Rating: 
Summary: Very Impressive Fantasy Novel
Review: Having just finished Tad Williams' Otherland series, I was immediately drawn to this stand-alone fantasy. I was slightly skeptical at first, because the idea of a human being trapped in a fairy world sounded cliched and slightly corny. Despite this reluctance, I trusted my established opinion from reading the Otherland books that Tad Williams is a talented author well-capable of writing a stellar story. From the first chapter, I knew that The War of the Flowers was going to be an entertaining, satisfying read.
The novel is 800 pages long, but certainly doesn't seem like it. Fans/readers of Tad Williams know that he is notorious for long books that generally don't feel long. I think that he accomplishes this best by never really straying from the storyline. He doesn't go off on tangents, he doesn't go into boring, overly-detailed description, and consistently keeps the plot flowing smoothly and briskly. However, he does this seamlessly and unpredictably, so that the reader isn't exactly sure of where they're being taken, but when they finally get there, they're surprised and can't help but marvel at how well Tad Williams combines every element of the story into a coherent whole.
The War of the Flowers works brilliantly as a stand-alone novel, because there are no loose ends left unaccounted for, come the end of the book. Those who have read Otherland should know that even though things may seem simple and somewhat straight-forward, even close to resolved, Tad Williams always throws in a few curve balls towards the end that make everything that came before seem that much more interesting. It's difficult to make references to the novel without giving anything away.
The book is separated into various stages of complexity, as most novels logically are. The first 100 pages is character introduction and background, showing us what Theo Vilmos is like in the mortal world. There are some interesting relationship nuances and conflicts that we get to watch unfold, as well as some decisions that define Theo as a person. This part of the novel was very well-written, and surprisingly engaging for a part of the book lacking in any real plot.
The majority of the book (the middle four or five hundred pages) is what I like to think of as world development. After the reader is introduced to Theo, and Theo has been introduced to the world of Faerie, the world of Faeries must then be developed and substantiated for the reader in order for it to seem real and interesting. Tad Williams does a fine job of this, while forwarding the plot subtly, but letting it take somewhat of a backseat to the addition of various characters and background/history of the world. There is nothing boring about this middle section, it simply doesn't do a whole lot with the plot that is unpredictable. That comes in the final section.
The last 200 pages or so of the novel are chock-full of interesting revelations and turns of events which lead to the mostly-satisfying climax. This is the part of the novel that every reader will be waiting for, because it is very addictive and one can't help but marvel at its cleverness. I was surprised when the previously-simple plot began to complicate itself exponentially in just a few chapters. A few very interesting plot-elements, namely concerning the realities of Eamonn Dowd, make for a startling conclusion.
I would rate this book 4 and a half stars if it were possible, but I rounded down, because to me, 5 stars is a bona fide classic, a title which The War of the Flowers doesn't quite live up to. It would be within its reach, if not for a few significant (though hardly condemning) flaws. First and foremost, Theo, as a main character, can get a bit annoying. He seems to always say stupid things at the worst of times, which can be humorous, but definitely grows old. He is realistic in some aspects, in that he reacts to conflict and adversity the way a human being in his situation would. However, he is unrealistic in that he is somewhat two-dimensional, and seems to have no personality traits that aren't openly obvious to anyone who spends a half an hour with him. He still works alright as a character, but I would've rather had a more interesting protagonist.
As readers of Tad Williams probably know, the view point is always third-person, but the point of view is always filtered in some way to give an understanding of what the character sees and feels. In other novels with multiple protagonists, this works out well, but seeing as most chapters in The War of the Flowers are following Theo around, we see the world somewhat through his corny, two-dimensional way of thinking. It isn't a blaring flaw--it's very subtle, in fact--but Tad Williams' writing style makes Theo's character flaws affect the reader's enjoyment of the novel, slightly.
All this being said, the book is well-crafted and thoroughly enjoyable. I managed to finish it in four days, which alone should be testament to its quality.
Rating: 
Summary: about 400 pages too long
Review: I have never struggled to get through a book as much as I did with this one. I wondered how you could make a book that contained magic, fairies, goblins, brownies, and just about every other fantasy cliche so boring, but I think that this author has managed to do that. The book was also way too long, with the author describing things in metaphors and similes to the point of exhaustion. It seemed like he couldn't get through one description of scenery or a character's reaction or action without referencing it to something in the mundane "real" world. I have nothing against an author being descriptive if it's part of keeping the story flowing at a good pace, but in this book the over-wordy descriptions really slowed down the pace of the book and painfully dragged it out. Rather than torture yourself with this book, I would recommend his To Green Angel Tower books instead. They are much more exciting, faster-paced, and shorter.
Rating:
Summary: Great Twist On Faeries
Review: I originally got hooked on Tad Williams with his Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series. I loved his slight adjustments to the classic epic fantasy. I then read Tailchaser's Song and loved it. I did not enjoy his Otherland series, not being able to get through the first book. So, when I saw that he had another book coming out I was slightly apprehensive. But, I reasoned with myself that The War of the Flowers was another fantasy and sci fi and therefore as good as his others. I was not disappointed. What interested me at first was that the main character was an ordinary guy going through a rough time. There were also hints from the beginning about the events not being normal. What clinched the book for me and made me read hole myself up in my room for an afternoon to finish was his interpretation of the realm of fearie. It wasn't the classic view of pristine woods and tiny benign creatures. It's basically our world in the late 19th century with a few twists (like magic). Even his portrayal of magic is different in that it is a lot like electricity. Of course there is the battle between good and evil, but it occurs on many levels; between social classes, different beings, and different worlds. And as usual, there are plot twists that drew me in and didn't let go. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a fun, easy, slightly dark, nontraditional fantasy read.
Rating: 
Summary: More like Bore of the Flowers
Review: I read fantasy. I read a lot of fantasy. I know my fantasy. This book is boring. There are two main reasons I decided to spend my time reading this book. The first is that it is a stand alone novel (God I hope this is just a stand alone novel.) With so many of our authors deciding to spend 10 volumes telling a story, I think it is high time we reward those who decide to write a novel and then move on to better things. In this regard the novel did not disappoint. For all intents and purposes it is a stand alone novel.
The second reason I decided to read this was because of its "unique twist on the Faerie world." Sorry. How is this for unique? An alternate world with Faeries instead of mortals. The Faerie world uses "magic" instead of science. The Faerie world has social and political problems. Have you just about fallen out of your chair at the stunning originality. Want to get even more unconventional? The hero is "more than he seems." During the quest to find himself he saves the world, and while saving the world he finds himself. Oh, and he finds true love.
Maybe I am being a bit too harsh. Fantasy does not have to be original. Give us a likeable hero, some snappy sidekicks, good pacing, and all is well. The problem is that the hero is not likeable. He is a thirty year old who has the mentality of a ten year old. I have seen crack addicts with a better grip on reality than this joker. The pacing is atrocious. We spend 95% of the novel wondering what is so special about this guy, and then find out that what makes him special is not all that special. The story takes to long to start, and then does not give enough time for the climax. I could go on. The villians are lame. The love story is unbelievable. And in the end it really is just boring.
What is most unforgiveable is that buried in this sludge is a GREAT novel waiting to be written. The story of Mud Button and the Goblins (a side story really) is interesting and would have made a fantastic book.
Overall, this is not the worst novel I have ever read. But then again I do read a lot.
Rating: 
Summary: A modern retro classic
Review: I was truely impressed by this book. When I go to the libray I see Tad Williams books but I often ignore them because the books seem so huge. It seem like every book he writes has 1000 pages. so one day, I was in a hurry try to find a book to read especially to kill some for a couple of days to keep me busy. I felt this would be a great choose. To my surprise this story was NOT an outlandish run of the mill crazy sci-fi magical overkill. In the begining the main character Theo Vilmos was a basic dude with real problems. Williams made the character goes through what almost every guy goes throuh sometime in their life. So, it was easy to connect to the character. Then one magical moment after reading several pages that his grandfather had wrote. His life had changed with a fairy. Huh?? From this point one it get quorky, humorous and very entertaining. This book is an interesting find.
Rating:
Summary: By far the best from Tad Williams
Review: My first Tad Williams experience was Tailchasers Song, which I liked but felt like it needed more detail about the behavior of the cats. I then read the Otherland series, which I liked more than I thought I would, but it wasn't top on my list. I went through George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series for the second time and needed something new to read. I was hoping that The War of the Flowers would be a great read and I was not disappointed. The new world he has created here has huge potential for more stories, even though it's a complete novel in one book. I hope to see more about Theo in the future, and I'm glad to see Tad Williams growing in his writing ability. If you like The Song of Ice and Fire (GRRM), are looking for a good Fantasy read that won't cause you to sit for months and await the sequel, or have read Tad Williams' other works, then you need this book!
Rating:
Summary: A Fascinating Read
Review: Recently I've gotten back into reading fantasy and science fiction novels. After completing the Song of Fire and Ice Series by George R.R. Martin (which by the way I thought was amazing), I began and finished Salvatore's Dark Elf Trilogy and Icewind Dale Trilogy (loved these fast paced well crafted reads). Still hungry for more I read the Riftwar Saga by Feist which I really enjoyed. Although I'd purchased a copy of Otherland for future reading, I'd never read a book by Tad Williams, and so when the bookstore clerk recommended this book I decided what the heck I'd give it a try. I'm so glad I did. Easily the best of all the recent fantasy (as well as past) reads I've ever had. I loved this novel. Theo is a fascinating character. Williams does an amazing job descirbing him and sharing this character with the audience. Unlike the previous reviewer, I thought the novel picked up incredible amounts of steam once Theo traveled to Fairie. I loved the characterizations, and Williams ability to make a ready feel like he's right in the middle of a scen is down right amazing. I could not stop turning the pages or racing home to read more of the novel. I've now raced out and purchased the Dragbone Chair so that I can begin to experience more of the imaginiation of this most incredible author. I loved this novel, and you will too...I'm just sorry this is a one parter and I'd love to continue reading about this fascinating world of Fairie which Williams has created. Buy this book, you will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly entertaining
Review: Tad is definitely in my top ten list of authors. The Otherworld series is possibly the best fiction I have ever read. This book is not so revolutionary or unique in terms of subject matter but it was very entertaining. I read it in about 2 days. Couldn't put it down.
Rating:
Summary: I love Tad Williams, but not this book
Review: Tad Williams creates fabulous worlds, writes beautifully, and does everything right as far as I'm concerned -- until he wrote War of the Flowers. His vision of Faerie is interesting and has vitality. His concepts are great. The story had massive potential. But the execution was limp. It could have been 25% shorter and not lost much. While Williams repeatedly tells readers that Theo (the protagonist) is ineffectual, I never got a clear sense of the guy. The character arc was merely a bump, and unfulfilling. At one point, Theo jams with some other musicians and Williams does a great job of describing how Theo connects with and then riffs on the strange music. Later in the book, when he uses this ability where it really matters, Williams descriptions are abstract and vague. That was a letdown. I'm really bummed because (a) I bought the hardback retail, and (b) Tad Williams is one of my favorite authors. On the plus side, he delighted me with the tiny sprite with the huge 'tude, Applecore. And being familiar with San Francisco and the Santa Cruz Mountains, I enjoyed the beginning of the book because I knew where the story was. I also felt Theo was a stronger character here than in Faerie. My disappointment with War of the Flowers will not keep me from devouring whatever he writes next, though.
Rating:
Summary: Few original ideas...
Review: Tad Williams is a decent writer. I, like many others, greatly enjoyed the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn books. "The War of the Flowers," however, is not nearly so interesting or well done.
Tad Williams relies on a number of cliches in this book, from the plot to the characters, and it eventually begins to weigh down the sense of wonder and awe a reader should feel when reading a fantasy. There is absolutely no nuance to the characters in this book. The bad guys are almost insane, the good guys are small (in stature or ability,) but have giant hearts. Nothing ever happens that surprises you, and you know that when someone "dies," they are going to reappear only a few chapters on in the book.
The lead character, Theo Vilmos, is irritating. He is constantly whining, and displays an unbelievable range of emotion that tends to distance the reader from the character. He is always either terrified, too tired to stand, or heartsick with loss, or something else equally grand. The problem is that he is not sympathetic enough to care about, and this merely gets annoying.
There is an incredible amount of exposition in this story, and that is by far the worst part of this book. Tad Williams no doubt put quite a bit of thought into this world, and seems intent on bludgeoning the reader over the head with it. One particularly annoying method is having Theo always asking, "What's is THAT?" or "Who were THOSE guys?" at which point one of his companions can launch into a couple of pages of exposition. Theo seems overly dense for just this purpose, adding to the annoyance of his character.
Finally, a subjective complaint. Tad Williams chose to model Fairie on our own modern world, so there are buses, elevators, cars, dance clubs, guns, etc. This is hardly a fantasy. It's merely a setting in which Mr. Williams can break the rules that dont suit his plot, and throw in some imaginative props. Just on feeling alone, this is much closer to science fiction than it is to fantasy.
The good? Well, the writing and plot are okay enough that you will actually want to finish the book, and Tad WIlliams is certainly able to build impressive scenes and turn a funny phrase or two.
All in all, however, this isn't a very good book. It's about 300 pages longer than it should be, but I guess that's what we fantasy fans have come to expect. Go and read "The Knight," by Gene Wolfe if you are looking for a great fantasy book in this vein. You will be much happier.
|
