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The Summer Tree (Fionavar Tapestry)
 
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The Summer Tree (Fionavar Tapestry) (Paperback)

by Guy Gavriel Kay (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
RRP: £6.99
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Product details

  • Paperback: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Voyager; New Ed edition (11 Jun 1992)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0586215220
  • ISBN-13: 978-0586215227
  • Product Dimensions: 17.4 x 11 x 2.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 16,043 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #1 in  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > K > Kay, Guy Gavriel

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Product Description

Synopsis
Five young people find themselves flung into the magic land of Fionavar, First of All Worlds, to play their part in the vast battle against the forces of evil led by the fallen god Rakoth Maugrim and his dark hordes. This is the first book in a fantasy trilogy in the "Lords of the Ring" tradition.

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83% buy the item featured on this page:
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Customer Reviews

34 Reviews
5 star:
 (24)
4 star:
 (6)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (3)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (34 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A good beginning to a not so good trilogy..., 7 Oct 2006
By Ms. A. Voulgari "bookmonkey" (UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The Summer Tree (Fionavar Tapestry) (Paperback)
Book 1 of the Fionavar Tapestry is very enjoyable. It's original, intriguing and promising. The mythology described in this book is every Fantasy fan's dream: it has been thoroughly thought of and provides a wealth of information as to a different world's creation and history. The characters are also very well conceived and described. consistent and you will not have a problem identifying with any of them.

The only drawback is Kay's inclination to whip the reader with overly complicated descriptions of his characters' psychological states and landscapes which quite frankly feel a little cheesy after the first 3 pages! In addition, he tends to stick to stereotypical descriptions that are quite banal by now (dwarves are miners, elves stick to the woods bla bla bla) which kind of drags down the originality element which is a real shame as the story itself is very unusual!

Apart from the different strands of the story being slightly predictable this book boasts a great ending which literally leaves you hanging in suspense and reaching over for the second book where the story starts to get boring... (see review of 'The Wandering Fire' for more information
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Traditional Fantasy. ?, 25 Oct 2003
I once remember an English teacher scoffing at sci-fi/fantasy novelists as people who couldn't really write, and just used exotic setting to cover this cover-up.

After reading Guy Gavriel Kay, I realised she was right - about most writers. But she made a mistake in dismissing a whole genre - Guy Gavriel Kay shows us that a fantasy can be written with rounded characters who actually develop, and what's more, he actually makes you care what happens to them!

In fact, the traditional story of normal people teaming up with magical beings and strange creatures to defeat evil is merely a backdrop for the personal journeys the five main characters make.

It's a story about overcoming insecurities, working through loss, and pain, and guilt, and learning to live again.

Which happens to be set among princes, elves, mages and dwarves.

It's precisely because Kay uses such well-known fantasy icons that we can see how good a writer he is. It's as if he's thumbing his nose at the scoffers, and saying "look, I can create a moving, touching story with multi-dimensional characters even with these threadbare tools of a traditional Tolkienesque/Aruthurian fantasy". (Although he probably wouldn't put it quite like that!).

And who better to attempt to follow in Tolkien's footsteps than the man chosen to co-write one of his books? (The Silmarillion - though admittedly I haven't read it. Just pointing out the genealogy).

Anyway, if you find most fantasy characters a bit wooden, read this! If you like traditional scenery and sorcery, read this and see it in a differnt light. If you're after different scenery, read one of his other books.

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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Not a great fantasy novel - a great novel., 18 Sep 2001
By A Customer
I more or less reluctantly started reading The Summer Tree, after fierce recommendations from a friend. Two days and a good cry later, I had finished what turned out to be one of the great reading experiences of my life so far. And I read A LOT! The five main characters, all in their mid twenties, are transported from modern day Toronto to a world beyond ours called Fionavar. That basic premise has of course been done plenty of times before, but what kept me locked in my flat for the whole weekend with an unplugged phone wasn't the initial plot or lure of a magical world beyond ours. It was the absolute conviction that these characters, every single one, had a life and a past and a future which I couldn't wait to find out more about. It is obvious that Guy Gavriel Kay researches his novels in both mythology and our own history with meticulous care so that the framework of the people inhabiting these worlds is seamless and sparkling with individual life. Much of the story of The Summer Tree and the two sequels comprising the Fionavar Trilogy, follows the various journeys of the five Torontians plunged in to this ancient, often perplexingly different world. Their journeys and adventures are highly physical, there a mountains climbed and oceans crossed, but as in all good storytelling, the inward journeys match the outward plot in complexity and tension. Paul, Kim, Kevin, Jennifer and Dave all have their reasons for choosing to "escape" to Fionavar. Dave, always the gruff outsider, is - reluctantly - drawn into the community of the Dalrei, a plains people embracing his qualities of physical courage and determination. Kim and Paul discover powers of their own which can help to match, and battle, the evil unleashed in the Unraveller, a god outside time whose comparison in our world it is not difficult to guess at. Jennifer faces a dark destiny, but with the glimmer of a promise of something both unexpected and healing lying further ahead. Surrounding them are gods and goddesses, mythical creatures and humans, all of which are given a character you are made to believe in by the sheer force of the writer's imagination and skill. I would describe myself usually as a non-fantasy reader but all the same this is a great novel starting a great trilogy and I recommend it for everyone, whatever your usual reading habits are!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Slow start but improves greatly
Anybody who remembers the cartoon series of Dungeons and Dragons from the 1980's will be familiar with the premise of this book - 5 college kids from modern day (well, circa 1983)... Read more
Published 1 month ago by P. J. Bragg

5.0 out of 5 stars Stays with you
I first read this and expected nothing more than a dungeon & dragons scenario. Instead I found one of the most evocative fantasy writers around. Read more
Published 18 months ago by toomanybooksnotenoughtime

4.0 out of 5 stars Yes, yes I think so...
I read this book about a year back, i did the first 80 pages and wasn't that impressed. I didn't warm to the characters and the reality of the five students from Toronto was well,... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Mr. A. S. C. Kindred

2.0 out of 5 stars Don't pick up this one.
GGK is a wonderful author. 'Tigana' and 'A song for Arbonne' are so wonderful. Tigana always makes me weep with its bitter-sweet ending, and I was hoping for something similar... Read more
Published on 25 Jun 2007 by R. Williams

2.0 out of 5 stars A total disappointment...
I borrowed this book from the library and all I can say is that I'm glad I didn't waste money buying it.
I'll be honest... The Summer Tree is majorly boring. Read more
Published on 13 Dec 2006 by Emily M

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely great
Great author with huge imagination. This book is one of the best books I ever read and I believe one of the berst books around.
Published on 18 Nov 2006 by Jason Buob

5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing and Fantastic Fantasy (excuse the pun)
Guy Gavriel Kay and the Fionavar Tapestry - what can I say except it is one of the best trilogies I have ever read and, in fact, this trilogy was the first one I ever read,... Read more
Published on 20 April 2006 by Poppy

5.0 out of 5 stars Guy Kay
This book is the first of an epic trilogy which is by far the best fantasy that I've read apart from, perhaps, Guy Kay's own 'Tigana'. Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2006 by P. W. Mills

1.0 out of 5 stars Awful, almost painful to read...
I'm sorry -- I can't help thinking "are we all reading the same book here?" -- but this title was awful. Read more
Published on 17 Sep 2005

4.0 out of 5 stars Epic Fantasy !
Brought to Fionavar, the five young people are brought into the fight against the Evil One, Maugrim. Read more
Published on 1 Dec 2004 by B. Jonsson

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