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.

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 brilliance of Written on the Dark is its capacity to be many things at once. It’s a great story, or series of stories, moving from murder mystery to court drama to war epic to tale of love and loss and beyond, like a song changing keys.”—The Globe and Mail (CA)

“There are more than a few flashes of brilliance in Written on the Dark, as well as some profoundly moving insights and some of Kay’s most memorable characters.”—Locus

Praise for the novels of Guy Gavriel Kay

“[Read] anything by Guy Gavriel Kay....His strengths are strong characters and fantastic set pieces.”—The New Yorker

“History and fantasy rarely come together as gracefully or readably as they do in the novels of Guy Gavriel Kay.”—The Washington Post Book World

“Kay is a genius. I’ve read him all my life and am always inspired by his work.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson

“Guy Gavriel Kay has a wonderful talent. He tells stories in an invented world that is so rich in historical echoes that I found myself smiling with pleasure as I heard the echoes, while engrossed in the story. Warmly recommended.”—Edward Rutherfurd

"Kay is peerless in plucking elements from history and using them to weave a wholly fantastical tale that feels like a translation of some freshly unearthed scroll from a time we have yet to discover."—The Miami Herald

Another series of historical events brought to life

Simon Vance does a terrific job of narrating this story. A little short for GGK, but as always, engaging, poetic, and charming.

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.

I'll buy anything he writes!

when I say that guy is one of those people who the way he encapsulates a story into the human side as well as bills upon like internal possibilities even if you see something kind of transparent and it's coming it's still told in a way that just kind of grabs you by the ears in an audiobook. I think I own all of his books at this point and just thinking back at how his stories always tend to reconnect to each other and allows the reader to tie in that kind of emotional response from previous books into older books and just rethink about everything that it means to be a part of the story which you are a part of the story is just always amazing to me. I have turned so many people on to these books and this is his newest one that I have downloaded and again it might not be sailing to sorrentium or anything like that but it is still so good almost bittersweet in some ways

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.

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.

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.

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!