Children of Earth and Sky / Guy Gavriel Kay

Children of Earth and Sky

by Guy Gavriel Kay

fantasy

copyright 2016

read in June 2020

rated 7/10: well worth reading

As I'm reading I'm thinking, Oho, these characters and places are lightly disguised real places: I recognise Italians, Russians(?), English... An easy way to get character variation, I think. As I read I realise, Oh, it's "taking place in a world based on Italy, Istanbul and the Balkans in the 15th century." (Wikipedia) Not so lightly disguised after all.

And I'll pinch another quote, from... a quote... in the author's afterword: 'Kay writes "history with a quarter turn to the fantastic".' Yes, I can see that. It's based on history but it's a story of people who could have lived there & then, if history had been different.

I'm not fond of "historical fantasy". This author says that he does not write historical fantasy, good. I enjoy this book as a fantasy -- and enjoy the historical references. Then am surprised to find that the history is closer to the book than I realised. No, I don't know much history.

So, it's fantasy. With violence and sex, lots of each. Lots of characters, plenty of very likeable characters. With several quick deaths to keep the character count under control. Interestingly, I accept the deaths because the characters accept death as being likely. They live in dangerous times.

There is also a lot of action. Lots of those characters generating lots of plot lines, I regularly lose track of the "minor" stories. Half way through and I think, there's too much happening, there is no way these can all be wrapped up, this must be book one of a series... and I am wrong.

Some stories are wrapped up with an historian's summary -- the author, that is -- providing a few sentences of, And then this & that happened... The key plots are simply followed to their natural and satisfying conclusions.

If, like me, you are weak on history, this is a very enjoyable book. I suspect there would be extra enjoyment if you already have an interest in the real world history which has provided the setting -- the inspiration for the setting -- of this rollicking tale. 

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

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