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Sarantine Mosaic #1-2
The Sarantine Mosaic
For the first time in one collection, the two internationally bestselling novels of The Sarantine Mosaic, one of Guy Gavriel Kay’s most loved works. Sailing to Sarantium Sarantium is the golden holy to the faithful, exalted by the poets, jewel of the world, and heart of an empire. Artisan Caius Crispus receives a summons from the emperor and sets off on a journey toward the Imperial City. But before Crispin can reach Sarantium, with its taverns and gilded sanctuaries, chariot races and palaces, he must pass through a land of pagan ritual and mysterious danger. Sailing to Sarantium, the first volume of the brilliant Sarantine Mosaic, weaves an utterly compelling story of the allure and intrigue of a magnificent city and the people drawn into its spell. Lord of Emperors Having finally achieved his journey to fabled Sarantium, Crispin the mosaicist wants nothing more than to confront the challenges of his art high on the scaffolding of destiny—but in Sarantium no man may easily withdraw from the turmoil of court and city, or forget that the presence of the half-world is always close by. To the Imperial City there comes another voyager, this time from the east. Rustem of Kerakek, a physician, must find his own balance of family and ambition, healing and death, as he, too, is drawn into the deadly webs of Sarantium. In this concluding volume of the Sarantine Mosaic, Lord of Emperors merges page-turning adventure with a deeply moving meditation on art and power, and the eternal human struggle to leave a legacy.
1129 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2000
10 people are currently reading
1069 people want to read
About the author
Guy Gavriel Kay
44 books9,246 followersGuy Gavriel Kay is a Canadian author of fantasy fiction. Many of his novels are set in fictional realms that resemble real places during real historical periods, such as Constantinople during the reign of Justinian I or Spain during the time of El Cid. Those works are published and marketed as historical fantasy, though the author himself has expressed a preference to shy away from genre categorization when possible.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 19, 2017
Exceptional.
June 29, 2020
Like many, I imagine, I first saw the name of the author of ‘The Sarantine Mosaic’ in the acknowledgements to The Silmarillion (1977). There, Kay was thanked for his help in bringing the publication to light. It is difficult to imagine a better apprenticeship for a writer of high fantasy. Kay’s first major work in this genre was clearly indebted to J.R.R. Tolkien and reflected his wider interests in Norse, Celtic and Arthurian mythology. ‘The Fionavar Tapestry’ swiftly became a much-loved trilogy and readers have often encouraged Kay to return to the world he created in The Summer Tree (1984), The Wandering Fire (1986) and The Darkest Road (1986) With the exception of those elements and characters who we met again in Ysabel (2007) this encouragement has been largely resisted. Instead, Kay has produced a series of extremely well-received books in which medieval and, more recently, Renaissance events, places and people have provided inspiration. ‘The Sarantine Mosaic’, comprising Sailing to Sarantium (1998) and Lord of Emperors (2000), is one of the most effective of these ‘alternative histories’. It is based loosely on the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian (here Valerius II) and his empress, Theodora (Aliana/Alixiana), and it includes an array of characters founded on exemplars from the period. We can see, for example, elements in the careers and characters of the generals Belisarius and Narses in Kay’s figure of Leontes, and Procopius, the historian from late antiquity, becomes the entirely scurrilous Pertennius. As with many of Kay’s stories, matters of high politics – the march of armies and of time – are balanced against more mundane deeds and lives. Consequently, the hero, although that designation does not feel entirely appropriate here, is a mosaicist, skilled but hardly of significant rank. Caius Crispus (Crispin) of Varena (Ravenna) travels from Batiara (Italy) to Sarantium (Constantinople) where, after a series of adventures and a great deal of political intrigue, he begins a commission to decorate the dome of the Temple of Jad’s Holy Wisdom (Aya Sofia/Hagia Sophia).
The prologue to Sailing to Sarantium is a fine indication of Kay’s writing. This extended passage is a splendid piece of writing, and the significance of the events discussed rolls out slowly over the course of the story only to become truly apparent in the latter stages of Lord of Emperors. The tone is gently sardonic. Kay’s occasional tendency to employ brief, laconic sentences works nicely when balanced against some of the more lyrical passages. The central act of dreadful violence around which much of the plot revolves is discussed somewhat obliquely and is all the more powerful for it. We are also introduced to many key characters and learn a good deal about day-to-day life, social structures and the politics of the imperial city. None of this feels forced.
We then meet Crispin, a man whose life has been devastated by the loss of his wife and daughters to plague and who undertakes the journey to Sarantium as an act of personal catharsis and renewal rather than a career opportunity. Indeed, a process of renewal and of beginning anew is one that many of the characters undergo. The tone and backdrop to this next section of the book (Part One), which details the journey though ‘barbarian’ lands, differs from later stages and that difference reflects the nature of the central character. Crispin, although overwhelmed by the political machinations in which he finds himself embroiled, swiftly becomes comfortable in the ‘civilised’, urban environment of Sarantium. The journey to reach the city is much more difficult for him and he encounters forces completely outside his experience.
Kay’s works of ‘alternative history’ all contain magical, fantastical or supernatural elements, but in most cases they are subtle and secondary to the plot – an obvious exception being Tigana (1990). In this case, the ‘pagan’ magics which he meets early on shape Crispin’s appreciation of the world but they are not to the forefront for much of the tale. As in most of Kay’s more recent works, one should not expect to meet wizards casting fireballs in the ‘Sarantine Mosiac’. The alchemist, Zoticus, offers Crispin a glimpse into what is here described as the ‘half-world’, but he is no Gandalf, nor a Loren Silvercloak (from the Fionavar stories).
Rather, Kay’s books rely on detailed research into daily life in many of the regions within and on the borders of the Byzantine empire. As in several of his other works, medicine plays an important role. We are introduced to Rustem from the Basanid empire (Persia) at the opening of Lord of Emperors. He, like Crispin, is a skilled practitioner – in his case a doctor – whose skill brings him into the intrigues of the powerful. Chariot racing also forms a significant element in the story, as does cookery. It is, though, architecture and mosaics which provides the most important recurring theme. It is a testament to the author’s writing that he captures some of the wonder of the remaining mosaics at Aya Sofia and the extraordinary cycle of images in the Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna both of which are adapted to Kay’s purposes in these books.
‘The Sarantine Mosaic’ is an elegant story. The plot is well paced and handled with skill. The author juggles a constellation of characters without losing sight of the central figures. Perhaps this reflects some of the mosaicist’s craft. And in that regard, this is a much more ‘human’ story than those told by Tolkien. Of course, the comparison is, in some ways, unfair. Tolkien’s world/s emerged out of mythological underpinnings. While a degree of moral ‘shading’ is evident among many of the inhabitants Middle Earth there are also fundamental forces of good and evil at work. The flaws in Kay’s ‘heroes’ characters are evident and some perpetrate ghastly actions. Similarly, there are few who are irredeemably wicked or whose actions are not explained even if those actions are not excused. Our appreciation of these characters develops over the course of the books and shifts throughout. Just as Kay depicts the movement of light over a mosaic.
The prologue to Sailing to Sarantium is a fine indication of Kay’s writing. This extended passage is a splendid piece of writing, and the significance of the events discussed rolls out slowly over the course of the story only to become truly apparent in the latter stages of Lord of Emperors. The tone is gently sardonic. Kay’s occasional tendency to employ brief, laconic sentences works nicely when balanced against some of the more lyrical passages. The central act of dreadful violence around which much of the plot revolves is discussed somewhat obliquely and is all the more powerful for it. We are also introduced to many key characters and learn a good deal about day-to-day life, social structures and the politics of the imperial city. None of this feels forced.
We then meet Crispin, a man whose life has been devastated by the loss of his wife and daughters to plague and who undertakes the journey to Sarantium as an act of personal catharsis and renewal rather than a career opportunity. Indeed, a process of renewal and of beginning anew is one that many of the characters undergo. The tone and backdrop to this next section of the book (Part One), which details the journey though ‘barbarian’ lands, differs from later stages and that difference reflects the nature of the central character. Crispin, although overwhelmed by the political machinations in which he finds himself embroiled, swiftly becomes comfortable in the ‘civilised’, urban environment of Sarantium. The journey to reach the city is much more difficult for him and he encounters forces completely outside his experience.
Kay’s works of ‘alternative history’ all contain magical, fantastical or supernatural elements, but in most cases they are subtle and secondary to the plot – an obvious exception being Tigana (1990). In this case, the ‘pagan’ magics which he meets early on shape Crispin’s appreciation of the world but they are not to the forefront for much of the tale. As in most of Kay’s more recent works, one should not expect to meet wizards casting fireballs in the ‘Sarantine Mosiac’. The alchemist, Zoticus, offers Crispin a glimpse into what is here described as the ‘half-world’, but he is no Gandalf, nor a Loren Silvercloak (from the Fionavar stories).
Rather, Kay’s books rely on detailed research into daily life in many of the regions within and on the borders of the Byzantine empire. As in several of his other works, medicine plays an important role. We are introduced to Rustem from the Basanid empire (Persia) at the opening of Lord of Emperors. He, like Crispin, is a skilled practitioner – in his case a doctor – whose skill brings him into the intrigues of the powerful. Chariot racing also forms a significant element in the story, as does cookery. It is, though, architecture and mosaics which provides the most important recurring theme. It is a testament to the author’s writing that he captures some of the wonder of the remaining mosaics at Aya Sofia and the extraordinary cycle of images in the Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna both of which are adapted to Kay’s purposes in these books.
‘The Sarantine Mosaic’ is an elegant story. The plot is well paced and handled with skill. The author juggles a constellation of characters without losing sight of the central figures. Perhaps this reflects some of the mosaicist’s craft. And in that regard, this is a much more ‘human’ story than those told by Tolkien. Of course, the comparison is, in some ways, unfair. Tolkien’s world/s emerged out of mythological underpinnings. While a degree of moral ‘shading’ is evident among many of the inhabitants Middle Earth there are also fundamental forces of good and evil at work. The flaws in Kay’s ‘heroes’ characters are evident and some perpetrate ghastly actions. Similarly, there are few who are irredeemably wicked or whose actions are not explained even if those actions are not excused. Our appreciation of these characters develops over the course of the books and shifts throughout. Just as Kay depicts the movement of light over a mosaic.
July 18, 2022
Удивительная книга! Недавно на LiveLib я решила добавлять к книгам, которые я могу со спокойной совестью посоветовать другим, тэг "рекомендую". "Сарантийская мозаика" заставила меня задуматься, а не ввести ли тэг "рекомендую-рекомендую-рекомендую"? Минусов в этой книге почти нет, а те, что есть, столь незначительны, что я о них даже упоминать не буду, потому как общее впечатление от нее более чем положительное.
"Сарантийская мозиака", как и еще несколько книг Кея, принадлежат к жанру, который я назвала "доброй альтернативной историей". На этот раз автор помещает своих героев в мир, который, как две капли воды, напоминает Византийскую империю. Правят этим государством император Валерий и его жена Аликсана, за которыми безошибочно угадываются Юстиниан и Феодора. Но главным персонажем, с моей точки зрения, является даже не мозаичник Кай Криспин, вокруг которого крутится вся история, а сам собор, для украшения которого его и вызвали в столицу империи, прекрасный и могущественный город Сарантий. Именно собор есть символом того, что останется после нас, символом надежды на будущее и одновременно крушением мечты...
Роман состоит из двух частей: "Путешествие в Сарантий" и "Повелитель императоров". Если с названием первой части никаких вопросов не возникало, то вторая поставила меня в тупик. А оказалось, что с точки зрения Кея, это искусство. Согласитесь, необычная тематика для такой литературы!
- Но если мы останемся в памяти других людей, даже наших собственных наследников, не значит ли это, что нас запомнят неправильно? Что знает ребенок о своем отце? Кто решает, как именно нас опишут в хрониках и опишут ли вообще?
- Эта проблема существует. Возможно, летописцы, художники, скульпторы, историки... возможно именно они - подлинные повелители императоров среди всех нас.
Здесь, я думаю, уместно будет сделать ссылку на статью "Феодора - дар Юстиниану", в которой говорится о том, что все, что мы знаем о "распутном" прошлом Феодоры, мы знаем со слов историка, написавшего свой труд по заказу влиятельных особ своего времени, не слишком жаловавших прославленную императрицу. Рекомендую прочитать или до, или после "Сарантийской мозаики".
Очень и очень много параллелей с реальностью, но много и отличий. На самом деле императрица Феодора умерла от рака, а Юстиниан так и не женился после этого и хранил память о своей любимой до конца дней. А здесь... все не так, но рассказывать ничего не буду! :) На страницах книги появлялось множество разнообразных персонажей (особенно заслуживают внимания женские образы) и иногда мне даже казалось, что связать их судьбы вместе Кею окажется не под силу, но он просто превзошел все мои ожидания.
"Сарантийская мозаика" - это фэнтезийный мир без капли фэнтези (ну разве что говорящие птицы), это реальность без реальности. А еще это одна из самых лучших историй, рассказанных о выдуманном мире...
10 / 10
June 4, 2024
До "Сарантийской мозаики" у Кея я читал только "Поднебесную" и "Дети земли и неба", которые оставили после себя очень приятное впечатление. Но для подтверждения, что это мой любимый автор, надо прочитать еще что-то третье. По отзывам "Сарантийскую мозаику" называют одним из лучших романов Гая Гэвриела Кея, но достать книгу сейчас крайне непросто, потому что выходила она лишь в 2007 году и переизданий не было. У меня получилось достать на вторичке немного замызганный экземпляр без суперобложки, но сойдет и так, все равно раритет.
Книга толстоватая (960 страниц), шрифт мелкий, поэтому я готовился к длинному и упорному чтению. Тем более зная, как Кей плавно и "медленно" развивает события.
В Сарантии (аналог Византийской Империи, Кей ведь всегда пишет альтернативную историю) меняется власть. Новый правитель хочет расписать купол собора, для чего вызывает из далеких земель мастера-мозаичника. Но сам мастер стар и ехать не хочет, поэтому вместо себя отправляет своего опытного ученика, но он едет под именем своего учителя. Конечно, это весьма чревато, если правда вскроется, ведь император может прогневаться и лишить жизни мастера за обман. И это только начало истории, в которой смешано много разных нюансов и событий. Как и в предыдущих романах, что я читал, в этой книге основа сюжета простая как карандаш. Но мир романа наполнен живыми персонажами, интересными, хитрыми, умными, за которыми очень интересно следить. Мозаичник Кай Криспин недавно потерял жену и детей, с которыми пропал и смысл жизни. Возможно это путешествие и задание выложить мозаику является неким чистилище, чтобы найти себя и понять, что делать дальше. Император пытается разобраться с браздами правления и поднять свой авторитет, ��ользуясь советами своей умной жены. И да, у императора есть конкуренты, которые строят свои кровавые планы. В Сарантии все помешаны на гонках на колесницах, делают ставки, с ума сходят на стадионе, режут приверженцев другой команды, если увидят в баре и просто на улице. Молодая рабыня Касия случайно освободилась от ига и пытается понять, как ей жить дальше, обретя свободу. Юная владычица соседней недавно завоеванной страны думает, как выгодно пристроить себя, чтобы развить империю малой кровью. Врач из соседней страны приезжает в Сарантий набраться опыта, но сразу оказывается втянутым в кровопролитные события. И вот таких персонажей в романе море. Да, у нас снова неспешное повествование, никто никуда не торопится, все любят болтать и немного философствовать, но это жутко приятно читать. Я признаю, что наверное с каким-нибудь другим автором у меня было бы такой любви, и я сказал бы - это для кого написано? Для улиток? Для тех, кто читает тягомотную книгу раз в год?
Очень сложно объяснить, почему мне очень интересно было наблюдать за героями книги. Роман-то на самом деле не вялотекущий, потому что почти у всех персонажей есть некая скрытая цель и все понимают, что все может измениться в любое время. Даже император может смениться, а это повлечет за собой перестройку установившегося мира. Мозаика вдруг может стать оружием, вера - ересью, а друг - предателем.
Как и в предыдущих книгах, тут тоже присутствует идея предательства и подковерных игр. Человек думает, что его отправляют в другую страну просто набраться опыта, а на самом деле вручают нож и просят убить влиятельную особу. Что делать? Как быть?
Ну а какая прекрасная любовь в Сарантии! С одной стороны, женатые спокойно спят с рабынями или просто другими красивыми чужими женщинами, а с другой стороны, как они четко чувствуют чувства других людей. Когда мы можешь любить словами и глазами, но не телом. Когда играешь фразами, ждешь, надеешься и понимаешь чувства другого человека обонянием... Если все так и было в Античности, то мое почтение, конечно.
Роман бесподобный, прочитался с огромным удовольствием. Кей - мастер неспешных увлекательных романов с умными и запоминающимися героями. Браво! 9/10
Книга толстоватая (960 страниц), шрифт мелкий, поэтому я готовился к длинному и упорному чтению. Тем более зная, как Кей плавно и "медленно" развивает события.
В Сарантии (аналог Византийской Империи, Кей ведь всегда пишет альтернативную историю) меняется власть. Новый правитель хочет расписать купол собора, для чего вызывает из далеких земель мастера-мозаичника. Но сам мастер стар и ехать не хочет, поэтому вместо себя отправляет своего опытного ученика, но он едет под именем своего учителя. Конечно, это весьма чревато, если правда вскроется, ведь император может прогневаться и лишить жизни мастера за обман. И это только начало истории, в которой смешано много разных нюансов и событий. Как и в предыдущих романах, что я читал, в этой книге основа сюжета простая как карандаш. Но мир романа наполнен живыми персонажами, интересными, хитрыми, умными, за которыми очень интересно следить. Мозаичник Кай Криспин недавно потерял жену и детей, с которыми пропал и смысл жизни. Возможно это путешествие и задание выложить мозаику является неким чистилище, чтобы найти себя и понять, что делать дальше. Император пытается разобраться с браздами правления и поднять свой авторитет, ��ользуясь советами своей умной жены. И да, у императора есть конкуренты, которые строят свои кровавые планы. В Сарантии все помешаны на гонках на колесницах, делают ставки, с ума сходят на стадионе, режут приверженцев другой команды, если увидят в баре и просто на улице. Молодая рабыня Касия случайно освободилась от ига и пытается понять, как ей жить дальше, обретя свободу. Юная владычица соседней недавно завоеванной страны думает, как выгодно пристроить себя, чтобы развить империю малой кровью. Врач из соседней страны приезжает в Сарантий набраться опыта, но сразу оказывается втянутым в кровопролитные события. И вот таких персонажей в романе море. Да, у нас снова неспешное повествование, никто никуда не торопится, все любят болтать и немного философствовать, но это жутко приятно читать. Я признаю, что наверное с каким-нибудь другим автором у меня было бы такой любви, и я сказал бы - это для кого написано? Для улиток? Для тех, кто читает тягомотную книгу раз в год?
Очень сложно объяснить, почему мне очень интересно было наблюдать за героями книги. Роман-то на самом деле не вялотекущий, потому что почти у всех персонажей есть некая скрытая цель и все понимают, что все может измениться в любое время. Даже император может смениться, а это повлечет за собой перестройку установившегося мира. Мозаика вдруг может стать оружием, вера - ересью, а друг - предателем.
Как и в предыдущих книгах, тут тоже присутствует идея предательства и подковерных игр. Человек думает, что его отправляют в другую страну просто набраться опыта, а на самом деле вручают нож и просят убить влиятельную особу. Что делать? Как быть?
Ну а какая прекрасная любовь в Сарантии! С одной стороны, женатые спокойно спят с рабынями или просто другими красивыми чужими женщинами, а с другой стороны, как они четко чувствуют чувства других людей. Когда мы можешь любить словами и глазами, но не телом. Когда играешь фразами, ждешь, надеешься и понимаешь чувства другого человека обонянием... Если все так и было в Античности, то мое почтение, конечно.
Роман бесподобный, прочитался с огромным удовольствием. Кей - мастер неспешных увлекательных романов с умными и запоминающимися героями. Браво! 9/10
August 18, 2020
Kay's stylistic flourishes made this a frustrating read. Pronouns and honorifics are overused, to the point of unclarity. The word "murmured" is used with outsized frequency (133 occurrences). Better editting would have allowed this epic tale to truly shine.
May 27, 2015
The 2-part Sarantine Mosaic is the best fantasy work I've ever read. Thank goodness for a fantasy author who can WRITE!! What's interesting about Kay's works is that they are almost historical fiction (with the names of places, people, and religions changed to place them within Kay's own world), with just a light smattering of fantasy thrown in.
This 2-part series is a wonderful examination of what it is that we leave behind in our short lives, with a particular emphasis on the arts and their ongoing contribution to society at large. Though fear not - this theme is set within a truly grand, sweeping, epic, historical adventure. One would not think that the story of a Byzantine mosaicist would be interesting, but one would be very wrong!
This 2-part series is a wonderful examination of what it is that we leave behind in our short lives, with a particular emphasis on the arts and their ongoing contribution to society at large. Though fear not - this theme is set within a truly grand, sweeping, epic, historical adventure. One would not think that the story of a Byzantine mosaicist would be interesting, but one would be very wrong!
October 11, 2015
Words fail me
October 24, 2018
I have read Sailing to Sarantuium and Lord of Emperors as separate volumes, but feel it is most appropriate to review the work as a whole. I would not recommend reading one without the other as the two books form one complete story arc, and am glad to see that it has been published as a single volume.
The story is set against a brilliantly imagined world very similar to the Byzantine Empire of the sixth century CE. Early on in the first book, Kay drops many hints to a reader who knows something of Byzantine history suggesting that many of his characters are analogues to historical figures in our world (if you want to know exactly what Valerius II and Alixana look like, look no further than contemporary mosaics of Justinian and Theodora). The narrative is engrossing and the plot moves at a rapid pace, especially for a novel with such extensive overt and subtle allusion to literature and history. This is a world of dark magic and ritual not entirely suppressed by the dominant monotheism of the day, the threat of religious schism within said monotheism, an emperor with ambitions of reclaiming a lost part of his empire to the west while facing a growing threat to the east... and history does not necessarily turn out quite how you might expect.
Kay's choice of protagonist is inspired, and unique, as far as I am aware, among works of not quite historical fantasy. An accomplished professional mosaicist who begins the story with a fairly long and very traumatic past, he struggles to survive as a mature, emotionally scarred, professional craftsman (he does not call himself an artist) with ambitions of achieving something significant and lasting in the world. He has an incredible opportunity, not entirely wanted, not entirely earned, and not entirely meant for him, fall into his lap at the beginning of the story and he is, after an eventful journey, swept into the political whirlwind at the heart of a Byzantium inspired as much by the poetry of W. B. Yeats as what we know of actual historical events. Against this setting, Crispin the mosaicist attempts to create his masterpiece, a grand work of religious art that may well have once had an analogue in our world but now no longer does. To say more would likely give too much away. Enough to say that he is one of the most sympathetic characters in fiction this reader has encountered in a long time, who is forced to persevere long past the point of psychological exhaustion in the face of devastating personal loss and political chaos that threatens to become personal. This is a story that will speak very personally to many, and I would not hesitate to recommend it.
The story is set against a brilliantly imagined world very similar to the Byzantine Empire of the sixth century CE. Early on in the first book, Kay drops many hints to a reader who knows something of Byzantine history suggesting that many of his characters are analogues to historical figures in our world (if you want to know exactly what Valerius II and Alixana look like, look no further than contemporary mosaics of Justinian and Theodora). The narrative is engrossing and the plot moves at a rapid pace, especially for a novel with such extensive overt and subtle allusion to literature and history. This is a world of dark magic and ritual not entirely suppressed by the dominant monotheism of the day, the threat of religious schism within said monotheism, an emperor with ambitions of reclaiming a lost part of his empire to the west while facing a growing threat to the east... and history does not necessarily turn out quite how you might expect.
Kay's choice of protagonist is inspired, and unique, as far as I am aware, among works of not quite historical fantasy. An accomplished professional mosaicist who begins the story with a fairly long and very traumatic past, he struggles to survive as a mature, emotionally scarred, professional craftsman (he does not call himself an artist) with ambitions of achieving something significant and lasting in the world. He has an incredible opportunity, not entirely wanted, not entirely earned, and not entirely meant for him, fall into his lap at the beginning of the story and he is, after an eventful journey, swept into the political whirlwind at the heart of a Byzantium inspired as much by the poetry of W. B. Yeats as what we know of actual historical events. Against this setting, Crispin the mosaicist attempts to create his masterpiece, a grand work of religious art that may well have once had an analogue in our world but now no longer does. To say more would likely give too much away. Enough to say that he is one of the most sympathetic characters in fiction this reader has encountered in a long time, who is forced to persevere long past the point of psychological exhaustion in the face of devastating personal loss and political chaos that threatens to become personal. This is a story that will speak very personally to many, and I would not hesitate to recommend it.
March 4, 2020
The ultimate goal of the storyteller is authenticity; to present the human experience in an honest and compelling way. That is the sort of story that endures, that we call art. The sort that, were it an oil painting, would be fit to hang on any wall in reverence.
Were it a mosaic...
"The Sarantine Mosaic" by Guy Gavriel Kay is one such piece of artwork. It is one of the finest stories I have read - and I've read a lot. It is not artistic, nor does it try to be. It simply is art, in the simple and unhesitant way that the sun rises, or a child laughs. It does not strain to be something other than it is: and yet it is.
There are many ways in which this story succeeds. I can't begin to describe them all. The characters (stunning), plot (marvelous), and setting (captivating) are all to be lauded for their authenticity. Instead, I'll take one moment to mention what makes this book stand out as utterly unique among others of its kind, historical fantasy:
The central character, Caius Crispin, is a mosaicist. His eye catches the subtleties of light, shadow, and angles, capturing them for the sake of beauty. Through his eyes, we, the captive audience, have no choice but to see the world with an artist's eye. To see beauty. To memorialize it. To be captivated by it.
And as we become arrested by beauty, that is what our hearts begin to draw towards, like the ocean ever towards the shore; and though there are political machinations, and talk of conquest and war, and pagan magic in the dark forests, always the reader yearns for the completed mosaic, the single visionary thread that runs throughout it all.
And so this work of fantasy presents humanity not as a batch of sword-wielding heroes, but of purveyors of beauty and art, and of life. It presents an authentic human experience; and what higher calling is there, in art?
Were it a mosaic...
"The Sarantine Mosaic" by Guy Gavriel Kay is one such piece of artwork. It is one of the finest stories I have read - and I've read a lot. It is not artistic, nor does it try to be. It simply is art, in the simple and unhesitant way that the sun rises, or a child laughs. It does not strain to be something other than it is: and yet it is.
There are many ways in which this story succeeds. I can't begin to describe them all. The characters (stunning), plot (marvelous), and setting (captivating) are all to be lauded for their authenticity. Instead, I'll take one moment to mention what makes this book stand out as utterly unique among others of its kind, historical fantasy:
The central character, Caius Crispin, is a mosaicist. His eye catches the subtleties of light, shadow, and angles, capturing them for the sake of beauty. Through his eyes, we, the captive audience, have no choice but to see the world with an artist's eye. To see beauty. To memorialize it. To be captivated by it.
And as we become arrested by beauty, that is what our hearts begin to draw towards, like the ocean ever towards the shore; and though there are political machinations, and talk of conquest and war, and pagan magic in the dark forests, always the reader yearns for the completed mosaic, the single visionary thread that runs throughout it all.
And so this work of fantasy presents humanity not as a batch of sword-wielding heroes, but of purveyors of beauty and art, and of life. It presents an authentic human experience; and what higher calling is there, in art?
July 18, 2024
I hated this book. I think I ended up not liking Guy Gavriel Kay and his stealing of cultures and history. And it's bad stealing, especially this one. He copy-pastes events from Byzantine history without having absolutely any contact with the civilisation other than some idk Wikipedia? Random historical treatises? Ostrogorsky? Why would you steal another culture's history so blatantly and just change names (putting names that have nothing to do with the culture whatsoever). It took me ten years to give him another chance now with Tigana and again he does the same, he uses some French names together with prefixes that mean absolutely nothing or are Arabic, sparse Italian here and there. He needs to study some etymology. I don't know. Maybe I am biased because my culture was violated by yet another Anglo-Saxon. All in all I couldn't finish Sarantion (btw we take the word forty in another language and
stick an ending to it, as if I named a city Fifthade, or Seventory!) Does he speak any other languages apart from English, I'm wondering. Anyway, it was nerve-wrecking.
stick an ending to it, as if I named a city Fifthade, or Seventory!) Does he speak any other languages apart from English, I'm wondering. Anyway, it was nerve-wrecking.
May 9, 2017
I read and reviewed the two volumes contained here separately, so this is essentially just for my own records. The star rating is really 3.5, rounded up to 4 - it's the average of the 3 stars I gave Sailing to Sarantium and the 4 I gave to Lord of Emperors. In a nutshell, I enjoyed the imagery and the placing of an artist at the centre of an epic fantasy narrative, and was less impressed with the dodgy way the first book perceived its women characters - though this improved markedly in the second volume (hence its higher rating).
August 28, 2018
скачав щоб читати на відпочинку таке щоб не дуже навантажувало мозок і був цікавим сам процес читання.
ідеальний варіант.
не дотягує за напругою до мартіна нашого джорджа, більш схоже на хроніки амбера желязни.
сподобалось що мінімально додано магії, такий собі псевдоісторичний твір.
книга щоб зайняти час
ідеальний варіант.
не дотягує за напругою до мартіна нашого джорджа, більш схоже на хроніки амбера желязни.
сподобалось що мінімально додано магії, такий собі псевдоісторичний твір.
книга щоб зайняти час
September 21, 2020
A re-read.
I love the first book and was dreading the second because of the incident in the tunnel. However, it turns out that I handled that better (probably because I knew it was coming) but the second book just felt a little flat. Took a while to get going with the new doctor character and the ending didn't land for me.
I love the first book and was dreading the second because of the incident in the tunnel. However, it turns out that I handled that better (probably because I knew it was coming) but the second book just felt a little flat. Took a while to get going with the new doctor character and the ending didn't land for me.
September 28, 2020
Exceptional. Not the easiest to follow if you have your attention tugged, so stay with it in the beginning or take the time to go back for the rich detail your brushed over. Kay is a master of history.
August 12, 2017
Almost more of a historical fiction of a parallel universe Roman Empire. Hard to describe but strangely enthralling.
August 23, 2017
(Reread the two books, not an ebook, but whatever...) Wonderful, even better than I had remembered.
January 18, 2018
LOVE IT. Such a beautiful story!
October 4, 2019
Moji prvi fantasy romani. Prvi dio, koji se odnosi na putovanje glavnog lika , me oduševio,dok drugim i njegovim događanjima na dvoru- nisam bio pretjerano fasciniran. Odlično štivo za plažu!
November 10, 2019
Guy Gavriel Kay is slowly turning into my favorite author.
December 23, 2019
Pretty standard. Worth the read.
May 27, 2021
Wonderful work.
Beautifully and poetically written. Vast in it’s undertaking, but the author’s work is always captivating. It’s difficult knowing the book has ended.
Beautifully and poetically written. Vast in it’s undertaking, but the author’s work is always captivating. It’s difficult knowing the book has ended.
January 12, 2022
Second time reading this. It was as good as the first time. Guy Gavriel Kay is brilliant. One almost forgets that the story is fictional, not historical.
Read
July 22, 2022Very good tale. A historical fiction with the names of people and places changed. And maybe a liberty here and there.
December 23, 2024
G.G. Kay's books are always interesting, largely because of the worlds he builds that are drawn from, but not identical to, either mythology (The Summer Tree and the rest of the Fionovar tapestry) or history (this pair of books). I have to confess that I'm not as much a fan of his writing style (he has a few writerly affectations I don't care for overmuch but don't dislike enough to let it get in the way of my enjoyment of his books) as I am of his stories themselves. This one, set in an alternate Byzantium in the time of Emperor Justinian and the building of the Hagia Sophia--is one I really enjoyed. Loved learning more about the art of mosaic making and all those years ago, when I first read the book I was delighted to learn a new word--tesserae. (That said, I'm not sure I'd called a set of two books a mosaic--not enough tesseraie :). I was also delighted with the epigraphs at the beginning & end of the books--Yeats naturally (both from his poem, Sailing to Byzantium from which Kay got the title for the first book of the series, and his fuller explanation of where and when he'd visit in history if he had a choice. There's also a super line from an inscription in Ravenna (a city with gorgeous mosaics of its own).
March 29, 2015
His best! I still dream of stories in this Byzantine-based world...
May 26, 2016
Hermoso viaje...
Read
October 8, 2017&MEME; IS THERE ANY GOOD HISTORICAL FICTION DEALING WITH THE BYZANTINE ERA?
SAILING TO SARANTIUM
LOL Y, THE SPORTS DRAMA IS REAL IN THAT ONE.
SAILING TO SARANTIUM
LOL Y, THE SPORTS DRAMA IS REAL IN THAT ONE.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews