Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine that gives us a chance to drool over upcoming releases.  It's also a great way to check out other blogs and see what other books have been discovered that will soon be released.

Here's mine for this week:

Under Heaven
by Guy Gavriel Kay

Since the Fionavar Tapestry, Guy Gavriel Kay has become one of my favourite fantasy authors and I am looking forward to this forthcoming release on April 27, 2010.

Inspired by the glory and power of Tang dynasty China, Guy Gavriel Kay has created a masterpiece.

It begins simply.  Shen Tai, son of an illustrious general serving the Emperor of Kitai, has spent two years honouring the memory of his late father by burying the bones of the dead from both armies at the site of one of his father's last great battles.  In recognition of his labours and his filial piety, an unlikely source has sent him a dangerous gift: 250 Sardian horses.

You give a man one of the Sardian horses to reward him greatly.  You give him four or five to exalt him above his fellow, propel him towards rank, and earn him jealousy, possibly mortal jealousy.   Two hundred and fifty is an unthinkable gift, a gift to overwhelm an emperor.

Wisely, the gift comes with the stipulation that Tai must claim the horses in person.  Otherwise he would probably be dead already...

What are you looking forward to this week?