Customer Reviews

The lions of Al-Rassan

5 star:		(85)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Let me begin by addressing the quality of this book: you will be hard-pressed to find another that is more smoothly written, from beginning to end, with better character development, plot and sub-plot development, and literary lyricism. Mr. Kay's use of language is clean and yet amazingly deep; the thoughtfulness that he puts into creating each of his characters is evident in the complexity of their interactions and growth. Based loosely on the unification of medieval Spain after its Islamic inhabitation, "The Lions of Al-Rassan" is a marvelously constructed one-volume epic of love, friendship, hope, betrayal, conquest, and all the other flavours that make great fantasy great. This one's a keeper.

A question about some of the earlier reviews: why is it that some people seem to be disappointed by Kay's use of historical events as the basis for the plot? (For those of you unfamiliar with his works, he uses Renaissance Italy as a framework for "Tigana", Medieval Provence as the setting in "A Song for Arbonne", and early Christian Byzantium in "Sailing to Sarantium".) Personally, I see no reason for an author to create new worlds out of whole cloth every time s/he writes a novel. Moreover, Mr. Kay's method inspired me to learn more about the real historical events that his novels are based on. After reading LoA-R, I felt a compulsion to learn more about medieval Spain and the devastation that occurred with both the triumph and defeat of its Islamic invaders. After "Sailing to Sarantium," I hankered after knowing what really happened during the period of Justinian, Theodora, and Belisarius, the Byzantine emperor, empress, and general whom Kay patterned his characters after. Having read some of this background material, I have an even greater respect for Mr. Kay's ability to craft such beautiful stories from such an enormous scope of history. No need to pigeon-hole authors into "Fantasy" and "Non-Fantasy$", people. Who cares if El Cid's first name was Rodrigo? So what if Justinian isn't actually the emperor who built the Hagia Sophia? Just sit back, relax, and read.

P.S.: Having said that, "Sailing to Sarantium" wasn't quite up to par with LoA-R or "The Fionavar Tapestry," but I'll wait to read the next two books of the "Sarantine Mosaic" trilogy before making a final comment.

I will not mince words - this book takes a while to get going. But a thing as true is that few books are as worth the wait as this one.

The story tells of a woman named Jehane and two men, Rodrigo and Ammar. Jehane is a doctor, Rodrigo - a military hero, and Ammar - a legendary monster. Jehane lives by her doctor's oath. Rodrigo fights with as much honor as flesh-carving work can encompass. Ammar weaves his way through court intrigue, soiled by it to the point of no return. Yet he persists, not for his own honor, for little remains of that, nor for his own survival, but for the survival of his culture - the culture of Al-Rassan.

Three people - each touched by the hand of a ruler; three lives twisted forever by the touch. Jehane's father, the most renowned physician in two generations, kept his doctor's vow at the cost of cruel punishment by the hand of the king he helped. Rodrigo stayed loyal to a dead king and was exiled by the new one - exiled away from his land, away from his sons, away from the woman he loves madly - whom every man loves madly, having once laid eyes on her. Ammar killed a ruler to put another in his place - killed an inept ruler, replacing him with a better. It was done to keep Al-Rassan breathing. It shattered his life, branded him a monster. Now, a man who once turned the fate of a kingdom is at the mercy of a cruel, power-mad ruler - a ruler he brought to power. And Ammar is still the favored royal scapegoat.

Jehane, Rodrigo, Ammar - each defined by a role and a task; none fully encompassed by a single role. Jehane, sworn to protect life, seeks to take one, in bloody revenge. Rodrigo, who lives by his loyalty and honor, seeks to return home, knowing that to return to his wife's arms he must also embrace a traitorous king. Ammar, who is lost in the eyes of the world, seeks to right his monumental mistake, to save his world and, perhaps, to shed light on those who had shifted their crimes to his shoulders.

Three people, each different, each haunted, are thrown together. With never a reason to wish each other's acquaintance, they see each other's complexities and, against all odds, find comfort, and friendship, and love. And through it all, a question looms over them like a dark cloud - will the world come calling them back to their narrow, ill-fitting - but undeniable - roles?

Kay is a master. He creates three exceptional people - exceptional, and exceptionally real. He weaves an engrossing story and a rich world that will not bend to accommodate the wishes of three mere mortals. What's more, he tells the story of the fall of Granada, the last Muslim state in Spain, with life, passion and a deep respect for the truth, for it is Historical Fantasy that is Guy Gavriel Kay's domain. He captures three very different cultures with never a move to simplify them to something less than they were, to stereotypes. The same can be said for his characters - not just the three, but all his characters. Vivid, beautifully told, heart-warming, heart-rendering, and healing - such is the story of The Lions of Al-Rassan.

The Lions of Al-Rassan is what is usually defined, as a Fantasy book. But in my opinion is more than that. Kay has researched the historical period he reflects in this "alternate universe", and gives an accurate and sensible picture of it: the value of honor, the religious beliefs (even if disguised with other names and nuisances), the mixed loyalties (to country, king, family and religion), poetry and medicine among others.
The story is loosely based on the medieval poem The Song of Mio Cid, around year 1000 in the Iberic peninsula, three cultures mixing and interacting; a main character from each of them: the courageous Captain Belmonte, the sage and stubborn doctoress Jehane and the cunning warrior-poet-politic Ammar, the three of them draw a complex and absorbing tapestry.
Kay is masterful depicting scenes that lead the reader to jump to conclusions that are, astonishingly, proved wrong a couple of pages later, this keep you reading on tiptoes, expecting new surprises... and they show up even if you are warned.
The descriptions of cities, rural places, king's courts, markets have a distinctive flavor, without being boring. The different characters are fully human and interesting, not two dimensional stereotypes as may be expected in Fantasy story. The inner thoughts of most of them are shown, giving insight as to why they do what they do.
A book to enjoy by different audiences.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

I have been hungrily devouring Guy Gavriel Kay's book's for the last couple of months, and if you haven't read any of his stuff yet, consider yourself incredibly lucky...and get started right away! Personally, just to begin, I would start with Tigana and A song for Arbonne, two of his earlier works that are my favorites. These two books are more what one would expect of a Fantasy novel, as they have all the requisite good/evil battles with magical beings set in imaginary lands.

The Lions of Al Rassan differs from some of his other work in that there is no real magic (except for a few of the characters who have "the sight"). But as much as I hate to admit it, as an avid Fantasy fan, it really did not make much difference to me. The story is really engrossing, the characters were so compelling and the bond between them so strong, that I was swept away into this mythical world, just as I have been transported in other the great fantasy novels I have read.

The mythical quasi-moorish world of Al-Rassan is hauntingly beatiful, and one can really see that the author has done his homework (as he usually does, all of his books always seem to be meticulously researched without being dull, historical replicas ...you won't want to leave this enchanting place!)

I think Kay is one of the best Fantasy writers out there (should I even limit it to "Fantasy"? I think at this point he has crossed over into main stream fiction and is doing so beautifully...I think many new readers will be lured into the Fantasy genre due to the impact of his books...they really appeal to anyone who enjoys a well-written adventure novel).

His characters are all incredibly passionate (yes, and sexy!), fiercely intelligent and a joy to read. In particular, he really knows how to develop women characters who are not weak little needy things, but are every bit as strong as the men. I think the fact that both the men and women are intelligent and have strong, healthy libidos is great. Kay writes true to life, REAL human beings, conflicted in their desires, in their choices to do good or evil. It is refreshing to read a fantasy novel where the characters are not one-dimensional. It makes for a far more complex and interesting book than standard Epic Fantasy fare.

Enjoy!

This is a story that can break your heart, bring you to tears, and you may find yourself, as I did, aching for more pages to read of this exquisitly emotional saga.

Kay has a very select and unique skill of making his characters so real and indelible in one's psyche that their humanity in all its gore and glory deeply resonantes within the mind and heart, so much so that one may find that they cannot soon forget them. The powerful, bittersweet feelings evoked by the poetic message in the final few lines of the book when the three full cups of wine are deliberately placed by Jehane, Ammar and Alvar on the rim of the fountain of water are wrenchingly haunting.

They return one's thoughts to similar moments of their time in King Badir's court in Ragosa and flow on to other scenes within the story. Once again to experience that shadowed battle between the young lions Ammar and Rodrigo on the plains at sunset in their unwanted fight to death when time is suspended in a breathless, dreamlike sequence and to feel the pain and profound sense of loss of one of them.

Kay has that rare ability of writing in a way that invites a sense of mental freedom within the reader and permits one to savor and interpret his imagry without being bludgeoned by common or heavy handed verbosity. He never overdoes and he never stoops to coarseness or explicit vulgarity. His stories are like spirals within spirals constantly in motion captivating both the heart and mind of the reader into spellbinding surrender.

The Lions of Al-Rassan is a hard story of a hard time in history yet the lyricism and poetry of that time is also present through the words of the poet-warrior Ammar ibn Khairan. They soften and touch the story with sweetness, and an invitation to reflect upon the deeper, more gentle philosophy of their way of life. The beauty of the poetry is stark contrast to the hatred between the warring nations with their different gods, religious dogmas and practices all within the matrix of the power conflicts between petty kings as they face off against one another in their conquest of land and dominance.

Mr. Kay posesses a wellspring of depth, refinement and keen intellectual mastery within himself and as a writer. It is also obvious that his own parents were wonderfully nurturing for he speaks with that clear, refreshing voice of one who has few, if any, emotional hangups or axes to grind in his writing. His unforgettable story The Lions of Al-Rassan is absolutely a must read for those who appreciate the very best and Mr. Kay truly is non-pariel.

I usually avoid Fantasy. Part of it is the abundance of books where the back page reads something like:

"an ancient evil has awakened in the land of X. Y is the only hope, in a desperate struggle against Z."

Tolkien was a trailblazer, his numerous followers less so.

Gabriel Kay, along with George R.R. Martin, are two authors who can write entertaining, non-formulaic, fantasy. Kays' are much less gory than Martin's current Song of Fire and Ice series, so better suited to a younger audience (there is a bit of sex though).

Set in pseudo-1450 Spain, Lions is just brilliant. The characters are larger than life, as in all Kay's books. The main ones may sometimes even be a bit too perfect/smart. But the plots are intricate, twisty, yet always logical, without being overbearing. The fantasy worlds he describes are constantly challenging you to recognize their historical counterparts in Europe and the Middle East.

Kay also writes poetry, so I actually took the time to read ibn Khairan's (a poet/warrior/general) various verses.

You do end up feeling for the characters, especially as Kay is not adverse to killing some major ones on occasion.

The main formula is really "historical fiction", but rest assured, there are occasionally some magic/fantasy elements in Kay's books.

The gist of this review basically applies to the Sarantium books as well the Last Light of the Sun.

The Lions of Al-Rassan is, yet again, a work of poetic prose. One point to recommend this book above some of his others is that it does not rely on "magic" as a centerpoint theme. The characters and plot, along with his incredible command of the English language, solely carry the reader to an alternate universe.

His characters are, in usual Kay style, poignant and alive. His plot twists, especially at the end, make for lively reading.

One of the advantages to writing about the medieval culture set in an "alternate" universe is that the author can play with variations on themes. It is very unlikely that a Jewish female physician would have been welcomed in a Moorish Andalusian court in our own world.

About the only element I would like to see more of is characterization of the "villian" in Kay's work. In many of his works he does a good job, but I feel there could have been more exploration in Lions.

All and all an exceptional read, and I think this would be a good introduction to fantasy for the novice "fiction" reader wanting to try something new.

Among all of Guy Gavriel Kay's books, this is my favorite. And that's saying a lot.

For the high caliber of writing, and the timelessness of his themes, I consider most of Kay's books to be of literature caliber. When was the last time you re-read paragraphs of a fantasy book just to savor the beauty of the language one more time? Until I stumbled across his works a couple years ago, I didn't know books like this existed.

Be warned, though, reading Kay could inadvertently shrink your future reading lists. My tolerance for run-of-the-mill fiction is fading fast.

Although not set in our world, this rates for me as historical fiction. The plot and action are built around the characters instead of the other way around and because of that, it is an engrossing read that is hard to put down. Each one of these characters will draw you in and leave wanting more of their story.

Based in a story of external struggle, the internal struggles of loyalty and faith in this story are what move it.

A great read.

The Lions of Al-Rassan was my first book by Guy Gavriel Kay. I like fantasy books but I am not a hard core fan and that's why I omitted his books before. I haven't realized that he is also writing historical books. Yes, his history is far from real history, but Guy Gavriel Kay has an amazing ability to borrow from real history and convert the stories, places and people into its own universe, which is quite close to what may happened hundreds of years ago. Al-Rassan is Moorish pre-conquered Spain. Valledo, Ruenda, and Jalona are always quarrelling petty Iberian states. Cartada is the reflection of the Moorish power de-linked from powerful Baghdad khalifate. The story is full of romance, well-described and multidimensional heroes, duels, battles, sieges, and never ending friendships. The book flows very well. It never gets boring. Yes, the author sometimes goes over board in describing the background of the scenes and conversations but the color added in those descriptions is quite interesting. Plots are very dramatic and the way author is playing with expectations makes the book even more interesting. The story reads almost like a fable with the religious tolerance motto. It's almost perfect story, and that's why I scored 5 stars. The only problem I have is that I wish Guy Gavriel Kay didn't have to convert real history but use the true historic background and write alternative historic novel. The second problem: almost every hero in that book is beautiful, gentle but brave, skilful, and loved. I guess that's why it is called fantasy world, and not the real history.