I was browsing in a bookstore a week or so ago, and saw (and almost bought) Tad Williams' latest novel, Shadowmarch. I'll still get it--I was just being frugal and waiting until I'd gotten my Christmas gift certificates so that I wouldn't, you know, have to spend any real money.
Anybody read this yet? Tom? If so, how does it compare with his other work?
*"So" included after the fact, special for Trisha.
[ December 27, 2004, 07:00 PM: Message edited by: Noemon ]
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Is it new as in a whole new series, or stand alone book? It popped up when I bought the Sean Russell book and caught my eye. (which, was, of course, the point of it popping up)
Hee hee. I liked you "so" idea, Noemon.
[ December 27, 2004, 07:10 PM: Message edited by: Elizabeth ]
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Looks like the beginning to a new series.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Why thank you!
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Well, then, I am NOT reading it. I am sick and tired of waiting for these authors to get off their duffs and finish their series.' Way too painful. It took me months before I could pick up a book after Martin's last one. Hmmph.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Yeah, you know, maybe I'll hold off too, for the same reason. One of the things I liked about Otherland was the fact that I discovered it after it was completely done, so I could just sit and read until the story was finished. Besides, the blurb on the dustjacket didn't really grab my attention, and neither did the first couple of pages.
[ December 27, 2004, 07:21 PM: Message edited by: Noemon ]
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
My SIL got it for free, as part of some market-research thing. Only she doesn't READ sf. So she left it here when they moved out.
I'm about 180 pages or so through it (IOW, less than a third of the way through), and it's interesting. Not in a OMG-I-must-finish-this-book-right-now! sense, but more in a when-I-have-time-to-sit-and-read-I'll-invest-another-few-hours-and-see-where-this-goes sense.
This is the first Tad Williams book I've read, and I mostly picked it up at all because his other books have gotten such rave reviews hereabouts.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
I am definitely not reading a series unless I know it s finished. There are so many that are, it should bot be a problem. I am enjoying the Rhapsody series by Elizabeth Haydon right now.
Posted by Alucard... (Member # 4924) on :
I could be wrong, But I do believe this book was at one time an online-only title from his website that was released a chapter at a time or one segment each month... Anyway, if this is the book in question, it was a bit of an experimentation by TW. I have read most of his other work and am a bit ashamed by the fact that I did not know this made it to print.
I will be eagerly waiting to hear if it is any good, but will most likely buy it anyway.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Yep. Shadowmarch was a moderately successful -- by online standards, which is to say not particularly successful at all -- writing experiment, in which Tad would contribute regular chapters to a growing story and work in suggestions, artwork, and even other stories submitted by paid members of the site (which had a discussion forum very similar to this one, actually.)
The forum's still around, and still pretty lively, but Tad decided that since he wasn't making enough money to support his family from the venture, and was working as hard on it as he worked on any book (and thus wasn't getting other books done), it made more sense to go the traditional print route.
This version of the book is not exactly the online version; he's completely rewriting it so that it flows more "traditionally."
I'm ashamed to admit that while I have a signed copy -- dedicated to Sophie, no less -- I haven't had time to actually start it, especially since I was privy to the original. I'll let you know what I think once I get into it. Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Tom, is it a stand-alone? And have you read The Initiate Brother? (Sean Russell)
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
(Tom is crushed to admit he has a copy of a book he helped create, signed to his child.)
*itty-bitty tiny violin screeching
[ December 28, 2004, 12:08 PM: Message edited by: Sara Sasse ]
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
He said he intends three volumes. And serialized, it was pretty darn long. So, no, it's a series.
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
(Tom could do penance for his wicked ways by DM'ing a game for me. )
Posted by Traveler (Member # 3615) on :
I had picked up a copy of "Shadowmarch" as soon as it came out. I enjoyed it. It got bogged down at times...but overall it was a good book and I'll be picking up the sequel. I really enjoyed the "Otherland" series and his more recent "War of the Flowers".
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Just to clarify: I did not contribute in any major way to the creation of this book. *laugh* I made some early submissions, and hung out at the forums, but my understanding is that only the plot points are going to survive, and most of the text is going to go through a complete rewrite.
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Why thank you!
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