I’m a big fan of Guy Gavriel Kay. He’s one of those authors whose novels, much like the works of Neil Gaiman, I save for a rainy day, when I’m feeling jaded on Fantasy and need a good kick in the ass. His novels are inspiring.
He’s also frustratingly quiet about his upcoming projects until they are nearly done. Because of this, it’s always exciting news when he finally announces the first details of whatever he’s working on.
From his official forums:
The new novel is called UNDER HEAVEN. It is a long, single-volume historical fantasy inspired by the extraordinary Tang Dynasty, essentially 8th century China.
It will appear in the English-language markets in April and May of 2010.
Kay’s known for creating fictional worlds that echo pieces of our history. I’m a sucker for Asian history and mythology, so to see him stepping away from the European-inspired settings that he’s best known for and tackling a world based on 8th-century China is getting me all hot and bothered. On top of it all, his ability to craft fully-realized characters and plots in a single volume is nearly unsurpassed in the genre.
To say I’ll be awaiting this one with bated breath would be a severe understatement.
This does indeed sound exciting! I really loved the Sarantine Mosaic. On the other hand, I never could get into Tigana, and I’ve left Last Light of the Sun two-thirds finished for weeks now. He’s a very lyrical writer.
Speaking of Asian-themed fantasy, have you read the books by Lian Hearn? I have Across the Nightingale Floor downloaded in audio format but haven’t started on it yet.
Good to hear about Kay’s next work.
Seth: I enjoyed the first 2 of Hearn’s series, but I mostly disliked the main female character, so it was good and bad for me. YMMV. I also listened to the audio books of the first 2 novels and enjoyed them. One of these days I need to reread (or relisten) so I can finish up the series; I bought the last two books and the prequel novel, but I never got around to them! ;-(
Heh. Don’t forget the clean, elegant prose. GGK is a writer who has improved with age.
I also loved (!) Across the Nightingale Floor. I haven’t read the rest of the series yet, but am really looking forward to it.
This seriously made my week. Kay is one of my very favourite authors, and I can’t wait to see how he tackles this new material.
Wow, fantastic news! I’m a big fan of GGK and it’s great to hear what the upcoming project is.
I am really excited about this book as I already have an interest in China and I would love to see Kay’s take on it, although I hope it more like his older novels. I was really did not enjoy Last Light of the Sun.
[…] too long ago, Guy Gavriel Kay finally announced his next project, Under Heaven. Not the most prolific author, but certainly one of the best working […]
This is too cool! The Tang dynasty has always been one of my muses. To see such a great author get behind the period…I can’t wait.