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A Song for Arbonne
 
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A Song for Arbonne (Paperback)

by Guy Gavriel Kay (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 608 pages
  • Publisher: Earthlight; New edition edition (16 Jul 2001)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0743415094
  • ISBN-13: 978-0743415095
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 764,451 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

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

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Product Description

Review

"High fantasy - 'A vivid world of love, music and magic' Publishers Weekly"


SUNDAY EXPRESS

'Flair, glamour and unstudied romance' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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A Song for Arbonne
46% buy the item featured on this page:
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Customer Reviews

7 Reviews
5 star:
 (5)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Deep, compelling, enthralling, 25 Nov 2002
By HLT (Wales, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: A Song for Arbonne (Paperback)
As with most of Guy Gavriel Kay's novels, this is set in an alternative version of our own reality. Arbonne stands in as a fantasy version of Southern France (Languedoc) at the time of the Albigensian Crusade - when the population of Cathars was exterminated as heretics in one of Europe's earliest and most shameful episodes of religious-based "ethnic" cleansing.

Because GGK is writing of an alternative universe, the story remains compelling even though the outcome in our own world turned out to be tragic: you don't know if the same fire and destruction is going to be visited on Arbonne, with her olive groves and vineyards, her beautiful ladies and gallant troubadours... the picture painted is so vivid, and the characters so well-drawn, that you'll truly hope all will be well (don't worry, I'm not going to reveal what happens).

What I will say is that this book haunted me so much that I decided to read up on Catharism and the Albigensian Crusade. GGK's work can have that effect: his Sarantine Mosaic (Sailing to Sarantium, and Lord of Emperors) also made me want to know more about the Byzantine Empire. I have to say I slightly prefer the Sarantine Mosaic to this, but no matter, it's impossible for me to award a novel of this quality anything less than the full five stars.

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting and compelling, 29 Jul 2001
I wish I had not read this - because I would love to experience again the wonder of reading it for the first time. The plot is epic and Romantic (with a deliberate capital)and the characters breathtakingly well rounded. Blaise is a magnificent creation, a hero despite himself, and Ariane is a refreshing change from the usual fantasy female. In fact it demeans Kay to even compare his people with the stereotypes of other lesser genre writers.The world he creates is not quite history and not quite fantasy, but an hypnotic blend of both. It's seductively real, which means you don't like every aspect of it. The style too captures the poetry of the setting, with passages that can be read aloud so that you roll the words around like wine. This all makes it sound a bit serious - but it also contains plenty of humour - broad and subtle. In short, it's a joy.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, 23 Jul 2001
By Mr. M. DODKINS (England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This is truly a wonderful book, beautifully written and brilliantly thought out.. The story is woven around and between some of the most well developed and "real" characters I have ever come across, taking you on a journey which is terrifyingly easy to get lost in as the inner disputes of Arbonne threaten to be its downfall in forthcoming war.

A Song for Arbonne delivers a well-balanced and thought provoking novel, involving the reader in the relationships of each character in such a way that your heart races as they talk and plunges as they fight - there is no single 'bad guy' as such, the differences here are more often cultural than otherwise. This might sound "fluffy" or some such to someone reading it but believe me.. this book is far from fluffy. It is touching at times and stomach-churning at others..... having read it far too many times to be truly objective any more I can only say that every single person I know who has read this after I recommended it to them has fallen for Arbonne and several have gone on to read all Guy Kay's other novels.

If you're skeptical (you needn't be) just try it; I wish I had the opportunity to read it again for the first time.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars passion and warmth
I love this book, it has a warmth of style and character not found in any other fantasy work i have ever read and belive me at almost 40 years of age that is a lot. Read more
Published 12 months ago by David Moore

3.0 out of 5 stars Good fantasy, bad book
G G Kay is an excellent author. The plots are complex and character driven. The setting is well researched and he pays exquisite attention to detail. Read more
Published on 4 Jun 2005 by Sian

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful
Song for Arbonne is an all time favourite of mine. Kay is a wonderful writer and devotes time and space to all aspects of the book; people, places, culture, story, world creation... Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2004 by cathy

3.0 out of 5 stars Mediocre fantasy
I frequently look at the reviews here on Amazon before I buy a book. The glittering reviews here and the recommendation by a friend of mine convinced me. Read more
Published on 21 Dec 2003

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