This review is for the whole Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy (or tetralogy, since the last book is sometimes divided in two books, being so long).

It was good, I appreciate what Williams has done here. This was one of the LoTR copycat trilogies in the 80s (and early 90s, in this case), targeting readers who loved LoTR and wanted more like that. What distinguishes this particular effort is that it's actually good. It's well-written and gives the reader a sense of a deep history behind the current situation of the fantasy world. It's a bit like LoTR (fight against a powerful dark lord, "elves" who are vanishing from the world, deep mythological past behind the story) but also different enough to have its own style and character.

People have criticized that it's too slow and long, and they have a point. I did not mind too much, because when a story is good and you can immerse yourself in it I don't mind giving it time and space, but occasionally I also felt it was a bit too slow and wordy. For me it was worth-reading, though. ( )

What a marathon read. And at the end of it, I can definitely understand why this series, and Tad Williams as an author, stands on one of the highest pedestals of fantasy writing.

To Green Angel Tower, and Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn as a series, is by no means perfect. There were some predictable twists, the ending was a little anticlimactic, and the Tolkien's legacy is clearly felt. But these elements can't detract from the absolutely immersive and amazingly deep world-building, as well as the engaging and captivating characters which Williams has been able to create. The struggles and trials, both internal and external, for the cast members were particularly vivid, which made their successes and failures all the more powerful. This is all delivered with a prose that is incredibly expressive, almost poetic, resulting in a reading experience that was constantly enjoyable despite the length.

I'll probably have to take a break with something lighter after this behemoth book, but I'm certainly keen to be back for more with Williams' own return to Osten Ard. ( )

Summary: A boy described as a 'Mooncalf' by those around him, has to grow up quick when dark forces come to town and he's forced to leave everything he's known behind him and go on the run.

Things I liked:

Characters are very nicely drawn up and their motivations make sense.

Things I thought could be improved:

Plot was a bit cliched at times.

Highlight:

Many, but I particularly liked the bit where Simon and the Doctor had to save the dark prince. ( )

Overall, I couldn't wish for a better final volume to the trilogy.
It had similar pacing to another giant book I've read, Storm of swords. The first half is slow, preparing everything and then the second half is a blast. And because of that, I highly recommend reading both parts together. Consider combining a physical book audiobook (the narrator and the background music are both great).
ranking in the series: 1. Dragonbone Chair
2. To Green Angel Tower: part 2 Storm
3. To Green Angel Tower: part 1 Siege
4. Stone of Farewell
------MINOR SPOILERS BELOW PROB.-------/Random things that stuck with me:
characters got never mixed up
-Miriamele is annoying most of the time
all of the Simon underground "adventures" were awesome
the three sword plot
the last chapter of the Rachel was so heartwarming


( )

What a massive book (phew). Williams completes his Memory, Sorrow, Thorn cycle by reconciling the tones of the first and second volumes. That isn't to say this book lies somewhere between happiness and sorrow, but rather this book seeks to find a way to happiness through sorrow.

To Green Angel Tower is an absolutely enormous journey, with more than a few creative asides. It was well worth it in my mind though. This series is often seen as the inspiration for a lot of the gloomier fantasy being written today. I can see why, but I think more useful themes from Memory, Sorrow and Thorn deserve to be reflected in modern fantasy. Few books tread the balance of nuance as carefully as this one does. Some are so dark and gloomy that a reader is depressed in the end instead of better for the experience, and some are so afraid to confront nuance that they end up saccharine and mindless. What we get in Green Angel Tower, however, is just right. It does maybe end too quickly, on an oddly joyous note, but the lead up to the finale is excellent. Worthy of its praise in every way, and definitely a turning point away from sole acceptance of Tolkien as the only working formula for fantasy. ( )