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phunkypbj 's review for:
The Summer Tree
by Guy Gavriel Kay
I just re-read this book because after reading [b:Tigana|104089|Tigana|Guy Gavriel Kay|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1241516828s/104089.jpg|1907200] and loving it so much, I decided I wanted to finish this trilogy. I didn't change my star-rating on the second time through--still four stars. The book owes a lot to [b:Lord of the Rings|33|The Lord of the Rings|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1156043001s/33.jpg|3462456] (angry forests, elf-like race that is leaving to a distant land, etc..) but it also has a depth of character that Tolkien never really accomplished. Kay has a gift for transposing current themes that resonate onto a fully-realized fantasy realm (although this does take place partially in the "real" world). The hopes and fears and inner turmoil of the five main characters are either magnified or realized in Fionavar in a really interesting way--some being nearly broken, others realizing their full potential for the first time. Kay also has a gift for, in a relatively short time, producing a sense of intimacy between characters. Dave's relationship with the Dalrei, in particular, was poignant.