Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay: Fantasy February Group Read

Tigana is considered by many to be Kay's finest book. During Fantasy February, those of us who haven't read the book yet are correcting this deficiency. Those who'd like to revisit Tigana are welcome as well. Please join us.

Participants:
msf59 (Mark)
Tanglewood (Michelle)
ronincats (Roni)
souloftherose (Heather)
bahzah (Claudia)
dkphoenix (Faith)
morigue (Lori)
SandDune (Rhian)
LauraBrook (Laura)
ccookie (Cathy)
crazymamie (Mamie)
voodooparula
AnneDC
kerridwyn
katiekrug?
Gogs81 (Chelle)

Thank you Roni for setting this up. This will be my first FF read of the month and I am looking forward to it!

I'll check on you from time to time. Tigana is my very favorite stand-alone fantasy, and I hope that you every one enjoy it!

I think I may well join in with this as well - but may not read it until the second half of the month.

Oh! Lookit that! I'm in a GR...
ok. ok...

Yah, for Claudia! Yah, for Claudia!

This will be my first Group Read in... ages! I usually get sidetracked, but I'm going to give this one all I've got since I'm dedicated to reading books off the shelf this year... so I have to get to it eventually regardless! Looking forward to it. :) My cover is quite different, I wonder how many different covers we have in the group? This is mine:

Faith- I love that cover! My cover is in post #2. I am glad you are joining us. We have a nice group going!

Haven't read Tigana in a while (I've been knitting ._. ); looking forward to a re-read. Should be fun!

I just requested this from the library and it seems to be available so I think I may join in too.

Go Anne! Go Anne! I plan on starting it in a couple of days.

I'm in. I didn't see the cover of mine in the options. It's a Roc hardback... but the image is similar to msf59's.

This is the edition I have:



I am thinking of joining y'all...

I have the same edition as Katie, and I'm definitely in.

I have this edition. Am I still in or should I read an old James Patterson, that I have laying around?

I haven't participated in a group read before. Do we all read at the same pace, or are there different threads we can chime in on when we get to specific points? Thanks!

voodooparula- You have a great username! You should fit in perfectly. I will discuss this with the G.R. host and see if we should at least split it into 2 threads.

"Both Moons were high, dimming the light of all but the brightest stars."

Yes, I started a day early. This is a big boy, so give me a break. The tiny print in my paperback copy, was killing me, so I buzzed over to the library and picked up a perfect ROC hardback. This is a lovely edition and one I might have to purchase. It has the same cover in #15 but the border is purple not black.
I am starting to get into the rhythm of the story. Sorting through these characters is always a chore in the beginning. I love his style though.

"Guy Gavriel Kay (born November 7, 1954) is a Canadian author of fantasy fiction. Many of his novels are set in fictional realms that resemble real places during real historical periods, such as Constantinople during the reign of Justinian I or Spain during the time of El Cid. Those works are published and marketed as historical fantasy, though the author himself has expressed a preference to shy away from genre categorization when possible.

Kay has written over 10 novels and numerous shorter works.

He was born in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, both in Canada."

A little background info!

I'll set up a spoiler thread for discussion of plot points that need to be encountered in the book, not on this thread. General discussion of the society, world-building and the personalities of the characters should be okay here. The book is divided into 5 parts with a short prologue and epilogue. Except for part 2, each is either 136 or 147 pages long in my paperback. People are free to read at their own speed, but for discussion purposes, shall we progress in pacing at about 25 pages a day, to complete within February? This is entirely up to all of you as a group. Let's get some feedback!

I first encountered Kay with his first work, The Fionavar Tapestrytrilogy, back in the 1980s when everyone was trying to be Tolkien. Kay wasn't Tolkien but his books, although flawed, were better than about any of the others. For as much as I've enjoyed those books, I've read surprisingly little Kay although I have a number in my tbr pile here. I've read and loved The Lions of Al-Rassan and Ysabel where we meet some of his original characters. Tigana seems to be most people's favorite and I'm looking forward to reading it.

Spoiler thread is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/149214

I've added this thread to the group wiki so folks can find it easily.

I was just notified that a copy is on reserve for me at the library so I will wander over to pick it up this afternoon.

I'm in! And I managed to grab a copy from the library today :)

Oh - I'm liking this one! The first few pages got me nervous - so many names to remember. But before long things started getting interesting.
Up to page 107 now - and it seems like things are starting to heat up :-}

I am only a few pages in and finding it a little challenging - but liking it!

Whoo-hoo!!! Starting on Tuesday. :)

Hi all - I'm joining the group read and have just started it on audio. So far so good, although I'll have to find a print copy so that I can get all the names straight.

I'm also starting on Tuesday. Remember, general discussion of the book without specific plot points is welcomed here.

Okay, so I'm about 100 pages in and I'm finally getting the swing of things! I had to flip back plenty of times to keep names straight, but I think the book has hit its groove. The sex scene seemed a little out of place though, especially so early... I can't be the only one who went "waaaait a minute... there's got to be a better way to divert someone's attention?!" Haha!

So, at the pace suggested above, when would discussion start for part 2? Or has it already? I haven't flipped through the book completely and I don't want to hit the spoiler thread until I'm caught up... are most readers over there at 250+ pages already?

I'm on page 220 now.
Felt like someone slammed on the brakes when I got to Dianora - but things are picking up again.
Equation is getting more complex :-)

Sex scene:
"...there's got to be a better way to divert someone's attention..."
Better way? In a dark closet? With a 19 y/o man? LOL

Claudia- I agree that the Dianora segment slowed things down. I wanted more Devin & the gang but like you said, the Dianora part begins to grow on you, especially as it starts to reveal itself. I'm over the 400 page mark.

The Dianora part really picks up with her back history which is slowly and expertly revealed! I felt the same way initially but am now loving this part too. (I'm listening on audio so can't tell how far I've read.) I am really drawn to the descriptions of the Tiganians' loss and how deeply they feel for their country, their culture and traditions.

Faith, hasn't been anyone over to the spoiler thread yet! Like I said, talk about background and atmosphere and general details here as much as you want, and head over to the spoiler thread for specific plot details. Why don't we put at the top of our message what pages we're specifically talking about there and then skip a few lines before starting so people can avoid reading messages way beyond where they are, or is that too much trouble?

I finally started, and have finished the first two chapters this morning. I'm familiar with Kay's adoption of actual medieval or Renaissance societies to underlie his stories, and with his pronunciation guide and the map, it's clear this is modeled on the Italian peninsula, just as The Lions of Al-Rassan was on the Iberian peninsula. It will be interesting to see how he integrates it all.

>30 -Cee-:: Oh, touche on that point!!! LOL... I guess his age slipped my mind, for some reason I thought he was a bit older.

>33 ronincats:: I think adding page numbers followed by blank space + discussion is a great idea!

Oh, my, you guys are making me want to reread it NOW, though I've got so much else on the TBR pile!

Okay, there's some discussion beginning on the Spoiler thread about the portrayal of sexual relationships in the book, up to about page 340 or so. If you've read that far, pop on over and add your thoughts. :)

I read Tigana years ... decades ago, and am still trying to track down a library or e- copy to read. If I don't manage it, I might hop over to the spoiler thread, anyway.

Just marking my spot, for now.

aaaaahhhhrrrrggggg!! The DRM on my e-copy copy from the Toronto library has just been de-authorized. My loan has expired! I knew it was coming sometime today but what I did not know was that there are now 3 people on the waiting list (for the three copies that are now checked out). I should get it back before the end of the month but will not likely have it finished by the end of the month. aaaaahhhhrrrrggggg!! This is a very good book and I am very disappointed to lose it!

Oh, fine, I started a re-read of Tigana last night, notwithstanding the PILE of fantasy that I got from the library and have to finish soon. I just couldn't resist. Thanks, guys, thanks a lot. :)

(I'm only a little ways in, at the intermission of Duke Sandre's funeral rites, and already it's clear why I always get such a warm feeling when I think about it.)

I am, now, 2 out of 3 on the wait list - getting closer. I could buy it I suppose?!

Finished! The last 100 (or so) pages were astonishing!

Keep going!

>38 humouress:: Have now located a copy, so I may pick it up and join the group read.

I've just finished the first book and am about to move on to Dianora. So far so good!

YAY - got it back!!!

I finally started last night and I plan on reading a large chunk tonight. Glad to see everyone is enjoying it so far

Roni in message #1 you have me listed as Hannah instead of Chelle. Doesn't matter much really as Hannah is a pretty name lol

Chelle, I don't know why it is, but every once in a while, I look at your moniker and confuse it with HansGerg, which is Hannah's. I do really know better, but this is at least the third time I've done it. Sorry!

I got a copy via ILL yesterday and have started in on it. I've never read anything by Kay before, so it should be interesting.

>42 -Cee-:: Aaah! I'm glad to hear that, because I've hit page 502 and I've been stalled for three days... :S Guess I'll just plug through this section and look forward to the promise of a fantastic ending...!

I haven't even started yet and probably won't be able to before the end of next week, so whether or not I finish in February will be a bit doubtful. But still intending to read.

I finished it yesterday.

And???

47 No worries Roni, I really should get around to changing my user name anyway. I chose it before I realized how much time I would spend here on LT

I am about halfway now and LOVING Tigana! I hope to finish it tomorrow.

PS Thanks for the background information on Kay, Mark. I had no idea that he was Canadian!

Finished!! So good!