
Written on the Dark
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Narrated by:
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Simon Vance
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By:
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Guy Gavriel Kay
About this listen
Both sweeping and intimate, a majestic novel of love and war that brilliantly evokes the drama and turbulence of medieval France
Thierry Villar is a well-known—even notorious— tavern poet, familiar with the rogues and shadows of that world, but not at all with courts and power. He is an unlikely person, despite his quickness, to be caught up in the deadly contests of ambitious royals, assassins, and invading armies.
But he is indeed drawn into all these things on a savagely cold night in his beloved city of Orane. And so Thierry must use all the intelligence and charm he can muster as political struggles merge with a decades-long war to bring his country to the brink of destruction.
As he does, he meets his poetic equal in an aristocratic woman and is drawn to more than one unsettling person with a connection to the world beyond this one. He also crosses paths with an extraordinary young woman driven by voices within to try to heal the ailing king—and help his forces in war. A wide and varied set of people from all walks of life take their places in the rich tapestry of this story.
A new masterwork from the internationally bestselling author of All the Seas of the World, A Brightness Long Ago, and Tigana, Written on the Dark is an elegant tour de force about power and ambition playing out amid the intense human need for art and beauty, and memories to be left behind.
©2025 Guy Gavriel Kay (P)2025 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
"An absolutely astonishing novel . . . by our greatest living writer of the fantastic. . . . Quite simply, a masterpiece."—JM Miro, international bestselling author of Ordinary Monsters
“Kay burnishes his reputation for worldbuilding with this believable, magic-tinged analogue for medieval France, complete with its own Hundred Years’ War and a Joan of Arc stand-in. While Kay’s fictional outcomes tend toward the happier, he plays fair with the suffering of his heroes and humanizes his villains. Longtime fans and new readers alike will be sucked in."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Kay once again delivers a skillful blend of history and fantasy that captures both the beauty and brutality of the past with poetic precision. His sophisticated prose elevates every scene, intertwining fleeting joys and deep sorrows into a narrative that resonates long after the final page... In addition to being a profound meditation on history, identity, and the human condition, this novel stands as a testament to Kay’s unparalleled storytelling.”—Library Journal
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The Lions of Al-Rassan
- By: Guy Gavriel Kay
- Narrated by: Euan Morton
- Length: 19 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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The ruling Asharites of Al-Rassan have come from the desert sands, but over centuries, seduced by the sensuous pleasures of their new land, their stern piety has eroded. The Asharite empire has splintered into decadent city-states led by warring petty kings. King Almalik of Cartada is on the ascendancy, aided always by his friend and advisor, the notorious Ammar ibn Khairan - poet, diplomat, soldier - until a summer afternoon of savage brutality changes their relationship forever.
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Lots of drama
- By KH on 10-12-12
By: Guy Gavriel Kay
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The Summer Tree
- Fionavar Tapestry, Book 1
- By: Guy Gavriel Kay
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 13 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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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.
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My favorite trilogy.
- By NZDreamin on 02-10-21
By: Guy Gavriel Kay
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Ysabel
- A Novel
- By: Guy Gavriel Kay
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 14 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Ysabel is a contemporary fantasy that centers on the Saint-Sauveur Cathedral of Aix-en-Provence, where a 15-year-old boy accompanies his father on a photo shoot. Befriending a whip-smart American girl and confronting a knife-wielding maniac, the boy finds that the ancient site shimmers with mysteries of fantastical design.
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Contemporary fantasy set in France
- By Michael G Kurilla on 06-09-23
By: Guy Gavriel Kay
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All the Seas of the World
- By: Guy Gavriel Kay
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 18 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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On a dark night along a lonely stretch of coast a small ship sends two people ashore. Their purpose is assassination. They have been hired by two of the most dangerous men alive to alter the balance of power in the world. If they succeed, the consequences will affect the destinies of empires, and lives both great and small.
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Generally I love Kay’s work
- By Eliza on 08-01-22
By: Guy Gavriel Kay
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The Blackbirds of St. Giles
- By: Lila Cain
- Narrated by: Paterson Joseph
- Length: 14 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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On a terrifying night in 1768, Daniel and his young sister, Pearl, narrowly escape their brutal life of slavery when a Jamaican sugarcane plantation is torched in a violent uprising. In the ashes, Daniel leaves behind the rest of his family—and one powerful love. More than a decade later in New York City, Daniel anticipates sailing with Pearl, now 15, to a new life promised by Britain’s king to former slaves who fought for the Crown in America’s War of Independence.
By: Lila Cain
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Deathless Beast
- Kallattian Saga, Book 1
- By: Andrew D. Meredith
- Narrated by: Andrew D. Meredith
- Length: 14 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Far too many blame their own bad luck on Hanen and Rallia Clouw. When opportunity knocks, they leap to put their past behind them. In the turmoil of a holy order fraught with lies, frustration, and heresy, the paladin Jined Brazstein is called to deeper faith.
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Great stuff!
- By Anonymous User on 06-24-25
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First Light
- Shadowlands, Book 1
- By: Elizabeth Hunter
- Narrated by: Ava Lucas
- Length: 13 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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USA Today best-selling author Elizabeth Hunter weaves an enchanting adventure, full of mythology and romance, in the first installment of a brand new romantic portal fantasy!
By: Elizabeth Hunter
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Requiem of the Night
- Shadows and Gods, Book 1
- By: Jay Styles
- Narrated by: Joshua Story, Daryl Mayfield, Katherine Grant-Suttie
- Length: 13 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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They fear him because they can’t control him. When an ancient vampire tied to a forgotten god performs a forbidden ritual, the world of the undead fractures. Styles’s act of defiance sends shockwaves through the supernatural realm, awakening powers long thought buried and forcing the Vampire Council to confront a threat they can no longer ignore. To some, Styles is a savior—a chance to reclaim their true strength. To others, he is a harbinger of destruction, a force that could unmake everything they’ve built.
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Brilliantly written and narrated.
- By Kelli on 06-18-25
By: Jay Styles
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Hall of Bones
- The Brotherhood of the Eagle, Book 1
- By: Tim Hardie
- Narrated by: RJ Bayley
- Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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When a new enemy comes to power, Rothgar’s ruling family and friends are forced to ally with old rivals. Faced with betrayal from within their own clan, Rothgar’s survival is by no means certain, as an ancient and malevolent magic grows in strength and threatens all he holds dear.
By: Tim Hardie
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The Mystery of the Polite Man
- A Lady Darriby-Jones Mystery, Book 1
- By: CM Rawlins
- Narrated by: Sasha Higgins
- Length: 3 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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England, 1926. Just days before Lord Darriby-Jones is scheduled to enlighten the world at the Annual Limacology Symposium, his secretary unceremoniously bids adieu to her employment. It's now up to Lady Darriby-Jones to find a replacement. In a twist of fate, she stumbles upon a commoner from a neighboring town willing to accept the role, despite the slug-dismantling duties that await him. He's positively thrilled at the chance to rub elbows with true aristocrats, even if his job involves less glamorous endeavors.
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Light listening
- By CassyLynn on 02-01-25
By: CM Rawlins
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Anji Kills a King
- The Rising Tide, Book 1
- By: Evan Leikam
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk
- Length: 10 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Anji works as a castle servant, cleaning laundry for a king she hates. So when a rare opportunity presents itself, she seizes the chance to cut his throat. Then she runs for her life. In her wake, the kingdom is thrown into disarray, while a bounty bigger than anyone could imagine lands on her head.
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Decent book
- By Tyler R. on 06-06-25
By: Evan Leikam
I've noticed a trend in Kay's recent work towards shorter, action packed novels. I like action, but the plot doesn't feel believable when it's rushed like this -- unlike older, longer works where he captures a brilliant balance of narrative and random chance that makes the story feel real (and all the more gripping for it).
I wonder if the publishers are influencing this decision to sacrifice quality for faster pacing?
I do like what Kay is doing tying all these more recent Renaissance novels together, making them relate tangentially to each other. I enjoy the allusions to themes and characters from his other novels, and seeing how together they form a bigger story. I hope to see more of that -- but I can't help but feel that this story doesn't stand up on its own -- and so the emotional impact is lost.
Even so, I salute Kay for writing beautifully and for the magnitude of his work. I'm deeply impressed and for all that, Written on the Dark was still an enjoyable story to listen to!
not his best work
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best author and narrator
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a little off his mark
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Vance always stands out! The writing is magnificent!
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My GAWD that man RUINS my productivity.
The depth. The writing. The intricacy and simplicity.
SO. WELL. DONE.
It's a really good thing...
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Beautifully written, beautifully read
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not his best effort
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The best I can describe this book is, however, stale.
The prose craft is fine, for sure, though it digs a bit too much into the "What we know... what we don't know..." kinds of cliches at times and keeps side-pushing LGBTQ+ relationships and other modernisms into his fiction. To be clear I have no problems with them in our modern life, but the protagonists and their pals become "modern" in sensibility in a rather lazy way, leaving all the nasty medievalisms to the villains and the occasional side character.
The GGK formula worked a lot better when it's fresh because the story isn't nearly so well known. Senj? The nautical world of the Mediterranean after the Reconquista told partially from the perspective of an expelled Jew? These were fresh. Late Medieval France with some fairly weak love stories and all-too-predictable court intrigue? Stale.
I'd preordered it and was mildly disappointed that it was only 10 hours but honestly this story just doesn't merit more than that.
I don't know whether he has it in him now, but there are so many better eras near this one that could be explored: The Fourth Crusade, the various Sieges of Vienna (already alluded to but not really explored), more in the Middle East, more in Late Antiquity, I dunno, maybe get out of Europe for a while.
If you want good GGK and haven't experienced him before, go visit Sarantium when it was fresh and not circle around the tired near-corpse of the city that keeps getting mention-dropped. Or visit al-Rassan. Or... well there are a lot of choices.
Stale and formulaic
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