Tigana

Synopsis - Set in a beleaguered land caught in a web of tyranny, Tigana is the deeply moving story of a people struggling to be free. A people so cursed by the dark sorceries of the tyrant King Brandin that even the very name of their once beautiful land cannot be spoken or remembered. But not everyone has forgotten. A handful of men and women, driven by love, hope and pride, set in motion the dangerous quest for freedom, to overthrow their conquerors and bring back to the world the lost brightness of an obliterated name: Tigana

I dont as a rule read much fantasy After continual immersion in Lord of the Rings for years, I find most fantasy rather dull or simplistic, full of overused, well-worn tropes which dont arouse my interest. So my heart sank when I started reading Tigana, which was very bloody and downbeat, full of cruelty, torture and bloody death, quite hard to take. But I persevered and gradually became gripped by the unfolding story of the small band on a seemingly impossible task. The book has a richly depicted background and is full of superbly delineated characters. Even the tyrant lord is shown to have complex, believable motives for his behaviour, and in true tragic fashion we helplessly watch his downfall with mixed emotions. There is also a tragic love affair, and in the final battle a shocking secret is revealed and the ending is bitter sweet. Kay weaves a brilliant tapestry, everchanging and fascinating us. It is, in the usual fantasy novel tradition, very long, almost 700 pages, but it held my attention throughout.

What separated this book from the pack for me was its intense emotionalism, the strong plot, and the fascinating characters. For once this is a book that merits the name High Fantasy. My first Kay novel, it will certainly not be my last. Highly recommended.