The Stone of Farewell is the second installment in Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy. For a quick synopsis of what happened in the previous book, The Dragonbone Chair, please read my review.

In this second novel, the unlikely hero Simon continues his quest to help save the world from Ineluki (the Storm King), an evil spirit of a long-dead Sitha.

{Please note: I discuss important parts of the plot in this review}.

During the course of this book, Prince Josua and the few others who escaped the siege of Naglimund must make their way through the Aldheorte Forest, where they meet the wise woman, Geloë. She instructs them to travel to the Stone of Farewell, where they will be safe for at least a little while.

Simon and his friends must also go to the Stone of Farewell, but there are many obstacles in their way. They go through many hardships and losses in order to get there. First they must escape from the Quanuc, the trolls who have imprisoned their kinsman, Binabik, as well as Sludig. Once they manage to do this, they must then make their way down the mountain, across the White Waste, where Simon is separated from the others.

Simon manages to get into the Sithi city, Jao é-Tinukai'i, where he learns many things about the mysterious Sithi. The problem he then has is getting out of the beautiful city; mortals were not supposed to be taken into the city and now they feel that he should not be allowed to leave. Eventually he escapes and makes his way to the Stone of Farewell where he finds that Prince Josua, as well as his other friends, have already arrived and are waiting for him.

This book also follows the travels and experiences of many other characters, including Miriamele and Cadrach, Maegwin and Count Eolair, as well as the Wrannaman, Tiamak.

The part about this series that I really like is the characters. They are quite likeable (except for the villains, who are hateable), as well as believable. They learn from their experiences, and it is quite interesting watching them grow. They react to the horrors around them in a realistic manner.

Once you get into this trilogy, these books are quite hard to put down. The Stone of Farewell is fast-paced and suspenseful.

Williams' picks up the pace a bit in this book, more, interesting events happen in this book, as compared to The Dragonbone Chair. This is just a teaser however, for what is to come in To Green Angel Tower.


Additional Info:

Author: Tad Williams
Copyright: 1990
Cover Art: Michael Whelan

Happy Reading!!!

Recommended: Yes