Sarantine Mosaic 2: Lord of Emperors [Mass Market Paperback]

In another Kay fantasy, The Lions of al-Rassan, a character sombrely observes, "Even the sun goes down, my lady." All things come to an end, and this is true for emperors as it is for mosaicists. At times, this book ventures into the poetic, and the reader is drawn into what is, when push comes to shove, a love story. There are parts that I find a little dodgy - I find it hard to imagine the red-headed mosaicist cutting a swathe through all of Sarantine society and capturing so many hearts along the way, and Kay's meditations on how people receive great events runs a little awkward - but the good more than outweighs the bad. A deeply fascinating fantasy read.

This manages to surpass even its wonderful predecessor, Sailing to Sarantium. I spent the last 200-odd pages in suspense [and tears], and keep recalling scenes at random since I finished this. I am truly thankful I picked up Sailing to Sarantium this month, because if I'd had to wait for Lord of Emperors to be published......it wouldn't have been pretty. I was completely caught up and swept along to the point of committing a sin I have avoided for years....reading under the covers! Even though it meant being exhausted the next day [and in trouble with my mother] I really couldn't have done anything else, I was so immersed.
I cried for Valerius and Alixana, for Scortius and Thenais, for Styliane, and even Lecanus. Even for the demise of Crispin's mosiac! I loved his last mosaic of the court as well!
A few minor quibbles: I was a little thrown by the last couple of pages - it seemed a bit random that she sought Crispin out and that they should just start planning their life ahead. I would have liked a little more lead-up and evidence of an attachment! I would also have liked to have had Lecanus' bird explained - was it one of Zoticus'? If so, how did Lecanus get it and why did it have a different voice? If not, who made it? I would have also liked to know how Shirin and Scortius ended up, as it was left as a bit of a loose end.
Anyway, this was simply brilliant, intricate and enthralling, and if you haven't read Sailing to Sarantium and Lord of Emperors then you should, and if you have read Sailing to Sarantium, there is no need to recommend it as you will be desperate to read it [or should be, as surely as the world is round]!

First all let me say that I am biased and prejudiced here in this review, in that Mr. Kay is one of my top 5 most favorite authors of all time. That being said, this book was wonderful and the other reviewers comments about a poor ending and their disappointment that this book wasn't up to Kay's standards, I have to say HooHah. If you love fantasy and history, and being highly entertained read this book. A simple artisan from an obscure place in the Roman realm or the equilavent of, is sent a message from the Emporeror of Byzantium requesting his assistance in creating a mosaic on a dome of a palace building. Kay has the ability to take a simple everyday kind of guy like most of us, and transport them into magical adventures where wonderful things occur and common courage conquers uncommon fears. I loved this book, it's prequel, and found it to be entertaining and educational. Kay follows history fairly closely while presenting an alternate form of it. If you're reading to critique, skip this one. If you're reading for fun and entertainment and wish to escape the mundane of everyday, read it and enjoy. You'll be disappointed though at the end, as was I. It's one of those books you never want to end.