Empire of Grass

In 'Empire of Grass,' the second installment of Tad Williams' 'The Last King of Osten Ard,' King Simon and Queen Miriamele face a realm teetering on the brink of collapse. Decades of peace have shattered as ancient threats resurface and new dangers emerge from every side. Their crucial allies in Hernystir have forged an unsettling pact with the formidable Queen of the Norns, allowing her armies free passage into mortal lands. Simultaneously, the venerable nation of Nabban is engulfed in a brutal civil war, while the nomadic Thrithings tribes, fueled by fervent superstition and deep-seated animosity towards city-dwellers, begin to mobilize. As the various factions of the High Ward squabble amidst growing paranoia and greed, dark magics, bloodshed, and battle threaten to tear civilization asunder. The enigmatic Witchwood Crown remains a deadly puzzle that Simon, Miriamele, and their companions must unravel, unaware that their individual struggles for survival are intrinsically linked to the fate of all Osten Ard.