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lucardus's review against another edition
5.0
Vom Stoff her hätte ein klassisches Fantasy-Epos hier sicher mindestens drei Bände ergeben, Kay hingegen beschränkt sich bei den richtig großen Ereignissen auf kurze Absätze und bleibt dicht bei den Figuren, die zwar Einfluss auf diese Ereignisse haben, aber nicht ständig daran teilnehmen. Das wird Fans gewaltiger Epen wahrscheinlich enttäuschen, aber ich fand es überzeugend, denn die Hauptfiguren sind eben nicht die großen Welterschütterer.
timinbc's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, what a pleasure that was to read! I've read several excellent books since Christmas and this topped them all. Today, I had about 60 pages left, and found myself wanting to drop everything and go read them. I waited half an hour to savour that feeling of anticipation, then polished it off.
I've read several Kay novels, and several other authors' novels based on ancient China, so I wasn't exploring new territory. This one ties Barry Hughart's "Bridge of Birds" as the best. This is complex, balanced, well-researched. The writing is restrained, suited to the era, but never intrusive in the "Am I not a wonderful writer?" way.
The characters are good but not perfect, or bad but not quite totally evil, or somewhere in between. There is just enough magic for flavour, some battle, some sex. Some history, some politics, some intrigue, a bit of logistical reality, and so on.
And, like other Kay books, it is very good at making you think, "Well, just one more chapter tonight."
It ends rather quickly, but it was an appropriate ending for what had occurred, and anything longer would have felt stretched.
MINOR SPOILER WARNING, SKIP THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T YET READ THE BOOK
- my favourite part was when the Shuoki caught Li-Mei and Meshag, and soon I had to ask myself, "Whatever made you think there were only six wolves?"
END OF MINOR SPOILER
I've read several Kay novels, and several other authors' novels based on ancient China, so I wasn't exploring new territory. This one ties Barry Hughart's "Bridge of Birds" as the best. This is complex, balanced, well-researched. The writing is restrained, suited to the era, but never intrusive in the "Am I not a wonderful writer?" way.
The characters are good but not perfect, or bad but not quite totally evil, or somewhere in between. There is just enough magic for flavour, some battle, some sex. Some history, some politics, some intrigue, a bit of logistical reality, and so on.
And, like other Kay books, it is very good at making you think, "Well, just one more chapter tonight."
It ends rather quickly, but it was an appropriate ending for what had occurred, and anything longer would have felt stretched.
MINOR SPOILER WARNING, SKIP THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T YET READ THE BOOK
- my favourite part was when the Shuoki caught Li-Mei and Meshag, and soon I had to ask myself, "Whatever made you think there were only six wolves?"
END OF MINOR SPOILER
daumari's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, the prose in this was lovely, as exquisite as the poems quoted by characters (I somewhat wish I had paid more attention in premodern Chinese lit- I recognized some of the names of the poets in the acknowledgements section, but alas. I do remember the symbolism behind a lonely goose, though, and something about the four major beauties). I picked this up because I've been meaning to read a GGK, and it's not often you come across a fantasy novel set in an Asian culture (though given the fantastic elements aren't front and center, this is about as low fantasy as ASoIaF- touches of it here and there, but not omnipresent). Ironically, one of the nonfiction books I read earlier this month mentioned real-life Tang dynasty emperor Taizong who loved horses, and the famed Ferghana horses who allegedly sweat blood.
There are action scenes, there is violence, but it feels subdued, perhaps because our perspective characters spend quite a bit of time thinking to themselves. Looks like the library has [b:River of Stars|15808474|River of Stars|Guy Gavriel Kay|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356089847s/15808474.jpg|21451403] so I can move on swiftly!
There are action scenes, there is violence, but it feels subdued, perhaps because our perspective characters spend quite a bit of time thinking to themselves. Looks like the library has [b:River of Stars|15808474|River of Stars|Guy Gavriel Kay|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356089847s/15808474.jpg|21451403] so I can move on swiftly!
sloreads_ca's review against another edition
5.0
Full Review
Shen Tai is a whip-smart, likeable character, the intricacies of the court were fascinating and the women using whatever agency they had to advance their goals. I remembered being heart broken by this book the first time I read it, but it didn't hit as hard this time.
Shen Tai is a whip-smart, likeable character, the intricacies of the court were fascinating and the women using whatever agency they had to advance their goals. I remembered being heart broken by this book the first time I read it, but it didn't hit as hard this time.
owentowns's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
rebornehero's review
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kcrouth's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked Under Heaven. To me, it conveyed this sense of magic JUST at the edge of believability. If you have seen the film Crouching Tiger, it is a similar feeling of magic. It really resonated with me Looking forward to the sequel River of Stars.
Some quotes:
"but if you couldn't do everything, did that mean you did nothing?" - p.7
"The world could bring you poison in a jeweled cup, or surprising gifts. Sometimes you didn't know which of them it was." - p.130
"Duty, assuming all tasks, can betray arrogance. The idea we can know what must be done, and do it properly. We cannot know the future, my friend. It claims so much to imagine we can. And the world is not broken any more than it always, always is." - p.298
"Only wind, and endless grass, and a sky so much farther away than any she's known. It is difficult to feel that your life means anything under this sky. Are the heavens more removed from humankind here? Do prayers and souls have a greater distance to travel?" - p.375
"We will pick our way through the shards of broken objects that folly leaves behind. And some of what breaks will be very beautiful." - p.456
"Sometimes the one life we are allowed is enough." - p.561
Some quotes:
"but if you couldn't do everything, did that mean you did nothing?" - p.7
"The world could bring you poison in a jeweled cup, or surprising gifts. Sometimes you didn't know which of them it was." - p.130
"Duty, assuming all tasks, can betray arrogance. The idea we can know what must be done, and do it properly. We cannot know the future, my friend. It claims so much to imagine we can. And the world is not broken any more than it always, always is." - p.298
"Only wind, and endless grass, and a sky so much farther away than any she's known. It is difficult to feel that your life means anything under this sky. Are the heavens more removed from humankind here? Do prayers and souls have a greater distance to travel?" - p.375
"We will pick our way through the shards of broken objects that folly leaves behind. And some of what breaks will be very beautiful." - p.456
"Sometimes the one life we are allowed is enough." - p.561
mrbear's review against another edition
3.0
This book suffered from the same problem Kay seems to face in all of his lesser works - it's trying way too hard. Rather than let the story lead the reader to conclusions about the meanings of events of their place in history, Kay feels the need to repeatedly bash his readers over the head with how Epic and Poetic everything is. It worked out well enough in the Sarantine series because the story was compelling, but in this book (which awkwardly recycles a lot of the characters from that series, except made Chinese and more poetry obsessed) the story was so amazingly unexciting that the bluntness didn't fly at all.
Still, I like his writing more than most average books, so I'll give it a 3, and recommend it only to people who have read his many better books and (like me) feel the need to read them all.
Still, I like his writing more than most average books, so I'll give it a 3, and recommend it only to people who have read his many better books and (like me) feel the need to read them all.
dromwald's review against another edition
5.0
This is the second work by Kay that I have read and I wasn't disappointed. Like Tigana, this book was beautifully and skillfully woven and accessible, by which I mean it drew me in within a few pages and kept me there - escapism without the guilt. I love it when a writer's skill takes me 'there', draws me in to the world they have created and Kay really does do this skillfully. A fantasy creation this may well be but the author has clearly done his research into the era of China that was his inspiration for the story.
Suffice it to say that I loved this story.
Suffice it to say that I loved this story.
heidi_mcj's review against another edition
3.0
I was disappointed with this book. I could never really get into the story or the characters. They never really did anything!