TL;DR: An unexpected yet surprisingly good fantasy story, Sailing to Sarantium by Guy Gavriel Kay had depth and robust characters set in a rich historical background.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
Crispin, a master mosaicist, takes the place of his mentor when the Emperor requests him to come to Sarantium and practice his art. Along the way, he meets and befriends a girl sold into slavery and the guide meant to keep them alive on the journey, to name but a few.
I did not expect to like this book. I wasn’t sure if it was the cheesy cover (I’m pretty sure the library had the original 1998 version) or the fact that everyone raves about Guy Gavriel Kay and I’m usually not a part of the choir of voices, but it didn’t matter. It was such a joy to read. I liked so much about it and found it much easier to read than many of the newer fantasy books. For that and more, I give it 4.5 stars.
The Plot
Crispin is a master mosaicist who is struggling to live again after the death of his wife and children to a plague. When the Emperor requests his mentor to come to Sarantium for a massive undertaking, Crispin goes in his stead.
Crispin has a long journey, one that is made longer by the inability to travel by boat due to the messenger taking the most roundabout route to get him the message. Along the way, he meets, saves and/or befriends two people and creates strong relationships with many others.
He is aided by the wizard in his town and his magical creatures, which turn out to be something very different from what he was told. He faces scary monsters, scared villagers, and rebels as well.
When he arrives in Sarantium, the politics and undercurrents at play will challenge him in ways he least expects. Can Crispin survive and thrive in his new role?
What I liked & liked less
I really liked this book. I loved that it started out with court intrigue, which also plagued some of the side characters throughout the book.
I also enjoyed that he created world building by spending pages on a side character who only came into the story for one specific plot point. We see average citizens of Sarantium, find out their desires and drives, only to never see them again. It created an epicness to a simple adventure quest story that was unexpected.
Crispin is a flawed, but fascinating character. While he doesn’t want to be saved, he goes out of his way to save others. He’s also a master strategist and plays others’ flaws to his advantage.
The politics of the world were rich, myriad, and set the tone for what unfolds later in the book. Did I understand all of it? No, but I was alright with that. I definitely didn’t expect the Emperor to be the person he was, which was a nice twist.
I was not a huge fan of the Charioteers and the racing part of the story. Some may love it and it fits well into the historical basis of the book, but I found it boring.
Kasia, the slave girl Crispin saves has an interesting story and an emotional arc, but I wasn’t as enamored of her as I would’ve liked to have been. She’s finally set free and yet she’s still held back by the chains she refuses to put down. Maybe that’s what makes her interesting, but there’s only so much distrust and fear I can take before I move on to whatever comes next.
To Sum Up (Too Late!)
I am not someone who reads a lot of historical fiction and I was worried based on the blurb and the very cheesy cover that I would not like this book. Boy, was I wrong and I am glad I didn’t let either of those two things stop me from reading this book. I loved the politics, world building, and character arcs presented in this book. He also left us hanging on specific points, which means I may need to read the second book. For all that and more, I gave it 4.5 stars.
About the Author(s)
Guy Gavriel Kay is a Canadian author of fantasy fiction. Many of his novels are set in fictional realms that resemble real places during real historical periods, such as Constantinople during the reign of Justinian I or Spain during the time of El Cid. Those works are published and marketed as historical fantasy, though the author himself has expressed a preference to shy away from genre categorization when possible.
If you wish to purchase this book, pick your vendor of choice here, or just cave to the man and get it from Amazon here.
Originally published on Feedium. This fills in the Historical SFF square on my Fantasy Bingo 2022 card.