Sailing to Sarantium is the first mystery novel in The Sarantine Mosaic series by author Guy Gavriel Kay.
Crispin is a mosaic, a layer of bright tiles. Still grieving for the family he lost because of the plaque. He lives only for his intricate craft. But an imperial summons from Valerius the Trakesian to Sarantium, the most magnificent place in the world, was hard to resist.
In a world half wild and full of magic, the journey to Sarantium means entering destiny. A deadly secret and a seductive promise from the Queen, protected only by his own wits and an amulet from an alchemist’s treasure, Crispin sets out for the fabled city. . Along the way, he will encounter a great monster from the mythical past, and in robbing the zubir’s reward, he gains a woman’s devotion and a man’s loyalty. man – and lose a gift he didn’t know he had until it was gone.
While in this city ruled by intrigue and violence, he must find his own source of power. Struggling to deal with the dangers and seductive temptations of the men and women around her, Crispin discovered it, in the most unusual place – high on the scaffolding of a work of art. greatest art ever imagined….
It has a logical basis in history – all the events that took place could easily have happened in ancient Rome or Constantinople. The characters have solid backgrounds, are very believable and live normal everyday lives. Some of the descriptions are excellent – the making of the mosaics, for example, and especially the horse races at the Hippodrome with the various teams participating and the stiff competition between them.
The story concerns Crispin, a mosaicist summoned by the Emperor to the Sarantium to decorate the greatest dome in the ancient world built in honor of the God of the Gods Jad their Sun God. Along with the world of Crispin, you have Court intrigue, political hoax, and racing team rivalry. There are many twists and turns along the way, all making for a memorable read that I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone who enjoys a story with a difference. However, this is not the end of the story, the next part is Lord of Emperors which I will evaluate under that name.
I enjoyed this story so much, I think it was exceptionally well written and conceived. The fantasy aspect of the story adds to its depth and scope, and the author takes advantage of that. It’s certainly a great temptation to really rip off the spiritual aspects of the story, but the author shows admirable restraint. I think there are lessons here for other authors. I highly recommend this book and will quickly move on to the next one.
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Sailing to Sarantium
- Book One of the Sarantine Mosaic
