Blurb of the Week : Tigana

I have heard some nice rumours on the web about Guy Gavriel Kay's Tigana, from what I've heard if you want a "literary" and stand alone fantasy come no further. As such I quickly took it upon myself to acquire said book, however, I digress. The topic of today's post is to ask that fateful question, would you buy that book?

In bookstores, before the advent of the internet, I imagine people used to rely alot more on the blurbs on book's back covers. I have to admit, a good one can reel you in particularly when you are desperately wanting to read something. What makes a blurb work? Do some blurbs fail miserably and do others coast lazily along on the fact that their work is already so famous who needs a blurb anyway. Well this week we'll have a look at what Tigana has to say for itself.

I took the liberty of taking a covert photo of Tigana's backcover this day in the bookstore. Now let's have a look at what it says.

Tigana is the internationally celebrated epic of a beleaguered country struggling to be free.

It is the tale of a people so cursed by the dark soceries of the tyrant king Brandin that even the

very name of their once beautiful home cannot be spoken or remembered. But, years after their homeland's devastation, a handful of mean and women set in motion a dangerous crusade - to overthrow their conquerors and bring back to the world the lost brightness of an obliterated name: Tigana.

Against the magnificiently realised backdrop of a world both sensuous and brutal, this masterful novel of a passionate people pursuing their dream is breathtaking in its vision and changes forever the boundaries of fantasy fiction.

Story

Now I have to say, that is a pretty nifty little blurb isn't it. In the past I've always found particularly with fantasy that a blurb that describes too many exotic sounding names is alienating. The thing which draws us to fantasy I think are the similarities between their world and ours, or the fantasy can in some way be relatable or even a metaphor for ours. But what do we know about the book, well we know it's dark and it has a traditionally reliable sort of plot from what it sounds and we know we have one ultimate badass of a bad guy, which let's face it we wouldn't read a fantasy normally without one. 

Target Audience

So how does it go on the whole selling angle? Well in terms of an audience, that last paragraph is the bernaise to a perfectly cooked fillet steak (salivating isn't it that image). The fact is it appeals to people who might not normally read fantasy if this book truly blurs the boundaries. There's also this sense that it's very realistic and therefore adult and it also appeals to that class of fantasy people (who I am not one of them) that loves to read books with very well thought out worlds down to the last detail, so in that respect I guess George R R Martin fans look no further that part is saying.

 Style/Subtext
What about the style? A good blurb I'm told should be able to convey some of the style or mood of the writing, as I mentioned it sounds dark, but the hook for me, are the odds. The great thing for me that gets me to want to read this book, is the odds against this small band of people going up against a pretty evil guy. How the hell will they do it! it can't be possible, someone with that sort of power. So already we are hooked in, through the subtext.

Well now it comes down to actually read the thing, which hopefully I'll have done by the end of the month. Anyway what do you think? Does this blurb do a good job of selling this book? Does it appeal to you? And a question I can't answer just yet, is it simply flat out lying? (Well that is probably the smartest question to ask I guess).

Of course, for all those smart asses out their, I will admit, there may just be one item on the back cover, which decides the matter for you, that neat little price tag right at the bottom. Well we can never rule out price can we. Anyway till next  time, see you then fellow readers.