Guy Gavriel Kay (born November 7, 1954) is a Canadian writer of fantasy fiction. The majority of his novels take place in fictional settings 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 categorization of these works as historical fantasy. As of 2022[update], Kay has published 15 novels and a book of poetry. As of 2018[update], his fiction has been translated into at least 22 languages.[1] Kay is also a qualified lawyer in Canada.[2]
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.[3][2] Kay became principal writer and an associate producer for the CBC Radio series The Scales of Justice, and continued as principal writer when the series transferred to television as Scales of Justice.[3]
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, partly based on the life of Virginia Woolf, where Woolf features in the novel as one of a number of protagonists.[4][5]
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.
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 the same world as The Lions of Al-Rassan, The Sarantine Mosaic, and The Last Light of the Sun, and taking place in a world based on Italy, Istanbul and the Balkans in the 15th century
All the Seas of the World (May 17, 2022), sequel to A Brightness Long Ago
Poetry
Beyond This Dark House (2003), a collection
Awards and distinctions
Awards
Kay won the 1985 Scales of Justice Award for best media treatment of a legal issue, Canadian Law Reform Commission, 1985, for "Second Time Around".[citation needed]
The Wandering Fire won the 1987 Prix Aurora Award in the English category for best speculative fiction.[6]
Kay won the International Goliardos Award for his contributions of the international literature of the fantastic.[10]
Under Heaven won the Sunburst Award in 2011[11] and was longlisted for the IMPAC/Dublin Literary prize.[12]
Kay was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2014 "for his contributions to the field of speculative fiction as an internationally celebrated author".[13][14]
Under Heaven won the 2015 Prix Elbakin in France.[15]
River of Stars won the 2017 Prix Elbakin in France.[16]
Under Heaven was named the best fantasy novel of the year by The American Library Association,[17] and was the SF Book Club's Book of the Year.
