Book Review
Jul. 7th, 2024 06:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariUnder Heaven
by Guy Gavriel Kay
Under Heaven is set in Kitai, a heavily fictionalized version of China during the Tang Dynasty. Shen Tai is living beside a remote mountain lake between Kitai and its rival nation Tagur, mourning his father by burying the unquiet dead of a battle fought decades ago. For his devotion to this task over the official two-year mourning period, Tai is gifted 250 Sardian horses by the Tagurans, an extravagant reward. This gift upends and endangers his previously quiet life and unremarkable position in Kitai society. Tai must navigate intricate court politics, old and new relationships, family ties, and his own desires.
Under Heaven had a really good balance of political intrigue, action, and thoughtful character development. There's even a tiny but satisfying bit of romance. Tai is a very sympathetic, reflective man of intelligence and feeling. I very much liked the way he navigated the upheaval in his life and tried to do right by his friends, family, and companions even under very complex and dangerous circumstances. I especially liked his relationship with Wei Song, one of the Kanlin Warriors tasked with guarding him. I loved Tai's sister Li Mei and her secondary plot involving an adventure among the nomads of the northern steppes. She was resourceful and determined. If I have any substantial criticism of the book, it's that there was not more of Li Mei. Overall, Under Heaven is a beautiful novel of the choices one makes in the face of catastrophic changes.
by Guy Gavriel Kay
Under Heaven is set in Kitai, a heavily fictionalized version of China during the Tang Dynasty. Shen Tai is living beside a remote mountain lake between Kitai and its rival nation Tagur, mourning his father by burying the unquiet dead of a battle fought decades ago. For his devotion to this task over the official two-year mourning period, Tai is gifted 250 Sardian horses by the Tagurans, an extravagant reward. This gift upends and endangers his previously quiet life and unremarkable position in Kitai society. Tai must navigate intricate court politics, old and new relationships, family ties, and his own desires.
Under Heaven had a really good balance of political intrigue, action, and thoughtful character development. There's even a tiny but satisfying bit of romance. Tai is a very sympathetic, reflective man of intelligence and feeling. I very much liked the way he navigated the upheaval in his life and tried to do right by his friends, family, and companions even under very complex and dangerous circumstances. I especially liked his relationship with Wei Song, one of the Kanlin Warriors tasked with guarding him. I loved Tai's sister Li Mei and her secondary plot involving an adventure among the nomads of the northern steppes. She was resourceful and determined. If I have any substantial criticism of the book, it's that there was not more of Li Mei. Overall, Under Heaven is a beautiful novel of the choices one makes in the face of catastrophic changes.
