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Guy Gavriel Kay


Werthead
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It was released in China, apparently well reviewed, and actress Zhang Ziyi bought an option for producing a film version. I vaguely remember seeing a video of Kay in China reading from Under Heaven too. (The video of recorded by his son, a budding filmmaker himself.) Edited by SpaceChampion
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Finished Lions of Al-Rassan. A great first two thirds, but the final act kind of fell apart for me:

the masque party was a great idea, but rather spoiled by my inability to suspend disbelief that people who know each other that well can't recognise their body language, yet a virtual stranger can do that. From then on, though, the book is crippled badly by Kay's insistence on concealing the true outcome and victims of events way, way past the bounds of good sense or storytelling logic - Rodrigo's dead, no he's not it must be Alvar, actually no it's the old servant dude. Once would have been bad enough, but then he does it for every death and potential death from there on out in the book, and it's painful. Especially since every time he substitutes in a less shocking death or event for the one he initially intimated.

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Finished Lions of Al-Rassan. A great first two thirds, but the final act kind of fell apart for me:

the masque party was a great idea, but rather spoiled by my inability to suspend disbelief that people who know each other that well can't recognise their body language, yet a virtual stranger can do that. From then on, though, the book is crippled badly by Kay's insistence on concealing the true outcome and victims of events way, way past the bounds of good sense or storytelling logic - Rodrigo's dead, no he's not it must be Alvar, actually no it's the old servant dude. Once would have been bad enough, but then he does it for every death and potential death from there on out in the book, and it's painful. Especially since every time he substitutes in a less shocking death or event for the one he initially intimated.

I pretty much agree with this from what I remember of the book (read it half a dozen years ago). To date, it is the only GGK I have read, but really look forward to Under Heaven, which is waiting on my pile.

EDIT: Punctuation (that is still poor)

Edited by wolverine
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  • 1 month later...

River of Stars has been picking up some good advance reviews.

I've got to say I've regained my excitement for this new release, we don't get a Guy Kay novel often.

It's listed at 660 pages in hardcover ( with a stunning cover btw), which makes this his biggest book sofar.

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Reading it right now and it's good! :) Too early to say whether or not it will be as good as Under Heaven. . .

My ARC is 636 pages long and the Canadian edition will be (according to the ARC) 640 pages long.

Patrick

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I liked Under Heaven and am looking forward to River of Stars, but I am an unabashed Kay fan. He's signing it here in April, as he always comes to Winnipeg for a special hometown launch.

I have to agree with beniowa, you're really lucky. I love Kay and I loved the Prairie Ink/McNally when I visited last summer. Both together should be awesome.

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I have to agree with beniowa, you're really lucky. I love Kay and I loved the Prairie Ink/McNally when I visited last summer. Both together should be awesome.

They are; last time I stood upstairs in the children's section to listen to Kay read then went downstairs to get my copy signed.

If you wander through Winnipeg again, PM me. I always enjoy a trip to McNally's. :)

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Reading it right now and it's good! :) Too early to say whether or not it will be as good as Under Heaven. . .

My ARC is 636 pages long and the Canadian edition will be (according to the ARC) 640 pages long.

Patrick

Cool, looking forward to your review. Are there any supernatural aspects in it as far as you've read?

I was also wondering if the people beyond the Great Wall, the steppe people, get a lot of attention in this one?

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Finished Lions of Al-Rassan. A great first two thirds, but the final act kind of fell apart for me:

the masque party was a great idea, but rather spoiled by my inability to suspend disbelief that people who know each other that well can't recognise their body language, yet a virtual stranger can do that. From then on, though, the book is crippled badly by Kay's insistence on concealing the true outcome and victims of events way, way past the bounds of good sense or storytelling logic - Rodrigo's dead, no he's not it must be Alvar, actually no it's the old servant dude. Once would have been bad enough, but then he does it for every death and potential death from there on out in the book, and it's painful. Especially since every time he substitutes in a less shocking death or event for the one he initially intimated.

I just finished Lions too and thought what you mentioned in your spoiler was hilarious every time he did it. Oh Kay, you old trickster!

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