Tigana: Amazon.ca: Guy Gavriel Kay: Books

Product Description

Amazon.ca

Guy Gavriel Kay's masterful Tigana uses a fictionalized Renaissance Italy for his marvellous world-making. Tigana is a lost world, a victim of magic, intrigue, and malice. Once a vibrant province with a rich culture and glorious history, it has been cursed by the vicious tyrant/sorcerer King Brandin so that all memory of it has been erased from human recollection, with the exception of those born in Tigana, who are left to suffer its loss. Tigana follows the struggle of a tiny group who carry an echo of Tigana in their hearts and are willing to die to see it reborn. The book is in part a glorious and rich historical epic, but it is also an evocative love story and a riveting, action-packed tale of daring adventure. Kay excels in creating a stunning tapestry in which to recount a story that draws on everything from the shimmering chivalry of the Arthurian romances to the fascinating intrigues of Renaissance Italy. --Jeffrey Canton

About the Author

Guy Gavriel Kay’s work has been translated into fourteen languages. His most recent novel is Lord of Emperors, Volume II of the Sarantine Mosaic. Guy Gavriel Kay lives in Toronto.

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Customer Reviews

2 Reviews

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5.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars A Magnificent Saga of a Dark World, Jun 8 2004

By

CanadianMother (Ontario) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Tigana (Paperback)

I just finished reading Tigana today and I must say that I loved it.

The first chapter starts very slowly. But I slogged through it, and by the time I was a few chapters in I was totally hooked. The story builds slowly, but it does build, and by the last chapter of the book I could hardly breathe because I was so eager to find out what happened.

The story is not predictable. I like complex stories like this that take lots of twists and turns, and contain significant surpises. I also like books like this that mostly deal with shades of grey instead of black and white, because they make you think. Often while reading Tigana I had to put the book down to think for a few moments if a character had been justified for doing something. I felt every bit as much sympathy for Brandin and Dianora, because their deplorable actions were done with love in mind, as I felt for Alessan and his group. This is like real life, where bad guys and good guys rarely exist.

Kay's writing contains a message of compassion for all people. But there was one character I really disliked and could feel no sympathy for: Alberico, not only because he killed so many innocent people gruesomely because he seemed to have no feelings at all, no soul, only a cold meaninless ambition. He didn't care about anything except his desire to be Emperor.

As well as the dark and pensive themes of the book, I enjoyed Kay's writing style as always. Although his poetic prose sometimes borders on melodrama he has the power to take my breath away. Rarely do I read a book and want to read certain lines over and over again because they're so beautiful.

The book is full of memorable scenes that are dripping with strong emotion. I felt everything along with the characters: the fear, the pain, the helplessness, the love and elation. I don't think I've ever read another author who conveys such depths of emotion as Kay.

If you like shocking surprises you'll like this book, because it contains quite a few. My jaw dropped open more than once!

All in all a great book that I'll always remember. Kay is a master of emotional, poignant writing that also makes you think. If you're willing to dedicate some time to this book (it's on the long side) as well as some mindpower (it's not something you can breeze through) then you won't be sorry.

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5.0 out of 5 stars ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I'VE READ, Dec 14 1998

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Dr. Colin L. Sheppard (Melb, Australia!) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Tigana (Hardcover)

I have just finished "Tigana" & feel a deep sense of loss. I can't bring myself to read anything else at present. The book developes complex characters & explores their struggles in a world where good & evil are intermingled in ways which don't allow for simplistic judgements.

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Amazon.com: 5.0 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best fantasy stories., April 2 2011

By D. Sims - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: Tigana (Paperback)

I read a lot of fantasy and science fiction. Tigana is one of the best stories I've read. I think it is Guy Gavriel Kay's best work. (Much better than the Fionivar Tapestry.) Follow the struggle of the heroes of Tigana, a country defeated in war, as they try to liberate their homeland and exact retribution on its conqueror.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Magnificent Saga of a Dark World, Jun 7 2004

By CanadianMother - Published on Amazon.com