The Summer Tree cover art

The Summer Tree

Fionavar Tapestry, Book 1

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The Summer Tree

By: Guy Gavriel Kay
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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About this listen

Two-time Aurora Award-winning author Guy Gavriel Kay has been nominated for the World Fantasy Award three times.

In the first book of his Fionavar Tapestry series, five college students meet a wizard who takes them to the heart of the first of all worlds - a place called Fionavar. The students soon discover that they have been pre-ordained as part of the pattern called the Fionavar Tapestry - and if they don't fulfill their destinies, the world will suffer devastating consequences.

©2001 Guy Gavriel Kay (P)2020 Recorded Books Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Magic Student
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Came in with very low expectations and nearly got lost with all of the similar names and places but the world building particularly in Dave’s story arc was so good

Unexpectedly good

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was an enjoyable book. it takes a little while to get moving. I do recommend.

good, but not the best

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This has been my favourite series for 20 years, I was even gifted a first edition signed hard copy of this book for my 30th birthday from my mother. I read it every 5 years or so and am always in awe of it every time I read it, whether by book or audiobook. The narrator does an excellent job.

My favourite series of all time

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Initially I didn't like the inclusion of the Canadian university students from our time/world entering a fantasy/medieval work - but as they integrate into Fionavar seemlessly, a world which is the base of all our mythology and legend, I became engrossed in the story and understood that each of the them were a representation of a hero/heroine and had an important role to play. This was intruguing, as was the clear delineation between good and evil - and geez, but the evil is evil. By the end of this book, the reader is left slightly horrified by just how evil! It was very difficult to read what happens to Jennifer. Fionavar needs help - it is holding a darkness and corruption that will impact all worlds if it is not dealt with and this becomes very clear to our five students. This book has a lot to say about courage - “We salvage what we can, what truly matters to us, even at the gates of despair.” The writing is beautiful as always with GGK and the narration by Vance is wonderful (although I never like American/Canadian accents in fantasy).

Slow to build but worth sticking with it

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This is a story that takes time as it builds and builds and builds as each thread is woven together to make something far greater than each piece. There are many elements to the world building, hence the time it takes. If you need instant gratification and over the top love scenes, then this, perhaps, is not the book for you; it is not a ‘Keep it Simple Stupid’ story, and I’m so thankful for that. I’ve loved this series of books for a very long time so thought it was time to revisit Fionavar. For me it has stood the test of time and is a wonderful tale. My only gripe is the narrator who makes every female sound like an old, hoarse woman.

An amazing weaving of a beautifully intricate tale

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