Sailing to Sarantium: Book One of the Sarantine Mosaic

If the only fiction writing you can enjoy is a Tolkien knock-off, then don't buy this book. On the other hand, if you love a little intrigue, brilliant and witty conversations, fully developed characters with complex motivations, and if you have any interest in history and the royal courts of the past, then this is the book/series for you.I love the way his characters grow and develop over the course of the book. I love the fact that there isn't a single stock-character to be found. I adored the main characters. I thrilled at every brilliant plot-twist.Oh, and if you loved the charriot scene in the movie Ben Hur, you will be totally blown away by the race he describes here. I'll say no more. This is one of the fantastic moments in the book that simply can not be given away.Guy Gavriel Kay has done a fantastic job of creating a whole new genre of fictional writing. His unique blend of actual historical elements, magic, gods, and fantasy along with his intricate plots and fascinating characters are a refreshing change from the formulaic fantasy novels and poor writing skills that clog our bookstore shelves these days.This book is worth every penny. It is a treasure to be read and re-read.

I find with each book Kay writes, he becomes even more brilliant. While the Sarantine Mosaic Duology may not be for everyone, it is for those who enjoy beautifully developed characterization and cleverly woven storylines. Sailing to Sarantium is a wonderful beginning to the tale; I would suggest buying it and Lord of Emperors together, so the anticipation of the second book will not eat away at you while you wait for it ship.

Once again, Guy Gavriel Kay confirms my opinion that he is one of the best fantasy writers out there today. Crispin the mosaicist is an unusual character, which is what makes him so interesting to read about. He's a blunt, contrary man who lives to do the opposite of what people expect of him. His gruff exterior conceals a vulnerable heart that was dreadfully wounded when his family was taken from him by plague, and all that is left to him is his art. He seizes an unexpected opportunity to leave his life behind and travels to the far-off city of Sarantium into a world of politics, intrigues, and tensions, where nothing is as it appears on the surface.Kay's writing is lyrical, and the world he has created, although it is based on the society of long-ago Byzantium, is unique and new. I can't wait to read the sequel. Previous fans of Kay's work will definitely enjoy this one, and if you haven't read any of his books, this would be a good one to start with. Immensely satifying and written beautifully.

Guy Gavriel Kay is one of my favorite fantasy authors, because he is able to portray some of the most believable characters I've ever read. After a string of fabulous single-volume novels, he has now published the duology "The Sarantine Mosaic". This story appears to be set in the same world as "The Lions of Al-Rassan", but in a different country and time. Still, there are references to Esperana, Trakesia and other countries in both novels. And once again this is a historical novel disguised as a fantasy novel. Magic doesn't play a very strong part, and anyone with some basic notions of history can draw easy parallels between this novel's characters and settings, and their real-world counterparts. Still, the novel will be enjoyable even if you are not familiar with the historical period. When someone says they are "sailing to Sarantium" (an obvious reference to "Sailing to Byzantium" by W. B. Yeats), it means they are going through a time of change, even upheaval, in their lives. Likewise, the major characters in this novel are experiencing change. The mosaicist Crispin, the guard Vargos and the former slave Kasia arrive in the city of Sarantium. This is the story of how they arrive there, and how the city influences them, and vice versa. I can't urge you enough to buy this novel, and any others by Guy Gavriel Kay you can find.

This story takes us back to the alternate Mediterranean basin first described in 'The Lions of Al-Rassan'. (I strongly recommend reading 'Lions' first, for background on the Jaddite and Kindath religions.) What I have enjoyed so much about these two books, and anticipate most about 'Sarantium''s sequel, is the way that this historical parallel enables Kay to explore some of the fascinating cultural issues arising from religious and political nexus. The stunningly clear historical research only makes Kay's cultural considerations the more believable. He captures true historical environments (even incidents, down to the Empress's quote against fleeing the Victory Riots), with the subtle changes that allow him to define the setting to his own liking. These books are marvelously engaging. While they represent a departure from the more fantastical (although still based on easily recognized cultures) 'Tigana' and 'A Song for Arbonne', I greatly appreciate the cultural issues raised in them. Mr Kay - have you considered a greater exploration of Muscovy? Perhaps under Ivan III and Ivan IV?