Cynthia Sally Haggard's Blog: Cynthia Sally's Blog, page 49

An unusual woman…(RIVER OF STARS by Guy Gavriel Kay, narrated by Simon Vance)

[image error]This story starts gently, so gently that I had to replay it to remember what actually happened. It is Autumn. There is mist, temple bells, maple leaves falling. There is talk of man-eating tigers. Then we see a boy in a bamboo grove…

This novel definitely takes its time to start, something that was a problem for some readers. But once the engine of the novel actually begins, once we are back in that bamboo grove with that same boy and a famous incident happens, then it is hard to put this book down.

It has the same emotional register as UNDER HEAVEN. We are in the midst of a calm, dignified people, who revere learning. Again, we spend most of our time at court or with people connected to the court, in the midst of wealth and sophistication. We see extreme intelligence, not to see deviousness on the part of the main character (the boy in the bamboo grove) and a former prime minister. We see an unusual woman who can write brilliantly, who is celebrated for her calligraphy as well as her poems and songs.

If this sounds too calm to pique your attention, do not worry. This story is set in China in the 1120s, a time of great upheaval and violence, as the Steppe nomads battle the Chinese for control of territory. (This struggle eventually ends in 1271 with the installation of a steppe nomad as Emperor of China, in the shape of Kublai Khan.)

Again, there is a love story. This time, the author does not give you an ending, but rather a series of events that you have to piece together to understand how it ended. Five stars.

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When women could be warriors…(UNDER HEAVEN by Guy Gavriel Kay, narrated by Simon Vance)

[image error]It took me a while to understand that UNDER HEAVEN was set in an alternate version of Tang dynasty China, so realistically was it told. Guy Gavriel Kay is not afraid of letting silences be eloquent, and narrator Simon Vance deploys his voice to give life to those silences and the slower pace of life in 8th-century China.

In a lesser author, this would become boring. It does not in this wonderful novel. Guy Gavriel Kay is talented enough to start with a slow opening, that nevertheless captures the reader’s heart by taking the time to allow the emotions of the moment to unspool on the page.

We meet Shen Tai, a young man of around 20, who is living in self-imposed exile from the Tang court for two years so that he can honor his recently dead father by existing in the arid uplands (where the Silk Road loops around the impassable desert of the Tarim Basin), burying the bones of dead enemies.

His father was a famous general. He was supposed to be a famous general. But something dark happened when he was a young officer. He went to an elite training school for assassins, altered course, returning to court to take the all-important-exams to become a civil servant.

But his father dies, causing Shen Tai to wander into his self-imposed exile, becoming a hardened veteran of a frightening place where ghosts sing every night.

Someone bestows a poisonous gift on him, in the shape of 250 magnificent horses. The rest of the novel deals with the consequences of that gift, and how Shen Tai uses his considerable wits to survive.

There is a love story here, of course, but one that does not have a predictable ending. For a cold winter’s night, you could do worse than snuggle under your comforter, mulled wine at hand, and listen to this tale. Five stars.

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The story of a disappeared state (TIGANA by Guy Gavriel Kay)

I love Guy Gavriel Kay’s writing. I loved the way [image error]TIGANA started with such a moving & provocative prologue, which segued into a day in the life of a talented 19-year-old singer, who’d just been ripped apart (verbally) by the newest member of the troupe, an attractive red-maned young woman .

Naturally, things are not what they seem, and I loved meeting this cast of quirky characters, some of whom have unexpected nobility attached to them.

In his Author’s Note, Guy Gavriel Kay says that this novel is about memory, its importance and misuse. But what struck me was that it was about a disappeared state, a place that is wiped off the map so completelythat even when its old name is uttered, no-one can hear it. It reminded me of 19th-century Poland, which didn’t exist between 1795 and 1918. As the author notes, most insurrections are inspired by a loss of language and culture (think of the Irish, the Welsh, the Scots and the Basques.) Losing a name is a tragedy. It is not the mere loss of a proper noun, but a psychological assault on a person’s identity and culture, the probing knife that curdles ones self-respect. The emotional fallout can be vast, resulting in grief, rage, and everlasting bitterness.

And this is what this novel so beautifully delineates. Five stars.

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Reading Sundays: LADY OF SPADES (Part 3) a short story by Cynthia Sally Haggard

I turn to de Tosny. He is nuzzling my fingers,[image error] almost nibbling them off in a show of ill-concealed joy. I wrinkle my nose and withdraw my hand.

“No!” I say.

He looks at me, his pupils dilating.

“But you’ve refused all suitors, my lady,” says my steward.

I purse my lips, and gesture. “They do not please me.”

“You must marry.”

“Must I?” I beckon and my groom brings me my horse. “I think not.” I dig my heels into her flanks, turn, and trot away.

The wind carries their reaction to me. “Perhaps if we were to write verses to her beauty,” says one, “then she could choose the fellow she liked the best.”

“How would that help?” says another with a deep voice.

“The husband would go with the verse.”

“Best not to mention that part,” says de Tosny the wind carrying his irritating reedy voice, “lest that lass turn tail, and make for the hills.” [To be continued.]

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THE WELL OF SHADES (BRIDEI #3) by Juliet Marillier

[image error]In THE WELL OF SHADES, the last and third volume of THE BRIDEI CHRONICLES by author Juliet Marillier again makes Faolan a chief player. This time his love interest is the fierce and fragile Elie, daughter of an Irish warrior who helped save Faolan’s life in Volume 2. As usual, Marillier takes the reader on quite an adventure, but this time it was more successful as both of her characters were flawed human beings who grow and change.

Of all the volumes in this series, I enjoyed this one the best. Five stars.

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THE BLADE OF FORTRIU (BRIDEI #2) by Juliet Marillier

[image error]THE BLADE OF FORTRIU, the second volume of THE BRIDEI CHRONICLES (THE DARK MIRROR is the first volume) pairs the intriguing spy and assassin Faolan, with a minor character from King Bridei’s court. Ana is a royal hostage kept there to ensure that the King of the Light Isles, her father, will not betray Bridei.

Like Bridei in THE DARK MIRROR, Ana is also a too-perfect character who can be annoying for exactly that reason. So it’s great that Faolan finds her so annoying and a bit of a pain in the neck. Just as I was enjoying how their relationships was unfolding, Marillier threw a spanner in the works by making Ana fall in love with someone that she basically can’t see. Marillier would have lost me at that point, except for her truly lovely descriptions which made the story come alive for me. Four stars.

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THE DARK MIRROR (BRIDEI #1) by Juliet Marillier

[image error]It is always so hard to write about Juliet Marillier, because her talent places her in a class by herself. This book has the mystery, the magic and the engrossing worldview of a pagan Europe before Christianity took hold. In her SEVENWATERS chronicles, we explored ninth-century Ireland. In this series, we explore sixth-century Scotland. In both cases, we are witnessing the slow death of an ancient way of being before the Christian onslaught of these windswept lands.

So the story was wonderful, but compared with Ms. Marillier’s SEVENWATERS trilogy, this was weak. The protagonist, Bridei was perfect in every respect that you could possibly think of. His fey companion Tuala was more interesting, in that she was more rebellious. But for a fourteen-year-old girl she was remarkably poised and serene about the various misfortunes that assailed her.

This story had little of the realistic grit about it that made the SEVENWATERS books truly great. By the standards of most of the books out there, this was superlative. By her own standards, this book was not as strong as it could have been. Which was a pity. Four stars.

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Reading Sundays: LADY OF SPADES (Part 2) a short story by Cynthia Sally Haggard

[image error]I descend the stairs, and am helped onto my horse. The portcullis grates open, inching up, and the first party of horsemen ride out bearing my emblem of the Spade. Once they are arrayed in front of the castle, one of their number sounds a winding note on a horn:

dooh – DOOOOOH!

It is time.

As I ride out under the portcullis, I raise my head so that all might see me, my red-blond hair done in braids, held together by green velvet rubands that match the color of my gown. I am accompanied by my steward, wearing his chain of office, and my ladies. I pull gently on my horse’s mouth, commanding her to stop, and a groom helps me off.

The audience has begun.

Each gentleman takes the knee, kisses my hand, and presents a gift. I accept their gifts, smile my thanks, and hand them to my servants, who tuck them away in baskets, bags and boxes, knowing I am needful of all the wealth I can garner. I dart a swift glance backwards to be sure each gift nestles securely in its container before I pronounce my verdict.

“No!”

I continue in this fashion until I reach the end of the line. Ah yes, there is one more, Sir Walter de Tosny, the most powerful magnate in the kingdom, my late father’s protegé. He is smiling, because he thinks he has me in his grasp. I accept his necklace of precious emeralds. My maid Adeliza puts it safely away, and then my servants leave, hurrying down a slope that leads to the river. I turn to de Tosny. He is nuzzling my fingers, almost nibbling them off in a show of ill-concealed joy. I wrinkle my nose and withdraw my hand.

“No!” I say. [To be continued.]

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Juliet Marillier’s CYBELE’S SECRET (WILDWOOD #2)

[image error]The sequel to WILDWOOD DANCING, this novel is in a very different key. The supernatural elements present in WILDWOOD DANCING are contained in CYBELE’S SECRET. WILDWOOD retells fairy tales, CYBELE’S SECRET is a complex puzzle that the protagonist has to solve.

In short, CYBELE’S SECRET is a murder mystery set in Turkey. (One great thing about being a novelist is the excuse to visit many exotic and lovely places).

I enjoyed getting to know the protagonist, Paula, one of the younger sisters in WILDWOOD DANCING, and I enjoyed her adventures in Istanbul. However, the ending was not as well resolved as it could have been. The shocking discovery concerning the scholarly Irene was not set up well. And I wasn’t convinced that Paula’s choice of life partner was going to bring her much satisfaction. But aside from these qualms, this novel is a charming and engrossing read for both adolescents and adults alike. Four stars.

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My interview with “Indie Reader” dropped today!

[image error]You can read all about my newest novel, FAREWELL MY LIFE, the inspiration behind it, and my writing habits. Just click on the link below:

Advice from IR Approved Author Cynthia Haggard: “…it is really important to develop a thick skin.”

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