long ago I read and reviewed the first book in the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series, The Dragonbone Chair, and enjoyed it (review here). I have also set a goal of reading the first trilogy before the year is out. So it was only a matter of time before I made my way to the second book in the series, Stone of Farewell. The second book takes place moments after the events conclude in the first book. Binabik and Simon must continue their journey to find the swords that will end an ancient evil from covering the land.

The Stone of Farewell is an even slower read than the first. I am told that the series really takes off but the middle book doesn't seem to pick up at all. In fact, aside from a few events, the book moves at a glacial pace. I couldn't help but feel as if I was reading the Lord of the Rings again where everyone is just walking. I was expecting the trees to walk as well in this book as everyone is taking a stroll to reach one destination or another only to head out to a final destination. STone of Farewell is really just a chess match where the author is moving his pieces around so that he can begin the final act of the story.

I know that if I didn't have friends who have read this series and not praised it so highly, that I would more than likely put this one down halfway through as just not enough was happening. Even the introduction of a few new characters didn't add much to the story for me. While there was a splendid moment when Simon met the Sithi and lived in their city for a time, it didn't add much to the pacing. It did provide their viewpoint and how their long lives make it difficult for them to come to a quick decision on important matters.

Readers who felt that The Dragonbone Chair moved slow will notice the story slow down even more and the ending of the novel doesn't really pick up or prepare you for what is to come in the third book. The final book in the series, The Green Angel Tower, is still a mystery to me as not much can be gleaned from the pages of The Stone of Farewell. The last book in the series is also a massive tome and I know it will take a bit of time to get through so while I have plans to read it and finish this series before the end of the year. I will have to power through a few more books first to give myself ample time to read it and review it without missing any review days.

Stone of Farewell, was a bit of a let down as not much ended up happening other than everyone going for a stroll, it is my hope that the final book picks up and shows Williams' writing chops as this book was a bit of a chore to get through, especially when my reading time was severely hampered by time constraints and a difficult teaching quarter.

Overall 6/10