I just got back from seeing Mr. Kay speak and sign his latest novel, Ysabel at Harvard today, and it was such a good time!
I’ve started this thread for several reasons:
any chance other Dopers were there?
anyone else here love this man’s writing as I do and want to discuss it?
and finally 3. who else has seen him and was as taken aback by how casual and comfortable he is speaking to crowds?
He had a great way of speaking to his audience and chatted with each of the people in line for the book signing for a bit. I was very impressed. I got to ask him whether he had any fears for his works that are currently being made into films and he let us in on some news.
Apparently a title of his that he cannot reveal is being optioned by what he called a high end cable station (HBO or Showtime was the implication) and he is very optimistic that this work will be treated well.
When I read the Last Light of the Sun for the first time I thought it was not nearly as good as his older works. But upon subsequent readings it really grew on me.
Then again, Tigana is still my favorite so I have to admit to liking the older books more.
I would have gone. Tigana’s my favorite too, but that’s an easy pick, because the only other Kay I’ve read is The Lions of Al-Rassan. I didn’t like the tricky-fake foreshadowing in Lions, and thought he was a bit too fond of his main characters. Considering the situations he put them in, none of them should have survived. But the book was immensely readable.
The last thing I read of his was Sailing to Sarantium. I didn’t finish it. Prior to that it was A Song for Arbonne, and I didn’t enjoy it either. I haven’t tried anything after that.
The Fionavar Tapestry is a masterpiece. The most common criticism of it is that it is too derivative of Tolkein, and it is, in an extremely shallow way. There are dwarves and elves and wizards and royalty, but Kay puts in a lot of morality that is neither black or white, so I find it to be more complex than LOTR that way. His characters make excruciating choices and sacrifices; they have epiphanies and nadirs and there is redemption and corruption and rejection and belonging and loyalty and honour and betrayal and grief. Sure, all of those things are in Tolkein’s book. Kay is different in that instead of putting individual characters firmly on one side or the other, he moves them through each one of those things in turn.
I have read the Tapestry all the way through a dozen times and perused it much more than that. And I always, always, always cry. Hardly ever at the same parts, too. It speaks to me differently every time I pick it up.
I love most of his work, especially ‘The Fionavar Tapestry’. I also love ‘A Song for Arbonne’ and the ‘Lions of Al-Rassan’(I’ve read that they are making a movie of this, and I’m terrified that they are going to slaughter it). I’ve not been able to get through Tigana yet, for some reason. I keep getting too depressed. ‘The Last Light of the Sun’ was only fair, though fair for Kay is still far better than most fantasy. I need to go back and read ‘Sailing to Sarantium’, since I read ‘Lord of Emperors’. I didn’t like it as well as some of his other works, but it has a richness to it, and the story sticks with you. Let us know how you like ‘Ysabel’! I’m trying to decide whether to buy it or wait for paperback!
kung fu lola I admit that I always cry reading the tapestry too.
For a new reader I recommend Tigana as well. The first book I read was A Song for Arbonne and I was about 13. I liked it, but I didn’t really fall in love with his writing until I read Tigana next.
When I first read the Sarantium books I wasn’t sure midway through if I would like them in the same way, but like Last Light, after some contemplation and a re-read I found there was a lot more going on than I realized.
I’m only 50 pages into Ysabel so far, and it’s very different. I’ll let you guys know what my first reactions are. But so far his imagery is wonderful and the characters are building nicely. You really get a sense that GGK loved Provence and its landscape.
I found that some of the history that he has incorporated into the novels are things I am unfamiliar with, such as Byzantium or Alfred the Great. After reading the books I started to research those times, and then reading the books again. It’s interesting how my reactions differ when I am more aware of the historical parallels.
I was also a bit fearful for the treatment of Lions of Al-Rassan by Hollywood, and so at the speech I asked GGK if he had any fears for the treatment of Lions, as well as Last Light (which he is currently adapting for the screen). He said that he was trying to be optimistic, and unlike many book-to-film deals Lions was not picked up by a middle man to sell to Hollywood but rather was directly optioned by the producing team that will be making it, Warner Brothers. He said he had a lot of respect for Zwick (director) and had confidence that he would be the man to do it well. He conceded though that you never know what will happen.
Then he spoke about how rare it was for him to be adapting Last Light into a screenplay, and how difficult that was for him.
Lastly he said that another title was in talks to be picked up by a major high end cable network and he was extremely optimistic about that one because he loves the work being done by the likes of HBO and Showtime and he feels that in mini-series format that un-named title will work best. I want to know which title it is!
He was guest of honor at the I-Con in Tel Aviv two years ago. I heard him speak, got a couple of questions in at the Q&A, and had him sign my copy of Arbonne (my Tigana was too beat up to be presentable). Nice guy, tweedy even when not actually wearing tweed, with the weirdest speaking voice - very nasal, very accented. Like a Canadian Edward G. Robinson. He managed to cover up his hearing disability well, though.
I agree with your assessment of his personality, I was not at all expecting him to sound the way he does. He has a hearing disability? I was completely unaware! He was a great speaker, but often asked questioners to speak up or he “would have to run up there to them.” That explains this.
And yes he has a new book out! Ysabel has been released in Canada and will be released in the USA next week. His publisher gave the Harvard Book Store dispensation to sell advance copies to those of us at the signing. It’s pretty cool to have one of the first copies in the US! I’m not sure when it’ll hit Israel, you should check that out.
I’ve just discovered this author, about six weeks ago, and this thread makes me very happy. So far, I’ve liked the Sarantium books best, but I also enjoyed The Lions of Al-Rassan and A Song for Arbonne (the only other two I’ve read). Will have to check out Tigana next, as it seems to be a favorite for so many people.
Definitely check out The Fionavar Tapestry as well Fretful Porpentine. It was his first major work, and it’s definitely worth a read. It consists of 3 books, The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire and The Darkest Road. Some criticize it for being too Tolkien-esque but it’s really a moving story.
Please keep us updated on *Ysabel. *I will probably give it a try when it comes out here in the states. The Fionvar Tapestry and Tiganna are both excellent reads.
It’s not deriviative. It’s a concious attempt to demonstrate that the high-fantasy genre has legs, if you will. It also conciously plays with the iconic images of several mythologies–Greek, Norse, Arthurian, and Christian–and the Tolkien stuff fits right in with that.
I love Lions, myself. And Arbornne really grew on me. When I was younger I couldn’t deal with how sad it was, but I’ve more or less accepted that life if pain now, and it makes it beautiful.
I absolutely agree with you Manda JO, but unfortunately I’ve read some reviews criticizing it as such. I love the books and really enjoy his take on those mythic themes.
Well, what I really loved about the others was the way he wove in late classical and medieval history – not that they weren’t good stories well told, because they were, but I’m much more of a fan of historical fiction than straight-up-and-down fantasy.
Same here. I don’t agree with that statement in the spirit in which it is intended, but I was afraid someone would run in here and start jumping up and down and yelling “Silmarillion!”. So I wanted to head it off at the pass.
I’ve read, and loved, all of his books. If forced to pick a favourite, probably Lions, though Tigana is a very close second. I’m actually about half-way into my second reading of Ysabel - it’s definitely a departure for him, but still an excellent book. I’m particularly enjoying re-reading certain passages in light of later revelations, but saying more would involve massive spoilers that I don’t really want to post even in a box.
He’s going to be in Victoria in two weeks, and I’m definitely going to the reading. I’ve seen him a few times before and always enjoyed it. He had a good sense of humour about me turning up with my big stack of all his books to be signed last time, and luckily he didn’t notice that one of the paperbacks had been purchased second-hand for $0.25! I’m also really enjoying reading his Ysabel journal and getting his take on the whole process of getting a book published and promoted.