Under Heaven – Guy Gavriel Kay (2010)

Kay isn’t obscure, but this book’s quiet brilliance often is. Set in a mythical empire inspired by Tang Dynasty China, it follows a man who’s gifted an impossible reward: 250 warhorses. It sounds simple — until that gift becomes a political bomb.<br />It’s a sweeping, introspective epic about how history crushes individuals, and how kindness can be the sharpest weapon of all. Every sentence feels like silk hiding a blade.

Rating: 5 / 5