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adru's review against another edition
5.0
Nojah, järelsõnas GGK ytleski, et ta kirjutas (mh) kangelaslegendi tekkimisest, aga oh milline kangelane, oh milline nukrus. Veel yks lemmikraamat juures.
mlore95's review against another edition
4.0
Guy Gavriel Kay is my favorite author, so when I say River of Stars was a bit of a disappointment, it's in the context that it's still one of my favorite reads of the year. However, it's definitely still in the lower tier of his work in my opinion, never reaching the heights of Lions and the Sarantine Mosaic and brushing up against his more recent novels. Still compelling and richly evocative of the tumultuous Southern Song dynasty of China, but without the lasting impact I've come to expect from Kay.
Kay's historical fantasy never moves at a breakneck pace. The plot is woven through the novel at a steady, somewhat plodding pace, featuring all the usual Kay trappings - lots of rhetorical questions asked by characters to themselves, a bit of poetry, the main narrative focusing on a small core of primary characters with the point of view sometimes switching to secondary characters and sometimes, briefly, to other more minor characters (sometimes unnamed) to show how the big events at play affect the small people in the world.
The writing on display is as beautiful as ever, full of imagery and dripping with Kay's distinctive style. My main issue with the novel is with the protagonist, Ren Daiyan. He's just boring. With most of Kay's novels, the protagonists are nuanced, multifaceted characters. Sure, they generally follow a trend: intelligent, melodramatic, militarily skilled. Daiyan is all that too, but it feels unearned. He goes from being a guard as a boy, to an outlaw leader, to a commander of the army, and never truly goes through any character development. He's disappointingly flat compared to the likes of Rodrigo Belmonte or ibn Ammar.
Still a great novel, but if you are new to Kay it's not one I'd recommend to start with.
Kay's historical fantasy never moves at a breakneck pace. The plot is woven through the novel at a steady, somewhat plodding pace, featuring all the usual Kay trappings - lots of rhetorical questions asked by characters to themselves, a bit of poetry, the main narrative focusing on a small core of primary characters with the point of view sometimes switching to secondary characters and sometimes, briefly, to other more minor characters (sometimes unnamed) to show how the big events at play affect the small people in the world.
The writing on display is as beautiful as ever, full of imagery and dripping with Kay's distinctive style. My main issue with the novel is with the protagonist, Ren Daiyan. He's just boring. With most of Kay's novels, the protagonists are nuanced, multifaceted characters. Sure, they generally follow a trend: intelligent, melodramatic, militarily skilled. Daiyan is all that too, but it feels unearned. He goes from being a guard as a boy, to an outlaw leader, to a commander of the army, and never truly goes through any character development. He's disappointingly flat compared to the likes of Rodrigo Belmonte or ibn Ammar.
Still a great novel, but if you are new to Kay it's not one I'd recommend to start with.
jhouses's review against another edition
3.0
Una vez encontrado el filón de la historia de China, Kay retoma su mundo modificado para narrar la caida de la dinastía Song, unos siglos después de las historias de su anterior libro, [b:Under Heaven|7139892|Under Heaven (Under Heaven, #1)|Guy Gavriel Kay|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327894315l/7139892._SY75_.jpg|7373286].
Me ha costado más meterme en el libro y en su historia, hasta el punto de que llevaba medio libro cuando me di cuenta de que no habían pasado décadas y que estaba hablando de personajes distintos en vez de ser el mismo. En vacaciones no escucho los audiolibros con la misma regularidad que durante el curso y probablemente estaba más distraído. Por otra parte los nombres orientales no ayudan al lector occidental poco concentrado pero quizá es un libro un poco más deslabazado que otros, con una visión de los personajes más episódica y poca conexión. Kay tiende a retorcer y crear meandros en la narrativa y a jugar con diferentes puntos de vista para dar la visión completa y en este libro se le va un poquito la mano con el juego, retrasando el cierre de las escenas hasta la desconexión.
Aún así la trama es muy interesante y el reparto de personajes «mas grandes que la vida» extenso.
Me ha costado más meterme en el libro y en su historia, hasta el punto de que llevaba medio libro cuando me di cuenta de que no habían pasado décadas y que estaba hablando de personajes distintos en vez de ser el mismo. En vacaciones no escucho los audiolibros con la misma regularidad que durante el curso y probablemente estaba más distraído. Por otra parte los nombres orientales no ayudan al lector occidental poco concentrado pero quizá es un libro un poco más deslabazado que otros, con una visión de los personajes más episódica y poca conexión. Kay tiende a retorcer y crear meandros en la narrativa y a jugar con diferentes puntos de vista para dar la visión completa y en este libro se le va un poquito la mano con el juego, retrasando el cierre de las escenas hasta la desconexión.
Aún así la trama es muy interesante y el reparto de personajes «mas grandes que la vida» extenso.
hashnain's review against another edition
5.0
Melancholy is the only way I can really describe this book. The ending was as bitter sweet as they come.
sarahbringhurstfamilia's review against another edition
5.0
After reading and loving Under Heaven, I was a little afraid to read this one, for fear that it would not be as good. And it's true, it took me a little longer to get into it, if for no other reason than that the fifteen-year-old bandit was not as likeable of a protagonist to me as the cultured and courageous (if eccentric) Shen Tai of the earlier novel.
However, after a few chapters I was pulled into the story and soon utterly enamored. It is rare for a book to move me to tears, and yet both of these novels have done so. I love the broad historical sweep, the sense of the interplay between fate and chance and individual decisions. Kay writes as a bemused historian, a philosopher, and an intimate biographer. His versions of fantasy is simply to plunge us into a world where the invisible forces of the spirit world in which his historically inspired characters believe are as real to us as they are to them. The effect is subtle, but powerful.
One of his great strengths is the ability to paint even a minor character in a few vivid strokes that bring him or her completely to life. There were a few moments in which Kay seemed overly self-conscious as author and omniscient commentator, momentarily pulling the reader out of the story in disorientation.
Still, this is a wonderful, memorable book, and a worthy successor to Under Heaven.
However, after a few chapters I was pulled into the story and soon utterly enamored. It is rare for a book to move me to tears, and yet both of these novels have done so. I love the broad historical sweep, the sense of the interplay between fate and chance and individual decisions. Kay writes as a bemused historian, a philosopher, and an intimate biographer. His versions of fantasy is simply to plunge us into a world where the invisible forces of the spirit world in which his historically inspired characters believe are as real to us as they are to them. The effect is subtle, but powerful.
One of his great strengths is the ability to paint even a minor character in a few vivid strokes that bring him or her completely to life. There were a few moments in which Kay seemed overly self-conscious as author and omniscient commentator, momentarily pulling the reader out of the story in disorientation.
Still, this is a wonderful, memorable book, and a worthy successor to Under Heaven.
niakantorka's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
It’s always a joy to read a book by Guy Gavriel Kay. I knew how this one would end. I don’t know that much Chinese history but that the Northern Song Dynasty withdrew south to become the Southern Song dynasty I was aware of. But seeing it happen and wishing for another outcome was hard even though it is a compliment in itself. I’m still sad.
I’m not sure how to voice on why I don’t give this book full 5 stars. It might be the anticipated sad ending. Or how this book reminded me once again how terribly I loathe noblemen in every way and form. Today’s politicians have sometimes the power and decide equally idiotic things for personal gain and yet I feel - a someone who uses every opportunity to go voting - I don’t feel as to be at somebody’s mercy as folks were in this book before those emperors. A comfort to be but a digress in this review.
I loved Lin Shan and Ren Daiyan our main MCs in this book. Their actions, drives and obligations came across especially well. I felt that the Lu brothers could have been fleshed out more. Their and Lu Mah’s povs were rare which was a pity if you asked me. Some of the more villainous povs were enjoyable others not so much (guess that’s their point).
Once the story got going I was hooked and was lucky to have the time to proceed without many breaks. It was entertaining and yet the ending left me wanting. History can’t be rewritten at least not in a fantastic retelling.
I’ve got two more Kay books on my tbr pile, but let’s wait with them for when I need a guaranteed good book.
I’m not sure how to voice on why I don’t give this book full 5 stars. It might be the anticipated sad ending. Or how this book reminded me once again how terribly I loathe noblemen in every way and form. Today’s politicians have sometimes the power and decide equally idiotic things for personal gain and yet I feel - a someone who uses every opportunity to go voting - I don’t feel as to be at somebody’s mercy as folks were in this book before those emperors. A comfort to be but a digress in this review.
I loved Lin Shan and Ren Daiyan our main MCs in this book. Their actions, drives and obligations came across especially well. I felt that the Lu brothers could have been fleshed out more. Their and Lu Mah’s povs were rare which was a pity if you asked me. Some of the more villainous povs were enjoyable others not so much (guess that’s their point).
Once the story got going I was hooked and was lucky to have the time to proceed without many breaks. It was entertaining and yet the ending left me wanting. History can’t be rewritten at least not in a fantastic retelling.
I’ve got two more Kay books on my tbr pile, but let’s wait with them for when I need a guaranteed good book.
mangokiste's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
kaylapj_90's review
5.0
My favourite moment: "Evil district overlord, we are storming your fortress now!" - first time hilarious, second time equally so although sad.