Rating: 
Summary: Not Hero Worship
Review: 5 stars is my rating for the entire 6-book series of the Lymond Chronicles, which I first started reading 4 years ago. Since then, I've revisited Dunnett's Rennaissance world again and again, only to find many details I'd missed in the earlier readings. The prose is rich and lush--almost too jam-packed for some--but as one is towed along by the author's swift and ever-changing plot(s), one tends to read quickly through each novel first, planning to return for a more leisurely re-reading later.
The hero, Lymond, is one of the most ingenius and versatile of all fiction heroes ever created, and the reader watches him grow to become even more larger-than-life as the novels progress. Certainly, the story takes Lymond all over Europe in a way that is a touch far-fetched...but this just serves to increase the magic of Lymond's personality, and goes to show how expertly Dunnett has woven history with fiction. (Indeed, although I have not personally checked the historical accuracy of the author's background preparation, I've heard Dunnett say herself during a reading in New York that she had read up to 700 historical sources in order to write both the Lymond and the Niccolo series, as well as to research 'King Hereafter,' a book on Macbeth which had not yet been published at the time.)
Some readers find the Lymond books "too romantic," which I think really only applies to the last novel, 'Checkmate.' However, the very nature of adventure epics allows a certain degree of 'romanticizing,' and the series is far from sappy, cloying, or embarassingly sentimental. On the contrary, you may find yourself wishing there were just a bit MORE written about the Lymond and his beloved.
Truly, the series is among the best historical fiction ever written in English. (For Chinese readers, I'd go so far as to say that Dunnett writes similar sweeping and intricate plots as the Chinese kungfu novelist, Jing Yoong, only without the kungfu and other fantastical elements.)
Unfortunately, as a series it is difficult to give due justice to any one novel; you cannot fairly rate one book without taking the others into consideration. But I hope that the first book, 'Game of Kings,' holds enough promise to encourage you to read the others that follow--for if you do not come away with a sense of sheer amazement at the author's artistic breadth and vision, at least you should have expanded the parameters of your own imagination.
Rating:
Summary: The best series I have ever read
Review: I can't recommend the Lymond Series enough. I am not an aficionado of historical fiction and was slightly doubtful when my sister insisted that I read this book. As other reviewers here have said, the writing style in this first book can be a bit heavy, with Latin quotations (when I know no Latin) and a sometimes flowery style, and certainly in the first couple of chapters I found it hard to get an affinity with the characters. But this absolutely must not put you off! Dorothy Dunnett's descriptions of Scottish countryside and politics, and the natural development of the characters as the book progresses make this one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read. It is common that in a book series the quality of the story wanes as you move through them, in this series this cannot be further from the truth. If you persevere through the first two chapters of book one you are going to have a fantastic treat from there on, being taken around Elizabethan Europe with wars, heroism, espionage, love and betrayal taking place in richly described locations and with unforgettable characters. To top it all, Lymond is one of the finest fictional heroes I've ever had the pleasure to read about.
Rating:
Summary: My Love Affair with an Anti-Hero
Review: I first heard of the Lymond Chronicles in a Live Journal. They sounded interesting, so I bought the Game of Kings. And then I immediately bought the other five books.
For those of you who got discourgaed after the first fifty or so pages, don't worry. I had no idea what was going on for probably the first half of the book, mainly because I didn't know anything about Lymond, and had no idea what he was doing. Regardless of this, I fell in love with him about Chapter Two.
Francis Crawford is the epitome of 'anti-hero'. He is the very definition of the word. He does things that no main character is expected to do. His morals are both elastic and absolutely unyeilding. The fact that he speaks in a sometimes incoherent mix of languages just adds to the mystique surrounding him. You never can quite figure out what in God's name he's going to do next. All of these little elements combine to form the main character of one of the most complex and fantastical series that I have ever had the privilage of reading.
Give the book a try - I guarantee Lymond will draw you and never let you go. Ever.
Rating:
Summary: ..simply amazing...
Review: I found these books this previous summer on the advice of several intellectual friends, and completely fell in love with them. There is simply not enough praise to be said about them, The Game of Kings especially. The hisotrical setting is meticulously detailed and beautifully accurate, the story-telling can be incredibly wrenching and fast-paced, and the characters are beautifully drawn.
There are a few things one will have to appreciate to enjoy this book, however. The first is an ability to cope with not being able to understand everything said by the main character. Lymond is polyglot and therefore uses many quotes in French, Spanish and Latin-- the most important thing to remember is that understanding these is simply not necessary for the story. They are spices that add flavor and demonstrate his character, but they can safely be ignored. Also, the first 100 pages of this book, from what I've heard, can feel like a chore. It is, however, all very important setup that will make sense later, and I do not know anyone who has gotten past Hume Castle and not been hooked for the rest of the series. Dunnett has an amazing ability to draw scenes which are alternately laugh-out-loud funny and absolutely heartwrenching.
Out of a five-hundred page book, Lymond's point of view is probably used for less than a page. This is unusual and can seem odd at first, but there are several excellent advantages, the first being that the side characters-- whose point of view we see out of almost constantly-- are fully realized and deliciously human. It is also important to remember that to some extent this book is a chess game between author and reader. Most of the book will have you guessing about Lymond's feelings, morals, motives, and everything else. All of this makes for excellent re-reading.
All in all, this a book that requires actual work, unlike the force-it-down-your-throat modern novels that seem to be suddenly popular, but the rewards quite definitely outweigh the labor put in. This book caused an actual physical reaction in me-- by the time I had finished the climax (and there's a lot of it!) my hands were shaking uncontrollably. Put simply, this is the best thing I've read since "The Lord of the Rings" at age seven.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Frustration
Review: I have read the Legendary Lymond Chronicles three times now, and continue to be astonished by the books; not least by the way in which they simultaneously aggravate and entrance the reader. Pretentious? Maybe. Campy? Certainly. Overblown? Absolutely. And yet, and yet, and yet . . . Francis Crawford is an incredible character, and the fascinating way in which the narratives are completely focussed on him and yet slightly removed, so that he always remains just out of the reader's grasp, is amazing. The prose is hyperintellectual and convoluted, and requires one's complete attention, but the rewards are many and varied. The tension built throughout the series is so extraordinary that by the time I reached the middle of the sixth book, I was literally tearing my hair out in empathetic pain for the characters. I take issue with the readers who object to Dunnett's foreign-language quotes . . . I think the novels are so authentic because the characters are exactly as educated as people of that time period would have been. I myself have no college degree, but I do know French and have an extensive musical background, which I think helped more than being multi-lingual. I had no trouble at all translating the quotes, or appreciating why they were there. I don't think that Dunnett was trying to "impress the reader", as some reviewers have accused; the quotes are completely consistent with the character, who is impressive both to himself and to everyone around him. Some rudimentary historical knowledge is helpful to understanding the background politics of the novels, but not required. Several times during my reading of these novels, I screamed in exasperation and threw them across the room, thinking: "This is the most ridiculously contrived and over-written indulgence on the face of the Earth," but I always came back to them, and have come back again and again. My favourite in the series is "Pawn in Frankincense," which is truly masterly, and if you are not reduced to tears at the end of it, you cannot be human.
Rating:
Summary: all of Dorothy Dunnets Books
Review: I own and have read all of Dorothy Dunnetts two major series (Lymond and Nicollo), I am almost a professional reader, because very seldom in any of my free time do I not read. My interests span a very broad spectrum of subjects. and my large library reflects that.
I find Mrs. Dunnett in every respect in a class by herself. Better than Dumas and anyone who could facinate you on any subject. It is true, she is very sophisticated in style as well as in language, but that makes her such genius writer. Anyone who chooses not to give her a 5 star plus should attempt to re-educate him- or herself. I wish, she would continue to surprise us with more of the same.
Rating: 
Summary: It sure sounded good
Review: I tried, I really did, but after about 65 pages I knew I had lost much of this story. The author weaves other languages into the characters dialogue and with the number of characters it gets confusing. I anxiously anticipated starting this book and am disappointed I couldn't get through it. This is not bedtime reading. It requires all brain cells to be active, and a degree in languages wouldn't hurt. Bravo to those who got through this for it seems the reward is a great experience.
Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Ride for the Quick Silver Mind
Review: Interestingly enough, I was introduced to the Lymond Chronicles by a man from Scotland with whom I took many hikes and rock climbs. I was immediately swept into the masterful writing of Dorothy Donnett and there was no turning back.
The Game of Kings does not mince words nor plot, but deftly plunges the reader into the personal and political complexities of a hero, playing a bandit, playing a hero. Brilliance weaves it's way through all the mischief, the intricate strategy, humor that keeps the reader laughing, often to the point of tears from it's very simplicity, and the intensity of a cast of characters, whose fates are intrinsicly tied to Frances Crawford of Lymond.
For all of Lymond's seemingly cavalier and careless treatment of his shpere of family, friends, lovers and foes, there is a deeper purpose and passion to our fair haired hero than meets the eye. His journey winds in and out of so many tragedies along the way, he is almost destroyed by the circumstances of his own making and his final saving grace is a surprise to both main character and reader alike (Gotcha thinkin' now huh?).
There is also a rich sensuality in Donnett's description of the beauty of her various characters and the detail of the cultures encountered along the way.
The Game of Kings is an excellent foundation that launches these exquisite adventures.
Rating: 
Summary: Break out your dictionary
Review: Is Dorothy Dunnett the modern Rabelais? Her combination of action, vocabulary, cultural references, and intelligence is impressive. The Game of Kings starts with a simple phrase: "Lymond is back." (Actually, it starts with a list of the cast of characters, which you will need in order to follow the events of the novel.) This is a clever beginning for what is the first of a six-volume series about Francis Crawford of Lymond.
At the beginning of the Game of Kings, Lymond has been outlawed from Scotland and has returned to his native country with much fanfare. He immediately raids his mother's home, stabs a pregnant woman, and then sets the place on fire, nice guy that he is. From there he roams Scotland and northern England to find three men who can help him with some unknown task, all the while pursued less by Scottish authorities than by his own brother. The novel's climax is enthralling, including a poignant scene involving the two brothers and a gripping trial that reveals the denouement. The characters, thought a bit muddled at first, are memorable and engaging.
Thought it took me some time to "get into" the Game of Kings, Dunnett won me over with her double-entendres and her use of chess metaphors to summarize the action. Though I might not rush to read Queen's Play tomorrow, I am certainly anxious to read the first novel of her House of Niccolo series, which promises to be just as rewarding as the Game of Kings. But I doubt it will be as linguistically enriching.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Characterizations
Review: My first experience with Dunnett was the House of Niccolo series, which was an utter delight. But I must say that after reading this first book in the Lymond Chronicles that I have even more respect for Dunnett's writing ability than I thought possible. I humbly bow in adoration. It's incredible to think that the very first novel Dunnett ever wrote could be such a crowning achievement. I hope the rest of the novels in this series keep pace. Dunnett's strengths are perhaps more pronounced in The Game of Kings than in anything I have ever read. While the Niccolo series was masterfully strategic and unpredictable, the Lymond Chronicles-so far-have the added flair of unyielding personality on all levels. Every aspect of her narrative oozes with motive and mystery that gives the narrative itself living breath and an almost omniscient presence that one would typically associate with godhood. Her frequent quotes from Greek legends and other literary treats add to this flavor. Dunnett, above any other author I have yet read, has the keen ability to let her characters behave in a way that is so utterly true to who they are that even the untimely deaths of characters who could have persisted throughout the series are right and true: it simply couldn't have been any other way. So often I find that authors will eliminate characters for the purpose of sparking emotion in the reader, but Dunnett reveals deeper motivations for her choices that fashion her world in the sense that it was the best course of action in relation to a deeper good that simply pervades the fiber of being. Throughout this book the reader is led (playfully) one way and then another always wondering what motivates these characters to endure and while Dunnett stays mercifully away from moral diatribes, her characters, in the end, reveal themselves to be true, and deeply rooted in (or uprooted from) a universal good. While her characters in The Game of Kings have the same kind of depth and determination on par with authors such as Dostoevsky and Rand, Dunnett's Lymond (most of all her characters) never succumbs to the wretched bitterness of being misunderstood or further, victimized by a world that is unfavorable to his very being. Instead, he simply displays the beautiful duality of strength and frailty with a sweet sort of resignation to the fact of what he is.
|
