If you have happened to get curious at what stuff I read or books I recommend, then visit my Books page. There, under the category of ‘Fiction‘, is a curious title ‘Tigana’, a novel by Guy Gavriel Kay (GGK). By now, you will have come to realize that I dabble and enjoy works of fantasy and science fiction. That’s my genre, I guess – that of the other-worldly; an escape of sorts, to worlds imagined, worlds that reflect likeness to our own; strange yet strangely familiar, and of stories about the human journey and of the human heart.
It is sad when the journey has to end. And when you realize that the trip was more enjoyable than the destination. Tigana has been my travel book ever since I bought it for my second trip outside the country. That was way back in 2004. I know it took an unbelievable amount of time for me to finish the book. I had to reserve the reading to when I was away from my family. But surprisingly enough, even though my trips were several months spaced away, Tigana was a familiar land to come to and its characters were like old time friends.
Tigana is a work of high fantasy by Canadian fantasy author Guy Gavriel Kay. The story is set in a world with two moons, in a peninsula called the”Peninsula of the Palm“, divided into seven provinces (including the island-province of Chiara), and conquered by two powerful wizards from beyond the sea. These two conquerors have divided the peninsula between themselves and have since ruled each three provinces, with the last province being independent, delicately balancing the powers on the Palm. Tigana is one of those conquered provinces, but because it has resisted so much to the point of killing one of the conqueror’s beloved son, its name is never spoken… nor even heard… except those who came from that land before the magic was cast.
Thus begins the story of the remnants of Tigana, of their prince, and of those who have held back and prepared for a time to banish the conquerors from their lands. Along this journey, love will bloom, decisions that weigh as heavy as another man’s life will be made, and old links to the past must be re-forged into a weapon for the future. It touches on themes such as the burden of the past, true identity, and the struggle of love and this tormented identity.
Characters are vividly portrayed: Alessan, prince of Tigana; Dionara, a woman torn between her sworn duty and the growing love for the man he vowed to kill; Devin, a young man awakened to his true identity and of the events that would lead to the freedom of his home; Catriana, a young woman thrown into the same situation as Devin, who plays a catalyst to the final act that would free Tigana.
The rich world GGK weaves is spectacular from the depths of its mythos to the history and politics of the land. He masterfully creates a world in parallel to Europe in the middle ages, where the sword ruled. His artful use of magic – sparsely at that – is a good tool to keep the story believable and rational.
The story itself is a complex weave, with many unforgettable scenes and twists. And its conclusion is one that I was caught off-guard, but was ultimately enjoyable. This novel comes highly recommended. At a little less than 700 pages, it’s a very good one-shot read to immerse yourself in the struggles of identity and freedom (a very apt reading for the Filipino today who is still searching for identity and recognition).
