Wik

11 minutes ago, SeanF said:

But, beware.  You won't be able to guess the outcome of any particular story simply by knowing the history of the period.  Kay will move events in different directions to what actually happened, and commonly, a character will be based on a couple of real-life figures, rather than just one (which makes the stories more interesting, of course).

 

Ya, I don't mind the ignorance...I had Lions kinda spoiled because I knew pretty well of El Sid. But alot of the other stories I just like to have general frame of reference so I can be more in the mind set....if that makes sense! 

15 minutes ago, Werthead said:

Yes, this one does.

 

The Sarantine Mosaic: 6th Century Byzantium, Justinian's wars

Under Heaven: 8th Century China, An Lushan Rebellion

The Last Light of the Sun: 9th Century England, Alfred the Great

The Lions of Al-Rassan: 11th Century Spain, El Cid

River of Stars: 12th Century China, Jin-Song Wars

A Brightness Long Ago: 15th Century Italy, just before the Fall of Constantinople

Children of Earth and Sky: 15th Century Dubrovnik, just after the Fall of Constantinople

 

A Song for Arbonne takes place in a different world, but is influenced by the Albigensian Crusade of the 12th Century, in France.

Very much appreciated, sir!

1 hour ago, Werthead said:

Last Light of the Sun is generally regarded as GGK's weakest novel (certainly post the more divisive Fionavar Tapestry series), so if you liked that one you should be fine with the rest of his stuff.

Under Heaven, Tigana and A Brightness Long Ago are probably up there with Lions of Al-Rassan (or at least not far behind), and River of Stars, A Song for Arbonne, The Sarantine Mosaic duology and Children of Earth and Sky aren't far behind them. Kay is a pretty consistently solid author.

Thanks, Wert! Very much appreciated. 

By chance, is there a post or anything that covers the general period/area that each book covers? 

I was a big fan of Last Light because I love most things Vikings and that period of English/Norse history is so fascinating to me. I thought he did a pretty good job with the Britons, Celts and Norse. I know some novels deal with an "Italy" theme and there are several others. 

Anyhow, thanks again!

On 4/26/2019 at 1:03 AM, The Marquis de Leech said:

Kay, for me, is one of those strange authors whom you end up reading even though his work doesn't gel with your tastes. I have somehow managed to read The Fionavar Tapestry, The Last Light of the Sun, A Song for Arbonne, The Lions of Al Rassan, Tigana, Ysabel, and Sailing to Sarantium, without actually liking any of them - there are some nice bits to Fionavar and Tigana, but otherwise my response ranges from "average melodrama" to "I hate this" (A Song for Arbonne being my low point). Different tastes, I suppose - though Kay must be doing something right in that I continue to read him.  

You must be a deviant who likes torture because I don't understand this mentality at all LOL

Obviously this is subjective (I've only read Lions and Last Light) but can anything by GGK top these two?

I recall Lions being so highly recommended I never wavered and enjoyed it pretty much start to finish. Last Light took me a little to get into the at the start, but I actually felt the story was slightly better than Lions and I felt the ending was SO fantastic.  

I've been on a dry spell and a friend randomly bought Snakewood and said it was solid, so he is letting me borrow, but in light of lacking any GRRM or Bakker series at this point, there is plenty left for me to explore for GGK. 

I've read Lions and Light....what are some other of his popular ones? I need something to read!

I am surprised as I THOUGHT one of his other novels already covered Italian Renaissance (obviously just one of them I had not yet read). Fairly excited to hear of this new one.