The Dragonbone Chair

"Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn proved there was an appetite not only for epic fantasy but for the complexity that Williams brought to the genre." —Vulture

Now, after nearly 40 years in print, DAW presents a deluxe edition of The Dragonbone Chair, the first book in the internationally bestselling series Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by master storyteller Tad Williams, which inspired a generation of fantasy writers including George R. R. Martin, Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, and Christopher Paolini.

This special edition of The Dragonbone Chair will be published in Fall 2026 to coincide with the brand new prequel, The Splintered Sun, set hundreds of years before the events of this novel. It include sprayed edges, premium cover effects, 4-color endpapers featuring the original Michael Whelan art, and a new introduction from the author!

A war fueled by the powers of dark sorcery is about to engulf the peaceful land of Osten Ard—for Prester John, the High King, lies dying. And with his death, the Storm King, the undead ruler of the elf-like Sithi, seizes the chance to regain his lost realm through a pact with the newly ascended king. Knowing the consequences of this bargain, the king’s younger brother joins with a small, scattered group of scholars, the League of the Scroll, to confront the true danger threatening Osten Ard.

Simon, a kitchen boy from the royal castle unknowingly apprenticed to a member of this League, will be sent on a quest that offers the only hope of salvation, a deadly riddle concerning long-lost swords of power. Compelled by fate and perilous magics, he must leave the only home he’s ever known and face enemies more terrifying than Osten Ard has ever seen, even as the land itself begins to die.

Praise for Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn and the world of Osten Ard:

"One of my favorite fantasy series." —George R. R. Martin
"Tad Williams is a master storyteller, and the Osten Ard books are his masterpiece."—Brandon Sanderson
"Groundbreaking." —Patrick Rothfuss
"One of the great fantasy epics of all time." —Christopher Paolini