Comments | calico_reaction: Kay, Guy Gavriel: Under Heaven

calico_reaction

Kay, Guy Gavriel: Under Heaven

Dec 29, 2010 21:07

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blog: reviews, ratings: buy the paperback, guy gavriel kay, blog: polls, fiction: historical fantasy, blog: book club, fiction: epic fantasy

Comments 59

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calico_reaction December 30 2010, 03:58:12 UTC

Sorry you weren't able to keep going, but I understand your reasons. I didn't care for the repetition, nor did I care for the method of foreshadowing. The em dashes didn't bug me though! :)

aliciaaudrey December 30 2010, 03:48:41 UTC

first tired thoughts. More later ( ... )

calico_reaction December 30 2010, 04:00:17 UTC

The book does a great job of making me think Kay is going to fall into "here, have a typical trope character." and then making it NOT so. Jian, for instance. I had her pegged as "empty headed concubine". then I pegged her as "ambitiously evil". Wrong, wrong, wrong. I appreciate that, and I felt bad for her, in the end.

Yes, absolutely!

Actually I think we're in agreement (so far) on your thoughts. Though I know nothing of Wuxia film, and therefore have no commentary. :)

aliciaaudrey December 30 2010, 04:16:11 UTC

will actually have productive notes later, but as for Wuxia, think "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." That's a Wuxia film.

Though my favorite that got a big American release was "Hero"--very Rashamon in its narrative structure and just beautiful to look at. I'll have to find out if it's available blue ray.

calico_reaction December 31 2010, 02:58:04 UTC

I've seen both of those, though my experience with Crouching Tiger was weird, because the coloring on my grandmother's tv was going to hell, so I didn't get the full effect of the film. :(

Both very good though!

tenaya_owlcat December 30 2010, 04:06:35 UTC

I was much happier with this book than you were, but I think that's because I love books that can skillfully create either a worldview or an atmosphere. Kay does excel at those. I did, however, get to the end of the book and realize that it didn't quite go where it promised it would... but I was so taken with the ambiance that I didn't really mind. :)

Bottom line, I read this book for the journey, not the route or the destination, and therefore I was pleased. :)

calico_reaction December 31 2010, 03:19:00 UTC

I didn't mind the lack of destination until I started thinking about my review afterwards. And then I was like, "Hey, wait a minute... !"

rocalisa December 30 2010, 04:45:55 UTC

I'm afraid I don't have any great deep and meaningful thoughts about the book to offer ( ... )

weasel_of_d00m December 30 2010, 05:15:40 UTC

Rocalisa, I love the Fionavar Tapestry, too. Darien and Diarmuid's stories still make me cry.

ardys_the_ghoul December 30 2010, 04:56:37 UTC

This one is on my list of books I plan to obtain in the near future. I've already got four others coursing towards my house from Amazon as we speak, so I'm going to have to wait a bit.

You know, I started reading Jonathan Strange & Mr Norell awhile back, and I haven't been able to get into it. I don't know if the length is putting me off or if the story just doesn't interest me enough.

rocalisa December 30 2010, 05:04:11 UTC

I had two goes at Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell. I didn't finish it the first time, but enjoyed it and completed it the second time I tried. But I have to admit, I don't think it's something I'll reread.

weasel_of_d00m December 30 2010, 05:12:11 UTC

Glad I am not the only one! I could not get into "Jonathan Strange" last time I tried reading it...

calico_reaction December 31 2010, 03:21:06 UTC

I suspect I'll be giving Clarke a go next year. :)