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timinbc's review against another edition
5.0
*Sometimes a book can change a life. A decision to read it, or not read it, might lead to a historical library shelf, or to the Dairy Queen.
As always, I put it down with a quiet "Wow."
The more I learn about Mediterranean history, the more interesting it gets. And a lot of what we read here sorta-more-or-less happened in our one-moon world.
* You learn a lot in a lifetime of reading. You read good books and bad, prose that flows and flourishes and prose that drags grimly along.
We get a vivid picture of what happened, and some how.
A quibble: Guy has always taken the kindly-uncle storyteller angle. This book seems to have far more than the usual salting of the stuff I prefixed here with * But it is perhaps made up for by the inclusion of a storyteller character, and the gentle suggestion at the end that the narrator just might be that same person.
And gosh, you need to be warned that the narrator sometimes steps back without warning and gives the stage to one of the characters in first person. But we always see quickly who it is.
Still, this book's main fault is that it's over and we have to wait for another.
What I take away, apart from the history and the richness of the writing, is that I just left ten or twelve new friends behind, people whose life arcs I really cared about. And Kay deftly accounted for all of them.
* Some left us quietly and happily, some on the end of a sword, for that is the nature of the world we have been given. But most got what they deserved.
And that last scene .... sniff.
As always, I put it down with a quiet "Wow."
The more I learn about Mediterranean history, the more interesting it gets. And a lot of what we read here sorta-more-or-less happened in our one-moon world.
* You learn a lot in a lifetime of reading. You read good books and bad, prose that flows and flourishes and prose that drags grimly along.
We get a vivid picture of what happened, and some how.
A quibble: Guy has always taken the kindly-uncle storyteller angle. This book seems to have far more than the usual salting of the stuff I prefixed here with * But it is perhaps made up for by the inclusion of a storyteller character, and the gentle suggestion at the end that the narrator just might be that same person.
And gosh, you need to be warned that the narrator sometimes steps back without warning and gives the stage to one of the characters in first person. But we always see quickly who it is.
Still, this book's main fault is that it's over and we have to wait for another.
What I take away, apart from the history and the richness of the writing, is that I just left ten or twelve new friends behind, people whose life arcs I really cared about. And Kay deftly accounted for all of them.
* Some left us quietly and happily, some on the end of a sword, for that is the nature of the world we have been given. But most got what they deserved.
And that last scene .... sniff.
lelder's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
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
4.0
morganzayet's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-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? Yes
3.0
sanjasanja's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
mattlefevers's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
mbates185's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
ceasarl's review against another edition
5.0
classic Kay
I thouroughly enjoyed this book. I fully recommend this book to all Guy Gavriel Kay fans.
Any new fans wanting to read this should probably read prequels that lead up to this.
I thouroughly enjoyed this book. I fully recommend this book to all Guy Gavriel Kay fans.
Any new fans wanting to read this should probably read prequels that lead up to this.
waterburym's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
doesannadreamof's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
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? Yes
3.25