The Last Light of the Sun
by Guy Gavriel Kay
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HTML:A powerful, moving saga evoking the Celtic, Anglo-Saxon and Norse cultures of a thousand years ago from the acclaimed author of The Fionavar Tapestry.Bern Thorkellson, punished for his father's sins, denied his heritage and home, commits an act of vengeance and desperation that brings him face-to-face with a past he's been trying to leave behind ...
In the Anglcyn lands of King Aeldred, the shrewd king, battling inner demons all the while, shores up his defenses with alliances and show more diplomacy—and with swords and arrows. Meanwhile his exceptional, unpredictable sons and daughters give shape to their own desires when battle comes and darkness falls
in the spirit wood ...
And in the valleys and shrouded hills of the Cyngael, whose voices carry music even as they feud and raid amongst each other, violence and love become deeply interwoven when the dragon ships come and Alun ab Owyn, pursuing an enemy in the night, glimpses strange lights gleaming above forest pools ...
Making brilliant use of motifs from saga and song and chronicle, Guy Gavriel Kay conjures a work of subtle, intricate richness, bringing to life an unforgettable world balanced on the knife-edge of change.
"A historical fantasy of the highest order, the work of a man who may well be the reigning master of the form."—Washington Post Book World. Fantasy. Fiction. show less
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Oh where do I begin with the glories that are this book? It brings the heartbreak and beauty that live in the world(s) of Guy Gavriel Kay, interconnected tales of Byzantium and southern France and medieval Spain. Now we have the realms of England and Wales and the Vikings, told as they begin to shift and change from constant invasion and warfare to wisdom and tentative alliance.
The book begins on the island of Rabady and delves into the ways and customs of the Erlings, starting with the theft of a grey stallion by an exiled warrior's son, Bern. And Bern manages to escape his fate, with the stallion, while he pursues a warrior's way amongst the fierce mercenaries of Jormsvik on the mainland.
Into the tale, told in a bit of hindsight, is show more the rise of King Aeldred of the Anglcyns, last survivor of his royal line when the Erling raiders slaughter his father and brother. Aeldred manages to survive in the Anglcyn marshes for a season with two brothers-in-arms, attracting more Anglcyn survivors to him, until he makes his revenge on the Erling raiders and wins back his kingdom.
By the time of the main storyline, King Aeldred has established peace in his kingdom for 25 years, married and has 4 children, and is set to have his third annual fair and festival with the rebuilding of his kingdom. The cleric, Ceinion, of the Cyngael, journeys between the Anglcyn kingdom and that of the Cyngael.
The Cyngael are represented by the Arbreth and the Cadyr, two factions who are often caught stealing cattle and raiding one another's farms, and that is how Alun and Dai enter the tale when they try to start a cattle raid on Brynn ap Hywll's farm and holdings. It is in the land of the Cyngael that a hint of magic takes place, with the Fae and their Queen and mysterious lights that hint at another world coexisting with the one in this tale.
The language of this book is one of longing and sorrow and hope and youth, and weaves in observations about the commonality of human experience and knowledge and what happens when fates and choices overlap. I especially liked the bits of lives of incidental characters, who would never make it into the songs or history books, but whose lives are forever changed by encounters with the larger world. show less
The book begins on the island of Rabady and delves into the ways and customs of the Erlings, starting with the theft of a grey stallion by an exiled warrior's son, Bern. And Bern manages to escape his fate, with the stallion, while he pursues a warrior's way amongst the fierce mercenaries of Jormsvik on the mainland.
Into the tale, told in a bit of hindsight, is show more the rise of King Aeldred of the Anglcyns, last survivor of his royal line when the Erling raiders slaughter his father and brother. Aeldred manages to survive in the Anglcyn marshes for a season with two brothers-in-arms, attracting more Anglcyn survivors to him, until he makes his revenge on the Erling raiders and wins back his kingdom.
By the time of the main storyline, King Aeldred has established peace in his kingdom for 25 years, married and has 4 children, and is set to have his third annual fair and festival with the rebuilding of his kingdom. The cleric, Ceinion, of the Cyngael, journeys between the Anglcyn kingdom and that of the Cyngael.
The Cyngael are represented by the Arbreth and the Cadyr, two factions who are often caught stealing cattle and raiding one another's farms, and that is how Alun and Dai enter the tale when they try to start a cattle raid on Brynn ap Hywll's farm and holdings. It is in the land of the Cyngael that a hint of magic takes place, with the Fae and their Queen and mysterious lights that hint at another world coexisting with the one in this tale.
The language of this book is one of longing and sorrow and hope and youth, and weaves in observations about the commonality of human experience and knowledge and what happens when fates and choices overlap. I especially liked the bits of lives of incidental characters, who would never make it into the songs or history books, but whose lives are forever changed by encounters with the larger world. show less
'The Last Light of the Sun' is a fantasy novel steeped in history. In
itself reminiscent of the traditional Sagas, Kay's latest work draws
heavily upon Norse history and legend. Kay's fantasy world is a barely
disguised version of northern Europe in the Dark Ages. His story focuses
upon three main characters and demonstrates how their lives and those of
their friends and families can become intertwined through historical
accident. Kay creates a compelling story and tells it very well.
So many fantasy novelists feel the need to create something so fantastical
and different that they sacrifice any possibility of believing in the
worlds and stories to which they give birth. Guy Gavriel Kay resists this
temptation, instead creating a fantasy that is show more firmly based in reality. He
has created original names for the lands and divinities of which he
writes, but their origins remain recognizable. The Erling raiders of the
north, warriors and privateers, worshipping the Pagan gods Thunir and
Ingavin, have clear roots in the Norse Vikings. These fierce warriors
launch raids on their neighbours, amongst which number the Anglcyn and
Cyngael peoples who worship a single God, Jad. These peoples are also
recognizable as the English and Welsh. The style of raids as described by
Kay, mimic the original Viking raids that plagued the British Isles in the
eleventh century. This is not to suggest that Kay has simply taken
historical fact and reworked it to serve his own purpose; rather, he has
made good use of fact in order to create a very believable fiction.
Kay's skill as a storyteller is apparent throughout this novel. He opens
with one character embarking upon a dangerous adventure, only to leave the
reader hanging whilst he introduces his next key character. Ultimately we
are introduced to three men, all of whom are sucked into seemingly
unrelated adventures. Kay succeeds in maintaining interest in all three
stories, gradually weaving them together. Along the way he introduces a
large cast of characters, some playing major roles, some serving his
authorial purpose in a single chapter. Kay uses a style of terse, short
sentences to reveal his character's thoughts and feelings, creating a cast
of people sufficiently complex to be believable.
Like many fantasy novels, 'The Last Light of the Sun' is a book about
battle between opposing forces. The goal towards which its protagonists
aim is peace and stability. However, as in real life, the division between
good and evil is not clear-cut. In the main, the Erlings are painted as
the forces of evil, ignorant in their worship of pagan gods and vicious in
their constant warring and love of killing. In contrast, the Anglcyn King,
Aeldred, seeks to establish peace with his neighbours and encourage
worship of the true God, Jad. By allowing the reader to see the differing
viewpoints of each race, Kay offers a subtle yet pertinent message. Each
has their own reasons for pursuing their particular way of life and each
may be right.
Based in history, built upon fantasy, 'The Last Light of the Sun' is not
only a well-written and entertaining story, it suggests a call for
increased understanding and tolerance as a means of overcoming modern-day national
and political divides. show less
itself reminiscent of the traditional Sagas, Kay's latest work draws
heavily upon Norse history and legend. Kay's fantasy world is a barely
disguised version of northern Europe in the Dark Ages. His story focuses
upon three main characters and demonstrates how their lives and those of
their friends and families can become intertwined through historical
accident. Kay creates a compelling story and tells it very well.
So many fantasy novelists feel the need to create something so fantastical
and different that they sacrifice any possibility of believing in the
worlds and stories to which they give birth. Guy Gavriel Kay resists this
temptation, instead creating a fantasy that is show more firmly based in reality. He
has created original names for the lands and divinities of which he
writes, but their origins remain recognizable. The Erling raiders of the
north, warriors and privateers, worshipping the Pagan gods Thunir and
Ingavin, have clear roots in the Norse Vikings. These fierce warriors
launch raids on their neighbours, amongst which number the Anglcyn and
Cyngael peoples who worship a single God, Jad. These peoples are also
recognizable as the English and Welsh. The style of raids as described by
Kay, mimic the original Viking raids that plagued the British Isles in the
eleventh century. This is not to suggest that Kay has simply taken
historical fact and reworked it to serve his own purpose; rather, he has
made good use of fact in order to create a very believable fiction.
Kay's skill as a storyteller is apparent throughout this novel. He opens
with one character embarking upon a dangerous adventure, only to leave the
reader hanging whilst he introduces his next key character. Ultimately we
are introduced to three men, all of whom are sucked into seemingly
unrelated adventures. Kay succeeds in maintaining interest in all three
stories, gradually weaving them together. Along the way he introduces a
large cast of characters, some playing major roles, some serving his
authorial purpose in a single chapter. Kay uses a style of terse, short
sentences to reveal his character's thoughts and feelings, creating a cast
of people sufficiently complex to be believable.
Like many fantasy novels, 'The Last Light of the Sun' is a book about
battle between opposing forces. The goal towards which its protagonists
aim is peace and stability. However, as in real life, the division between
good and evil is not clear-cut. In the main, the Erlings are painted as
the forces of evil, ignorant in their worship of pagan gods and vicious in
their constant warring and love of killing. In contrast, the Anglcyn King,
Aeldred, seeks to establish peace with his neighbours and encourage
worship of the true God, Jad. By allowing the reader to see the differing
viewpoints of each race, Kay offers a subtle yet pertinent message. Each
has their own reasons for pursuing their particular way of life and each
may be right.
Based in history, built upon fantasy, 'The Last Light of the Sun' is not
only a well-written and entertaining story, it suggests a call for
increased understanding and tolerance as a means of overcoming modern-day national
and political divides. show less
Ah, I love Guy Gavriel Kay so much! He writes fantasy with the lyrical prose of a masterful author and the striking character insights of someone who understands the depth of the human spirit. I lost track of how many times I fell madly in love with one of his characters within a page or two of them being introduced. Now that's some masterful writing right there!
I also appreciated the pace of this book: slow without meandering, detailed without being bogged down in minutia. And the various glimpses into seemingly random people's whole lifespans were both unexpected and always welcome. Kay made me believe I was reading about real people: people who lived, died, and MATTERED.
I'm so glad to have picked this one up.
I also appreciated the pace of this book: slow without meandering, detailed without being bogged down in minutia. And the various glimpses into seemingly random people's whole lifespans were both unexpected and always welcome. Kay made me believe I was reading about real people: people who lived, died, and MATTERED.
I'm so glad to have picked this one up.
Viking fantasy!
The only other stories I've read with such a strong Scandinavian historical flavor are Michael Critchton's Eaters of the Dead and the incomparable Beowulf. It isn't all Scandinavian, though, Celtic and English early Medieval cultures are also featured. Like Guy Gavriel Kay's Tigana, this novel is set in a vivid and realistic, with a rollicking plot and a small bit of magic thrown into a largely historical setting. The plot contains a handful of nice twists, and it wraps up very neatly at the end.
The large cast of characters is written in such a way that I had very strong opinions about even barely-described supporting cast members. I was greatly disappointed with one main character (who fulfilled one too many stereotypes show more for my tastes), but my complaints were resolved in a quite satisfying way.
My favorite moment of the book was when I found myself uncertain whether I could root for a marauding raider, considering the victims of the raid. I wanted him to succeed because I liked him, but his enterprise was so horrible I wanted it to fail utterly.
I felt most emotionally invested when the characters explored themes of legacy and familial bonds. The story asks, “Is it ever possible for a child to escape their parents' influence? What is the best legacy to leave your children? How do the memories of great deeds shape those who grow up with those memories?”
These questions aren’t all unequivocally answered, but I feel like I learned something from exploring them. show less
The only other stories I've read with such a strong Scandinavian historical flavor are Michael Critchton's Eaters of the Dead and the incomparable Beowulf. It isn't all Scandinavian, though, Celtic and English early Medieval cultures are also featured. Like Guy Gavriel Kay's Tigana, this novel is set in a vivid and realistic, with a rollicking plot and a small bit of magic thrown into a largely historical setting. The plot contains a handful of nice twists, and it wraps up very neatly at the end.
The large cast of characters is written in such a way that I had very strong opinions about even barely-described supporting cast members. I was greatly disappointed with one main character (who fulfilled one too many stereotypes show more for my tastes), but my complaints were resolved in a quite satisfying way.
My favorite moment of the book was when I found myself uncertain whether I could root for a marauding raider, considering the victims of the raid. I wanted him to succeed because I liked him, but his enterprise was so horrible I wanted it to fail utterly.
I felt most emotionally invested when the characters explored themes of legacy and familial bonds. The story asks, “Is it ever possible for a child to escape their parents' influence? What is the best legacy to leave your children? How do the memories of great deeds shape those who grow up with those memories?”
These questions aren’t all unequivocally answered, but I feel like I learned something from exploring them. show less
The talent of fantasy writing can be a tricky thing. When it works, the reader effortlessly suspends disbelief, joyously transported to worlds of magic and power. Seasoned travelers through these realms include C.S. Lewis, Charles de Lint, Clive Barker, and, of course, J.R.R. Tolkien.
When it doesn’t work, as is far too often the case, it is all so many water nymphs and ogres trudging through the ink, making a cheap buck though series such as Forgotten Realms and Dungeons & Dragons, the over-praised work of Robert Jordan, and others too tawdry to mention.
Guy Gavriel Kay knows how to make it work. Highly regarded in the field as a master of fanciful storytelling with a deep interest in historical accuracy, the Canadian author has earned show more comparisons with both Lewis and Tolkien, even collaborating with Christopher Tolkien on the posthumous publication of his father’s The Silmarillion.
Now, decades after the release of his seminal work The Fionavar Tapestry (recently released in a 20th anniversary edition), Kay has decided to depart slightly from his oeuvre, concentrating instead on a historical fiction with muted elements of the fantastic. The change does him good; The Last Light of the Sun ranks as one of his finest.
Last Light is set firmly in the Norse and Celtic traditions of the north, in a time where “axe and sword were perfectly good responses to treachery.” In a land balanced on the razor’s edge of change, the peoples of the Anglcyn and the Cyngael live in a precarious form of peace, each struggling to prosper under the constant threat of murderous raids by the Erlings.
Into this rich world Kay introduces a host of fascinating characters. Bern Einarson is a man new to the fraternity of mercenaries, while his absent father Thorkell has been taken prisoner. King Aeldred of the Anglcyn fights to keep his people free and thriving, while Ceinion, high cleric of the Cyngael, yearns to bring stability to a universe of fairy worship and an apocalyptic religious faith of giant serpents and world trees.
With all due respect to J.R.R. Tolkien, Kay is by far the better writer. His atmospheric worlds equal Tolkien’s Middle-Earth in complexity and wonderment, while his grasp of character development and dialogue far outpace the master’s.
Part of the gratification of well-designed fantasy is searching for significant parallels in the world beyond the page. Like the best of fantasy, analogous elements to Last Light’s feudal world can be found in today’s uneven mixture of political instability, religious factionalism, and cultural intolerance. Yet Kay is wise enough never to write his fables as polemic; they function equally as amusement and as social criticism, content to let the readers unwrap as many layers and motifs as they deem fit.
The Last Light of the Sun is exhilarating entertainment, a bold trek to a land where one’s finest wish is to die on one’s feet. Kay, now a fantasy veteran, is a maestro of “the dance, the thrust and twist of words, of meanings half-shown and then hidden, that underlay all the great songs and deeds of courts.” The Last Light of the Sun, a taut and gripping novel, is a first-rate work, by any standard. show less
When it doesn’t work, as is far too often the case, it is all so many water nymphs and ogres trudging through the ink, making a cheap buck though series such as Forgotten Realms and Dungeons & Dragons, the over-praised work of Robert Jordan, and others too tawdry to mention.
Guy Gavriel Kay knows how to make it work. Highly regarded in the field as a master of fanciful storytelling with a deep interest in historical accuracy, the Canadian author has earned show more comparisons with both Lewis and Tolkien, even collaborating with Christopher Tolkien on the posthumous publication of his father’s The Silmarillion.
Now, decades after the release of his seminal work The Fionavar Tapestry (recently released in a 20th anniversary edition), Kay has decided to depart slightly from his oeuvre, concentrating instead on a historical fiction with muted elements of the fantastic. The change does him good; The Last Light of the Sun ranks as one of his finest.
Last Light is set firmly in the Norse and Celtic traditions of the north, in a time where “axe and sword were perfectly good responses to treachery.” In a land balanced on the razor’s edge of change, the peoples of the Anglcyn and the Cyngael live in a precarious form of peace, each struggling to prosper under the constant threat of murderous raids by the Erlings.
Into this rich world Kay introduces a host of fascinating characters. Bern Einarson is a man new to the fraternity of mercenaries, while his absent father Thorkell has been taken prisoner. King Aeldred of the Anglcyn fights to keep his people free and thriving, while Ceinion, high cleric of the Cyngael, yearns to bring stability to a universe of fairy worship and an apocalyptic religious faith of giant serpents and world trees.
With all due respect to J.R.R. Tolkien, Kay is by far the better writer. His atmospheric worlds equal Tolkien’s Middle-Earth in complexity and wonderment, while his grasp of character development and dialogue far outpace the master’s.
Part of the gratification of well-designed fantasy is searching for significant parallels in the world beyond the page. Like the best of fantasy, analogous elements to Last Light’s feudal world can be found in today’s uneven mixture of political instability, religious factionalism, and cultural intolerance. Yet Kay is wise enough never to write his fables as polemic; they function equally as amusement and as social criticism, content to let the readers unwrap as many layers and motifs as they deem fit.
The Last Light of the Sun is exhilarating entertainment, a bold trek to a land where one’s finest wish is to die on one’s feet. Kay, now a fantasy veteran, is a maestro of “the dance, the thrust and twist of words, of meanings half-shown and then hidden, that underlay all the great songs and deeds of courts.” The Last Light of the Sun, a taut and gripping novel, is a first-rate work, by any standard. show less
Set in the same world as The Lions of Al-Rassan and The Sarantine Mosaic this book from Kay is his version of the Vikings and Dark Age Britain. As usual his historical research is sound but for some reason in this novel I didn't find his imagination as strong. I found too many echoes of his previous work and the Angclyn king too obviously based on King Alfred. That said it is still Kay, still very readable - just not, for me, his strongest work.
Summary: The Last Light of the Sun takes place in the same world as Kay's Sarantium Mosaic and The Lions of Al-Rassan, although far to the North. It's a world like-but-not-quite Earth, and Last Light sits at a junction that's part Poetic Edda, part Beowulf, and part Arthurian legend. In this world, the Erling warriors in their longships have been conducting fierce raids on the coasts of the North for time out of mind, but the Anglcyn king has subdued them with a treaty that has held for decades. However, their uneasy peace is shattered by an unexpected nighttime raid on the inland household of one of Cyngael, the fractious principalities to the west of Anglcyn.
Two princes of the Cyngael were present at that raid, and Alun ab Owyn is show more left in a dark despair after the death of his older brother and the loss of his soul. He rides with Cennion, the high cleric of the Cyngael, to Anglcyn, to warn the King - and his four intelligent but idle children - of the renewed danger. A separate storyline follows Bern Thorkellson, a young Erling whose father was exiled from their island home for murder. His life's hopes tainted by his father's crimes, Bern sets off for the mainland, seeking to join an elite group of mercenary fighters... but tensions with the Anglcyn are high, and mercenaries cannot always choose the motivations behind the jobs that they are given.
Review: Guy Gavriel Kay writes like no one else I've ever read. He can take a scene that by any rights should be something fairly small - something that in another writer's hands would hardly register in my brain - and imbue it with such power that it reaches up and grabs you by the heart and the throat and steals your breath away when you are least expecting it. He's also incredibly adept at building his worlds and setting the scene with a remarkably small amount of description. One of the things I liked best about this book was how vividly it felt like I was in the middle of a Viking encampment or a Welsh farmstead, all without one word about the furniture or the dresses. Guy Gavriel Kay's writing is a large part of why his books typically take me a while to read. Not that the writing is particularly difficult or dense - although neither is it easy and light - but that it's got such power that I find myself wanting to take it slowly, to give myself time to roll around in it, to absorb it, to give it space to breathe.
But... there's a but. While the writing in The Last Light of the Sun was as good as in any of Kay's other books, the story was not my favorite. It kept me interested, without a doubt, and didn't drag, but I also never really got particularly invested in it, either. I think it may have been due to the preponderance of characters. I prefer Kay's books more when they focus on one or a few main POV characters, while Last Light of the Sun had a substantial number of characters that wound up evenly sharing the narration. As a result, the story felt a bit scattered, with not enough time spent with any one character to build a proper emotional connection. Similarly, there were a number of story elements - Cennion's past, the Viking seer, Kendra's newfound gift - that didn't get as much development as they deserved. I still really enjoyed reading it, it just didn't quite have the resonance and oomph of Tigana or The Lions of Al-Rassan. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: I say this every time I review one of Guy Gavriel Kay's novels, but it's a damn shame more people aren't reading them too. And not just fans of grown-up fantasy, either, but historical fiction fans as well, since apart from taking place in not-quite-Earth, these books are essentially historical fiction. Last Light of the Sun has more fantasy elements than most of his books (but less than, say, Tigana), but it's all of the folklore-ish variety - spirit woods with actual spirits in them, mostly. So, the upshot is: Read them! If you've got a particular affinity for Vikings, then start with Last Light of the Sun, otherwise I'd recommend starting with Lions of Al-Rassan, to get a feel for Kay at his best. show less
Two princes of the Cyngael were present at that raid, and Alun ab Owyn is show more left in a dark despair after the death of his older brother and the loss of his soul. He rides with Cennion, the high cleric of the Cyngael, to Anglcyn, to warn the King - and his four intelligent but idle children - of the renewed danger. A separate storyline follows Bern Thorkellson, a young Erling whose father was exiled from their island home for murder. His life's hopes tainted by his father's crimes, Bern sets off for the mainland, seeking to join an elite group of mercenary fighters... but tensions with the Anglcyn are high, and mercenaries cannot always choose the motivations behind the jobs that they are given.
Review: Guy Gavriel Kay writes like no one else I've ever read. He can take a scene that by any rights should be something fairly small - something that in another writer's hands would hardly register in my brain - and imbue it with such power that it reaches up and grabs you by the heart and the throat and steals your breath away when you are least expecting it. He's also incredibly adept at building his worlds and setting the scene with a remarkably small amount of description. One of the things I liked best about this book was how vividly it felt like I was in the middle of a Viking encampment or a Welsh farmstead, all without one word about the furniture or the dresses. Guy Gavriel Kay's writing is a large part of why his books typically take me a while to read. Not that the writing is particularly difficult or dense - although neither is it easy and light - but that it's got such power that I find myself wanting to take it slowly, to give myself time to roll around in it, to absorb it, to give it space to breathe.
But... there's a but. While the writing in The Last Light of the Sun was as good as in any of Kay's other books, the story was not my favorite. It kept me interested, without a doubt, and didn't drag, but I also never really got particularly invested in it, either. I think it may have been due to the preponderance of characters. I prefer Kay's books more when they focus on one or a few main POV characters, while Last Light of the Sun had a substantial number of characters that wound up evenly sharing the narration. As a result, the story felt a bit scattered, with not enough time spent with any one character to build a proper emotional connection. Similarly, there were a number of story elements - Cennion's past, the Viking seer, Kendra's newfound gift - that didn't get as much development as they deserved. I still really enjoyed reading it, it just didn't quite have the resonance and oomph of Tigana or The Lions of Al-Rassan. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: I say this every time I review one of Guy Gavriel Kay's novels, but it's a damn shame more people aren't reading them too. And not just fans of grown-up fantasy, either, but historical fiction fans as well, since apart from taking place in not-quite-Earth, these books are essentially historical fiction. Last Light of the Sun has more fantasy elements than most of his books (but less than, say, Tigana), but it's all of the folklore-ish variety - spirit woods with actual spirits in them, mostly. So, the upshot is: Read them! If you've got a particular affinity for Vikings, then start with Last Light of the Sun, otherwise I'd recommend starting with Lions of Al-Rassan, to get a feel for Kay at his best. show less
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Guy Gavriel Kay was born on November 7, 1954 in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada. He became interested in fantasy fiction while working as an assistant to Christopher Tolkien. He assisted him with the editing of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion. After receiving a law degree from the University of Toronto, he became principal writer and associate show more producer for the CBC radio series, The Scales of Justice. He also wrote several episodes when the series moved to television. He has written social and political commentary for several publications including the National Post, The Globe and Mail, and The Guardian. His first fantasy novels were The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire, and The Darkest Road, which make up the Fionavar Tapestry Trilogy. His other works include A Song for Arbonne, The Lions of Al-Rassan, Beyond This Dark House, The Last Light of the Sun, and Under Heaven. He has received numerous awards including and the Aurora Award for Tigana and The Wandering Fire, the 2008 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel for Ysabel, and the International Goliardos Award for his work in the fantasy field. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Last Light of the Sun
- Original title
- The Last Light of the Sun
- Original publication date
- 2004
- People/Characters
- Aeldred, son of Gademar (King of the Anglcyn); Elswith; Athelbert (son of Aeldred); Judit; Kendra; Gareth (son of Aeldred) (show all 41); Osbert (son of Cuthwulf); Burgred (Earl of Denferth); Thorkell "Red Thorkell" Einarson; Frigga (daughter of Skadi); Bern Thorkellson; Siv (daughter of Thorkell); Athira (daughter of Thorkell); Iord (seer of Rabady); Anrid; Halldr Thinshank; Sturla "Sturla One-Hand" Ulfarson; Gurd Thollson; Brand Leofson; Carsten Friddson; Garr Hoddson; Guthrum Skallson; Thira; Kjarten Vidurson; Siggur "the Volgan" Volganson; Mikkel Ragnarson; Ivarr Ragnarson; Ingemar Svidrirson; Hakon Ingemarson; Ceinion of Llywerth "Cyngalus"; Dai ab Owyn; Alum ab Owyn; Gryffeth ap Ludh; Brynn ap Hywll "Erling's Bane"; Enid of Brynnfell; Rhiannon mer Brynn; Helda; Rania; Eirin; Siawn; Firaz ibn Bakir
- Epigraph
- I have a tale for you: a stag bells;
winter pours summer has gone.
The wind is high, cold; the sun is low;
its course is short the sea is strong running.
The bracken is very red; its shape... (show all) has been hidden.
The cry of the barnacle goose has become usual.
Cold has taken the wings of birds.
Season of ice; this is my tale.
---from the Liber Hymnorum manuscript - Dedication
- for George Jonas
- First words
- A horse, he came to understand, was missing.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)End it with the ending of a night.
- Original language
- English
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- Genres
- Fantasy, Fiction and Literature, General Fiction, Historical Fiction
- DDC/MDS
- 813.54 — Literature & rhetoric American literature in English American fiction in English 1900-1999 1945-1999
- LCC
- PR9199.3 .K39 .L37 — Language and Literature English English Literature English literature: Provincial, local, etc.
- BISAC
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- 52
- Rating
- (3.75)
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- 6 — Czech, English, French, German, Polish, Swedish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 32
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- 1
- ASINs
- 13