Under Heaven

Written by Guy Gavriel Kay

Narrated by Simon Vance

Award-winning author Guy Gavriel Kay evokes the dazzling Tang Dynasty of 8th-century China in a masterful story of honor and power.

It begins simply. Shen Tai, son of an illustrious general serving the Emperor of Kitai, has spent two years honoring the memory of his late father by burying the bones of the dead from both armies at the site of one of his father’s last great battles. In recognition of his labors and his filial piety, an unlikely source has sent him a dangerous gift: 250 Sardian horses.

You give a man one of the famed Sardian horses to reward him greatly. You give him four or five to exalt him above his fellows, propel him towards rank, and earn him jealousy, possibly mortal jealousy. Two hundred and fifty is an unthinkable gift, a gift to overwhelm an emperor.

Wisely, the gift comes with the stipulation that Tai must claim the horses in person. Otherwise he would probably be dead anyway.

“A magnificent epic, flawlessly crafted, that draws the reader in like a whirlwind and doesn’t let go.”—Huffington Post

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781980090434

Guy Gavriel Kay

Guy Gavriel Kay was born and raised in Canada. He lives in Toronto, although he does most of his writing in Europe. His novels include ‘The Fionavar Tapestry’ trilogy (described by ‘Interzone’ as ‘the only fantasy work… that does not suffer by comparison with ‘The Lord of the Rings’), ‘Tigana’ and ‘A Song for Arbonne’.

Reviews for Under Heaven

[juva_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This historical fantasy, set in the nation of Kitan (Tang Dynasty China), stars the deeply earnest young man, Shen Tai. After his father (a famous Kitan general) dies in battle, Shen Tai decides to spend his two year mourning period burying the bodies of the dead. Living like a hermit in the mountains, Shen Tai devotes himself to achieving peace for the ghosts that haunt his father's battle field. Touched by his devotion, a foreign princess awards him 250 horses. But not just any horses, Sardinian horses - the finest horses in the world. This gift has made Shen Tai wealthy beyond all his wildest dreams, but it has also painted a target on his back. Will he survive to be able to claim his gift or will he fall to an assassin's blade?

[jimdr-236203 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In a departure from Kay's normal European venues, Under Heaven takes place in an alternate version of Tang Dynasty China. In a non-departure, Kay uses this scenery to paint pictures of deeply human characters buffeted by "interesting times" and succeeds in building an original, unique and moving story.

As always, Kay's strength is in the humanity underlying all the history that informs the story. The events of Under Heaven result in the deaths of tens of millions of people, but instead of focusing on the war and the famine, Kay focuses on individuals and how they navigate a world that seems to be crumbling around them.

It is moving, of course, and exciting, and filled with characters that olive and breathe and jump into the mind full-blown.

Kay is a master of this kind of story, thin on battle, and heavy on spirit, and this is certainly a wonderful example.

[quickmind · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Guy Gavriel Kay writes historical fantasy. Well, that's not quite accurate. He writes fantasy-lite novels inspired by history and culture. And by that I mean he changes names so as not to write about anything real, but basically takes whole swathes of cultures from the past and writes novels about these new creations that have small elements of fantasy, but are otherwise political, familial, or revolutionary dramas. With this book, his inspiration was the T'ang Dynasty from China circa 700 CE. One man's life changes drastically with one seemingly small decision to devote two years of his life to burying the dead at the site of a battle. He does not distinguish sides, but tries to bury any dead he comes across. This battlefield is famously haunted, and therefore strongly avoided by both nations who battled many years ago, but who now share a peace treaty. This man, Shen Tai, has his world changed when he is gifted 250 exquisite horses from the Princess of the rival nation as a thank you gift. This sets into motion events that will change the whole world. As with all Guy Gavriel Kay books, I was riveted the entire time, even if it wasn't an action-packed moment. Kay has the ability to make the quiet moments profound and make the big moments deeply personal. I will also read anything he writes.

[jercox · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The beginning was strong, and I enjoyed that part a lot. Good development, backstory reveals, mystery and some drama. The middle was enjoyable, but not nearly as strong as the beginning. Moves a little slowly. The end wraps things up acceptably, but more wistfully than happily.

[jenniferelizabeth2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Long and wandering.... I enjoyed it, and Kay's writing is quite nice, but it wasn't compelling at all. No urgency to it.

[griffin22 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was beautifully written but rather odd for fantasy in that I am used to the protagonist making a difference in the world - usually saving it - instead of really just being a spectator to major world events. And the two women who are semi-main characters do exactly nothing. Weird.

[jmoncton_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was historic fiction with a touch of fantasy. I picked this because I had been reading books about modern China to prepare for a visit to the country. And although the history of modern China is fascinating, it's a bit depressing. There has been a lot of tragedy, death, and suffering in China's recent history, so I wanted a book about China, but more during the might and glory of the Empire. To be honest, this wasn't quite it. Yes, it was an intriguing story of all the intrigue and corruption behind the Tang Empire, and the characters were fascinating, but in the end, it was the story with a plot line similar to so many other tragic stories in fiction and fact. Heroes are created and sacrifice love and family to save an empire. Millions of people lose their lives and life goes on. So definitely, this is probably perfect for someone looking for that cast of millions epic story, but was a bit heavy for my current mood.The audio narration was spectacularly performed by Simon Vance.

[ladycato · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I found the start to be slow and the narrative bogged down by excessive details at time, but overall the book kept me engaged enough to read through almost 600 pages in a few days. That is largely due to the compelling nature of the protagonist, Shen Tai. After his father, a celebrated general, dies, Shen decides to go a different path than most during his required mourning period. He ventures to a distant, isolated area where his father once fought a battle where thousands upon thousands died--and their ghosts linger there yet, howling each night over their unsettled, bleached bones. Shen spends two years burying the long-dead and setting ghosts at rest, and for that he's granted a surprising reward: 250 practically-divine horses. That sounds like a fine deal, except this comes from an enemy country, and his own country is on the verge of civil war. This gift could easily be a death sentence as people kill him for the horses or other, more personal reasons. But Shen is brilliant, and he surrounded by likewise smart, vivid characters.There were some odd points in the book. The narrator sometimes takes on the point of view of a distant historian, which felt weird. There are many good, well-rounded women in the book, but they never get a chance to truly shine. Shen's sister goes through some major travails, but she mostly follows orders instead of acting on her own agency, and in the end her plot line peters off to nothing. The plot thread of Shen's true love is likewise important through much of the book, to also peter off into an info dump along the lines of "and this is what happened for the rest of her life." Really? Shen's story is strong enough to save the book, even with the other annoyances. I was really loving the book through the middle, but those awkward resolutions at the end dampened my enthusiasm.

[chavala_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read through this wonderful, large volume incredibly quickly. I love Kay's writing style. He writes sweeping, dramatic, stirring, epic tales, full of poetry and metaphor, exquisite description, words as clear and shining as crystal. He is master at creating books you won't want to put down - oh so very good at dropping hints and then moving on without being completely clear, and you just have to keep reading to find out what happens next.Under Heaven is another beautiful example of this. Possibly the least fantastic, and most realistic, of his historical fantasy volumes, this one evokes Tang Dynasty China, with all the courtly intrigue, silk-robed courtesans, black-robed warriors, wandering poets, heavenly horses, and jade-and-gold splendor that go with that era. I loved many of the characters and cared what happened to the them. I disliked others, as I was supposed to. I was kept on the edge of my seat and savored my way through the novel.I gave it 4.5 because there were some things at the end that didn't jive - were too out of the blue. Some I liked, some I didn't.

[stellarexplorer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Under Heaven is my first read of a Kay novel. It’s quite a beautiful work, rendering a convincing, captivating account of ancient China. Some would call this historical fantasy, but the fantasy elements were so subtle that I am as comfortable calling it a work of historical fiction. The writing was lovely and sure, the protagonist a man worthy of respect and love. By the end numerous critiques had reduced to quibbles, fairly insignificant in the face of the pleasure I took in this world. I was immersed in the Tang Dynasty with minimal disruption from sharp or irksome authorial missteps. When I tried to start a new book, I found I was not yet ready to enter a new fictional realm. I'm still living with this one.

[mrs_mcgreevy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

[This review originally appeared at RevolutionSf.com]

Under Heaven is the story of Shen Tai, second son of a famous Kitan general, who mourns his father's death by traveling to the site of his father's greatest battle and burying the dead of both sides. For two years he puts the ghosts to rest, then he gets a gift to cement a treaty: 250 of the finest horses. One would be an honor. Five would be worthy of a gift to the Emperor. 250 is life-changing.

Shen Tai must head back to his former life to try and dispose of his great gift before he's killed for it. His travels bring him into contact with Kanlin warriors, warrior/poets, and eventually the Kitan court, where intrigue and treason is the name of the game. Shen Tai must pick his way carefully between the factions, all the while obeying the rigid rules of the Kitan court.

Kitan is based on Tang-dynasty China, and you don't have to look too hard to see Shaolin monks and Mongol warriors among the parade of characters. Kay has clearly done his homework, and the world he has created feels completely real.

He is equally strong with characters, putting together wildly varied people whose actions always make sense in the context of their world. You feel for these people, and I don't just mean the good guys.

Kay also shines in depicting the intricacies of the Kitan court, from the bureaucratic mandarins jockeying for power and position to the Precious Consort, a young girl wielding unimaginable power because an aging Emperor is besotted with her.

Kay skillfully weaves all of these threads together, creating a huge tapestry of a story that rarely drags. Whether you prefer sword fights, romance, or intrigue, you'll find something to enjoy in Under Heaven.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In Under Heaven Guy Gavriel Kay once again shows just how good he is at epic storytelling. This is a fantasized version of China’s 8th century Tang Dynasty, and from the referrals to the one moon it is obviously set on a different world that his usual two moon stories are. From the opening chapter the reader is swept along following the story of Shen Tai, and to a lesser extent that of his sister Shen Li-Mei while around them swirls the treachery, duplicity and ultimately the open rebellion of the powerful and ambitious.Using the fictionalized country of Kitai, with its complicated traditions, values and beliefs, as a backdrop, the author introduces and brings into the story his well-drawn, fully realized characters that are constantly surprising the reader as they evolve. I didn’t always agree with the characters choices, but every move was well thought out and made sense in the context of the story. Honor, duty, and patriotism were strong motivators. Even the most secondary of characters had depths and motives that added to the intensity of the book. Under Heaven is a story that tries to find a balance between sheer adventure, political intrigue and romantic tension and for the most part it succeeds. The one area that I found a little lacking was the romance aspect, while the story unfolded in a believable way, I was hoping for some different outcomes. So although this is not my favorite book by this author, it is still a beautifully written, multi-layered epic that I enjoyed immensely.

[ahs7wolfy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Shen Tai has spent the majority of the mourning period for his celebrated father laying to rest the ghosts of dead soldiers who fought in the last war between Kitai and the neighbouring Tagurans. Both sides of the former conflict ensure that he has enough provisions to sustain him during this solitary task and it is on one such supply run that a letter arrives that will shape his destiny and send ripples through the Kitan empire as the news spreads ahead of his return. A gift from the former princess of KItai and now royal consort of Tagur to honour his service to the dead. One Sardian horse would greatly reward a man, four or five would exalt him and possibly earn him a death sentence from jealous rivals but the gift of 250 of the magnificent animals is unprecedented. A stipulation that he must collect the horses in person may just be enough to keep him alive when he returns home and decide how he can deal with this gift. Tai's new found wealth necessitates a visit to the imperial court where much has changed in his absence. Political intrigue abounds with the new prime minister seemingly at loggerheads with a favoured general. How will Tai's arrival with the prospect of so many horses to dispose of upset the balance of power?This book is set in an alternate version of China around the time of the T'ang Dynasty and includes elements of fantasy and the supernatural throughout. Shamanistic rites, fox spirits and ghostly occurrences all feed into the story and drive the narrative to varying degrees. A wonderful lead character supported ably by a Kanlin warrior, Wei Song, who accompanies him on his journey as his newly acquired bodyguard and Sima Zian, the Banished Immortal and foremost poet of the age, who tags along as it promises to be an interesting trip. It's not just well-rounded characters that draw you in as the setting which they inhabit is also vividly portrayed. From the remote valley at the outset of the story to the sumptuous and slow moving life at the imperial court of Xinan in Kitai and the steppes of a neighbouring country. The only slight let down was the exposition heavy conclusion as the author uses historians to wrap up what happened to all the major players that appeared throughout the tale. It jars a little with the rest of the book which is very much character driven but it is still an enchanting read.

[wishanem · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book never really sucked me in. It wasn't unpleasant, but it also wasn't particularly exciting, intriguing, funny, or dramatic.

If you're interested in a slightly fantastical story in a Chinese-analogue setting, this might be your bag. Otherwise, pass it up.

My recommendation is instead to read Barry Hughart's "Bridge of Birds", which is a humorous and more folktale-flavored take on the same sort of Chinese Fantasy.

[jenzbaker · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Set in 9th century China during the Tang Dynasty -- alternative history. Shen Tai buries the dead after a battle in which his father died, living alone in the mountains for two years, then returns to the capitol city of Kitai where the government is in turmoil. His brother is at the center. Many die. Poetry imagery, love, sensuality. Great world-building and historical detail, witty court intrigue, characters, lovely use of language. Pacing is slow and langorous

[dinadansfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

GGK has presented a fine example of his work. Almost sounding like a translation from the Chinese, he presents a story of a rebellion, both in the larger field, as monstrous egos commit monstrous crimes, and the personal, as a coming of age story is presented, balanced a number of adult themes very well.Set in a Tang China (more or less), we have a protagonist, who having come up with a noble way of following his own heritage, is presented with dizzying possibilities. The mighty, and the greedy gather round, and the bulk of the book deals with all the manoeuvers that occur even before the gift is delivered. Strong characters, and a well realised world keep the reader on board until we gain, along with our hero, enough wisdom to negotiate the politics of the time, and their consequences, personal and national.

[stuart10er_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful book set in, like much of Kay's writing, in a place that is very close to our world (in this case ancient China), but not quite our world. The central them regards responsibility, what is a son's duty to his dead father, what is his duty to his country and emperor, what is the daughter's duty to her family. All of these questions get tangled up when the son of a dead general mourns his father by going to the scene of his father's greatest victory (on the border) and spends two years burying the bones of the tens of thousands of dead soldiers on both sides. His act causes the queen of the neighboring country (the other side in the war) to give him a gift of some very special and valuable horses. What he does with them sets off events that shape his life and take his country in a totally new direction. Wonderful book.

[clay.blankenship · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great story in a slightly fantastic alternate version of China. (There are ghosts and a magical event happens in the remote frontier.) The backdrop is epic but the focus is on the personal story of the hero. Kay has a great way with words and really brings this era to life.

[karlstar_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book continues Kay's line of 'historical fantasy' novels. It really isn't a historical fantasy, as it isn't set in our history, but it very closely resembles actual historical events from the Tang Dynasty in China. There aren't a lot of fantasy elements so this could also be called historical ficition, again, if it was set in our history. A young man who's father has died sets out to honor his father and sets off a string of events that ends up getting him involved with the major figures of the dynasty. This was quite interesting and fun to read, though I thought the Sarantine Mosaic was better.

[romsfuulynn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Brilliant.

I suppose I should say more. Kay does this to me. Not Byzantium, not some other place, yet grounded in a reality that makes ordinary fantasy seem oversimple.

This isn't China. It isn't the end of the Tang dynasty. But there are mandarins and warriors. There are courtesans, and the fall of an emperor. There are ghosts, and honor and bravery and tragedy and a sense of the rush of history.

There's poetry, (oh, my is there poetry) and the interwoven motif of two hundred and fifty "Heavenly Horses"

This is a beautiful, lyrical book.

Go. Read it.

[mossjon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Shen Tai mourns his father for over two years by burying the bones of the dead in a vast battlefield on the western edge of the Kitan empire. A backbreaking labor of grace daily and the company of the restless shades of soldiers nightly. He gains the respect of friend and foe and the attention of women in high places with influence, intrigue and power. The unfathomable gift of two hundred and fifty horses from a rival empire courtesy of a Kitan princes sent as tribute sets Shen's life adrift on the high tide of potentially lethal imperial politics. He receives unlooked for and unlikely assistance from several women as he travels from the far western reaches to the very center of the Kitan empire in Xinan: a well trained assassin, Wei Song, sent by a former courtesan of the northwestern district previously known as Spring Rain and a former dancer now the favored courtesan of the emperor himself.

Even though we only ever see one of the famous Sardian horses for much of the novel, Shen repeatedly attempts to exchange them for knowledge of his sister and her rescue from the Bogu barbarians of the north, since his own older brother, now adviser to the prime minister, allowed her to be elevated to an imperial princes and sent as a tribute bride to the Bogu leader. But not even the most powerful players on this corrupted game board can assist Shen with his quest.

Kay delivers sweeping epic vistas of the open grass steppe and the heart-stopping gut-wrenching frenzy of court intrigue and rebellion. No other prose flows so seamlessly as Kay's, completely engulfing me in the world he unfolds before me.

My only quibble with this novel, and which almost made me drop my rating to four or four and a half stars, was with the ending. Shifting to third person and a more remote historical sagacious point of view distanced me from the characters just as the story culminated and resolved. I still enjoyed the novel immensely, though, and highly recommend it.

[shirezu · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the fourth Guy Gavriel Kay book I've read with a book club and will probably be my last GGK for a while. Set in a fictional version of ancient China this is a retelling of the An Shi or An Lushan Rebellion.

The world is incredibly detailed drawing images in my mind reminiscent to movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero. Each path is well written and the characters feel real. At times it did get a little bogged down as Kay got carried away with the descriptions but eventually things would pick up again. The last quarter of the book felt a bit rushed after the start but by that time I was quite happy for it to move along.

It's hard to really call this book a fantasy. There are some fantastical elements, and one that plays a key role, but overall it is far more a fictional retelling than anything else. A haunting, evocative book I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in ancient China, with courtesans and Emperors and honour.

[epersonae_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Awesome, as always. Kay remains pretty much my favorite fantasy author ever, or at least in the top 5. Fascinating story with lots of twists & turns, vivid setting (a fantasy China/Mongolia), and complex compelling characters. Plus: ghosts! assassins! warrior monks! palace intrigue! spooky stuff! Devoured the whole book in about a day, which is probably a little crazy; in my defense, it was a sick day. Sometimes his endings are painful, this one splits the difference with both happiness & melancholy.

C just finished it yesterday, and as he notes, it's also great fuel for my still-developing Central Asia-based game world, up to and including the inside-cover map. :)

[amaraduende · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was good, but not my favorite Kay. Or maybe, just maybe... maybe favorite Kay was only my favorite because I read it when I was 19, at just the right time... and this book is just as good but I'm not in that place anymore.

No, I'm forgetting about Ysabel! I really loved that one...

[bunwat_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was a well written book that did not spark much enthusiasm with me. I felt curiously distanced the whole time. Like I was watching myself read the thing. I never got to that place where you are in the scene with the characters living the thing as its happening. I was always on the sidelines cooly observing and giving it some mild tennis applause.

I don't know why, it was pretty well written. But for whatever reason - I mostly just didn't care.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this alternative history set in eight-century China - or Kitai, as it is called - a young man mourns for his father by burying the dead at the site of a devastating battle. His work is reward by a gift from Kitai's enemy, the Tagurans, in the form of two hundred fifty Sardian horses - a gift of tremendous value and danger. The gift changes Shen Tai's life - and places it in danger - as he journeys back to Kitai's capital and is drawn into the schemes and politics of the imperial court. With a diverse cast of characters, fresh writing, and an epic scale, Under Heaven makes for good reading.

[randalrh · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The strength and the weakness of this novel is that it is many things--imperial political thriller, clash of cultures, mystic magic, family breakdown, love story. Very GGK, I suppose. Under Heaven covers so much of this ground, though, that much of it can't be covered much at all. Two novels, covering the same events at the same time, one from an imperial insider perspective and one from a hinterlands outsider perspective, might have been more interesting.

[aulsmith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you are looking for an action-adventure fantasy novel, this isn't it. Rather it is a delicate meditation on duty, loyalty and following your own path (in the Taoist sense). I found it very moving.

[patrickgarson_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Under Heaven is a masterful book cruelly let down by its last fifty pages. They aren't a disaster, but very passe compared to the excellence that precedes them. If only Kay had spent that 50 somewhere else, it would be five stars. Whilst honouring his father's death, Shen Tai is given a gift of unimaginable wealth and power from a neighboring kingdom. Now, he must make it back to the capital alive, and find a way to navigate the political labyrinth of the emperor's court. Kay starts out with a dynamite premise - a wholly plausible gift that is equal parts blessing and curse - and use it to power an intelligent wuxia-pastiche. If you liked Crouching Tiger etc, but wanted more complexity - especially political - this is your book.The parallel-Chinese universe Kay has developed also plays to his thematic sensibilities, I think. As writer frequently occupied with themes of status, duty, and interpersonal debt, Kay is in a comfortable setting and he makes the most of it. His prose is always high quality for the genre (or outside it, really), and as in other books the peripheral characters are often more interesting than the protagonist. Shen's extraordinary capabilities may bother some readers, but Kay tempers with an almost total ignorance of court life. This all sounds great, so what about those 50 pages? Well, after setting up a rip-roaring premise and following through to the logical conclusion, Kay seems to hit his limit and attempts to wrap everything up in a rush. Viewpoints are abandoned in favour of lazy, omniscient and nameless "historians", used to relay information to the reader with a perfunctory thoroughness. Characters we have spent hundreds of pages with - for the course of a few months - suddenly find themselves with years whipping past in paragraphs, and whilst not of Gordian proportions, things are wrapped up into a pretty neat knot. The worst part of this is that it jerked me out of the story, and covers events arguably more epic, important (to reader and characters alike), and interesting than what precedes it. It left me feeling nonplussed, and somewhat frustrated. I think - in addition to a fear of a multi-book series - Kay grew too close to his characters for the story they could contain. In wanting to do them justice, he forgoes the powerful symbolism rippling through most of the book in favour of bland exposition. Doing this places a lot of weight on exposition, and some aspects of the narrative don't stand to this scrutiny - a subplot with Shen Tai's sister looks especially out of place. I'm being harsh I suppose, because Under Heaven is a five star book for 95% of its length. That last 5%, though, is so critical and it kills me that Kay lost control at the end. Nonetheless and enjoyable read.

[faganjc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Book quality: 5 stars. Personal enjoyment, first half: 3 stars. personal enjoyment, second half: 4 stars.Great job at conveying the hidden dynamics of interpersonal interaction.