A Brightness Long Ago Audiobook By Guy Gavriel Kay cover art

A Brightness Long Ago

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A Brightness Long Ago

By: Guy Gavriel Kay
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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Buy for $22.83

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In a chamber overlooking the nighttime waterways of a maritime city, a man looks back on his youth and the people who shaped his life. Danio Cerra's intelligence won him entry to a renowned school even though he was only the son of a tailor. He took service at the court of a ruling count - and soon learned why that man was known as the Beast.

©2019 Guy Gavriel Kay (P)2019 Recorded Books Historical Fiction Renaissance Fantasy Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Genre Fiction
Rich Worldbuilding • Complex Characters • Philosophical Themes • Lyrical Prose • Interwoven Storylines • Beautiful Voice

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As always, G.G.K. delivers a soulful, gripping and memorable story. And, a great oblique view of what life may have been like in the Italian States around the end of the Byzantine era.

Exquisite

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I probably have 1,000 books in my Audible library, and this is undoubtedly in my top 10. Simon Vance — who’s in my top 5 narrators — does beautiful service to Kay’s indescribably evocative prose, and imbues well-drawn characters with humanity. This is the first book I’ve read by Kay, but will not be the last. His masterful command of language — while completely different in style — reminded me of Hilary Mantel or Erin Morgenstern. Kay shows deft control of tempo, scene-setting, atmosphere, characterization, and dialogue. Others will give a more descriptive review of the plot. I’ll just say that for someone wanting to get lost in a fascinating story, with characters (major and minor) they’ll think of long after reading, they won’t do better than this book.

One of the best books I’ve ever read

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Complex weave is both fascinating and frustrating. For me, multiple characters with unfamiliar names force me to rewind often to figure out who is speaking or in the scene. The second listening was rewarding because so many “incidental” details turn out to be pointers to later events. It definitely feels like a prequel, almost to the point of having too much detail- perhaps pointing to the book it precedes.

Enjoyed it twice

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A little hard to follow all the various groups of people but it just keeps flowing and comes together in the end. The performance is wonderful. All the names of people and places sound so wonderful. Good one to just go into and enjoy.

Good one for sure

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Seems a mood piece rather than a novel. Kay is a master of the written word.

Compelling

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