REVIEW: Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
Publishing Information: Trade Paperback, Roc
Publisher: 1990 (first publishing) 1999 (current edition)
ISBN-13: 978-0-451-45776-0
Series: Standalone
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Out of Pocket

Synopsis: (from back of book): This is that rare, spellbinding novel in which myth comes alive and magic reaches out to us. Tigana is the magical story of a beleaguered land struggling to be free. It is the tale of a people so cursed by the black sorcery of a cruel, despotic king that even the name of their once beautiful homeland cannot be spoken or remembered….

But years after the devastation, a handful of courageous men and women embarks on a crusade to overthrow their conquerers and bring back to the dark world the brilliance of a long lost name: Tigana.

Against the magnificently rendered background of a world both sensuous and barbaric, this sweeping epic of a passionate people pursing their dream is breathtaking in its vision, changing forever the boundaries of fantasy fiction.


Quality standalone novels are rare in the genre of epic fantasy. They are so rare that Tigana often stands out in speculative fiction forum recommendation threads as a novel for readers who do not want to commit to a nine or ten book series. Guy Gavriel Kay has stated that his decision to continually write fantasy standalones and create new worlds from scratch is not as commercially viable as finding a formula that works and sticking to it. This is not the whole truth. In fact, one of the things that distinguishes Kay from the crowded genre is his willingness to write novels without planned sequels.

Allow me be clear though, the standalone format is not the only thing that sets Kay apart from other fantasy writers. Kay paints a picture as he writes. His prose is neither too indulgent nor too stale - he strikes a happy medium in Tigana, a romantic adventure about a vindictive sorcerer that robs a nation of its cultural identity. Kay has a way of writing poignant scenes from many character perspectives, in a way that still advances the plot - something many of his peers fail to do. He makes you care about his characters enough to long for what they long for, and actually sympathize with their misfortunes while celebrating their triumphs.

Tigana's setting is loosely based on medieval Italy, and told with a fantasy twist. Kay has continued this tradition with his standalone novels, finding inspiration in various specific times and places in world history. Much like historical Italy, Tigana is about a peninsula divided into city states too disunited to stand against the foreign forces that seek to conquer and oppress them. Tigana is the name of one of those particular city states - a state that has been robbed of its name, its memory, and its culture by a sorcerer who wishes its people to suffer for what he perceives to be a crime against his family. This is an ingenious plot device, that serves to raise questions about the importance of a cultural identity to the individuals that compose that culture.

Meanwhile, refugees and sympathizers sew the seeds of revolution and insurrection in an attempt to win back their home. They form a devoted fellowship - posing as musicians and merchants while often led by their passions and personal demons along their journey. The characters are deeply human and flawed, yet still brave and heroic in the way that classic epic heroes are. Nevertheless, there is still a graphic realism to the world, striking a proper balance between the fantastic and the sordid - leading to a book that is hard to put down. Any gripes I have with this novel are minor ones and too insignificant to mention. Tigana surely will please fans of both classic fantasy and enthusiasts of the newer wave of gritty realistic fantasy. If I had to make a list of my favorite fantasy novels published in the past thirty years, Tigana would surely find its way onto that list.


Plot……….9/10

Characters……….9/10

Style………..9.5/10

Overall……….9/10