Under Heaven

Plot Summary: At its core, this is a story of a good man who is put in an impossible situation. When Shen Tai's father dies, he spends the two-year mourning period at the remote site of one of his father's great victories, burying the countless bones of the unconsecrated dead. Shen Tai's actions result in an unexpected windfall, when the royal family of a neighboring kingdom gifts him with a staggering number of Sardian horses. The gift is so extravagant that it puts his life in danger, and Shen Tai must travel to the court of the Emperor to report the gift, and find a way to stay alive. It almost hurts me a little to read something this good, because it's the kind of achievement that few writers will attain within their lifetime. Guy Gavriel Kay has written a story that is weighty with importance, and yet, it's approachable and entertaining for the reader as well. I want to cite Under Heaven as an example of superb writing that does not try to achieve greatness through obfuscation or unnecessary complications. It's simple, elegant, and epic. I'm a little hesitant to call Under Heaven a fantasy, only because hard-core fantasy fans could be misled. There is magic here, but it's subtle and it exists on the fringes of the main story line. Really, this is a piece of historical fiction that has no basis in fact, aside from the setting, which is borrowed from ancient China. I heartily approve of this style, and Mr. Kay is utterly convincing in his execution. The imagined history in Under Heaven could pass for the real thing, and I can think of no higher compliment for a historical fantasy. I'm trying to recall the last time I read something that swept me away with the big picture, and yet, kept me grounded with the characterizations. I can only try to compare this to some of Pearl S. Buck's novels, but even her great stories are lacking beside Mr. Kay's creation. The way he put the scenes together was nothing short of brilliant, and little pieces of the puzzle were constantly being introduced, and each time it stunned me. Every single character comes to life, and yes, thank you so much for giving the reader characters we could love, and characters we could hate. It makes me reflect on stories that lacked this balance, and why that's such a big mistake. The book wraps up with the benefit of hindsight, and I thought it was novel way to close this story. There is the history that is recorded, and then there's each individual's tale, and Mr. Kay satisfies on both counts.

I always look forward to my second read of one of GGK's novels. The first time through you can enjoy the beautifully described world and the story, but it is hard to refrain from reading straight through in a single sitting. The second time you can linger and let the language roll around in your head and better appreciate the balance of joy and sadness that permeate all his stories. This novel, a departure in some ways from previous works though reflecting elements of the Sarantine Mosaic, is well worth the long wait between novels. I wouldn't call it his best, but that would be an absurdly high bar to hurdle. Further, each work should really be viewed on its own and comparisons only muddle what should be a deeply satisfying experience. My only criticism is that it should have been at least two novels. The scope of the story and the characters truly needed an extra 400-600 pages to fully explore and at times too much of the action was "off-screen." Still, that is a quibble, based mostly on my desire to linger in the Tang dynasty a little longer. Well worth your time and money. I am already thinking the proper wait before reading it again.

Guy Gavriel Kay is a truly outstanding author. From our initial exposure to Under Heaven, he captures our eager attention upon the story of Shen Tai and his traditional time of mourning and honouring of the ancestors. A gift of 250 horses complicates the task, and his journey back home is fraught with trial both during and after his arrival. Any change, no matter how insignificant, has repercussions forever. That is just part of the story. Few novelists can claim the a reputation as solid, and through his work exhibit a passion for historically, culturally accurate writing. It is clearly obvious that Under Heaven benefits from such effort. Truly, Under Heaven is a pleasure to read, a treasure to hold, and filled to full measure with enjoyable, compelling characterization.

I picked up this novel with some apprehension and great excitement also. GGK has honed some of my favorite novels, such as Tigana and The Lions of Al-Rasson. At the same time, his two most recent works have had much less impact upon me as a reader. I am happy to say that Under Heaven harkens back to the former novels. There are numerous strengths to this novel. The story is tightly written focusing on a central cast of characters. This is refreshing in an era where fantasy stories are told in trilogies, tetralogies, and even decalogies. In its scope, it is not epic fantasy. Rather it is fantasy that focuses on humanity. It focuses on the emotions, decisions, and experiences that define who we are. The characters are fully fleshed out, intimately written. Like GGK greatest works, he pulls you into the struggle of his cast of characters and then pulls on your heart strings as life and death bring change, for good or bad, to that cast. In this, I was reminded of the last chapters of Tigana, though this novel fell just short of that incredible standard for me. It may even be incorrect to define this novel as fantasy. It has minor elements of fantasy, heavy elements of historical fiction, and above all is simply excellent literature. There is no magic and there are no non-human characters. However, the well written story should appeal to fans of any genre who are simply looking for a good read. Are there weaknesses to the novel? Certainly none that are glaring or stood out to me. There are a few gritty scenes, but nothing that approaches that of modern fantasy standards set by GRRM or Joe Abercrombie. There are heavy undertones of sexuality throughout the book, but these are handled rather deftly by the author and are made to seem beautiful rather than banal. At times the story is slow, or rather the author takes the privilege of expounding on his world and adding background. In this, the story lacks some of the non-stop pacing that other fantasy novels employ. I did not find this to be a weakness, but others might. I have read enough GGK to trust myself implicitly to his capable hands when reading his novels. There are many authors thriving in the fantasy genre. There are a select few authors pushing the boundries of the genre. Guy Gavriel Kay transcends the genre. If you like a good read, may I recommend Under Heaven.

Guy Gavriel Kay has built his (rightfully) strong reputation as a writer by melding together scrupulously researched history with just enough of the touch of the fantastic to bring his books into the realm of "fantasy." Some of his best books include re-imaginings of Renaissance Italy ("Tigana"), the Byzantine Empire (the two books of the "Sarantine Mosaic"), and Medieval Spain ("The Lions of Al-Rassan"). In "Under Heaven," Kay leaves medieval Europe behind but brings his unique approach to a re-imagining of Seventh Century Tang Dynasty China -- and this book is every bit as good as its predecessors! In "Under Heaven," the action revolves around Shen Tai, son of a celebrated "Kitan" [Chinese] general. As the book begins, Shen Tai is on a quest to honor his deceased father's memory by burying some of the tens of thousands of bodies left from a titanic clash between the Empire of Kitai and its rival, the Kingdom of Tagur [similar to Tibet]. Here, Kay's trademark touch of the fantastic is initially provided by the fact that the tens of thousands of dead soldiers have left behind their very real--and very unquiet--ghosts, giving Shen Tai an aura of the holy man (or madman) in his quest to bury as many bodies as he can in an act of honor to his father. When the Queen of Tagur--daughter of the reigning Kitan Emperor--honors Shen Tai's quest with the extravagant gift of 250 legendary horses (when one such horse would be a fortune), he does not know whether it is in fact a gift or akin to receiving "poison in a jeweled cup." The book revolves first around Shen Tai's efforts to stay alive (whether from assassins, the elements, or the civilized malice of Kitan bureaucracy) and navigate Kitan society in a new role, and then, as is often the case in a Guy Gavriel Kay book, Shen Tai's story is placed in the context of a larger upheaval in Kitan. As usual, Kay's writing is elegant and lyric; the plotting is intricate and absorbing; and the characterizations are genuine and captivating. Fans of Kay or even those willing to make the leap from "conventional" historical fiction will not be disappointed.