A Song For Arbonne

A book that's powerful in the beauty of its lyrical prose, the powerful descriptions, and the deep characters. This is a book that has more in common with pure historical fiction rather than historical fantasy as there is little magic present in the story threads. But there is another magic present in the novel: the magic of Kay's writing. Kay always basis his works around a real, historical location, and loving paints the world of his books with broad strokes of real world influence. Italy was the home to his Fionavar Tapestry books. In A Song for Arbonne, medieval France and the court of love is the setting this time around. Kay does what he does best: craft a fully realized world that borrows from the real so that it feels familiar yet strangely different. It's a better, more fantastical version of reality, is Kay's work.Picking up a Kay book makes me want to book the nearest flight to somewhere exotic and revel in a rich foreign culture, if only to capture a sliver of the emotions his books stir up. Do read this book. You wont be disappointed.Kay has written a number of wonder books (you'll see four of them listed on the Top 100 list alone!). It's not as impacting and tragic as Tigana, or as mythological and epic as The Fionavar books, nor it is richly sweeping in kingdom and plot as Under Heaven. But it's the most personal of his narratives -- that of a journey into soul and spirit.A Song for Arbonne is a powerful human drama. It's the story of love and loyalty and honor shown to a country, to a family, and of course the strongest of all, true love. There is a song of nostalgia and sadness that rings beneath the tale, I suspect there may be a few tears to shed by the end of the book. A powerful book and a powerful story.

Booklists having this book

Top 100 Fantasy Books

This list continues directly from where  the Top 25 Best Fantasy List ends, starting from #26 and ending at #100 (yes, I know the list shows #1, but 1 = 26).Frankly, there are... Read more

Other books by Kay, Guy Gavriel

Tigana

Tigana is both a sweeping epic and a look into human nature â€“ flaws and all. The characters and plot exist in an area of grey where good and evil... Read more

Under Heaven

On paper, this is the perfect setup for a grand fantasy novel: Guy Gavriel Kay (Tigana, The Fionavar Tapestry, Lions of Al-Rassan) applies his considerable literary talent to crafting an... Read more

River Of Stars

A LÃ¢mina Na Alma

Der Hofnarr

A Song For Arbonne

A book that's powerful in the beauty of its lyrical prose, the powerful descriptions, and the deep characters. This is a book that has more in common with pure historical... Read more

The Fionavar Tapestry Trilogy

Gavriel Kay's Fionavar is an ode to J.R.R. Tolkien, building on his life as an editorial assistant to his son, Christopher. Kay was instrumental in the publication of the legend's... Read more

The Wandering Fire

The Darkest Road

The Lions Of Al-rassan

Book Flap Description The ruling Asharites of Al-Rassan have come from the desert sands, but over centuries, seduced by the sensuous pleasures of their new land, their stern piety has... Read more

Sailing To Sarantium

Kay writes a lot of fantasy that appeals to those who enjoy a good, well thought out romance novel. While romance is not the only point of KayÃ¢s stories (Kay... Read more

Lord Of Emperors

The Darkest Road

2008: Ysabel

Ned is Fifteen, and spending the year with his father in France. He just met a cute girl named Kate. He really should be having a real good time. Unfortunately,... Read more

Children Of Earth And Sky

The bestselling author of the groundbreaking novels Under Heaven and River of Stars, Guy Gavriel Kay is back with a new book, set in a world inspired by the conflicts... Read more