Publisher: Hodder
SYNOPSIS:
Guy Gavriel Kay, bestselling author of the groundbreaking novels Under Heaven and River of Stars, once again visits a world that evokes one that existed in our own past, this time the tumultuous period of Renaissance Europe-a world on the verge of war, where ordinary lives play out in the grand scheme of kingdoms colliding.
From the small coastal town of Senjan, notorious for its pirates , a young woman sets out to find vengeance for her lost family. That same spring, from the wealthy city-state of Seressa, famous for its canals and lagoon, come two very different people: a young artist traveling to the dangerous east to paint the Grand Khalif at his request-and possibly to do more-and a beautiful oman, posing as a doctor's wife in her role of a spy.
The trading ship that carries them is commanded by the clever younger son of a merchant family -with ambivalence about the life he's been born to live. And farther east a boy trains to become a soldier in the elite infantry of the khalif-to win glory in the war everyone knows is coming.
As these lives entwine, their fates-and those of many others-will hang in the balance, when the khalif sends out his massive army to take the great fortress that is the gateway to the western world...
REVIEW:
If you love alternate history you at one point have to have tried Guy Gavriel Kay. The writing is delightfully crisp, the prose sharp and when you get right down to it all the books interlink with this one throwing out a lot of references to previous titles.
Its got something for everyone with characters that you just love to spend time with. Top notch dialogue and all wrapped up with a pace that is masterfully done. FInally add to this an overall arc that is not only beautifully creative but takes the reader upon one hel lo fa journey. Cracking.
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