A Song For Arbonne - Hardcover

Kay, Guy Gavriel

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0517593122 ISBN 13: 9780517593127

Publisher: Crown Publishers, 1992

Synopsis

A song for Arbonne is one of those rare novels that creates an entire world of its own, one which enfolds and enthralls us so strongly that we close its pages with a pang of regret. It is the finest novel so far from Guy Gavriel Kay, who has received international acclaim for his Fionavar Tapestry trilogy and the epic Tigana. The novel draws its ambience and inspiration from the sensuous culture of medieval Provence - the land of the troubadours and the courts of love.
Arbonne is a sun-blessed country of vineyards and olive trees, and the home of a passionate, goddess-centered culture. To the north is Gorhaut, a dour Kingdom of warriors led by a cruel, misogynistic lord who sees Arbonne as ripe for the taking. One man is caught between the two: Blaise, a rough-hewn northern mercenary who serves, bemusedly, in the courts of the south.
When the invaders sweep down from the mountains, the men and women of Arbonne face their darkest hour: They find the power of love and poetry tested against the might of fire and sword. And Blaise discovers that the fate of courtly Arbonne may lie in his rugged hands.
This is a dazzling imaginary history peopled with a vibrant array of characters, from the sardonic Blaise to the haughty queen of the Court of Love, to a beautiful minstrel girl whose life is forever changed by a chance encounter in a tavern. In the richness and complexity of its setting, A Song for Arbonne calls to mind The Name of the Rose; in its passion and romance, The Mists of Avalon and in its pace and sweep, such classic adventures as Ivanhoe or The Three Musketeers. This is storytelling at its very best, a novel to be savored and passed on with pleasure to one's fellow readers.

About this title

About the Author:

Guy Gavriel Kay is the author of Lord of Emperors, Sailing to Sarantium, The Lions of Al-Rasan, Tigana, and The Fionavar Tapestry (The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire, The Darkest Road). He was retained by J.R.R. Tolkien's estate to work with Christopher Tolkien in the reconstruction of the posthumously published Tolkien work, The Silmarillion. He has also written for numerous Canadian television programs.

From Publishers Weekly:

Based on the troubadour culture that rose in Provence during the High Middle Ages, this panoramic, absorbing novel beautifully creates an alternate version of the medieval world. As in Tigana , it is a world with two moons. The matriarchal, cultured land of Arbonne is rent by a feud between its two most powerful dukes, the noble troubador Bertran de Talair and Urte de Miraval, over long-dead Aelis, lover of one, wife of the other and once heir to the country's throne. To the north lies militaristic Gorhaut, whose inhabitants worship the militant god Corannos and are ruled by corrupt, womanizing King Ademar. His chief advisor, the high priest of Corannos, is bent on wiping out the worship of a female deity, whose followers live to the south. Into this cauldron of brewing disaster comes the mysterious Gorhaut mercenary Blaise, who takes service with Bertran and averts an attempt on his life. The revelation of Blaise's lineage and a claim for sanctuary by his sister-in-law set the stage for a brutal clash between the two cultures. Intertwined is the tale of a young woman troubadour whose role suggests the sweep of the drama to come. Kay creates a vivid world of love and music, magic and death in a realm that resembles ours but is just different enough to enrich the fantasy genre. 25,000 first printing; major ad/promo.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Crown Publishers
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0517593122
• ISBN 13: 9780517593127
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 513