Search advanced search
 
Books
Search:
x dismiss this message

Did you know you can edit this page?

Tigana
  • Rated 0 stars

Tigana (1990) (edit title/settings)

by Guy Gavriel Kay (Author) (edit contributors)

Share this book on:
see page history

Description edit see section history

With a new introduction by the acclaimed bestselling author, this is the spectacular deluxe tenth-anniversary edition of a fantasy classic--the sweeping tale of sorcery, magic, politics, war, love, betrayal, and survival... "A richly sensuous fantasy world, full of evocative history,... read more

Summary edit see section history

The plot focuses on a group of rebels attempting to overthrow both tyrants and win back their homeland.
Many of the rebels are natives of the province of Tigana, which was the province that most ably resisted Brandin: In a crucial battle, Brandin's son was killed.
In retaliation for... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

The plot focuses on a group of rebels attempting to overthrow both tyrants and win back their homeland.
Many of the rebels are natives of the province of Tigana, which was the province that most ably resisted Brandin: In a crucial battle, Brandin's son was killed.
In retaliation for this, Brandin attacked Tigana and crushed it more savagely than any other part of the Palm; then, following this victory, he used his magic to remove the name and history of Tigana from the minds of the population.
Brandin named it Lower Corte, making Corte, to their north, seem superior to a land that was all but forgotten.
Only those born in Tigana before the invasion can hear or speak its name, or remember it as it was; as far as everyone else is concerned, that area of the country has always been an insignificant part of a neighbouring province, hence the rebels are battling for the very soul of their country.

The book puts great emphasis on the different moral shades of people.
Though seen by most of the characters as a ruthless, grief-maddened tyrant, Brandin is actually a very sympathetic character, especially in his love for Dianora, one of the women of his harem, called a saishan in the book -- a character who is in fact from Tigana herself and engineered her own selection into Brandin's seraglio so that she could assassinate him, only to fall in love with him before she could.
Despite being likeable and sympathetic, many of the rebels are equally ruthless in their attempts to overthrow the Tyrants, setting off wars, assassinating soldiers and officials and even committing suicide to depose Brandin.

All the main characters are very complex.
The book is full of themes of identity, love, patriotism, revenge and magic.

Characters/People edit see section history

  • Devin: Devin is a nineteen year old singer, singing in the Menico’s company. He is not very tall and has a boyish face, which usually gives a wrong impression. He is the youngest of three sons, and also the most talented and intelligent one. He was never good at farming like his brothers were, so he left home to become a singer. Devin was in the peak of his career, after singing a lament at the funeral of duke Sandre, when his life took a completely different path. Though he is a main character, Devin isn’t the most intelligent, sharpest, strongest or the bravest one. His biggest virtues are honesty, patience, persistence and his incredible memory, which he was extremely proud of.
  • Catriana: Catriana is the character who, in a way, led Devin through the doors of Morian; to the change in his life. She is a red-haired beautiful woman, stubborn and often difficult. She was singing with Devin in Menico’s company. Even though Devin was trying to be nice with her, she was often giving him the hard time. She is extremely brave and even if she’s quite difficult to get along with, once you get to know her, she proves to be a nice and caring person.
  • Alessan: Alessan is the closest to the term of hero in this story, but even he’s far from perfect. Brave, strong and proud, Alessan has all qualities of a leader. Early greys in his hair are one of the marks off all the things he had passed in his life. He’s intelligent and sharp, stubborn, but willing to give up if proven wrong. Alessan has a strong sense of justice and an ability to perfectly mask his feelings when necessary. Just as Devin, he deeply cares about his friends and he had dedicated his life to fight for freedom. He’s often looking for peace and solace in music through his Tregean pipes. He was fourteen when the tyrants came, a year too young to fight on Deisa; a year too young to die like his father and two older brothers. The return of Tigana and revenge upon Brandin were now his responsibility and even though he was truly competent for it, he doubted his abilities. His determination to bring back Tigana sometimes brought him too close to the situations where his actions were becoming questionable.
  • Baerd: Baerd is presented to the readers as a strong, possibly dangerous man only to be revealed as a silent even fragile person who deeply cares for his friends. Thanks to years of fighting in all possible with his childhood friend Alessan, and need for creativity, he’s skillful in almost everything he does. Baerd’s often looking for release from his haunting past and memories in the solitude of long night walks. He was too young to fight on Deisa too. After his father, close friend of the Prince Valentin, died in the battle, Baerd has been left with his older sister Dianora, their mother who had lost her touch with reality and a servant and friend Naddo. Maltreated by the soldier who were constantly forcing him to tell the name of his town to the strangers who couldn’t hear it, and beating him if he‘d refuse, Baerd was slowly collapsing. After Naddo’s leaving, his sister was his only support. Soon, Baerd saw a riselka on one of his night walks by the sea. Next day, he left to find Alessan and join him against Brandin. After finding him, they started forming their plans, travelling through the Palm and finding new allies. They were true friends who could always rely one on other.
  • Dianora: Dianora’s story started when her father was killed in the battle on Deisa and her mother lost her touch with reality. Dianora was left with her brother Baerd and they were doing their best to support each other. After her brother left his home, hoping he could help in the fight against Brandin, Dianora decided she has to do something too. She left soon after her brother did. Three years later, she had been chosen for the Brandin’s Saishan. Beautiful, quick and intelligent, Dianora managed to capture Brandin’s attention. Twenty years later, she was one of the most important people in the Brandin’s Castle. Those twenty years she’s been living her life between two blades. One was the love for her family and a promise to revenge them and their lost name. Brandin was the other one – he was the man she loved and the very same man who took her name, her father’s life, her mother’s sanity and brother childhood.
  • Brandin: Brandin is one of the two antagonists in the story. He is the one who cursed Tigana after Prince Valentin killed his beloved son Steven. Brandin is almost a tragic hero, and in some ways a more sympathetic character than Alessan. Brandin is actually a man who lives by his feelings. Love for his killed son made him a revenge hungry tyrant; love for Dianora made him a king of Western Palm; a king his people cherished. Brandin has an ability to perfectly mask his feelings. He’s unbelievably sharp and intelligent which forces the readers to respect him even if they don’t want to.
  • Alberico: Alberico is a true example of someone who spends so much time and focus on his goal that the goal itself becomes meaningless. Alberico believes that his end justifies his means but his cruelty turns him into a shell of himself.
  • Rovigo: Sailor and owner of "Sea Maid", a small merchant vessel
  • Alix: Rovigo's wife
  • Alais: Daughter of Alix and Rovigo
  • Selvena: Second daughter of Rovigo and Alix
  • Taeri: Youngest son of Sandre, Duke of Astibar
  • Herado: Illegitimate son of Gianno, eldest son of Sandre
  • Sandre: Duke of Astibar
  • Gianno: Promiscuous eldest son of Sandre
  • Tomasso: Duke Sandre of Astibar's middle son. Apparently gay.
  • Erlein: Erlein di Senzio - a wizard.
  • Ducas: A captain from Borifort in Tregea and now the leader of an outlaw band. Red-headed.
  • Marius: the King of Quilea.
  • Donar: the leader of the Night-Walkers.
  • Elena: one of the Night-Walkers
  • Alienor: the lady of castle Borso.
  • Scelto: A eunuch in the Saishan. His every action can be tied back to his complete and loving servitude to Dianora - Dianora's carer.
  • Rinaldo: An old man and healer from Senzio who, 20 years previously, had his eyes taken from him for speaking out against the tyrants
  • Morian: godess - daughter of Eanna and Adaon. The three of them form the Tryad.
  • Mattio: a blacksmith, one of the nightwalkers
  • Danoleon: the high preist of Eanna
  • Eanna: godess - wife and sister of Adaon, mother of Morian. The three of them form the Tryad.
  • Valentin: the former prince of Tigana
  • Stevan: Brandin's son killed in Tigana.
  • Naddo: Saevar's apprentice and loyal family servant.
  • Rhamanus: the captain of the ship that takes Dianora to Chiara.
  • Marra: Devin's former companion. She taught him to pick locks.
  • Torre: Add a description of this character.
  • Anghiar: The Barbaidan emiessry in senzio
  • Arkin
  • Karalius
  • Adaon: god - husband and brother of Eanna and father of Morian. The three of them form the Tryad.
  • Vencel: The head of the Saishan
  • Micaela: Devin's mother
  • Camena
  • Girald: devin's father
Show all 42 characters
Popular Covers

Loading covers…

Choose your book’s cover

Quotes edit see section history

  • “"Tigana, let my memory of you be like a blade in my soul."”
    Alessan
  • “"There are no wrong turnings, only paths we had not known we were meant to walk."”
  • “"In Finavir, he had said. Last words. Another named place, farther away than dream. And had been right, as so many many times he had been right. They ought to have met, if the gods had any kindness, any pity at all for them, in another world than this. Not here. For love was what it was, but it was not enough. Not here."”

Setting & Locations edit see section history

The Peninsula of the Palm
Show all 22 settings

First Sentence edit see section history

IN THE AUTUMN SEASON OF THE WINE, WORD WENT FORTH from among the cypresses and olives and the laden vines of his country estate that Sandre, Duke of Astibar, once ruler of that city and its province, had drawn the last bitter breath of his exile and age and died.

Table of Contents edit see section history

Prologue
A Blade in the Soul
Dianora
Ember to Ember
The Price of Blood
The Memory of a Flame
Epilogue

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 12 of 159 in Fantasy Book Review Top 100 fantasy books of all time. (community list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Guy Gavriel Kay (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Roc
Country: USA
Publication Date: 1990
ISBN: 0451450280
Page Count: 673

Awards edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • The Lions of al-Rassan
  • Lord of Emperors
  • The Last Light Of The Sun
  • Sailing to Sarantium

We’re hiding the errata, movie connections, books that influenced this book, books influenced by this book, books that cite this book and books cited by this book sections. If you would like to add content to them, you must first make them visible.

© 2006-2013 Shelfari | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy

Close