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jackimurphy's review against another edition
3.0
Kay is one of my absolute favorite authors, but this one was... odd? Still good, and I probably would have rated it higher were it by anyone else - but everything else I've read by Kay is just on another level.
All the characters were interesting here, but I feel like there may have been too many of them, as we never got to spend as much time as I'd like with anyone in particular. I did enjoy the small tangents that talked about people who were not main characterers, fleshing out the theme of actions having consequences that reverberate far beyond what we might imagine.
All the characters were interesting here, but I feel like there may have been too many of them, as we never got to spend as much time as I'd like with anyone in particular. I did enjoy the small tangents that talked about people who were not main characterers, fleshing out the theme of actions having consequences that reverberate far beyond what we might imagine.
jhouses's review against another edition
4.0
Yo se lo que me gusta, y la prosa cadenciosa, de viejo narrador, trufada con pequeños retazos de filosofía ycon la que Kay nos regala su destilación de historia con aromas de fantasía es lo mio.
The Last Light of the Sun es una historia de vikingos y Anglosajones envuelta en épica, grandeza y a la vez intimismo. Me puede vender la moto las veces que quiera que yo se la compro. Además el pequeño componente feerico que añade a la historia la redondea hasta casi la perfección. Dame más Kay, que te lo compro.
The Last Light of the Sun es una historia de vikingos y Anglosajones envuelta en épica, grandeza y a la vez intimismo. Me puede vender la moto las veces que quiera que yo se la compro. Además el pequeño componente feerico que añade a la historia la redondea hasta casi la perfección. Dame más Kay, que te lo compro.
veronica87's review against another edition
4.0
"The flow of time and events is a large river; men and women are usually no more than pebbles in that, carried along. But sometimes, at some moments, they are more. Sometimes the course of the stream is changed, not just for a few people but for many."
This is the story of such moments. It’s the story of an Anglycn king who, having unified his land, looks for ways to preserve its peace for his children. Of an Cyngael cleric who dreams of uniting all people under a benevolent God. Of a young, Ehrling man who wishes to escape the life bequeathed to him by his father’s impulsive actions. Of that father’s search for a new path that has meaning and purpose. And of a Cyngael prince struggling in the wake of loss.
In the way that only he can, Guy Gavriel Kay invokes our own history and subtly weaves in elements of fantasy and myth. Here he takes the world of the Saxons and Danes circa the mid-to-late 800s A.D. and recreates it as the world of the Anglycns and Erhlings, with the Cyngael standing in as the Welsh/Celts. Having just come from reading the third book in Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon tales, [b:Lords of the North|68526|Lords of the North (The Saxon Stories, #3)|Bernard Cornwell|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1440472759s/68526.jpg|891853], I was primed for this story and was able to slip into it with ease. If I have one complaint about this book it’s that it could’ve been a little longer so that the endings for the various characters could have had some space to breathe a bit more.
This is now my seventh book by Guy Gavriel Kay so I think it’s safe to say that he’s a favorite author of mine. He has a smooth and easy writing style, not simplistic by any means, that gently pulls readers onward through to the tale’s inevitable conclusion. Along the way he’ll make you think, he’ll fill you with yearning and wonder, and he’ll likely tweak your heart a time or two for good measure. His writing is a balm to my soul, offering familiarity and warmth as the sentences he pens wrap me up in cocoons of comfort. I eagerly look forward to my next journey with this word master.
This is the story of such moments. It’s the story of an Anglycn king who, having unified his land, looks for ways to preserve its peace for his children. Of an Cyngael cleric who dreams of uniting all people under a benevolent God. Of a young, Ehrling man who wishes to escape the life bequeathed to him by his father’s impulsive actions. Of that father’s search for a new path that has meaning and purpose. And of a Cyngael prince struggling in the wake of loss.
In the way that only he can, Guy Gavriel Kay invokes our own history and subtly weaves in elements of fantasy and myth. Here he takes the world of the Saxons and Danes circa the mid-to-late 800s A.D. and recreates it as the world of the Anglycns and Erhlings, with the Cyngael standing in as the Welsh/Celts. Having just come from reading the third book in Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon tales, [b:Lords of the North|68526|Lords of the North (The Saxon Stories, #3)|Bernard Cornwell|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1440472759s/68526.jpg|891853], I was primed for this story and was able to slip into it with ease. If I have one complaint about this book it’s that it could’ve been a little longer so that the endings for the various characters could have had some space to breathe a bit more.
This is now my seventh book by Guy Gavriel Kay so I think it’s safe to say that he’s a favorite author of mine. He has a smooth and easy writing style, not simplistic by any means, that gently pulls readers onward through to the tale’s inevitable conclusion. Along the way he’ll make you think, he’ll fill you with yearning and wonder, and he’ll likely tweak your heart a time or two for good measure. His writing is a balm to my soul, offering familiarity and warmth as the sentences he pens wrap me up in cocoons of comfort. I eagerly look forward to my next journey with this word master.
nekomancer42's review against another edition
4.0
Guy Gavriel Kay is an excellent writer, and certain parts of this book are top-tier as far as fantasy writing goes. Last Light's main weakness is that it gets noticeably less interesting about a third of the way through, and doesn't deliver on the considerable promise it sets up early in the story. I'd still say its worth reading, if only for its early chapters and certain specific scenes scattered throughout the rest of the book, but if you're new to Kay you should start with a different book.
jackimurphy's review against another edition
3.0
Kay is one of my absolute favorite authors, but this one was... odd? Still good, and I probably would have rated it higher were it by anyone else - but everything else I've read by Kay is just on another level.
All the characters were interesting here, but I feel like there may have been too many of them, as we never got to spend as much time as I'd like with anyone in particular. I did enjoy the small tangents that talked about people who were not main characterers, fleshing out the theme of actions having consequences that reverberate far beyond what we might imagine.
All the characters were interesting here, but I feel like there may have been too many of them, as we never got to spend as much time as I'd like with anyone in particular. I did enjoy the small tangents that talked about people who were not main characterers, fleshing out the theme of actions having consequences that reverberate far beyond what we might imagine.
unavezmas's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
It's about clan drama in Nordic setting. It takes a while for the plot to start though. I kinda liked POVs from random strangers though. 🤔 Thanks for character list with all the titles in the beginning.
I don't know history much. But in the world of this book women are mistreated and nobody does anything about that. Which felt like lost opportunity to me cause I love swordswomen.
The main storyline was fine I don't have much to say about it really. Nothing memorable. To me ot felt like a bunch of old people discussing their glory days which I found hilarious.
I have no idea how to deal with ableist characters. I barely know how to deal with it irl tbh. I don't know Guy Gavriel Kay views on the matter. Only role Evorr was ALLOWED TO HAVE was the villain (because of the way he looks). Yeah he's a bad person but that doesn't justify people thinking that his condition was punishment for something and therefore he deserved it. He gave up on trying to make friends because people treat him like sh*t no matter what. Why bother?
I loved Anrid story. She's such a strong woman. And kind too.
I don't know history much. But in the world of this book women are mistreated and nobody does anything about that. Which felt like lost opportunity to me cause I love swordswomen.
The main storyline was fine I don't have much to say about it really. Nothing memorable. To me ot felt like a bunch of old people discussing their glory days which I found hilarious.
I have no idea how to deal with ableist characters. I barely know how to deal with it irl tbh. I don't know Guy Gavriel Kay views on the matter. Only role Evorr was ALLOWED TO HAVE was the villain (because of the way he looks). Yeah he's a bad person but that doesn't justify people thinking that his condition was punishment for something and therefore he deserved it. He gave up on trying to make friends because people treat him like sh*t no matter what. Why bother?
I loved Anrid story. She's such a strong woman. And kind too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny, and Sexism
banjax451's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars. Maybe not the "best" of GGK's work, but even a lesser work is astounding in the quality of it's prose. I had a few quibbles here and there, but the sheer beauty with which GGK writes pushes most of them to the side. In his best tradition, he leaves the story at a point where you want to ask "And then what happened," but makes the point towards the end that one story ends and another begins and that other stories happen at the same time that don't impact anything you see.
altlovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Decent read, but not my favorite GGK book he's put out. My interest in what was going on came and went depending on what was going on and who was being featured. The ending felt a little flat and unrewarding, especially considering the buildup. Glad I read it, probably won't read it again anytime soon.
haubrichtm's review against another edition
5.0
This was my first GGK and I probably should have started with another but the viking story with Celtic influences had me intrigued. It was great. The characters were well done. The story was engaging. GGK's writing is stellar. I especially liked the small sections where minor characters lives play out over a few pages. This greatly enriched the world and made it more memorable. So glad I picked this up!