Empire of Grass

Last King of Osten Ard, Book 2

By: Tad Williams

Narrated by: Andrew Wincott

Length: 36 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Set in Williams' New York Times best-selling fantasy world, the second audiobook of the Last King of Osten Ard returns to the trials of King Simon and Queen Miriamele as threats to their kingdom loom....

The kingdoms of Osten Ard have been at peace for decades, but now, the threat of a new war grows to nightmarish proportions.

Simon and Miriamele, royal husband and wife, face danger from every side. Their allies in Hernystir have made a pact with the dreadful queen of the Norns to allow her armies to cross into mortal lands. The ancient, powerful nation of Nabban is on the verge of bloody civil war, and the fierce nomads of the Thrithings grasslands have begun to mobilize, united by superstitious fervor and their age-old hatred of the city-dwellers.

But as the countries and peoples of the High Ward bicker among themselves, battle, bloodshed, and dark magics threaten to pull civilizations to pieces. And over it all looms the mystery of the Witchwood Crown, the deadly puzzle that Simon, Miriamele, and their allies must solve if they wish to survive.

But as the kingdoms of Osten Ard are torn apart by fear and greed, a few individuals will fight for their own lives and destinies - not yet aware that the survival of everything depends on them.

©2019 Tad Williams (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Tad Williams is a master storyteller, and the Osten Ard books are his masterpiece. Williams’ return to Osten Ard is every bit as compelling, deep, and fully-rendered as the first trilogy, and he continues to write with the experience and polish of an author at the top of his game." (Brandon Sanderson, New York Times best-selling author of Mistborn)

"Building upon the revered history of Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, Williams has outdone himself by penning a 700-plus page novel that is virtually un-put-down-able.... Williams’ grand-scale storytelling mastery is on full display here. Not just utterly readable - an instant fantasy classic." (Kirkus Reviews)

“Readers who delight in losing themselves in long complex tales of epic fantasy will be in their element here, and there is the promise of much more to come in future volumes.” (Locus)

Hanging!!!

Cannot wait till the next book to find out what happens! What a cliff hanger!

Better than the first book...

This second book in The Last King of Osten Ard manages to eventually (as in, it takes a good while) escape the constant and tedious back references to people and occurrences in Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. The petulance and bumbling that made teenage Simon so engaging and endearing in the first series just make him annoying and trifling as a middle-aged king - and that's just one example of the uninspiring handling of character development for many of the characters, both old and new.

I've been a big Tad Williams fan for decades, eagerly buying every new book he's released, and it was my love of Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn that made me that way. So I was excited when I heard he was revisiting Osten Ard. But this series has been almost painful at times, and the main reason I continue listening is because I'm such a fan of his previous work.

Good story but it is no Game of Thrones

I definitely enjoyed the writing. Sometimes it was hard to suspend my disbelief for parts of the plot. everything just sort of fit together too well if that makes sense

loved it

amazing second part to the sequel of memory sorrow and thorn. I hate that The Navigators Children hasn't been published yet. Can't wait for his next book.

Winner

fantastic addition to the series. Tad never disappoints. definitely worth the read. Cant wait for the next one

Excellent continuation

The narrator does an excellent job of making each voice distinct
Very good follow up to the first book

waiting for more

What a great continuation of the story of Simon. It is interesting the way he also shares the story from the Norm side. I hope that the next book comes out soon.

tad at his best

I'm so glad I discovered tads novels! this series is one of the best hands down!

An Immersive Fantasy Book

Another fantastic book by Tad Williams. I am looking forward to continuing the series in the final two volumes.

Tad Williams and Andrew Wincott at their best!

an absolutely Worthy third episode of an epic tale. Ted Williams is an absolute master storyteller. honestly one of the best I've ever read. and no matter how many awards he has won, no matter how many millions of books he has sold, this new generation has no clue who he is when I mention him. it's an utter shame. if you are under 30 and reading this review, please listen to this audiobook. you can thank me later.

and Andrew wincott, the narrator is a voice acting and dramatic reading genius. his performance really pulls you into the material. he does mispronounce the word curtsy as courtesy, but other than that, I think it's a flawless performance. highly recommend.