Tigana
Why this book?
Guy Gavriel Kay’s historical fantasy books – ALL of them – are worth your time – the man is a word wizard and he creates astonishingly “alive” worlds which never really existed. I could pick any one of them – but I choose Tigana which I tend to proselytize for as the Best. Book. EVER. And part of the reason for that is the utterly unforgettable character of Dianora – wounded, noble, vulnerable, fragile, strong, driven, proud, tragic, complex, HUMAN. If there was nothing else of note in this book it would be worth reading for her alone. And if he wrote not another word in his lifetime, Guy Gavriel Kay is going to literary heaven for creating this woman and her world.