Rating: 
Summary: Totally Satisfying Conclusion To A Fantastic Epic . . .
Review: I had a terrific time reading SOSL, the last book in Tad Williams' "Otherland" fantasy epic! The last 100 pages of the third book -- Mountain of Black Glass -- were gripping and powerful, and I spent the last eighteen months waiting anxiously for the arrival of this book. When I started reading three weeks ago, I had my doubts on whether Williams could really come through with a conclusion that this series deserved, but he completely delivered on all levels.The most telling sign of how much I liked this final book was the number of chapters in the last 250 pages for which I found myself stunned and surprised by new developments or sudden revelations. I also found myself smiling at the end of the 922-page epic, knowing that I'd read something that I would remember for a long time and recommend strongly to friends and family. I agree with most of the other reviewers -- I was a little sad that I had finally reached the end because I wanted to know more about these characters and what will happen to them next. I also look forward to waiting a few years and then rereading this series from start to finish again. Those are the marks of a great writer and a great series. I'll stop right here because I don't want to accidentally spoil anything. Just get yourself a copy of "City of Golden Shadow," the first book in the series, and belt yourself in for a long, great ride. You'll love it!
Rating: 
Summary: Very good conclusion to a very good story.
Review: The conclusion to this series or as William's himself called it a 4000 page book in four instalments was very good. It is always a truly impressive feat when an author can write a long sprawling novel with dozens of characters and sub-plots, and manage to make them tie up neatly in the end. In the end of this novel all of the characters are taken care of, and the answers are all satisfactory. This series managed to create a level of mystery and excitment that is rarely equalled. Williams was able to combine sci-fi and fatasy worlds seemlessly. The novel had all of the intelligence and high minded ideas of a science fiction book, and at the same time build the deep characters and mystery of a fantasy novel. While this is an incredible acheivement, their are a couple of problems with this book that in my opinion kept it from being a truly great book. First, I could help but think that this series would have been better if he could have found a way to cut 500 pages from the story. I love long series of books and can read them quite quickly, but their were times when this book felt long. The twentith time that one of the groups runs through a hostile simulation barely escaping with their lives just got to be repeditive. Second, the sense of mystery and the excitment of how the novel redefined the world was not present in the last two books. This sense of mystery and excitment that made the first book so great, simply did not reappear. This story started out new and compelling, but ended in a very convintional manner. Even with these problems this is still one of the top books published in either sci-fi or fatasy in the last five years.
Rating:
Summary: So disappointed...
Review: that it's all over! :( That's all I need to say! If you haven't read this book yet, do so. If you haven't read the other books in the series, do so. Now. Immediately. This series is positively epic. It was so wonderful to see all the plot threads finally come together into a glorious and satisfying whole. Though, as happy as I was with the book, there's a large empty feeling that comes with knowing it's all over. That utterly scans.
Rating:
Summary: A fitting finale to this quartet of novels
Review: The Grail Brotherhood control OTHERLAND, a place where reality is checked at the dimensional portal and dreams and nightmares can become real. Human children find the OTHERLAND an enticing landscape in which they never mentally return as they remain in a comatose state. Led by the enigmatic Mr. Sellers, a horde of earthlings begins efforts to penetrate the veil. At the same time, the Grail Brotherhood begins the final ritual that will make them immortal. However, both plans fail as a former human servant Johnny Dread kills all but the leader of the Grail Brotherhood. Dread starts his own quest to become God with only a shaky alliance between the surviving Grail and Mr. Sellers' band standing in his way of success. The fourth in Tad Williams' OVERLAND series, SEA OF SILVER LIGHT, is a tremendous accomplishment that shows that the author is the leader of the science fiction fantasy world. The story line is loaded with action and filled with even more action as well as an intriguing look at the universe. The novel is not only superb, but Mr. Williams ties up his loose ends from the previous three stories. If you read any novel from the cross-genre realm, this is the one. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: What an ending!
Review: A lot of times, you'll come to the end of a series, and you'll be let down. It's almost inevitable; series like Williams' "Otherland", are so detailed, and involve so many characters, any satisfying resolution seems to exceed the author's grasp. Not so in this case. "Sea of Silver Light", wraps everything up nicely, but not hurriedly, and not without enough twists to keep you guessing right up until the end. In my case, a few of my pet hunches panned out, but many others were way off the mark, and in most instances, I didn't even hazard a guess. That's the beauty of this series, since Williams' operates outside of the world as we know it, the only constraint is his imagination, which is top notch. I would go on, but the risk of spoliers is just to great. Furthermore, his writing has just gotten better and better as the series has progressed. His character development is light-years beyond where it was at the beginning of the series, let alone his earlier works; and it was pretty good then. For those of you who have stumbled across this book, find "Otherland: City of Golden Shadow" and order it now! The whole series is predicated on a virtual reality network so realistic that it is seemless with the real world, to the point where if you die on the network, you die in real life. As you might guess, this network contains a near infinite number of "worlds", each populated by a host of bizarre, fun, frightening characters. Furthermore, William's pays tribute to many of his own literary influences by borrowing from Tolkien, Wells and Burroughs, to name a few. At the same time, he carries on a subtle debate about what "life" really is. Not only is this a well written, original adventure, but it's also a serious consideration of where technology is taking us as a species. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: none
Review: Tad Williams is by far one of today's elite fantasists; able to conjure up original worlds, believeable characters, mystery, mayhem, magic, and sorcery, and combine it with complex plots and sbplots, intricate detailing, and good, wholesome storytelling that rivets the reader, and transports them into his fully realized worlds from the very first sentence.SEA OF SILVER LIGHT is a stunning conclusion to an incredible excursion in fantasy, and Williams is a dazzling pyrotechnic display of wonder and intrigue, magic and myth, awe and a lush imagination...Gary S. Potter Author/Poet.
Rating:
Summary: INCREDIBLE CONCLUSION TO A GREAT SERIES
Review: Tad has done it again....he came up with a great, satisfying and surprising conclusion to one of the great series of the genre! SEA OF SILVER LIGHT will deliver to all of you folks who have been waiting to see where Tad takes the seires. If you have never read the OTHERLAND series or THE MEMORY, SORROW AND THORN trilogy you are in for two great massive treats. Unlike writers of other big series Tad is constantly challenging the reader. His books are full of great characters, many twists and turns and remarkable invention. Tad's novels are full of SPECTACLE in the most noble sense. Like great entertaintainers such as Spielberg, Stephen King and even Cecil B. DeMille Tad knows how to create a sense of awe!! Not easy to do in today's jaded world.....Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: A Grand Ending to a Fabulous Series (No spoilers)
Review: SOSL picks up in the same excellent style that Tad used in the first three books. Gradually, piece by piece of the mysteries lying at the heart of Otherland are revealed, woven masterfully into the storyline. I had a hard time putting this book down, fooling myself that I would read just one more chapter. I finally made myself stay up until 3 AM last night to read the last few pages of the book. It was such a relief to learn the secrets of Sellars, the Other, Ava, Olga, Paul Jonas, and others. I've been contemplating those questions for over three years now. I was surprised by some of the twists that SOSL contained, but everything was very plausible after looking back on the entire series. The writing style was superb as always. Tad gently moved the story along instead of hammering the reader with key plot elements. In particular, I thoroughly enjoyed !Xabbu and Renie's interaction, Sam Fredricks, and Long Joseph. But all characters are developed and feel like an intergral part of the story instead of stock characters that are extras in the overall story. The last 200 pages, when everything starts to go down and the majority of secrets are revealed, were absolutely riveting. Don't start unless you have enough time to finish the book since you won't be able to put it down as all the plot threads start to collide. My only disappointment with the series is that it is over. After the epic climax, I wanted to read more of the characters. Tad does a good job, showing them in their post-Ohterland lives for 60 pages or so, but I wanted more. This is the mark of an excellent series. When the characters stop seeming like mere characters on the page, but interesting people that you want to learn more about. If you've already been reading the series, run to the bookstore now and go buy your copy. If you haven't been reading it and want to read an epic fantasy\conspiracy\SF\thriller series that is truly original, go to the store and purchase the series. You won't be disappointed. Great job, Tad.
Rating:
Summary: Impressive, wot? (very minor spoilers)
Review: The conclusion to Tad William's _Otherland_ saga, _Sea of Silver Light_, is a massive, sprawling, complex, sometimes confusing, but ultimately satisfying journey. The plot turn that closed Volume 3, _Mountain of Black Glass_, has left Our Heroes divided once again, and with some peculiar choices in travelling companions. Though their separations, combinations, and ultimate reunion do drag on, there is little of the aimless feel that plagued the previous two books, especially the second, _River of Blue Fire_. There is definitely momentum here, and the momentum picks up as the companions come closer to the dark heart of the entity known as the Other. The various plot threads finally rush together in a thrilling and well-plotted conclusion that resolves the mysteries of Paul Jonas, Ava, the man Sellars, and the nature of the Other itself. The ending does get a bit warm and fuzzy; after the apocalyptic tone of most of the book, it seems a bit disconcerting for so many things to turn out so well, but as I said before, the book and series make a satisfying whole. The ultimate fate of Renie, !Xabbu, and their friends, as well as when and whether the nefarious Jongleur and his monstrous servant Dread get their well-deserved comeuppance, is certainly worth reading for, and the descriptions of some the virtual worlds through which they trek to reach that fate are, as in the previous books, breathtaking.
Rating:
Summary: God bless Tad!!!
Review: Just when you think the series can't get any better, Tad gives you SOSL!!! A wonderful end to a fabulous series. Tad Williams alone is a reason to keep reading a genre that has generally produced less than stellar results in the last 10 years. If you haven't started Otherland yet, start now. Don't forget the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series also. Tad rocks!!!
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