Scan barcode
atrailofpages's review against another edition
4.0
This book primarily follows Rafel captain of the Silver Wake and his partner Lenia. What starts as a task request to assassinate a particular khalif, leads to incidents and events that changes their lives and who they are as a person.
There are MANY characters in this book. And a lot of politics. I will admit that I would get lost at times in regards to the politics and the characters. I appreciated that the story did mainly focus on Rafel and Lenia and we followed them on their adventures and lives. You truly learn a lot about the two. They each went through a lot in their past, and each suffer from I would say a form of depression or PTSD, especially Lenia. She goes through huge changes in this book from a slave, to a partner of a captain on a ship, learning how to wield knives effectively and learning about herself as a person and that she now has the ability to choose instead of someone else choosing for her or making decisions for her. I loved the relationship between her and Rafel. They had such a great friendship and their teamwork just shined! They know each other so well they just knew exactly what the other was thinking or feeling all the time. There are many other side characters as well, but overall, I really focused and enjoyed the life of Lenia and Rafel. This is also set at sea for the most part, which I love books that have stories set at sea, however, there wasn’t that much adventure on the ocean. It was more of a travel from A to B setting at sea, which was a bit of a bummer for me
There are MANY characters in this book. And a lot of politics. I will admit that I would get lost at times in regards to the politics and the characters. I appreciated that the story did mainly focus on Rafel and Lenia and we followed them on their adventures and lives. You truly learn a lot about the two. They each went through a lot in their past, and each suffer from I would say a form of depression or PTSD, especially Lenia. She goes through huge changes in this book from a slave, to a partner of a captain on a ship, learning how to wield knives effectively and learning about herself as a person and that she now has the ability to choose instead of someone else choosing for her or making decisions for her. I loved the relationship between her and Rafel. They had such a great friendship and their teamwork just shined! They know each other so well they just knew exactly what the other was thinking or feeling all the time. There are many other side characters as well, but overall, I really focused and enjoyed the life of Lenia and Rafel. This is also set at sea for the most part, which I love books that have stories set at sea, however, there wasn’t that much adventure on the ocean. It was more of a travel from A to B setting at sea, which was a bit of a bummer for me
walkerbrault's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
nigellicus's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
5.0
It feels almost unfair to get Simon Vance to read a Guy Gavriel Kay book, elevating as it does the magnificent to the sublime. Returning yet again to his slightly-alternate pre-Renaissance world, this is the story of a merchant/corsair and his female partner, an ex-slave trained as a bodyguard, and the forces unleashed when they carry out an assassination culminating in an attack on another city as revenge for the fall of Sarantium years before. Kay does his usual weaving of stories that criss-cross the main narrative, tracing the effects of the actions of the main characters on the lives of people affected, for better or for worse, but the tapestry conceals a finely trained bow that send unerring arrows of bittersweet heartbreak to strike home nore often than seems reasonable even in a very good book like this.
storch's review against another edition
5.0
All the Seas in the World reminded me of all the things I love about Guy Gavriel Kay’s writing. A fully developed alternative world rich in history, finely crafted characters, and an intricately woven plot. Kay’s novels remind us that even minor characters are major characters in their own stories. That even small personal decisions can have far-reaching consequences.
This book takes us back to the world he created in The Lions of Al-Rassan, and which he revisited most recently in his previous novel, A Brightness Long Ago. A version of our Mediterranean world in a time comparable to the Italian Renaissance, Sarantium (Constantinople) has just fallen to the Asharite (Muslim) invaders and the Jaddite (Christian) west seeks retribution. We meet mercenaries and merchants, scholars and second sons, healers and pirates, whose paths cross and whose lives intersect under Kay’s deft hand.
While this is a standalone novel, we do meet up with characters introduced in A Brightness Long Ago. And readers familiar with Kay’s books will notice subtle references to earlier works which add a richness and depth to the reading experience. This new book is a must for all Guy Gabriel Kay fans and a great place to start for new readers. Highly recommend!
(Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the advance review copy.)
This book takes us back to the world he created in The Lions of Al-Rassan, and which he revisited most recently in his previous novel, A Brightness Long Ago. A version of our Mediterranean world in a time comparable to the Italian Renaissance, Sarantium (Constantinople) has just fallen to the Asharite (Muslim) invaders and the Jaddite (Christian) west seeks retribution. We meet mercenaries and merchants, scholars and second sons, healers and pirates, whose paths cross and whose lives intersect under Kay’s deft hand.
While this is a standalone novel, we do meet up with characters introduced in A Brightness Long Ago. And readers familiar with Kay’s books will notice subtle references to earlier works which add a richness and depth to the reading experience. This new book is a must for all Guy Gabriel Kay fans and a great place to start for new readers. Highly recommend!
(Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the advance review copy.)
lebolt's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Pros:
The discourse on longing for home was satisfying. The characters were heartfelt and their relationships were sweet. The heavy topics of war and slavery and persecution were handled with a lot of compassion. It felt like every beat had impact - if not for the plot then at least for the sake of giving life even to people who don't matter. There is something about a pandemic novel that says, "I see you, I know you, you are not alone."
Cons:
This is my first book by this author, and I haven't decided if I like the style. Every POV ends with a blatant teaser about the distant future, or even a resolution about that character's path in the distant future. The whole "Little did they know, it was a huge mistake!" thing got a little tiresome. I also kind of thought that this book read more like a summary or an overview, rather than a whole story. I tend to crave immersive detail, which this work is scant on. However:
I love that the details of focus were about what was in the hearts and minds of the characters, rather than their sensory observations or tactile worldbuilding. I think I've just now decided that I like the style after all. I think it's ultimately good that I got everything important from the story without needing to extract it from physical descriptions. The stretches of direct exposition weren't the kind of thing that I like to sit and savor, but it made the occasional touching emotional moment all the more intimate.
The discourse on longing for home was satisfying. The characters were heartfelt and their relationships were sweet. The heavy topics of war and slavery and persecution were handled with a lot of compassion. It felt like every beat had impact - if not for the plot then at least for the sake of giving life even to people who don't matter. There is something about a pandemic novel that says, "I see you, I know you, you are not alone."
Cons:
This is my first book by this author, and I haven't decided if I like the style. Every POV ends with a blatant teaser about the distant future, or even a resolution about that character's path in the distant future. The whole "Little did they know, it was a huge mistake!" thing got a little tiresome. I also kind of thought that this book read more like a summary or an overview, rather than a whole story. I tend to crave immersive detail, which this work is scant on. However:
I love that the details of focus were about what was in the hearts and minds of the characters, rather than their sensory observations or tactile worldbuilding. I think I've just now decided that I like the style after all. I think it's ultimately good that I got everything important from the story without needing to extract it from physical descriptions. The stretches of direct exposition weren't the kind of thing that I like to sit and savor, but it made the occasional touching emotional moment all the more intimate.
srm's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Lovely with compelling characters and story. It's my favorite Kay yet.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, War, and Violence
Minor: Religious bigotry, Kidnapping, Colonisation, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Sexual content, Racism, Murder, Alcohol, and Medical content
mary_soon_lee's review against another edition
5.0
I have loved Guy Gavriel Kay's fantasy for many years. I loved this book too. I tried not to gobble it up too quickly, because it's such a fierce joy for me to read his work.
"All the Seas of the World" is one of Kay's many novels that exist in a world very similar to ours, but one step sideways, so that they are not history per se. This story is set in a close parallel to the Mediterranean, soon after the fall of what, in our world, was Constantinople. While there are overt fantasy elements in Kay's fiction, they are often, as here, sparingly used. I note that I thought the principal use of fantasy in this book (in connection to Lenia) was particularly well done.
The novel takes place between two of Kay's earlier books: "A Brightness Long Ago" and "Children of Earth and Sky." While it stands in its own right as a very fine novel, the overlap of some characters between the three books means that it gains even more from prior familiarity with those characters. (My heart sang when one particular character, Guidanio Cerra, resurfaced here.)
It is the characters that I love most in Guy Gavriel Kay's work. He writes of them with such piercing compassion. Indeed his writing, if anything, seems to me to have matured in the last couple of books. There's a heft to them, an awareness of the passing of things. His prose is beautiful, his storyteller's voice honed to great effect. Usually, I am most affected by fiction when the prose is invisible and I slip straight into the story. But there are exceptions. Guy Gavriel Kay is one; Ursula K. Le Guin was another; authors whose prose stands out from invisibility, but does it well enough that I love it all the more.
If I have any quibble, it is that Kay has a fondness for pointedly withholding pieces of information from the reader. Often this seems unnecessary to me. But it's only the merest of quibbles, never stopping me from being carried up in his stories.
I loved this book. A pure joy. Five out of five stars under the twin moons.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
"All the Seas of the World" is one of Kay's many novels that exist in a world very similar to ours, but one step sideways, so that they are not history per se. This story is set in a close parallel to the Mediterranean, soon after the fall of what, in our world, was Constantinople. While there are overt fantasy elements in Kay's fiction, they are often, as here, sparingly used. I note that I thought the principal use of fantasy in this book (in connection to Lenia) was particularly well done.
The novel takes place between two of Kay's earlier books: "A Brightness Long Ago" and "Children of Earth and Sky." While it stands in its own right as a very fine novel, the overlap of some characters between the three books means that it gains even more from prior familiarity with those characters. (My heart sang when one particular character, Guidanio Cerra, resurfaced here.)
It is the characters that I love most in Guy Gavriel Kay's work. He writes of them with such piercing compassion. Indeed his writing, if anything, seems to me to have matured in the last couple of books. There's a heft to them, an awareness of the passing of things. His prose is beautiful, his storyteller's voice honed to great effect. Usually, I am most affected by fiction when the prose is invisible and I slip straight into the story. But there are exceptions. Guy Gavriel Kay is one; Ursula K. Le Guin was another; authors whose prose stands out from invisibility, but does it well enough that I love it all the more.
If I have any quibble, it is that Kay has a fondness for pointedly withholding pieces of information from the reader. Often this seems unnecessary to me. But it's only the merest of quibbles, never stopping me from being carried up in his stories.
I loved this book. A pure joy. Five out of five stars under the twin moons.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
hirondelle2008's review
adventurous
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
katmarhan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
10/10
Oh, I loved this book! It’s told in such an interesting way—partly by an unknown narrator who offers philosophical insights and social commentary, partly in first person by characters in the book, and partly in third person but from the POV of various characters, frequently Lenia and Rafel, but others as well, both major and minor actors in the events of this story. Kay’s prose is a delight!
And the story itself? Intrigue around politics and religion, but also personal conflicts and growth around loyalty, loss, trust, love, and above all, the longing for and meaning of home.
I think by making this a “fantasy”, Kay is able to create his own historical context. So while it is firmly rooted in the Renaissance, the countries of Spain, France, the city-states of Italy, etc., and the three major religions of Islam, Catholicism, and Judaism, it is obviously not our world (two moons, for example). The author is free to borrow heavily from history while weaving his own tapestry.
Oh, I loved this book! It’s told in such an interesting way—partly by an unknown narrator who offers philosophical insights and social commentary, partly in first person by characters in the book, and partly in third person but from the POV of various characters, frequently Lenia and Rafel, but others as well, both major and minor actors in the events of this story. Kay’s prose is a delight!
And the story itself? Intrigue around politics and religion, but also personal conflicts and growth around loyalty, loss, trust, love, and above all, the longing for and meaning of home.
I think by making this a “fantasy”, Kay is able to create his own historical context. So while it is firmly rooted in the Renaissance, the countries of Spain, France, the city-states of Italy, etc., and the three major religions of Islam, Catholicism, and Judaism, it is obviously not our world (two moons, for example). The author is free to borrow heavily from history while weaving his own tapestry.