Now that everyone is at Southmarch, the big fighting is starting up (interestingly, the next 220 pages are all going to take place during a period of 12 hours or so).

Briony and Eneas move toward the castle to find the Xixian camp under attack from the caves below. The enemy of an enemy being a friend, they help, and destroy the camp. They meet with Queen Saqri, who takes command. Under her orders, they go to take back the keep from Hendon Tolly. Some soldiers rejoice at the return of the Eddon family (though they remember only Olin's name), while others are loyal to Tolly.

Ferras Vansen and his Funderlings have retreated to the very deepest of the tunnels: the Maze. With hours (perhaps a day; not all of the characters' stories are occurring at the exact same time) before the worst danger is past, they can retreat no farther; they must make a stand here, and do their best to defend the Shining Man (the dead god Kupilas or Crooked encased in stone, though they do not know this).

Chert's plan has been put on halt due to a simple formality. Without an Astion signifying official Guild work, it has been put on hold indefinitely. Attempting to reach the guild, he briefly helps Briony by showing her to the Stormstone roads (created years ago by a Funderling named Stormstone, who realized that having few exits from Funderling Town was a recipe for disaster; this is -was- a closely guarded secret). He also contacts the Rooftoppers.

The Qar are now fighting their way down to help the Funderlings. They are taking a path that goes largely around the Xixian army. Barrick is wearing the armor of Saqri's son.

It was the death of this son, and his sister/wife Sanasu's abduction that caused the Qar's hatred for humanity. He and Sanasu were taken during a pilgrimage to the Shining Man [human] generations ago, having been given up by Stormstone. It is through Sanasu, queen of Southmarch, that the Eddon family has the blood of the god Kupilas.

Within the Qar ranks, the Elementals have peacefully [for now] rebelled, and no longer fight alongside their brothers and sisters. Worse, one of the youngest and most brash of this race holds the Fever Egg, which has the power to destroy all life within a large area. The girl holding it considers it to be worth the sacrifice of the Qar in order to destroy Southmarch; it is only Yasammez's power (as a demigod, daughter of Kupilas/Crooked) that holds her in line.

Chaven has been discovered by Barrick deep in the caves. He does not remember what he was doing, but attempted (and failed) to hide a small statue that had been stolen (by Barrick) from the temple of Kernios years ago.

Duchess Merolanna (an old relation to Briony and Barrick, mother of Flint (with Avin Brone), many years ago; longer than Flint is old, it seems) has had a dream (according to her, one sent by the gods) that she must protect the children; she goes to act on this.

Shaso has gained entrance to Southmarch through the Skimmers' secret entrances with the guidance of Rafe, who was payed with a large gold coin.

Vo is currently lost in the tunnels beneath Southmarch. He is also going crazy.

Qinnitan is being held caged by the priests of Nushash, and being forced to drink mixtures that will bring forth the blood of the god in her (again Kupilas, during a period when he lived among humans [I think]).

Tinwright has continued helping Tolly (who is increasingly unstable), discovering that the Godstone disappeared from the temple of Kernios several years ago, never to be found again (gee, I wonder where it is now). He is also working as a spy for Avin Brone, who is gaining increasing support due to Tolly's disregard of the autarch's attack. Right now, he is stealing the child Alessandros Eddon; youngest of the Eddons, Tolly's token claim to the place of Lord Protector, and planned sacrifice to Zoria (having the same blood as King Olin).

I have quite high hopes (read: "expectations") for the ending of this book. Between the incredible twist of Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, and the bolt-out-of-the-blue ending of Otherland, I think that this is a reasonable expectation (or maybe the biggest surprise would for there to not be a surprising ending).

Part of what I about Tad Williams, I think, is the detail put into each world. Both Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn and Shadowmarch have their own religions (which differ based on the part of the world). Memory even had a Christ figure: Usires Adon (who was crucified upside-down on a tree, but whose role was otherwise left ambiguous). Otherland had newsfeeds at the start of each chapter that revealed "fun" tidbits (such as otters being extinct). All the characters are also nice, as you'll almost certainly end up with one you like (it may be a bit of a cop-out, but Good King Olin is pretty great; he's a fun, smart guy).

I've run out of ideas for titles.