Photo of Tad Williams
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Tad Williams

3 series 13 books in order

Robert Paul "Tad" Williams, born March 14, 1957, in San Jose, California, is an American fantasy author based in California. He writes across multiple genres, including epic fantasy, science fiction, urban fantasy, comics, and scripts. His works have sold tens of millions of copies worldwide and have influenced a generation of writers. Williams is known for genre-defining and genre-blending contributions to literature, including his breakthrough novel Tailchaser's Song, the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series, the Otherland series, and The War of the Flowers.

Born
1957
Known for
Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, Otherland, Shadowmarch

Series by Tad Williams

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn

5 books in order · 1990–1994

  1. Cover of The Dragonbone Chair

    The Dragonbone Chair

    1991 · Tad Williams

    In the peaceful land of Osten Ard, the good king is dying, and a long-dreaded evil is about to be unleashed. Simon, a lowly castle scullion who is…

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  2. Stone of Farewell

    1990 · Tad Williams

    Stone of Farewell is a 1990 fantasy novel by Tad Williams, serving as the second book in his Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy. It continues the…

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  3. Cover of To Green Angel Tower

    To Green Angel Tower

    1993 · Tad Williams

    To Green Angel Tower is the third and final novel in Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy, at over 520,000 words one of the longest novels…

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  4. Cover of To Green Angel Tower, Part 1 (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, Book 3)
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  5. Cover of To Green Angel Tower, Part 2 (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, Book 3)

    To Green Angel Tower, Part 2 (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, Book 3)

    1994 · Tad Williams

    The concluding volume of Tad Williams' trilogy Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, following The Dragonbone Chair and Stone of Farewell. In this second part of…

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Otherland

4 books in order · 1996–2001

  1. Cover of City of Golden Shadow

    City of Golden Shadow

    1996 · Tad Williams

    In the near future, people live a second life in cyberspace, with a growing subculture of cyberfolk and cyberpunks spending more time online than in…

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  2. Cover of River of Blue Fire

    River of Blue Fire

    1998 · Tad Williams

    Volume two of the Otherland series follows a group of determined individuals who have successfully broken through the Grail Brotherhood's defenses…

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  3. Cover of Mountain of Black Glass

    Mountain of Black Glass

    1999 · Tad Williams

    Mountain of Black Glass is a science fiction novel by American writer Tad Williams, the third book in his Otherland series. It was first published in…

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  4. Cover of Sea of Silver Light

    Sea of Silver Light

    2001 · Tad Williams

    Sea of Silver Light is a science fiction novel by American writer Tad Williams, the fourth and final book in his Otherland series. It was published…

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Shadowmarch

4 books in order · 2004–2010

  1. Cover of Shadowmarch

    Shadowmarch

    2004 · Tad Williams

    Shadowmarch is a fantasy novel by Tad Williams, published in 2004. It is the first book in the Shadowmarch tetralogy. The novel was released in…

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  2. Cover of Shadowplay (Shadowmarch, Vol. 2)

    Shadowplay (Shadowmarch, Vol. 2)

    2007 · Tad Williams

    Shadowplay is a 2007 novel by Tad Williams. It is the continuation of the epic fantasy series that began with Shadowmarch. The book was written by…

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  3. Cover of Shadowrise

    Shadowrise

    2010 · Tad Williams

    With King Olin imprisoned and Prince Kendrick slain, royal twins Barrick and Briony are forced to flee their homeland. Facing dark secrets within…

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  4. Cover of Shadowheart

    Shadowheart

    2010 · Tad Williams

    Something powerful and terrible, unseen for thousands of years, is awakening beneath Southmarch Castle. Its young defenders Barrick and Briony, along…

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Frequently asked questions

How many books has Tad Williams written?

We list 13 books by Tad Williams across 3 series, published between 1990–2010 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Tad Williams's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “The Dragonbone Chair.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy Tad Williams's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Bibliography and reading orders compiled from verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.