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A Brightness Long Ago

A profound and unforgettable historical fantasy novel
4.18 goodreads logo

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( 8,150 ratings, 1,180 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay is a historical fantasy that weaves together the intertwined lives in a vividly reimagined Italian Renaissance. The story delves into power, memory, and destiny, showcasing the complex relationships between ambitious individuals and the significant events that shape their world. As characters navigate the shifting tides of politics and personal ambitions, the book explores themes of courage, choice, and the lasting impact of history.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate rich, historical tapestry and complex characters set in a world reminiscent of Renaissance Italy. The narrative weaves themes of power, love, and destiny through intertwined lives, offering a profound exploration of how personal choices shape history. Ideal for those who like immersive storytelling with a lyrical style and intricate political intrigue.

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Guy Gavriel Kay, bestselling author of the groundbreaking novels Under Heaven, River of Stars and Children of Earth and Sky returns with yet another breathtaking epic.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
'The greatest living author of epic fantasy' - Brandon Sanderson 'The finest in his field' - Tor.com Guy Gavriel Kay's A Brightness Long Ago is a masterpiece; perhaps the finest work of one of the world's greatest living storytellers' - Fantasy Book Review One of Goodreads' Most Anticipated SFF Books of 2019 Internationally bestselling author Guy Gavriel Kay's latest work is set in a world evoking early Renaissance Italy, with an extraordinary cast of characters.

In a chamber overlooking the nighttime waterways of a maritime city, a man looks back on his youth and the people who shaped his life. Danio Cerra's intelligence won him entry to a renowned school, though he was only the son of a tailor. He took service at the court of a ruling count - and soon learned why that man was known as The Beast.

Danio's fate changed the moment he recognized Adria Ripoli as she entered the count's chambers one night - intending to kill. Born to power, Adria had chosen a life of danger - and freedom - instead.

Other vivid figures share the story: a healer determined to defy her expected lot; a charming, frivolous son of immense wealth; a religious leader more decadent than devout; and, affecting these lives and many more, two mercenary commanders, whose rivalry puts a world in the balance.

Further praise for Guy Gavriel Kay 'Contemporary fiction's finest fantasist' Tor.com 'History and fantasy rarely come together as gracefully or readably as they do in the novels of Guy Gavriel Kay' Washington Post 'One of the (if not the) premiere fantasists of our time' The Financial Times 'Compulsively readable . . . Kay is a global phenomenon . . . a storyteller on the grandest scale' Time Magazine (Canada)

Series: Children of Earth and Sky

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  • A Brightness Long Ago
    'The greatest living author of epic fantasy' - Brandon Sanderson 'The finest in his field' - Tor.com Guy Gavriel Kay's A Brightness Long Ago is a masterpiece; perhaps the finest work of one of the world's greatest living storytellers' - Fantasy Book Review One of Goodreads' Most Anticipated SFF Books of 2019 Internationally bestselling author Guy Gavriel Kay's latest work...
    Paperback
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • All the Seas of the World
    'Kay is a genius' Brandon Sanderson All the Seas of the World returns to the near-Renaissance world of A Brightness Long Ago and Children of Earth and Sky. International bestselling author Guy Gavriel Kay weaves a tale of vengeance, power, and love. On a dark night along a lonely stretch of coast, a small ship, the Silver Wake, sends two...
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Children of Earth and Sky
    Guy Gavriel Kay, bestselling author of the groundbreaking novels Under Heaven and River of Stars, once again visits a world that evokes one that existed in our own past, this time the tumultuous period of Renaissance Europeβ€”a world on the verge of war, where ordinary lives play out in the grand scheme of kingdoms colliding. From the small coastal town...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

A Brightness Long Ago is widely praised for its rich and detailed narrative set in an intricately crafted world that beautifully echoes history. The novel is celebrated for its engaging storytelling and complex characters, with reviewers noting the author's skill in weaving cultural and religious conflicts into a compelling fantasy epic.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781473692374

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 23 January 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Hodder Paperback

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 34.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 317g

Pages: 448

About the Author

Guy Gavriel Kay has published 13 novels which have been translated into 30 languages and have appeared on bestseller lists around the world. He is also the author of the acclaimed poetry collection, Beyond This Dark House. His most recent work is Children of Earth and Sky. Before beginning his career as a novelist, Kay was retained by the Estate of J.R.R. Tolkien to assist in the editorial construction of The Silmarillion, the first and best-known of the posthumously published Tolkien works. Called to the Bar of Ontario in 1980, he has also been principal writer and associate producer for the CBC's award-winning crime-drama series, The Scales of Justice. Kay has twice won the Aurora Award, is a multiple World Fantasy Award nominee, and won that award in 2008 for Ysabel. He has also won France's Prix Elbakin for both Under Heaven and River of Stars, and is the recipient of the International Goliardos Prize, presented in Mexico City, for his contributions to the literature of the fantastic.

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