Product Description

A masterpiece of the imagination, THE WAR OF THE FLOWERS is a truly epic novel that once again pushes the boundaries of fantasy fiction into new and unexplored territory. In the great city, in the dimly lit office of an impossibly tall building, two creatures meet. Gold changes hands, and the master of the House of Hellebore gives an order: 'War is coming. The child must die.' In our own world, a young man discovers a manuscript written by his great uncle. It seems to be a novel - a strange fairytale of fantastic creatures and magical realms. But it is written as a diary ...as if the events were real ...as if his uncle had journeyed to another world. For the young man, the fantasy is about to become reality. Find out more about this title and others at www.orbitbooks.co.uk

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #48611 in Books
• Published on: 2004-04-22
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 768 pages

Review
This standalone fantasy is the genuine article ... the plot reaches an intricate, inevitable and gloriously satisfying climax' STARBURST, 'A masterpiece of fairytale worldbuilding ... a wondrous tale set in a fascinating world' LOCUS, 'This is a clever and tricky book' TIME OUT LONDON, 'It's a brilliantly engaging fantasy ... warmly entertaining and top-notch stuff' SFX

About the Author
Former singer, shoe-seller and radio show host, Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, and Otherland series have established him as one of the most internationally popular fantasy authors of recent years.

Customer Reviews

Tad Williams does it again
I loved this book so much that I have just finished reading it for the second time. If you like your fantasy without all those wierd and wonderful character names that are difficult to pronounce, and with gritty human elements to it, then this is for you. Faerie comes across as a real place - I could imagine it quite clearly from the way parts of it were described and I had The City firmly pictured in my imagination by the end of the book. I felt that the main characters were very well drawn, Theo being the real anti hero, and I could well identify with his feelings when suddenly being drawn into a sometimes nightmarish world of Faerie from his ordinary, but troubled life on this world. I loved the idea of "magic " in Faerie being called "science" and being regarded by them as technology! Tad Williams rarely disappoints with his books - I wish he would write a sequel to the War of the Flowers - I am sure that there is a whole new tale there somewhere for Theo.

Hopelessly amateur but totaly Honest reveiw
This is quite simply a great book. After receiving his debut book for a Christmas present I was quickly hooked on the author. I preceded to but the whole of the 'Memory, Sorrow and Thorn' series. When I saw that he had another book being released I preordered it and managed to get one of the First 100 signed first editions. A big book that looked daunting but when I picked it up and started reading I decided against putting it down as I was gripped. The book presents another angle on the presence of fairies. They aren't all good! He explains everything away with the ease of someone who actually thinks it's true, and in all the detail of one who's lived it. The book is just a fantastic story and held me captivated. I would recommend Tad Williams and This book to anyone.
But if you're a Tolkien Fan, Then read 'Memory, Sorrow and Thorn' a series of four books starting with 'The Dragonbone Chair' Tad Williams first book and easily his best.

Worthwhile, but lacked depth in places
I love Tad Williams' writing. There are monsters that feature in War of the Flowers that made me go "eww!" just from their descriptions alone. Tad Williams' can disturb me with a description of something nasty, which is something no other author I've read can achieve as well or as often as he does.

I do find though, that sometimes the description can slow the progress of the story right down. Pages of description of a journey, or a walk accross camp, or whatever, which occurs between action/dialogue. That bugged me, particulary by the end.

The plot was decent enough. It had some nice twists, and I didn't really know how things were going to work out until the end. So that was certainly appreciated.

My main fault with the book was that I felt it lacked depth. Some of the villains, in particular, were your rather flat "I'm evil!" type characters. Another thing that really bugged me is that far too many characters just seemed too British. Fair enough, if the story were set in England! But it's set in a fantasy world, and it felt a bit off for so many to be like that!

This book had many laugh-out-loud moments. It was fairly easy to read. Plot was interesting. There could have been more development/depth to plot and characters, and that's really why I gave this book 3 stars. I don't regret reading, or buying it, but I wouldn't care to read it again.