To Green Angel Tower by Tad Williams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've finally returned to this fantastic fantasy land after thirty years and it is as I remember it: Vast epic fantasy that turns most of the old (old as of this book's first entry into the field) on its head. No dwarves or elves the way we might have seen them in Tolkein or any of the many sword & sorcery or D&D novels, but rich, deep worldbuilding that stays far away from overpowered magics or equally overpowered characters.

The first two books in this trilogy were immensely popular for the time, ushering forth the equally popular Game of Thrones and WoT novels that would come out a short time later, sharing a vast page count and depth, but it was the third book in Tad William's trilogy that makes it all worthwhile and complete. And it was published in TWO huge volumes for a total of approximately 1,100 pages.

To summarize is pointless, but I can broadly say that we have an epic war of two brothers for a kingdom, the oncoming storm of the Storm King with his undead army, and the culmination of the mystery and magic of the three magic swords (seemingly intelligent, inexorable) and the fates of broken or breaking magicians, immortals, and more.

But above all, we follow regular people, so totally out of their depth, as they desperately try to survive against such odds.

It's so satisfying. :) I'm so glad I came back to all this.

I've read the sequels and will be re-reading them, as well. So far, I'm pretty amazed and I appreciate it all more now than I did the first time. The writing is truly gorgeous and detailed. :)

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