Guy Gavriel Kay's Under Heaven has reminded me of just how important story is to a novel. Set in a fictionalized version of 8th century China (called Kitai), this is Lord of the Rings for the history crowd. No elves or dwarves (although there are ghosts and other slightly fantastic/gothic elements) but it has the same type of deep rich world building and a plot that is equaled only by an amazing set of characters. I honestly did not expect to love the book as much as I did. I'm a fan of Kay's Ysabel, but I thought the old history aspect of the narrative (I'm more of a Victorian era and forward fan) would be something that would hold me back from enjoying the novel. Was I ever wrong. Totally and completely.

In a nutshell, Shen Tai has been mourning his recently deceased father by burying the dead at a battlefield where the general fought years before. He receives a royal gift from Kitai's former enemy (their opponents in the battle) of 250 horses for doing such a great and noble thing for the dead. This is a huge big deal and he must travel to see his emperor and make him aware of the gift. LOTS of political intrigue ensues. There are multiple attempts on Tai's life, he learns that his brother has become a political insider, his sister has been elevated to the level of princess and traded off in an arranged marriage for the good of the empire and the woman he was in a relationship with is now the concubine of a high level politician. He makes friends, discovers enemies and tries to thread the needle of staying alive and not compromising his principles. And then Kitai gets sucked into a civil war and everything goes to hell in a handbasket.

I loved that this could be a big novel about war and politics while at the same time a very small novel about friendships and honorable decisions and love. I also loved how nearly every single person who Kay introduces has their moment and at least a few pages to give their perspective on events. Also, although Tai is the protagonist his sister carries a big chunk of the story and there are two other very strong female characters (one of whom is a warrior). All of that combines to make it fabulous but more than anything - more than anything - it is the story that blew my away. Under Heaven is a book to sink into and it carried me along for several days. Consider passages like this:

They couldn't leave at sunrise. He'd just realized it.

It was not possible. Not in the empire of the Ninth Dynasty.

He had to visit the prefect tomorrow morning. Had to. They were to take a morning meal together. It had been arranged. If he didn't attend, if he simply rode off, it would bring lasting shame upon himself, and upon his father's memory.

Neither the poet nor the Kanlin would say a word to refute this. They wouldn't even think to try. It was a truth of their world, for good or ill - as poetry was, or silk, or sculpted jade, palace intrigues, students and courtesans, Heavenly Horses, pipa music or unburied tens of thousands upon a battlefield.

Shen Tai hates these truths - hates that he could be man who tended to those dead and yet still is trapped by ritual and tradition which will not shake apart even if assassins are snapping at your heels. But he shoulders on and he does what he thinks is right and he does not forget those who stood by him and he proves how much of a difference - small but significant - one man doing the right thing can accomplish.

He might not be Frodo but he has his own magic. Loved every second of this one - and remain now a committed Guy Gavriel Kay fan for life.

[Post pic of the Great Wall of China - in Under Heaven, Kitai has a "Long Wall". The book was provided by the publisher - formal review to follow later this summer at Bookslut.]