Under Heaven

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

Guy Gavriel Kay???s latest historical fantasy, Under Heaven, is gorgeous. If you???re already a fan of GGK, you know exactly what kind of delight you???re in for. Under Heaven is every bit as wonderful as Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, and The Last Light of the Sun. Every bit.

Under Heaven takes place in Kitai ??? an alternate Tang Dynasty (but not so alternate that you won???t recognize the names of many of the characters if you read just a brief history of the Tang Dynasty). The civilization and culture is experiencing a golden age and family honor is one of the highest ideals. Shen Tai, in order to honor his dead father, has spent two solitary years burying the bones ??? and silencing the ghosts ??? of thousands of men who died in a battle between Kitai and neighboring Tagur. Just as his mourning period is about to end, three strange things happen almost simultaneously: a friend shows up with urgent news from the capital city Xinan, an assassin is sent to kill Shen Tai, and the princess of Tagur gives Shen Tai 250 Sardian horses ??? an incomprehensibly valuable gift that instantly catapults him to the highest ranks of Xinan society. Now Shen Tai must journey back to Xinan, he???s got assassins on his tail, he doesn???t know who he can trust, and he has no idea that war is brewing and his return may be the catalyst.

I???ve already said that Under Heaven is just as gorgeous as Kay???s previous historical fantasies: It???s well-researched, carefully constructed, tightly plotted, and beautifully written. The mingling of the real and the magical is delicate ??? there are no wizards or wands, but just the acknowledgment of the existence of the supernatural and the weird. Most impressively, GGK???s work is always full of poetry, passion, and life. His characters, those who play major roles and minor ones, feel like real people and, whether we like them or not, we come to understand their histories, motivations, frustrations, and desires. We smile when they laugh, our hearts race when they???re afraid, and we cry when they mourn.

Another feature that sets Kay???s historical fantasies apart from others is his ability to completely immerse us in a real culture without telling us that he???s doing so. Some historical writers feel the need to drop names, exposit, and lecture. In contrast, Guy Gavriel Kay brings a historical period to life without making us feel like we???re reading a textbook or that we???re required to admire his research and knowledge. Since we spend most of our time in Mr. Kay???s characters??? heads, I also appreciate that these characters are all fictional (Mr. Kay explains why he does it this way in the introduction and I completely agree with his philosophy).

I read Penguin Audio???s version of Under Heaven, narrated by Simon Vance. For years Mr. Vance has been one of my favorite narrators, and he???s wonderful here, as usual. If you???re an audiobook reader, you???ll definitely want to try this version read by the incomparable Mr. Vance. Regardless, you don???t want to miss Under Heaven ??? it may be the best fantasy novel of 2010.