Rating: 
Summary: Masterful closure of a great series, seen?
Review: The final volume of the wonderful "Otherland" series far exceeded my already high expectations. I was both gratified and amazed by the thoroughness with which the author wove the intricate and complex elements of the books into a thought-provoking and highly satisfying conclusion. The steady increase of dramatic tension and the revelations which built inexorably toward the climax, tying all of the volumes brilliantly together, showed masterful planning and writing style.While the book is captivating as simply a story, it is even more exceptional as a vehicle for exploring issues involving the nature of consciousness and intelligence, the powerful human desire to extend our finite existence, and the ability within each of us to draw upon the best of our human spirit to persevere and triumph. The darkness portrayed was dark indeed; yet courage and hope were found in abundance. I also found the netfeed blurbs that introduce each chapter to be a chilling and all-too-credible commentary upon current societal trends and our media. A wonderfully crafted final volume...thank you, Mr. Williams.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but flawed finale to otherwise incredible series
Review: Tad Willaims' _Otherland_ has been an incredible series. And the difficulty inherent in writing what is truly a 3000+ page novel cannot be overemphasized. For the most part Willaims can be said to have succeeded. The first three books are excellent and the fourth starts off equally well. But the final volume's conclusion fails to live up to the series' promises and mars the entire work. This the concluding volume has a number of problems mostly centering around the last fourth of the book. One particularly odd flaw is Williams' decision to introduce a major new subplot relating to Mr. Sellars at the end of the book. This new development has no impact on the story and is too huge to include simply as an interesting detail. Williams could have written an entire new novel around this one subplot. However this is a minor point since even though this subplot takes up too much of the book it doesn't really take up that much and it does little to subtract from the enjoyment of the series. A far greater problem is that Williams is unable to bring the various story threads together in a fitting conclusion. He cetainly tries, even trying to get Christabel and Cho-Cho in on the climax, but in the end the situation seems to resolve itself. The heroes seem unimportant and I was left wondering why they were needed in the book. Certainly the characters' stories had been very interesting. And there is no literery reason why everyone in a story has to play some important part in the conclusion. But _Otherland_ had seemed to be building to a climax in which Paul and the other heroes would be the champions. The previous volumes had put a lot of emphasis on the angel and the feathers she kept giving Paul and in the third volume that angel puts a lot of significance on the mountain of black glass and the need of the heroes to climb it themselves.
This book suggest that Orlando is important in the plans of the other. But in the end neither the angel, the feathers, Paul, the black mountain, Orlando, or any of the others seem very important. Also after the climax the book doesn't end. The last chapters are a bit tedious and unimportant, and Williams seems to be setting up a possible sequel rather than completeing this story. I hate that this review seems overly negative. _Sea of Silver Light_ still has a lot going for it. Perhaps most imortantly it doesn't ruin the other books in the series. Many huge series like this fall completely apart in the later volumes and in the end none of the books seem any good. I can still recommend the series as a whole. But beyond that I can also reccomend this particular book. Though you certainly shouldn't read this book without reading the first three, this book is none the less good on its own merits. It is well written, very interesting, it continues to explore a spectacularly fascinating fantasy world (even if this volume shows some signs of padding, particularly the Old West simulation), and Willaims has an amazing sense of what people are really like and the characters and human institutions in this book tend to behave in very realistic and beleivable ways even when they are being absurd. I particularly enjoyed the NETFEED/NEWS bits at the begging of each chapter (in this and the previous volumes). The only exception to his good character developement are some of the minor characters in this volume, particularly T4B and Florimal. In previous volumes these character had very little development which was fine. Williams can't make every character a major character. In this volume Willaims tries to develope these charcaters more but does a surprisingly one dimensional job of it. One highlight of this volume is the back story explaining how Paul came to be involved with Jongleur and his relationship to Jongleur's duaghter. The book also has some surprises about Sellars and the true nature of the Other. Again I hope this review hasn't been too negative. _Sea of Silver Light_ is still a good book. And it is a good conclusion the the _Otherland_ series, but it is also a somewhat disappointing conclusion.
Rating:
Summary: I just have to say...
Review: I don't like to write reviews, but I had to say this. After reading the series, which is very good, and is something new and imaginative, I had my doubts on how in the world Tad Williams was going to wrap all this up and not have the ending stink as is so so common among these type of books. Much to my utter amazement, not only was the ending excellent, I have to say that it is the best ending to a book I have ever read, not really in how the story ends, as there were a few things that were just built up too much to have a smooth ending to them, but in how it lets you off. Very softly so you have no withdrawl symptoms. Very nice. I would encourage you to read the series if you have not!
Rating:
Summary: Truly Engrossing
Review: Tad Williams has managed to create a world even more alive than in the preceeding three volumes. The wonders of Otherland shine in Sea of Silver Light and I had many a late night as I refused to put the book down. The numerous loose ends start to come together early on, much to the benefit of the reader. When the nature of the Other was finally revealed, I set the book down and contemplated the issue. The book raises countless issues; issues not restricted to the fictional world, but applicable to our own. A profound and engrossing novel. The only downside is that the book does not seem to know when to quit. Sure, Williams wanted to wrap up all the loose ends, but his conclusions are less than satisfying and the book could do without the last 75-100 pages.
Rating:
Summary: good conclusion to good series
Review: The conclusion to the Otherland-series was a book I was really looking forward to, and after the wait the first half of it was a disappointment. I have been torn between giving three or four stars, & I decided to go for four, but only because of the ending. In books two & three the trekking through the myriad of worlds in the Otherland-network was still an exciting tour of discovery alongside the main characters, but in this volume it just gets too much. The aimless & oblivious stumbling around by Renie, !Xabbu & the others in the increasing nothingness of a crumbling network is stretched out for a chapter or ten too many. The endless wining of Martine Desroubins got on my nerves to the point where I actually wished Dread would catch her & just get it over with. And then, just when I thought I was in for a dissapponting end to a marvellous beginning, the pace picked up again. New surprises (& I mean real surprises, not confirmations of one of your own guesses), lots of answers to earlier questions, and page-turning action just like in the earlier books sped me towards the end. Sea of Silver Light is, after a slow start, a worthy conclusion to a very good, enjoyable & imaginative series. And, like someone else already said, Tad didn't pull a 'Robert Jordan' on us. Let's hope he will keep up this discipline in the future.
Rating: 
Summary: An out-of-left-field end to a mediocre series.
Review: I'm stunned to see how positive the reader reviews are for this. Actually not, given the big fan-boy type of following I'm sure this series has. I probably would have raved about it back in my younger days, too. To date, I'd considered the entire series just barely good enough to keep reading. Barely. The cast list is insufferably and unnecessarily huge, and the characters, aside from the main two protagonists, are cardboard cut-outs. Actually, calling any of the characters (other than the villain) a "protagonist" is a stretch, as they never really seem to be able to control their own destiny. They just keep going on, and on, and on while they're manipulated like rats in a maze. Fine, for a while, but after thousands upon thousands of pages, it just gets tired. The ending - and many of the mysteries that are unmasked at the very end - came *completely* out of left field. I don't think a single book has ever caused me to roll my eyes so many times. For example, from the first sentence and chapter of Book 1, we're led to believe that Jonas is this pivotal figure in the grand scheme.... that whole story line is a new high-water mark in disappointment. If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn't have read the first one.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent work
Review: This series is nothing short of astounding in its depth and richness- of invention, characterization, plotting, and ideas. The late 21st century world that Williams creates is totally believeable both for its differences and its similarities to today. Making your way through the nearly 4,000 pages of the four books is a major committment, but, like Tolkein, Tolstoy, etc. it is more than worth it. (Note: you really need to read them in sequence to get the full effect) I read the last 500 pages of Sea of Silver Light in one sitting and I lost count of the number of times I was enthralled as plot, characters and ideas came together in ways both welcome and unexpected. At the end I felt like I had really been on a special journey.
Rating:
Summary: Lord of the Rings meets The Matrix!
Review: With the publication of the final Otherland novel, Tad Williams has proven himself the one true heir to J.R.R. Tolkien. It's a shame there are so many fantasy and sci-fi novels on the shelves, which can't help but deny them the attention and huge cult following Tolkien earned through his unique status at the time of LOTR's publication, even though they are both breakthroughs in the way fiction can be written and enjoyed. Otherland is a bold concept and one can't help but admire someone like Williams, with the guts to try it and the skill to pull it off, without crossing the line that seperates the epic from the ridiculous, as Robert Jordan has. As the series concludes we follow the adventures of unlikly allies from all walks of life, thrown together with the purpose of saving the children of the world. Against them are the powerful and enigmatic Other, Dread, a sadistic psychic-assassin and the best villian I've seen since Randal Flagg graced "The Stand" (though perhaps 'graced' isn't the right term to use when describing the Walkin' Dude) and Felix Jonguler, the Sauron-turned-Gollum of this adventure. Williams obviously knows his history and mythology and uses both with dramatic and ironic effects. Some may say this book is too long, not me. The Otherland story is primarily a search for answers, that is the motivator for all the characters, and as they must struggle toward those answers, so will we. While reading good books I feel for the characters, but in Otherland I felt I WAS one of them. I celebrated with them, grieved with them, journeyed with them and reluctantly bid farewell to them when I finished the last page. The wait is worth it, however: by the end every secret is revealed, and while many of the truths are sad, pointless, painful or monsterous beyond belief, they are still valuable simply because they are the truth. I warn you, though, don't start this series unless you have some time on your hands: you'll be hooked from the first few pages. From then on the series will tease, torment and tantalize you. there will be times when you'll have to set the book aside and digest what you've read, but you wont be able to leave it alone for long.
Rating:
Summary: Otherland series is a really good read.
Review: I don't know when I've enjoyed a book so much. His characters are very well written and he is devious with his plot twists. Read the whole series, it's really good. Also, all the books are really thick, a real plus for the quick reader who needs frequent hits.
Rating:
Summary: Rave Review
Review: Spellbinding! Fantastic! Tad Williams is a master of depicting the hopes and dreams of ordinary people trapped in extrodinary circumstances. A good read! I can't put mine down.
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