From Publishers Weekly
In this wonderfully imaginative historical fantasy from Kay (A Song for Arbonne), seemingly random deeds connect Erling (Viking) raiders and Anglcyn (English) and Cyngael (Welsh) princes: If only Bern Thorkellson hadn't stolen that horse in a desperate act of vengeance against his sorry fate; if only Dai ab Owyn hadn't stepped outside the safety of Brynfell right at the moment when the Erlings attacked; if only Ivarr Ragnarson hadn't been born ill-formed and downright cruel; if only Aeldred hadn't been king of the Anglcyn; if only Thorkell Einarson had murdered only one man and not the second; if only Alun ab Owyn hadn't stepped into that pool on a moonless night and seen the Queen of the Elves in procession. At first glance, each individual's act appears to be a normal human response. It's only later, as the characters' paths cross, that the pieces come together to weave a dazzling tapestry of conjoined fates. Solid research, filtered through vibrant prose, serves to convey a sense of how people really lived and died in Viking and Anglo-Saxon times and how they might have interacted with the realm of magic on a daily basis. Readers of lighter fantasy should be forewarned—the novel contains a lot of gruesome killing and the fairy world plays a relatively minor role, as do women. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Kay's third excellent fantasy set in the world of The Lions of Al-Rassan (1995) and The Sarantine Mosaic (1999) begins about three centuries after the events of the latter. The place is an alternate Britain, the specific time the era in which a king modeled on Alfred of Wessex (849-99), called the Great, began to make headway against raiders from the north. The times and the battles are presented from several points of view, including those of Bern Thorkellson, a young northern outlaw; Aeldred of the Anglcyn (Alfred); his children; and Cenion, a learned cleric of Llywerth (Wales). Not all the battles involve weapons. The princes of Llywerth struggle with the half-world not accepted by the new faith of Jad, and Aeldred fights to get his lords to learn to use more than their weapons. The Erlings (northmen) struggle for a living, as their lives and land are hard, but realize that raiding is harder than it used to be. A distinguished story that, for those so inclined, poses intriguing historical riddles. Frieda Murray
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description
From the multiple award-winning author of Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, and the three-book Fionavar Tapestry that "can only be compared to Tolkien's masterpiece" (Star-Phoenix), this powerful, moving saga evokes the Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse cultures of a thousand years ago.

About the Author
Guy Gavriel Kay has been awarded the International Goliardos Prize for his work in the literature of the fantastic, is a two-time winner of the Aurora Award, and has been nominated three times for the World Fantasy Award. His works have been translated into 21 languages.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Guy Gavriel Kay's The Last Light of the Sun is a compelling historical fantasy in which fate throws together three warring societies -- Anglcyn (Anglo-Saxon), Cyngael (Welsh), and Erling (Viking) -- in a brutal conflict that brings both heartrending sorrow and unexpected joy.

In a world where Erling marauders regularly raid Anglcyn and Cyngael villages and bloodshed is a part of everyday life, only the strong survive. Bern Thorkellson is a survivor, although his life can't exactly be described as fortunate; the son of an ill-tempered Erling named Red Thorkell, Bern recklessly seeks vengeance against the man who stole his father's prize horse. Aeldred, legendary king of the Anglcyn, struggles to protect -- and enlighten -- his countrymen against all odds. After witnessing the murder of his brother, the Cyngael prince Alun tries to save his soul from supernatural forces. Then the destinies of all three intertwine.

Adeptly researched with ingeniously intricate tangential plotlines ("￯﾿ﾽactions ripple, in so many ways, and for so long￯﾿ﾽ"), this offering is sure to please and surprise fans of Kay's previous historical fantasies (Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, et al.). Gloriously complex and riveting, The Last Light of the Sun is archetypal Kay. Fans of first-rate historical fantasies like Marion Zimmer Bradley's Avalon sequence and Stephen R. Lawhead's Celtic Crusades trilogy who have yet to experience Kay's storytelling prowess should make it a point to pick up one of his novels immediately. Paul Goat Allen

FROM THE PUBLISHER

From the multiple award-winning author of Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, and the three-book Fionavar Tapestry that "can only be compared to Tolkien's masterpiece" (Star-Phoenix), this powerful, moving saga evokes the Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse cultures of a thousand years ago.

Author Biography: Guy Gavriel Kay has been awarded the International Goliardos Prize for his work in the literature of the fantastic, is a two-time winner of the Aurora Award, and has been nominated three times for the World Fantasy Award. His works have been translated into 21 languages.

FROM THE CRITICS

The Washington Post

Kay's latest, The Last Light of the Sun, is a historical fantasy of the highest order, the work of a man who may well be the reigning master of the form … Kay's novel is an ambitious entertainment that transcends the historical record, offering cogent observations on fathers and sons, on the power of grief, on faith, courage, loyalty and the inevitability of change. — Bill Sheehan

Publishers Weekly

In this wonderfully imaginative historical fantasy from Kay (A Song for Arbonne), seemingly random deeds connect Erling (Viking) raiders and Anglcyn (English) and Cyngael (Welsh) princes: If only Bern Thorkellson hadn't stolen that horse in a desperate act of vengeance against his sorry fate; if only Dai ab Owyn hadn't stepped outside the safety of Brynfell right at the moment when the Erlings attacked; if only Ivarr Ragnarson hadn't been born ill-formed and downright cruel; if only Aeldred hadn't been king of the Anglcyn; if only Thorkell Einarson had murdered only one man and not the second; if only Alun ab Owyn hadn't stepped into that pool on a moonless night and seen the Queen of the Elves in procession. At first glance, each individual's act appears to be a normal human response. It's only later, as the characters' paths cross, that the pieces come together to weave a dazzling tapestry of conjoined fates. Solid research, filtered through vibrant prose, serves to convey a sense of how people really lived and died in Viking and Anglo-Saxon times and how they might have interacted with the realm of magic on a daily basis. Readers of lighter fantasy should be forewarned-the novel contains a lot of gruesome killing and the fairy world plays a relatively minor role, as do women. (Mar. 2) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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