A Song for Arbonne

Linda Perry is a senior policy analyst at the Ontario Ministry of
Colleges and Universities.

This is a book that makes one wish that life would imitate art. Good is
rewarded and evil is punished with a majestic justice, far preferable to
the venality and accident of authentic history.

The story is set in an imaginary world with two moons. It is a medieval
time of troubadours, jousts, and courtly love. The plot combines
romances extending through generations, the quest for imperial
domination among rival kingdoms, and the political intrigue of puissant
noble houses. The heroes are as inspiring and virtuous as the villains
are cruel and despicable.

Kay provides layers of subtlety and complexity, the poetry of the
troubadours’ lyrics, and—in the worship of the Goddess of
Arbonne—even a frisson of the mystic. Kay has constructed a fully
realized world, down to the details of climate, monetary policy, and
national customs. Something for everyone, from the erotic to the
quixotic. He is a fine storyteller who writes with a sonorous, ringing
power.