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Showing posts from September, 2022

Lions of Al-Rassan; a bittersweet tragedy

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 Lions of Al-Rassan is a standalone novel written by Guy Gavriel Kay, set in a fictional rendition of medieval Spain, inspired by the history of El Cid. This is the second of Kay's works that I've read, and while it didn't inspire the same awe in me that Under Heaven did, it's still a book that I greatly appreciated reading. First things first: the Kindath are Jews, the Jaddites Christians, the Asharites Muslims. Remember this when you read this review, and hopefully when you read the book itself. I was confused by the terminology and names, but having this in mind helped me to navigate through the religious conflicts and references in this book.  The story of Lions of Al-Rassan is spearheaded by three characters, who all come from vastly different backgrounds; Jehane, a Kindath medic, Rodrigo Belmonte, a renowned Jaddite mercenary, and Ammar Ibn Khairan, an Asharite, the man who killed the last Khalif of Al-Rassan. One of the tale's many highlights was in seeing ho

A review of Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay; a picturesque walk through a close fictional rendition of Tang Dynasty China

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Under Heaven is a story set in a fictional rendition of Tang Dynasty China, closely adapting the events of the An Lushan rebellion. This was my entryway into the world of Guy Gavriel Kay's works; Kay is best known for writing stories that are very closely inspired by history, which takes a quarter turn towards the fantastical. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book, and in this review I'll explain exactly why. In this story, Kay focuses on smaller strands in history's grand tapestry, which is evident in the protagonist's writing. Shen Tai is a gravedigger at Kuala Nor, working to bury dead corpses left behind in the aftermath of a war, often accompanied by the hallowing voices of souls. His solitude is soon brought to an end, as a letter from the Taguran Empire's Queen arrives, announcing a personal gift of two hundred and fifty Sardian horses for Shen Tai. The plot then ensues, and we as readers can then see how a normal man can be swept right into the tides o

The Boys Season 3 Finale, it's common criticisms, and my response

This post was taken directly from my post on Reddit, and there will be full spoilers for season, 3 of this show in this post. I'm working on points for a comprehensive review of The Boys, so if you are interested in the points of worship and praise that I want to fully express about this show, keep an eye out. For now however, if you don't want spoilers for season 3 of The Boys, please click away. Before jumping into the finale, I was concerned because the general reception to it seemed so negative, with some people even comparing it to Game of Thrones' season 8. But I ended up genuinely enjoying it, and a lot of the general criticisms I was seeing people make were choices that made sense to me. This post is intended to be my response to these points.  Firstly,  1) Starlight's whole power up scene. Look, I love Starlight. Her character conflict of fighting for her personal values and ideals in a world where everything she fights for is discouraged is an inspiring act. I