Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful book
Review: Fascinating, like all of Kay's works. Powerful and disturbing. If there is any flaw it's the overly long prologue full of unlikable politicians stabbing each other in the back, but it does provide background and once Kay introduces Crispin, the likable main character, you can't put the book down. Crispin makes mosaics and when his older partner is unwilling to obey a summons to decorate a new temple for the powerful Sarantine Emperor, he finds himself traveling across the Empire to Sarantium in his place. After some eerie and chilling adventures he reaches Sarantium only to find that with its shifting quicksand of politics it is the most dangerous place of all. In addition to a suspenseful plot full of intricate palace intrigue there is a great deal of insight into the process of artistic creation, as Crispin decides what he will put into the mosaic he is to create for the Emperor. Kay's imagery is so magnificent that the sights of his world become imprinted on the reader's brain. I never knew anything about mosaics before reading this, but now I want to go see a real mosaic somewhere; if I could only sail to Sarantium myself to see Crispin's!
Rating:
Summary: Hauntingly Beautiful
Review: Guy Gavriel Kay's novel based upon a fictional Byzantium under the rule of Justinian and Theadora is an emotional journey for a reader. He creates in Crispin a tempermental mosaicst who is noble, clever, and irresistible. His struggle with the lose of his family and the need to find a reason to live drives much of the novel as he travels toward Sarantium. Yet the other characters are as fleshed out as he is. They are people that are humble but not common. But most memorable of them is the one that was present only for a short while; the female soul residing in a mechanical bird who guides Crispin's way. Also waiting for Crispin in Sarantium is the Emperor and Emperess. Valerius and Alixana shares a complex relationship but their love is a tangible force that humanizes what otherwise would have been harsh, scheming characters. The writing takes a reader to the half-world where magic and gods are more real and the emotions are amplified.Overall I would recommend that you rush out to get this book and its excellent sequel Lord of Emperors.
Rating: 
Summary: I Had Nothing Else To Read on a 14 Hour Flight
Review: A friend passed the book on to me after saying it had been given to him but it was not his type. With that grand endorsement, I stuck it in my bag to bring along for my flight to the US. I found the Latin names annoying and chewy to recall as I tried to get myself acclimated to the rest of the story. Th chariot angle was okay and the race was thrillingly described. The killing of the young queen's surrogate in the hero's Rhodian (I can't remember all the names-?) hometown was well described. The political intrigues, the assassins, the eunuchs, the biting repartee in the court in Sarantium and the general treachery got on my nerves. The colors of the factions in the society struck me as too simplistic. The birds with young girls' souls and the great beast of the woods was intriguing but beyond belief. The unresolved, cliff-hanger ending where the mosaicist climbed down from the ceiling and came over to an unnamed girl left my feeling like I had just wasted a lot of time. Although I feel a perverse sense of intererst in actually reading the next work after reading the teaser epilogue, I am sorry to say that I will not buy it but wait for it to hit the library. Sorry, Guy!
Rating:
Summary: An interesting and complex approach to relationships
Review: Kay's prose is, as always, lovely and engrossing. His detailed recreation (and slight warping) of Byzantine life is engrossing, and thought provoking. Both Sarantium books (and if you read one you will have to read the other) would be worthwhile reading for that alone. Kay's approach to his character's relationships, however, adds an additional layer to these two wonderful books. Don't expect to predict how the romances and friendships will play out in the long run. As in real life, the intimacies and and antagonisms in the Sarantium books are complex and ever-changing. Additionally, Kay's preference for telling events from all sides, although sometimes a little tedious, is overall an engrossing device which drew me completely into the world of Sarantium. Both books are well worth your time; and the characters are well worth your affection.
Rating: 
Summary: Loved it, can't wait to read the next one
Review: This is the third novel I've read by Kay. The first two were "Tigana" and "A Song for Arbonne" (which was one of the better books I've read in a long time, in any genre, not just fantasy). "Sailing to Sarantium" gave me no reason to doubt the impression I received from reading those two books, which is that Kay is a great novelist, not just a great writer technically. His characters are psychologically deep, his worlds politically complex; he does not shy away from such topics as a culture's religious philosophy and tolerance; his history is obviously well-researched, even if the reader is not familiar with the historical period or place. He makes his readers think. And the way in which he infuses his novels with his widsom about life makes him a rarity in today's literary world. One of the things I liked best about this novel was Kay's theme of the artist wanting to have his name remembered in history in some way; though this is only one of several themes in the book. I also admired his knowledge of the visual artist's perception of the physical world; how he must learn to be conscious about seeing and observing everything. Kay's breathtaking depiction of a chariot race (the writing of which can't be an easy task) made me reflect on how little the gambling and gaming nature of man has changed over the centuries (yesterday chariots; today, the Daytona 500!). The unique idea of Zoticus's birds is a beautiful one; their characters provide some of the book's most poignant moments. And one other quality I admired, which seems to be a Kay trait, is the way he presents different view points of a single event through several characters' eyes. It is akin to the way a film camera revolves around an object to give an audience a 360 degree view of it, not just a straight-on, linear one. A very effective way to develop character. (The only concern I have about this technique is that it could potentially fragment a story too much.) One other minor criticsm is the way in which Kay seems to overuse, a bit, a device of saying such things as, "later, so-and-so would realize that had things happened differently..." to create, perhaps, a sense of mystery and try to intrigue the reader into further interest. It is sometimes effective in that way, and in the sense that it proves Kay has the characters' futures, and the plot, mapped out, but was generally used too often, in my opinion. I also found myself wondering, in the final pages, what happened to the characters Carullus and Kasia. Was their absence deliberate, or just a loose thread? By no means let these small flaws (if I may be so bold) stop you from immersing yourself in this detailed, beautifully-written historical fantasy. Kay is fast becoming a favorite of mine, and has already rated two places in my "favorite books" bookcase. I can't wait to read Lord of Emperors; it seems Kay just gets better with each book.
Rating:
Summary: Read Parts 1 & 2 together for maximum effect
Review: Kay is a great writer. When I finished part 2 (I read the combined edition) there was a tear in my eye - exactly what happened the last time I read one of his works. I read quite a bit of sci-fantasy and to me Kay is the best writer in the genre.Unlike many who simply combine an ability to plot with some magic effects, Kay actually thinks - or his characters do, and they feel as well. I become involved with them and in the end I care about the outcome. You might want to start this pair of books by reading Yeats poem "Sailing to Byzantium" as it seems to be the basis for the vision of the book. Then too there is a Felini movie which ends with the characters becoming mosaics in a ruined villa...just the image relates I doubt the film does. Enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Luscious language, lazy storyteller
Review: I have such mixed feelings about this book. It's language is intoxicating, subtle, and quite pleasurable to read. I wish there was as much a story to go with such gorgeous wordsmithing. I picked up this book, Sailing to Sarantium, while visiting the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in May 2000, at an outlet mall near Ashland, Oregon. I had heard so much about Kay that I just had to find a book by him, so when I saw this book on the shelf, I picked it up. Ah! the sights, sounds, and smells he describes are so real - Guy Kay is able to take you there to see what the characters see, smell what they smell. But I felt there was no there there. The characters barely move through this detailed world. This book also didn't seem to stand alone: it's waiting for its sequel to be published (which of course has happened). I must say, though, that I will buy the sequel, and hope that the story moves along a wee bit better than this one.
Rating:
Summary: A promising first book of a trilogy
Review: Guy Gavriel Kay again crafts a believable and intriging world for this series of books. The characters themselves are first rate, though the pacing could be a bit better. The first half of the book seems to be their mostly to define several characters, and while they are completely worthwhile it could be broken off into a seperate novella without really affecting the plot. Luckily the characters are worth spending that much time defining, they really do stand out. This book definitely seems to be the first of a trilogy (as it is), instead of planned to stand on it's own. Their are lots of interesting plot elements which are left tantalizingly open, drawing the reader into the next book. As a whole, the story is expertly crafted and very readable.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I've ever read!
Review: Evocative, haunting, mythic, this story is beautifully written. I love the detail that Kay brings to all his characters, and the eerily recognizable landscape and time -- you think you know when/where the story occurs, but it is Kay's fantasy. This is the first Guy Gavriel Kay book I've read. I'm so excited about discovering him that I'm going to read all his other books. One caveat: The cover of "Sailing to Sarantium" looks like a cover to a romance novel. Surely the publisher can do better!
Rating:
Summary: Another masterpiece by a truly great writer
Review: Once again, Guy Gavriel Kay confirms my opinion that he is one of the best fantasy writers out there today. Crispin the mosaicist is an unusual character, which is what makes him so interesting to read about. He's a blunt, contrary man who lives to do the opposite of what people expect of him. His gruff exterior conceals a vulnerable heart that was dreadfully wounded when his family was taken from him by plague, and all that is left to him is his art. He seizes an unexpected opportunity to leave his life behind and travels to the far-off city of Sarantium into a world of politics, intrigues, and tensions, where nothing is as it appears on the surface. Kay's writing is lyrical, and the world he has created, although it is based on the society of long-ago Byzantium, is unique and new. I can't wait to read the sequel. Previous fans of Kay's work will definitely enjoy this one, and if you haven't read any of his books, this would be a good one to start with. Immensely satifying and written beautifully.
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