Children of Earth and Sky in Beyond Reality

Sep 24, 2015 Althea Ann rated it really liked it

A leisurely, beautiful almost-sort-of-fantasy set in Kay's alternate historical world. Longtime readers will recognize references here to events and characters featured in quite a few of his other books.

The time period here is the (I believe) fifteenth century, and the action moves between recognizable versions of Croatia, Venice and Constantinople.

Danica Gradek is a young woman whose surviving family was forced to relocate after being attacked by raiders who kidnapped her beloved young brother. A leisurely, beautiful almost-sort-of-fantasy set in Kay's alternate historical world. Longtime readers will recognize references here to events and characters featured in quite a few of his other books.

The time period here is the (I believe) fifteenth century, and the action moves between recognizable versions of Croatia, Venice and Constantinople.

Danica Gradek is a young woman whose surviving family was forced to relocate after being attacked by raiders who kidnapped her beloved young brother. She is now from Senjan, an island known for (depending on whom you ask) its vicious pirates or its brave warriors who defend the borders and the Jaddite faith of the empire. (The location is based on Croatia's Senj and the people known as the Uskoks - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senj.) Although it is uncommon, Danica is a warrior - she excels at archery, and her dream is to avenge her brother by killing Osmanli (Ottomans) who stole him and destroyed her home.

However, we soon learn, the bulk of the Osmanli raiders are actually kidnapped children. At a young age they are trained by their captors in a new faith and the ways of war. Their loyalties are often transferred utterly, and they are even grateful to the Osmanli for showing them the way to the 'true faith' and 'salvation.' The reader soon suspects what might've happened to Danica's brother.

Meanwhile, in the Republic of Seressa, a young artist is picked for a dangerous job. The Osmanli Khalif has commissioned a portrait to be done in the Western style. Pero Villani has little to lose and much to gain - if he makes it back from his trip alive. The getting-back-alive part may be complicated by the fact that Seressa, in addition to hiring him for his artistic skills, also expects him to act as a spy - and possibly an assassin.

Also recruited to spy for Seressa is Leonora Valeri. After she bore an illegitimate child, her father murdered her lover and incarcerated her in a convent. She's willing to agree to just about anything to gain a degree of freedom - even a false marriage and a dangerous mission.

And then, there's Marin Djivo. The merchant is hoping to take over his father's lucrative business, managing ships & caravans, and running trade goods between people who, if not actively at war, enjoy a peace that's fragile and uneasy at best. Raiders on land and pirates at sea are an unavoidable hazard in this line of work.

Naturally, all of these individuals (and many more) will intersect along the way. Seemingly small actions will have consequences that reverberate in time and space. The past affects the living (quite literally; the 'fantasy' element in this book is a ghost which can communicate with his grandchildren), and choices made now impact others' lives and future lives.

The book has plenty of adventure and action - but somehow the overall experience is more contemplative than exciting. At times it works beautifully, but at times I also wished for just a bit more compelling forward-motion and plot tension.

Still; Guy Gavriel Kay remains one of my very favorite writers, and this is not one of the least of his accomplishments. Highly recommended. ...more

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Sep 19, 2019 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019-shelf, fantasy

I'm just going to have to place Guy Gavriel Kay's books into a shelf of their own. A genre of their own. I mean, sure, there are certain authors that have come close, such as some of Umberto Eco or Kim Stanley Robinson, but Kay's writing just plops us down into what, by all apparent aspects, seems to be our Rennaisance Europe or something very, very close.

All names and a lot of history is altered but to any normal comparison, we're dealing with the Ottoman Empire and Christians. Italy! A regular ...more

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Jan 02, 2017 Suzanne rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, audio

Guy Gavriel Kay always feels so epic to me. I think it is his way of putting humans into the larger tapestry. This book jumps between characters and even between times - looking at big events from different angles and the effect of small actions. I listened, and Simon Vance is a great narrator for this - I think he gave it just the right feel.

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Feb 03, 2021 Soo rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook

Notes:

Children of Earth & Sky is not the best book I've read by GGK, but it was a good series of tales that were woven together. The thought I had as I listened to the last portion of the book:

It's like GGK loved the world that was created so much that he had to tell the other stories that are a part of it.

Slices of various lives, the small to large ways that they connected, the actions that influenced others and an unflinching portrayal of passion, fear and victories in all shapes & sizes.

Simo ...more

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Mar 22, 2018 David Hedges rated it it was amazing

I absolutely loved this. Reminded me why I like Guy Gavriel Kay. And as with the two Chinese ones, it made me do lots of research into the real geographic and historical Europe that was written about with his customary "quarter turn to the fantastic". Makes me want to re-read the Sarantine Mosaic too, although first I may re-read the Fionavar Tapestry - haven't read those for years! ...more

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