3.5 stars“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.”― Mahatma GandhiDon't let my 3.5 rating fool you...this book was written by an amazing storyteller. It's a book that I can't possibly do justice in a review, and I encourage you to read some of the other reviews written by those who are more eloquent with words.I was hesitant to start this, as it's over 700 pages long. Fantasy tends to be wordy, what with the necessary world building. But seven hundred pages? Yeesh! I've come to the realization that it was actually necessary. Only the words written exactly as they are could suck you into this world, immerse you in the many different cultures, and force you to see things from so many different points of view.This is a powerful book, in so many ways. First and foremost, it is about a land called Tigana, a land rich in all forms of art, with beautiful cities build by master architects...a land with a loving king and wonderful people. Their downfall was to defend against invaders who saw them as an easy mark. They were, in fact, an easy mark. Peaceful nations tend to be. But their second mistake was to kill the invaders leader, who just happened to be a powerful sorcerer king's son. And his grief led him to destroy Tigana. Not only to smash their beautiful towers to dust, ruin every artistic masterpiece, and destitute it's people, but to take away its very name. Through magical means, only those born in Tigana were able to even hear the word "Tigana." He renamed it Lower Corte and it soon became the name of a poor, impoverished nation.I was unsure how I could connect with the characters despair at having lost their homeland's name. I understood that it must be horrible and that they should be hurt and angry, but I thought that the oppression and tyranny were the worst part of it. Not so, and it was proven, over and over, through each characters eyes. I was floored at how sad I was, how the sense of longing was portrayed until even I missed the way Tigana used to be. The other thing that struck me about this book is how the lines of good and bad are blurred. There are so many characters who stand out in this story who are all two sides of the same coin. From kings to traveling musicians to political figures to merchants...they all play a huge role in this epic tale. And not one of them seems wholly good at the end. Innocent, maybe. But even innocence won't hold out when this much evil is so readily apparent all around you. The powerful seat of a king or leader is one of the hardest places to be, but especially if you are a benevolent man. Because in order to be efficient and an actual benefit to your people, you have to be cruel at times. Cruelty comes with a high price; that of your inner peace. On the flip side, truly evil people - grasping, power hungry 'leaders' tend to lead to their own demise. It's all the more powerful when it finally comes to be.Fist pump!!Tigana is touching and romantic at times. I cried sad, sloppy tears. I rejoiced at small victories and surprise happy endings. I can say without a doubt that I did not expect, after the first 25% of this read to enjoy the rest of it so much. I could rate this a five, easily, for the emotions it engendered in me. But I was bored witless for the first two hundred...read it...two HUNDRED pages. That's nearly the size of most other fiction books that I read. So you see why I can't give it a better rating. However, somehow those two hundred pages were necessary, so I can't say that the book should be cut down because it can't. In order to be this epic journey for all of the myriad of characters involved, the reader has to slog through some blah first. Would I recommend it? Absolutely, but probably only for hard core fantasy fans, possibly more literature minded that a lot of modern popular fantasy tends to be. This novel is a deep thinker, and one that, unless you're a speed reader, can and should take many days to get through. It's unforgettable!
