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A Brightness Long Ago
- Narrated by: Mr Simon Vance
- Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins
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The ruling Asharites of Al-Rassan have come from the desert sands, but over centuries, seduced by the sensuous pleasures of their new land, their stern piety has eroded. The Asharite empire has splintered into decadent city-states led by warring petty kings. King Almalik of Cartada is on the ascendancy, aided always by his friend and advisor, the notorious Ammar ibn Khairan - poet, diplomat, soldier - until a summer afternoon of savage brutality changes their relationship forever.
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Overall
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Crispin is a mosaicist, a layer of bright tiles. Still grieving for the family he lost to the plaque, he lives only for his arcane craft. But an imperial summons from Valerius the Trakesian to Sarantium, the most magnificent place in the world, is difficult to resist. In a world half-wild and tangled with magic, a journey to Sarantium means a walk into destiny. Bearing with him a deadly secret and a Queen's seductive promise, guarded only by his own wits and a talisman from an alchemist's treasury, Crispin sets out for the fabled city. Along the way he will encounter a great beast.
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Overall
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Performance
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- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 24 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
-
Performance
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Story
Eight of the nine Palm provinces of the Peninsula have been overcome by warrior sorcerers Brandin and Alberico. But the sorcerers don't know that a small band of survivors is plotting their removal. With tensions mounting, the sorcerers become increasingly at odds as each decides where his own path - and that of the land - should truly lie.
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By: Guy Gavriel Kay
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- Narrated by: Euan Morton
- Length: 19 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
The lands of Arbonne and Gorhaut are on the verge of an all-consuming conflict. When a devious high priest of Gorhaut seizes the opportunity to wage a holy war against residents of Arbonne, an epic clash between the two cultures ensues.
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Publisher's summary
Internationally best-selling author Guy Gavriel Kay's latest work is set in a world evoking early Renaissance Italy, with an extraordinary cast of characters.
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, 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.
Danio's fate changed the moment he recognised Adria Ripoli as she entered the count's chambers one night - intending to kill. Born to power, Adria had chosen a life of danger - and freedom - instead.
Other vivid figures share the story: a healer determined to defy her expected lot; a charming, frivolous son of immense wealth; a religious leader more decadent than devout; and, affecting these lives and many more, two mercenary commanders, whose rivalry puts a world in the balance.
A Brightness Long Ago offers both compelling drama and deeply moving reflections on the nature of memory, the choices we make in life, and the role played by the turning of Fortune's wheel.
Critic reviews
Praise for Guy Gavriel Kay: "The greatest living author of epic fantasy." (Brandon Sanderson)
"Contemporary fiction's finest fantasist." (Tor.com)
"One of the (if not the) premiere fantasists of our time." (The Financial Times)
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What listeners say about A Brightness Long Ago
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Lia
- 06-14-19
Beautiful story, wonderfully read by Simon Vance
It may not be Guy Gavriel Kays best book, bit I dit love it. I listened it before I read id. What made the experience truly wonderful was the way it was read by Simon Vance. Het is a true storyteller.
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- GlennC
- 08-07-22
A wonderful experience
Guy Gavriel Kay writes wonderful books and this audio book by Simon Vance enhances the experience. As usual I went through so many emotions listening to the story and the lives of the characters. No spoilers but one character who I loved was Adria Ripoli, how wonderful it would be to meet someone like her in real life.
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