The Sarantine Mosaic

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Usivius
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The Sarantine Mosaic

Post by Usivius »

"Sailing to Sarantium" and "Lord of Emperors" - Guy Gavriel Kay

wow.
that's all I have to say: "wow".

I recall, years ago, buying the hard cover "Tigana" by said author and enjoying it. That's all. A one-off book (which I like IMMENSELY - can't stand sometimes having to invest so much time in a series and not being satisfied).
Years pass and my cousin recommends this one. He gingerly says it is two books, but that I should read the first and see what happens.
Well, I gobbled it up. Amazing. The whole 'mosaic' theme of smaller pieces making a part of a whole picture is so wonderful. As I read the fist book I was struck how an entire book went buy and there was no feeling or "world-shattering" events happening. It was more of a brooding, build, but all the while there was not a dull moment in the book as the POV flips between some characters and their 'small' dealings sometimes with 'big' people.
I am 3/4 the way through the second and had to finally put it down ... I was overwhelmed by what was building and occurring... one death in particular caught me off-guard -- and not in a bad "George-Martin-kill-anyone-that-one-can-care-for" way... this was staggering in a good way.

I just had to get these thoughts off my chest in a public forum and find out if anyone else has read this 2-book series. I did a search and I saw a couple brief references to it, but no discussion...
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Post by Avatar »

Tigana is the only book of his I read. Took me 12 years to get past page 100. Then I loved the rest of it. (Encryptic made me try it again IIRC.)

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Post by drew »

I freakin LOVED these books.
LOVED them.

Kay's 'Jaddite' world is awesome. I love how he has differnt stories set in the same world, but that aren't related. But he still mentions the other countries.
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Post by Nathan »

I've read these books - somebody bought me them for Christmas or birthday or something. They were a really good read, and I've been through them several times.

Unfortunately I lost them at some point and now don't know where they are. I wouldn't mind giving them another read-through, and I was just thinking about them the other day, actually.
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Post by drew »

One thing I loved about these books, was the nature of religion. How Kay seems to try to say that there is room in the world, just as in Crispin's Mosiac, for all the worlds religions.
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Post by Usivius »

agreed, Drew. His 'message' (if you can say that) is quiet and really nice. And that ending!! I was wondering about it, then forgot about it (her) then, BAM! LOL... nice one...
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Post by stonemaybe »

I've just finished 'Sailing to Sarantium' after seeing it recommended on here, Lord of Emperors is on order.

I was hooked on SoS early, but found the ending ..a little bit ... unsatisfactory. almost like he had a maximum word count and ran out of space to tell the story properly. I'm glad there's a follow-up though, and am still awaiting it eagerly!
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Post by Usivius »

It's interesting you say that, as I had the same feeling. It's almost as if it was written as one HUGE book; then later when it came to publish it, they had to figure a place to break it up in to two. It did not have any sort of cliffhanger moment. However, as long as you have both books ready to go (as I did), it is a wonderful complete read.
I love how even his epic moments of plot don't feel overdone. It's all from an almost humble POV so we are carried along and only afterwards do we reflect and wonder at how fantastically huge everything was...
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Post by stonemaybe »

Finished Lord of Emperors too, and really enjoyed it.

Was a bit gutted by one death that occurred earlier than I thought it would, and found it a bit difficult to continue from there. This ending, while not amazing, was satisfactory. I want to know what happens in Spain, though!
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Post by drew »

Stonemaybe wrote:. I want to know what happens in Spain, though!
Most of Kay's boooks take place in the same world.
Thought the stories are not really intertwinned.

Kay's book The Lions of Al-Rassan Takes place in Esperana (Spain)
Though I've never read it, I'm pretty sure that none of the Charactors from Sarantium (or Byzantine) are in it 8)

His book, The Last Light of the Sun (my fav of his BTW) Takes place in England and Wales; but also has Norse Vikings.
It has Characters loosely based on Leif Erickson, and Alfred the Great, but has of course, the Regular Kay spin on things.
The first character we see though, is from Sarantium.

I love how his stories take place in the same world. :D
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Post by stonemaybe »

Thanks drew! Will try to get my hands on those two.
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Post by Usivius »

Under Heaven was really fantastic!
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Post by drew »

About the only Kay books I never really got into; was his first series...and its his most popular. The Fionvar Tapestry.

It was just too much of a Lord of the Rings meets Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table for me.

Then when Arthur Pendragon was actually IN the second book...well, I haven't read past that part, its been years.
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Re: The Sarantine Mosaic

Post by Horrim Carabal »

Usivius wrote:"Sailing to Sarantium" and "Lord of Emperors" - Guy Gavriel Kay

wow.
that's all I have to say: "wow".
My sentiments exactly. It's too bad Kay doesn't have the readership of SRD, because he's right up there.
Usivius wrote: I just had to get these thoughts off my chest in a public forum and find out if anyone else has read this 2-book series. I did a search and I saw a couple brief references to it, but no discussion...
Usivius wants to talk!!! :)
I posted elsewhere that The Sarantine Mosaic changed the way I looked at fantasy. I'm going to make a bold statement and say that I bet ANYONE who reads those two books will have their whole idea of fantasy changed in a similar way. How can I say that? The books are that good.
Usivius wrote:Under Heaven was really fantastic!
Reading it now. No spoilers please! :biggrin:
drew wrote:About the only Kay books I never really got into; was his first series...and its his most popular. The Fionvar Tapestry.

It was just too much of a Lord of the Rings meets Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table for me.

Then when Arthur Pendragon was actually IN the second book...well, I haven't read past that part, its been years.
Then you really won't like when
Spoiler
Lancelot
shows up. :lol:

Although Kim with the Wandering Fire would fit right into Donaldson's books.
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Post by drew »

Since The Sarentine Mosaic and Last Light of the Sun rank, for me, right up near the top of my list of Favorite Fantasy novels, I really should go back and read Fionovar.

It will seem strange though, not to read a Kay book that talks about Jad
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Post by stonemaybe »

Just finished The Last Light of The Sun - it really was fantastic, thanks again Drew!

I really liked Lions... too.

Just started Ysabel
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Post by stonemaybe »

Ysabel - not enjoying it nearly as much as Lions and Last light, but for those Fionavar fans - Dave and Kim appear in it.
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Post by drew »

-What??

I'm just getting back into Fionavar right now.

Is it set before, or after?? the Real World or Fionavar...not the Jaddite world, is it?
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Post by stonemaybe »

It's set in the real world in Provence France long after Fionavar events. They're middle-aged. Kim is aunt to teenage main character.

It's not a bad book, it just suffers in comparison to the Jaddite world books imo.
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Post by drew »

I must say though, Now that I'm in my second read-through of Fionvar, I'm really enjoying it. Even though there is no mention of Ferriers, or the white and Blue moons!!!

The whole, Kind Arthur meets Lord of the Rings, doesn't bother me like it did last time.
I guess I'm appreciating how good the writing itself is.
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