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mfox1018 's review for:
Under Heaven
by Guy Gavriel Kay
Kay is back in form.
I absolutely love most of his novels, but was disappointed in his latest two before this one; I was unmoved by [b:The Last Light of the Sun|104080|The Last Light of the Sun |Guy Gavriel Kay|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506604s/104080.jpg|416279] and enjoyed, but wasn't blown away by [b:Ysabel|104078|Ysabel|Guy Gavriel Kay|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506604s/104078.jpg|100357]. Finishing Under Heaven, though, I'm left with the same combination of heartache, joy, and absolute satisfaction in a story well told that the rest of his books have always made me feel, no matter how many times I re-read them.
As usual, Kay has meticulously researched a period of history to base a story on - in this case, the Tang Dynasty of Imperial China. I am not very well-versed in Chinese history and can't say anything about the authenticity of his portrayal, but it's a richly painted portrait of a complex society. The plot centers around the second son of a great general, Shen Tai, who is still trying to figure out his place in the world. An unexpectedly generous gift forces him into the whirlwind of politics and subtle intrigue that surrounds the imperial court, and of course changes his life forever.
There were a few nitpicky things that bugged me - Kay occasionally would slip into the second person in his writing, which jolted me out of the story (Joe Abercrombie did this a LOT in his First Law trilogy and it annoyed me to no end, as much as I enjoyed the books) - but overall, I loved the language, I loved the characters, I loved the poetry, I loved the setting, and I feel completely justified in having splurged on the hardcover instead of waiting for the paperback like I usually do.
I absolutely love most of his novels, but was disappointed in his latest two before this one; I was unmoved by [b:The Last Light of the Sun|104080|The Last Light of the Sun |Guy Gavriel Kay|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506604s/104080.jpg|416279] and enjoyed, but wasn't blown away by [b:Ysabel|104078|Ysabel|Guy Gavriel Kay|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171506604s/104078.jpg|100357]. Finishing Under Heaven, though, I'm left with the same combination of heartache, joy, and absolute satisfaction in a story well told that the rest of his books have always made me feel, no matter how many times I re-read them.
As usual, Kay has meticulously researched a period of history to base a story on - in this case, the Tang Dynasty of Imperial China. I am not very well-versed in Chinese history and can't say anything about the authenticity of his portrayal, but it's a richly painted portrait of a complex society. The plot centers around the second son of a great general, Shen Tai, who is still trying to figure out his place in the world. An unexpectedly generous gift forces him into the whirlwind of politics and subtle intrigue that surrounds the imperial court, and of course changes his life forever.
There were a few nitpicky things that bugged me - Kay occasionally would slip into the second person in his writing, which jolted me out of the story (Joe Abercrombie did this a LOT in his First Law trilogy and it annoyed me to no end, as much as I enjoyed the books) - but overall, I loved the language, I loved the characters, I loved the poetry, I loved the setting, and I feel completely justified in having splurged on the hardcover instead of waiting for the paperback like I usually do.