Guy Gavriel Kay writes epic fantasy. His books are about nations, rulers, wars and big events but he always tells his stories though the eyes of ordinary people who become caught up in events beyond their control. Written on the Dark is a standalone novel but one which is set in the same world as some of his more recent novels and which references them in passing. You don’t have to have read any of his others to understand this one but for those who have it enriches the reading experience.
Thierry is a tavern poet who knows and understands the darker things in his city and is, therefore, used by those in power to gain intelligence which will help them deal with a long running war. As Thierry becomes more drawn into the affairs of the powerful he has to make decisions about what he thinks is important and what he will stand for in a complex world. Along the way he meets a range of other people, all with their own stories, some of whom will make good decisions and some of whom will make mistakes, but all of whom will affect events. The author talks about the uses of power, the importance of integrity, the difficulty of making good decisions and how all events are the sum of the lives of those who becomes involved. No one in this book is very good and no one is very bad and the author helps us to understand why people might make the choices that they do.
The book, and the companion novels, are set in a well realised world based on medieval Europe and you might be able to recognise historical figures who act as the templates for his characters. He doesn’t keep religiously to the history as we know it, however, and the books include magic and mysticism as well.
The author is a poet and this shows in every crafted word of his stories. These are books to be read slowly, not because the language is complicated but because it is beautiful. The plot is complex and unravels slowly but the author is very clever in how he reveals just enough to keep you interested and wanting to know what happens next.
I have read all this author’s published novels and loved every one of them. This isn’t my particular favourite but it is still an outstanding read. There are links here and here to my reviews of two of his other books.
Anne Is Reading 