Like a lot of people, I love fantasy movies and TV shows, but I don't often read fantasy novels. But one notable exception was Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay. I really, really like this book. Here's the basic plot:

It takes place in another world, on a land called the Penninsula of the Palm because it superficially resembles a hand. Not one, but two foriegn conqueror/sorcerors come to the palm and occupy it; The brutish and barbaric Alberico of Barbadior and the more cultured and refined Brandin of Ygrath. Both are tyrants. In the prologue, before the events of our story, there is an uprsing in the southern province of Tigana. Not overly concerned, The conqueror Brandin sends his own son to quel the revolt. However, The Tigana forces triumph over Brandin's army, led by their brave Prince Valentin, but more importantly, they kill Brandin's son and seal their fate. In his rage and quest for revenge, Brandin descends and utterly desimates the province. The destruction and taxes he imposed on other provinces are nothing like what happens to Tigana. However, not content with his revenge, he wants to completely break Tigana and erase it from history. He renames the province Lower Corte, using the name of the province to the North and destroys its written history and culture. He then uses his powerful magic to cast a spell over the entire penninsula. To the effect, no one in the Penninsula, except for those born in Tigana before the casting of the spell can hear the name Tigana. After the last survivor dies, the name Tigana will be gone forever.

Now it is many years later in the Penninsula and there is a stalemate between the two conquerors, an uneasy equilibrium, but each still jostling for the advantage. The story follows an unlikely band of rebels traveling the Penninsula as a group of actors and singers. The young singer Devin, the beautiful girl Catriana, and the Duke Sandre d'Astibar among others must find a way to win freedom for their land. As is stated in the book, the two tyrants must be brought down together. Also we meet the beautiful Dianora, Brandin's favorite concubine, whom is also secretly from Tigana. She must struggle between her growing love for Brandin and her plan for vengence.

This book is great. The story is engaging. Sometimes fantasies are so caught up in strange names for people and places and exotic creatures or magic that they lose sight of the story. But Tigana feels like a real place and Kay's characters feel like real people. The book has a rich atmosphere and the places and culture are based on medieval Italy. There is magic and it is central to the story, but it's used sparingly.It's a story about people who deeply love their country and are trying to win their freedom.

Kay has written many other good novels. I read The Fionavar Tapestry, a three volume story, which was much more ambitious in scope than Tigana. It's supposed to be his Tour de Force, I guess, but I didn't like it as much. It seemed to borrow a lot of ideas from Lord of the Rings, which isn't too surprising since Kay worked with the estate of J.R.R. Tolkein to edit The Silmarillion. I much more prefered The Lions of al-Rassan which is fantasy because it takes place in a fictitious world and history, but there's no magic in it at all. It's really well written and is an allegorical tale about the three great faiths of the middle east; Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. After Tigana, it's his best book. He has some new books out; Beyond This Dark House and Ysabel. I heard they'r pretty good.

I strongly recommendTigana. It's the fantasy novel for people that don't really read fantasy.