Book One of Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn
by Tad Williams
Recommended by Christopher Paolini
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Recommended by 1 source and appears in Fantasy and Fiction.
A war fueled by the powers of dark sorcery is about to engulf the peaceful land of Osten Ard_x0097_for Prester John, the High King, lies dying. And with his death, the Storm King, the undead ruler of the elflike Sithi, seizes the chance to regain his lost realm through a pact with the newly ascended king. Knowing the consequences of this bargain, the ki...
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Why recommended
Recommended by 1 source and appears in Fantasy and Fiction.
People and public figures who have recommended this book.
Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.
Christopher Paolini
“One of my favorite fantasy books and series (had a huge influence on me). @tadwilliams”
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Consider A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. le Guin. Recommended by 3 sources.
“Le Guin's novel reads as a compact, lyrical coming-of-age quest: a bright, reckless boy learns the costs of magic, speaks true names, faces a shadow he unleashed, and travels through islands and encounters that test his craft. What works best is the spare, poetic prose that turns familiar fantasy plot beats into moral parables about hubris, restraint, and identity. The limitation: the pacing is deliberate and episodic, and some readers may find female characters thinly sketched and moral lessons stated rather than deeply argued.”
Each recommendation is collected from a public source — interviews, articles, or curated lists — and linked to its original URL. Books with many verifiable recommendations from respected people rank higher.
