Book review: Children of Earth and Sky

Children of Earth and Sky is a historical fantasy novel by Guy Gavriel Kay, also author of the Stoats of al-Rassan. This one is much in the same mould, except he has switched from Spain to Venice, the Adriatic, and lands East. Like tSoaR places and peoples are semi-disguised (the city of Dubrova is an analogue of Dubrovnik) in a way that might be irritating if I cared, but I don't.

The story is decent and pleasantly told and I think lacks the poison in tSoaR.

On reflection I think it is a bit weird that sea-faring people chose to go to Constantinople on foot, just in order to allow the book's story-lines to intersect.

The main... problem, perhaps I might put it, is that despite the author's attempts to be gritty, or provide realistic colour, it all comes out a bit pallid; perhaps because all the nice people get nice endings.

The novel emphasises - for storyline purposes - the way the Ottomans rigidly enforce obedience by drastic punishment: death, torture, mutilation. This has some advantages in enforcing honesty. But it is a very centralised system with disadvantages: if you've fucked up somehow and can only forsee a terrible death if you return, you're no longer motivated to return. This isn't explored.