Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
DAW (2006), Mass Market Paperback, 816 pages
Description
For generations the misty Shadowline has marked the boundary between the lands of men and the lost northern lands that are the lair of their inhuman enemies, the ageless Qar. But now that boundary line is moving outward, threatening to engulf the northernmost land in which humans still live -- the kingdom of Southmarch. For centuries, the Eddon family has ruled in ancient, forbidding Southmarch Castle, guarding the border against the Qar's return, but now this powerful royal line has been dealt a devastating blow. The monarch, King Olin, is being held captive in a distant land, and it falls to his inexperienced heirs to lead their people in a time of growing danger and dread. It is on the two youngest Eddons that the heaviest burdens fall. The twins Barrick and Briony, who in such evil times have only each other, may lose even that bond as darkness closes over them. As the Qar's power reaches out across their land, will Southmarch Castle, the only home they've ever known, become in fact what it has long been called -- Shadowmarch?… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member alcc
This was an amazing first book by Tad Williams to a series that I wish would never end. It starts off as if in a normal court life at Shadowmarch Castle, where the twins of the king Briony and Barrick Eddon live. Ferras Vansen the guard captain, Chert and Opal the Funderlings, Chaven the court
I have seen other reviews that say this book moves slow, but the pace is what I expected from a high fantasy novel. You won't immediately be caught up in such a strong flow you can hardly keep up. No, first Tad Williams introduces the characters and the world, bit by bit. Once in a while hints will be dropped--pay attention! Don't be lulled into complacency. Williams composes a subtle song: the rhythm is first begun by bringing to life the ordinary, then it weaves in intrigue, the melody sings murder, mystery, betrayal. And then you get a glimpse of the harmony; there are things here that go together. I never get tired of his writing.
As the book moves along, there will be things you forgot that suddenly comes back up. As surprising as they are, now whole parts begin making sense. But then more questions spring up because Williams isn't done yet, not by far. And it keeps going. You KNOW there's something significant about Barrick and his fever-dreams, you KNOW Chaven's secret will play some sort of role, you KNOW there's something special about the Autarch (the ruler in the south) choosing Qinnitan as one of his wives, but you never know enough. It makes you keep reading, wanting more of this world and seeing how everything relates.
It's not just the questions I want answered, or to see how it all plays out--it's also the characters themselves that make this novel compelling. Briony, forced to take over the court and make decisions for the whole of Southmarch while her father is imprisoned, her elder brother dead, and her twin brother suffering in his own world, but at the same time struggling because she's looked down on (being female) and fighting against what people think is sociably acceptable but what she dislikes. She has to be strong, and hard, but she is also kind-hearted and tries her best to be fair. Vansen, angsting (but not in as a self-absorbed way as Barrick) over his forbidden love for Briony (I know, it sounds cheesy and done before, yet the way Williams writes him makes him one of my favorite characters). It forces him to go places and do things he’s never done before (nor many people have for that matter). Qinnitan—who seems so separate from the others that surround her because she is down-to-earth while everyone else around her is mad, murderously cruel, or dangerously in love. I could go on and on about every character… but I’ll let you read it for yourself.
I would highly recommend picking up this book and giving it a chance. The plot is intricate and I see it being continued in the following books. The characters are easy to get attached to. So far there’s nothing too different between this novel and other fantasy novels, but it is nonetheless a fantastic read. The second book builds on this one and gets even better.
Show More
physician, and more will be met. Then questions arise as Kendrick is killed, and as a human boy from beyond the Shadowline is dumped onto Southmarch lands, and the Shadowline itself seems to be moving where the Qar beyond lives. And that’s just the very beginning.I have seen other reviews that say this book moves slow, but the pace is what I expected from a high fantasy novel. You won't immediately be caught up in such a strong flow you can hardly keep up. No, first Tad Williams introduces the characters and the world, bit by bit. Once in a while hints will be dropped--pay attention! Don't be lulled into complacency. Williams composes a subtle song: the rhythm is first begun by bringing to life the ordinary, then it weaves in intrigue, the melody sings murder, mystery, betrayal. And then you get a glimpse of the harmony; there are things here that go together. I never get tired of his writing.
As the book moves along, there will be things you forgot that suddenly comes back up. As surprising as they are, now whole parts begin making sense. But then more questions spring up because Williams isn't done yet, not by far. And it keeps going. You KNOW there's something significant about Barrick and his fever-dreams, you KNOW Chaven's secret will play some sort of role, you KNOW there's something special about the Autarch (the ruler in the south) choosing Qinnitan as one of his wives, but you never know enough. It makes you keep reading, wanting more of this world and seeing how everything relates.
It's not just the questions I want answered, or to see how it all plays out--it's also the characters themselves that make this novel compelling. Briony, forced to take over the court and make decisions for the whole of Southmarch while her father is imprisoned, her elder brother dead, and her twin brother suffering in his own world, but at the same time struggling because she's looked down on (being female) and fighting against what people think is sociably acceptable but what she dislikes. She has to be strong, and hard, but she is also kind-hearted and tries her best to be fair. Vansen, angsting (but not in as a self-absorbed way as Barrick) over his forbidden love for Briony (I know, it sounds cheesy and done before, yet the way Williams writes him makes him one of my favorite characters). It forces him to go places and do things he’s never done before (nor many people have for that matter). Qinnitan—who seems so separate from the others that surround her because she is down-to-earth while everyone else around her is mad, murderously cruel, or dangerously in love. I could go on and on about every character… but I’ll let you read it for yourself.
I would highly recommend picking up this book and giving it a chance. The plot is intricate and I see it being continued in the following books. The characters are easy to get attached to. So far there’s nothing too different between this novel and other fantasy novels, but it is nonetheless a fantastic read. The second book builds on this one and gets even better.
Show Less
LibraryThing member worldsedge
Rather bloated book 1 of yet another fantasy series. Though I haven't read Memory, Sorrow and Thorn in years, I was immediately struck with some correspondences: castle built by elf equivalents, elves chased out, treachery in the royal family.
Do like the Shadowline idea, the pixie-like rooftoppers
I'm candidly also already dreading the budding romance between Briony and Vansen, poor but upright captain of the guard. Stereotype alert. Yuck. But read the next installment I shall.
Do like the Shadowline idea, the pixie-like rooftoppers
Show More
and the Funderlings, who appear to be a dwarf/hobbit cross.I'm candidly also already dreading the budding romance between Briony and Vansen, poor but upright captain of the guard. Stereotype alert. Yuck. But read the next installment I shall.
Show Less
LibraryThing member DirtPriest
The start of yet another long, lengthy, wordy, long, in-depth, lengthy and very long Tad Williams series. He seems to be good at it. By that I mean that it's not puffy and flowery overdone descriptions like Robert Jordan, but a well told lengthy fantasy tale. There aren't any overly excessive
In a nutshell, back in the past, the people of Eion conquered the whole of their continent away from the Twilight People, the fairies, or as they call themselves, the Qul-na-Qar (or something like it). The Twilight People have hidden behind a misty barrier for centuries and now it has begun to encroach on the realm of Southmarch. In the excellently fortified island-city of Southmarch, their King has been kidnapped and held in a southern city. His children are forced to run the realm in his absence and, of course, things take a turn for the worse with the invasion of the fairyfolk, treacherous politics (isn't it always) and a spot of murder. There is an Egyptian styled continent to the South where the tale is told of Qinnillian, the newest of the hundreds of wives of the Autarch, and also the introduction of some interesting races, namely the dwarven-like Funderlings, the diminutive Rooftoppers and the Skimmers, a seafaring people. Lots going on, hence that length that many readers are turned off by.
Show More
parts, the length comes from several separate stories that are all well told, which may or may not intersect later. My only regret about his series' is the length of time it takes to read them which leads to, not boredom per se, but a restlessness to move on to something else. His Otherland series (great blend of scifi with a few fantasy elements) took me over a month to read, and I can put in some serious time on a per day basis. I thoroughly enjoy it though.In a nutshell, back in the past, the people of Eion conquered the whole of their continent away from the Twilight People, the fairies, or as they call themselves, the Qul-na-Qar (or something like it). The Twilight People have hidden behind a misty barrier for centuries and now it has begun to encroach on the realm of Southmarch. In the excellently fortified island-city of Southmarch, their King has been kidnapped and held in a southern city. His children are forced to run the realm in his absence and, of course, things take a turn for the worse with the invasion of the fairyfolk, treacherous politics (isn't it always) and a spot of murder. There is an Egyptian styled continent to the South where the tale is told of Qinnillian, the newest of the hundreds of wives of the Autarch, and also the introduction of some interesting races, namely the dwarven-like Funderlings, the diminutive Rooftoppers and the Skimmers, a seafaring people. Lots going on, hence that length that many readers are turned off by.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Nikkles
The characters in this book are great. Everyone is so different, which is very engaging. The plot really holds your attention and makes you try to figure out what all is happening. A really good fantasy. If you love Tad Williams other fantasy novels you'll love this one too.
LibraryThing member eddy79
Good old-fashioned fantasy, and the first Tad Williams I read. The characters are well-drawn, and the world is intriguing, especially the villians of the peice. As the trilogy is not finished yet, I have chosen to wait until it is, and go back and read the entire thing.
LibraryThing member SonicQuack
Shadowmarch is epic. This first volume almost spans 850 pages in which a powerplay between monarchs is barely started. The scope of Shadowmarch is vast, with the plots spread across continents, rulers and races. Williams cannily crafts a new world, with hints of traditional fantasy and incredible
Show More
depth. Thankfully, this broad and deep world is not described through tedious flashbacks or history lessons, but through small and frequent hints of the world and culture around the protagonists. The setting aside, the plots themselves are full of twists, emotionally charged and with strong characterisation. The backbone of all these strong elements is the broader good vs. evil story, and here it is well written and emotive. Shadowmarch is excellent fantasy fiction. At times it is too wordy, although never boring. Certainly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member Karlstar
This is a complex, interesting book which feels somewhat similiar to his Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series. The human kingdoms are all involved in various wars, and for some reason, the royal family of Shadowmarch is bearing the brunt of the assault. At the same time, the forces of faerie that were
This is obviously destined to be a multivolume series, which at times is a bit frustrating, because pages go by with little or nothing happening, though you can tell we are being setup for future events. It would be better if a few of those future events happened in this book, but they don't. This is a good book and a good start to the series, though sometimes it feels like it is just like other fantasy epic series - though not quite. Its not as original as War of the Flowers or the Otherland series, though still very good.
Show More
forced out of the human lands centuries ago are on the attack again. This is obviously destined to be a multivolume series, which at times is a bit frustrating, because pages go by with little or nothing happening, though you can tell we are being setup for future events. It would be better if a few of those future events happened in this book, but they don't. This is a good book and a good start to the series, though sometimes it feels like it is just like other fantasy epic series - though not quite. Its not as original as War of the Flowers or the Otherland series, though still very good.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Featherfire
The action in this book is a little slow...things happen more gradually, and it's honestly a little slow and drags in places. For a long time I really wasn't sure whether I liked it or not. The characters are engaging, though...and while it's not my favorite of Tad Williams' books, I still plan to
Show More
finish the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Ilirwen
I've read other books by Tad williams that I liked more, so I expected more from this book and now I'm a little disappointed. The story just failed to grip me fully. It's just too 'ordinary' to me. Maybe it isn't the book's fault, maybe it's me. I have found myself preferring urban fantasy and
None of the characters are really likable. I can't identify with or fall in love with anyone. The only character I sort of like is the young Captain who's fallen in love with the princess, though I really can't see why.
This may sound as if I don't like the book at all, and that's not quite true. Some parts of it are actually quite interesting and exciting. It just doesn't feel very unique. Having said that, I'm still looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy (?).
Show More
other 'different' fantasy, in the past couple of years. None of the characters are really likable. I can't identify with or fall in love with anyone. The only character I sort of like is the young Captain who's fallen in love with the princess, though I really can't see why.
This may sound as if I don't like the book at all, and that's not quite true. Some parts of it are actually quite interesting and exciting. It just doesn't feel very unique. Having said that, I'm still looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy (?).
Show Less
LibraryThing member birv2
Just finished the MST series and I'm picking up halfway through this one. Can't review it yet, but enjoying it.
LibraryThing member randalrh
The thing about Tad Williams is, he just keeps writing. The thing about me is, I'll just keep reading. When Williams is in his element, i.e. has an entire universe and centuries to work with, he can go pretty much anywhere and I'll follow. This review is written through three of the Shadow____
Show More
series. Show Less
LibraryThing member John5918
Like a previous reviewer, I hadn't realised that this was the first in yet another series. Much as I like Tad Williams, I am getting a bit fed up with series. But this one is not a patch on some of his earlier works. I found the writing and plot a bit shallow and simplistic.
LibraryThing member cequillo
I think the most disappointing aspect of this book for me was the fact that I didn't realize going in that it was the first in a series, which means I have to wait until next year to continue the story. Other than that, at almost 700 pages, Tad Williams has created a truly great fantasy here.
Show More
Excellent characterization, battles, betrayal, court intrigue, all abound between the pages and written out in a world which while familiar to fantasy realms, is also unique in many ways. The Shadowlands is a world teeming with unnatural and inhuman inhabitants, who after hundreds of years of isolation in the world to which they were driven, they've risen together and come for battle to reclaim their lands. Those lands which they seek are now inhabited by humans and a number of other not so human dwellers, now forced to face an enemy they don't understand. There are lots of elements to keep you turning the pages here, I highly recommend this one. A good winter read to curl up by the fire with. Show Less
LibraryThing member seldombites
This was a totally engrossing and thrilling read that was very difficult to put down. When I read it, it was just one more sentence, just one more paragraph, just one more chapter until, before I knew it, half the night had gone. I was disappointed when the book ended. I hadn't realised it was part
Show More
of a trilogy. I will keep this on my shelf until I am able to obtain the other two books, then I will re-read it. If you enjoy dark fantasy, then you cannot go past Shadowmarch. Show Less
LibraryThing member finalcut
I'm not sure how many books are going to be in this series but the first promises a great tale in the end. I believe the story was started as a community driven one at the Shadowmarch website. However, I didn't hear about the book until I bumped into it at the store. If you like fantasy then you
Show More
will like this book; so go get it. Show Less
LibraryThing member walokra
Typical Tad Williams with descriptive writing and the plot is dragged on slowly. The book really starts to roll near the end of the book, after 800 pages. It's similar to the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy but at least the 1st book felt more slowly going.
LibraryThing member Chris_El
Long book. There are several people that have some very interesting stories. However, there are a lot of characters here. Some of them not as likable, some of them I'm still not sure about.
If you enjoyed Tad Williams previous works you will probably enjoy this one. But if you are looking to try
If you enjoyed Tad Williams previous works you will probably enjoy this one. But if you are looking to try
Show More
his work for the first time I would try the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy (The first book is titled "The Dragonbone Chair"). Show Less
LibraryThing member ragwaine
I really didn't think I was going to like this but it grew on me right from the beginning. It's big in scope and so it seems to move slow but it didn't really get boring for me. I did it on audio and the narrator was great. I really like his writing style, seems very polished and just flowery
Show More
enough for me. Definitely ends with some cliffhangers so I can't wait to start the 2nd book, I feel like things will move faster now that the intros have been made and the big ideas are out there. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cecrow
The Shadowmarch series has an interesting story behind it. After concluding the Memory Sorrow and Thorn trilogy, Tad Williams switched to writing science fiction (Otherland) before this return to fantasy. A new medium may have suggested itself as a solution for not repeating himself, and
Briony and Barrick are portrayed very well, the teenage twins at the heart of the story upon whom great responsibility must fall - and they're already royalty, so we're spared the predictable rise to this station. There's also the fun of Shadowmarch being directly on the border of the great evil, rather than placed in the opposite corner of the map. Most welcome is the presenting of this "evil" as having been deeply wronged in the past: as the original inhabitants of this land, their motive is only to reclaim what once was theirs before they were forced from it by sword and flame. I especially like this element, but this too contributes to the resurfacing impression of Shadowmarch as a scaled-back MS&T Redux with a few new twists.
With this series Williams continued to occupy the space between the original flighty Tolkien tradition and the latest gritty genre offerings grounded in realism, exploring the territory he staked out for himself. It can feel like a step back in one sense next to today's fantasy offerings, but on the other it's a nice variant with its benevolent view of humanity that still allows for darker elements. Be patient with this slow-burn series opener, typical of this author, to receive the rich rewards he always delivers later.
Show More
Shadowmarch first began as a television project. You can see the bones of this in the prelude and opening chapters, with their camera-ready scenes. When that didn't pan out, he attempted to present it as an pay-per-read online project. Finally, he came back to the published novel format. If he'd known that was coming, I think he might have steered wider of the parallels with MS&T: an ancient castle, a dark threat in the north from an elven-like folk, a storyline centered upon royalty, an eccentric scientist - all of these are echoes, and it takes some time for Shadowmarch to establish itself as a unique property. From that point on it delivers a solid if largely traditional fantasy ride. Briony and Barrick are portrayed very well, the teenage twins at the heart of the story upon whom great responsibility must fall - and they're already royalty, so we're spared the predictable rise to this station. There's also the fun of Shadowmarch being directly on the border of the great evil, rather than placed in the opposite corner of the map. Most welcome is the presenting of this "evil" as having been deeply wronged in the past: as the original inhabitants of this land, their motive is only to reclaim what once was theirs before they were forced from it by sword and flame. I especially like this element, but this too contributes to the resurfacing impression of Shadowmarch as a scaled-back MS&T Redux with a few new twists.
With this series Williams continued to occupy the space between the original flighty Tolkien tradition and the latest gritty genre offerings grounded in realism, exploring the territory he staked out for himself. It can feel like a step back in one sense next to today's fantasy offerings, but on the other it's a nice variant with its benevolent view of humanity that still allows for darker elements. Be patient with this slow-burn series opener, typical of this author, to receive the rich rewards he always delivers later.
Show Less
LibraryThing member james.d.gifford
I "read" this as an audio book and enjoyed both the book and the performer. It's calling on some of the weirdness of Hope Mirrlees' Lud-in-the-Mist in combination with the hulking castle of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast. Great fun, and I'll wait to see where it all develops in the next volume.
LibraryThing member infjsarah
I read Book 1 and 2 of this series back when they first came out but then the long wait till the next publication meant I sort of forgot about it (even though I really like Tad Williams as an author and have read a lot of his novels - MS&T is the best but Otherland is pretty amazing too). It's also
So while waiting for him to complete his sequel to MS&T which now looks like at least 2022, I decided to read this one, now that it is complete.
I remembered bits and pieces. Do not pick up Tad Williams if you want to be straight into the action and know what is going on - he just doesn't write like that! He is an author who builds up his characters and background slowly - hints of this but only hints. Shadowmarch is no different. A slow build of different characters and different races. Five main POV characters give the reader an overview of each strand. I enjoyed it a lot.
Show More
one of the main reasons why I generally no longer start new series until they are finished.So while waiting for him to complete his sequel to MS&T which now looks like at least 2022, I decided to read this one, now that it is complete.
I remembered bits and pieces. Do not pick up Tad Williams if you want to be straight into the action and know what is going on - he just doesn't write like that! He is an author who builds up his characters and background slowly - hints of this but only hints. Shadowmarch is no different. A slow build of different characters and different races. Five main POV characters give the reader an overview of each strand. I enjoyed it a lot.
Show Less
LibraryThing member onlyfiction
The pace is far too slow for such a lengthy book (or perhaps I’m just an impatient reader...), and until the point that I stopped reading (around one-fifth of the way in), I was feeling that the plot just wasn’t developing at all.
The characters in this book should be interesting to me, right?
This book is merely the first act of a much larger story, which is fueling all other problems. The purpose of the first book is to do just that! The plot also doesn’t have a lot of forward motion, and apart from a single murder that occurs near the beginning, it resolves nothing else.
It feels like I’ve just read a 750-page prologue, and that’s not good.
A waste of time.
The characters in this book should be interesting to me, right?
Show More
There are simply too many protagonists here, which means none of them get the development time they need to be interesting. To me, protagonists don't need to be likable. An unlikable character can still be captivating. Most of these main characters aren't very likable.This book is merely the first act of a much larger story, which is fueling all other problems. The purpose of the first book is to do just that! The plot also doesn’t have a lot of forward motion, and apart from a single murder that occurs near the beginning, it resolves nothing else.
It feels like I’ve just read a 750-page prologue, and that’s not good.
A waste of time.
Show Less
LibraryThing member aleahmarie
In the world of Shadowmarch humans and the supernatural Qar have lived in a sort of tense stalemate. Humans continue to thrive in the sunshine lands of the south while the Qar hold their own in the eternal twilight of the northern lands. These territories are fiercely protected by a the Qar's
Another scrumptious fantasy novel from the esteemed Tad Williams. Highly recommended for fans of the epic fantasy genre.
Show More
magical fence, which is known only as the Shadowline. Shadowmarch is the northernmost of the Human lands, and is the closest to the Qar. The Eddons have ruled peaceably in Southmarch for generations. Peace has existed for so long, in fact, that the story of the Qar folk has faded to superstition. But then the Shadowline begins to move and young Princess Briony Eddon's world starts to fall apart. Another scrumptious fantasy novel from the esteemed Tad Williams. Highly recommended for fans of the epic fantasy genre.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jazzbird61
I give it more of a 3.5 rating, but have to give a BOOOOO to the publisher for messing up the books available for Kindle. Book 2 is missing, with the other books available.
Subjects
Awards
SF Site Reader's Choice (2004)
Locus Recommended Reading (2004)
Original publication date
2004
Physical description
816 p.; 6.59 inches
ISBN
0756403596 / 9780756403591