I Read Books: The Last Light Of The Sun

 

The Last Light Of The Sun

This is one of Kay’s fantasy novels with direct parallels to historical periods; in this case the reign of Alfred the Great, king of Wessex, here replaced by Aeldred. On an island in Vinmark, Bern Thorkellson, a young man amongst the Erlings (Danes) is enslaved after his father is exiled for murder; he steals the horse due to be sacrificed at the governor’s funeral. He flees to Jorvik to join the mercenary raiders there. This sets in motion several events, both on the island and further abroad.

Or does it? Already in motion are Mikkel and Ivarr Ragnarson, grandsons of a legendary raider who was killed in Cyngael (Wales). They intend to take revenge on Brynn ap Hwyll, the man who killed him (Ivarr is notoriously cruel) and take back his sword. At Brynn's farm Alun and Dai ap Owyn, two princes of a neighbouring princedom have just been stopped from a cattle raid by Ceinon, High Cleric of Cyngael, instead being taken in as guests. A long and complex evening ensues (Kay has a tendency to put all his plot into one day, with all his characters threading together and apart).

Amongst the Ragnarsson raiders is Thorkell, Bern’s father, a veteran who surrenders when captured. Dai is killed; his soul is taken by a fairy spirit. Fairy spirits are denied by the Jaddite religion (a sun-worshipping analog to Christianity) yet Ceinon has seen them. Ivarr escapes though not without causing chaos in his wake.

Moving on to later in the year, Ceinon travels to the court of Aeldred, bringing with him Alun and Thorkell. At the court they meet Aeldred and his family, the political situation, his alliance with the Erlings who have settled to the north in Rheden (Mercia). Meanwhile Ivarr has hired Jorvik mercenaries for a raid. He has lied, claiming that the fortifications of one of Aelred’s towns is incomplete. The intention is that when they discover this, rather than return empty-handed, they will sail on to Cyngael so he can have a second chance at killing Brynn.

But perhaps this is not the best way to view the novel. In many cases what we might think of as side characters get long sections explaining how they got to their one moment in the story and what happened to them later. In some cases people take small actions – or large but historically invisible ones – that have an effect on this tale of princes and warlords (and princesses and clerics – and magic). In others bystanders observe things from a different perspective, and this changes some portion of their life.

And this extends to the major plotlines as well. Is this a novel about Aeldred and his family, the legacy of his success in resisting – and converting the Erlings. Is this a novel about the changes coming to the Erlings – the end of raiders and raiding. About the legacy of the Volgun, Ivarr and Mikkel’s grandfather, who plundered a legendary sword that makes an appearance at the end. Is it about the fading of the fairy spirits as characters are able to cross the forbidden wood. The answer is yes to all this and more.

Read This: (not) Ninth century North Western Europe inspired fantasy novel about changes and consequences
Don’t Read This: Takes forever to get through one day, not at all clear if there’s a point