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I just finished "A Song for Arbonne" - I loved it. I'm trying to decide what book to read next. Anyone else familiar with and/or like his stuff? Or hate it?
I started "The Lions of Al-Rassan" but I'm a little stuck on the Jewish/Muslim/Christian allegories, and with the world the way it is today I can foresee having trouble getting into it just because I'd have trouble rooting for one side or the other.
I got "Tigana" from the library; that seems to be his most widely know book. Any opinions?
Posts: 1784 | Registered: Jun 2001
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Get Sailing to Sarantium and Lord of Emperors, which together comprise The Sarantine Mosaic. I haven't read A Song for Arbonne (I bought it recently), but I've read pretty much everything he's ever written and I think those two are the best. After that I'd put Tigana and The Lions of Al-Rassan next best. I'd also say not to worry about the obvious (intentional) parallels in Lions -- as far as that goes, you pretty much wind up liking everybody (that is, liking the sympathetic characters in each group).
Since you've already got Lions and Tigana, I'd read those, then read The Sarantine Mosaic. I wasn't as fond of The Last Light of the Sun, his most recent book.
In case you hadn't guessed, Kay is one of my favourite authors. Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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I knew you mentioned him and his Canadian-ness on a few threads. I saw you posted in the other thread and thought it might be a good time to ask Posts: 1784 | Registered: Jun 2001
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I love Guy Gavriel Kay. The only books I've read of his are his Fionivar Tapestry trilogy. I think Twinky doesn't like the trilogy very much, but I found them to be poignant and beautiful.
Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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Let me put it this way: I don't like it as much as his other stuff, but I read it when I was maybe 12, and haven't read it since.
Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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I love the Fionivar Tapestry, it is one of my favorite. It is very stylized, but intentionally so, and while it starts weakly (IMO) it ended up being the reason I buy every GGK book as soon as it comes out...or at least as soon as I can afford to buy it.
Tigana is my favorite stand alone book. I love how he writes about music, and about the different things that move people, the things they find important.
Lions of Al-Rassan was great as well, don't worry. One of the main points of that book is how wasteful war between those cultures is, and what the real costs of war is to individuals, particularly those caught in the middle of two or more of those cultures..
Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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I agree with twinky's recommendations/evaluations. I can't really pick a favorite between Tigana, Lions of Al-Rassan and the Sarantine Mosaic, but Kay is definitely one of my favorite authors.
Posts: 2762 | Registered: Sep 1999
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Perhaps I should pick up The Fionavar Tapestry and re-read it when I'm a bit more caught up on my queue. Though I doubt I'll get to it before his next book, which is due out next year.
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I think he has very good covers on his books.
I don't actually remember having read one of his books but I've got them out of the library numerous times.
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I second what twinky said. One of my favorite authors. I think I like Tigana best, but that could be because it was the first one I read.
Posts: 11187 | Registered: Sep 2005
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What other authors would you compare his writing with, or maybe, what sort of style does he have?
I've considered his books a few times, but something always makes me a little wary. I'm not sure what it is, I've read a few pages here and there, and they never seem to grab me right off.
Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
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I think Tigana is the best. I didn't really like the Sarantine Mosaic, and if there is a newer one than the Mosaic I haven't read it. I love the Fionavar Tapestry but I love it like I love dessert, with guilt.
Tigana is more like a full course gourmet meal.
Posts: 1014 | Registered: Jul 2005
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The Last Light of the Sun is newer than The Sarantine Mosaic, but I didn't like it as much.
MC, Kay writes a sort of "historical fantasy," using settings and characters based loosely on history or legend.
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I would say very loosely. It is almost as if he uses different historical settings as templates for creating his own world.
Posts: 11187 | Registered: Sep 2005
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quote:Originally posted by kmbboots: I would say very loosely. It is almost as if he uses different historical settings as templates for creating his own world.
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