Average customer rating:
- A physician's introspective story of his work in a refugee camp
- A unique and candid memoir
|
We Shared The Peeled Orange: The Letters of "Papa Louis" from the Thai-Cambodian Border Refugee Camps 1981-1993
Louis Braile , and
American Refugee Committee
Manufacturer: Syren Book Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Historical
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Medical
| Professionals & Academics
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Memoirs
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Cambodia
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Thailand
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Southeast Asia
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Letters & Correspondence
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0929636341 |
Customer Reviews:
A physician's introspective story of his work in a refugee camp.......2007-08-06
During 12 visits between 1981 and 1993 Dr Louis Braile worked on the Thai-Cambodian border, first in a number of refugee camps and finally at a hospital at Mongkol Borei in northwestern Cambodia. Gentle, introspective and compassionate, his descriptions of his experiences are vivid and often poignant while quietly modest about the author's own dedication to long hours under grueling conditions. Dr Braile worked in virtually every area of medicine, in unsanitary and often unsafe conditions, and dealt with death on a daily basis. His fervent love for the Khmer people kept him returning again and again until the last camp closed and the last refugee went home. Curiously, his life while not at work was a pleasant contrast, as he gives the reader descriptions of meals and journeys through the Thai countryside and a bemused commentary on his encounters across cultural and linguistic barriers.
I worked briefly with "Papa Louis" in 1984 and found this book an open window into those long, dusty days helping patients struggle through disease and injury in bamboo-and-thatch hospitals. If you are one of the thousands of relief workers who worked in the Cambodian refugee camps, this book is a treasury of bittersweet memories.
A unique and candid memoir.......2005-03-18
We Shared The Peeled Orange: The Letters of 'Papa Louis" From The Thai-Cambodian Border Refugee Camps 1981-1993 arises from the letters of volunteer physician Dr. Louis E. Braile and offers the reader an autobiographically descriptive insight into the world of humanitarian relief work as provided by the American Refugee Committee in the refugee camps of such diverse countries as Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Sudan. Dr. Braile (who came to be known as "Papa Louis" completed twelve tours of duty on the Thai-Cambodian border through the American Refugee Committee between 1981 and 1993. His experiences ranged from treating a child suffering from malnutrition to teaching a young refugee basic medical care. Dr. Braile's letters depict hardships, frustrations, pains, and joys of working in a refugee camp in the midst of chaos. Up until his death in 2002, Dr. Braile remained an exemplar of dedication and sacrifice in behalf of peoples whose lives had been shattered by the forces of war, famine, poverty, and politics. We Shared The Peeled Orange is a unique and candid memoir, and a fitting memorable to a man who made a difference in the lives of thousands of desperate and all to often forgotten people.
Book Description
When the original Thai version of Letters from Thailand appeared in Bangkok in 1969, it was promptly awarded the SEATO Prize for Thai Literature. This new English translation reveals it as one of Thailandís most entertaining and enduring modern novels, and one of the few portrayals of the immigrant Chinese experience in urban Thailand.
Letters from Thailand is the story of Tan Suang U, a young man who leaves China to make his fortune in Thailand at the close of World War II, and ends up marrying, raising a family, and operating a successful business. The novel unfolds through his letters to his beloved mother in China.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2005-10-22
An enjoyable and thoughtful story with the structure being letters written from Thailand to China. In the course of these letters the reader learns much about culture, both of China and Thailand, as well as the immigrant experience of Asians within Asia. The story is written in a clear, sincere style that will hold any reader's interest
<
< Beautiful epic >>.......2001-11-15
This novel depicts the life of a Chinese migrant who escaped the utter poverty of rural China for greener pastures in Thailand. Tan Suang U's story is told as a compilation of letters he wrote to his mom in China in a period of 20 years from his arrival in Bangkok in 1945.
A typical tale of rags to riches.
Typical of many "ugly Chinamen", Tan's observations and criticisms of Thai culture are candid and unrefined but also refreshingly honest. Proud of his culture which emphasis honest hard work and frugality, he is destined to be disappointed as within just one generation, his family's cultural identity is lost.
Botans writing style is fluent, brilliant, vivid and full of color. This book won the Siatu literature prize in 1970 and it is one of very few novels that were translated from Thai.
I know it is out of print for a long time but it is worth waiting and looking for.
Superb.......2000-03-07
It's rumored that the writer is a successful millionaire living in Bangkok. This book is a must read about Thai culture and how open it is to immigrants willing to work hard and persevere. It also attests to the Chinese work ethic.
Fascinating cultural look at Thailand and its Chinese Immigr.......1999-08-02
This is the equivalent of A Bintel Brief which depicts Jewish immigrants to the U.S. The letters are said to be based on an actual Thai-Chinese immigrant's letters to his mother in China, which went undelivered but were read by her postman.
story of a chinese family assimilating in Thai culture.......1999-02-24
This a wonderful story of a Chinese family assimilating in Thai culture. Story is based on the letters written by the main character Suang U, living in Thailand to his mother, in China. It is a great book. Every one should read it.
Average customer rating:
|
Letters From Thailand
Manufacturer: Editions Duang Kamol
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H7DU2G |
Average customer rating:
|
Mission to Siam: The Memoirs of Jessie Mackinnon Hartzell
Jessie Mackinnon Hartzell
Manufacturer: University of Hawaii Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Historical
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Thailand
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Essays
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
Presbyterian
| Protestantism
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Imperialism & Independence
| Political Science
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0824823958 |
Average customer rating:
|
The Moon Seems Upside Down: The War Letters of Arthur Alan Mitchell from 1939 to 1945
Manufacturer: Allen & Unwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Australian
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Thailand
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Australia
| Australia & Oceania
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World War II
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Personal Narratives
| World War II
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1863737642 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Emerging Infectious Diseases, published by Thomson Gale on March 1, 2007. The length of the article is 981 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Drug-resistant nontyphoidal Salmonella bacteremia, Thailand [1].(Letter to the editor)(Clinical report)
Author: Wanla Kulwichit
Publication:
Emerging Infectious Diseases (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 13
Issue: 3
Page: 501(2)
Article Type: Letter to the editor, Clinical report
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from American Scholar, published by Thomson Gale on January 1, 2006. The length of the article is 2684 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: An Eden with barbed wire.(Letter From Mae La; refugee camp )
Author: David Summers
Publication:
American Scholar (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 75
Issue: 1
Page: 6(4)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
Saint-Saveur Cathedral of Aix-en-Provence is an ancient structure of many secrets-a perfect monument to fill the lens of a celebrated photographer, and a perfect place for the photographer's son, Ned Marriner, to lose himself while his father works.
But the cathedral isn't the empty edifice it appears to be. Its history is very much alive in the present day-and it's calling out to Ned.
Customer Reviews:
Fabulous!.......2007-10-09
This is Kay at his finest. If you liked Tigana or A Song for Arbonne, you'll find the same flavor in this book. Kay's writing is superb, his historical elements are well researched, and the plot flows smoothly. Highly recommended!
Not half as good as his other books.......2007-10-09
I love Guy Gavriel Kay, but this book is horrible.
My favorite is Lions of Al-Rassan and the Sarantium Tapestry, if you want to get to know his work.
First of all, this book is dull, the unfolding of events is unexciting, and the entire thing took me a month to read, whereas the others I read in a matter of days. It reads like a bad detective story.
The characters are shallow - the thing with Kay's heroes being always so... Heroic, just doesn't work here. They're not amazing people, they're pompous and boring.
The only intersting bit is the end, but the book is truely not worth the read.
Perhaps it's the fact that the books happens in our time and not in some fantastic past, or it's that there are too few characters. Something is wrong in this book, which is kind of sad for a big Kay fan such as me.
Mr Kay never disappoints.......2007-10-02
"Ysabel" is set in modern day Provence, with a modern American teen, Ned Mariner, as protagonist, and I wondered if I'd like this book, a departure from GGK's normal, historically-based fantasies. I wasn't more than a few pages in when I knew the answer--a resounding yes.
Kay's wonderful feel for setting and language painted Provence in all its colors and flavors--I was transported right back to that magical place, as if I'd flown in Air France. Ned is likeable, believable, a normal teen with a sweet core I found appealing. The storytelling is subtle, and the magic creeps in gently, but in the end, the story is hair-raising and deeply satisfying. As ever with Kay's work, the emotions evoked by the text for the reader are genuine and heartfelt, and that's rare in any literature. Ysabel was an unexpected pleasure, a first-rate read.
Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay.......2007-09-19
Ysabel is a different kind of novel for Guy Gavriel Kay, because instead of being about a specific historical period and culture like some of his past novels: Song for Arbonne, The Last Light of the Sun, and The Sarantine Mosaic two-book series; Ysabel is set in the present day, a feat Kay has never attempted before, and while I don't believe this book is in his top three best novels, it nevertheless possesses much of the charm, character, and creative skill that Kay brings to all his books.
Ned Marriner is a fifteen year-old boy with raging hormones, hanging out with his father who is a world-renowned photographer working on a new coffee table book in the south of France. Ned is used to this situation, hanging out with his father and his father's assistants: Greg, Steve, and the overly organized Melanie who he kind of has a crush on. Ned's mother, a member of Doctors Without Borders, is currently helping the sick in Sudan; each day Ned and his father, Edward, spend their spare time worrying about the safety of their mother.
The first fifty pages of the book run kind of slow, as we get to know the characters in this very ordinary setting for Kay with talk of Google, Ipods, and cellphones; but it is well balanced with the amazing and ancient architecture of the cathedrals and other beautiful locations Edward is photographing in Provence. Kay, like all good authors who really go out of their way with the research, spent time in Provence and the south of France, getting to know the people and the places, and the feel, resulting in an honest narrative that makes the reader imagine they're really there. It is at the cathedral that he meets the nerdy Kate, a girl of equal age from New York and they immediately hit it off as friends, with perhaps something more to come. It is here also that Ned has his first weird and "psychic" feeling of someone close by, watching, whereupon they discover a man with a knife waiting to attack them, but they manage to escape.
These feelings that Ned has continue to get stronger and stronger, to the point where he has an extreme migraine and discovers it is because he is standing at the location where a great battle was fought over two thousand years ago. He feels the pain and suffering of all those who died with this new ability that he cannot control. As the story grows it becomes evident that he is involved in an ancient Celtic love triangle that is continuously getting replayed throughout history. The Celtic woman in question is Ysabel. On the eve of Beltaine the ritual begins, as the Celtic ghosts appear from thin air in their all too familiar roles. Ned and Kate find themselves drawn in, to the point where Kate is almost selected as a "host body" for Ysabel, but then Melanie arrives at the last second and is chosen. Ysabel - transformed from Melanie -- gives her two ancient Celtic suitors three days to find her, with the one who finds her first becoming her true love, and the other being sacrificed. It then becomes a chasing game, as Ned and his friends and family - with the arrival of a long lost yet powerful aunt and uncle - must find Ysabel/Melanie before it is too late.
While this is a classic Kay novel with the characterization, pacing, and action, along with a familiar magical element; the overall plot leaves the reader wondering what was the whole point: a Celtic love triangle that repeats itself? Coupled with modern day scenery as opposed to the familiar historical world we are so used to with Kay; Ysabel is an okay novel, but I hope Kay gets back to his regular historical fantasy with his next book.
For more book reviews, and other writings, go to www.alexctelander.com
Ysabel Review.......2007-09-02
Ysabel was a bit of a disappointment. After such well-developed stories, characters and contexts as found in Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, The Fionavar Tapestry, and the Sarantium books, Ysabel falls flat. There was possibility with the premise of the story. There is plenty of history and potential character development alluded to that could have been made part of the story, but it seemed that the book was either rushed out to print or edited down way too far. All that being said, it was a good read, just without the richness one would usually expect from a GGK book.
Book Description
"Elegant, sweeping, and colorful...one of those books you wish would never end." (San Francisco Chronicle)
This is the acclaimed novel about forbidden love, bitter rivalries, and power struggles, set in a world based on Eleanor of Aquitaine's France-from Guy Gavriel Kay, who "stands among the world's finest fantasy authors" (Montreal Gazette).
"This panoramic, absorbing novel beautifully creates an alternate version of the medieval world....Kay creates a vivid world of love and music, magic, and death." (Publishers Weekly)
"A richly ornamented and tightly woven tapestry, a panoramic and compelling tale....War, love, assassination, deception, kindness, heroism, loyalty, friendship, and magic mix...in startling, unexpected, and satisfying ways." (Locus)
"A cracking good fantasy novel." (Interzone)
"Kay has another hit on his hands." (Toronto Star)
"Rarely has a book come along that fulfills on so many levels without succumbing to stereotype or unbelievable characters ....Kay skillfully and lyrically paints a portrait of a land and the human hearts that inhabit it, complete with their failures and epiphanies." (Palm Beach Post)
"A novel of epic sweep and panoramic romance provides a sensual and stirring feast for readers." (South Bend Tribune)
Customer Reviews:
A good one from Kay, though a bit under my expectations.......2007-04-06
I will probably end up comparing every GGK novel that I read to Tigana, because I thought of that book often as I was reading this. Arbonne has a lot of the same themes: rival nations, good character development, good back story, love and betrayal, etc... The novel displays all of these themes well, though perhaps not as well as it's predecessor.
It took me until about two-thirds into this book before I really became engrossed. Until then, we had a lot of in depth characters (flawed heroes, sly musicians, noble counts and countesses) but not much reason to care about what happened to any of them. It wasn't until the last third or so of the book, when we start seeing more POVs from Arbonne's rival nation Gorhaut, that these story archs start tying together and making the earlier segments more relevant. Once the last act really starts moving, the book became engaging and the pages flew by. Still, even after finishing the book, I couldn't help but think that something I was waiting for had been missing the whole time.
In Tigana, we knew exactly why the heroes fought and what they fought for. It was a story of revenge and redemption and an evil magic used to erase an entire people. There was a passion in their cause and a villain you could truly hate yet love at the same time. In Arbonne, we have two nations that will inevitebly fight each other because the poems say that they have to. We have villains who make excuses to go to war, (think of Rosala as Helen of Troy) simply because it is in their nature and their religious beliefs demand it. Because of this, it felt more like I was reading about these people from the sidelines than being involved as if I were actually there.
Still, this is Guy Gavriel Kay, and he does know how to write a book. His prose and dialogue are as always, excellent. His environments are descriptive and vibrant, his characters are heartfelt. Sure, some of the characters are cliches (Blaise is many cliches rolled into one) but you still care for them and cheer for them. This is a story of love, innocence, war and honor and Kay does well with all of these themes. Because it was written by him is why I give it 4 stars. Only Kay can take a story that is slightly cliche and contrived and whip it up into something enjoyable lke Arbonne. I will look forward to reading the rest of his work soon.
A lovely, enlightened epic adventure.......2006-08-25
The story starts out very slowly, at 100-plus pages into it I found myself wondering why I was still reading. But when the story picks up, it does so really quickly, so much so that I could not put it down afterwards. I loved the twists, the intrigues, and the raw passion and emotion involved in the politics and rivalries between the countries. What stood out particularly for me was the theme of destiny and how little incidents that occur in the lives of the characters are inexorably intertwined (with Blaise of Gorhaut at the crux of these crossroads), and how the decisions that people make can shape future events. The writing is richly detailed and sensitive, whether describing a joglar conveying the artistry of his troubador, or in recounting a fierce battle scene. The characters are strong and well-developed. I found Blaise Gorhaut to be especially likeable and noble. Despite having been raised by a sadistic and cunning father, he managed to rise out of his circumstances and refused to be molded into his fathers beliefs. Furthermore, whereas his father constantly derided women, Blaise treated them with respect and courtesy.
Although the book is not overtly feminist, it does carry somewhat feminist (for lack of a better word) undertones. Arbonne acknowledges BOTH a god and a goddess deity, representing a state of balance of the masculine yang with the feminine yin, whereas Gorhaut, Gotzland, and other lands represent the unbalanced, patriarchal societal in which women are treated as second class citizens. This is interesting in light of the fact that early societies initially started out as matriarchies, as evidenced by the Goddess/pagan religions, which, with the advent of Christianity, became supplanted by male-dominated societies. Perhaps the future of our society is headed towards one similar to that of Arbonnes, where neither male nor female are better than the other, and both share mutual respect and equal footing all while keeping their respective masculinity and femininity intact.
Beautiful prose, but highly contrived plot and ending........2006-08-01
Arbonne and Gorhaut--two lands as different as the sun and the shadowed moon.
In the south, the olive trees and vineyards of Arbonne flourish, as the troubadours fill the air with the music of love and desire. To the north, the history of Gorhaut has been forged with blood and fire, and now a degenerate king and his ruthless advisor seek to quench a thirst for conquest by sweeping down upon Arbonne. But the land of courtly love is also a land of passion, willing to wage a complex and cunning fight to survive.
This epic fantasy is inspired by the troubadour culture of Provence and the historical events of the Albigensian Crusade in the 13th century. Those who do not truly understand Arbonne--a land of goddess-worshippers ruled by a woman, a place that values song and the romantic conventions of love above all things--might think of it as weak. Certainly, that's what Blaise, a wandering young knight embittered by recent events in his home country of Gorhaut, believes at first. But Blaise gradually discerns the hidden strength of Arbonne, and his dawning respect for the land and its people as well as his passionate love for his own kingdom will lead him to defend Arbonne and Gorhaut against the man he perceives as a threat to both: Gorhaut's most powerful cleric--Blaise's father.
This is a wonderful book, filled with many characters with interesting potential. One major regret was that some of the characters I found most interesting, such as Blaise's assassin friend from an analogy to an Italian city-state, or the homosexual husband of Ariane Barbentaine, don't receive the development that they deserve. The assassin fellow is fascinating enough to star in his own series. Also lacking development is Bertrand's rival, and late husband to his lost love, who lurks like a menacing cloud behind the Barbentaine court and over the heads of other major characters, but whose ultimate actions and motivations remain a mystery.
Regardless, as one other reviewer said, it's easy to ascertain when an event of some great importance to the story is set to occur, as every major character suddenly appears in the room. The book is also pretty heavy handed with "real men", the rough and tumble types, but glorifies the delicate yet artistic types that one can only assume Kay himself identifies with. While the writing style builds to a fairly interesting emotional level in the first quarter of the book, by the time we actually reach Arbonne, the tone changes so much you feel Kay is driving home a personal point, and the book starts to feel more than a bit "preachy".
Finally, the dénouement is somewhat contrived, in that it appears that the main enemy, in the person of Blaise's father, has only had Blaise's best interests, as he perceives them, at heart all along. His crimes on behalf of Gorhaut, and ultimate price paid for them, are merely stepping stones to ensure Blaise's security. One's credulity can only be stretched so far.
Regardless, the prose is, indeed, beautiful, and I'm currently starting Tigana, in hopes of a rather better story with more believable character motivations. After that, there's always the Sarantine Mosaic, and Lions of Al Rassan.
A Song for Arbonne.......2006-04-25
I think I am different from most Guy Gavriel Kay fans in that I really didn't care much for his novel, Tigana, and I LOVED A Song for Arbonne.
The story has a great blend of history, action, romance and drama. Taking place in a fantastical French Provence, Kay details a country built on art and culture, worshipping a godess (therefore making it "womanish") and its passion to stay afloat in a world ruled by men and war. The characters are richly-written, the story well-told, and the setting perfectly chosen.
This is the sort of book you can read once and be captivated. And to come back to it after a long absence is like finding an old friend all over again.
Beware- last I saw, this Roc paperback edition of this book had a VERY important typo in it, that can change the way you read the ending of the book. I don't know if this has been taken care of yet, but it's something to take note of.
I read my eyes out.......2006-02-22
A bitterly triumphant tale of love, hate, and nobility of spirit. This is a beautifully woven novel that defines the bounds of true patriotism in a historically accurate setting, where the true of heart manage to prevail, but with staggering losses-a truth that the kitsch of most fantasy novels ignores completely. Do not allow this novel to be darkened by the shadow of the award-winning Tigana, either: the emotions are just as strongly felt and the political themes just as relevant. In the end, simply an engaging novel that I failed to put aside until sleep claimed me in the larger hours of the morning. Don't miss this!
Average customer rating:
- Beautiful prose, but highly contrived plot and ending.
|
A Song for Arbonne
Guy Gavriel Kay
Manufacturer: Earthlight
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Kay, Guy Gavriel | ( K ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books | Alternate History | Anthologies | Arthurian | Contemporary | Epic | General | Historical | History & Criticism | Magic & Wizards | Series
ASIN: 0743450078 |
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful prose, but highly contrived plot and ending........2006-08-01
Arbonne and Gorhaut--two lands as different as the sun and the shadowed moon.
In the south, the olive trees and vineyards of Arbonne flourish, as the troubadours fill the air with the music of love and desire. To the north, the history of Gorhaut has been forged with blood and fire, and now a degenerate king and his ruthless advisor seek to quench a thirst for conquest by sweeping down upon Arbonne. But the land of courtly love is also a land of passion, willing to wage a complex and cunning fight to survive.
This epic fantasy is inspired by the troubadour culture of Provence and the historical events of the Albigensian Crusade in the 13th century. Those who do not truly understand Arbonne--a land of goddess-worshippers ruled by a woman, a place that values song and the romantic conventions of love above all things--might think of it as weak. Certainly, that's what Blaise, a wandering young knight embittered by recent events in his home country of Gorhaut, believes at first. But Blaise gradually discerns the hidden strength of Arbonne, and his dawning respect for the land and its people as well as his passionate love for his own kingdom will lead him to defend Arbonne and Gorhaut against the man he perceives as a threat to both: Gorhaut's most powerful cleric--Blaise's father.
This is a wonderful book, filled with many characters with interesting potential. One major regret was that some of the characters I found most interesting, such as Blaise's assassin friend from an analogy to an Italian city-state, or the homosexual husband of Ariane Barbentaine, don't receive the development that they deserve. The assassin fellow is fascinating enough to star in his own series. Also lacking development is Bertrand's rival, and late husband to his lost love, who lurks like a menacing cloud behind the Barbentaine court and over the heads of other major characters, but whose ultimate actions and motivations remain a mystery.
Regardless, as one other reviewer said, it's easy to ascertain when an event of some great importance to the story is set to occur, as every major character suddenly appears in the room. The book is also pretty heavy handed with "real men", the rough and tumble types, but glorifies the delicate yet artistic types that one can only assume Kay himself identifies with. While the writing style builds to a fairly interesting emotional level in the first quarter of the book, by the time we actually reach Arbonne, the tone changes so much you feel Kay is driving home a personal point, and the book starts to feel more than a bit "preachy".
Finally, the dénouement is somewhat contrived, in that it appears that the main enemy, in the person of Blaise's father, has only had Blaise's best interests, as he perceives them, at heart all along. His crimes on behalf of Gorhaut, and ultimate price paid for them, are merely stepping stones to ensure Blaise's security. One's credulity can only be stretched so far.
Regardless, the prose is, indeed, beautiful, and I'm currently starting Tigana, in hopes of a rather better story with more believable character motivations. After that, there's always the Sarantine Mosaic, and Lions of Al Rassan.
Average customer rating:
|
A Song for Arbonne
Guy Gavriel Kay
Manufacturer: Penguin Books Canada, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: 0140132899 |
Average customer rating:
|
A SONG FOR ARBONNE (by the author of the Fionavar Tapestry)
Guy Gavriel Kay
Manufacturer: Viking
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books | Alternate History | Anthologies | Arthurian | Contemporary | Epic | General | Historical | History & Criticism | Magic & Wizards | Series
Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books | Adventure | Alternate History | Anthologies | General | Graphic Novels | High Tech | History & Criticism | Series | Short Stories | Space Opera
ASIN: 0002240629 |
Average customer rating:
|
A Song for Arbonne
Manufacturer: New Amer Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HUGNSQ |
Average customer rating:
|
A Song for Arbonne
Manufacturer: New Amer Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HUGNRW |
Books:
- Welcome to Junior's! Remembering Brooklyn With Recipes and Memories from Its Favorite Restaurant
- World Enough and Time: The Life of Andrew Marvell
- Yanomami: The Fierce Controversy and What We Can Learn from It (California Series in Public Anthropology)
- A Just Defense of the Natural Freedom of Slaves: All Slaves Should Be Free (1682) by Epifanio De Moirans, a Critical Edition and Translation of Servi Liberi Seu Naturalis Mancipiorum Libertatis Iusta
- A Painter of Our Time
- A Reed Shaken By The Wind: Travels Among The Marsh Arabs Of Iraq
- A Ripple From the Storm (The Children of Violence, Book 3)
- Acid Row
- Adjusting Sights
- Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations...One School at a Time
- Social Problems: Readings with Four Questions
- Miracle on the 17th Green: A Novel about Life, Love, Family, Miracles ... and Golf
- Invisible No More:: The Secret Lives of Women Over 50
- Maori Tattooing
- Organic Chemistry Laboratory: Standard and Microscale Experiments
- The Guns of August
- Silver in America, 1840-1940: A Century of Splendor
- Mark Catesby"s Natural History Of America
- I Saw a Nation Die: Men May Have Dreams
