Customer Reviews

Lord of Emperors (Sarantine Mosaic, Book 2)

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Many reviewers have complained that this work is disjointed. What they don't see is that Kay intended it so - he has taken an artistic discipline, and mirrored it in his writing. The Byzantines made the art of mosaic more central to their cultural and spiritual life than any civilisation before or since. Kay has used mosaic as a writer's conceit. The lives of his various characters are presented to us in fragments, like pieces of tile; allowed to scintillate on their own while being assembled into a greater whole. Up close, each piece is unique and tells us its own particular story. But as we recede from near to far, the form and pattern of an empire emerges.

The use of this kind of metaphor is not new. Kay has used it earlier in his Fionavar trilogy. There, the metaphor was a tapestry and the lives of each character a thread. But in that earlier work, he could not resist the temptation to push his metaphor in our face. Here he has learned restraint. In fact, he submerges the metaphor so successfully into the texture of his work, that its presence passes most of us by. This is as it should be. It is meant to be felt, not noticed.

There is something else admirable about this work - its quiet voice. In Kay's earlier works, his characters undergo the profoundest changes through singularly defining experiences. I often found such changes abrupt and contrived. Here, it is different. Here, Kay takes his time. The main character lays aside his survivor's guilt and rediscovers his joy for life in increments. His life change is entirely believable because we are witness to its evolution.

This is a wonderful duology for people who find pleasure in the nuances of human complexity. It is oblique, subtle, restrained, multi-layered and evocative. But it does not conform to the trappings of fantasy. There's little magic and even less mayhem. The only battle scenes involve two urban riots - hardly the fiery stuff of typical sword and sorcery. It's a shame, really, that this work has been co-opted into the fantasy genre. Hard core genre readers will find it tepid while detractors of the genre will avoid it through association. For my part, I hope that Kay continues to evolve. His latest work puts him within the first rank of Canadian writers.

This book (and the other in the duology, Sailing to Sarantium) is, in my opinion, Kay's best work. I have just finished reading this for the second time, and I think the second time might have been better than the first one.

The characters are expertly developped, as if by a painter painting a portrait (many small ones actually), or even by a mosaicist practicing his craft.

Kay really should get into epic fantasy works. In two books, he manages to introduce more multi-dimensional characters than Robert Jordan has been able to do in 9 books, or Terry Goodkind in 6. He has, also, managed to craft a world that is entirely believable and probably took a long time to create, even if it is a reflection of our own.

The most important factor in this book is that, like most of Kay's other writings, this evokes feelings and may even bring tears at times. The ending is extremely well done in my opinion (if a little rushed), yet it leaves us wanting for more. Kay is too good a writer; finishing the book brought me an intense dissatisfaction, and I was almost inclined to throw it across the room.

I can't wait for his next novel. If you've read this book, you probably can't, either.

I didn't care for Sailing to Sarantium as much as most of Kay's novels; although the characters were compelling and the world was impressively detailed, the novel seemed a bit slow-paced and didn't fully grip me. Furthermore, the novel's conclusion was hardly as moving as most of his--and Kay has a rare talent for writing satisfying endings. (Of course this was the consequence of it being first in a series, but I was nevertheless disappointed.)

I was very happy to find that Lord of Emperors was more to my taste. As in the previous novel, Kay achieves a sort of panaromic sweep as he puts us all over his world and in the minds of his many characters--but I also found there to be more force and direction to the story. Midway through the novel, as events begin coming to a climax, I found myself captured sufficiently to read without pause through to the conclusion. Admittedly, events in the final pages seem contrived, but overall I found the ending to be moving and effective.

If you liked Sailing to Sarantium, definitely don't wait for the paperback. If you're new to Kay, the Sarantine Mosaic may not be the place to start. Of his works, I still feel Lions of Al-Rassan is the best crafted and Tigana the one fans of conventional fantasy should read first. If you love those as I do, then by all means read the Sarantine Mosaic.

This novel is the second part in "The Sarantine Mosaic" and follows "Sailing To Sarantium". Once again we follow the mosaicist Crispin and a host of other characters in the city of Sarantium, which is Kay's fantasy equivalent of Byzantium.

Some new characters are introduced, most notably the Bassanid (Arab) doctor Rustem. Like Crispin, he arrives in the city to exercise his craft, but he also becomes entangled in the web of political and personal rivalries. Rustem's son, Shaski, provides one of the closest links to Kay's previous novels "The Lions of Al-Rassan".

I enjoyed this novel even more than its already brilliant predecessor. The characters continue to flesh out. The plot becomes more and more complex. The conclusion of the novel is very satisfying, although the epilogue, in my eyes, seems a bit rushed.

All in all, this is another brilliant effort by one of the best fantasy writers on the scene today. If you're new to Guy Gavriel Kay and you enjoy fantasy, buy Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, and the novels mentioned in this review immediately!

I almost don't know what to write here. It has been said, many times, that the mark of a truly exemplary performance is not in the strength of the applause, but rather in the length of time it takes the audience to reclaim themselves from the mastery of the performance, to remember that it is a thing which demands applause. Never - and it is no presumption to say I am well-read - has the power of an author's skill moved me in the way this piece has just done. I am beyond tears, beyond any method of doing this work justice. It is a superb and lasting achievement, and its author has devined well the nature of art and its particular mortality. This work, like the works rendered by the people of its pages, is humbling, overwhelming, magnificent. I have now sailed to Sarantium, and its is true that this thing changes you, in deep, inexplicable ways. There is nothing else to say.

I didn't think it was possible for Kay to get any better. I was wrong. Lord of Emperors moved me to tears. I'm always amazed at how intricate his stories are and Emperors is no exception. The thought that must have gone into the chariot race just boggles my mind. It's worth the price of the book just to read the wonderfully detailed description of the chariot race. If you have not read Guy Gavriel Kay before I would definitely recommend The Sarantine Mosaic, starting with Sailing to Sarantium and ending with Lord of Emperors. It is quite involved and there are numerous characters, but it is worth it to keep track of them all.

I was so excited to get this book...I have read everything by Kay so far and I love his work. I think he really goes well beyond being on of the best Fantasy writers...he's is one of the best writers out there, period. That said, I was somewhat disappointed with Lord of the Emperors. I thought that the first book, Sailing to Sarantium was a beautifully written , very subtle book. It had a real grasp of the characters: Crispin, of a difficult man and his passion for his art were depicted with great sensitivity and perception. You really could almost imagine what it felt like to be a mosaicist in Byzantium..it was so well written.

In this sequel, I thought that many of the great tensions and stories set up by the first book were left somewhat unresolved (or should I say, not resolved to my satisfaction..).... Crispin is just all over the map, more political but somehow less believable...he has lost a lot of his depth as a character. The old man and his magical creatures play a wierd tangental role that is never fully explained. The pagan god, such a powerful image in the first book is mentioned in passing, but abandoned. The love affair blossoming between Crispin and the former slave also fizzles. Not the stuff that made Lions of Al Rassan so compelling. Much of the passion is lost.

Frankly, one of the biggest disappointments were the women characters, who were pretty rigid, almost robotic (this from a writer who has written some of the absolute best female characters ever: sexy, smart and really engaging).

One of the things that makes Kay's other novels so amazing is tha you find yourself caring deeply about the characters and their relationships to each other. Here, characters are introduced then abruptly discarded. People sleep together, but there is rarely a deepening of their love (with the exception of the Emperor and his Dancer, who have an amazing relationship...but again this is mostly explored in the first book).

I know it is strange that despite all of these apparent criticisms, that I still think it is worth reading...but, I mean, how can you not? Kay is such an amazing writer and the first book was so good that I can't imagine that people who read it would NOT read the second one.

I have to admit that if there were a third, I'd buy it right away. Go figure.

Guy Gavriel Kay just keeps getting better and better. This is by far, coupled with Sailing to Sarantium, the best book I have ever read. Kay is a master at subtlety and intrigue. The plot twists and turns pulling you deeper and deeper into the story. Kay uses all the tools at his disposal to keep you guessing. Character identities are kept secret until the last possible moment to heighten the mystery, cliffhangers abound from chapter to chapter elevating the suspense and scenes are replayed from different viewpoints to capture the richness and significance of the events taking place. Guy Gavriel Kay has also become wonderful at creating memorable minor characters by using dialogue and description that fully renders the character's past, present and future in a few brief paragraphs. In this way, you come to appreciate how some people can come, quickly in and out of your life but somehow completely change it. Lord of Emperors is also successful at triggering your emotions. From humour to sadness to excitement and joy, Kay plays with your heartstrings effortlessly. Lord of Emperors is about the individual struggle for immortality by leaving a legacy for everyone to remember. Whether it be by bearing children, moving and shaping the course of history or by creating a timeless piece to be admired for centuries. If you have not had the opportunity to explore the worlds of Guy Gavriel Kay, please do so. You will not be disappointed.

Kay's style has evolved significantly since the Fionavar Tapestry, and that evolution is evident in Lord of Emperors. I had some minor quarrels with the craft in the earlier books, and those are almost entirely gone after reading this.

Unlike some other Kay fans, I found that I preferred this book to Sailing to Sarantium. The first book felt too much like a preface to me-- Lord of Emperors feels more complete. I liked the introduction of the new characters and I did not mind that the focus was a little bit less on Crispin.

Some things possibly worth knowing before you buy this book:

1.
This is historical fantasy much more than a typical fantasy novel. Don't expect the magic to be central as it was in the Fionavar novels. Do not expect to see much magic at all, in fact. The book has more in common with Prince of Foxes than it does with Lord of the Rings.

2.
The first book in the Mosaic was more about the characters. Lord of Emperors is more about the game of thrones. If Crispin was the major reason you loved the first book, you may have some trouble with the second.

I read an interview with Kay where he discusses the importance of research and talks about the details he employs subliminally reaching out to his audience. It is a good description of the effect that his writing has in this work. The most superb thing about the Sarantine Mosaic is the level of detail-- there are scenes that are still brightly sketched in my mind even a week after finishing reading.

My one real quarrel is that I felt as though there were too many characters that I started to care about and lost track of during this second book. Even granted that this was more about the politics than the people, it still felt to me as though it could have been (should have been?) longer in order to accomodate a little bit more in the way of character arc.

Recommended.

Yet again, Kay draws me inexorably into his worlds. I found both "Sailing to Sarantium" and "Lord of Emporers" rich, full of fascinating characters and intricate detail. He makes you care deeply about the world he creates, as well as the characters within. Only authors as good as Kay can make the world in which they live as interesting and detailed as the characters that inhabit it.

I tend to read my hardbacks carefully, in small increments (and Kay is one of very few authors I spend the money on to buy the hardback editions). Usually, I have my favorite radio station playing in the background. This book was so rich and descriptive that I still, several months later, link certain passages to the songs I was listening to when I read them--they automatically come to mind when that song is played on the radio.

I highly recommend both books--since once you read "Sarantium", you won't be able to stop there!