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River of Stars
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 20 hrs and 49 mins
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Publisher's summary
In his critically acclaimed novel Under Heaven, Guy Gavriel Kay told a vivid and powerful story inspired by China’s Tang Dynasty. Now, the international best-selling and multiple award-winning author revisits that invented setting four centuries later with an epic of prideful emperors, battling courtiers, bandits and soldiers, nomadic invasions, and a woman battling in her own way, to find a new place for women in the world - a world inspired this time by the glittering, decadent Song Dynasty.
Ren Daiyan was still just a boy when he took the lives of seven men while guarding an imperial magistrate of Kitai. That moment on a lonely road changed his life...in entirely unexpected ways, sending him into the forests of Kitai among the outlaws. From there he emerges years later - and his life changes again, dramatically, as he circles toward the court and emperor, while war approaches Kitai from the north.
Lin Shan is the daughter of a scholar, his beloved only child. Educated by him in ways young women never are, gifted as a songwriter and calligrapher, she finds herself living a life suspended between two worlds. Her intelligence captivates an emperor - and alienates women at the court. But when her father’s life is endangered by the savage politics of the day, Shan must act in ways no woman ever has.
In an empire divided by bitter factions circling an exquisitely cultured emperor who loves his gardens and his art far more than the burdens of governing, dramatic events on the northern steppe alter the balance of power in the world, leading to events no one could have foretold, under the river of stars.
Critic reviews
"Kay has the uncanny ability to depict the grand sweep of historical events through the eyes of those living through them...What’s even more amazing is how through his careful rendering of character and environments we are drawn into this history...River of Stars is an exceptional piece of work.” (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
“From whatever angle you approach it, River of Stars is a major accomplishment, the work of a master novelist in full command of his subject. It deserves the largest possible audience.” (The Washington Post)
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Alexander's beauty, strength and defiance were apparent from birth, but his boyhood honed those gifts into the makings of a king. His mother, Olympias, and his father, King Philip of Macedon, fought each other for their son's loyalty, teaching Alexander politics and vengeance from the cradle. His love for the youth Hephaistion taught him trust, while Aristotle's tutoring provoked his mind and Homer's Iliad fuelled his aspirations.
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Renewed Pleasure
- By James on 01-28-15
By: Mary Renault
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Magdalen Rising
- The Beginning
- By: Elizabeth Cunningham
- Narrated by: Heather O'Neill
- Length: 16 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Young Magdalen and Jesus, brimming with youthful charm and arrogance, find each other and fall in love, forging a bond that is stronger than death. Their pleasure is overshadowed by a brilliant but unbalanced druid who knows a perilous secret about Maeve's past. The prequel to The Passion of Mary Magdalen.
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The Story as Maeve meant you to hear it!
- By Elizabeth Cunningham on 07-27-15
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The Ruby in Her Navel
- By: Barry Unsworth
- Narrated by: Andrew Sachs
- Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Thurstan, a young Norman and would-be Knight at the Court of King Roger in Palermo, has been in love since boyhood with Lady Alicia, now returned a widow from the Holy Land. Thurstan soon finds himself caught in a tangle of plots.
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A Well-Earned Five Stars for this Gem
- By Ilana on 12-11-14
By: Barry Unsworth
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The Skystone
- Camulod Chronicles, Book 1
- By: Jack Whyte
- Narrated by: Kevin Pariseau
- Length: 21 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Everyone knows the story-how Arthur pulled the sword from the stone, how Camelot came to be, and about the power struggles that ultimately destroyed Arthur's dreams. But what of the time before Arthur and the forces that created him?
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Fascinating new series
- By Jim R. Whitt Jr. on 08-27-13
By: Jack Whyte
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The Songs of the Kings
- By: Barry Unsworth
- Narrated by: Andrew Sachs
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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A thoroughly modern tale of politics, spin-doctoring, and media manipulation. As the harsh wind holds the Greek fleet trapped in the straits at Aulis, frustration and political impotence turn into a desire for the blood of a young and innocent woman - blood that will appease the gods and allow the troops to set sail. And when Iphigeneia, Agamemnon's beloved daughter, is brought to the coast under false pretences, it looks as if the ships will soon be on their way.
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The politics of power haven't changed.
- By susan on 12-06-12
By: Barry Unsworth
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The Dark Mirror
- Bridei Trilogy #1
- By: Juliet Marillier
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 24 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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One bitter Midwinter's Eve, everything changes when Bridei finds a child on their doorstep - a child abandoned by the Fair Folk. It is the height of ill fortune to have truck with the Fair Folk, and all in the area counsel the babe's death. But Bridei sees an old and precious magic at work and, heedless of the danger, fights to save the child. Broichan is wary but relents, for Bridei must grow to be his own man and make his own decisions.
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disappointing
- By Binia on 11-18-08
By: Juliet Marillier
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The Memoirs of Mary, Queen of Scots
- By: Carolly Erickson
- Narrated by: Rebekah Germain
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Born Queen of Scotland, married as a young girl to the invalid young King of France, Mary took the reins of the unruly kingdom of Scotland as a young widow and fought to keep her throne. A second marriage to her handsome but dissolute cousin Lord Darnley ended in murder and scandal, while a third marriage to the dashing, commanding Lord Bothwell, the love of her life, gave her joy but widened the scandal and surrounded her with enduring ill repute.
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Fiction being the key word
- By Bonnie-Ann B on 09-25-09
By: Carolly Erickson
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Battle of Kings
- By: M. K. Hume
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 17 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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In the town of Segontium a wild storm washes a fugitive ashore. He brutally rapes the granddaughter of the ruler of the Deceangli tribe, leaving her to bear his son, Myrddion Merlinus (Merlin). Spurned as a demon seed, the child is raised by his grandmother and, as soon as he turns nine, he is apprenticed to a skilled alchemist who hones the boy’s remarkable gift of prophecy. Meanwhile, the High King of the Britons, Vortigern, is rebuilding the ancient fortress at Dinas Emrys.
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Underrated book author and narrator!
- By Zachary on 04-15-22
By: M. K. Hume
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Shaman's Crossing, Book One of the Soldier Son Trilogy
- By: Robin Hobb
- Narrated by: John Keating
- Length: 24 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Hugo and Nebula Award finalist Robin Hobb crafts intricate fantasy tales featuring larger-than-life characters and exotic landscapes. Nevare Burvelle survives the King’s Cavalla Academy—where nepotism and corruption reign—to become a soldier in the Gernian king’s army. As he and his fellow soldiers are thrust onto the front lines of the king’s brutal territorial expansion campaign, they struggle against the Plainspeople—forest-dwellers who possess a powerful magic long dismissed by the Gernians.
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Sometimes Magic Isn't A Good Thing
- By Therese M. Woolley on 10-18-13
By: Robin Hobb
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The Tiger's Daughter
- By: K Arsenault Rivera
- Narrated by: Caroline McLaughlin
- Length: 14 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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The Hokkaran Empire has conquered every land within their bold reach - but failed to notice a lurking darkness festering within the people. Now their border walls begin to crumble, and villages fall to demons swarming out of the forests. Away on the silver steppes, the remaining tribes of nomadic Qorin retreat and protect their own, having bartered a treaty with the empire, exchanging inheritance through the dynasties. It is up to two young warriors, raised together across borders since their prophesied birth, to save the world from the encroaching demons.
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Writing format that didn't work for this book
- By kara-karina on 02-24-18
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Black Wolves
- By: Kate Elliott
- Narrated by: Richard Ferrone
- Length: 28 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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He lost his honor long ago. Captain Kellas was lauded as the king's most faithful servant until the day he failed in his duty. Dismissed from service, his elite regiment disbanded, he left the royal palace and took up another life. Now a battle brews within the palace that threatens to reveal deadly secrets and spill over into open war. The king needs a loyal soldier to protect him. Can a disgraced man ever be trusted?"
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Very engaging. Can't wait for book 2
- By Claudia Alderman on 01-15-16
By: Kate Elliott
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What listeners say about River of Stars
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Grayson
- 09-03-14
Kay is a great writer, but there's a pattern...
Would you listen to River of Stars again? Why?
No. It's the ending. There's only so much frustration and anti-climax I will willingly endure.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Ren Daiyan, the main protagonist. Yes, he's a "man of destiny," but I never feel like that's a plot crutch. He's a delight to follow because of his combination of drive, cleverness, humor, and creativity--an extraordinary individual in a world that has embraced mediocrity as a prime virtue.
Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?
Oh, Vance is top-notch, as always. Hard to distinguish any one character performance as better than another.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
(Part of the disadvantage of audio books is that it's tricky to look up character names... and it's been a while since I listened.) There is a scene where the home of our protagonist's friends and loved ones comes under attack during a greater war. Without spoilers, the events that unfold are extremely powerful and poignant.
Any additional comments?
Kay is an amazingly gifted writer and willing to do unconventional things with his storytelling, and I love that. He creates a deep sense of immersion in an ancient and unfamiliar world, and everything flows seamlessly. I'm sometimes surprised that he is not more widely recognized for his mastery of the craft.
Perhaps it's because of his endings. I haven't read all of Kay's writings, but from what I have seen he likes a particular structure. He builds you up for an outcome with tremendous promise and possibility, only to pull it all down by the end and make you watch it all crumble. He certainly did the same thing with "The Sarantine Mosaic" books. In the end, beauty and vision fall beneath the weight of pettiness and mediocrity, and the characters you've come to love have to scrape what solace they can out of the wreckage of all their lost dreams.
A pessimist might call that "realism." I call it fatalism. And as much as I love pretty much everything else about Kay's writing, I'm hesitant about picking up another of his books.
NOTE for fans of "Under Heaven." It's fair to say that "Under Heaven" and "River of Stars" are two books in the same series, albeit separated by hundreds of years. "Under Heaven" did not end as such a downer, I thought, and I quite enjoyed that book. Unfortunately, what we see in "River of Stars" is that the long-term consequences of the events from "Under Heaven" have basically wrecked the world we came to know, leaving it a pale shadow of its former glory. In that sense, it's like the miserable ending of "Under Heaven" was deferred to "River of Stars." You might be better off stopping with "Under Heaven." I sort of wish I had.
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11 people found this helpful
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Overall
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- David H. Diamond
- 07-25-13
Masterpiece
If you could sum up River of Stars in three words, what would they be?
A genuine masterpiece
What was one of the most memorable moments of River of Stars?
The private interview between the hero and the prime minister
Which scene was your favorite?
The heroine meets the poet.
If you could rename River of Stars, what would you call it?
I would not rename it.
Any additional comments?
"River of Stars" is a masterpiece. Because Kay writes historical fantasies, I doubt that he will gain the recognition he deserves as a truly great novelist. This work is a tapestry of richly individual characters, clashing cultures, battles and complex motives, all with an overarching theme of the place of the individual, both famous and unknown, in the process of history. I am reminded of Tolstoy, more than any other writer. but Tolstoy without the ridiculous lectures about freemasonry, and with a consistently gripping sequence of events. Let those who think I am overstating the case read the book, or listen to it.
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5 people found this helpful
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- DarthVal
- 07-25-13
A methodically told tale of honor
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. It is not high action, so I'd be sure to let them know that this story unfolds very slowly and carefully.
What was one of the most memorable moments of River of Stars?
The most memorable moment was when Commander Ren Daiyan has his army poised to take back the Capital City, but he receives orders to withdraw. It is a very tense moment, while he decides if he will follow the command or his heart.
Would you be willing to try another one of Simon Vance’s performances?
Simon Vance has a good voice, however, in this case, his pace was just too slow and laid back for some scenes.
Could you see River of Stars being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?
River of Stars would make an interesting series because it incorporates so many characters and rich imagery 12th Dynasty China. There are so many characters and different stories upon which script writers could draw. I don't think it would play out as well for a movie.
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- Amazon Customer
- 05-16-13
Familiarity does not breed contempt.
What did you love best about River of Stars?
Kay is one of those writers who is extremely deliberate. Call it meta-writing, but there is so much more to his novels than what is on the page. When he repeats himself, it's not because he's run out of words nor because he's not paying attention, it's for a purpose, whether one realizes it while reading or not.
What was one of the most memorable moments of River of Stars?
Every victory of a main character is unexpected, although not because of surprise, but rather that the reader knows that Kay has no problem keeping his characters from "winning." At least, not storybook success, anyway. Oft times it is a spiritual or historical success, not what one would find from a typical narrative. Most fantasy stories are comedies, either ending with a return to the green world or a wedding. Kay does tragedy the way tragedy should be done, wherein it is only when one thinks back upon the original goals of the characters does one realize that they have failed. Failed is the wrong word. Descended? Found a different goal amidst adversity? Anywho, Kay's tragedies are more Shakespearean than sad, and more immersive than escapist. You can get lost in his writing, but not so much in the world he has created but instead within the hearts and minds of his characters. It's not all touchy-feely, though, and there's plenty of blood and guts to remind the reader of the fragility of the human body as well as the timelessness of the human soul.
Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Yes. Comparable.
If you could take any character from River of Stars out to dinner, who would it be and why?
The Fox Woman, for obvious reasons.
Any additional comments?
Kay does royal court politics like nobody else. If there's one thing that's hard to believe, it's the idea that one extremely-intelligent character could be oblivious to the machinations of another extremely-intelligent character. Hard, but not impossible. Kay does a great job of explaining motivation from both the characters' point-of-view as well as from that of outside observers.
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- Daniel P.
- 05-18-19
Not my Favorite Guy Gavriel Kay Book
I just couldn't get into this book. Tigana is one of my all time favorites and Under Heaven was great but I just didn't like this. This may have been one time where a book is better in print than in audio form. I couldn't really establish who was who as far as the characters go which is why I never really connected with any of them. I also never really understood what was the main goal of the book. Simon Vance is an ok narrator I enjoyed him for Under Heaven but for Brent Week's books he narrates I only think he's ok. He kind of puts me to sleep and doesn't inflect to convey tone or excitement and doesn't vary character voices enough for my taste.
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- Deborah
- 07-22-17
A novel that promises but doesn't deliver
What a disappointment! I was attracted to this title and author based on other reviews and by narrator Simon Vance, my favorite narrator of all time. (An aside: No one narrates Dickens like Simon Vance. Listen to his David Copperfield and you'll be smitten!)
The book started out with some very interesting characters, settings, and story line. I was intrigued by the world that the author was constructing. But the author started repeating story elements that had already happened (numerous times) in what seemed an effort to build up the importance of events but ended up being boring. And the plot started to feel contrived with staged scenes rather than developing organically. Vance's narration was appropriately pompous, reflecting the style of the novel but annoying all the same. And the ending! That's IT??? I will ask for my credit to be refunded.
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- Blythe
- 06-12-17
My least favourite GGK book so far
Any additional comments?
I have to say this is the Guy Gavriel Kay book I've liked LEAST so far. It's still an interesting book, but it doesn't come anywhere close to his earlier sweeping epics like Tigana or the Lions of Al Rassan. Basically it reads like historical political fiction, and doesn't really have a plot per se; it's more just a recounting of the events in the kingdom of Kitai, centering around the outlaw and then soldier Ren Daiyan. If you can have a fictional biography, it's kind of that. It's still interesting, and is apparently based on early dynasties in China which may explain the strong historical feel. But it also seems to meander around a lot and the plot such as it is is very anticlimactic. If you love historical China and fiction based in those times then you'll probably enjoy this; but generally I'd recommend Kay's other works before this one.
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- Blue
- 04-23-17
Disappointing beyond belief
What a shameful waste. Perhaps that's the point?
15 words 15 words 15 words
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- nyog
- 04-19-17
One of Kay's best
I think this book ranks up there with the Sarantium pair, or perhaps exceeds it. The female characters are much more fully and believably drawn, and the plot rollicks along beautifully, with just a touch of the trademark other-worldy incursions we know and love from Kay's other books.
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- Reviews by L
- 06-11-15
A master at his craft
What made the experience of listening to River of Stars the most enjoyable?
Simon Vance's unique take on characters.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Ren Daiyan, obviously. Well-developed, three-dimensional, complex... everything for a thinking person to chew over when reading this novel.
What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?
Virtually everything. He's absolutely on of the best narrators out there.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
No, my emotions never wavered too much from amusement and satisfaction with Kay's prose.
Any additional comments?
Guy Kay is a master of fantasy masquerading as historical fiction, and "River of Stars" does not seem him break his streak of wonderful books.
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