Mexal Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 I bought The Game of Kings several years ago, I'm pretty sure based on the strength of Mexal's praise of Dunnett. I never actually read it, though. Just pulled it off my shelf and will give it a try.As I said then, just keep reading. The first 150 pages or so are hard to read/follow but once you get past there, it flies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolverine Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 As I said then, just keep reading. The first 150 pages or so are hard to read/follow but once you get past there, it flies.Agreed. It was very difficult to get into for me, but once I did the payoff was awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillio Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Normally I'd just like the last two posts.However i now need to echo their opinions. enjoy the ride! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UndergroundMan Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 According to my kindle, I'm about 35 percent through Game of Kings. Still haven't reached any kind of payoff and I'm confused as hell. And usually I can keep track of complex plots and lots of characters fairly well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukelavee Posted October 7, 2012 Author Share Posted October 7, 2012 Sounds about right, Underground.Not to sound discouraging, but, yeah...The book is one of those that really takes forever for some people to gel, but when it all comes together, it's hard to remember the first part was so slow. I mean, I picked it up to do a re-read, and was like, but....I remember how cool it was! Except I gotta read the slow part first.But, it really is worth it. Lymond isn't nearly what he seems. Well, he is, but he has so much more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UndergroundMan Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Okay, I'm at out 40 percent now and it's starting to get better. Starting to see the hidden dimensions of Lymond's character and the scene with the cattle drive was pretty clever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uglychicken Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Dunnet is the absolute best. I'm utterly convinced Martin had a senile old knight named Lymond in Storm Of Swords, but last time I reread it, he'd vanished or had a name change. I started with Niccolo and fell in love straight away with the writing - elegant and arch and cool and witty. I loved not knowing where it was really going until the plot really kicks in when Marian tells Felix about the marriage. Her skill with plot and character is staggering.I'm convinced Game of Kings is best read as a romance novel that just happens to incorporate murder mysteries and swashbuckling action and political intrigue and dynastic drama. I think Dunnet was exploring the concept of the bastard in romantic fiction. Is he acting the bastard? He has to be! But he's so convincing! How big a bastard do you have to be to play a bastard so convincingly? Lymond is actually a very difficult character to relate to on first read through, and I, for one, was on the side of the more resentful supporting characters. Second read-through, he's much more sympathetic, and the resentful supporting characters are actually a bit callow and childish. With Niccolo, you get so used to him acting the bastard a bit when he needs to that it comes as a shock to discover that he may, in fact, be the biggest bastard of the whole series. There's a bit in Lions where he completely loses his temper and he's terrifying.I assume everyone expressing love for Adorne knows he's a real historical figure and was, if anything, even more awesome in reality than he was in the books? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukelavee Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 What is really cool is that Dunnet is actually a good foundation for Stephanson's Baroque Cycle.Imagine Niccolo going into business with Elizabeth?Fat Father Jordon having to deal with Half-Cock Jack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maltaran Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Of course, the settings are over 200 years apart... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Lord Lymond Lychester, yes. That said, I believe GRRM has said he hasn't read the Lymond series, and only read some of the Niccoló books, so the Lymond name is probably just one of those he pulled from the baby name books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukelavee Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 I did say imagine, damn it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maid Sansa Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I assume everyone expressing love for Adorne knows he's a real historical figure and was, if anything, even more awesome in reality than he was in the books?Yep. :) The exact extent of his awesomenes, alas, remains hidden from me because his Wiki entry is in Dutch, but I smiled when I read that he actually really had a daughter named Efemie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanna vander Poele Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Yeah... I really do want to know about the RL Anselm Adorne and Kathi Sersanders and everyone else! Information in English seems to be at a dearth though... and I still cannot believe how many kids Adorne and Margriet had :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uglychicken Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 For info on Adorne and many, many others, I commend the Dorothy Dunnet Companion, Vols 1 and 2. 2 covers Niccolo, and so has the Adorne entry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanna vander Poele Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 Just finished the third Lymond novel. You-know-what just made my eyes burst into flame... What a toolbag. I did read spoilers because I couldn't wait, so I know Khaireddin doesn't end up too happily, but if he has to spend his entire life as Gabriel's slave/concubine I am going to torch stuff. What a sick fuck. God, I hope Lymond destroys him :devil: Don't want another ending like Gemini where they don't really get their just desserts the way they should... kill, Crawford, kill! :fencing: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maid Sansa Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 Just finished the third Lymond novel. You-know-what just made my eyes burst into flame... What a toolbag. I did read spoilers because I couldn't wait, so I know Khaireddin doesn't end up too happily, but if he has to spend his entire life as Gabriel's slave/concubine I am going to torch stuff. What a sick fuck. God, I hope Lymond destroys him :devil: Don't want another ending like Gemini where they don't really get their just desserts the way they should... kill, Crawford, kill! :fencing: You are SO going to regret this last sentence of yours when you finish Pawn in Frankincense... :crying: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tyrion I Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 I read her "King hereafter" a couple of years ago.Basically, it is focused on the theory that Thorfinn Sjgurdasson of Orkney and Macbeth are the same person.I liked it at lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolverine Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 Reading Queen's Play right now and it is very slow going. I wish I had a companion or guide for the un-translated passages and obscure metaphors. The mood she sets feels very authentic though. The first Lymond book started pretty slowly for me as well (EDIT: But finished spectacularly). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tears of Lys Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 This may be my next reading selection.You have no idea how momentous of a decision this is on my part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanna vander Poele Posted December 25, 2012 Share Posted December 25, 2012 Just finished the series. Wow... talk about a punch in the gut! Strangely enough, it was really odd to read about someone I didn't really care about. I love Nicholas, but Lymond is not really a character I could fall in love with... there's also this strain of sheer agony in Lymond that is mitigated in Niccolo by Gemini. Pawn in Frankensense and Part V of Checkmate are especially tough in their emotional vulnerability. Poor Philippa! I was wondering how she and Lymond would come around, and that was one way... although I confess I got tricked and thought Lymond would genuinely die. Never sure how I feel about writing shenaginans like those...Guzel was a very cool character, but I couldn't help but question how such a self-possessed and calm woman would survive in a court as turbulent as Ivan's... it doesn't matter how savvy you are if one crazy tsar or prince has had enough of you... sad to hear her end though.So the Dame of Doubtance is Dr Andreas' daughter? Their names are Camille!Poor baby Khaireddin! The save-my-son plot in Lymond and Niccolo is pretty similar, though there was only one of Jodi and it was definitely his son. I wonder if Lymond would have spent more time with the child if he had saved Khaireddin instead. I didn't expect to hear so little of Kuzum. And I thought Gabriel was going to be the bastard recurring villain a la Jordan and Simon, so really surprising to see him taken out by the mutes, but very satisfying.I confess I'm still a little confused over the timeline of Kuzum's birth. He has to be older than Khaireddin...? Joleta had to have him before she was pregnant again in the Disorderly Knights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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