A Song for Arbonne
core novel 1992 A Song for Arbonne
Record
| First published | 1992 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.25 (16,057 ratings, collected 2026-09-14) |
| Page count | 512 |
| First-edition ISBN | 9780517593127 |
Synopsis
A Song for Arbonne is set in the fictional land of Arbonne, a country with two moons loosely modeled on twelfth-century Provence, where women hold considerable power and society is shaped by devotion to the mother goddess Rian. The story follows Blaise, a mercenary originally from the neighboring country of Gorhaut, who has grown disillusioned with his own corrupt and violently patriarchal homeland and takes service with an Arbonnese nobleman. Gorhaut, along with its allies, instead reveres the war god Corannos and views Arbonne's culture, and its reverence for a goddess, as an affront to be corrected. As tensions between the two nations mount, with Gorhaut's court moving steadily toward invasion, Blaise finds himself caught between his origins and his growing loyalty to Arbonne, drawn into the courtly politics, rivalries and songs of the troubadours that define Arbonnese society on the eve of war.
Where it sits
- Universe: A Song for Arbonne
- Series: not part of a registered series (standalone work within its universe)
- Author: Guy Gavriel Kay
Awards (verified)
- Aurora Award (Long-form English), 1993: nominated
- Locus Award (Best Fantasy Novel), 1993: nominated
Notes
- A standalone novel set in the invented land of Arbonne (a Provence/Occitania analogue with its own invented religion, Corannos/Rian) -- confirmed via Wikipedia to be a separate invented world from the later Al-Rassan/Sarantium continuity (this same run), not part of it.
Sources
- Wikipedia: A Song for Arbonne
- Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association -- Aurora Awards Archive 1980-2012
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