History Literature / MemorySorrowAndThorn

* ArcherArchetype: Miriamele's weapon of choice is the bow, which fits with her theme of independence. Some humor comes from the contrast between her archery skills and Simon's, who self-deprecatingly claims to be able to "hit a cow at ten paces." Her skill with the bow also comes in very handy in the climax.

** In ''[[Literature/TheLastKingOfOstenArd The Last King of Osten Ard]]''[[spoiler: once more Utuk'ku, but also Akhenabi and Pasevalles each in their own right. Turia Ingadaris as well.]]

%%* DramatisPersonae: Made necessary by the LoadsAnd LoadsOf Characters.

** And after over twenty years, the adventures did continue, with the {{Interquel}} ''The Heart of What Was Lost'' and the sequel series ''The Last King of Osten Ard''.

** The Norn sorcerer Akhenabhi only appears in one scene in ''Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn'', though it's [[OneSceneWonder a fairly memorable one]]. He's a major player in ''The Heart of What Was Lost'', where he is characterized as, in essence, the Norn version of Pryrates, and as he survives the novel is being set up for an equally expanded role in ''Last King''.

** Memory is the sword of Prester John [[spoiler:and Saint Eahlstahn Fiskern before him]], [[SilverHasMysticPowers a silver blade]] forged from the keel of the first Rimmer ship to come to Osten Ard and bearing [[DemBones the finger bone]] of blessed Usires on the hilt, it was forged by the Words of Power. It slew the dragon Shurakai.
** Sorrow is the sword of Ineluki, [[RuleOfThree who alongside his brother killed the dragon Hidohebhi]], and Elias, [[GrayscaleOfEvil a mottled gray thing]] [[{{BFS}} with a double hilt]], it is an [[YinYangBomb unholy melding of witchwood and the iron that kills it]], forged by Ineluki using the [[RuleOfThree Words of Power]] and [[{{Patricide}} quenched in his parents' blood]] in an effort to save his people from the in-flowing human tide.

** In „The Last King of Osten Ard“[[spoiler: once more Utuk'ku, but also Akhenabi and Pasevalles each in their own right. Turia Ingadaris as well.]]

* ClingyJealousGirl: Vorzheva [[spoiler: as well as Lady Faiera in "The Last King of Osten Ard". Prince Josua seems to attract a certain kind of woman...]]

** Plus their grandson Morgan in ''The Last King of Osten Ard''.

%%* EurekaMoment:

* GuysSmashGirlsShoot: Most of the male protagonists prefer melee weapons, including Simon, while women are generally not permitted to fight (that Qanuc and Sithi women ''do'' fight proves to be a matter to some consternation to the humans). Miriamele, however, insists on not conforming to the pampered princess stereotype and so learns the bow. She is quite competent with it, and the cover of ''To Green Angel Tower'' prominently features Simon and her in swordsman-and-archer pose.

** The whole sequel series of "The Last King of Osten Ard" in many ways. This derives more from the realism of the setting than anything else -- Osten Ard is too fleshed-out to allow for permanent happy endings, and [[spoiler:Simon and Miri ruling peacefully for decades]] was perhaps the best we could have hoped for.

%%* OurDragonsAreDifferent

** OhNoNotAgain: In "The Last King of Osten Ard" [[spoiler: Strangyeard died, Lady Faiera and Prince Josua have been missing for years, and the open positions have not been filled, thus leaving only Binabik and Tiamak alive and active.]]

* RulingCouple: [[spoiler: Simon and Miriamele in the sequel story »The Last King of Osten Ard«.]]

* TargetedHumanSacrifice: Prince Josua is picked for the ritual to bring back the Storm King - because he is of royal blood and a nuisance to both Elias and Pryrates. When Josua escapes, Count Breyugar has the „honor“ as he did not manage to stop the Prince and is of sufficiently noble blood.
* TeasingFromBehindTheLanguageBarrier: Even though Prester John's Westerling is the main language in Osten Ard there are still all the languages from its once independent kingdoms, which are good to tease, keep secrets and … well … curse the Gods without others knowing.

** Thorn is the sword of Prester John [[spoiler:and Saint Eahlstahn Fiskern before him]], [[SilverHasMysticPowers a silver blade]] forged from the keel of the first Rimmer ship to come to Osten Ard and bearing [[DemBones the finger bone]] of blessed Usires on the hilt, it was forged by the Words of Power. It slew the dragon Shurakai.

* {{BFS}}: Memory (Camaris's black sword) is described as being unusually large and heavy, so that only a very strong man can wield it, yet its weight seems to vary -- at times it's too heavy for anyone to lift, while at others it seems weightless. The other two swords are more conventionally sized.

** Memory is the sword of Camaris, an [[{{BFS}} unsually large]] [[BlackSwordsAreBetter ebony blade]] with a hilt [[GoldColoredSuperiority filigreed in gold]]. It was forged from the metal of a meteorite that fell to Osten Ard, requiring the Words of Power to shape it. It was used against the dragon Igjarjuk.

* DubNameChange: In the german translation of the novels - for whatever reason - Vorzheva’s name has been changed to "Vara".

* EurekaMoment: See OhCrap, below.

* AntiHero: Both Josua and his father are classic, Byronic anti-heroes. Each is in many ways TheAce, but are tormented and mopey. They're also classical Byronics in being dark-complexioned, befitting their heritage.

* {{BFS}}: Thorn is described as being unusually large and heavy, so that only a very strong man can wield it, yet its weight seems to vary -- at times it's too heavy for anyone to lift, while at others it seems weightless. The other two swords are more conventionally sized.

* KansasCityShuffle: The Storm King and Utuk'ku employ all the elements of misdirection at their command to prevent the heroes from figuring out how the Three Swords are actually supposed to be used.

* ReallyRoyaltyReveal: [[spoiler: Simon being a descendant of King Ealsthan Fiskerne.]]

* TheOrder: The League of the Scroll - founded by Ealsthan Fiskerne about two hundred years ago, the group's goal is to accumulate wisdom which will help protect Osten Ard and its people.