The Heart of What Was Lost

by Tad Williams · 2017

The Heart of What Was Lost is an interquel set in Tad Williams’ celebrated Osten Ard saga. Picking up after the climactic battle at the Hayholt, the novel follows the dwindling Norn people as they retreat toward their mountain home while being pursued by Duke Isgrimnir. Through the eyes of a Norn engineer of the Order of Builders, the story expands the lore of the Norn society—its castes, customs, and magical abilities—offering a fresh perspective on a world previously seen only from the human side. By bridging the gap between the original Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy and the later Last King of Osten Ard quadrilogy, the book deepens the epic’s mythology and explores themes of survival, cultural identity, and the lingering consequences of war.