Guy Gavriel Kay

2025-10-07T02:28:32Z

99.251.44.4: Added more recent information.

{{Short description|Canadian novelist and poet (born 1954)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Guy Gavriel Kay
| honorific_suffix = [[Order of Canada|CM]]
| image = Guy Kay.jpeg 
| caption = Kay in 2011
| pseudonym =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|11|7|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Weyburn]], Saskatchewan, Canada
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Writer
| education = {{plainlist|
* [[University of Manitoba]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
* [[University of Toronto]] ([[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]])
}}
| period = 1984–present
| genre = {{hlist|[[Fantasy]]|[[scriptwriting]]|[[poetry]]}}
| subject =
| movement =
| notableworks= {{plainlist|
* ''[[The Fionavar Tapestry]]''
* ''[[Tigana]]''
}}
| website = {{URL|brightweavings.com}}
}}

'''Guy Gavriel Kay''' {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|CM}} (born November 7, 1954) is a Canadian writer of [[fantasy]] fiction. The majority of his novels take place in [[Fictional universe|fictional setting]]s that resemble real places during real historical periods, such as [[Constantinople]] during the reign of [[Justinian I]] or Spain during the time of [[El Cid]]. Kay has expressed a preference to avoid [[Genre fiction|genre]] categorization of these works as [[historical fantasy]]. {{As of|2025}}, Kay has published 16 novels and a book of poetry. {{As of|2018}}, his fiction has been translated into at least 22 languages.<ref>{{cite web |title=au:Guy Gavriel Kay |url=https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au%3AGuy+Gavriel+Kay&fq=x0%3Abook+%3E+mt%3Afic&dblist=638&fc=ln:_25&qt=show_more_ln%3A&cookie |publisher=WorldCat |access-date=November 11, 2021}}</ref> Kay is also a qualified lawyer in Canada.<ref name="guardian" />

==Biography==
Kay was born in [[Weyburn]], Saskatchewan, in 1954.<ref name="locus">{{Cite web |url=https://locusmag.com/2016/05/guy-gavriel-kay-journeying/ |title=Guy Gavriel Kay: Journeying |date=May 15, 2016 |publisher=[[Locus (magazine)|Locus magazine]] |last=Myman |first=Francesca |access-date=November 22, 2022}}</ref> His father, a doctor, was a Jewish immigrant from Poland, and his mother was an artist.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elinsky |first=Kate |date=September 13, 2019 |title=The Zionavar Tapestry |url=https://jewishreviewofbooks.com/articles/5562/the-zionavar-tapastry/# |access-date=October 13, 2024 |website=Jewish Review of Books |language=en-us}}</ref> He was raised and educated in [[Winnipeg]], Manitoba, and received a [[bachelor's degree]] in philosophy from the [[University of Manitoba]] in 1975.<ref name="locus" />

When [[Christopher Tolkien]] needed an assistant to edit his father [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s unpublished work, he chose Kay, then a student of philosophy at the [[University of Manitoba]], because of a family connection. Kay moved to [[Oxford]] in 1974 to assist Christopher in editing ''[[The Silmarillion]]''.<ref name="guardian">{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/oct/29/guy-gavriel-kay-jrr-tolkien-interview-fionovar-tapesty-the-summer-tree |title=Guy Gavriel Kay: 'I learned a lot about false starts from JRR Tolkien' |date=October 29, 2014 |work=[[The Guardian]] |last=Flood |first=Alison |access-date=November 22, 2022}}</ref>

Kay returned to Canada in 1975 to pursue a law degree at the [[University of Toronto]], which he obtained in 1978; he was called to the bar of [[Ontario]] in 1981.<ref name="locus" /><ref name="guardian" /> Kay became principal writer and an associate producer for the [[CBC Radio One|CBC Radio]] series ''The Scales of Justice,'' and continued as principal writer when the series transferred to television as ''[[Scales of Justice (TV series)|Scales of Justice]]''.<ref name="locus" />

Kay's first novel, the [[portal fantasy]] ''[[The Summer Tree]]'' that serves as the first volume of his ''[[The Fionavar Tapestry|Fionavar Tapestry]]'' trilogy, was published in 1984. He subsequently had many other novels published, most of them in the field of [[historical fantasy]].

Kay has voiced concerns relative to the decline of individual privacy, the expectation of privacy, and literary privacy. The last principally has to do with the use of real individuals in works of fiction, such as [[Michael Cunningham]]'s ''[[The Hours (novel)|The Hours]]'', partly based on the life of [[Virginia Woolf]], where Woolf features in the novel as a [[protagonist]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/privacy-between-the-covers/article25575216/ |title=Privacy between the covers |last=Levin |first=Martin |newspaper=[[The Globe and Mail]] |date=December 2, 2000 |access-date=October 28, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://quillandquire.com/book-news/2007/12/18/the-internet-and-other-modern-horrors/ |title=The Internet, and other modern horrors |last=Woods |first=Stuart |magazine=[[Quill & Quire]] |date=December 18, 2007 |access-date=October 28, 2021}}</ref>

==Bibliography==


===Novels===
''Novels marked with an asterisk are set in the same world at various points in its history.''
* ''[[The Fionavar Tapestry]]'', a [[portal fantasy]] in which five travel from the Earth to "the first of all worlds"
** ''[[The Summer Tree]]'' (1984)
** ''[[The Wandering Fire]]'' (1986), winner of the 1987 [[Prix Aurora Award]]<ref name="aurora">{{Cite web |title=Professional Awards (1980–2006) |url=http://www.prixaurorawards.ca/English/AuroraHistory/proAwards.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325110703/http://www.prixaurorawards.ca/English/AuroraHistory/proAwards.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 25, 2010}}</ref>
** ''[[The Darkest Road]]'' (1986)
* ''[[Tigana]]'' (1990), taking place in a setting based on [[Renaissance Italy]]
* ''[[A Song for Arbonne]]'' (1992), inspired by the [[Albigensian Crusade]] in medieval [[Provence]]
* ''[[The Lions of Al-Rassan]]'' * (1995), set in an analogue of [[Spain in the Middle Ages|medieval Spain]]
* ''[[The Sarantine Mosaic]]'' *, inspired by the [[Byzantium]] of [[Justinian I]]
** ''[[The Sarantine Mosaic|Sailing to Sarantium]]'' (1998)
** ''[[Lord of Emperors]]'' (2000)
* ''[[The Last Light of the Sun]]'' * (2004), inspired by the [[Viking expansion|Viking invasions]] during the reign of [[Alfred the Great]]
* ''[[Ysabel]]'' (2007), a [[contemporary fantasy]] set in Provence, centering on a teenage boy and his encounters with characters from the distant past. Linked to his ''Fionavar Tapestry'' series.
* ''[[Under Heaven (novel)|Under Heaven]]'' (April 27, 2010), inspired by the 8th-century [[Tang dynasty]] and the events leading up to the [[An Shi Rebellion]]
* ''[[River of Stars]]'' (April 2, 2013), taking place in the same setting as ''Under Heaven'', based on the 12th-century [[Song dynasty]] and the events around the [[Jin-Song Wars]] and the transition from Northern Song to Southern Song
* ''[[Children of Earth and Sky]]'' * (May 10, 2016), taking place in a world based on [[Republic of Venice|Venice]], [[Istanbul]] and the [[Balkans]] in the 15th century
*''[[A Brightness Long Ago]]'' * (May 14, 2019), prequel to ''Children of Earth and Sky''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/317337/a-brightness-long-ago-by-guy-gavriel-kay/9780451472984/ |title=A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay |website=PenguinRandomhouse.com |access-date=September 5, 2018}}</ref> Inspired by 15th-century Italy during the [[Italian Wars]] and particularly the feud between [[Federico da Montefeltro]] and [[Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta]].
* ''[[All the Seas of the World]]'' * (May 17, 2022), sequel to ''A Brightness Long Ago''. Based upon the wars between [[Christendom]] and the [[Ottoman Empire]] in the early 16th-century Mediterranean.
* ''[[Written on the Dark]]'' * (May 25, 2025). Set before Kay's previous three novels, the story is drawn from [[Hundred Years' War|Hundred Years War]]-era France and its conflicts with [[Henry V of England|Henry V]] and [[Burgundy]].

===Poetry===
* ''Beyond This Dark House'' (2003), a collection

== Awards and distinctions ==
===Awards===
* An episode of CBC Radio programme ''The Scales of Justice'' written by Kay, entitled "Second Time Around", was awarded the 1985 Scales of Justice Award by the [[Law Reform Commission of Canada]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 18, 1986 |title=Reporters win awards |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ottawa-citizen-scales-of-justice-awa/28410172/ |access-date=April 15, 2024 |work=The Ottawa Citizen |pages=38}}</ref> The purpose of the award was to "accord national recognition to media reports that foster greater public understanding of the inherent values of the Canadian legal and judicial system".<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2022/jus/J31-1-1986-eng.pdf |title="Fifteenth Annual Report 1985-1986" |date=1986 |page=5 |isbn=0-662-54876-0 |access-date=April 15, 2024}}</ref>
* ''The Wandering Fire'' won the 1987 Prix Aurora Award in the English category for best work of [[speculative fiction]].<ref name="aurora"/>
* Kay won the 1991 [[List of winners and nominees for the Aurora Award for Best Novel|Aurora Award for Best Novel]] for ''Tigana''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Aurora Awards 1991 |url=https://www.sfadb.com/Aurora_Awards_1991 |website=Science Fiction Awards Database |publisher=Locus Science Fiction Foundation |access-date=June 23, 2023}}</ref>
* Kay was runner-up for the [[White Pine Award]] in 2007 for ''Ysabel''.
* ''Ysabel'' was the winner of the 2008 [[World Fantasy Award for Best Novel]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.worldfantasy.org/awards/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027005155/http://www.worldfantasy.org/awards/ |url-status=dead |title=Awards | World Fantasy Convention |archive-date=October 27, 2012}}</ref>
* Kay won the International Goliardos Award for his contributions of the international literature of the fantastic.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sunburstaward.org/2005_shortlist.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100317001412/http://www.sunburstaward.org/2005_shortlist.html |url-status=dead |title=Shortlist for the 2005 Sunburst Award |archive-date=March 17, 2010}}</ref>
* Kay was appointed to the [[Order of Canada]] in 2014 "for his contributions to the field of speculative fiction as an internationally celebrated author".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gg.ca/en |title=The Governor General of Canada |first=Office of the Secretary to the Governor |last=General |website=The Governor General of Canada |date=September 20, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://quillandquire.com/awards/2014/07/02/guy-gavriel-kay-chris-hadfield-given-order-of-canada-honours/ |title=Guy Gavriel Kay, Chris Hadfield given Order of Canada honours |last=Cerny |first=Dory |magazine=[[Quill & Quire]] |date=July 2, 2014 |access-date=October 28, 2021}}</ref>
*''River of Stars'' won the 2017 Prix Elbakin in France.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elbakin.net/edition/Remise-des-trophees-du-prix-Elbakin-net-adulte-aux-Utopiales |title=Remise des trophées du prix Elbakin.net adulte aux Utopiales 2017 |website=www.elbakin.net |language=fr |access-date=October 13, 2018}}</ref>
*''Under Heaven'' was named the best fantasy novel of the year by the [[American Library Association]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/node/21619 |title=2011 The REading list {{!}} Awards & Grants |website=www.ala.org |access-date=October 13, 2018}}</ref> It was the SF Book Club book of the year. It received the [[Sunburst Award]] in 2011<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sunburstaward.org/content/2011-winners |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809162801/http://www.sunburstaward.org/content/2011-winners |url-status=dead |title=2011 Sunburst Award Winners |archive-date=August 9, 2014}}</ref> and was longlisted for the [[International Dublin Literary Award|IMPAC/Dublin Literary prize]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/award-archive/winners-1996-2012/2012-longlist/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421025058/http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/award-archive/winners-1996-2012/2012-Longlist/ |url-status=dead |title=International IMPAC DUBLIN Literary Award: 2012 Longlist |archive-date=April 21, 2013}}</ref> It won the 2015 Prix Elbakin, a French award.<ref name="Elbakin">{{cite web |url=http://www.elbakin.net/blog/l-association/Remise-de-trophees-du-prix-Elbakin-net |title=Remise de trophées du prix Elbakin.net |website=www.elbakin.net |language=fr |access-date=October 13, 2018}}</ref>

===Nominations===
* Several nominations for the [[Mythopoeic Awards|Mythopoeic Fantasy Award]] in the category of Adult Literature.
* Four nominations for the [[World Fantasy Award]], won in 2008 for ''Ysabel''.
* Multiple nominations for the [[Sunburst Award]].<ref name="sunburst2001">{{Cite web |url=https://sunburstaward.org/node/56 |title=Shortlist for the 2001 Sunburst Award |website=The Sunburst Award For Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic |publisher=The Sunburst Award Society |access-date=November 10, 2024 |quote=Lord of Emperors by Guy Gavriel Kay}}</ref><ref name="sunburst2005">{{Cite web |url=https://sunburstaward.org/node/51 |title=Shortlist for the 2005 Sunburst Award |website=The Sunburst Award For Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic |publisher=The Sunburst Award Society |access-date=November 10, 2024 |quote=The Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay}}</ref><ref name="sunburst2011">{{Cite web |url=https://sunburstaward.org/node/79 |title=2011 Shortlists |website=The Sunburst Award For Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic |publisher=The Sunburst Award Society |access-date=November 10, 2024 |quote=Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay}}</ref><ref name="sunburst2014">{{Cite web |url=https://sunburstaward.org/node/86 |title=2014 Shortlists |website=The Sunburst Award For Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic |publisher=The Sunburst Award Society |access-date=November 10, 2024 |quote=River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite magazine |url=https://thewalrus.ca/slaying-dragons/ |title=Slaying dragons |last=Landau |first=Emily |magazine=[[The Walrus]] |date=May 14, 2013|access-date=October 29, 2021}}
*{{cite magazine |url=https://c2cjournal.ca/2016/09/the-fantastic-fiction-of-guy-gavriel-kay/ |title=The fantastic fiction of Guy Gavriel Kay |last=Tarantino |first=Bob |magazine=C2C Journal |date=September 7, 2016|access-date=November 1, 2021}}

== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}

* [http://www.brightweavings.com Bright Weavings] – authorized website with some contributions by Kay
* [http://www.guygavrielkay.ca Kay] at publisher Penguin Books Canada
* {{ISFDB name|415|name=Guy Gavriel Kay}}
* {{LCAuth|n84223190|Guy Gavriel Kay|22|ue}}

===Interviews and lectures===
* [https://bookspotcentral.com/interview-guy-gavriel-kay/ Interview at Boomtron.com]
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991004002337/http://www.eventhorizon.com/sfzine/chats/transcripts/040899.html |date=October 4, 1999 |title=Interview on the now-defunct Event Horizon }}
* [http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/intrvws/kay.htm Interview by Raymond H. Thompson] at the [http://www.lib.rochester.edu Library of Rochester]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080517104548/http://worldfantasy2008.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=337869 World Fantasy 2008 Podcast]
* In May 2021, Kay delivered the eighth [[Tolkien Lecture]] at [[Pembroke College, Oxford]].<ref>[https://tolkienlecture.org/2021/05/14/guy-gavriel-kay-lecture-recording/], 'Guy Gavriel Kay Lecture Recording', May 14, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.</ref>

{{Guy Gavriel Kay}}
{{World Fantasy Award Best Novel}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kay, Guy Gavriel}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Canadian fantasy writers]]
[[Category:Lawyers in Ontario]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Weyburn]]
[[Category:University of Manitoba alumni]]
[[Category:University of Toronto alumni]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Canada]]
[[Category:Jewish Canadian novelists]]
[[Category:World Fantasy Award–winning writers]]
[[Category:University of Toronto Faculty of Law alumni]]
[[Category:Canadian male novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian novelists]]
[[Category:Aurora Award–winning writers]]
[[Category:Novelists from Saskatchewan]]

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Guy Gavriel Kay