Kadomi reviewed Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay
Review of 'Under Heaven' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Tagging this book is difficult, because it's not really anything that can be labeled true fantasy. There's hints of magic, but mostly, it's a re-telling of the end of the golden age of the Tang dynasty of feudal China.
The story is mostly told from the view of the protagonist Shen Tai. Son of a famous general of the empire, he withdraws for the mourning period after his father's death to honor the dead of his people and those of their neighbors, the Tagurans, at the site of the greatest battle his father ever fought. Burying the dead and bringing peace to the ghosts for two years, Shen Tai receives a huge gift from the Tagurans, 250 Heavenly Horse that are considered priceless in the Kitai empire. This suddenly turns Shen Tai into a figure of importance, as he's thrust into imperial politics and warring factions inside it.
It didn't …
Tagging this book is difficult, because it's not really anything that can be labeled true fantasy. There's hints of magic, but mostly, it's a re-telling of the end of the golden age of the Tang dynasty of feudal China.
The story is mostly told from the view of the protagonist Shen Tai. Son of a famous general of the empire, he withdraws for the mourning period after his father's death to honor the dead of his people and those of their neighbors, the Tagurans, at the site of the greatest battle his father ever fought. Burying the dead and bringing peace to the ghosts for two years, Shen Tai receives a huge gift from the Tagurans, 250 Heavenly Horse that are considered priceless in the Kitai empire. This suddenly turns Shen Tai into a figure of importance, as he's thrust into imperial politics and warring factions inside it.
It didn't occur to me until I read the Wikipedia page about the Tang dynasty how close a retelling of the An-Lushan rebellion this is, but it's a tale I definitely enjoyed. Shen Tai and his sister, but also all other characters, are engrossing and interesting. I would have liked a lot more depth for Wen Zhou, more insight into why he made his decisions. He stayed a bit flat for me.
Other than that, it certainly scratched my itch to read something that's as close to Asian-themed fantasy as I can get, I suppose. It's an enjoyable story.