Another excellent book by Guy Gavriel Kay, set as his others are in the world he has created; a world which echoes–but is not–ours. Two moons illuminate the skies of that world, and the conflicting religions are similar to–but are not–Christianity and Islam. The city names are like but are not ours–Sarantium, not Byzantium; Dubrava, not Zagreb; Seressa, not Venice. The history mirrors our early renaissance, whose wars and politics I have so recently experienced with Niccolo and Lymond, Dorothy Dunnett’s heroes–and which also course inspired the world of George Martin, in which I have been drowning myself for months now.
I think the reason I so love all these books is that their fabulous invention is based on solid history, peopled with believable men and women.
Dunnett sets her story in the actual world, weaving her fictional characters into actual events; Martin uses historical figures and events to base his stories on, and Kay takes historical figures and events and renames them, changes them slightly, adds a little magic–but the history is recognizably our own.
The story takes place years after the events described in Kay’s excellent Sailing to Sarantium, in a world where the west and east battle but also trade with one another, making treaties, breaking them. The Grand Khalif Gurcu– who captured Sarantium and renamed it Asharius, whose mighty Osmanli army conquered the east and parts of the west–has requested a western painter to come east to paint his portrait, and this request sets in motion a voyage during which 4 people will meet, changing each other’s lives. Danica is a warrior woman from Senjan, Leonora is a well born lady working as a spy for Seressa, Pero is the painter hired by the Khalif, and Marin is a wealthy merchant’s younger son. It is his ship that is carrying Leonara and Pero on their journeys, and which is boarded by Senjani raiders–one of whom is Danica. A brutal death during the raid forces Danica to leave her Senjan companions and travel on with the others–and so begins a fascinating tale. Their adventures are many, they part and come together again, meeting heroes and villains; escaping death by stealth, by wisdom–and by luck. One of the heroes is Skandir, the leader of a guerrilla band fighting the Osmanli conquerors–a small group which however managed to inflict considerable damage on their much more powerful enemies. For a while, Danica joins forces with them, while the others go on with their destinies, Leonara in Dubrova, Pero and Marin on their way to Asharius.
It was pleasing to find that despite all the death and destruction–such an elegiac tone pervading the book, such lyrical laments of grief and loss–there is a happy ending! For the four characters, anyway–and one other that we meet, a lost child who is found.
The story is based on actual history: Sultan Mehmed did in fact invite a Venetian painter to Constantinople to paint his portrait: Gentile Bellini, older brother of Giovanni Bellini. Skanderbeg, an Albanian chieftain, battled the Ottoman invaders all his life, and fought in many terrible battles. Venice had a vast network of spies, and a doge who was elected by his fellow merchants. But these are bare bones. It takes a master to so ably and elegantly clothe them, as Kay has done in this excellent book.
Quote (the clever duke is dealing with the powerful men on his council, one of whom has offended him):
“You behave like the son of a donkey and brothel-keeper, Signore Arnesti. You embarrass us. Remind me why you are permitted in this room?”
Shocking. But it pleased him to say it. The words established a fraught, frightened silence. The councillors were like a sculpted frieze around the table now, the duke thought.
…
Arnesti spoke again, reclaiming his voice. “You have insulted me mortally, my lord duke! I demand a retraction!”
“Retracted,” said the duke promptly. (Some things were too easy).
Arnesti opened his mouth and closed it. He was a fool. “