A Song for Arbonne Audiobook By Guy Gavriel Kay cover art

A Song for Arbonne

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A Song for Arbonne

By: Guy Gavriel Kay
Narrated by: Euan Morton
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A two-time winner of the Aurora Award, best-selling author Guy Gavriel Kay crafts fantastic tales relished by fans worldwide.

Here, the lands of Arbonne and Gorhaut are on the verge of an all-consuming conflict. When a devious high priest of Gorhaut seizes the opportunity to wage a holy war against residents of Arbonne, an epic clash between the two cultures ensues.

©1992 Guy Gavriel Kay (P)2009 Penguin Audio Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Historical Heartfelt
Exceptional Worldbuilding • Compelling Characters • Beautiful Singing Voice • Intricate Plot • Mesmerizing Storytelling
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This is a complete, finely written, thoroughly enjoyable, surprising, and rewarding read. Really pleased with this.

Just wonderful

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Excellent. Brilliant. One of GGK's best. Historical fantasy at its finest. Why GGK is not more popular is a mystery.

Another GGK Masterpiece

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Astounding and lovingly-crafted story. I'm not much for words, but I was completely blown away by the book. It builds a gorgeous tapestry to paint a high drama on, and it builds to a sweeping, majestic conclusion.

I have also literally never heard a better narrator for an audiobook. Not only does he capture the tone, diction, and rhythm of each word wonderfully, but he even sings the songs! A true troubadour himself! He nails the melody, he has a beautiful voice, and he has a range that can do a deep baritone of a male singer and a gentle alto of a female singer!

I have nothing more to share but heaps of praise. Get his book.

A Love Song to Storytelling

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This book was the usual fantasy plot of epic battles, manly men, and women who make them swoon. Well written, but I’m definitely ready for fantasy that moves out of these royal clashes where everyone beyond the blue bloods are just there to serve as maids or fodder for battles and plunder. Having said that, the narrator did an unparalleled job. Because a significant portion of the story circled around bards, it was truly meaningful for Euan Morton to lend his skilled voice to the songs. That was an unexpected treat.

Euan Morton - above and beyond

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Absolutely incredible! This might be the best book I’ve read in a few years. Guy Gavriel Kay can do no wrong!

Masterpiece

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This is a very special book. Kay interviews plot, character motivations, and broad international frictions with dazzling effect. I loved it as a book. I enjoyed it even more as an audiobook.

Euan Mortan narrates well, finding the proper voice and attitude of the characters in each scene. And in most books, I prefer the songs and poems read, not set to music and sung. But here, Euan’s singing voice soars in a beautiful, beautiful tenor. I bookmarked all the songs! I literally would buy any music he sings on.

What a wonderful combination of novel and voice actor/singer.

Medieval intrigue, courtly love, & rich characters

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If someone reads this who works for Apple TV buy the rights to this and have a 4 season show that will be one of the greats of all time. Intrigue, romance that isn’t corny or overdone, great characters and plot development. It’s barely fantasy it’s more like some kind of alternate history. Very very good.

Fairly certain this is a masterpiece

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Kay weaves a wonderful tale of love, death and life with skill and beauty. The lack of fantasy might be a bit of a turn off for some (including myself) but Kay does it all with style.

Beautiful

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Guy Gavriel Kay’s A Song for Arbonne is high fantasy / sword ‘n sorcery with mostly sword. A land to the north is overseen by a war-like god, while in the south a more peaceful deity oversees a more ma-triarchal society. A mercenary from the north shows up. While initially involved in local squabbles, he gradually inserts himself into the emerging hostilities with a surprising twist.

Kay offers an engaging tale that overall is rather traditional in structure with gender competition added. There are lots of digressions that results more in story (or set of stories) rather than a novel making the tone and mood critical.

The narration is quite good with solid character distinction. Pacing is a tad slow.

Fantasy religious wars

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This ranks in the top tier of Kay’s work: well grounded historical detail, characters, setting. Extremely muted “fantasy” elements, which are relegated to mysterious, sometimes explained, sometimes unexplained plot details. Wonderfully paced conversations, confrontations, periodic action, all grounded in a richly detailed world based on the Aquitaine of the late medieval period. A few forced plot points, which aren’t deal-breakers, a couple of needlessly despicable villains (I would have preferred more earnest, perhaps honorable, opponents who opposed the ethos of Arbonne), and (a Kay signature), some oddly/unnecessarily shifting amorous partnering at the end. Beautiful writing, some of the best in any genre.

Elegant writing and fine tuned characters

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