Author: Bess Appledore

I'm a literature freak obsessed with classics, fantasy, and eighteenth/nineteenth century revolutionaries.

My Love-Hate Relationship with Books of Guy Gavriel Kay: Why “The Sarantine Mosaic” is the best

The Sarantine Mosaic, consisting of Sailing to Sarantium and Lord of Emperors, is quite a paradoxical experience in my reading life, and in my adventure with GGK's books. I find this duology his best work, even though as a feminist and as a socialist, I wish that some characters and events had been described differently. … Continue reading My Love-Hate Relationship with Books of Guy Gavriel Kay: Why “The Sarantine Mosaic” is the best →

My Numerous Problems with Darkover Series – Part One

Imagine a planet with cold giant sun and mysterious native species. Imagine people of Celtic and Spaniard origin colonizing it and establishing a feudal society. Imagine nobility and social prestige based on psi powers. Welcome to Darkover. My Adventure with Darkover Having read Mists of Avalon I wanted something else, something new by Marion Zimmer … Continue reading My Numerous Problems with Darkover Series – Part One →

My Love-Hate Relationship with Books of Guy Gavriel Kay: “The Lions of Al-Rassan”

How could I sum up this book? The author repeats himself. The creepy sex is present as usual. The style is stable. However, the whole historical background and references seem more real, the setting is captivating, and the commonfolk — in comparison to A Song for Arbonne — present again. So, I would say it's … Continue reading My Love-Hate Relationship with Books of Guy Gavriel Kay: “The Lions of Al-Rassan” →

My Love-Hate Relationship with Books of Guy Gavriel Kay: “A Song for Arbonne”

How is it possible? This book repeats the worst flaws of Tigana, adding Subtle Villains and Beloved Author's Womanizers in the manner of The Fionavar Tapestry. It follows also some previous worldbuilding patterns, sometimes looking like a self-plagiarism. And yet I don't like it less than Tigana; actually it doesn't irritate me as much as … Continue reading My Love-Hate Relationship with Books of Guy Gavriel Kay: “A Song for Arbonne” →

My Love-Hate Relationship with Books of Guy Gavriel Kay: Tigana, Or The First Italian Inspiration

The Fionavar Tapestry, irritating as it was, didn't move me deeply. Tigana was a different case. Sometimes I think I really like this book. Sometimes I think I hate it. Why? The setting, despite of several flaws, is very climatic. Dianora is a complex character, and so Catriana. Elessar Alessan... He is interesting even if … Continue reading My Love-Hate Relationship with Books of Guy Gavriel Kay: Tigana, Or The First Italian Inspiration →

My Love-Hate Relationship with Books of Guy Gavriel Kay: “The Fionavar Tapestry”

Oh, here are the GGK's books which I've found the most irritating! Here are almost all the flaws of his writing: too pathetic style, creepy sex, irritating protagonists and cardboard antagonists, stereotypical women characters, bitchy womanizers whom readers are supposed to like, and not efficiently used tropes from real cultures and myths. Do you think … Continue reading My Love-Hate Relationship with Books of Guy Gavriel Kay: “The Fionavar Tapestry” →

My Love-Hate Relationship with Books of Guy Gavriel Kay: Preface

I didn't know how to start this post, because the books of Guy Gavriel Kay were always problematic to me. I've read them all except Ysabel, Under Heaven and River of Stars. And after reading, I've had almost always ambivalent feelings about plot devices, characters, style, creepy sex, stereotypes and worldbuilding. Usually I analize some … Continue reading My Love-Hate Relationship with Books of Guy Gavriel Kay: Preface →

My Reflections on The Farseer Trilogy — Part Three

Naïvety, Hypocrisy and Conformism I must admit that ASOIAF — plainly written and overloaded with sex and curses as it is — is at least more realistic. Oh yes, Mr Martin also doesn't care about commonfolk, but at least he is well aware that feudalism isn't helpful for ordinary people. He is aware that being … Continue reading My Reflections on The Farseer Trilogy — Part Three →

My Reflections on The Farseer Trilogy — Part Two

Commonfolk Concern Illusion I'm enough experienced in the fantasy literature to know that depicting commonfolk is often only a pretense. You know, for example, the main hero was brought up on a farm, but he is from a royal family (Belgariad so much). Hobb, although in comparison with Eddings is much better and non-sexist writer, … Continue reading My Reflections on The Farseer Trilogy — Part Two →