The secret of the great swords

The secret of the great swords , also called Die Saga von Osten Ard , (English original title: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn ) is Tad Williams ' epic fantasy trilogy (in German tetralogy), consisting of Der Drachenbeinthron (1988, German bound 1991, Taschenbuch 1996), Der Abschiedsstein (1990, German bound 1993, paperback 1996) and the To Green Angel Tower (German title Die Nornenkönigin , bound 1994, paperback 1994) and Der Engelsturm (1994 bound, paperback 1997 ), which is divided into two volumes )).

World - East Ard

The books are set on the east Ard continent with climatic conditions between polar and tropical conditions, in the extreme north and south. Throughout the entire trilogy, references to real peoples and worlds give Osten Ard more complexity and depth than a completely made-up world and generate narrative expectations that Williams partly fulfills and partly unexpectedly changes.

Peoples

The intelligent inhabitants of Osten Ard are mostly human. Several of the human races borrow from historical real world peoples. The north is populated by the Rimmersmen , a Germanic warrior people who originally went back to stranded seafarers (probably inspired by the Vikings). Southern seafaring peoples are the Nabbanai and Pedruinese , the Wranna are dark-skinned and inhabit subtropical swamps, the Erkynlanders are probably a mixed people from different origins who populate the landscape around the central scenes, similar to the English. The Hernystiri are an equestrian people of the southwest, as are the inhabitants of the Thrithinge . Tropical peoples living in the far south appear only marginally in the novels.

At the time the novels are set, nonhuman inhabitants only populate hidden fringes of the continent and are often mistaken for legends by parts of the population. So the so-called Sithi and Norns (elven-like immortals in the forests and the extreme north), Qanuc (also called trolls, dwarf mountain dwellers) and the subterranean people similar to a slender, but somewhat larger dwarf people .

The fauna and flora of the continent contains animals and plants from the real world, such as wolves, bears and various species of birds, as well as various fictional animal species and semi-intelligent beings (so-called buckets , giants living in the earth ).

Fictional story

Originally the Sithi, later also the (human) emperors of Nabban (similar to the Roman Empire, but more of a seafaring people) were the rulers of large parts of the East Ard. The Sithi Empire collapses under the onslaught of the Rimmersmen, the empire shrinks to insignificance. The rule of the Rimmersmen collapsed after a few generations. After this time, the novel The Burning Man is set . A few centuries later, King Johann Presbyter (also called Priest Johann ) , who resided in Erkynland, united most of the human world into a single, medieval-like empire. At the end of his reign, the novel sets a dragon leg throne . The new rule of the Hochkönig Seoman and his queen Miriamel emerged from the turmoil of the time of the novels.

Linguistic bonds

With some terms and names of the Sithi / Norns Williams makes reference to Japanese, e.g. E.g. with the queen of the norn Utuk'ku (美しい / utsukushii = beautiful), the Sithi Jiriki (自力 / jiriki = on their own), the dragon mother Hidohebhi (酷い蛇 / hidoi hebi = terrible snake) or the Sithi city of Tumetai (冷たい / tsumetai = cold).

Religions

Besides some remaining polytheistic religions with models in Germanic and Celtic mythology , the largest human religion is a belief very similar to Christianity. Its main character, Usires Ädon, was hit upside down on the "sacred tree", which became its symbol (like the cross for Christians). The hierarchical structure is also similar to the Catholic Church with a pope-like archprelate at the top. An ongoing veneration of saints and relics is also similar to medieval Catholicism.

The kitchen boy Simon (often called " moon calf " because of his daydreams by the chief chambermaid Rachel ) spends his time avoiding the kitchen work on the Hochhorst (King Johan's castle) as successfully as possible. There he experienced both the last years of Johan Presbyter's rule and the first months of his son Elias' rule. After Elias' brother, Prince Josua, disappears without a trace and is suspected of treason and attempted robbery of the throne, Simon finds him in one of the dungeons under the high eyrie, where Pryrates, the dark magician and advisor to King Elias, is holding him prisoner. Together with his teacher, Doctor Morgenes, Simon frees the prince and as a result has to flee from Pryrates himself. While trying to save Simon, Doctor Morgenes dies. Simon has to make his way to the prince - only with a manuscript from his old master and vague directions - in order to seek refuge there.

The first section of the journey takes Simon through the depths under the Hochhorst, which was once a mighty Sithi city. There he wanders around for a long time until he is on the verge of madness and finally finds an exit.

While Osten Ard is becoming more and more dangerous because King Elias neglects to fight robbers, Simon's story is also told that of other characters from the country. These include Duke Isgrimnur von Rimmersgard, Maegwin, the daughter of King Lluth von Hernystir, and Tiamak, a scribe from a swamp village in the south.

Despite hunger, persecution and horror, Simon manages, with some human and non-human help, to reach Prince Josua's fortress of Naglimund, where he is given refuge. On the way there he frees one of the legendary Sithi from a trap, whereupon the latter gives him a white arrow as a gift. Here, too, he meets Qanuk Binabik, who from now on will be at his side as a loyal friend on his travels.

At his feast, Prince Joshua holds a council that clarifies much about the reasons for King Elias' reign of terror. So the community learns that Elias allied himself with the legendary undead Storm King and received the mighty sword "suffering" from him. The Storm King was once the Sitha Ineluki, who forged the sword Sorrow in the war against the Rimmersmen.

Together with the swords "Dorn" and "Minneyar", "Suffering" is one of the three great swords. According to an ancient poem, only these swords together can prevent the Storm King from returning to the world of the living. It is known of suffering where it is, and Minneyar believe those present are hidden on the high eyrie. Only the sword Dorn seems inaccessible, which, according to an old story, was lost in the icy mountains of the north.

Therefore, Simon, Binabik and a few other companions set out to find the sword and bring it back to Prince Joshua. After an arduous journey through the unnatural winter sent by the Storm King, they find the sword and want to bring it back. On the way back, however, they get into a fight with a dragon, but Simon manages to injure the dragon with a thorn, but is struck by the dragon's blood, which means that from now on he wears a white streak that brings him the name "Simon Snow Curl".

On their travels they meet the Sitha freed by Simon, who turns out to be the prince of the Sithi who remained in Osten Ard and introduces himself as Jiriki. Since Simon saved his life, Jiriki is indebted to him and declares that the white arrow is proof of this.

Meanwhile, King Elias attacks Naglimund. His troops are supported by the also immortal Norns, relatives of the Sithi, whereby Naglimund falls in a very short time and Prince Joshua has to flee together with the rest of his court.

The farewell stone

Simon must free Binabik, who was sentenced to death by his own people. He is charged with leaving his fiancée, Sisqi, and being responsible for the abnormally long winter. At the time that Binabik was out with Simon, an important ritual should actually have taken place, which Binabik should have performed on behalf of his deceased master, the "singing man".

Binabik falls into a kind of apathy and wants to accept the verdict without a fight. Only at the urging of Simon and Sisqi does Binabik begin to fight half-heartedly for his life.

The shepherd and the huntress - rulers of the trolls and Sisqi's parents - only reluctantly let Binabik go when he promises, with the help of his master's scrolls, to end the long winter in which he supports Prince Joshua in his fight against the Storm King.

In a dream, Simon is called to the farewell stone by the witch Geloë, who already helped him on his trip to Naglimund, a place where they are said to be safe for a while from the Storm King and King Elias and to which Joshua and his entourage go Tried to punch through.

After a long and arduous journey, Simon and his companions reach an abandoned village in which only the mysterious Skodi lives with her children. There they are welcomed in a friendly manner, but during the night it turns out that Skodi is in league with the servants of the Storm King (the red hand) and offers him the sword Dorn in exchange for power, which Simon tries to bring to Joshua.

In a desperate rescue operation, Simon is separated from Binabik and, after days of starvation and freezing in the freezing cold, is saved by Jiriki's sister Aditu and is the first mortal to be brought to the great Sithi city, Jao é-Tinukai'i. Jiriki's parents, the rulers of the Sithi, do not approve of this deed and condemn Simon never to leave the city again.

After the Storm King and his ally, the Norn Queen, have invaded the city, killing the oldest living Sitha, Amerasu, Simon is allowed to leave the city and is accompanied by Aditu to the Farewell Stone, where he returns with Binabik and Prince Joshua meets.

At the same time, the story of Princess Miriamel's journey is told, the niece of Josua and daughter of Elias. She had fled from there shortly before the siege of Naglimund to ask for help for Joshua from her relatives in the south. Simon had met her disguised as a servant on his trip to Naglimund and fell in love before he recognized her as a princess.

The Queen of Norn

Simon is knighted as a reward for bringing the Dorn sword to Joshua.

It turns out that the "Minneyar" sword is actually the "Hellnagel" sword of the late High King Johann and that Elias laid him in his grave.

Miriamele is found by Duke Isgrimnur after long wanderings. An old, mentally confused man lives in the shabby hostel where she and her companion, the questionable monk Cadrach, are staying. Isgrimnur recognizes him as Camaris, the first knight of King John, long believed dead, and the former owner of Dorn. Together, Miriamel, Cadrach, Isgrimnur, Camaris and Tiamak, who also got there, make their way to the farewell stone.

On the way, they discover that not only the weather is influenced by the Storm King, but also some animals, primarily hideous creatures.

King Elias sends out an army to destroy Joshua's camp on the farewell stone. In a long, bloody battle, however, Joshua's troops achieve a narrow victory, and the leader of the royal army (Count Fengbald, to whom Princess Miriamele was promised) is killed.

After Miriamel, Isgrimnur, Tiamak and Camaris arrive at the farewell stone (Cadrach had previously fled), Camaris regains his memory and the memory of a terrible guilt.

Joshua decides to free the countries of the south from their illegitimate rulers and thereby raise an army to take on Elijah. Since the common people would be defenseless on the farewell stone alone, the whole population moves south.

On the way they are attacked by a group of Norns. "Utuk'ku's claws" spray a paralyzing poison and want to kill Camaris. Only Geloë and Aditu notice something and rush to his aid. Geloë, who previously played a leading role as a healer and advisor in the group, is killed during the rescue attempt. Only Tiamak's intervention can drive the claws away by setting the whole tent on fire.

That same night Miriamele wants to flee to her father. She thinks she knows why he acted so destructively and got involved with the Storm King.

Simon is the only one who notices this, and because he is secretly in love with her, he accompanies her on the dangerous journey as a protector, since he cannot persuade her to stay.

The angel storm

In the last volume of the series, Miriamel and Simon travel back to Hochhorst while Josua's troops unite the Nabbanai in the south to march against Elias and Pryrates.

On their journey to Hochhorst, Miriamel and Simon are captured by the fire dancers, an unscrupulous sect of supporters of the Storm King. They want to sacrifice this to a servant of the Storm King. Only through the unexpected appearance of Binabik, who followed the two, can they free themselves and flee further in the direction of Hochhorst.

Once there, Simon and Binabik want to first fetch the Hellnagel sword from Priest John's grave. However, you find that it is no longer there. Instead, they find a hole in the ground. When they want to examine it more closely, Simon rushes in and finds himself again in the depths under the high eyrie, the old Sithi city of Asu'a.

After wandering around there for a long time again, he finds the entrance to the Hochhorst. Since he suspects that Pryrates stole Hellnagel, he wants to break into the tower to find the sword. Since the Hochhorst is now home to many Norns, he is captured and taken to the forge, where he is tormented by Inch. Inch was Doctor Morgene's first servant until Doctor took Simon on as an apprentice. Because of this, Inch has a particular hatred of Simon and soon has him tied to a large water wheel. Simon stays there for many days and nights, hungry, thirsty and half mad, until he is ready to give up and simply die.

But that's when the blind and crazy Count Guthwulf finds him. Guthwulf was once Elijah's right hand man until he lost his sight in an assassination attempt that was actually aimed at Pryrates. Elias forced Guthwulf to touch the blade of the sword Sorrow, whose mysterious power from then on slowly drove Guthwulf mad. In his growing paranoia and fear of Pryrates and his Norn warriors, Guthwulf tries to escape, but also gets lost in the depths under the Hochorst until he meets Simon.

Simon can persuade him to free him. Inch finds him weakened and finally wants to kill him. But with the help of other forced laborers they manage to kill Inch. Simon and Guthwulf flee into his hiding place. Simon notices that Guthwulf has Hellnagel with him. Apparently he stole the sword from the grave. Guthwulf dies that same night as a result of his madness.

Simon penetrates the Hochhorst again, where Binabik and Miriamel have meanwhile also arrived. Camaris, who has lost his mind again, is also on the way to Hochhorst with Dorn. So all three great swords are gathered there.

Only now it comes to Binabik that the swords should not come together, but that this is a ruse of the Storm King to get others to bring the swords into the angel storm at the right time, where they open the door to the world of the living should open.

King Elias appears with sorrow, Camaris with a thorn. When Simon shows up with Hellnagel and no longer has any power over his body, the three swords touch and the Storm King begins to take possession of Elijah's body.

Pryrates tries to force the Storm King under his will. When this fails, he is killed by him.

Princess Miriamele manages to speak to her father, who regrets the misery caused. Miriamele grabs the white arrow and shoots her father. Ineluki then tries to manifest in one of the other people present. Simon and the others close their minds and Ineluki's disembodied soul is sucked into nothing when the gate opened by the swords disappears. When the angel storm collapses, the four of them flee and meet again outside with Joshua's troops, who have been fighting a battle with the king's troops in the last few hours.

Simon, who previously thought his father was a simple fisherman, discovers that he is the descendant and therefore heir of the previous last king. This allows Simon and Miriamele, whom he has always considered to be too high-ranking for him, to marry and to take control of Osten Ard together.

German reprint

In March 2010 the German, revised new edition of the first two volumes was published by Klett-Cotta Verlag. "The Secret of the Big Swords 3" was published in autumn 2010, volume 4 in spring 2011. While the painter Michael Whelan provided the illustrations for the first edition, the drawings for the new edition were drawn by the painter Kerem Beyit.

Audio book

In 2013, Der Hörverlag recorded a full reading with Andreas Fröhlich as speaker.