Reny of Storms End Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 3 hours ago, Calibandar said: I definitely remember Fionavar having some real standout moments. Which one are you thinking of? I know this isn't directed at me, but one of my all time favorite moments was when Spoiler Lancelot had to fight that monster that ruined his hands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGP Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 (edited) On 5/23/2022 at 9:59 AM, Jaxom 1974 said: I cannot do e-books. Just can't. I need the physical copy. That's why this weekend was such a disappointment when three stores didn't have a copy. Boggled my mind. I remember being pretty snotty about e-books for a long, long time [I also avoided having a cellphone, for years] I'm fortunate, but now I screen novels by e-book. If they're dope, I also buy a physical copy for my modest collection-- so, two buys for authors who impressed me. --- Finished All The Seas, and did enjoy it. Felt like a strong thematic work, with more than a few resonating moments, but not as emotionally moving as the Kay I'd grown accustomed to. Or, maybe I need more time to reflect. Enjoyed LS and R, and it was good to see Folco and particularly Danio again. Edited May 24, 2022 by JGP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Arryn Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 On 5/22/2022 at 10:41 AM, Jaxom 1974 said: When recommending Kay to someone for the first time, do you start with Lions or one of the other stories...? Lions or Fionavar depending on what kind of reader they are. Fionavar is among my least favourite GGKs…though still great…but it fits the bill for people who have read Tolkien and are looking for something along those lines, and kind of introduces readers to GGKs writing style and thematic emphasis on sacrifice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted May 24, 2022 Share Posted May 24, 2022 3 hours ago, Reny of Storms End said: I know this isn't directed at me, but one of my all time favorite moments was when Hide contents Lancelot had to fight that monster that ruined his hands Spoiler Yeah, that's a great one. I love Kay's depiction of Lancelot, Arthur, and Guinevere. I know he'll never revisit Arthuriana again, he's said he got it out of his system, so to speak, with Fionavar, but I'd pay for a genuine Arthurian novel from him. JGP, Calibandar, Prince of the North and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reny of Storms End Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 23 hours ago, Ran said: Hide contents Yeah, that's a great one. I love Kay's depiction of Lancelot, Arthur, and Guinevere. I know he'll never revisit Arthuriana again, he's said he got it out of his system, so to speak, with Fionavar, but I'd pay for a genuine Arthurian novel from him. I read it in early on in high school and it was the first time I cried reading a book. I totally agree with you, would even pay double for a novel like that from him! Ran and JGP 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGP Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 I'd be totally down for some Bronze Age Kay too, now I'm thinking about it. Reny of Storms End 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HokieStone Posted May 25, 2022 Share Posted May 25, 2022 Interesting...I read all of these a while ago, but I think my first Kay book was Lions of Al-Rassan, and then Sarantine Mosaic. I didn't pick up the Fionovar trilogy until after I'd read those (and maybe Tigana as well). But I distinctly remember struggling through Fionovar because it felt much more "young adult" than the book by Kay I'd already read. Also, one of my favorite series when I was younger was "Guardians of the Flame", so I thought the whole "students from the real world transported to a fantasy world" thing was already covered. (Note...I wonder what I'd think about Guardians of the Flame these days...I'm guessing I'd cringe...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxom 1974 Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 About 150 pages into Seas and it is absolutely fascinating in its structure...I cannot wait to see how this goes... Ran 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 8 minutes ago, Jaxom 1974 said: About 150 pages into Seas and it is absolutely fascinating in its structure...I cannot wait to see how this goes... Now, I've got to tell you everything that happens... Jaxom 1974 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbigski Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 (edited) On 5/25/2022 at 4:29 PM, HokieStone said: Also, one of my favorite series when I was younger was "Guardians of the Flame", so I thought the whole "students from the real world transported to a fantasy world" thing was already covered. (Note...I wonder what I'd think about Guardians of the Flame these days...I'm guessing I'd cringe...) I quite enjoyed Guardians of the Flame when I was 13 or so, and can actually still remember a few of the characters' names (Lou Rechetti, Carl Culinane, and was the MS guy's uber constitution dwarf character named Ahira or something close?) But it's not on my re-read list. Really doubt it holds up but was entertaining at that point where escapism had appeal. Nowadays, I'm pretty sure a fantasy world would be far far shittier for the non chosen ones. Edited May 30, 2022 by mcbigski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxom 1974 Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 If Folco d'Acorsi isn't one of Kay's best characters ever, who is...? Ran 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 (edited) Although one never meets him, I like Gurcu's very subtle thought processes. He knows that the Jaddite world will want revenge for Sarantium, and with his hands full in Trakesia, the last thing he wants is a full-scale war. So, he drops very broad hints through his ambassador, that he won't retaliate if they hit Tarouz, which will also knock out a subject who has become over-mighty. An attack further East would have to merit a response from Gurcu. At the same time, he could never admit that he allowed an attack on an Asharite city to ahead. So, the guard of Djannis remains there. It’s rather like a mafia boss who knows that one of his underlings is a liability, a potential threat to him, and who has pissed off rival families. He can never take the part of the rival families, but he can pass the word to them “You do what you gotta do.” Edited May 31, 2022 by SeanF Ran 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChampion Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 I ordered the new book and it arrived last week, but no sign of the trade paperback copy of A Brightness Long Ago I ordered at the same time. Hasn't left whatever warehouse it might be in, somewhere in the world, or maybe its stuck in the multiverse. I might just cancel it from Chapters/Indigo and order it from Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRider Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Checked the library website today and SEAS is listed as ‘on order’ so I put it on hold. Don’t know how long that will take, but that’s OK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxom 1974 Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 I loved All the Seas of the World...thought it had some upside and downs. I don't know that I rate it about A Brightness Long Ago, but it's absolutely stronger than Children of Earth and Sky... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 I did not like it. Multiple reasons. Am a single reader though, with whom most disagree, for their multiple reasons. LongRider 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 52 minutes ago, Jaxom 1974 said: I loved All the Seas of the World...thought it had some upside and downs. I don't know that I rate it about A Brightness Long Ago, but it's absolutely stronger than Children of Earth and Sky... Glad you enjoyed it! What aspects do you prefer to Children of Earth and Sky? Admitting, as I have previously, that there's a a real structural problem with that book regarding the portion in Asharias, it does have some things that I felt this book didn't have. For example, one of the major things I love with Kay is how he writes... well, heroic sacrifice. It's a thing he writes very well. But there wasn't, really, any in AtSotW. Of course, good that he looks at different things, but... this was the first novel in a bit from GGK that didn't quite find a way to bring me to tears. @SeanF It's interesting how Kay handles Gurcu, both here and in Children of Earth and Sky. He definitely depicts him as very shrewd, and I agree that his handling of affairs in this book made sense. JGP 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGP Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 32 minutes ago, Ran said: Glad you enjoyed it! What aspects do you prefer to Children of Earth and Sky? Admitting, as I have previously, that there's a a real structural problem with that book regarding the portion in Asharias, it does have some things that I felt this book didn't have. For example, one of the major things I love with Kay is how he writes... well, heroic sacrifice. It's a thing he writes very well. But there wasn't, really, any in AtSotW. Of course, good that he looks at different things, but... this was the first novel in a bit from GGK that didn't quite find a way to bring me to tears. The latter being, as I've said before, something that I could normally count on from a Kay novel. It was still good, of course. There was lots of politicking and the usual intelligent and/or thoughtful mutual type soul bonding [trying to think of the last Kay work that had ignorant antagonists, the young member of the Council of 12 not withstanding] but emotionally, I didn't get hit. Ran 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxom 1974 Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 1 hour ago, Ran said: Glad you enjoyed it! What aspects do you prefer to Children of Earth and Sky? Admitting, as I have previously, that there's a a real structural problem with that book regarding the portion in Asharias, it does have some things that I felt this book didn't have. For example, one of the major things I love with Kay is how he writes... well, heroic sacrifice. It's a thing he writes very well. But there wasn't, really, any in AtSotW. Of course, good that he looks at different things, but... this was the first novel in a bit from GGK that didn't quite find a way to bring me to tears. Honestly, if this story was missing one element, it was lack of sustained antagonist, or at least an appearance of an antagonist. Most times, when you think you're supposed to be rooting for Folco, Kay then allows you to see the other side and you can't help rooting for Monticola...and then you go back and forth throughout the swell of the story as it goes back and forth. By the end, the loss, the sacrifice, the reveal, the journey that is revealed is just that more resonating. If that makes sense? I got that from Brightness. I got that from Lions. I got that from Last Light even...in All the Seas, it felt like that was missing in the end...or it wasn't as strong. I still do love the book! The trip around the world that was built, in so many places, I loved that. Mind you, i do think I'm supposed to think the "Seas of the World" is meant to be about the peoples of the story, not the actual sea, as there was only one in the book... I just can't place it ahead of some of the others. Ran and JGP 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 (edited) A listing of Guy Gavriel Kay books by size ( cause....why not), all measured by hardcover except when otherwise noted: 1) The Fionavar Tapestry ( 1200 pages divided over three 400-page trade paperbacks) 2) River of Stars ( 630 pages) 3) Tigana ( 594 pages) 4) Lions of Al-Rassan ( 582 pages) 5) Children of Earth and Sky & Under Heaven (567 pages) 7) Lord of Emperors ( 530 pages) 8) Last Light of the Sun & All the Seas of the World ( 496 pages) 10) A Song for Arbonne ( 490 pages) 11) Sailing to Sarantium ( 440 pages) 12 and 13) Ysabel HC & Brightness Long Ago ( 416 pages in trade paperback) Edited June 6, 2022 by Calibandar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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