Books, Throwback Thursday
By
Oliver Johnson
First published between 1984 and 1986, the three books of The Fionavar Tapestry (The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire and The Darkest Road) frequently appear on lists of the top fantasy series of all time. Guy Gavriel Kay’s trilogy has been quoted as a key influence on many later writers. No wonder, as Kay had unique access to the font of modern fantasy: in 1974 he was retained by the Tolkien estate to assist Christopher Tolkien in the editorial construction of The Silmarillion. The Fionavar Tapestry emerged a decade later but though Locus magazine termed it ‘the essence of High Fantasy,’ Kay determinedly set out to explore what could be achieved in the genre beyond Tolkien.
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