Jump to content

Dorothy Dunnett - Amazing Historical Fiction


Nukelavee

Recommended Posts

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • 2 months later...

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

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

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

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

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...