The Dragonbone Chair
Ratings184
Average rating3.8
Long book but a very good story line. Just wished the author would have released the books quicker.
Read this the first time in 1988 - it had been a Christmas gift. At the time I didn't realize it was the first in a series. Couldn't put it down - and as I rushed towards the end I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out how the author was going to tie up all the loose ends. Flipped back to the dust jacket and swore loudly when I realized I'd be waiting for awhile for a sequel.
Author does a wonderful job of ‘world building' - the detail in the story is fabulous, and the characters are well developed.
This recently has been released on audiobook - something I've been patiently waiting for, for quite some time. And again, the wait was worth it - it's as fabulous as I remember the 1st time I read it.
As with most first novels in epic fantasy, this book was pretty slow at until the last 20% or so. Still, I knew this going in and I'm excited to continue this series exploring the world and the characters. Many of the characters didn't stand out to me except for the main ones so I'm much more interested in Simon's part of the story than the political intrigue bits between the nations of Osten Ard. Simon is a boy of 15 and he acts like it throughout the story. I loved watching him experiencing this journey and adventure that was thrust upon him which heavily mirrors the quest that Frodo must embark on and also Rand from the Wheel of Time which came after this book was published.
Great novel and setup for this world and story. It looses some stars because it was a bit too slow and the ending was good but not earth shattering.
This took me way too long to read. It was a frustratingly slow book. I didn't care for any of the characters. There was nothing to keep me reading, though I kept on. The ending was good, though.
What an amazing book this was!
If you ever wanted to read a classic fantasy book, which features all of your favorite tropes, but still manages to surprise you every time you think you've got it figured out, then this one is for you.
We have a vast intriguing world, a huge cast of characters, an amazing atmosphere, mystery, history, action, quests... And all of this is written in such a clever way! We have a beautiful and solid writing style, which left me feeling like I can trust this author to tell an enchanting story. Which he did.
The one thing you need to be prepared for is this: the book is SLOW! And while I enjoyed it and definitely think it's worth it, it might be an issue for the faster readers. The author takes his sweet sweet time to introduce this world and his many characters and stories, and doesn't shy away from putting scenes on page, just because they make the story cosier.
So, if you're planning to read this one, make sure that you're okay with not being hasty, then pick it up and enjoy the ride.
[very mild Spoilers ahead]
There are many elements to Osten Ard that made me want to like this book, but they are ultimately overshadowed by the terrible cast of characters, first and foremost the protagonist. Simon is sexist (as is everyone else in this world), racist, naive, whiny, jealous, arrogant, and both annoying and boring all at the same time... there is not a single redeeming quality to this guy. Most of the other characters lack build up and development. The only interesting ones were Elias and Josua, but their difficult relationship as brothers doesn't get enough screentime to carry a story that is otherwise filled with (100% male) characters that merely serve a purpose in the plot. There is also an abundance of fantasy tropes and cliches (to be fair, things like “dragon slaying swords” and “very old forest” might not have been cliche when this series was written) that get old very fast.
The world of Osten Ard is fascinating and I wanted to know more about the twisted history behind all the events in this book, but how that world is shown and explained to the reader is done rather poorly. Simon asks questions, wise old man answers questions, gets fed up with him asking so many questions. Repeat this 20 times and you have the structure of information dumps you will find in this book.
I will not continue this series, despite all the great things I've heard about it.
I loved the “Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn” trilogy. I read it a long time ago, but that's how strong the impression was. Definitely high fantasy, so if you're not into dragons, magic, quests, and destiny - don't read.
There are some passages/chapters that are magical but most of it is just so slow and boring. If I did not read this as part of a buddy read, I would have dnfed that early. I wished I had.
This is technically a reread, but I remember almost nothing about this book except for some vague and unimportant scenes about 2/3 through the book. I really loved this book. Its so slow, but I loved his prose and didn't mind the slow build.
My biggest complaint is that many of the characters feel non-distinct. Miriamele and Maegwin feel like the same person. I couldn't tell you who Guthwilf, Fengbald and Isgrimnur are and what role they have in the story and what the differences are between the lands they come from as they just sort of blend together. Other characters are obviously quite distinct like Binibik, Geloe, Josua and Elias.
I don't think I was in the right mood the first time I tried to read this but I am so glad I decided to try again. I've read a lot of conflicting reviews and honestly all I can say is try it for yourself and see. It does seem slow at the beginning but after a bit I truly enjoyed reading about Simon bumbling around like an idiot half the time. And what really sold this whole story for me was Binabik. Hands down one of the best characters I have had the pleasure to get to know. I want him to be my best friend.
This was a really rough start. I was incredibly bored and pushed through only because of other reviews. And I'm so glad I did!
Things slowly get more interesting once Hayholt is behind you. The lore and characters of the world start making sense. It's so lush and immersive. I wound up getting very invested, despite how many players are involved in the plot. Gods there are a lot of characters! You flit around so many perspectives and it made my head spin occasionally. But in the end, it makes sense. I was not left confused by who each character was.
Also thrilled that there are Asian and Inuit inspired peoples, at least in language formatting. Binabik and Jeriki are the absolute best characters. Even Simon stops being an idiot eventually. I cut him some slack because all teenagers are cringe. It's par for the course.
There are also two women being set up for greater things so we're going to get more female representation, I hope.
“Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself in your own head. You'll find what you need to furnish it-memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey. You'll never lack for a home-unless you lose your head, of course”
This was a nice long and slow epic novel that was low on magic and high on honour
This book was a rollercoaster. At first I was thinking that this was going to be the best book ever and then it got so boring I almost put it down and then it got pretty good again. I can definitely understand why some people hate this book but I thought it turned out pretty good especially since it was made in the 80's. I think the hardest part for me with fantasy books is that I'm trying to find the next Game of Thrones and nothing I've read matches up that masterpiece. Although I can see where Martin got a lot of inspiration from Williams in this book. Of course like most fantasies there's similarities with Tolkien. There's the evil force that seemingly wants to rule the world, there's different bands of humans, there's Giants, large wolves, large dog like creatures, Siths(elves), and Trolls(Dwarves). Binabik the Troll and Morgenes are my favorite characters.
What an enjoyable read. This story feels special and timeless. Williams's worldbuilding is deep and impressive. Although he raises considerably more questions than he answers, I'm fully invested in seeing this through to the end.
This series has been on my TBR pile for the longest while and if all goes well, I hope to work my way through the remaining Osten Ard books in anticipation of the new book being released in 2021.
See this review and others at The Speculative Shelf.
One hour in and I can't tell, but most importantly, really don't care what's happening. Didn't care for the writing or the (lack of) story.
Read 01:19/33:12 4%
Bit slow to get going but writing more than carries you through. Beautifully realised world and very pleased I persisted.
A little overwritten and long in parts and much of the plot theme borrowed from LOTR. Nonetheless quite enjoyable.
This book is so wonderful. Williams does an amazing job of developing the world of Osten Ard so fantastically. Amazing
A sometimes overlong epic, Williams does a wonderful job of world-building, with a rich history that he manages to keep germane to the central story. Simon's development through the course of the series is well written and very believable.