Tad Williams puts the ‘epic’ in epic fantasy. At 1083 pages, this behemoth was so large they ended up publishing the trade paperback version in two volumes. It’s not only epic in length, but in apocalyptic scope.

Despite the length, not everyone’s story could be fully realized. Some narrative arcs mattered more than others both for the sake of the plot and the reader’s interest. Williams excelled at describing massive events, like the movement of Josua’s army in Nabban, in just a few descriptive scenes.

This final volume is deeply satisfying. The painstaking character development that Williams is known for pays off as Simon, Josua, Miriamele, Binabik, and a multitude of secondary figures return to the Hayholt—or is it Asu’a?—to meet the fury of the Storm King and the immortal Norn army.

Williams, Tad. To Green Angel Tower. DAW, 1993.