A Song for Arbonne Review!

[@sw3dge]

The only GGK I've read so far is Tigana. I've since learned people don't recommend it as a starting point, but it was excellent. Really moving.

[@saintdonoghue]

Is … is that a Theodore Roosevelt cap?

[@JosephReadsBooks]

It is a Frisco Rough Riders hat. They are the AA minor league team for the Texas Rangers. Yes their mascot is Teddy Roosevelt carrying a big stick(bat).

[@Johanna_reads]

You’re going to love The Lions of Al-Rassan! Rather than let fate decide, I let Jake decide that would be my first GGK read. Well said about audiobook narrators being bards of our time. The Broken Sword is going into my future reading plans!

[@JosephReadsBooks]

@@Johanna_reads I did ask Jake and then fate intervened 😂. Let me know when you get around to reading The Broken Sword. I will use it as an excuse to read it again.

[@Johanna_reads]

@@JosephReadsBooks 😂 I will let you know!

[@thatsci-firogue]

I actually finished The Last Light of the Sun yesterday, I haven't read Broken Sword but there's definitely some of what you mentioned going on. Highly endorse reading Lions of Al-Rassan, I loved it and I know very little about Spanish history.

[@JosephReadsBooks]

Thanks for letting me know! Those two are definitely at the top of my list.

[@thatsci-firogue]

​@@JosephReadsBooksLast Light is underrated imo. Lions was my 2nd GGK and the one that made me a fan. I liked Tigana but Lions was it for me. Its still Top 3 Kay for me.

[@OnlyTheBestFantasyNovels]

Interesting, I can see why you'd think of Poul Anderson. GGK's definitely drawing more on people like Dunsany and Eddison with that prose of his though - one thing I've loved about all his books I've read is just this mythic feel I get from how he tells the story. It feels like reading about a story that's going to become a legend. Absolutely 100% definitely read Al-Rassan yet. It's my favorite of all the GGK I've read to date. Tigana and Arbonne have been getting more love on Booktube, but Al-Rassan's an absolute banger. Came within an inch of being my book for 2023.

[@JosephReadsBooks]

I think Anderson was drawing from those same writers. Fantasy as we know it was still in its infancy when The Broken Sword was written. You are totally right about the mythic feeling of his stories. All this hype for Al-Rassan is not good for my TBR 😂.

[@OnlyTheBestFantasyNovels]

@@JosephReadsBooks It's a book worth disregarding the TBR for! It made me regret not finishing up my read of all things GGK sooner - I still have 6 or so of his books to go.

[@JosephReadsBooks]

@@OnlyTheBestFantasyNovels well crap, when you put it like that... I may be starting Doomsday Book by Connie Willis this weekend. If I don't I might jump into Lions of Al-Rassan.

[@chadia25]

Great review! I don't agree about the singing, but for the rest, exactly my experience with it. Definitely reading more of this.

[@JosephReadsBooks]

Thank you! I guess that means the next GGK book will be an improvement unless he puts Bards in every story 😂.

[@moonalsolake]

Cool review! I’ve read A Song for Arbonne, and though I think it’s pretty good, I wasn’t blown away by it. I haven’t read Tigana, but I think it might be more my thing.

[@JosephReadsBooks]

Thanks! I will get to Tigana eventually. I keep getting hype filled feedback about staring The Lions of Al-Rassan so that will be my next GGK read.

[@jakebishop7822]

I haven't heard of this author, do you think I would like him?

[@JosephReadsBooks]

I'm not sure but I think I saw a video with reading recommendations for readers new to GGK. Maybe I can send you a link 😂.

[@OmnivorousReader]

um. Guy Gavriel Kay's style, predating Tolkien (1892 - 1973).... When Kay was born in the 1950's? I don't think I grok what you are saying here...

[@JosephReadsBooks]

I was saying that while a lot of people attribute GGK's style to being heavily influenced by Tolkien I see a lot more influence from works that predate Tolkien. Writers like Lord Dunsany, James Branch Cabell and E.R. Eddison primarily.

[@OmnivorousReader]

@@JosephReadsBooks Aha! Thank you for clarifying. In that case I %100 agree, I think every fantasy almost automatically gets ascribed to Tolkien influences. But, yes, GGK has far more in common with the formal, romantic style of The King of Elfland's Daughter (for example) than The Return of the King.