I cannot describe how important Tad Williams' series Memory, Sorrow and Thorn is for me. It was a game changer. As a teen I got hooked on fantasy reading Michael Ende and then Tolkien, but in the 80s, the fantasy market was flooded with cheap Lord of the Rings knock-offs. There simply wasn't any tremendous fantasy out there. In 1990 I finished high school, and by the end of that year, I saw The Dragonbone Chair in the window of the English books section of my favorite bookstore. I struggled with the eloquent language a bit, because my English was hardly as good then as it is now, but I was blown away. It was so deep, so rich, compared to anything else I had read in years, and I loved the characters. To say I am excited Tad Williams is returning to Osten Ard would put it lightly.

To ring in his return, Tad Williams has published this novella that ties M,S&T together with the upcoming new series. It's set right after the events of To Green Angel Tower, and covers the Rimmersgarders' pursuit of the Norn fleeing back from the Hayholt to their mountain home Nakkiga. There are three different PoVs: Duke Isgrimmnur, the leader of the Rimmersgarders; Porto, a mercenary from the south; and Viyeki, a Norn aka hike'daya of the Order of Builders. The latter PoV was by far my favorite. So far we had never gotten any insights into the Norns at all, other than the fairly black&white view that the Norns were the villains trying to bring the Stormking back, but through Viyeki's eyes we learn how their society is arranged, about life in Nakkiga, and all that they have lost.

I wasn't totally blown away by it, but it was damn good. I wouldn't recommend reading it if you haven't read M, S&T though.

Now I am totally stoked for The Last King of Osten Ard!