Children of earth and sky

Sean Gursky reviewed Children of earth and sky by Guy Gavriel Kay

Review of 'Children of earth and sky' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

This is difficult for me to admit but Children of Earth and Sky was a little underwhelming.

Guy Gavriel Kay is a legend at his ability to write beautifully. I love how he slowly crafts the story and weaves characters and politics together in a reimagined history. While I liked the book it failed to grab me in a way that would encourage me to read the rest of the books that follow this sequence.

I don't have a problem with a large ensemble of characters or even a story that moves at a slow pace, but this Children lacked something to keep me going.

I have crashed hard on several books now and realize it's probably time for a genre reset. I may return to this world again but I'd probably be more inclined to read a different Kay series as historical fiction is a little on the fringe …

This is difficult for me to admit but Children of Earth and Sky was a little underwhelming.

Guy Gavriel Kay is a legend at his ability to write beautifully. I love how he slowly crafts the story and weaves characters and politics together in a reimagined history. While I liked the book it failed to grab me in a way that would encourage me to read the rest of the books that follow this sequence.

I don't have a problem with a large ensemble of characters or even a story that moves at a slow pace, but this Children lacked something to keep me going.

I have crashed hard on several books now and realize it's probably time for a genre reset. I may return to this world again but I'd probably be more inclined to read a different Kay series as historical fiction is a little on the fringe of what I enjoy.

Strakul reviewed Children of earth and sky by Guy Gavriel Kay

Review of 'Children of earth and sky' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This was a great book. It combines an interesting historical period with some magic and strong character-driven stories. I was fascinated by the historical aspect and kept trying to guess or find out what the various nations and people were supposed to represent. Although I can't say I'm an expert of the late 1400s, I still was able to see the main historical players at the time and could research the rest. Of course, none of this is required to enjoy the story, but for me it was an added bonus.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2019/04/book-review-children-of-earth-and-sky.html

Pentapod reviewed Children of earth and sky by Guy Gavriel Kay

Review of 'Children of earth and sky' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Guy Gavriel Kay's books tend to be sweeping epics full of wonderful atmosphere, detailed and realistic cultures, and believable characters. This one isn't any different! It's been a while since I read any of his books and I recall that my favorite was The Lions of Al Rassan, so I was pleased to find this is set in the same world, although many years later. The story follows several characters of different backgrounds including Danica Gradek, who lost her family to Ozmanli raiders and has dedicated her life to revenge; Pero Villani, a poor artist who is asked to risk his life to paint a portrait of an enemy ruler and use the opportunity to spy for his country; Leonora Valeri, also being sent to spy but whose path in that direction is suddenly derailed; and the Djivo merchant family, who meet, assist, and help transport all of the others …

Guy Gavriel Kay's books tend to be sweeping epics full of wonderful atmosphere, detailed and realistic cultures, and believable characters. This one isn't any different! It's been a while since I read any of his books and I recall that my favorite was The Lions of Al Rassan, so I was pleased to find this is set in the same world, although many years later. The story follows several characters of different backgrounds including Danica Gradek, who lost her family to Ozmanli raiders and has dedicated her life to revenge; Pero Villani, a poor artist who is asked to risk his life to paint a portrait of an enemy ruler and use the opportunity to spy for his country; Leonora Valeri, also being sent to spy but whose path in that direction is suddenly derailed; and the Djivo merchant family, who meet, assist, and help transport all of the others and have an interesting story of their own. Many other characters besides these of course, but the story mainly revolves around these ones as they meet and separate and meet again in various circumstances and we learn about the current world and politics through their eyes.

While I enjoyed the book very much, I somehow didn't find it quite as gripping as The Lions of Al Rassan or Tijana, though I can't quite put my finger on why. Perhaps I just didn't quite identify with the characters as much. At any rate it's still a great book and a very enjoyable read, even richer if you've read the other books set in the same world, but this is also a fine place to jump in new.