Rating: 
Summary: started strong-finished weak
Review: When I first started reading this book I wondered how it would rate. I had read and loved Song for Arbonne then had read Tigana and been disappointed by it. I loved the complex characters and politcal realism of the feudal setting in Song for Arbonne even though the antagonists were a little one dimensional. Tigana, I found however that the characters were weak and the antagonists were the only interesting part of the story while the nationalism was incongruous in the feudal setting. Lions started out ok. The pacing was good and we really got to know the central characters. Then when (in a very contrived way) all the characters wind up exiled in the same place (Ragosa) it all seems to fall apart. Kay begins to tell the story rather than let the reader feel it. It's here that the lack of a central everyman type of character becomes painfully obvious. Theres a glut of sensual beauties, crafty chancellors, wise kings,and cunning warlords. And for me the character of Ammar really began to grate on me. Kay seemed to think alot more of this man and his prickly pride than I did. And the hurried way the whole story wrapped up in a quick measure. For all the build up the final confrontation between Ammar and Rodrigo was PAINFULLY underwritten. If anyone agrees with me I would reccomend A Game of Thrones by George Martin for what a true multi-character novel should be like or Tower of the Kings Daughter by Chaz Brenchley for an good historical fantasy novel of a similar theme.
Rating: 
Summary: excellent as always
Review: More proof that Guy Gavriel Kay is the leader in fantasy fiction. His novels are not just good fantasy novels, but good novels (no qualifiers). This one strayed from the Fionovar Tapestry and the like in that it is not explicitly fantasy; instead it is quasi-historical fiction.
Rating:
Summary: another Kay masterpiece
Review: Possibly the best of Kay's work, in my own mind, it even outranks Tigana, which was nearly as amazing. While the historical foundations of Al-Rassan are interesting enough, it is the characters which truly shine. Kay effortlessly creates believeable, sympathetic characters like no other fantasty writer I have come across. Kay's writing is, as always, elegant in its simplicity, and his spare descriptions easily conjure up the scene. The handling of the emotions -always a sticky topic in fantasy - is deftly done here and the dialogue - magnificent! Despite the emphasis on emotion and spiritual matters, Kay never forgets that he's writing fantasy and keeps the story moving at a good clip. An added bonus is the ending, which is very cleverly handled and is guaranteed to shock you. Kay's best novel ever and a nice change from all that formulaic garbage (here I'm thinking of Dragonlance) which pollutes the market on a regular basis.
Rating:
Summary: Exquisite, heartbreaking, unforgettable
Review: This is a story that can break your heart, bring you to tears, and you may find yourself, as I did, aching for more pages to read of this exquisitly emotional saga. Kay has a very select and unique skill of making his characters so real and indelible in one's psyche that their humanity in all its gore and glory deeply resonantes within the mind and heart, so much so that one may find that they cannot soon forget them. The powerful, bittersweet feelings evoked by the poetic message in the final few lines of the book when the three full cups of wine are deliberately placed by Jehane, Ammar and Alvar on the rim of the fountain of water are wrenchingly haunting. They return one's thoughts to similar moments of their time in King Badir's court in Ragosa and flow on to other scenes within the story. Once again to experience that shadowed battle between the young lions Ammar and Rodrigo on the plains at sunset in their unwanted fight to death when time is suspended in a breathless, dreamlike sequence and to feel the pain and profound sense of loss of one of them. Kay has that rare ability of writing in a way that invites a sense of mental freedom within the reader and permits one to savor and interpret his imagry without being bludgeoned by common or heavy handed verbosity. He never overdoes and he never stoops to coarseness or explicit vulgarity. His stories are like spirals within spirals constantly in motion captivating both the heart and mind of the reader into spellbinding surrender. The Lions of Al-Rassan is a hard story of a hard time in history yet the lyricism and poetry of that time is also present through the words of the poet-warrior Ammar ibn Khairan. They soften and touch the story with sweetness, and an invitation to reflect upon the deeper, more gentle philosophy of their way of life. The beauty of the poetry is stark contrast to the hatred between the warring nations with their different gods, religious dogmas and practices all within the matrix of the power conflicts between petty kings as they face off against one another in their conquest of land and dominance. Mr. Kay posesses a wellspring of depth, refinement and keen intellectual mastery within himself and as a writer. It is also obvious that his own parents were wonderfully nurturing for he speaks with that clear, refreshing voice of one who has few, if any, emotional hangups or axes to grind in his writing. His unforgettable story The Lions of Al-Rassan is absolutely a must read for those who appreciate the very best and Mr. Kay truly is non-pariel.
Rating:
Summary: Well written and engaging
Review: Don't let hair-splitting critics turn you off this book. Its definitely worth the time. Other fantasy authours don't come close to the level Kay has reached. If you are familiar with the historical setting this book is derived from, it is a lot of fun to see how cleverly he has added a fictional twist to real-life elements while retaining their essence. Al-rassan may be fiction but it evokes the true atmosphere of Muslim Spain.
Rating:
Summary: Nationalism
Review: The main themes here, as in Tigana and Song for Arbonne, are nationalism, patriotism, what makes a country what it is. In Tigana, Kay wrote about fighting to keep (or restore) what made a country what it was. Here, he focuses more on good aspects of a nation, but how some things can be let go, and the people still belong. It's a difficult concept for a modern American to really appreciate, with no other countries in the world really rivalling ours. A unique book, and a great break from sword and sorcery fantasy.
Rating:
Summary: Preachy and artificial
Review: I will begin by saying that two of my favorite works of fantasy are 'Tigana' and 'A Song for Arbonne'. These books are alive and deeply affecting; the emotions of the characters real, the heartbreak and triumph captivating. They have put Kay on my list of 'favorite authors of fantasy'. What went wrong here? First of all, sympathy with many of the characters was impossible. The dizzying number of characters, both major and minor, contributes to this; and no apparent rhyme or reason is employed when the viewpoint shifts erratically from one character to another. I liked Rodrigo; that's it. Jehane's main characteristic was to sleep with everything that moves, and Ammar--I can't even remember. And then there are the countless others whose names are lost to me--no big loss. Kay commits the cardinal sin in character development in that he tells, instead of showing. If we did not know that Kay thinks Ammar is a great guy, despite his status as a cold-blooded murderer, why would we think so? What makes him so wonderful? I realized how little I cared about the characters when one sacrificed his life--supposedly a touching moment--and I didn't care in the least. Then there's the overtly symbolic portrayal of the religions. The Asharites persecute the Kindath because the Kindath believe that the two moons are sisters? In effect Kay is shouting in the reader's face: we're all the same, intolerance is wrong--which is all very well, but reducing the root of the issue to such simplistic elements not only lessens its impact, it also undermines the very real power these ideologies wielded in that time period and makes it seem ridiculous. By acknowledging the depth and complexity of age-old prejudices, he would have been doing more justice to his subject matter. Instead the moral of the story seems to be that humans are idiotic creatures who blindly follow the leader. Not very inspiring. And another thing: Who cares about Al-rassan? For that matter, who cares about the Kindath city that was destroyed? We don't know anything about these places until catastrophe strikes, whereupon we get a hasty summary. There is absolutely no emotional attachment to these places, or these cultures, for the reader. Again, instead of showing us their beauty and the tragedy of their loss, Kay lectures us with poetic sentences. Who cares? Lastly, I certainly did not appreciate Kay's lack of subtlety in this work. In his previous books, depth was conveyed indirectly, through universal symbols and the power of suggestion; here, the voice of the author pervades the events in the story like that of a radio announcer at a ball game: instead of letting the reader decide, he tells you--this is good, this is bad. This person is wrong, this person is right. These wonderful people died--you can be sad now. Overall, I think Kay underestimated the intelligence of his readers with this one, not to mention humanity in general.
Rating:
Summary: Fiercely Intelligent and Passionate: Great Book!
Review: I have been hungrily devouring Guy Gavriel Kay's book's for the last couple of months, and if you haven't read any of his stuff yet, consider yourself incredibly lucky...and get started right away! Personally, just to begin, I would start with Tigana and A song for Arbonne, two of his earlier works that are my favorites. These two books are more what one would expect of a Fantasy novel, as they have all the requisite good/evil battles with magical beings set in imaginary lands. The Lions of Al Rassan differs from some of his other work in that there is no real magic (except for a few of the characters who have "the sight"). But as much as I hate to admit it, as an avid Fantasy fan, it really did not make much difference to me. The story is really engrossing, the characters were so compelling and the bond between them so strong, that I was swept away into this mythical world, just as I have been transported in other the great fantasy novels I have read. The mythical quasi-moorish world of Al-Rassan is hauntingly beatiful, and one can really see that the author has done his homework (as he usually does, all of his books always seem to be meticulously researched without being dull, historical replicas ...you won't want to leave this enchanting place!) I think Kay is one of the best Fantasy writers out there (should I even limit it to "Fantasy"? I think at this point he has crossed over into main stream fiction and is doing so beautifully...I think many new readers will be lured into the Fantasy genre due to the impact of his books...they really appeal to anyone who enjoys a well-written adventure novel). His characters are all incredibly passionate (yes, and sexy!), fiercely intelligent and a joy to read. In particular, he really knows how to develop women characters who are not weak little needy things, but are every bit as strong as the men. I think the fact that both the men and women are intelligent and have strong, healthy libidos is great. Kay writes true to life, REAL human beings, conflicted in their desires, in their choices to do good or evil. It is refreshing to read a fantasy novel where the characters are not one-dimensional. It makes for a far more complex and interesting book than standard Epic Fantasy fare. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting variation on the "El Cid" theme
Review: My first GGK book. I enjoy good writing. In a genre filled with the likes of Goodkind / Feist / Anthony and other prolific second-tier authors, Kay stands out as a true craftsman. Adapting the structure of the Reconquista and an altered map of Europe, he combines familiar historical context with a fictional world to good effect. The bloody-handed methods of medevial cultures and the pervasive influence of religion were well handled, though it seems GGK is obsessed with castration. Kay uses a lyrical voice that occasionally overshadows the story, and retains this voice throughout. The adaptation of Arab inspired poetic styles is particularly pleasing, and beautifully timed. On the down side, I don't care for the "guess the point of view" gimmick. The fundamental premise, that the old Lions of Al Rassan are gone, that one last pride of lions strives heroicly before passing, and with them any hope of Al Rassan's restoration, makes for classic heroic tragedy. Echoes of Tolkein can be heard in this lament for a bygone age of beauty and splendor. To truly appreciate this tale, visit the Allhambra in Granada, Spain, and you will understand the splendor that was Al Rassan (or Al Anadlus in real history.) A few plot devices confuse me: Tell me again why Miranda left her lands to travel south with the Queen, having stayed home to run the estates for twenty years or more? And why did the blinded doctor not communicate with his own beloved family for four years? And why did Diego survive a crushed skull long enough for a miracle cure? His survival served less motivation for his brother's vengance than his death would have, and inspired an utterly implausible brain surgery scene. Why was there graphic sex between some major characters but not others?(i.e erotica for Rodrigo and Miranda, but not Ammar and Jehane) Selective discretion? Or maybe he didn't need to stoop to soft core porn after all, since not all major characters needed it to show love/desire. Perhaps the publisher demand erotica to make sure the book sells to a certain target audience? These points are the sum total of my quibbles with a beautifully told story. While the fairly graphic violence and occasional lapse into soft porn make the story unsuitable for younger than high school audiences, it is very hard to put down. Women will probably enjoy this book more than men will, but in any case it has a universal appeal as the chronicle of doomed heroism.
Rating:
Summary: Unbelieveable fantsatic!
Review: To begin with, I think 5 stars is by far not enough for this book. After reading the "Lions" again and finished it last night I think even 5000 wouldn't do. No other book I ever read had so much passion, and showing so clearly the skill of the author as this one. I know that there is not much I could add to what was already told, but I will do anyway, for I simply have to speak about this best book ever written. The story is one at the same time new and classical. It tells of three people of different faith that by chance meet and become friends. This friendship is deep and it does never break, even at the end. Because is has to end, when holy war comes down upon them all. It is a tragic story, and the coming doom is hanging like a dark cloud over the heros. Here GGK does something great, he lets his people enjoy there life and there friendship as long as it takes. There are parts on the book where one simply has to laugh, because it is so funny. That shows that life, not only in this book, is not merely struggeling to survive and giving up his life in a overwhelming fate, but also that life is great and joyful.This last thing it is I think that makes GGKs books better, that makes them stand out from all the other fantasy stories. Not only doom and shattering prophesy, but also fun and hilarity that makes exactly this life worth. Even the price our three friends pay at the end. By the way, I would advise all people not to finish this book in any public places, because you will cry.
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