One of the world's foremost masters of fantasy, Guy Gavriel Kay has thrilled readers around the globe with his talent for skillfully interweaving history and Myth, colorful characterization, and a rich sense of time and place. Now, in Lord of Emperors, the internationally acclaimed author of The Lions of Al-Rassan continues his most powerful work. In Sailing to Sarantium, the first volume in the Sarantine Mosaic, renowned mosaicist Crispin — beckoned by an imperial summons of the Emperor Valerius — made his way to the fabled city of Sarantium. A man who lives only for his craft, who cares little for ambition, less for money, and nothing for intrigue, Crispin now wants only to confront the challenges of his art high upon a dome that will become the emperor's magnificent sanctuary and legacy. But Crispin's desire for solitude will not be fulfilled. Beneath him the city swirls with rumors of war and conspiracy, while otherworldly fires mysteriously flicker and disappear in the streets at night. Valerius is looking west to Crispin's homeland of Varena to assert his power — a plan that may have dire consequences for the family and friends Crispin left behind. But loyalty to his homeland comes at a high price, for Crispin's fate has become entwined with that of Valerius and his empress, as well as the youthful Queen Gisel, his own monarch who is an exile in Sarantium herself. And now another voyager arrives in Sarantium, a physician determined to earn his fortune amid the shifting currents of loyalty, intrigue, and violence. Drawing from the twin springs of history and legend, Lord of Emperors is also a deeply moving exploration of art, power, and the ways in which people from all walks of life seek to leave an impression that endures long after they are gone. It confirms Kay's place as one of the world's most esteemed masters of fantasy. Guy Gavriel Kay's distinguished literary career began when he helped complete Tolkien's posthumous masterpiece, The Silmarillion. The author of Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, and The Lions of Al-Rassan, he has been both an Aurora Award winner and a World Fantasy Award nominee. An international bestselling author, his works have been translated into fifteen languages. He lives in Toronto, Canada