Written on the Dark

De: Guy Gavriel Kay

Narrado por: Simon Vance

Both sweeping and intimate, a majestic novel of love and war that brilliantly evokes the drama and turbulence of medieval France

Thierry Villar is a well-known—even notorious— tavern poet, familiar with the rogues and shadows of that world, but not at all with courts and power. He is an unlikely person, despite his quickness, to be caught up in the deadly contests of ambitious royals, assassins, and invading armies.

But he is indeed drawn into all these things on a savagely cold night in his beloved city of Orane. And so Thierry must use all the intelligence and charm he can muster as political struggles merge with a decades-long war to bring his country to the brink of destruction.

As he does, he meets his poetic equal in an aristocratic woman and is drawn to more than one unsettling person with a connection to the world beyond this one. He also crosses paths with an extraordinary young woman driven by voices within to try to heal the ailing king—and help his forces in war. A wide and varied set of people from all walks of life take their places in the rich tapestry of this story.

A new masterwork from the internationally bestselling author of All the Seas of the World, A Brightness Long Ago, and Tigana, Written on the Dark is an elegant tour de force about power and ambition playing out amid the intense human need for art and beauty, and memories to be left behind.

©2025 Guy Gavriel Kay (P)2025 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"An absolutely astonishing novel . . . by our greatest living writer of the fantastic. . . . Quite simply, a masterpiece."—JM Miro, international bestselling author of Ordinary Monsters

“Kay burnishes his reputation for worldbuilding with this believable, magic-tinged analogue for medieval France, complete with its own Hundred Years’ War and a Joan of Arc stand-in. While Kay’s fictional outcomes tend toward the happier, he plays fair with the suffering of his heroes and humanizes his villains. Longtime fans and new readers alike will be sucked in."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Kay once again delivers a skillful blend of history and fantasy that captures both the beauty and brutality of the past with poetic precision. His sophisticated prose elevates every scene, intertwining fleeting joys and deep sorrows into a narrative that resonates long after the final page... In addition to being a profound meditation on history, identity, and the human condition, this novel stands as a testament to Kay’s unparalleled storytelling.”—Library Journal

The Magic in Words

Guy Gavriel Kay can weave magic. His writing weaves subtle magic. He pulls his reader into the lives of his characters. That's magic at work here. To fully understand this book, however, you should read "Sailing to Serantium" first. You should buy both the recorded and written books and listen while you read the books. Why? You will understand that when you finish this book.

a little off his mark

he is one of my favorite authors. I have loved the way he alludes to characters and events in other novels. this one was a little more heavy-handed, and felt a little formulaic compared to his other work. I still enjoyed it, but it didn't really move me like his other works . Simon Vance is always my favorite narrator.

not his best work

Guy Gavriel Kay is one of my absolute favorite authors, but this book didn't capture the heart of what makes his writing stand out to me. Unlike masterpieces like The Last Light of the Sun or Under Heaven, this book felt hasty and scattered. I didn't feel emotionally invested in any of the characters, who felt like charicatures more than anything. There wasn't enough time for characters of any real depth to develop.

I've noticed a trend in Kay's recent work towards shorter, action packed novels. I like action, but the plot doesn't feel believable when it's rushed like this -- unlike older, longer works where he captures a brilliant balance of narrative and random chance that makes the story feel real (and all the more gripping for it).

I wonder if the publishers are influencing this decision to sacrifice quality for faster pacing?

I do like what Kay is doing tying all these more recent Renaissance novels together, making them relate tangentially to each other. I enjoy the allusions to themes and characters from his other novels, and seeing how together they form a bigger story. I hope to see more of that -- but I can't help but feel that this story doesn't stand up on its own -- and so the emotional impact is lost.

Even so, I salute Kay for writing beautifully and for the magnitude of his work. I'm deeply impressed and for all that, Written on the Dark was still an enjoyable story to listen to!

Vance always stands out! The writing is magnificent!

Well i was concerned that this book by my favorite modern author was a bit short ... and sadly it seemed short ... not the normal Kay details I think. Things happen quickly. oh well that is only me always wanting more. the words ... Kay's near poetry is stunning, stunning, stunning. I did want more! But I loved it... you will love it... I predict.

It's a really good thing...

... the Guy Gavriel Kay doesn't produce more material than he does.

My GAWD that man RUINS my productivity.

The depth. The writing. The intricacy and simplicity.

SO. WELL. DONE.

Beautifully written, beautifully read

Beautifully written story, losely based on medieval France, about ordinary people who find themselves, for a short time, at the center if events.

best author and narrator

quintessential Guy Gavriel Kay...just wish it was longer! No other narrator can top Simon Vance!

Good but more of the same

I wish GGK would branch out a bit more. Who is our protagonist? Why yet another handsome poet. But at the same time, it’s still nice. I’d totally see this movie, so I can’t say he’s doing it poorly!

Not one of his best work

I am a long time fan and read almost all his works. I was slightly disappointed by this book. It had great moments and of course, well written verses. But I felt the the first part was excellent and engaging, but latter half was a bit dull and hurried.

2.5🌟🌟💫 stars!

Probably the worst GGK book I have read thus far.

GGK often tells tales that feel like dusk: low light, soft step, deep thought. This book is not quite bright or loud either. This one was pretty dull. I contemplated DNFing at multiple junctures.

Although a lot of GGk’s works lean on voice, not deeds, this book is particularly severe in that much is told to us: what one feels, what one dreams, what they fear but dare not show. Some will call this style rich, full of weight. I tend to crave more scene, more clash, more spark on the page.

Large swathes of page space interrupt the story, dedicated to the author just ruminating like this: “So much uncertainty lies in art, and what endures. Where and when the lightning flash of brilliance will strike. What is valued in a given time, or over time. And what is lost, forgotten.It is the same, writ large, when we consider actual events in our lives: faith, doubt, war, peace. Famine, abundance. Storms at sea, or sweeping across the land, bending or breaking trees. Rain or drought. Winter’s ice. Ice in the heart. Afternoon sunlight for the autumn’s harvest. Health, sickness. Desire. Calamitous misfortune. Friendship. Love.” … all telling. Nothing shown.

More examples of telling rather than showing. The book is full of these.

- “He had once loved, or thought he did. It had not been wise.”
(We are told of love lost, yet we do not see this love play out.)

- “A man may turn from dark, but not shed all its shade.”
(This is not a scene, but a view—told like a truth writ on stone.)

- “They said he was kind. Some said he had killed for coin.”
(What is real? What is false? We don't see, we are told.)

All of this rambling distracts from the story when not told in a direct action voice. When nothing seems to be happening, the story seems to come to a standstill, boredom sets in.

Here are a few other ways Kay keeps show at bay:
“It had been one more mark against the ledger of his cousin. Enough of them, over time, to have been worth a murder, he had finally decided. Accepting an ordered pilgrimage to Rhodias. And after returning to Berga sending letters of ingratiating entreaty to Orane that he be allowed back at court to take his proper place on the royal council.” …so tedious and dull! 😴

Another: “Because he’d declined the also offered, hugely exalted position of high cleric of Orane, including leading the rites in the Great Sanctuary on the island, with a handsome residence adjoining, there was an ongoing issue as to who should be appointed there. Both the king and the High Patriarch in Rhodias had thoughts concerning this appointment. It was a position of power, deeply entangled in politics, not just faith. Which is why there was an issue.” …. 🥱 Yawn!

Another super annoying thing GGK does is introduce an inconsequential character for a few pages only and alternately use their first and last name expecting the reader to keep track of the two. Glaring example: Claquin Guiene someone solely introduced in chapter 14 never to be mentioned again. Calls him Claquin in some paragraphs and addresses as Guiene in others as if this guy is my wife’s brother and I should try to learn his name!

The tale feels like it is shared near a flame, with heads bowed, eyes half shut.😴💤

The book moves in slow steps. There is war, but it’s not sharp or raw. It’s held at a cool length. Deeds are not thrust in our face. Much is shaped by talks and thoughts. This is not high pace. It is not made for rush. It asked for my time, and my mind.

Men and dames in this world hide hurts. They deal in plots, trade, and fate. Each has depth, though many felt faint, as they came and went swiftly. I got the sense that who they are is less key than what they stand for.

Each arc is moved more by thought than clash. We do not see the wound—we are told it was deep.

Kay's words wind like a stream: soft, bright, and deep. He loves a clause with weight. He crafts lines like verse. There is grace here, but I could not warm to its flow. At times, it feels like the tale stops so the words can dance. A dance I had no interest in watching!

GGK book ranking from best to worst (of those I have read):
Sarantine mosaic duology (sailing to sarantium and king of emperors)
A song for Arbonne
Lions of Al Rassan
Under heaven
Tigana
A brightness long ago
Written on the dark