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Under Heaven
by Guy Gavriel Kay
Guy Gavriel Kay’s bibliography is a journey through the world's history, each entry a portal to his romanticized version of one era or the other. In Under Heaven, we are immersed in the realm of Kitai, modeled on ancient China during the Tang Dynasty, a fascinating period of history and a high point of Far Eastern culture and art.
This is the story of Shen Tai, who spends two years in mourning of his father, a famously renowned general, and honors him by burying the dead on a battlefield still haunted by the ghosts of the slain. He soon finds himself in the midst of political turmoil after he receives a gift worthy of emperors; 250 prized horses of a legendary breed. It is a gift so staggeringly lavish that it inadvertently brings him into the focus of the most powerful, and the most dangerous men and women of the empire.
It's an unusual story and I enjoyed my time with it. It's exquisitely told and carries you away to a lush and colorful world. The prose borders on poetry for its beauty, which is nothing new for fans of Guy Gavriel Kay. He weaves his words like brushes on a silken scroll, his beautiful language enriching the story and bringing it to life.
Kitai is a magnificent setting, rich in history and a vibrant culture that is both aesthetic and inviting yet also intimidating in its unforgiveness and cruelty between bloody wars and a treacherous court.
For all its beauty, and this might even be a notch above his other books in terms of artistry, the story does have problems I have to lament. There are some very memorable moments, well written characters all around, and the plot has just the right amount of drama but the character story and the political story are too far apart, and not quite believably interwoven.
Furthermore, the pace and structure were not quite coherent. There is a lot of slow buildup (which I enjoyed) but it gets very hectic in the last quarter, and the epilogue alone offers enough story to justify its own novel.
Summarizing Under Heaven, it's a tremendously beautifully told - but not entirely convincingly executed - story.
This is the story of Shen Tai, who spends two years in mourning of his father, a famously renowned general, and honors him by burying the dead on a battlefield still haunted by the ghosts of the slain. He soon finds himself in the midst of political turmoil after he receives a gift worthy of emperors; 250 prized horses of a legendary breed. It is a gift so staggeringly lavish that it inadvertently brings him into the focus of the most powerful, and the most dangerous men and women of the empire.
It's an unusual story and I enjoyed my time with it. It's exquisitely told and carries you away to a lush and colorful world. The prose borders on poetry for its beauty, which is nothing new for fans of Guy Gavriel Kay. He weaves his words like brushes on a silken scroll, his beautiful language enriching the story and bringing it to life.
Kitai is a magnificent setting, rich in history and a vibrant culture that is both aesthetic and inviting yet also intimidating in its unforgiveness and cruelty between bloody wars and a treacherous court.
For all its beauty, and this might even be a notch above his other books in terms of artistry, the story does have problems I have to lament. There are some very memorable moments, well written characters all around, and the plot has just the right amount of drama but the character story and the political story are too far apart, and not quite believably interwoven.
Furthermore, the pace and structure were not quite coherent. There is a lot of slow buildup (which I enjoyed) but it gets very hectic in the last quarter, and the epilogue alone offers enough story to justify its own novel.
Summarizing Under Heaven, it's a tremendously beautifully told - but not entirely convincingly executed - story.