annieb123's Review of Brothers of the Wind (Osten Ard, #0.5) (Last King of Osten Ard, #0.5)

by Tad Williams

Pride often goes before a fall, but sometimes that prideful fall is so catastrophic that it changes history itself.

Among the immortal Sithi of Osten Ard, none are more beloved and admired than the two sons of the ruling family, steady Hakatri and his proud and fiery younger brother Ineluki - Ineluki, who will one day become the undead Storm King. The younger brother makes a bold, terrible oath that he will destroy deadly Hidohebhi, a terrifying monster, but instead drags his brother with him into a disaster that threatens not just their family but all the Sithi - and perhaps all of humankind as well.

Set a thousand years before the events of Williams's The Dragonbone Chair, the tale of Ineluki's tragic boast and what it brings is told by Pamon Kes, Hakatri's faithful servant. Kes is not one of the Sithi but a member of the enslaved Changeling race, and his loyalty has never before been tested. Now he must face the terrible black dragon at his master's side, then see his own life changed forever in a mere instant by Ineluki's rash, selfish promise.

Kes and his master will range the world, risking countless dangers and meeting both mortals and immortals of many kinds as they try to undo the tragedy that springs from Ineluki's fatal pledge. During this journey, the seeds are planted for events that will culminate centuries later in the Storm King's War in Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn and the dreadful Norn Queen Utuk'ku's assault on humanity in The Last King of Osten Ard.

In the end, Pamon Kes must question everything about his life - and risk everything, too - as he struggles to save his beloved master, Hakatri. But will anything Kes does be enough? Or has Ineluki's rash promise already set the entire world on an unstoppable course toward destruction?

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Brothers of the Wind is a new novel set in the world of Osten Ard by Tad Williams. Released 2nd Nov 2021 by Penguin Random House on their DAW imprint, it's 272 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

There are so many tie-ins to the other books set in this richly imagined and amazingly detailed world, that while it would be *possible* to read and understand this book out of context, much of the detail would be lost. I heartily recommend reading the other books in the Last King trilogy starting with The Witchwood Crown. Much of the action in this book foreshadows parts of the other books (the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy) and the world building is so well wrought that they form a cohesive whole mythology to rival Tolkein. Every part of the world is well thought out and three dimensional.

This is a solemnly written book which I found quite melancholy in places. The prose is masterfully wrought, however, and I found it moving.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 12 hours and 17 minutes and is capably narrated by the author himself. Sound and production quality were high throughout the recording.

Four and a half stars. Beautifully written and often grim, but ultimately a wonderful read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Brothers of the Wind (Osten Ard, #0.5) (Last King of Osten Ard, #0.5)

by Tad Williams

Reviewed by annieb123 on May 11, 2022

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