Sailing to Sarantium (Sarantine Mosaic, Book 1)

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant. When is Part Two Coming Out?
Review: Kay produces another lavish tale. I really do prefer his longer, more detailed works akin to the Fionavar Tapestry (his finest work imho). Cant wait for the next installment from Sarantium.

Rating:
Summary: A disappointed fan
Review: Tigana, The Fionavar Tapestry and A Song for Arbonne are among my favorite books. The Lions of Al-Rassan was a disappointment, and this one is far worse. It has none of the heart-wrenching drama that made his prior work so unique.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I love Kay. I did not love this book. I was bored with almost everything. I hope the next half is better.

Rating:
Summary: Typical GGK quality
Review: Though Kay begins rather un-Kayishly (introducing so many characters all at once, and having a huge extended Prologue) he soon dives into Crispin's life with classic-Kay quality. Especially touching are the rites in the woods (though I won't spoil the surprise). Not quite as memorable as book I of the Fionvar Tapestry (what can be?); measures up perhaps to Song for Arbonne. Overall, eagerly awaiting Kay's next masterpiece.

Rating:
Summary: Not up to Kay's usual standards
Review: Although Kay is my favorite author, and I find myself happily re-reading his previous novels every so often, this one did not live up to Kay's usual promise. The characters lack depth, the rich symbolism I usually enjoy in Kay's works is given only a passing nod and the story only really begins towards the end of the book. Alhtough I realize there will be a sequel, there is certainly no sense of closure to this volume.

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Summary: A mythic journey in a venal world
Review: The metaphore, Sailing to Sarantium, is a drum that beats through the entirety of this book. What is personal, becomes public. Beliefs become reality, what is good and great and politic is not necessarily the sensible choice. We, like the characters, are asked to suspend judgement, heed the metaphors as if they were oracles and believe in the integrity of a very few men. Sarantium blends Gavriel Kay's fantastic rendition with philosophic integrity. Sarantium is the Island of the Day Before in the Fantasy genre, and I believe that Umberto Eco would find elegance in this most recent work.

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Summary: Blood and Mice! What a great book!
Review: Sailing to Sarantium has many elements in common with Kay's first and greatest books - the Fionavar Tapestry. Unlike most of Kay's more recent books, it is full of magic, the ultimate tesserae of a fantasy novel. Other elements in common with Fionavar are: sacrifice to a forest god, hanging on a holy tree, magic grove, and the giving of a soul. I had been worried after Kay's most recent books - they are not what his earlier ones were - until this. Sailing to Sarantium reassured me that Kay is still the greatest writer on earth, and can still write things that break my heart, like no other writer. If only he hadn't killed my favorite character a hundred pages into the book. . .

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Summary: Sarantium One Dull City
Review: The potential for a Guy Gavriel Kay novel based on the city of Byzantium is almost enough to induce shivers, however, the promise is never fulfilled. Kay delivers a lackluster performance all across the board with a story that seems to inspire him even less than the reader. His Sarantium is a dull, lifeless city that he does almost nothing to bring to life in the readers' minds. There is nary a description of ancient medieval architecture and culture, just heavy-handed warnings about what a subtle and dangerous a place it is. The story of Crispin, the mosaicist, traveling to Sarantium to answer the summons of another man is boring at best. There is no real narrative thread and little suspense in this 'traveling tale'. Along the way he meets the usual suspects: superstitious townsfolks, talking birds (!?), and a dull girl with no personality whom he 'saves' from ritual sacrifice. The characters in the city (Valerius and his wife) fare no better. And even worse there is no payoff and still no story when Crispus arrives in Sarantium. A major disappointment.

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Summary: Patience, gentle reader - A slow start to his latest trilogy
Review: Guy Gauriel Kay is one of my favorite authors, due to his great talent for storytelling, his complex and intelligent characters, and his ability to re-live history within his fantasy worlds. I have read all of his books several times over the last 2 years. This Christmas I actually flew into London on my way back from Vienna in order to secure a copy of his latest (it has not yet been released in the US). I was a little disappointed with my prize, however. He weaves an interesting tale, but the pieces do not seem to fall together as smoothly as they do in previous books. Instead of drawing the me into the circle of his story, the fragmentation left me feeling somewhat frustrated and irritated. I also see a lot of similarity in the characters portrayed in Sarantium and A Song for Arbonne. I am hoping for better things from the next 2 books. Kay is a little bit of a slow starter (e.g., The first chapter of Tigana prevented me from reading the rest of the book for nearly a year, and that NEVER happens to me.), so I am willing to wait.

Rating:
Summary: Kay is the best fantasy writer in the world today!
Review: Guy Gavriel Kay has been my favorite authour for over five years. I have read, re-read and read again every book he has ever written. Sailing to Sarantium continues in the Kay tradition. The most important aspect of all his books has been characterization. StS again gives us characters that we actually care about and who feel like friends and/or enemies. Although my absolute favorite series is and will always be the Fionavar Tapestry ( and if you haven't read it do so right NOW), StS is right up there with Kay's other fantastic books. I hope that the second half is longer and more complete than the first half. I can't wait until it comes out.