Review: The Dragonbone Chair, by Tad Williams

I’ve been looking to clear out old books, but some I haven’t read in so long I’m uncertain whether I want to keep or not. And so I re-read The Dragonbone Chair, by Tad Williams, the first entry in the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series. The last time I read this was so long ago it predates this blog...

The story focuses almost entirely on Simon, a dogsbody adolescent in the Hayholt castle. He’s a daydreamer and well-natured, if a bit dopey and lazy. Early on, he shifts from being mostly a cleaner to the new apprentice of Doctor Morgenes, who is something of a wizardly chap. When the very elderly king dies and his son takes over, the kingdom seems to have a new lease of life. But then bad weather falls, crops fail, and there are dark undercurrents swirling...

In addition to Simon, we do occasionally get the perspective of others, but it’s very much his story, starting in the humdrum world of the castle and then moving through an interesting world put together by the author. Often, the pace could be faster, and the writing opts for more detail over action most of the time. However, I did find myself reading through this sizeable book (just a little over 900 pages) rapidly, so I’m not sure if it counts as a valid criticism that some fat could be cut.

There’s a nice variety to the peoples of the world, both in varying human kingdoms, and differing races. A sense of history weighs upon things which adds a sense of depth and realism. While there are long periods without action this does mean that when things happen (and they can happen quickly) it has all the more impact.

Another advantage of the slower pace is that it gives time for things to develop. I can’t detail this without spoiling the plot, but suffice to say this also makes the descent of the kingdom feel more gradual and plausible.

Map fans will be pleased that there are multiple cartographic delights, and while I’m less interested in these than many people it’s still a plus. The feeling of the world is akin to that of Middle Earth rather than more recent Martin/Abercrombie style worlds.

Overall, I liked it a lot, which is sort of annoying because I need to clear shelf space. Just started the second, but as it’s similarly massive any review will be some time coming.

Thaddeus

PS For anyone wondering about relative quiet, it’s partly because I’ve been busy with other matters and, in the last week, partly due to computer woe.