Guy Gavriel Kay's "Written On The Dark" defies fantasy's usual boundaries, creating a world where tavern warmth and political intrigue share the same page with equal brilliance. The novel weaves a tapestry where character connections feel as comforting as a fireside chat, yet the historical setting thrums with tension reminiscent of Europe's darkest medieval conflicts—a contradiction that somehow works perfectly.

At the center stands Thierry Villar, a tavern poet whose weapon of choice isn't a sword but his quick wit. Kay crafts a hero whose verbal dexterity and sharp intelligence prove more valuable than brute strength in a landscape where words can topple kingdoms. What makes Thierry truly compelling is how his relationships—from old drinking companions to newfound aristocratic allies—form the scaffolding that supports him through increasingly dangerous encounters.

The narrative's structure might initially surprise readers accustomed to more straightforward storytelling. Kay employs multiple viewpoints with a partly omniscient narrator that occasionally steps back to comment on events with almost philosophical detachment. This approach transforms what could be merely entertaining into something richly textured, allowing us to see both the intimate details of characters' lives and the sweeping historical forces that shape them.

The world of Orane feels hauntingly familiar—you'll recognize echoes of historical events and places—while supernatural elements shimmer just beneath the surface, creating a reality both grounded and magical. The cold night that launches Thierry's adventure feels so bitterly real you'll want to pull your reading blanket tighter.

For those seeking fantasy that prioritizes human connection amid political machinations, "Written On The Dark" offers a rare refuge—a world complex enough to get genuinely lost in, yet intimate enough to feel like coming home.

Thank you to Ace Books Pub and NetGalley, for the free copy for review.

Guy Gavriel Kay delivers another beautifully written story of an ordinary man who finds himself in extraordinary circumstances. Thierry is a tavern poet of some modest renown who is drawn into a world of politics and intrigue. Kay has such a particular style of alluding to and hinting at things that you always need to pay close attention to his words but that is no hardship given his carefully crafted descriptive prose. Drawing inspiration from real historical events, his reimagining of medieval France draws the reader in with longtime readers looking for tie-ins to Kay’s earlier works. And he does not disappoint.

First off, I love anything by Kay - my favourite author of all times.

I loved returning to the setting of Kay’s alternative Europe, this time Ferrieres. I loved seeing his version of Joan of Arc - the first time I’ve been able to recognize a character rather than just a place.

I very much valued the LGBTQ angle of this book. Characters ranged from straight to gay to bisexual to gender diverse and intersex, and done without making a big deal of it. People are simply people and live their lives much like anyone else.

I did find the overall plot here to be a bit less…intense? than some of Kay’s other works. It moved a bit slowly and the stakes felt less high for the central characters.

Overall, highly recommend. Then go back and read the Lions of Al-Rassan, the Sarantine duo, and all the other books that bring this rich world to life.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

My immediate thought after reading this was: “this is a book where you’ll find something new on every reread.”

Written on the Dark is a historical fantasy that follows a poet who gets caught up in the politics of his city when a heinous murder occurs.

I definitely started this book thinking, it’s too short for too many characters! And there were definitely times where I got a little lost, the narrative really jumps around a lot. But by the end? I was SO invested in these characters and their stories. Somehow after 300 pages I felt like I knew these people thoroughly.

Truly remarkable how Guy Gavriel Kay’s writing and prose is so nuanced. This was my first GGK but won’t be my last!

Sometimes we retain the quiet moments that come in the midst of chaos, or after it. The city, my city, in the night. Our lives, written in the dark.

4.25 stars!

I am always left with a particular feeling when I finish a Guy Gavriel Kay book. Bittersweet yet hopeful, and incredibly moved by the story I just read. Written on the Dark is no exception. When I began reading, I was instantly engaged and continued to be engaged throughout the book. I am always sucked into Kay’s books, making for an easy and enjoyable reading experience. He just knows how to tell a story.

While this isn’t my favorite book of his, it is still quintessentially Guy Gavriel Kay. You can expect to get everything he’s known for. Beautiful prose, quick wit and surprising moments of humor, an immersive world, and likable characters who find themselves caught up in a formative part of history.

All of GGK’s book are written as a “near-history” with a quarter-turn to the fantastic, and this book takes place in a world reminiscent of medieval France, following events surrounding the Hundred Years War. Like Kay’s other works, he takes this time period of historical significance and twists it to tell the story he wants to tell. If you’re looking for pure historical fiction that faithfully follows the events of this era, you won’t find it here. It’s clearly based on that time, but Kay has the freedom to move and change things as he sees fit since this is technically a fictional world.

When it comes to the main POV of the story, this time around our focus falls on Thierry Villar, a tavern poet who stumbles into events that have far-reaching consequences for his world. I liked having this story centered on someone who would normally be nothing more than a footnote in the grand scheme of things. It’s easy to focus on the big players in a story like this, but it’s more interesting to tell it this way, through the eyes of someone who just happened to be there. There are a handful of other POVs, some with only a few paragraphs or pages. Yet even so, they still make an impression and further prove the effect anyone can have on history.

One of the things I love most about Kay’s writing is how he is able to say so much without saying anything at all. He has such a talent for giving information to the reader in a purposeful way, and it is clear that he trusts his readers to pick up on the subtext and understand what he’s saying. This book in particular showcased that talent, and I for one appreciate an author who doesn’t feel the need to spell out every single thing. It implies a mutual respect and trust between author and reader, and few writers today can manage that to the extent that Kay does. He is truly a master wordsmith, knowing exactly how to craft a sentence or paragraph to deliver maximum impact.

As usual, I ended the book with tears in my eyes. I always seem to make it through a Kay book almost to the end and think it won’t get me, yet it does every single time. I will be fine and then from one sentence to the next, I’m crying. I don’t know how he does it. Again, it’s just the way he’s expertly able to deliver a line.

This book also featured lots of Easter eggs from his previous books, so that was fun. It makes me want to go back and reread everything. That being said, it’s not necessary to have read all of those books to enjoy this one. While it’s not where I would recommend someone to start with GGK (that would be Tigana, The Lions of Al-Rassan, or A Song for Arbonne, it won’t hurt to do so. It’s a self-contained story that requires no previous knowledge of his world or his other works.

So overall, I will say that while I don’t think this is his strongest work, it is still very good. And anything that is “very good” from GGK is better than most books.

Thank you so much to Berkley for the free book!

Just another great GGK book here, even if it doesn't unseat my top 3 by him. A solid plot, tight pacing, and interesting, deep characters makes for a satisfying read. Evidently set during the Hundred Years' War, and loosely follows the life of a French poet, Francois Villon.

Thierry Villar, vaguely notable tavern poet and a self-proclaimed nobody to the realm, is tasked with stepping up and being a somebody following the murder of the King's brother. Investigating places the law can't reach, asking questions of people that they can't ask, and basically being an informant involved in a realm-shaking murder. What follows is Villar's progress from being a nobody to gaining friends in powerful circles, amidst the backdrop of a potential civil war.

What I love about this book (and GGK's books in general, but it's very evident in this book) is how he can take a minor character, even in their own story, and turn them into something living, breathing, and remarkable. The story's main character is Villar of course, but there's a slew of other POVs that each get their own backstory and contribute to the larger tale. There's also several minor characters that, while not given their own voice in the story, are sent on their literary way with a few lines from GGK about how events affected their life and how they end up. There's a couple Easter eggs here for people who read his other books.

Just a satisfying story to read. While a bit more straightfoward in the telling than some of his other books, I was still really glad to have read this, and was in love with the story/characters throughout.

Another of Guy Gavriel Kay’s beautifully written historical fantasies, this one set in a time and place reminiscent of medieval France. Tavern poet Thierry is used to the life he’s made for himself: lots of verses declaimed in the taverns, plenty of wine, some risky womanizing, and a little larceny. But one bitter winter night a shocking assassination unsettles the world around him and confronts Thierry with challenges he never expected. Ambitious plots unfold, war threatens, and Thierry must try to untangle right from wrong. What should he stand for? Who does he really want to be? Gorgeous writing and fascinating characters create a world you will not want to leave.

I would reread Kay's work over and over. This new book feels like I have...For fans of his Sarantium world, this is another new saga.
When Kay is at his best he's brilliant creating new worlds and populating them with complex characters. That said, this story was too short, could have been half a book, is there a sequel that fills out the rest? I don't think so, since his characters are kind of disposed of in the epilogue. Kay also uses "wisdom" paragraphs, that don't really have anything to do with the story, but more the ruminations of a character's mind. I did like the characters, just something was missing here for me.

I didn't feel like WRITTEN ON THE DARK did anything Kay hasn't done in a lot of his other books, but it's his sixteenth book and if you've read all of them as I have you already know if you like his stuff, and if you do, then this is more of the kind of thing you like. If you're not familiar with his work, my advice would be to either start with some of his earlier and most popular titles (eg. Tigana and The Lions of Al-Rassan), and/or pick a period of history you're into and read his take on that setting. Personally I like medieval France so I really enjoyed this one, although of course it then inspired me to reread IN A DARK WOOD WANDERING and A SONG FOR ARBONNE, both of which I felt more strongly about--but I've also been a GGK fan since high school and as far as I'm concerned even his worst book is better than many other authors' best books, so I'm pretty sure I'm always going to enjoy reading whatever he publishes anyway, and that was very much my experience here.

Kay's writing hits on a deeper level than most. Fully immersed in his world while following characters you wish you knew in real life.

This one follows a tavern poet who considers himself "inconsequential" who becomes something much more. We also see Kay's version of Joan of Arc, Charles VI, and others from history mixed within Kay's delightful fantasy world. Kay's incredible characterization make this one another classic and one of my favorites. I'll be recommending this gem to everyone.

Having adored The Sarantine Mosaic, I’ve long sought another Guy Gavriel Kay novel that reaches the same dazzling heights. While his books are never disappointing, few have quite matched that brilliance—until now. Written in the Dark follows Thierry Villar, a humble tavern poet who unexpectedly finds himself the key to his country’s survival. The superb characterization and spot-on pacing make for a truly immersive read. This novel may just stand alongside The Sarantine Mosaic as one of Kay’s best. I liked it a lot!

It’s such a treat to get lost in Kay’s worlds, experiencing his unique spin on history with a splash of the fantastical. While this tale doesn’t break new ground or reinvent the genre, it’s an engaging and satisfying story that longtime fans of GGK and newcomers alike will certainly enjoy. The narrative isn’t as complex as some of his other works, featuring more accessible prose and POVs that stay close to the main action.

Though somewhat muted in its telling, there’s a glimmer of Kay’s storytelling spark shining through the fog – guiding us toward the light. His main character, Thierry Villar, who self-identifies as “inconsequential” to the world at large, is given his moment to shine as Kay builds his legend before our eyes.

I’ve always loved how Kay grants even the most minor characters narrative arcs – sometimes in just a sentence or a paragraph, or, in this case, an entire book. Here, a tavern poet of medium renown makes his own indelible mark on the world. Someone who might have been a footnote in another story instead steals the spotlight.

Kay's work seems to be dwelling more and more upon legacy these days. His themes also commonly include "small" people swept up in large events, the importance of art, and how power works upon ethics.

Thierry, one of the main characters in this book, is a poet who's made a name for himself in the taverns. He is a hedonist who lives for today and tries not to think too hard about tomorrow. He drifts from place to place and bed to bed. However, he ends up being in the right place at the wrong time and is drawn into a power struggle between powerful nobles. The person who draws him in is a lawman who also realizes that he and Thierry both are not nearly as powerful as those whose crimes he has committed to investigate.

Thierry's gift for words and his boldness end up being assets for the investigation, if not for Thierry's prospects for living to a ripe old age. Death can happen suddenly and brutally, but Kay assures that the reader knows that death always matters.

Kay likes to write about a world just sideways from our own and if you know your history a lot of his characters are recognizable. In this book he writes variations on Joan of Arc and Christine de Pizan, among others.

I wouldn't say that this is the best of Kay's books. I couldn't thoroughly attach to Thierry, who thought a lot of himself as clever man and as a poet. But the melancholy, nostalgic tone of the book felt deep and true. If you like reading Kay you'll like this one.

Written on the Dark is a mesmerizing blend of sci-fi and fantasy that left me in awe of Guy Gavriel Kay’s ability to craft something both profoundly human and breathtakingly vast. I love how seamlessly Kay marries the grounded, gritty reality of medieval struggles with speculative elements. And, the prose is nothing short of poetic, painting vivid scenes that feel alive while delving into the souls of his characters. This is a story about ambition and power, yes, but also about the beauty of creation and the fragility of human connections. It’s a book that lingers in your mind, not because of its plot twists, but because of its emotional resonance.