The Sarantine Mosaic
Moderator: I'm Murrin
The Sarantine Mosaic
"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...
Usivius wants to talk!!!
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...
Usivius wants to talk!!!
~...with a floating smile and a light blue sponge...~
- drew
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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.
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.
I thought you were a ripe grape
a cabernet sauvignon
a bottle in the cellar
the kind you keep for a really long time
a cabernet sauvignon
a bottle in the cellar
the kind you keep for a really long time
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.
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.
[spoiler]If you change the font to white within spoiler tags does it break them?[/spoiler]
- drew
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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.
I thought you were a ripe grape
a cabernet sauvignon
a bottle in the cellar
the kind you keep for a really long time
a cabernet sauvignon
a bottle in the cellar
the kind you keep for a really long time
- stonemaybe
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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!
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!
Aglithophile and conniptionist and spectacular moonbow beholder 16Jul11
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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...
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...
~...with a floating smile and a light blue sponge...~
- stonemaybe
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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!
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!
Aglithophile and conniptionist and spectacular moonbow beholder 16Jul11
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- drew
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Most of Kay's boooks take place in the same world.Stonemaybe wrote:. I want to know what happens in Spain, though!
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
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.
I thought you were a ripe grape
a cabernet sauvignon
a bottle in the cellar
the kind you keep for a really long time
a cabernet sauvignon
a bottle in the cellar
the kind you keep for a really long time
- stonemaybe
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- drew
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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.
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.
I thought you were a ripe grape
a cabernet sauvignon
a bottle in the cellar
the kind you keep for a really long time
a cabernet sauvignon
a bottle in the cellar
the kind you keep for a really long time
- Horrim Carabal
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Re: The Sarantine Mosaic
My sentiments exactly. It's too bad Kay doesn't have the readership of SRD, because he's right up there.Usivius wrote:"Sailing to Sarantium" and "Lord of Emperors" - Guy Gavriel Kay
wow.
that's all I have to say: "wow".
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: 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!!!
Reading it now. No spoilers please!Usivius wrote:Under Heaven was really fantastic!
Then you really won't like whendrew 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.
Spoiler
Lancelot
Although Kim with the Wandering Fire would fit right into Donaldson's books.
- drew
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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
It will seem strange though, not to read a Kay book that talks about Jad
I thought you were a ripe grape
a cabernet sauvignon
a bottle in the cellar
the kind you keep for a really long time
a cabernet sauvignon
a bottle in the cellar
the kind you keep for a really long time
- stonemaybe
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- stonemaybe
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- stonemaybe
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- drew
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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.
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.
I thought you were a ripe grape
a cabernet sauvignon
a bottle in the cellar
the kind you keep for a really long time
a cabernet sauvignon
a bottle in the cellar
the kind you keep for a really long time