Guy Gavriel Kay's River of Stars is a deeply engrossing epic fantasy with profound things to say about politics, art and the escaping of lesser fates through skill and effort. As in most of Kay's previous works, it takes place in a fantastical variant of an actual historical time period; in this case, medieval China's Song Dynasty. (It's a sequel of sorts to 2010's Under Heaven, which was set four centuries earlier.)
Kay brings a genuine appreciation of Song-era poets and statesmen, seamlessly weaving together poetry from the period with his own variations into the narrative, a fitting device considering that two of the main characters, Lin Shan and Lu Chen, are based on the poets Li Qingzhao and Su Shi. However, Kay is first and foremost a storyteller; his novels grip readers with the passions and obsessions of real people--the romantic entanglements, improbable alliances and domestic intrigues that can ruin or make lives.
While River of Stars may be epic fantasy at its finest, with visceral action set pieces and armies in motion across multiple kingdoms, Kay ups the ante by examining the conflicts and resolutions that confound and lift the individual human heart. Even the most minor of characters becomes vividly real through a few effective and touching details. The result is an enjoyable and moving read that brings a crucial period of Chinese history to life with a new relevance for modern audiences. --Donald Powell, freelance writer