On Tigana

Book Friday today sees us at the end (finally) of Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay. You can find a description of the book here, along with some decent purchase options, though it's still not available in the US as an ebook. You can apparently switch your region to UK, purchase the book, then switch it back to US without any negative repercussions. I haven't tried this myself so try at your own risk.

Tigana deals with some fascinating questions including how memory affects our daily lives, what happens when our memories are allowed to rule our lives, what does freedom mean, what does oppression do to our behavior and what means and ends are justified. Kay deals with these topics in an engaging story and by placing dynamic characters in untenable situations.

The language in Tigana is flowery. Kay spent time with Christopher Tolkien working on The Silmarillion after J.R.R. Tolkien's death and it shows. I thought the language fit the setting and the story that Kay wanted to tell, but that style can be distracting and difficult some readers. I found myself drifting occasionally through descriptions lasting several paragraphs.

I enjoyed Tigana thoroughly and plan to pick up some of Kay's other works next time I find myself in the mood for some fantasy. Next week we'll be back on science fiction; I recently picked up a book by Heinlein that was completed from his notes by Spider Robinson. It's called Variable Star. It's available for 7.99 in mass market and kindle editions and looks terrific.

 

Andrew

 

Reading:

Variable Star, Heinlein and Robinson. 0/318

Completed:

Tigana, Guy Gavriel Kay.