Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Roc (1991), Paperback, 688 pages
Description
Acclaimed author Guy Gavriel Kay has been honored with the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel (Ysabel) and the International Goliardos Award for his work in fantasy. Eight of the nine Palm provinces of the Peninsula have been overcome by warrior sorcerers Brandin and Alberico. But the sorcerers don't know that a small band of survivors is plotting their removal. With tensions mounting, the sorcerers become increasingly at odds as each decides where his own path-and that of the land-should truly lie.
User reviews
LibraryThing member brenzi
It’s hard to believe that, at this advanced stage in my life, I could be enticed to sample a new genre, one I was convinced would never, ever appeal to me. But when an LT friend dared me to read Guy Gavriel Kay’s historical fantasy, it was with some trepidation that I took on the challenge. I
As the author says in his Afterward,
”Tigana is in good part a novel about memory: the necessity of it, in cultural terms, and the dangers that come when it is too intense….The world today offers more than enough examples of both pitfalls: ignorance of history and its lessons, and the refusal to let the past be the past.” (Page 674)
He advanced this theme through an epic novel about a people robbed of their beloved homeland by a despotic king who used sorcery and torture to achieve his ends. He even went so far as to make the name of that country anathema to be spoken or even remembered.
Fast forward twenty years and a small passionate group of brave men and women initiate a treacherous campaign to take back their beloved country, Tigana. So I learned a lesson from this delicious narrative: never underestimate the power of a new genre to make you an enthusiastic fan.
Show More
figured I’d give it fifty pages to make it appear that I’d at least given it the old college try before dumping it for something more in my comfort zone. Instead something totally unexpected happened. After fifty pages I noticed that I was very anxious to get back to reading. Well, I thought to myself, that must be just a quirk. I’ll read another fifty just to make sure I really hate this book. What are all these complex characters doing here? Maybe I should give it a little more time. This writing is, well, pretty darn close to sublime. What’s a girl to do? I was so sure this would never work out, but now, well, I was pretty much loving it. And so on I went for 676 pages. Apparently, unbeknown to me, I’m a fan of historical fantasy. Who knew?As the author says in his Afterward,
”Tigana is in good part a novel about memory: the necessity of it, in cultural terms, and the dangers that come when it is too intense….The world today offers more than enough examples of both pitfalls: ignorance of history and its lessons, and the refusal to let the past be the past.” (Page 674)
He advanced this theme through an epic novel about a people robbed of their beloved homeland by a despotic king who used sorcery and torture to achieve his ends. He even went so far as to make the name of that country anathema to be spoken or even remembered.
Fast forward twenty years and a small passionate group of brave men and women initiate a treacherous campaign to take back their beloved country, Tigana. So I learned a lesson from this delicious narrative: never underestimate the power of a new genre to make you an enthusiastic fan.
Show Less
LibraryThing member RaceBannon42
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay, is a beautifully written example of high fantasy. It tells the story of the people of the Palm, nine provinces located on a peninsula and surrounded by greater powers. Eight of the provinces have by conquered by two separate tyrants Brandin, King of Ygrath hold sway in
The driving point of the story is the fate of the province of Tigana, and its remaining survivors, for it was the Prince of Tigana who had slain the son of the Tyrant Brandin. In revenge the King of Ygrath not only scourged the land itself but cast a sorcery over the rest of the palm wiping the very memory of Tigana of anyone not born there. This is why Alessan the Heir of Tigana has gathered his company together. To take down the Tyrants and restore freedom to the people of the Palm.
Kay is a true wordsmith. His prose is beautiful and moving. His world building is not very deep, but where most high fantasy seems to have evolved into epic multi volume series, the economy here is welcome. The characters are interesting, and deep, even the antagonists receive enough attention so they are more than just a mysterious dark lord. If the story falls short anywhere its in plotting. It is a fairly standard story line, a group of heroes struggling against an oppressor. Perhaps I've become a bit cynical, but by and large there seem to be a lot of times where the heroes make it out of impossible situations nearly unscathed due to fortunate coincidences or twists of fate. Despite this the ending is rather bittersweet, Kay doesn't totally cop out with an entirely happy finish to the story.
Tigana was a good read. I liked it quite a bit. When starting a new book with unfamiliar characters, it tends to take me a while to find my footing, and feel out who is who. I reached this point about 100 pages in, and from there everything rolled by very smoothly. Its a very traditional story, and the ending left me very satisfied. This is probably a must read for fans of high fantasy.
8 out of 10
Show More
the west, and Alberico of Barbadior rules in the East. The driving point of the story is the fate of the province of Tigana, and its remaining survivors, for it was the Prince of Tigana who had slain the son of the Tyrant Brandin. In revenge the King of Ygrath not only scourged the land itself but cast a sorcery over the rest of the palm wiping the very memory of Tigana of anyone not born there. This is why Alessan the Heir of Tigana has gathered his company together. To take down the Tyrants and restore freedom to the people of the Palm.
Kay is a true wordsmith. His prose is beautiful and moving. His world building is not very deep, but where most high fantasy seems to have evolved into epic multi volume series, the economy here is welcome. The characters are interesting, and deep, even the antagonists receive enough attention so they are more than just a mysterious dark lord. If the story falls short anywhere its in plotting. It is a fairly standard story line, a group of heroes struggling against an oppressor. Perhaps I've become a bit cynical, but by and large there seem to be a lot of times where the heroes make it out of impossible situations nearly unscathed due to fortunate coincidences or twists of fate. Despite this the ending is rather bittersweet, Kay doesn't totally cop out with an entirely happy finish to the story.
Tigana was a good read. I liked it quite a bit. When starting a new book with unfamiliar characters, it tends to take me a while to find my footing, and feel out who is who. I reached this point about 100 pages in, and from there everything rolled by very smoothly. Its a very traditional story, and the ending left me very satisfied. This is probably a must read for fans of high fantasy.
8 out of 10
Show Less
LibraryThing member xicanti
A small group of men and women set out to overthrow a pair of tyrants who've taken control of their part of the world and stripped their country of its name.
I was initially a little leery of this book. While I love Kay's work, I find that there are often stretches where my attention lags in a
Much to my surprises, I was hard into it straight from the first page to the last. I continually found myself stopping to whisper, "This is amazing." I fought the urge to run up and tell random people that they needed to read it NOW. It affected me in a huge way, and emerged as my favourite book ever.
How's that for a mistaken first impression?
I think Kay chose the perfect place to begin the story. The Palm, (a penninsula made up of nine provinces), has been ruled by conquering tyrants for nearly twenty years. Things are stable, but we see hints of oppression everywhere. Since the "bad guys" have already won, Kay manages to avoid the old fantasy cliche of the good heroes who must keep the evil villains from destroying their way of life. Instead, we get a dynamic of oppressed vs. oppressors. We see just how the tyrants have affected the Palm and what its dissatisfied citizens intend to do about it. This leads to some fascinating questions as to the moral implications of overthrowing an extant government, as well as issues revolving around revisionist histories and practices such as damnatio memoriae.
And through it all, everyone involved has depth. It's possible to see where these people are coming from, even when they act in ways that seem unacceptable to us. The characters and their choices are really key here, and they're the thing that made this book come alive for me. There are a lot of them, and not everyone gets as much stage time as I would've liked, but they all come across as real people. Kay shows the reader snippets of their lives and their feelings in such a way that they become real. I felt for absolutely everyone except Alberico, who is very likely the only character we're meant to loathe. I was desperate to read on partially because I wanted to see these people accomplish their goal and partially because I'd become so very fond of them all.
The story builds up gradually as the conspirators put all the pieces in place, coming to an explosive head. Though there's only a single battle near the end, (which admittedly lacks the sort of description that makes such literary military encounters come alive), it serves to bring everything together in such a way that it all clicks. It resolved very nicely.
And man, does Kay have a flair for endings! The last line of the epilogue was both perfect and maddening.
All in all, this was a fantastic book that was even better the second time through. I engaged in a great deal of wretched sobbing, particularly in the first half, and cannot recommend it highly enough. Stories like this make me wish there were a way of awarding certain books more than five stars. On a scale of one to five, this deserves at least a seven.
I was initially a little leery of this book. While I love Kay's work, I find that there are often stretches where my attention lags in a
Show More
pretty big way. With this, his longest book and one of his earliest, I imagined I was in for a large share of that sort of thing.Much to my surprises, I was hard into it straight from the first page to the last. I continually found myself stopping to whisper, "This is amazing." I fought the urge to run up and tell random people that they needed to read it NOW. It affected me in a huge way, and emerged as my favourite book ever.
How's that for a mistaken first impression?
I think Kay chose the perfect place to begin the story. The Palm, (a penninsula made up of nine provinces), has been ruled by conquering tyrants for nearly twenty years. Things are stable, but we see hints of oppression everywhere. Since the "bad guys" have already won, Kay manages to avoid the old fantasy cliche of the good heroes who must keep the evil villains from destroying their way of life. Instead, we get a dynamic of oppressed vs. oppressors. We see just how the tyrants have affected the Palm and what its dissatisfied citizens intend to do about it. This leads to some fascinating questions as to the moral implications of overthrowing an extant government, as well as issues revolving around revisionist histories and practices such as damnatio memoriae.
And through it all, everyone involved has depth. It's possible to see where these people are coming from, even when they act in ways that seem unacceptable to us. The characters and their choices are really key here, and they're the thing that made this book come alive for me. There are a lot of them, and not everyone gets as much stage time as I would've liked, but they all come across as real people. Kay shows the reader snippets of their lives and their feelings in such a way that they become real. I felt for absolutely everyone except Alberico, who is very likely the only character we're meant to loathe. I was desperate to read on partially because I wanted to see these people accomplish their goal and partially because I'd become so very fond of them all.
The story builds up gradually as the conspirators put all the pieces in place, coming to an explosive head. Though there's only a single battle near the end, (which admittedly lacks the sort of description that makes such literary military encounters come alive), it serves to bring everything together in such a way that it all clicks. It resolved very nicely.
And man, does Kay have a flair for endings! The last line of the epilogue was both perfect and maddening.
All in all, this was a fantastic book that was even better the second time through. I engaged in a great deal of wretched sobbing, particularly in the first half, and cannot recommend it highly enough. Stories like this make me wish there were a way of awarding certain books more than five stars. On a scale of one to five, this deserves at least a seven.
Show Less
LibraryThing member MusicMom41
I'm not sure how to review this book. When I started the book I knew nothing about it except that TadAD had put it on his top ten all time fantasy list. I didn't even know the significance of the title. Everything was fresh and new to me and I relished every moment I was able to spend reading
Show More
it--even during a very busy stressful time it became a refuge for me. I was frustrated when I had to put it aside and couldn't wait to get back to it; now I feel a sense of loss because it's done. I don't want to give too much information in a review because I think I had the perfect way to enjoy this story--letting it unfold on its own with no prior knowledge of anything. Kay created a world that is not only believable but fascinating, including maps. The characters are believable, well rounded and show development as the tale progresses. There are many threads to the plot but they are handled adeptly and even when I had to wait days between chances to read the book I never lost the train of the story. In my admittedly limited experience in fantasy reading this is one of the very few books that I would put on the level of Lord of the Rings, and yet, except in its quality, it bears no resemblance to that classic. I'm already planning my reread for next summer, which I think will be just as rewarding in a different way--I will notice things I may have missed the first time because now I do know the story and can enjoy its richness on another level. I also plan to read it without interruption either by other books or by RL! Show Less
LibraryThing member littlegeek
Ok, well, I tried another GGK novel just because so many Green Dragoners like him so much and I truly respect their opinions. But I am stalled half way through this one and I don't think I'm going to finish it.
There's a lot to respect here. He does write well, he does have some interesting things
He also seems to have a thing about having his heroine fall hopelessly in love someone she should utterly hate. I'm not sure what the point of this is, apparently it's supposed to be tragic, but to me it's just the worst sort of misogynistc tripey melodrama.
Perhaps I will be moved to finish it one of these days, but my TBR is too high. I have read enough commentary to get the gist of what happens in the end (I actually figured out who the fool was), and it is not motivating me.
There's a lot to respect here. He does write well, he does have some interesting things
Show More
to say about culture and oppression. I do like the honest sex scenes. My problem is mostly with his characters. It's the romance genre style of characterization: the men are all either dashing heroes or dastardly villians, the women are defined mostly by their sexuality and it's the old virgin/whore continuum. Yes, he tries to shoehorn in some shades of grey, for instance, having his hero torture a sorcerer into working for him, but it feels like he's doing it to do it, rather than convincingly rendering character. I wish I were more articulate about it, but it just doesn't hold water for me. He also seems to have a thing about having his heroine fall hopelessly in love someone she should utterly hate. I'm not sure what the point of this is, apparently it's supposed to be tragic, but to me it's just the worst sort of misogynistc tripey melodrama.
Perhaps I will be moved to finish it one of these days, but my TBR is too high. I have read enough commentary to get the gist of what happens in the end (I actually figured out who the fool was), and it is not motivating me.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Lman
For some inexplicable reason - possibly due to my fantasy-genre adherence - I felt I should have enjoyed this book more. While Tigana contains interesting concepts, some attractive characters and an underlying theme around the classic conundrum of duty vying with desire, I was left, basically,
The eponymous tale centres on the subjugated countries comprising the peninsula called The Palm; invaded and conquered, and bisected by two vastly powerful sorcerers – for their own ends. But with especial focus on Tigana, whose name has been permanently wiped from the thoughts of all, bar the once-inhabitants of this fair country, in revenge for the killing, in battle, of the northern invader Brandin's much-loved, first-born son. The surviving descendants are scattered across the numerous countries of the cape, but as momentous events unfold, a growing band forms with enough resources, strength and cunning to attempt to remove both tyrants and reclaim their home along with the name of their beloved country. In this sweeping epic full of magic, myth and mayhem Guy Gavriel Kay has gone to great lengths to underscore that paths can veer quite markedly in opposite directions to first walked; and the consequences to these choices are never as expected, but often preordained.
Though quite thick, and notwithstanding considerable indifference, on my part, to the main protagonists– I just didn’t care what happened to them unless associated with the interwoven mystical portents – this book was a smooth, effortless read. All the same, in spite of the author’s emphasis on the complexities coalescing behind many of the players, I found them tedious and too predictable; often superfluous to the intrigue – the most dynamic, interestingly, were those devolving from the usual archetype, even though their actions continued in that vein. In contradiction to this were passages of well-considered world-building, reasonably adroit, even unexpected, twists to the plot and, if at times overlong, some quite beautiful descriptive scenes and scenery - which rescued many parts of the book for me.
Regrettably it was not enough to persuade me to merit this book as highly as I expected; without the insertion of the mythology of the riselka into the story, in addition to an astonishing end-line development I would have been left feeling distinctly underwhelmed.
(June 11, 2009)
Show More
unconvinced. The eponymous tale centres on the subjugated countries comprising the peninsula called The Palm; invaded and conquered, and bisected by two vastly powerful sorcerers – for their own ends. But with especial focus on Tigana, whose name has been permanently wiped from the thoughts of all, bar the once-inhabitants of this fair country, in revenge for the killing, in battle, of the northern invader Brandin's much-loved, first-born son. The surviving descendants are scattered across the numerous countries of the cape, but as momentous events unfold, a growing band forms with enough resources, strength and cunning to attempt to remove both tyrants and reclaim their home along with the name of their beloved country. In this sweeping epic full of magic, myth and mayhem Guy Gavriel Kay has gone to great lengths to underscore that paths can veer quite markedly in opposite directions to first walked; and the consequences to these choices are never as expected, but often preordained.
Though quite thick, and notwithstanding considerable indifference, on my part, to the main protagonists– I just didn’t care what happened to them unless associated with the interwoven mystical portents – this book was a smooth, effortless read. All the same, in spite of the author’s emphasis on the complexities coalescing behind many of the players, I found them tedious and too predictable; often superfluous to the intrigue – the most dynamic, interestingly, were those devolving from the usual archetype, even though their actions continued in that vein. In contradiction to this were passages of well-considered world-building, reasonably adroit, even unexpected, twists to the plot and, if at times overlong, some quite beautiful descriptive scenes and scenery - which rescued many parts of the book for me.
Regrettably it was not enough to persuade me to merit this book as highly as I expected; without the insertion of the mythology of the riselka into the story, in addition to an astonishing end-line development I would have been left feeling distinctly underwhelmed.
(June 11, 2009)
Show Less
LibraryThing member ChelleBearss
Amazing. Absolutely amazing.
Fantasy is not my "go to" choice of genres but I have enjoyed quite a few over the years. Tigana has been the best fantasy book that I have read since I was a teenager and immersed myself in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I had not heard of Guy Gavriel Kay
In the Peninsula of the Palm there are 9 provinces and 8 of them are lorded over by two tyrant sorcerers. When, during a battle in Tigana, the sorcerer Brandin's son is killed he destroys the town of Tigana and casts a spell that removes the name of the town and makes it so that no one can hear the name unless they were born in Tigana.
Twenty years later a band of Tigana survivors forges a plan to pit the two wizards against each other and attempt to gain freedom for The Palm and all the residents.
This is more than just a battle between good and evil. The cast of characters that Kay portrays go through an amazing range of emotions and and struggle with decisions that must be made in order to bring down two wicked men.
It's not often a book can bring me to the edge of my seat at the start of a chapter and then bring me to tears by the end of the chapter.
Highly recommended!
"Her tears fell on his hands. She lowered her head but others kept falling. She felt as though her heart were a bird, a trialla, only newly born, spreading wings, preparing to give voice to the song of its days."
“She lifted her hands and closed them around his head... and it seemed to Catriana in that moment as if that newborn trialla in her soul began to sing. Of trials endured and trials to come, of doubt and dark and all the deep uncertainties that defined the outer boundaries of mortal life, but with love now present at the base of it all, like light, like the first stone of a rising tower. ”
Fantasy is not my "go to" choice of genres but I have enjoyed quite a few over the years. Tigana has been the best fantasy book that I have read since I was a teenager and immersed myself in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I had not heard of Guy Gavriel Kay
Show More
until I joined a group read for this book but after reading this I am sure that this will be the first of many Kay books that make their way into my home! This was a borrowed library book but I plan on buying a copy.In the Peninsula of the Palm there are 9 provinces and 8 of them are lorded over by two tyrant sorcerers. When, during a battle in Tigana, the sorcerer Brandin's son is killed he destroys the town of Tigana and casts a spell that removes the name of the town and makes it so that no one can hear the name unless they were born in Tigana.
Twenty years later a band of Tigana survivors forges a plan to pit the two wizards against each other and attempt to gain freedom for The Palm and all the residents.
This is more than just a battle between good and evil. The cast of characters that Kay portrays go through an amazing range of emotions and and struggle with decisions that must be made in order to bring down two wicked men.
It's not often a book can bring me to the edge of my seat at the start of a chapter and then bring me to tears by the end of the chapter.
Highly recommended!
"Her tears fell on his hands. She lowered her head but others kept falling. She felt as though her heart were a bird, a trialla, only newly born, spreading wings, preparing to give voice to the song of its days."
“She lifted her hands and closed them around his head... and it seemed to Catriana in that moment as if that newborn trialla in her soul began to sing. Of trials endured and trials to come, of doubt and dark and all the deep uncertainties that defined the outer boundaries of mortal life, but with love now present at the base of it all, like light, like the first stone of a rising tower. ”
Show Less
LibraryThing member drachenbraut23
What a brilliant book. I was hooked from the first page and got pulled so easily into this story about loss, love and memory.
I just have to say Kaye is such a brilliant storyteller. I have read the The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire, and The Darkest Road books a couple of years ago and enjoyed
What can a flame remember? If it remembers a little less than is necessary, it goes out; if it remembers a little more than is necessary, it goes out. If only it could teach us, while it burns, to remember correctly.
George Seferis, “Stratis the Sailor Describes a Man
The story is about a country in the Palm called Tigana. Some 20 years ago a powerful and evil wizard wanted to gain some lands for his eldest son. What he did not bargained with was that the gentle and artistic people of this country would fight back so fiercely, to maintain their freedom. In the course of this war he lost his son, which outraged him so much that he used a powerful spell to wipe the memory of Tigana from everyone's mind not born there. Not one single person within the Palm was able to remember that there was ever such a country as Tigana, even when the name was spoken aloud they were unable to understand anything. Those people native to Tigana became homeless in their own contry and everywhere else, in the truest sense of the word. All of them lost their identity. However, now throw into this mix another tyrannt who conquered the other half of the Palm around the same time and you do have a complex, but political very intruiging story.
Initially we are shown how the people managed to come to terms with these two oppressive rulers. Nevertheless, 20 years later a band of survivors from Tigana and people from the different countries in the Palm rise to the challenge of overcoming this two great evils and regain their freedom and for Tigana the memory.
A great, compelling and heartbreaking book which is not easily put down.
I just have to say Kaye is such a brilliant storyteller. I have read the The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire, and The Darkest Road books a couple of years ago and enjoyed
Show More
them very much as well.What can a flame remember? If it remembers a little less than is necessary, it goes out; if it remembers a little more than is necessary, it goes out. If only it could teach us, while it burns, to remember correctly.
George Seferis, “Stratis the Sailor Describes a Man
The story is about a country in the Palm called Tigana. Some 20 years ago a powerful and evil wizard wanted to gain some lands for his eldest son. What he did not bargained with was that the gentle and artistic people of this country would fight back so fiercely, to maintain their freedom. In the course of this war he lost his son, which outraged him so much that he used a powerful spell to wipe the memory of Tigana from everyone's mind not born there. Not one single person within the Palm was able to remember that there was ever such a country as Tigana, even when the name was spoken aloud they were unable to understand anything. Those people native to Tigana became homeless in their own contry and everywhere else, in the truest sense of the word. All of them lost their identity. However, now throw into this mix another tyrannt who conquered the other half of the Palm around the same time and you do have a complex, but political very intruiging story.
Initially we are shown how the people managed to come to terms with these two oppressive rulers. Nevertheless, 20 years later a band of survivors from Tigana and people from the different countries in the Palm rise to the challenge of overcoming this two great evils and regain their freedom and for Tigana the memory.
A great, compelling and heartbreaking book which is not easily put down.
Show Less
LibraryThing member patrickgarson
Tigana is certainly one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read, and skirts very close to being literature on more than one occasion, vaulting comfortably over the all-too-typical limitations often championed in the genre. Tigana's prose is professional and mellifluous, its characters complex and
The Palm is a country without an identity, split in half by two competing tyrants, its provinces subjugated and beaten down. Especially Lower Corte - once known as Tigana, until the conquering Sorcerer King Brandin lost his son on their battlefield, and in an act of vengeance wiped its name from the minds of nearly all in the Palm. But rebellion - led by a small band of exiles - is about to erupt once more.
It's amazing how much that summary sounds like a typical fantasy novel, when in so many ways the book is not. Kay based his country on the warring city-states of Italy, and the complex political realities of that place are reflected. Good people do bad things in Tigana, and you may find sympathy welling up for villains at the most awkward times.
Indeed whilst the tone this novel is heady and intense - it is a romance in the grand sense, after all - Kay's characters are well modulated and always believable.
His plot is likewise, though presented with so many forks, I found myself often pursuing the roads Kay chose not to follow with nearly as much interest as the ones he did. It's a rare novelist that can make you interested in the things he doesn't write about!
These forks may lead to frustration at times when you feel that Kay is being either too dark or too optimistic with his outcomes, but frankly I felt that in many ways this was the point of Tigana: In a world of difficulty, there are no right decisions, and what _could_ happen matters less that what _does_ happen. That's the reality that people have to deal with, and the allure of alternate visions leads characters in this book down some dark paths.
This is not to say that Tigana completely eschews all genre trappings. There is still magic, some fairly stock characters, and a plot that - on the surface - should ring a bell with any fantasy reader.
And yet, Kay's quality prose transports you to The Palm immediately, and intimately. His characters, tragic and grand, are generally captivating. These two pillars support an ambitious, genuinely epic narrative that had me staying up late, and getting up early to finish it. A bewitching, serious, supremely enjoyable novel that fulfills its compact with the reader to a tee.
Show More
believable, and its world tactile and enchanting. Terrific stuff in the grand romantic tradition, whether you're interested in fantasy or not.The Palm is a country without an identity, split in half by two competing tyrants, its provinces subjugated and beaten down. Especially Lower Corte - once known as Tigana, until the conquering Sorcerer King Brandin lost his son on their battlefield, and in an act of vengeance wiped its name from the minds of nearly all in the Palm. But rebellion - led by a small band of exiles - is about to erupt once more.
It's amazing how much that summary sounds like a typical fantasy novel, when in so many ways the book is not. Kay based his country on the warring city-states of Italy, and the complex political realities of that place are reflected. Good people do bad things in Tigana, and you may find sympathy welling up for villains at the most awkward times.
Indeed whilst the tone this novel is heady and intense - it is a romance in the grand sense, after all - Kay's characters are well modulated and always believable.
His plot is likewise, though presented with so many forks, I found myself often pursuing the roads Kay chose not to follow with nearly as much interest as the ones he did. It's a rare novelist that can make you interested in the things he doesn't write about!
These forks may lead to frustration at times when you feel that Kay is being either too dark or too optimistic with his outcomes, but frankly I felt that in many ways this was the point of Tigana: In a world of difficulty, there are no right decisions, and what _could_ happen matters less that what _does_ happen. That's the reality that people have to deal with, and the allure of alternate visions leads characters in this book down some dark paths.
This is not to say that Tigana completely eschews all genre trappings. There is still magic, some fairly stock characters, and a plot that - on the surface - should ring a bell with any fantasy reader.
And yet, Kay's quality prose transports you to The Palm immediately, and intimately. His characters, tragic and grand, are generally captivating. These two pillars support an ambitious, genuinely epic narrative that had me staying up late, and getting up early to finish it. A bewitching, serious, supremely enjoyable novel that fulfills its compact with the reader to a tee.
Show Less
LibraryThing member arthos
Tigana is a fantasy novel set in a world that is culturally similar to late medieval or early renaissance Italy. It is a good adventure story, but it also has something of the numinous to it, especially in the episodes concerning the Night Walkers. The riselka is also fascinating. It is a great
Show More
adventure story, and aspires to the epic. It is certainly hefty - my version is 676 pages long - but despite that, it is (on the good side) a relatively quick read, and (on the bad side) it does not quite break out of the feeling of playing on a rather small stage. The country in which it is set, called The Palm, consists of nine provinces, but they feel more like smallish English counties. That being said, the story is well-crafted, very entertaining, and occasionally touches greatness. It is interesting to note that the theology of The Palm revolves around a love triangle involving two goddesses and a dying god called Adaon. The name is transparently related to Adonis, though his death is more like that of Orpheus (or Dionysus or Pentheus, variously), torn to pieces by the maenads. Show Less
LibraryThing member reading_fox
A fairly standard high fantasy story, well told, but something was missing somewhere that could have made it great.
A peninsular - the palm - is ruled as nine small Dukedoms. When two sorcerors invade from a neighbouring kingdom, each fights on its own and capitulates. One though fights harder than
Some of the characters are a bit thin, but the bad guys do get a bit more depth than is usual. However this often results in some unbelivable reversions of former policy, and is unfortunately one of the weaker points of the book. The 'highly trained' soldiers also suffer from the normal weakness of not being able to hit a hero.
It is still a very enjoyable read.
A peninsular - the palm - is ruled as nine small Dukedoms. When two sorcerors invade from a neighbouring kingdom, each fights on its own and capitulates. One though fights harder than
Show More
all the rest and manages to ill a sorcerors son. The punishment metted out by the furious sorceror is terrible. The name of the country is stripped from teh memory of every person not currently born there - the country to disappear within a single generation. To me this doesn't seem very henious but it is sufficient for various heros to gather in an attempt to kill both sorcerors. Killing one would only allow the other to rule entirely. The story switches from one point of view to another in large chunks easily understandable, reaching a gripping conclusion in the fifth part where all the threads culminate. There are some great plot twists.Some of the characters are a bit thin, but the bad guys do get a bit more depth than is usual. However this often results in some unbelivable reversions of former policy, and is unfortunately one of the weaker points of the book. The 'highly trained' soldiers also suffer from the normal weakness of not being able to hit a hero.
It is still a very enjoyable read.
Show Less
LibraryThing member DoingDewey
Like Hyperion, this book was selected by the Sword and Laser group on goodreads, has been nominated for several awards, and was exceptionally well written. Tigana is about a world similar to 16th century Italy, with many warring provinces. In this world, eight of the nine provinces have been
The plot contained several novel ideas which made this such an interesting read, especially the unusual nature of the sorcerer’s revenge on Tigana and the political circumstances preventing a simple assassination from solving all their problems. It left me pondering whether what the sorcerer did was evil and if so, why it mattered so much. At several points, it also raises the question of whether the people of Tigana are putting their desire to restore their homeland above the common good. Through a romance which I found one of the more engaging parts of the book, the sorcerer is also made a lot more human – yet another gray area to consider.
There were a lot of important characters and many of them had their backgrounds very nicely fleshed out, giving them a lot of depth. Although sometimes knowledge dumps can be bad, I liked that this book took the time to drop out of the present, often through dreams or memories, and show us each character’s story instead of just telling us. The mixed feelings of some of the characters brought about by the gray areas I mentioned above tugged at my emotions frequently and the nobility of some of the characters in the face of such moral ambiguity was epic.
As I mentioned earlier, I very nearly loved this book. The spectacular writing and moral gray areas created a very compelling read. At the final confrontation, I still wasn’t sure what outcome would be best, but I desperately wanted to know what that outcome would be. Unfortunately, especially for someone with my love of happy endings, not all of the subplots wrapped up happily and in at least one case, I didn’t feel like the book was any better for it. While sometimes sadness can be poignant, this was closer to pointless. After that, the epilogue fell somewhat flat, since it didn’t focus on the characters and relationships I cared about the most. So while this book was 95% awesome, the ending made the whole thing unsatisfying for me.
Show More
conquered by two foreign sorcerers. In revenge for the death of his son one of these sorcerers has obliterated one province entirely, casting a spell that prevents anyone not originally from that province from even remembering its’ real name – Tigana. The book focuses on efforts, lead by people from Tigana, to remove the two sorcerers without allowing either of them to grab control of all the provinces.The plot contained several novel ideas which made this such an interesting read, especially the unusual nature of the sorcerer’s revenge on Tigana and the political circumstances preventing a simple assassination from solving all their problems. It left me pondering whether what the sorcerer did was evil and if so, why it mattered so much. At several points, it also raises the question of whether the people of Tigana are putting their desire to restore their homeland above the common good. Through a romance which I found one of the more engaging parts of the book, the sorcerer is also made a lot more human – yet another gray area to consider.
There were a lot of important characters and many of them had their backgrounds very nicely fleshed out, giving them a lot of depth. Although sometimes knowledge dumps can be bad, I liked that this book took the time to drop out of the present, often through dreams or memories, and show us each character’s story instead of just telling us. The mixed feelings of some of the characters brought about by the gray areas I mentioned above tugged at my emotions frequently and the nobility of some of the characters in the face of such moral ambiguity was epic.
As I mentioned earlier, I very nearly loved this book. The spectacular writing and moral gray areas created a very compelling read. At the final confrontation, I still wasn’t sure what outcome would be best, but I desperately wanted to know what that outcome would be. Unfortunately, especially for someone with my love of happy endings, not all of the subplots wrapped up happily and in at least one case, I didn’t feel like the book was any better for it. While sometimes sadness can be poignant, this was closer to pointless. After that, the epilogue fell somewhat flat, since it didn’t focus on the characters and relationships I cared about the most. So while this book was 95% awesome, the ending made the whole thing unsatisfying for me.
Show Less
LibraryThing member saltmanz
It's funny; I had to set this aside for a month because I just couldn’t get it into it. But when I dove back in again, I was surprised how it felt like I hadn’t been away from it at all. In a good way. It’s a slow burn of a novel, but it’s very worth it. There’s a beauty to the thing that
Show More
I have a hard time putting words to. And the end caught me quite by surprise. I will definitely be reading more of Kay’s work in the (hopefully near) future. Show Less
LibraryThing member Ananda
I think I've read this at least 3 times.
Kay is a beautiful storyteller. He never once makes you want to stop reading, and his tales are always gripping, filled with the sort of emotion that reaches you best, and he never fails to do this. He follows Tolkien's path and then deviates from it in the
I enjoyed very much his idea of names, how important they are, how all the stars have them (one goddess is called Eanna of the Names -- because she named all the stars), and how grieved one would be if one's name, or that of one's home, is completely taken away.
(reviewed in 1999, and read again since)
Kay is a beautiful storyteller. He never once makes you want to stop reading, and his tales are always gripping, filled with the sort of emotion that reaches you best, and he never fails to do this. He follows Tolkien's path and then deviates from it in the
Show More
very best way -- completely original. I enjoyed very much his idea of names, how important they are, how all the stars have them (one goddess is called Eanna of the Names -- because she named all the stars), and how grieved one would be if one's name, or that of one's home, is completely taken away.
(reviewed in 1999, and read again since)
Show Less
LibraryThing member wishanem
What is a memory worth? Which memory is most valuable: the memory of a nation, a lover, or a child who died?
This story explores acts of heroism and villainy which memories might inspire. The depth and variety of the characters was an unexpected gem. Some are clever and idealistic, with clear
The tone of this book was perfect for my tastes. It was sometimes harsh, but never grating or gratuitously nasty. This is not a world where the good guys win every fight with stylish quips and flashing white smiles. Neither is it a world where "heroes" are butchers with bloody broken teeth. Instead, this story reaches a balance between happiness and sadness. The standard tropes of Fantasy fiction are present, but it is the drama of realistic human relationships which carry the reader through the text. In fact I think the setting of a Fantasy variation on Pre-Renaissance Italy was fresh, but the culture was too generic for my tastes.
Perhaps most notably this is a book which feels like an epic series, and yet manages to wrap up very satisfyingly in a single volume.
This story explores acts of heroism and villainy which memories might inspire. The depth and variety of the characters was an unexpected gem. Some are clever and idealistic, with clear
Show More
relatable goals and unwavering morals. Others are conflicted, uncertain, and self-doubting, obviously moving through their lives with more momentum than purpose. The tone of this book was perfect for my tastes. It was sometimes harsh, but never grating or gratuitously nasty. This is not a world where the good guys win every fight with stylish quips and flashing white smiles. Neither is it a world where "heroes" are butchers with bloody broken teeth. Instead, this story reaches a balance between happiness and sadness. The standard tropes of Fantasy fiction are present, but it is the drama of realistic human relationships which carry the reader through the text. In fact I think the setting of a Fantasy variation on Pre-Renaissance Italy was fresh, but the culture was too generic for my tastes.
Perhaps most notably this is a book which feels like an epic series, and yet manages to wrap up very satisfyingly in a single volume.
Show Less
LibraryThing member cameling
This has to be one of my top 10 books read this year. Even though it has the usual plot of good triumphing over evil, vengeance for wrongs done to the innocent, there was also, as an aside, a look into a tyrant's humanization. While the Prince of Tigana and his band seek to kill Brandin for
Despite seeking to infiltrate his domain and kill him, a woman falls in love with the man she has sworn to kill.
Magic, wizards, warriors, conspiracies, rivalry, evil and good - this book has all the components of a captivating read.
Show More
destroying the name and memory of their province, there was an underlying reason for this travesty - that of Brandin's grief over the death of his son there during one of the wars. Certainly his reaction was extreme, but in it, we also see the depth of a father's love, grief and need for vengeance. Despite seeking to infiltrate his domain and kill him, a woman falls in love with the man she has sworn to kill.
Magic, wizards, warriors, conspiracies, rivalry, evil and good - this book has all the components of a captivating read.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Joycepa
I’m not sure why I bought this book. Certainly I’m no fan of fantasy in general: for a genre that supposedly frees the imagination to create alternative realities in whatever form, I find that most fantasy is repetitive, predictable and, the ultimate crime, downright boring. The genre seems
I was wrong. Tigana]is wonderful.
Kay is not the world’s best writer although he is very, very good. There are scenes in the book that would have been better either edited out or rewritten. He doesn’t do his romantic pairings well. Some of his characterizations are clumsy. As usual, I could have been spared the philosophizing which, fortunately, is kept to a minimum.
But oh, can Kay tell a story! This is a fantastic tale, full of adventure, beautifully created and sustained tension, with surprises and real suspense as to the resolution. He’s done a remarkable job of creating situations in which there are no winners, just what can be the best that can come of real life--where tragedy is the rule and where even the best of choices have grim outcomes. There’s predictable magic in the story, but it doesn’t intrude and doesn’t overwhelm the suspenseful plot. He has even plucked the Central European mythic element of the rusalka (various spellings) and used it sparingly but with great effect.
In fact, that is one of the hallmarks of the writing in this book. it is anything but heavy-handed. At times it’s subtle, sometimes it’s gentle, always appropriate to the story. There are scenes of remarkably handled insight, other scenes beautifully crafted; the last quarter of the book is filled with them.
In the end, what I ask above all of genres such as fantasy is good entertainment. It can serve other purposes, but that, in my opinion, is the underlying goal and what I look for. Tigana serves that purpose very well in an incredibly satisfying way.
Highly recommended.
Show More
overburdened with dumb adolescents of either gender going through predictable rites of passage, dragons, elves (can’t have fantasy post-Tolkien without an elf or two), boring magic, cut-out characters who don’t make it even to one-dimensional, the required massive battle scene with any number of “races” (unimaginatively portrayed) taking part, the whole nine yards. These elements are usually put together in a way guaranteed to get the book to market fast without disturbing anyone’s mental capacities or lunch breaks. The single exception I have found has been George R.R.Martin’s Song of Fire and Ice series which has been such a beautifully crafted tale--an ongoing soap opera, if you will--that it is now the standard by which I judge all fantasy. Martin is an excellent writer and a superb storyteller--with a story worth telling. Yes, he’s obviously used European, most probably English, history as a loose sort of guide, but when choosing a model, use the best, I always say--and he has. So, it was a step out of character for me to buy this book, curious about all the hype over Kay in general and this book in particular. I bought it used, convinced I was probably wasting my money.I was wrong. Tigana]is wonderful.
Kay is not the world’s best writer although he is very, very good. There are scenes in the book that would have been better either edited out or rewritten. He doesn’t do his romantic pairings well. Some of his characterizations are clumsy. As usual, I could have been spared the philosophizing which, fortunately, is kept to a minimum.
But oh, can Kay tell a story! This is a fantastic tale, full of adventure, beautifully created and sustained tension, with surprises and real suspense as to the resolution. He’s done a remarkable job of creating situations in which there are no winners, just what can be the best that can come of real life--where tragedy is the rule and where even the best of choices have grim outcomes. There’s predictable magic in the story, but it doesn’t intrude and doesn’t overwhelm the suspenseful plot. He has even plucked the Central European mythic element of the rusalka (various spellings) and used it sparingly but with great effect.
In fact, that is one of the hallmarks of the writing in this book. it is anything but heavy-handed. At times it’s subtle, sometimes it’s gentle, always appropriate to the story. There are scenes of remarkably handled insight, other scenes beautifully crafted; the last quarter of the book is filled with them.
In the end, what I ask above all of genres such as fantasy is good entertainment. It can serve other purposes, but that, in my opinion, is the underlying goal and what I look for. Tigana serves that purpose very well in an incredibly satisfying way.
Highly recommended.
Show Less
LibraryThing member TadAD
So much fantasy is "me, too" work. It might be a better or lesser imitation of something but the author lacks that spark that makes his work stand out from the vast, undifferentiated mass of forgotten-a-few-months-later stories. Kay is one of the exceptions and Tigana is not his least work.
What
This isn't my favorite of Kay's stories. It's missing those one or two moments that Kay has proven he can craft, when all the sorrow or all the joy in the story comes together in a perfect instant and makes the reader want to hold his breath—two women watching a duel in The Lions of al-Rassan; Arthur, Jennifer and Lance seeing their endless triangle finally draw to a close in The Fionavar Tapestry. Yet, it is a good one, a fantasy story that anyone who enjoys fantasy stories should seek out and try.
What
Show More
sets him apart from so many of his fellows is that he does not always write in the stark black and white which are the normal tools of this genre. This is no Middle Earth (with no slight intended to one of my favorite books) where the reader can only hate the horrible creatures of Sauron while admiring the brave people of the West, and where the most ambivalence that one can feel is a pity for Gollum or a vague regret for a minor character like Boromir. Grief, loss or the exigencies of a lifetime move characters in complex ways, blurring the distinction between the good men and the bad: the former can do terrible things and the latter sometimes act with honor and love. He shows us the sorrow that conflicting loves and divided loyalties can impose and, in the end, there is a measure of sadness at the fall of many whom we never thought to like.This isn't my favorite of Kay's stories. It's missing those one or two moments that Kay has proven he can craft, when all the sorrow or all the joy in the story comes together in a perfect instant and makes the reader want to hold his breath—two women watching a duel in The Lions of al-Rassan; Arthur, Jennifer and Lance seeing their endless triangle finally draw to a close in The Fionavar Tapestry. Yet, it is a good one, a fantasy story that anyone who enjoys fantasy stories should seek out and try.
Show Less
LibraryThing member The_Librain
This is my favourite book of all time - the one I re-read constantly, especially when I'm ill! I always get something new from it, even though I almost know it by heart. A totally haunting book.
LibraryThing member John5918
A very good fantasy work. It is gripping reading. Much of the geography and politics is very earthly and recognisable, which somehow makes it easier to read. Even the magic is low-key much of the time, albeit with occasional spectacular displays. It uses some interesting themes - music and the
Unlike many fantasy novels, it recognises the existence of sex, in a fairly matter-of-fact way rather than eroticism.
All in all, a very good read, with quite a few surprises.
Show More
arts, memory - to weave the story.Unlike many fantasy novels, it recognises the existence of sex, in a fairly matter-of-fact way rather than eroticism.
All in all, a very good read, with quite a few surprises.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bluerose
This is most peoples fave GGK story, not mine. This is not to say that I definately enjoy it, and it is one that continues to improve with rereads, I just didnt get it in the same way that others did.
Summary:
Tigana is a beautiful country in a group of countries together known as "The Palm" A
The sorceror is bitter with grief, and works a subtle but lasting revenge. He wipes the memory of the name "Tigana" from everyone alive, except those born there, they remember it, but if they say the name, no one can hear them say the word. Unless the listener also happens to have been born in Tigana.
Its the story of a group of unlikely rebels doing what they can to maintain the memory of Tigana in the hope of reinstating the existance of it. Only that entails killing the sorceror who cast the spell......
Summary:
Tigana is a beautiful country in a group of countries together known as "The Palm" A
Show More
king/sorceror from another country decides to invade, and his son and heir is killed at a decisive battle on the banks of a river in Tigana.The sorceror is bitter with grief, and works a subtle but lasting revenge. He wipes the memory of the name "Tigana" from everyone alive, except those born there, they remember it, but if they say the name, no one can hear them say the word. Unless the listener also happens to have been born in Tigana.
Its the story of a group of unlikely rebels doing what they can to maintain the memory of Tigana in the hope of reinstating the existance of it. Only that entails killing the sorceror who cast the spell......
Show Less
LibraryThing member AnnyRobinson
My favourite book of all time. The one I read when I am ill in bed.
LibraryThing member BrianDewey
Kay, Guy Gavriel. Tigana. Roc, New York, 1990. So I couldn't stand the melodrama and the trashy second section. However, the ending of the book was quite strong; there's a lot of moral ambiguity, which is refreshingly unique for a fantasy novel. And the book did paint a convincing picture of an
Show More
alternate world. Not a great book, but not a waste of time. Show Less
LibraryThing member jade_kadir
This is by far my favorite book ever. I've read it at least a dozen times and every time I read it, it makes me cry. It is emotionally powerful and touches my soul.
LibraryThing member babyblade
One of the first and only books to have an ending that made me cry. Beautiful, sad, and haunting.
Subjects
Awards
Mythopoeic Awards (Finalist — 1991)
World Fantasy Award (Nominee — Novel — 1991)
Prix Aurora Award (Winner — 1991)
Original publication date
1990-09
Physical description
688 p.; 6.7 inches
ISBN
0451451155 / 9780451451156