Helpful Score: 5
Hard to get through until the last hundred pages. The plot moves glacially, the narrative gets mired down by reflection and flashbacks, and some scenes and characters were superfluous. I had trouble understanding Dianora -- there just wasn't enough to convince me that a woman could come to love the man who destroyed her family and home. I didn't hate any of the characters, but I never connected to any of them or their struggles.
However, it's masterful world building, so believable and consistent that it feels more like history than fantasy. This is a guy who really knows what's he's talking about. There's a lot of interesting world building out there, but not all of, in the end, manages to create a believable world that you feel you could actually live in. Kay achieves that, mostly because he gets his ideas from real history. I am definately going to read more of his work, because even if Tigana did little for me, I like what he's doing here. Which is why I've given the book such a high rating -- it was worth it, in the end, I was glad I pushed through the turgid parts.
And that last page was a cruel surprise. So cruel it was AWESOME. Bravo.
However, it's masterful world building, so believable and consistent that it feels more like history than fantasy. This is a guy who really knows what's he's talking about. There's a lot of interesting world building out there, but not all of, in the end, manages to create a believable world that you feel you could actually live in. Kay achieves that, mostly because he gets his ideas from real history. I am definately going to read more of his work, because even if Tigana did little for me, I like what he's doing here. Which is why I've given the book such a high rating -- it was worth it, in the end, I was glad I pushed through the turgid parts.
And that last page was a cruel surprise. So cruel it was AWESOME. Bravo.
Helpful Score: 3
A captivating fantasy with vivid characters.
Helpful Score: 3
A moving and thought provoking story about whether or not it is possible to eliminate a country and its history without consequences.
Helpful Score: 2
This is the one book I can say really was Tolkien-esque. Not in the content or the plot, but in the way it was written. What a great book! The author really continues in the tradition of George Macdonald, Tolkien and Stephen Donaldson. Great read.
Helpful Score: 2
I love Guy Kay, and this is my favorite of his books. Truly magnificent.
Helpful Score: 1
Interesting sci-fi book that reminded me of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Helpful Score: 1
a epic novel of haunting beauty and probably the best single-volume fantasy novel.
Helpful Score: 1
I decided to read Tigana, because it was on a best fantasy list; and I had already read the top 25. The book is ok. The story was compelling, the world was interesting, and the climax was thrilling. But like Bram Stoker's Dracula, it dragged, 100's of pages of background and character development, with little actually happening. Long conversations of motives and feelings and explanations. It also started a little slow. I loved the ending. But I was equally glad to be done with it.
Helpful Score: 1
this is the best single volume fantasy novel I've read!
A epic novel of haunting beauty set in alternate magical version of medieval Italy.
A epic novel of haunting beauty set in alternate magical version of medieval Italy.
