River of Stars

Good, but not as good as Under Heaven. I didn't feel as connected with the characters as I did with Under Heaven.

Rating, much less reviewing, this book is hard for me. It's beautifully written, yet I was angry while reading it. I am angry at the end, even while appreciating how things played out and being satisfied with how it was handled. It's not through any fault in the writing; as always, Guy Gavriel Kay's writing is beautiful. The things that happen in the book are SUPPOSED to make the reader angry, at least if the reader has a hard time accepting an unfair status quo, and it's disconcerting because it's all told in such a beautiful way.

Another take on Chinese history from Kay, a few hundred years further on from Under Heaven. This one views the Mongol invasions through a fantasy lens, with plenty of action and epic battles to go alongside the stately court intrigues. GGK is my favourite fantasy writer, and although this may not be quite his best book (try The Lions Of Al-Rassan for that), it is still head and shoulders above almost everything else on the shelves of your local bookshop.