Sailing to Sarantium - Kay
4 stars

I had high expectations for this book because I love this author. After trying the audio sample I knew I’d have to read it. (Where was Simon Vance when this one was published?) Typically for Kay, the book began slowly with a detailed prologue. A detailed, very slow prologue. It is important to the story as it provides the political background of the elaborate Byzantine-like setting. I knew it would be important, but I had a hard time maintaining my attention.

The action picks up with the introduction of the artisan Caius Crispus. In a very long first chapter the author gives us this character’s tragic backstory; a family lost to the plague; and the key to his value to the current Emperor. He is a passionate and talented mosaicist. One or two more long chapters and we have much more political intrigue and the background of religious strife. Kay always goes to some lengths with his world building and this book is no exception. Compared to some of his other books, I think he may have overdone it with this one.

Most of the book becomes a road trip as Crispus sets out reluctantly for the great city of Sarantium. He is answering an Imperial summons to decorate the dome of an important sanctuary. Many adventures and new characters along the way, as might be expected. There’s some pagan mythology and unsettling paranormal intrusion. I liked the new characters and the relationships that are building between them. The book ends with a cliffhanger before Crispus has been in Sarantium for more than a few weeks.

After more than 500 pages, I’m annoyed with that to-be-continued ending. There’s no doubt that I will read the next book, but I am annoyed. This book (and the sequel) were published after Tigana and Song for Arbornne; both excellent stand alone novels. I already have a feeling that there is some padding added to this story so It could be a duology. That may just be my personal sour grapes. I would have liked more pages about the art and far fewer pages devoted to chariot racing.

This book did satisfy me in one way. Kay uses this setting in several future books. They aren’t sequels in a real sense as they take place centuries after the time of this book. But there are references to the events of this book in the later publications. I’ve been curious about the backstory. I’m reading in the wrong order, but it’s just as well. Kay’s writing has gotten better. ( )

318

Guy Gavriel Kay never fails to write exquisite prose, in my experience, and this book is no different.

Yet another venture into "Europe a quarter turn to the left," this is the story of a man on the road from Varena to the imperial capitol of Sarantium (an alternate version of Byzantium) to decorate the newly built sanctuary of Jad there with a grand mosaic. But this book is also about mystery, about what there is behind the veil and how we here in the world are to understand our place in it.

There is, of course, almost unbearable humanity in the story, and an aching meditation on art and the artist.

It is beautiful, and heartfelt, and exciting. ( )

I’ve read Lions and River of Stars and loved them both. The beginning of this work was challenging for me; it seemed disjointed and it was not until about a quarter way in that it seemed to begin to come together for me. But it did. And by the end I was enthralled. ( )

Rereading this since taking early church history last semester, I keep getting distracted by trying to map Kay's variant races, religions, races, persons, and events onto real history - it was less of a problem the first time I read it!

This time, I'm again appreciating the beautiful articulation of art and beauty through the eyes of an artist, and additionally appreciating the witty turns of phrase. ( )