A Song for Arbonne

by Guy Gavriel Kay


Guy Gavriel Kay often sets his tales in lands based closely on real times/places. In this case, A Song for Arbonne is based on Provence (southern France) during the Albigensian Crusade (early 13th century). The region is known as the six kingdoms and the tale takes place in the land of Arbonne.

Arbonne is a relatively peaceful land where the people worship the goddess Rian and revere the music of the troubadours. Not everything is well, though. The ruler of Arbonne has no heir and the two highest-ranking noblemen of the land have been feuding for 23 years. To the north is the rather militant kingdom of Gorhaut, where they worship the god Corranos and burn followers of Rian at the stake.

The tale takes place during a year in which a young mercenary from Gorhaut named Blaise comes to Arbonne. He's not a typical Gorhautian and has traveled throughout the six kingdoms. One of the feuding noblemen of Arbonne, Bertran de Talair (who is also a revered troubadour), takes an interest in Blaise and hires him. It all seems to be part of a larger plot in a seemingly inevitable war with Gorhaut. But perhaps the King and High Elder of Gorhaut have plans of their own for Blaise and Arbonne?

This is a wonderful tale, full of complex characters, political intrigue, and that confusing courtly love. One interesting thing about this fantasy world is that there's very little magic to be found. It's a modern telling of a type of epic that would have been at home in the courts of France and England during the high middle ages.
/ [Viking]

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