Kay, Guy Gavriel: Under Heaven
Under Heaven (2010)
Written by: Guy Gavriel Kay
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 569 (Hardcover)
The premise: ganked from BN.com (I think): In his latest innovative novel, the award-winning author evokes the dazzling Tang Dynasty of 8th-century China in a story of honor and power. Inspired by the glory and power of Tang dynasty China, Guy Gavriel Kay has created a masterpiece. It begins simply. Shen Tai, son of an illustrious general serving the Emperor of Kitai, has spent two years honoring the memory of his late father by burying the bones of the dead from both armies at the site of one of his father's last great battles. In recognition of his labors and his filial piety, an unlikely source has sent him a dangerous gift: 250 Sardian horses. You give a man one of the famed Sardian horses to reward him greatly. You give him four or five to exalt him above his fellows, propel him towards rank, and earn him jealousy, possibly mortal jealousy. Two hundred and fifty is an unthinkable gift, a gift to overwhelm an emperor. Wisely, the gift comes with the stipulation that Tai must claim the horses in person. Otherwise he would probably be dead already...
My Rating
Buy the Paperback: I liked the book, don't get me wrong. The rating is based on two things: 1) this beast was difficult to carry around, let alone difficult for me to physically handle (I have small hands); 2) I also feel that this book deserved a stronger editing hand: cuts could've been made without sacrificing the beauty of the prose, and looking at the story in hindsight, I feel like Tai's and Li-Mei's stories amounted to nothing in comparison to what Kay really wanted to write about, which was the fictionalized version of the An Shi Rebellion.
But don't get me wrong: it's all very beautiful and an immersive book to read. I've not read many fantasies that are focused in Asian mythology or history, so this was a unique take for me (though I know other authors have utilized said mythology and history before). Some passages are pure poetry (and I'm not referring to the actual poetry of the book), and after reading this, other writing styles just look clumsy in comparison. Still, it's not my favorite read from Kay, but it's in second place (out of three books). It's a good read, and the characters are certainly likable, and there's no doubt you feel like you're a part of the world while reading. I'm just not sure hardcover's the best format to read this in, unless you're just a hardcore collector.
Review style: There will be spoilers. I want to talk some about Kay's style and about how this book compares to the two others I've read and what kind of impression his work leaves on me; I want to talk about story structure and how this book does and does not fit in with your standard fantasy quest storytelling; we'll also look at the term "fake historical fantasy" and see how it applies to this book. It's a long book, and there's a lot to talk about. So yes, again, SPOILERS in the full review linked below. If spoilers don't bother you, or if you've already read the book, feel free to check it out in my LJ. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)
REVIEW: Guy Gavriel Kay's UNDER HEAVEN
Happy Reading!
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Book club selections @ calico_reaction. Hop on over! We'd love to have you!
January: The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
February: Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler