Guy Gavariel Kay continues his magic-realism kick with The Lions of Al-Rassan, a thinly-veiled tale of Spain under Muslim rule. The fantastical elements so prominent in many of his earlier works are missing almost entirely from this one, with their only remnant vaguely psychic visions suffered by a character subject to fits and seizures. The story itself is still a masterfully-told romance with a strong female presence, perhaps too strong for the culture. Kay fans who don’t mind the lack of a strong fantasy element will enjoy the well-told story; those who read to escape the limitations of the world we know may find this tale offers little.