I remember that I was completely blown away when I read "Tigana" (also by this author) in November 2007. So I don't know why i waited so long to read this, but boy am i glad I finally did. Kay is a MASTER storyteller. His worlds are so richly charactered and fully fully realized.

My absolutely favorite thing about his novels is that characters are not two-dimensional. Nothing is black or white. Those who should be "the bad guy" are also fully human and have their own motives, and the reader finds themselves in the position of rooting for everyone (the Cheetah and the baby Antelope, as it were). In a genre (fantasy) that is most often clearly about black and white struggles...the good innocents fighting the ultimate embodiment of evil, Kay consistently delivers stories that are much more complex AND more satisfying because of it. I also absolutely ADORE how nothing is wasted in his novels. Every single character (whether present for two pages, or 600 pages) is complete and three dimensional. Like an actor who has fully prepared for his bit role (there are no small parts, only small actors), one gets the strong sensation that Kay has mapped out the entire lives of every single person (from the guard atop the castle wall to our heroine).

I also love that these are so much more than "fantasy," or perhaps rather that they are what the best fantasy should be. Complex, political, thrillers, nuanced...a great great book. I finished this very quickly and was sad that it ended so soon. Great stuff. (Also, massive applause for being able to right a complete story in ONE book too...rather than serializing every adventure. Sometimes it is warranted, but sometimes it can be complete in just one novel).