Shadowrise
Master storyteller Tad Williams returns to epic fantasy with the third book in the Shadowmarch quartet.
As shadows threaten to consume the kingdom of Southmarch, Barrick Eddon, heir to the March throne, battles his way across the sinister Shadowlands. He must journey through this dangerous, inhuman realm to fulfil a pact – as this may be all that can prevent the atrocities of a full-scale war with the Twilight people of Qul-na-Qar.
Princess Briony, Barrick’s twin sister, finds herself in no less danger at the court of Tessis in Syan. When those close to her fall dead from poisoning, she is to learn the true extent of the betrayal surrounding her. Her only option is to flee, as all those in Tessis turn against her – all, that is, except for one important ally.
Meanwhile, the assault upon Southmarch has truly begun. Yasammez, the formidable head of the Qar army, has ordered the attack, believing that the pact between humans and Qar has been broken. Unless Ferras Vansen, Captain of the Southmarch Royal Guard, can convince her otherwise, the humans are sure to meet the dark end that has been promised to them...
An epic tale of magic and mystery, duty and betrayal, Tad Williams' Shadowmarch quartet is destined to become a classic of modern fantasy.
Tad Williams
Tad Williams (US, born 1957) has held more jobs than any sane person should admit to – singing in a band, selling shoes, managing a financial institution, throwing newspapers, and designing military manuals, to name just a few. He also hosted a syndicated radio show for ten years, worked in theater and television production, taught both grade-school and college classes, and worked in multimedia for a major computer firm. He is cofounder of an interactive television company, and is currently writing comic books and film and television scripts as well. Tad and his family live in London and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Shadowmarch
Shadowmarch consists of four books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Book Reviews
Tad Williams' Shadowmarch series has been a pleasant surprise. This series is well written epic fantasy - the story is good and the characters are interesting. Shadowrise contains good synopses of Shadowmarch and Shadowplay. I think it's great that this book contains synopses of the previous books, because they give the reader a chance to recollect what happened before. Shadowrise is as good and entertaining as Shadowmarch and Shadowplay. It was worth waiting for, because the story is good. The only bad thing is that you have to wait a couple of months before you can read how the story ends. In my opinion Shadowrise is excellent entertainment for fantasy readers. If you've read the previous books, you'll like this book. I'm looking forward to reading the final book, Shadowheart.