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Guy Gavriel Kay

    November 7, 1954

    Guy Gavriel Kay crafts fantasy fiction often set in invented realms mirroring specific historical periods and locations. Though marketed as historical fantasy, he prefers to avoid strict genre categorization. Kay masterfully blends historical resonance with imaginative storytelling, creating deeply resonant narratives. His work offers readers a unique exploration of timeless human themes through a distinct literary lens.

    Guy Gavriel Kay
    All the Seas of the World
    The Fionavar Tapestry
    A Song for Arbonne
    The Fionavar Tapestry - 3: The Darkest Road
    The Lions of Al-Rassan
    Lord of Emperors
    • The thrilling sequel to Sailing To Sarantium and the concluding novel of The Sarantine Mosaic, Kay's sweeping tale of politics, intrigue and adventure inspired by ancient Byzantium. Beckoned by the Emperor Valerius, Crispin, a renowned mosaicist, has arrived in the fabled city of Sarantium. Here he seeks to fulfill his artistic ambitions and his destiny high upon a dome that will become the emerror's magnificent sanctuary and legacy. But the beauty and solitude of his work cannot protect his from Sarantium's intrigue. Beneath him the city swirls with rumors of war and conspiracy, while otherworldly fires mysteriously flicker and disappear in the streets at night. Valerius is looking west to Crispin's homeland to reunite an Empire - a plan that may have dire consequences for the loved ones Crispin left behind. In Sarantium, however, loyalty is always complex, for Crispin's fate has become entwined with that of Valerius and his Empress, as well as Queen Gisel, his own monarch exiled in Sarantium herself. And now another voyager - this time from the east - has arrived, a pysician determined to make his mark amid the shifting, treachearous currents of passion and violence that will determine the empire's fate.

      Lord of Emperors
      4.4
    • Now King Almalik of Cartada is on the ascendancy adding city after city to his realm, aided by his friend and advisor, the notorious Ammar ibn Khairan - poet, diplomat, soldier - until a summer day of savage brutality changes their relationship forever.

      The Lions of Al-Rassan
      4.3
    • The young heroes from our own world have gained power and maturity from their sufferings and adventures in Fionavar. Now they must bring all the strength and wisdom they possess to the aid of the armies of Light in the ultimate battle against the evil of Rakoth Maugrim and the hordes of the Dark. On a ghost-ship the legendary Warrior, Arthur Pendragon, and Pwyll Twiceborn, Lord of the Summer Tree, sail to confront the Unraveller at last. Meanwhile, Darien, the child within whom Light and Dark vie for supremacy, must walk the darkest road of any child of earth or stars. Guy Gavriel Kay’s classic epic fantasy plays out on a truly grand scale, and has already been delighting fans of imaginative fiction for twenty years.

      The Fionavar Tapestry - 3: The Darkest Road
      4.3
    • A Song for Arbonne

      • 608 pages
      • 22 hours of reading

      Based on the troubadour culture that rose in Provence during the High Middle Ages, this panoramic, absorbing novel beautifully creates an alternate version of the medieval world. The matriarchal, cultured land of Arbonne is rent by a feud between its two most powerful dukes, the noble troubador Bertran de Talair and Urte de Miraval, over long-dead Aelis, lover of one, wife of the other and once heir to the country's throne. To the north lies militaristic Gorhaut, whose inhabitants worship the militant god Corannos and are ruled by corrupt, womanizing King Ademar. His chief advisor, the high priest of Corannos, is determined to eradicate the worship of a female deity, whose followers live to the south. Into this cauldron of brewing disaster comes the mysterious Gorhaut mercenary Blaise, who takes service with Bertran and averts an attempt on his life. The revelation of Blaise's lineage and a claim for sanctuary by his sister-in-law sets the stage for a brutal clash between the two cultures. Intertwined is the tale of a young woman troubadour whose role suggests the sweep of the drama to come.

      A Song for Arbonne
      4.3
    • All the Seas of the World

      • 320 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      On a dark night along a lonely stretch of coast, a small ship sends two people ashore. Their purpose is assassination. They have been hired by two of the most dangerous men alive to alter the balance of power in the world. If they succeed, the consequences will affect the destinies of empires, and lives both great and small. One of those arriving at that beach is a woman abducted by corsairs as a child and sold into years of servitude. Having escaped, she is trying to chart her own course-and is bent upon revenge. Another is a seafaring merchant who still remembers being exiled as a child with his family from their home, for their faith, a moment that never leaves him. In what follows, through a story both intimate and epic, unforgettable characters are immersed in the fierce and deadly struggles that define their time. All the Seas of the World is a drama that also offers moving reflections on memory, fate, and the random events that can shape our lives-in the past, and today.

      All the Seas of the World
      4.2
    • Sailing to Sarantium

      • 448 pages
      • 16 hours of reading

      After being given a talisman and tasked with carrying out a secret mission for the queen in the fabled city of Sarantium, Crispin's talent for making mosaics leads him to discover a source of great power that may be his only hope of survival. Reprint.

      Sailing to Sarantium
      4.2
    • In a setting that evokes the dazzling Tang Dynasty of 8th-century China, Shen Tai has been sent a mysterious and dangerous gift: 250 Sardian horses in recognition of his service to the Emperor of Kitai. Wisely, the gift comes with the stipulation that the horses must be claimed in person--otherwise, he would probably be dead already.

      Under Heaven
      4.2
    • The Wandering Fire

      • 288 pages
      • 11 hours of reading

      Set against the backdrop of an epic war, five individuals from our world are drawn into a battle against an ancient evil in a richly crafted fantasy realm. As they navigate this colossal conflict, they must embrace their destinies and confront the challenges that come with their roles. The narrative weaves together themes of courage, sacrifice, and the interconnectedness of worlds, showcasing Guy Gavriel Kay's masterful storytelling and intricate world-building.

      The Wandering Fire
      4.1
    • A Brightness Long Ago

      • 448 pages
      • 16 hours of reading

      Guy Gavriel Kay, bestselling author of the groundbreaking novels Under Heaven, River of Stars and Children of Earth and Sky returns with yet another breathtaking epic.

      A Brightness Long Ago
      4.1