Guy Gavriel Kay
Forfatter af Tigana
Om forfatteren
Guy Gavriel Kay was born on November 7, 1954 in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada. He became interested in fantasy fiction while working as an assistant to Christopher Tolkien. He assisted him with the editing of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. After receiving a law degree from the University of vis mere Toronto, he became principal writer and associate producer for the CBC radio series, The Scales of Justice. He also wrote several episodes when the series moved to television. He has written social and political commentary for several publications including the National Post, The Globe and Mail, and The Guardian. His first fantasy novels were The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire, and The Darkest Road, which make up the Fionavar Tapestry Trilogy. His other works include A Song for Arbonne, The Lions of Al-Rassan, Beyond This Dark House, The Last Light of the Sun, and Under Heaven. He has received numerous awards including and the Aurora Award for Tigana and The Wandering Fire, the 2008 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel for Ysabel, and the International Goliardos Award for his work in the fantasy field. (Bowker Author Biography) vis mindre
Image credit: Twitter profile picture, public domain
Serier
Værker af Guy Gavriel Kay
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay (2011-02-03) 2 eksemplarer
Darkest road, The 1 eksemplar
Un éclat d'antan (French Edition) 1 eksemplar
Wielka ucieczka 1 eksemplar
Associated Works
Satte nøgleord på
Almen Viden
- Juridisk navn
- Kay, Guy Gavriel
- Fødselsdato
- 1954-11-07
- Køn
- male
- Nationalitet
- Canada (birth)
- Fødested
- Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Bopæl
- Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
Toronto, Ontario, Canada - Uddannelse
- University of Manitoba
University of Toronto - Erhverv
- editor
Associate Producer (radio)
writer (radio)
fantasy writer - Priser og hædersbevisninger
- Guest of Honour, Eastercon, UK (2000)
Scales of Justice Award (best media treatment of a legal issue, Canadian Law Reform Commission, 1985)
Guest of Honor, Vericon, Cambridge, MA (2007) - Kort biografi
- Guy Gavriel Kay (born November 7, 1954) is a Canadian author of fantasy fiction. Many of his novels are set in fictional realms that resemble real places during real historical periods, such as Constantinople during the reign of Justinian I or Spain during the time of El Cid. Those works are published and marketed as historical fantasy, though the author himself has expressed a preference to shy away from genre categorization when possible. Kay was born in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. When Christopher Tolkien needed an assistant to edit his father J.R.R. Tolkien's unpublished work, he chose Kay, then a student at the University of Manitoba, whose parents were friends of Baillie Tolkien's parents. Kay moved to Oxford in 1974 to assist Tolkien in the editing of The Silmarillion.
He returned to Canada in 1976 to finish a law degree at the University of Toronto, and became interested in fiction writing.
Kay became Principal Writer and Associate Producer for a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio series, The Scales of Justice.
In 1984, Kay's first fantasy work, The Summer Tree, the first volume of the trilogy The Fionavar Tapestry, was published.
Medlemmer
Discussions
Guy Kay - where to start and other discussion i The Green Dragon (april 2013)
Tigana Spoiler Thread: Fantasy February Group Read i 75 Books Challenge for 2013 (februar 2013)
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay: Fantasy February Group Read i 75 Books Challenge for 2013 (februar 2013)
For Guy Kay fans i FantasyFans (juni 2012)
Group Read (March): Guy Gavriel Kay i The 11 in 11 Category Challenge (april 2011)
The Lions of Al Rassan (in part assumes you've read it...) i The Green Dragon (januar 2010)
Book Discussion: A Song for Arbonne ~CAUTION ~ Contains SPOILERS i The Green Dragon (juli 2009)
Book Discussion: A Song for Arbonne - SPOILER FREE Thread i The Green Dragon (juli 2009)
Tigana discussion! Part Four: The Price of Blood i The Green Dragon (juli 2008)
At last, it is time to begin discussing Tigana! Part One Discussion i The Green Dragon (juni 2008)
Book Discussion: Arthurian Themed Read *Spoiler Free* i The Green Dragon (marts 2008)
Tigana Part Five Discussion: THE MEMORY OF A FLAME i The Green Dragon (februar 2007)
Tigana Part Three Discussion: EMBER TO EMBER i The Green Dragon (oktober 2006)
Tigana Part Two - Dianora - discuss i The Green Dragon (oktober 2006)
Anmeldelser
This book was the February selection for our SF Book Club. Though known for his “fantastical” books, Under Heaven is less a fantasy book than a historical period piece. Kay’s books each have different styles, and are set in very different eras. This one is less lyrical than his other work, which for me was a good thing.
Set in a fictional world that closely mirrors China in the T’ang Dynasty, it is a story about what constitutes honour, duty, and loyalty. Told primarily from the perspective of General Shen’s three oldest children (now adults), the narration switches among several other characters as well: soldiers from several armies, courtesans, staff in key households, and civil servants of various rank in the Emperor’s court. It is a credit to Kay that he weaves these story threads so skillfully that you are always aware of where you are in the overall timeline.
In discussing this book, the Club members agreed to classify it as “historical fantasy” rather than “magical realism”. The “magic” in the book is more akin to superstitions and shamanism, and though becomes an element in one of the plots, is not a pervasive part of the story’s environment. I would not hesitate to recommend this to non-SF readers.
As a character-driven novel, Kay spends some time introducing us to the main protagonist (Second Son Shen Tai). But rather than merely describing him, he allows us to learn of his character, morality, and history through describing his actions. Thus we build a more complete picture of him in our minds; this is all the more powerful when, further in the novel, he must make critical choices and we are fully engaged in the consequences of his decisions.
Kay, with a few strokes, paints a complete picture of the established class hierarchy. It is clear that people not only understand their place in society, but also use established mechanisms of manipulation and guile to secure resources, influence, and power. The impression is of a large, multi-layered, multi-generational chess game. The best players plan moves years in advance.
Court politics are the backdrop through which we see how the several protagonists exercise individualism within the context of a collectivist society. Kay brings these characters to life. By being introduced to them through their thoughts, dreams, desires, they are more real to us than a superficial physical description would accomplish.
The strong societal rules and structures are seen through the reactions of different layers of society to how Shen Tai shows honour to his father. Very early in the book we see that what he did was viewed by royalty and soldiers alike as poetic and respectful, and so demands to be acknowledged in a public way.
By being historical, and yet not real history, we can be objective and view the times with a more critical lens. By the time a key member of the Emperor’s Court is killed, we understand that it is collateral damage to the larger issues of State. We feel how the dictates of rigid societal customs require putting the needs of the population ahead of what is fair or just for an individual. The novel has set up the world so that we accept this injustice while at the same time regretting its necessity.
Women in this time live in the interstitial spaces created by the men. Since the men have overt power over the women, the women must manipulate events in indirect ways, using the complex rules of society and custom to their advantage. This requirement in no way diminishes the intelligence, power, or strength (both physical and mental) of the main female characters. In fact, because they must do things within such constraints, their importance to the larger picture is more apparent to us. The main female protagonists in the novel (Shen Li Mai, the consort Spring Rain, the neighbouring Queen, the Emperor’s Consort, the ninjas) all used the tools available to them to affect major political change.
General Shen, the father of the three Shen children, also has agency. Certain actions in his past haunt him; he communicates this to the Second Son (Shen Tai). This directly influences Shen Tai’s choice of how to grieve, which sets the whole novel into motion. Though already dead at the beginning of the novel, the General still strongly influences the behaviour of his children throughout the book.
I had been exposed to Kay’s work many years ago and did not recollect liking what I read. However, after a slow first chapter, the book’s characters and story gripped me and I finished it in two marathon sittings. At 592 pages, it cannot be called a “quick read”; it is, however, absorbing and engaging. The writing is superior and the story makes it a real page-turner. The map at the front of the book is also very helpful when geographic/travel info is imparted and Kay does a good job reusing character names to help keep the narrative thread straight.
At the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to people whose lives are about to be thrown into flux; when we take our leave they have come to peace with their role in their country’s story. When the novel ended, I was keen to know more about what happened next to the various characters I had met, and searched to see if Kay had written a sequel. Nope.
I am still thinking about the book weeks later.… (mere)
Set in a fictional world that closely mirrors China in the T’ang Dynasty, it is a story about what constitutes honour, duty, and loyalty. Told primarily from the perspective of General Shen’s three oldest children (now adults), the narration switches among several other characters as well: soldiers from several armies, courtesans, staff in key households, and civil servants of various rank in the Emperor’s court. It is a credit to Kay that he weaves these story threads so skillfully that you are always aware of where you are in the overall timeline.
In discussing this book, the Club members agreed to classify it as “historical fantasy” rather than “magical realism”. The “magic” in the book is more akin to superstitions and shamanism, and though becomes an element in one of the plots, is not a pervasive part of the story’s environment. I would not hesitate to recommend this to non-SF readers.
As a character-driven novel, Kay spends some time introducing us to the main protagonist (Second Son Shen Tai). But rather than merely describing him, he allows us to learn of his character, morality, and history through describing his actions. Thus we build a more complete picture of him in our minds; this is all the more powerful when, further in the novel, he must make critical choices and we are fully engaged in the consequences of his decisions.
Kay, with a few strokes, paints a complete picture of the established class hierarchy. It is clear that people not only understand their place in society, but also use established mechanisms of manipulation and guile to secure resources, influence, and power. The impression is of a large, multi-layered, multi-generational chess game. The best players plan moves years in advance.
Court politics are the backdrop through which we see how the several protagonists exercise individualism within the context of a collectivist society. Kay brings these characters to life. By being introduced to them through their thoughts, dreams, desires, they are more real to us than a superficial physical description would accomplish.
The strong societal rules and structures are seen through the reactions of different layers of society to how Shen Tai shows honour to his father. Very early in the book we see that what he did was viewed by royalty and soldiers alike as poetic and respectful, and so demands to be acknowledged in a public way.
By being historical, and yet not real history, we can be objective and view the times with a more critical lens. By the time a key member of the Emperor’s Court is killed, we understand that it is collateral damage to the larger issues of State. We feel how the dictates of rigid societal customs require putting the needs of the population ahead of what is fair or just for an individual. The novel has set up the world so that we accept this injustice while at the same time regretting its necessity.
Women in this time live in the interstitial spaces created by the men. Since the men have overt power over the women, the women must manipulate events in indirect ways, using the complex rules of society and custom to their advantage. This requirement in no way diminishes the intelligence, power, or strength (both physical and mental) of the main female characters. In fact, because they must do things within such constraints, their importance to the larger picture is more apparent to us. The main female protagonists in the novel (Shen Li Mai, the consort Spring Rain, the neighbouring Queen, the Emperor’s Consort, the ninjas) all used the tools available to them to affect major political change.
General Shen, the father of the three Shen children, also has agency. Certain actions in his past haunt him; he communicates this to the Second Son (Shen Tai). This directly influences Shen Tai’s choice of how to grieve, which sets the whole novel into motion. Though already dead at the beginning of the novel, the General still strongly influences the behaviour of his children throughout the book.
I had been exposed to Kay’s work many years ago and did not recollect liking what I read. However, after a slow first chapter, the book’s characters and story gripped me and I finished it in two marathon sittings. At 592 pages, it cannot be called a “quick read”; it is, however, absorbing and engaging. The writing is superior and the story makes it a real page-turner. The map at the front of the book is also very helpful when geographic/travel info is imparted and Kay does a good job reusing character names to help keep the narrative thread straight.
At the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to people whose lives are about to be thrown into flux; when we take our leave they have come to peace with their role in their country’s story. When the novel ended, I was keen to know more about what happened next to the various characters I had met, and searched to see if Kay had written a sequel. Nope.
I am still thinking about the book weeks later.… (mere)
This book suffered from many of Kay's standard shortcomings in his lesser novels. The plot lacked any real drive in the sense that although the characters were developed and progressed through the world doing things, for the most part their doings were completely secondary to the depiction and romanticization of the world around them. Kay's stronger works (like the Lions of al-Rassan and the Sarantium series) have this latter element while still maintaining sufficient intrigue in the plot.
Therefore although the book was compelling enough to finish quickly, and certainly better written than many other novels of its kind, I can't possibly recommend it except to those who have read and enjoyed Kay's better works and know exactly what to expect.… (mere)
Therefore although the book was compelling enough to finish quickly, and certainly better written than many other novels of its kind, I can't possibly recommend it except to those who have read and enjoyed Kay's better works and know exactly what to expect.… (mere)
This book featured sparks of the fantastic writing that characterized The Lions of Al-Rassan, but ultimately was a bit awkward and fell flat. It seemed like Kay was trying a bit too hard to make his characters seem epic and deep without actually developing their mystique in the reader's mind. Telling, not showing.
Lister
Five star books (3)
Favourite Books (3)
Which house? (1)
French Books (1)
Epic Fiction (1)
Ghosts (1)
Nineties (2)
1990s (2)
1980s (3)
mom (2)
Antiheroes (1)
Epic Fantasy (1)
Unread books (2)
Hæderspriser
Måske også interessante?
Associated Authors
Statistikker
- Værker
- 33
- Also by
- 1
- Medlemmer
- 34,958
- Popularitet
- #540
- Vurdering
- 4.0
- Anmeldelser
- 1,013
- ISBN
- 499
- Sprog
- 19
- Udvalgt
- 319
The plot? Well that gets a bit tough to follow in places. There's concerted effort to anchor the story in Celtic and Roman lore, and while the information is helpful and authentic, it sometimes presents itself as boring pontification. The author does well with characters who are neither good nor evil, but instead straddle some sort of invisible moral line that operates outside the sphere of normal life.
The book ended too quickly for me. I could have used a little less of the repartée between everyone at the pool and a bit more time with certain characters: in particular Ned's mother and aunt, as well as his phenomenal uncle. While she is the title character, Ysabel does not get a whole lot of air time, and it is frustrating at the end when all is revealed with a nice neat bow. I needed a bit more of "why" and "how", and I certainly did not see any reason for Melanie's behavior. I get that she was "under-the-influence" (as was Kate), but it felt like a rushed attempt at suggesting a coming of age story for Ned--not needed. We never do get the whole story about Aunt Kim, and that ends up being a tad frustrating.… (mere)