Review: Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay

Title: Under Heaven
Author: Guy Gavriel Kay
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: HarperVoyager
Publishing Date: 29 Apr 2010
Paperback: 576 pages
Standalone

This review is posted on Speculative Book Review.

Also, don't forget to read our Guy Gavriel Kay interview on the same time.

Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay

Guy Gavriel Kay is one of my favorite authors. His books are such treats that since I heard about his latest book, Under Heaven (UK, US, Canada), I have been looking forward to holding a copy of it in my hands. I'm very excited because I'll be reviewing it very soon.

In the meantime, here's what's promised:

Publisher: HarperVoyager (twitter)
Publishing Date: 29 April 2010
Paperback: 576 pages

An epic historical adventure set in a pseudo 8th century China, from the author of the 2008 World Fantasy winner, Ysabel. Under Heaven is a novel of heroes, assassins, concubines and emperors set against a majestic and unforgiving landscape. An epic historical adventure set in a pseudo 8th century China, from the author of the 2008 World Fantasy winner, Ysabel. Under Heaven is a novel of heroes, assassins, concubines and emperors set against a majestic and unforgiving landscape. For two years Shen Tai has mourned his father, living like a hermit beyond the borders of the Kitan Empire, by a mountain lake where terrible battles have long been fought between the Kitai and the neighbouring Tagurans, including one for which his father - a great general - was honoured. But Tai's father never forgot the brutal slaughter involved. The bones of 100,000 soldiers still lie unburied by the lake and their wailing ghosts at night strike terror in the living, leaving the lake and meadow abandoned in its ring of mountains. To honour and redress his father's sorrow, Tai has journeyed west to the lake and has laboured, alone, to bury the dead of both empires. His supplies are replenished by his own people from the nearest fort, and also - since peace has been bought with the bartering of an imperial princess - by the Tagurans, for his solitary honouring of their dead. The Tagurans soldiers one day bring an unexpected letter. It is from the bartered Kitan Princess Cheng-wan, and it contains a poisoned chalice: she has gifted Tai with two hundred and fifty Sardian horses, to reward him for his courage. The Sardians are legendary steeds from the far west, famed, highly-prized, long-coveted by the Kitans.

Cover Art: Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay

Guy Gavriel Kay is one of my favorite writers. I blogged about his upcoming book 3 months ago and now we have the pictures of its cover for the UK and the US edition:

US Cover	UK Cover

In general, I like the UK covers of books however this time, without a doubt, I prefer the US cover. I like its subtlety and its quiet suggestion of a far eastern setting.

Guy Gavriel Kay's New Book: Under Heaven

Guy Gavriel Kay! One of my favorite authors! He recently announced that his new novel was drafted and that it was scheduled for Spring 2010. We now have more information about Under Heaven.

Its world is inspired by the 8th century Chinese Tang Dynasty. I'm not a huge fan of far eastern settings but I'll trust Kay in doing an excellent job, as usual. Here's the synopsis:

In the novel, Shen Tai is the son of a general who led the forces of imperial Kitai in the empire's last great war against its western enemies, twenty years before. Forty thousand men, on both sides, were slain by a remote mountain lake. General Shen Gao himself has died recently, having spoken to his son in later years about his sadness in the matter of this terrible battle.

To honour his father's memory, Tai spends two years in official mourning alone at the battle site by the blue waters of Kuala Nor. Each day he digs graves in hard ground to bury the bones of the dead. At night he can hear the ghosts moan and stir, terrifying voices of anger and lament. Sometimes he realizes that a given voice has ceased its crying, and he knows that is one he has laid to rest.

The dead by the lake are equally Kitan and their Taguran foes; there is no way to tell the bones apart, and he buries them all with honour.

It is during a routine supply visit led by a Taguran officer who has reluctantly come to befriend him that Tai learns that others, much more powerful, have taken note of his vigil. The White Jade Princess Cheng-wan, 17th daughter of the Emperor of Kitai, presents him with two hundred and fifty Sardian horses. They are being given in royal recognition of his courage and piety, and the honour he has done the dead.

You gave a man one of the famed Sardian horses to reward him greatly. You gave him four or five to exalt him above his fellows, propel him towards rank, and earn him jealousy, possibly mortal jealousy. Two hundred and fifty is an unthinkable gift, a gift to overwhelm an emperor.

Tai is in deep waters. He needs to get himself back to court and his own emperor, alive. Riding the first of the Sardian horses, and bringing news of the rest, he starts east towards the glittering, dangerous capital of Kitai, and the Ta-Ming Palace - and gathers his wits for a return from solitude by a mountain lake to his own forever-altered life.