Tigana
By Guy Gavriel Kay

Guy Gavriel Kay was an author I had never heard of until I came across a "ranking" of his novels on the YouTube channel The Library Ladder. The channel owner, Bridger, rates Kay very highly indeed and considers some of his novels masterpieces. I took the recommendation seriously and decided to pick up some Kay and see what the fuss was about. I took my time (I have a lot on my "queue") but eventually settling on Tigana as the first to try and I am relieved to report that I loved it (relieved because I own a few Kay books now). An exciting and brilliant novel and one I was sad to finish.

Tigana is a single volume "fantasy" novel but is quite grounded in an almost familiar world: that of early renaissance Italy. Kay had this setting in mind for all of its petty conflict and intrigue but also its dynamism. We have plenty of war, fighting, mercenaries, intrigue and tyranny here but also an extremely engaging and well drawn cast of characters. Almost Historical Fiction except there is some magic involved. However, any occasional "magic" is not a core feature of the story and will not distract from it. Having said that, when it does appear, it can be the best sort of magic: disorienting, strange and frightening. The central magical element here, and the thing our antagonists are fighting to reverse, is the "curse" laid on the entire peninsular world that obliterates the name of the country of Tigana from everyone's memory.

The people are drawn so well that you start to see them as if they were living and breathing, all with a believable back-story and motivation. Also, all with faults as well as great strengths. As the novel comes to a close, it is hard to say goodbye. As well as a beautifully described cast, the world itself has been built up as a thoroughly believable stage for the story. All in all, Tigana is a great adventure story and a believable and exciting epic. It is not a short book but very well worth your time.