However, a morally weighty book must be judged on its morals, and there are some scenes here which cut it down a peg. These things are often mistaken as the substance of a good book in this genre, but these embellishments are nothing without moral weight, which Tigana delivers. Give me dragons and wizards and trolls, but make it balanced. It delves into the best and worst bits of human character without flinching. ‘In the morning it will begin as it should have begun and ended long ago.’įantasy can be great. ‘In the morning,’ she said to herself amid cold and fire and all the myriad confusions of the heart. My answer is I can and I did, but I feel it would be dishonest of me to wholeheartedly recommend this book, however much I enjoyed it, without being honest about its problems. You may ask why I can’t just enjoy it as a product of its time. I just wish Tigana hadn’t aged quite so noticeably. I do think it’s much more traditional than historical fantasy, but it is clear the author has an admirable understanding of societies that have passed, and used that knowledge extensively in the creation of his own world. It is sophisticated, and the world feels big enough to brim with adventure. The setting is also worthy of mention, as Tigana takes place in a world that resembles ours during the Italian Renaissance. We have depth, we have complex characters, and even a commendable ending. Yes, this story has been done many times before and since, but it comes together in these pages with marvellous skill.
She had stood on the forward deck of the ship to gaze for the first time at the splendour of Chiara’s harbour, at the long pier where the Grand Dukes used to stand to throw a ring into the sea, and from where Letizia had leaped in the first Ring Dives to reclaim the ring from the waters and marry her Duke. The rusalka and the ring diving were two elements that I found particularly beautiful. It is evocative, and the world-building has just the right balance of structure and mysticism. It might be a bit purple for some tastes, but Tigana is easily one of the best-written literary fantasy novels I’ve ever read. Kay’s variation on ‘the rebels reclaim their lost kingdom’ has a similar feel, only the prose is gorgeous. They are a bit formulaic, but I found it easy to escape into them. Feist and David Eddings sword and sorcery adventures. When I was in my teens I used to read a lot of Raymond E. Reading this was just such a nostalgic trip for me.
With all excuses being made for its age, this book still has a few issues, but I loved it. I don’t think it is yet old enough to be called a true classic, but it has stepped onto the path which leads in that direction.
Published 1990, Tigana is old enough that it feels like it was written in a different time.
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