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Review
‘I’m not just impressed by THE SUMMER TREE – I’m overwhelmed’ Marion Zimmer Bradley
‘Engrossingly worthwhile’ Asimov’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine
‘A lovingly detailed work … a classic of the genre’ Fantasy Review
Product Description
The first volume in Guy Gavriel Kay’s stunning fantasy masterwork, now reissued with the beautiful original cover art by Martin Springett.
Five men and women find themselves flung into the magical land of Fionavar, First of all Worlds. They have been called there by the mage Loren Silvercloak, and quickly find themselves drawn into the complex tapestry of events. For Kim, Paul, Kevin, Jennifer and Dave all have their own part to play in the coming battle against the forces of evil led by the fallen god Rakoth Maugrim and his dark hordes.
Guy Gavriel Kay’s classic epic fantasy plays out on a truly grand scale, and has already been delighting fans of imaginative fiction for twenty years.
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Customer Reviews
At Loren Silvercloak the mage's bidding, Kevin, Kim, Jennifer, Paul and Dave, five University students from Toronto, 'cross' into the Kingdom of Fionavar, the First of all Worlds, to help him in an oncoming war against Rakoth the Unraveller, and thus fulfil their destinies.
Like the five heroes, the reader is teleported into a land of magic and fantasy which the author only describes little by little. Although certainly used as a stylistic device, this sometimes makes it hard to understand the ins and outs of certain characters' actions. In the same vein, I also found the few sex scenes somewhat a bit out of place and unpoetic. Anyway, looking back upon it, I realize these were just details.
And indeed, as you turn the pages and learn more about the people and history of Fionavar and about the role the heroes have to play in it, the book really turns out to be enthralling and hard to put down. I particularly enjoyed the third part, where Dave is taken in by a tribe of hunters called the Dalrei, and learns about their customs and rites, to finally risk his own life for them.
Although at first I was a bit sceptical about the mixing of today's world with fantasy, in the end I really liked this book a lot and I'm looking forward to reading the next two. So don't let the first 150 pages or so get you down and read on, it's definitely worth it!
The concept has been done before, most famously in the Narnia series. It's not a particular favourite of mine but I was willing to give it a try as the book had several good reviews.
To be honest the first quarter of the book isn't too promising. It's a bit slow and the narrative style seems to swing backwards and forwards between a Lord of the Rings style (lots of foretolds and forebades) and a more modern vernacular. This swinging starts to jar a little after a while. At one point even the author seems to get a bit confused and has one nomadic plains rider saying "We did all right back there" and I almost expected them to start high fiving.
The book also seems to fall into the common fantasy novel traps in that (i) the world they are taken to seems to have been stuck at a 13th century level of development for the last thousand years and (ii) despite this the students seem to have little difficulty in assimilating to their circumstances .
It is worth sticking with the book, though as it really picks up pace after the first 100 or so pages and the storytelling style becomes more consistent. The action starts to come thick and fast and it starts filling in a lot more of the history and backstory that it alludes to at the start of the book.
It does seem to set up the second book well, which I have yet to read.
I have no hesitation in recommending this book, with the warning that it might not immediately appeal.
I put it down and decided that maybe that kind of book isn't really for me.
After months of nagging from my flat mate, i eventually got round to reading the Lord of the Rings. It took forever, but i enjoyed it. It was after this that i decided to give the tapestry one more go. I picked up from where i left off, and finished the trilogy in 3 weeks. My thoughts now are very different.
Now, if you are looking for a fantasy that breaks the mould or opens new ideas into the world of fantasy then you've got the wrong book. Saying that, if you like fantasy, and you enjoyed lord of the rings (but your brain hurt after reading 5 pages!) then try this bad boy out, its definately for you.
Yes the first section is kind of hard work, and yes it was a bit strange how these 5 guys seemed to find it normal that they were in a different world. But once you get passed that, the work as a whole is fantastic. Its an easy read (doesn't feel like the bible), It's a well planned story and and a well written ending.
Have a go, you'll either get it, or you won't but if you do get it, you'll love it!
It all began with a lecture that introduced five university students to a man... Read more
I'll be honest... The Summer Tree is majorly boring. Read more
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