So, now that I'm three hundred pages into Shadowheart (now that's a better reading pace), I'd say it's time for an update.

Serving as a backround for all other characters, the Autarch has finally attacked Southmarch. He has a force that numbers thousands upon thousands, from the Naked, poorly trained footsoldiers of conquered countries that are now part of Xis, to the White Hounds, whose forefathers were captured in Eion (the northern continent) and who are said to be worth five regiments each, he outnumbers all the armies that can be brought to bear in this fateful time. Even worse, the army at Southmarch is less than half of his full force. The rest of it awaits in Hierosol, the fortified port, mightiest force on Eion, unconquered since time immemorial; until now.

The mad Autarch Sulepis, who was only 24th in line for the throne when his father died (guess what happened to his brothers), plans not to conquer the castle, but rather the Funderling tunnels underneath, where the Shining Man, a stone formation that is the Holy of Holies to the Funderlings, awaits. There, he plans to awake from their sleep the three gods the sleep there; that have slept "there" (though truly in the Void and in a rather fitful sleep entirely unlike the sleep of a human) since the god Crooked (as he is called by the Qar) cast them into the Void after the Theomarchy, the godswar in which the three slew his brothers (who were sided with by the Qar and whose defeat began the Long Defeat of said race) for thousands of years. He intends to enslave them (I think; he may think that only his god, Nushash, god of fire, waits there) and use them to increase his power exponentially. To do this, he must make use of the Godstone at Midsummer (an ill-omened day; the sun begins to fail against the "forces of darkness"). Midsummer is less than a tennight away. Also required is a blood sacrifice, King Olin's role (him having the blood of a god, Crooked, through his royal Qar heritage (Note: the Fireflower is derived from the fact that three siblings, two of whom married and gifted the Fireflower to their children, establishing the ongoing memory, while the other, Yasammez, retained it and is now immortal)).

Meanwhile, Briony has arrived at Southmarch with Prince Eneas and his single regiment and met her imprisoned father in the Xixian camp outside the castle.

Ferras Vansen is still leading the Funderlings against the Autarch in the tunnels; they are using a strategy that I don't understand, but involves retreating and baiting the Autarch's forces. The Funderlings number barely 2,000.

Chert Blue Quartz is working on a desperate plan that involves 200 barrels of gunpowder.

Barrick and Saqri have taken one of Crooked's roads through the Void to reach Southmarch, and are now gathering the exiles there, which include the Rooftoppers and the Skimmers, who live in the castle and have some old feud with the Qar (I'm guessing that they sided with the Three Brothers during the Theomarchy; the rooftoppers with Perin (the Lord of the Peaks), and the Skimmers with Erivor (lord of the waters)). All told, the Qar number less than 1,000.

Lady Yasammez has given up hope, accepting the end of the Long Defeat.

Sister Utta (who I couldn't name in my first Southmarch book) has met Willow (whose role in the other books I have forgotten).

Matthias Tinwright is currently researching the gods, may have discovered the Godstone (which the Autarch needs) and trying not to offend Hendon Tolly (who is only slightly less crazy than the Autarch and is trying to summon Zoria, the virgin goddess over whom the Theomarchy was fought, using mirror-magic).

Shaso dan Heza, a man of Tuan (a country which of conquered by the Autarch but which hasn't given up hope) and former armstrainer of Kendrick, Barrick, and Briony, is also on his way to Southmarch. It was he who guided Briony out of the castle, and was "lost" in a fire set by her enemies. According to him, he actually died and was resurrected by the gods. He is still covered in terrible burns and can barely speak.

Daikonas Vo, the White Hound sent by the Autarch to capture Qinnitan has nearly been killed by her with poison that he bought to keep the bug that he was tricked into swallowing by the Autarch from being able to kill him (Vo) at his (the Autarch's) command. He is now lost in the caves below the castle and is in extreme pain.

Qinnitan (big surprise) has been recaptured and is in the hands of the Autarch.

If you've made it this far while understanding all of the above, I congratulate you. I lost track myself, at times.

Despite the complicated plot (all of the characters detailed above have sections from their perspectives [plus Vash, a high-ranked minister of the Autarch who has been told to contact Avin Brone]) I find this a much easier read than A Tale of Two Cities. I suspect that Tad Williams is just writing at a lower level than Dickens, but I'm sure that my love for fantasy and distrust of realistic fiction also has something to do with it (the worst books I've ever read are all realistic fiction). At least Dickens doesn't write books to be as long as Williams does.

Now I'm off to play some Minecraft after updating my biweekly poem.

Maybe I'll think of a title later.