The Last Light of the Sun
Interestingly, though I listened to this audiobook several years ago, I had completely forgotten that I finished it - I thought I had only gotten a few hours in. It was curious how utterly I had forgotten what happened in the book. As I went through, I kept thinking, "Oh, right, I remember that!" - but didn't remember what happened next.Guy Gavriel Kay often sets his fantasy novels in altered, magical versions of real historical settings. This one worked from a theme of Vikings, Britons and
My best friend loves this author. I'd never read anything by him, but a back cover blurb that compares this novel favorably to Stephen King and Shakespeare doesn't exactly make the strongest case for me (I have idiosyncratic tastes, I know.) Regardless, I took my time with the book, wanting to make sure I was fully engaging it, to find in it what my best friend, whose opinion I respect, sees. It troubled me somewhat that it was slow-going -- it's been noted that I tear through books at a very
Vikings - I like them, and I like GGK so this is the best of both worlds.
I found this to be one of Kay's more challenging books. Shorter than most of the others, it seemed less substantial, somehow. Once I was engrossed in the story, it was over too soon. Still, the first time I read it, i felt it didn't stand up to his earlier work. By that point I had fallen in love with The Lions of al-Rassan, and everything else suffered by comparison.A second reading totally changed my perspective. The story is so intimate, so visceral, and I had originally expected the kind of
I vacillated between 4 and 5 stars for this one. Kay's writing is like fine chocolate: so delicious it makes you shiver, and impossible to safely devour in one sitting. That makes light of the prose, though, and this book is so much more than that. It's hauntingly beautiful, the kind of universal poetry that makes you weep for the truths it's trying to impart. It's the kind of high tragedy that has always resonated in Celtic tales. I think this book is ultimately about the old giving way to the
As it is his custom the author continue his game with the creative use of real history in a fantastic environment. This time it goes to Northern Europe, in the Viking era, giving us a story that reflects the climate of the time and the psychology of the people who lived then perhaps better than many historical novels. This story, of course, belongs to the field of fantasy, which means that the presence of the metaphysical element is quite strong, but the author tries to narrate a more realistic
Guy Gavriel Kay
Paperback | Pages: 501 pages Rating: 3.94 | 7774 Users | 449 Reviews
Point Of Books The Last Light of the Sun
Title | : | The Last Light of the Sun |
Author | : | Guy Gavriel Kay |
Book Format | : | Paperback |
Book Edition | : | First Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 501 pages |
Published | : | July 1st 2005 by Pocket (first published March 2004) |
Categories | : | Fantasy. Historical. Historical Fiction. Fiction. Historical Fantasy. Science Fiction Fantasy. Cultural. Canada |
Ilustration As Books The Last Light of the Sun
In his eagerly awaited new novel, Guy Gavriel Kay turns his gaze to the northlands, brilliantly evoking the Viking, Anglo-Saxon and Celtic cultures of a turbulent age. There is nothing soft or silken about the north. The lives of men and women are as challenging as the climate and lands in which they dwell. For generations, the Erlings of Vinmark have taken their dragon-prowed ships across the seas, raiding the lands of the Cyngael and Anglcyn peoples, leaving fire and death behind. But times change, even in the north, and in a tale woven with consummate artistry, people of all three cultures find the threads of their lives unexpectedly brought together... Bern Thorkellson, punished for his father's sins, commits an act of vengeance and desperation that brings him face-to-face, across the sea, with a past he's been trying to leave behind. In the Anglcyn lands of King Aeldred, the shrewd king, battling inner demons all the while, shores up his defenses with alliances and diplomacy-and with swords and arrows-while his exceptional, unpredictable sons and daughters pursue their own desires when battle comes and darkness falls in the woods. And in the valleys and shrouded hills of the Cyngael, whose voices carry music even as they feud and raid amongst each other, violence and love become deeply interwoven when the dragon ships come and Alun ab Owyn, chasing an enemy in the night, glimpses strange lights gleaming above forest pools. Making brilliant use of saga, song and chronicle, Kay brings to life an unforgettable world balanced on the knife-edge of change in The Last Light of the Sun.Declare Books Concering The Last Light of the Sun
Original Title: | The Last Light of the Sun |
ISBN: | 0743484231 (ISBN13: 9780743484237) |
Edition Language: | English |
Literary Awards: | Locus Award Nominee for Best SF Novel (2005), Sunburst Award Nominee for Canadian Novel (2005) |
Rating Of Books The Last Light of the Sun
Ratings: 3.94 From 7774 Users | 449 ReviewsWrite Up Of Books The Last Light of the Sun
I wanted to like this book. It was about Vikings, early British kings, and even the fair folk for goodness sake! But time and again, whenever I was finally getting into the story or bonding with a character, GGK would pull you out of the story with either a seemingly unrelated until pages later historical aside, or comments about really obvious things like how one small choice can make a difference. Regarding the historical asides, I felt an awful lot like I was reading GGK's version of LesInterestingly, though I listened to this audiobook several years ago, I had completely forgotten that I finished it - I thought I had only gotten a few hours in. It was curious how utterly I had forgotten what happened in the book. As I went through, I kept thinking, "Oh, right, I remember that!" - but didn't remember what happened next.Guy Gavriel Kay often sets his fantasy novels in altered, magical versions of real historical settings. This one worked from a theme of Vikings, Britons and
My best friend loves this author. I'd never read anything by him, but a back cover blurb that compares this novel favorably to Stephen King and Shakespeare doesn't exactly make the strongest case for me (I have idiosyncratic tastes, I know.) Regardless, I took my time with the book, wanting to make sure I was fully engaging it, to find in it what my best friend, whose opinion I respect, sees. It troubled me somewhat that it was slow-going -- it's been noted that I tear through books at a very
Vikings - I like them, and I like GGK so this is the best of both worlds.
I found this to be one of Kay's more challenging books. Shorter than most of the others, it seemed less substantial, somehow. Once I was engrossed in the story, it was over too soon. Still, the first time I read it, i felt it didn't stand up to his earlier work. By that point I had fallen in love with The Lions of al-Rassan, and everything else suffered by comparison.A second reading totally changed my perspective. The story is so intimate, so visceral, and I had originally expected the kind of
I vacillated between 4 and 5 stars for this one. Kay's writing is like fine chocolate: so delicious it makes you shiver, and impossible to safely devour in one sitting. That makes light of the prose, though, and this book is so much more than that. It's hauntingly beautiful, the kind of universal poetry that makes you weep for the truths it's trying to impart. It's the kind of high tragedy that has always resonated in Celtic tales. I think this book is ultimately about the old giving way to the
As it is his custom the author continue his game with the creative use of real history in a fantastic environment. This time it goes to Northern Europe, in the Viking era, giving us a story that reflects the climate of the time and the psychology of the people who lived then perhaps better than many historical novels. This story, of course, belongs to the field of fantasy, which means that the presence of the metaphysical element is quite strong, but the author tries to narrate a more realistic
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