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Tigana
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A masterful epic of magic, politics, war, and the power of love and hate—from the renowned author of The Fionavar Tapestry and Children of Earth and Sky.
Tigana is the magical story of a beleaguered land struggling to be free. It is the tale of a people so cursed by the black sorcery of a cruel despotic king that even the name of their once-beautiful homeland ca ...more
Tigana is the magical story of a beleaguered land struggling to be free. It is the tale of a people so cursed by the black sorcery of a cruel despotic king that even the name of their once-beautiful homeland ca ...more
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Paperback, 676 pages
Published
December 1st 1999
by Roc
(first published 1990)
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The "historical present", much more common in French than in English, is one way of giving a different "feel" to a scene, a narrator, etc.
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Start your review of Tigana
Jul 31, 2017
Petrik
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
owned-physical-books
4.5/5 Stars
I have this belief that 90% of the time, standalone high fantasy just won’t satisfy me. I still stand by it, but Tigana luckily is not one of those cases.
Memories and names, something that breathes life into the people and possessions we lost. Both of these can be summed up as the fabric of identity. Despite all the war, deaths, sex, hardships, betrayal, magic, deception, subterfuge, the main essence of Tigana is reclaiming your freedom, home, memories and the implication ...more
I have this belief that 90% of the time, standalone high fantasy just won’t satisfy me. I still stand by it, but Tigana luckily is not one of those cases.
Memories and names, something that breathes life into the people and possessions we lost. Both of these can be summed up as the fabric of identity. Despite all the war, deaths, sex, hardships, betrayal, magic, deception, subterfuge, the main essence of Tigana is reclaiming your freedom, home, memories and the implication ...more
I hated this book, but I'm an oddity; in fact, virtually every other human being seems to love it unconditionally. So if you stumble upon it, give it a try, chances are you'll find it awesome.
So.. what didn't I like about it?
Well, pretty much everything.
This book, in short, tells about the vengeful crusade of a group of refugees from the once-great city of Tigana, destroyed years before by the mage Brandin.
Cool, uh?
Nope.
For starters, nobody cares about t ...more
So.. what didn't I like about it?
Well, pretty much everything.
This book, in short, tells about the vengeful crusade of a group of refugees from the once-great city of Tigana, destroyed years before by the mage Brandin.
Cool, uh?
Nope.
For starters, nobody cares about t ...more
While reading this book over the past month, I thought a lot about the differences between youth and adulthood, between young beliefs and mature ones. And I think that maybe our youth is the only time that we can hold simple, firm convictions. Maybe it’s the only time that it’s possible to believe completely that love will conquer all, or that there are good guys and bad guys, or that if we try hard enough, we can achieve anything we dream about. In our youth, we can say things like, “I would never…” and“I
...more
Springtime morning in Avalle
I don’t care that the priests say:
I’m going down to the river today
On a springtime morning in Avalle.
When I’m all grown up, come what may
I’ll build a boat to carry me away
And the river will take it to Tigana Bay
And the sea even further away from Avalle
But wherever I wander, by night or by day
Where water runs swiftly or high trees sway,
My heart will carry me back and away
To a dream of the towers o ...more
I don’t care that the priests say:
I’m going down to the river today
On a springtime morning in Avalle.
When I’m all grown up, come what may
I’ll build a boat to carry me away
And the river will take it to Tigana Bay
And the sea even further away from Avalle
But wherever I wander, by night or by day
Where water runs swiftly or high trees sway,
My heart will carry me back and away
To a dream of the towers o ...more
oh Tigana! 20 years ago, the warring lands of the peninsula known as The Palm were invaded and conquered by two opposing Tyrants, and split into two. during this time of war and magic, one land was punished, transformed, forgotten.
20 years later, a band of men and women fight to reclaim that land, its history, their memories. oh Tigana!
SPOILERS FOLLOW
memories of a distant life can be a strange and beautiful and sorrowful thing. i can remember places, scenes, people in th ...more
20 years later, a band of men and women fight to reclaim that land, its history, their memories. oh Tigana!
SPOILERS FOLLOW
memories of a distant life can be a strange and beautiful and sorrowful thing. i can remember places, scenes, people in th ...more
Imagine a state that ceased to exist. It has been swallowed on the map by hungry neighbours, swept away by winds of history and not even an empty space remains to bear witness to what once was. Things like that have happened before. Take Poland, partitioned by her three neighbours and for 123 years disappearing from the face of the world.
But where the state had vanished, the people survived. And so the people of Poland cultivated their language, their arts, their traditions, their culture. They nu ...more
But where the state had vanished, the people survived. And so the people of Poland cultivated their language, their arts, their traditions, their culture. They nu ...more
The greatest strength of Tigana -- Guy Gavriel Kay's masterpiece -- is the "ambiguity" of his characters' ethics. Fantasy, as a genre, suffers from the widespread simplicity of its expressions of good and evil. Kay consistently transcends this genre weakness, and Tigana marks his first and greatest break with the good vs. evil tradition. Tigana is full of characters who struggle with their decisions and the impact those decisions have on others.
Alessan, the "hero" of the piece, enslaves a wizard to his cause an ...more
Alessan, the "hero" of the piece, enslaves a wizard to his cause an ...more
I have been listening to this from the library for a few days! SIMON VANCE! I love him as a narrator! Next I need to get that beautiful anniversary edition to actually read, in my hands! I can never say much when I listen to books the first time around 🙄 Actually, sometimes I don’t say anything just because! 🤣😂
Anyhoo, Happy Reading!!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Anyhoo, Happy Reading!!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
*** 4.66 ***
A Buddy Read with the Fantasy Buddy Reads Group, because we wanted a stand-alone for a change...
How do I even start on writing a review for this book? I think, just as most everyone else has done, I have to begin with the style of writing. It is a throwback to a time long past, it carries a lyrical magic which simmers in every sentence, and without being in itself overly flowery, it conveyed a sense of Gothic melodrama, which made me feel as if a bard of old was telling t ...more
A Buddy Read with the Fantasy Buddy Reads Group, because we wanted a stand-alone for a change...
How do I even start on writing a review for this book? I think, just as most everyone else has done, I have to begin with the style of writing. It is a throwback to a time long past, it carries a lyrical magic which simmers in every sentence, and without being in itself overly flowery, it conveyed a sense of Gothic melodrama, which made me feel as if a bard of old was telling t ...more
Full review now posted!
Original review can be found at Booknest.
The best books in any genre are the ones that move you. And I just found a new one in my very favorite genre.
“There are no wrong turnings. Only paths we had not known we were meant to walk.”
I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that I’ve read hundreds of fantasy books in my lifetime. I’ve taken so many adventures through extravagantly strange worlds with casts of immensely varied characters on a mul ...more
Original review can be found at Booknest.
The best books in any genre are the ones that move you. And I just found a new one in my very favorite genre.
“There are no wrong turnings. Only paths we had not known we were meant to walk.”
I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that I’ve read hundreds of fantasy books in my lifetime. I’ve taken so many adventures through extravagantly strange worlds with casts of immensely varied characters on a mul ...more
Jun 07, 2011
Tamara
added it
This is a review with pictures in it. I see people doing this, and I want to as well. I can haz cats also, yes?
Anyway, this ye old secondary world fantasy, with maps and kingdoms princes and things and everything.
No, not like that, silly. It is Deep and Melancholy and Meaningful. Like this:
Do you SEE? It is FUZZY and PASTEL COLORED and there is BOO ...more
Anyway, this ye old secondary world fantasy, with maps and kingdoms princes and things and everything.
No, not like that, silly. It is Deep and Melancholy and Meaningful. Like this:
Do you SEE? It is FUZZY and PASTEL COLORED and there is BOO ...more
What more can be said other than everyone should read this book. At least once. Get a feel for the beauty of language and images in motion. You won't be disappointed. Guy Gavriel Kay is a great prose writer. It doesn't even matter if fantasy isn't your thing because this book does not read like fantasy. It reads like the sort of well-written historical fiction that weaves in myths to tell the tales of a lost time. A personal favorite combination, I must admit. Also, I'm coming off of a dramatic
...more
It's been long time since I read standalone fantasy book.
So far I mostly avoided Kay for no particular reason and I came into possession of this book almost by accident. What a happy accident it was as this turned out to be wonderful and pretty unique book.
I already encountered combination of heroic fantasy characters in grimdark setting from another Canadian author, Steven Erikson, but Kay does it with his own unique flavor.
World building in this book is just ...more
So far I mostly avoided Kay for no particular reason and I came into possession of this book almost by accident. What a happy accident it was as this turned out to be wonderful and pretty unique book.
I already encountered combination of heroic fantasy characters in grimdark setting from another Canadian author, Steven Erikson, but Kay does it with his own unique flavor.
World building in this book is just ...more
Those of you who read my reviews regularly know that Guy Gavriel Kay can do no wrong in my eyes. I adore his novels and this one is no exception. The bonus this time? I met Mr. Kay at a convention last August and I can now hear his voice in my head, reading the novel to me (he has a very nice voice).
Tigana is a kingdom under a curse: the people were conquered and the name of their country can no longer be heard or remembered (except by those who lived through the conquest). When a fo ...more
Tigana is a kingdom under a curse: the people were conquered and the name of their country can no longer be heard or remembered (except by those who lived through the conquest). When a fo ...more
Sep 14, 2014
Eilonwy
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Eilonwy by:
Markus
The Peninsula of the Palm is a place divided -- but not against itself. Its nine provinces are occupied territory, under the power of foreign wizards. Brandin of Ygrath holds the east, while Alberico of Barbadior holds the west. Each state has been allowed to maintain its identity -- except for one, cursed to oblivion.Before I can say anything else, I have to gush about the writing in this book. ...more
But a few people remember. They are determined to get their home back; and to free the entire Palm in the process.
A masterpiece teeming with richness, complexity, beauty, sorrow, courage, love, heartbreak, poetry, brutality, and transcendence. One of the finest books I’ve ever read.
If you're into stuff like this, you can read the full review.
Adumbration Galore: “Tigana” by Guy Gavriel Kay
“The land is never truly dead. It can always come back. Or what is the meaning of the cycle of seasons and years?" She wiped her tears away and looked at him. His expression in the darkness was much too sad for a moment such as this. She wished she knew a way to dispel that sorrow, and not only for tonight. He said, "That is mostly true, I suppose. Or true f ...more
Adumbration Galore: “Tigana” by Guy Gavriel Kay
“The land is never truly dead. It can always come back. Or what is the meaning of the cycle of seasons and years?" She wiped her tears away and looked at him. His expression in the darkness was much too sad for a moment such as this. She wished she knew a way to dispel that sorrow, and not only for tonight. He said, "That is mostly true, I suppose. Or true f ...more
Nothing to say other than this is some top-notch quality entertainment right here. Story, characters, setting, dialogue, emotion... this does all that shit and it does it all very well. I read Lions of Al-Rassan years ago, loved it. This has been sitting on my Kindle since then, I bought it as soon as I finished that one, and now I'm pissed off at me for not reading this sooner. Tigana was so rich and juicy in just about every way I love books to be I can now see why this is one of Kay's more po
...more
Reading Tigana was like sipping liquid chocolate. Exquisite! I found myself many times deeply and profoundly moved. Kay was able to communicate the profound sense of loss felt by a dispossessed people and without the aid of music or even lyrics bring the music within the book alive to touch the imagination. I felt the mournful tones of the pipes, and the heart wrenching voice of Devin as he sings.
Kay makes us imagine what it would be like if the memory of your home is removed not only from your ...more
Kay makes us imagine what it would be like if the memory of your home is removed not only from your ...more
'Tigana' is the first book I have read by Guy Gavriel Kay.
I have heard of 'Tigana' book from Brandon Sanderson. He recommends lists of books to his fans to read. 'Tigana' is one of lists he has recommended.
I love this book so much Alhamdulillah. I am surprise that Guy Gavriel Kay's books aren't well recognized and I really love his writing style too. Alhamdulillah.
There is a few authors who I love their writing style:
Bram Stoker
J.R.R. Tolkien
James Clave ...more
I have heard of 'Tigana' book from Brandon Sanderson. He recommends lists of books to his fans to read. 'Tigana' is one of lists he has recommended.
I love this book so much Alhamdulillah. I am surprise that Guy Gavriel Kay's books aren't well recognized and I really love his writing style too. Alhamdulillah.
There is a few authors who I love their writing style:
Bram Stoker
J.R.R. Tolkien
James Clave ...more
I'm giving this book a 4* rating despite not being sure until the very last chapter about if it would be a 3*s or 3.5*s or 4*s. I was pretty sure by the time I finished up the book that it was a solid 3*s but I then read the author's afterword and he states all of his influences and what he wanted to achieve with the book and I decided that this had to be a 4* book because I totally understood where he was coming from and it really resonated true with me.
This book certainly feels a l ...more
This book certainly feels a l ...more
I really liked the ideas behind this story—the power of names in the face of colonialism, in the face of enforced forgetfulness—but there was just too much in the writing that worked against my enjoyment of it. Kay's style has improved from what it was in the Fionavar series, but it's still clunky and laboured (and desperately in need of some commas), while the world-building is pedestrian and two-dimensional. Many of the better-drawn characters are unengaging, and most of the cast are such clichés that it
...more
Apr 20, 2009
Chris
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fans of Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, and Mario Puzo. With a little Tolkien thrown in.
I really can't decide whether to rate this a 4 or 5 star, but I'll go with 5. There is more that I like about this book than dislike.
Overall, I love the story. It is quite the epic, and it seems a waste of great worldbuilding to contain it to one volume. On the other hand, it is good to see such a marvelous work that stands on its own, without a dozen sequels, prequels, and hard to find novellas. In fantasy, that is a rare treat.
Still, this is a world I'd like to visit ag ...more
Overall, I love the story. It is quite the epic, and it seems a waste of great worldbuilding to contain it to one volume. On the other hand, it is good to see such a marvelous work that stands on its own, without a dozen sequels, prequels, and hard to find novellas. In fantasy, that is a rare treat.
Still, this is a world I'd like to visit ag ...more
Before reading Tigana, it was inconceivable for me to picture a stand alone fantasy book without any intention or hope of a series. I often wondered how it would be possible to create a whole new world in just one book and give it a satisfactory ending. When I read this book, I finally understood.
Tigana is not a book. It is a journey. A journey through the lives of men and their emotions. A journey of wonder, a journey of pain and a journey of understanding. Rarely do you come across a book as ...more
Tigana is not a book. It is a journey. A journey through the lives of men and their emotions. A journey of wonder, a journey of pain and a journey of understanding. Rarely do you come across a book as ...more
3.85-this-book-is-epic-believe-all-the-hype-stars
Tigana is a book that will put you through all the emotions that exist. I am seriously exhausted (in a good way). Reading this book was a great experience. Some of the best characters that I have read in a long time. The story build-up is awesome, to epic proportions. By the time the book reached its climax I was all clammy-palmed-stuttering-heart-hanging-from-the-edge-of-my-seatno,fingernails not bitten to stubbs at all.
BUT
Something fell a notch short for me in the last quarter of the bo/> ...more
Tigana is a book that will put you through all the emotions that exist. I am seriously exhausted (in a good way). Reading this book was a great experience. Some of the best characters that I have read in a long time. The story build-up is awesome, to epic proportions. By the time the book reached its climax I was all clammy-palmed-stuttering-heart-hanging-from-the-edge-of-my-seat
BUT
Something fell a notch short for me in the last quarter of the bo/> ...more
I first heard about Guy Gavriel Kay shortly after joining Goodreads, and have just finally managed to get around to reading my first book. It won't be the last!
Tigana was a wonderful reading experience. Complex, nuanced characters captured my heart and I hoped against hope that everyone could somehow be saved in the end. It was beautiful and tragic, full of loss, hope and redemption. I wanted to spend more time in the aftermath and follow them all home. It finished too soon.
Tigana was a wonderful reading experience. Complex, nuanced characters captured my heart and I hoped against hope that everyone could somehow be saved in the end. It was beautiful and tragic, full of loss, hope and redemption. I wanted to spend more time in the aftermath and follow them all home. It finished too soon.
I'm torn somewhere between three and four stars.
I can hear a gasp among fantasy fans, since Tigana is more or less considered to be the best standalone novel by one of the best fantasy authors of all times.
Let me talk about the good first, and of course that means I start with the writing. Kay's prose is wonderful. It makes you feel like you're sitting around a fire listening to a bard. It's poetic, lyrical, magnificent. I love the way he weaves words into sentences, and ...more
I can hear a gasp among fantasy fans, since Tigana is more or less considered to be the best standalone novel by one of the best fantasy authors of all times.
Let me talk about the good first, and of course that means I start with the writing. Kay's prose is wonderful. It makes you feel like you're sitting around a fire listening to a bard. It's poetic, lyrical, magnificent. I love the way he weaves words into sentences, and ...more
Good book, terrific finish.
This is my second book by the author and has me wondering if I should reread The Lions of Al-Rassan. Often in life somebody's best trait is also their worst when they take it to the extreme. Kay is this way with his verbose depictions of his worlds. Often their brilliant and then I want to eventually strangle him for not moving on. At some point you have to trust the reader gets it.
The story in this was compelling and the world robust but what really made it was that ending. H ...more
This is my second book by the author and has me wondering if I should reread The Lions of Al-Rassan. Often in life somebody's best trait is also their worst when they take it to the extreme. Kay is this way with his verbose depictions of his worlds. Often their brilliant and then I want to eventually strangle him for not moving on. At some point you have to trust the reader gets it.
The story in this was compelling and the world robust but what really made it was that ending. H ...more
May 23, 2007
Kelly
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
lovers of fantasy, lovers of myth. This rises above the fantasy genre, without question.
It says that I read this back in January 2000. It would be more accurate to say that I've read this book since January 2000. I've read this book no less than ten times. I own the 10th Anniversary Edition as well now, because I expect my first one to fall apart very soon. It's lost at least one cover being passed around among all my friends throughout high school.
One day I will write a real review of this! Just can't put my thoughts together yet.
One day I will write a real review of this! Just can't put my thoughts together yet.
This story is, at its essence, about how the past influences the present. The protagonists are driven to reclaim their homeland not just from a conquering army, but from a magical spell that prevents others from remembering or even hearing their homeland's name, Tigana. Within a generation any knowledge of their land, its history and culture will be forever lost.
Instead of a fast paced, sword and sorcery story, Tigana is rather reflective. There are several POV characters that spend ...more
Instead of a fast paced, sword and sorcery story, Tigana is rather reflective. There are several POV characters that spend ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fantasy Buddy Reads: Tigana [Sep 20, 2019] | 22 | 24 | Sep 29, 2019 03:42AM | |
| Dragons & Jetpacks: Tigana/ Overall Discussion/ ***Spoilers*** | 13 | 43 | Aug 23, 2019 07:15AM | |
| Beyond Reality: Tigana--Finished Reading (3/19) *Spoilers* | 6 | 25 | May 23, 2019 02:45PM | |
| Fantasy Buddy Reads: Tigana [Feb 25, 2019] | 74 | 52 | Mar 11, 2019 07:06AM | |
| Beyond Reality: Tigana--Roll Call and First Impressions (3/19) *No Spoilers* | 10 | 18 | Mar 03, 2019 03:41PM | |
| SciFi and Fantasy...: "Tigana" - Full Discussion *Spoilers* | 221 | 101 | Jan 03, 2019 10:20AM |
Readers also enjoyed
Guy 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 categoriz
...more
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“There are no wrong turnings. Only paths we had not known we were meant to walk.”
—
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“In this world, where we find ourselves, we need compassion more than anything, I think, or we are all alone.”
—
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