Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Vintage Books (1997), Edition: Reprint, 543 pages
Description
In this first book in the legendary Lymond Chronicles, Francis Crawford of Lymond, traitor, murderer, nobleman, returns to Scotland to redeem his reputation and save his home. It is 1547 and Scotland has been humiliated by an English invasion and is threatened by machinations elsewhere beyond its borders, but it is still free. Paradoxically, her freedom may depend on a man who stands accused of treason. He is Francis Crawford of Lymond, a scapegrace nobleman of crooked felicities and murderous talents, posessed of a scholar's erudition and a tongue as wicked as a rapier. In The Game of Kings, this extraordinary antihero returns to the country that has outlawed him to redeem his reputations even at the risk of his life.
User reviews
LibraryThing member multilingualmaid
Wow! This book gave my mind quite a workout. I have seldom come across a novel that is so erudite and so much fun at the same time. Light reading it is not, but it is fantastic literary, historical fiction. Set in the 16th century with Scotland and England at each other’s throats, Dunnett
With a constantly twisting plot rife with intrigue, this is definitely not a book where you catch everything the first time around. It definitely warrants a second reading. I must admit, however, that it did take me awhile to really get into the story, but once I did I was hooked! I now look forward to reading the rest of this series.
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masterfully interweaves her characters with historical ones. Lymond is one of those great complex characters. In this novel, he is trying to find proof that he is innocent of the charges of treason that have been leveled against him, but he goes about it in the most unorthodox ways. I spent the majority of the novel trying to figure out what he was after and why he did what he did, all the while admiring his incredible wit and style. Included in his verbal sparring, with friends and enemies alike, are many quotations in Latin, French, Spanish, and some German which may prove irritating for some readers although you can follow the plot perfectly well without understanding them. It can also be difficult to keep track of all of the characters, who is related to whom, and which side they’re on, so it might be a good idea to start a list if your edition of the book doesn’t provide one.With a constantly twisting plot rife with intrigue, this is definitely not a book where you catch everything the first time around. It definitely warrants a second reading. I must admit, however, that it did take me awhile to really get into the story, but once I did I was hooked! I now look forward to reading the rest of this series.
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LibraryThing member Ysabeau
Ah Francis Crawford of Lymond...The first of the Lymond Books--a bit hard to get into it, but if you can get through the first 50 pages, you'll be hooked. For life. Lymond is charming, malicious, inscrutable, witty, perverse, and did I mention charming? Ayah, Dunnett is fond of throwing out obscure
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Latin epigrams and there's quite a bit of Scottish dialect, so you'll have to work a bit for your entertainment, but it's worth it, oh boyo is it worth it. Ignore the Latin and 16th century French, and enjoy the gorgeously written action scenes, the twisty plot, and gorgeous insufferable Francis Crawford. Show Less
LibraryThing member ValLloyd
This is a review of the whole series called The Lymond Chronicle...They are simply the best books I've ever read and most likely the best books I will ever read.
When I first read Game of Kings I 'got' maybe a third of the book and if I had stopped there I might have given the book 2 or 3 stars for
Other reviews talk about the story line, my review is geared to those who might read them, a pep talk as it were.
Yes, Dunnett quotes in a multitude of languages and rarely translates any of them except when it is important to the plot (rare). So plow through those on your first or second read through.
Yes, our hero makes endless allusions to myths, literary works and history, most of which you (and I) don't know. But this is very intentional on Dunnett's part. In the first book -GoK - this is a device to hide his character because it in itself is a large part of the mystery. She continues in the series to write Lymond the same way. It is Lymond's self defense mechanism and his contrary personality. You will rarely get Lymond's point of view; he is seen through the eyes of others and through the maze of his words. The quotes and allusions do ease up after the first book though.
Yes, you will feel stupid and uneducated but eventually you will really enjoy tracking down the obscurities. After a few readings that is half the fun. I am currently annotating the series on my Nook study because I get so caught up in the books that I don't want to stop reading long enough to look things up.
Yes, those of us who are Dunnett fanatics always mention rereads. Who would want to know going into a series of books ~3,600 pgs long that you need to reread them? Well if you read them all you will need to reread them because they are GREAT books.
Now that I've read the series a number of times (6 or 7) Game of Kings and Queen's Play are 10 stars on a scale of 1 to 5. The whole of the series casts back a glow over each book, so that at the end of my first read I would have given each and every book 10 stars.
SO KEEP GOING it all pays off!!! Most people get hooked somewhere around 50 to 150 pgs in Game of Kings I was one of the late bloomers. Once you get the fever you will read them over and over again. One caveat it will be hard to find anything as good, you might be ruined for any other books for a while. You come off the last page of the last book flying.
When I first read Game of Kings I 'got' maybe a third of the book and if I had stopped there I might have given the book 2 or 3 stars for
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the main scenes alone but I missed so much of the byplay in the rest of the book. But because a friend who I trusted recommended these books I went on to the next book, Queen's Play again I would have given the first half of the book 2 or 3 stars. BUT at the midway point I finally found my way into Dunnett's writers voice. The first book and a half of the second took ~2 weeks the remaining 4 1/2 books took 3 sittings - mind you these books are ~600 pgs each. I read until I literally could not see the words anymore.Other reviews talk about the story line, my review is geared to those who might read them, a pep talk as it were.
Yes, Dunnett quotes in a multitude of languages and rarely translates any of them except when it is important to the plot (rare). So plow through those on your first or second read through.
Yes, our hero makes endless allusions to myths, literary works and history, most of which you (and I) don't know. But this is very intentional on Dunnett's part. In the first book -GoK - this is a device to hide his character because it in itself is a large part of the mystery. She continues in the series to write Lymond the same way. It is Lymond's self defense mechanism and his contrary personality. You will rarely get Lymond's point of view; he is seen through the eyes of others and through the maze of his words. The quotes and allusions do ease up after the first book though.
Yes, you will feel stupid and uneducated but eventually you will really enjoy tracking down the obscurities. After a few readings that is half the fun. I am currently annotating the series on my Nook study because I get so caught up in the books that I don't want to stop reading long enough to look things up.
Yes, those of us who are Dunnett fanatics always mention rereads. Who would want to know going into a series of books ~3,600 pgs long that you need to reread them? Well if you read them all you will need to reread them because they are GREAT books.
Now that I've read the series a number of times (6 or 7) Game of Kings and Queen's Play are 10 stars on a scale of 1 to 5. The whole of the series casts back a glow over each book, so that at the end of my first read I would have given each and every book 10 stars.
SO KEEP GOING it all pays off!!! Most people get hooked somewhere around 50 to 150 pgs in Game of Kings I was one of the late bloomers. Once you get the fever you will read them over and over again. One caveat it will be hard to find anything as good, you might be ruined for any other books for a while. You come off the last page of the last book flying.
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LibraryThing member ashleynicole1030
Game of Kings, by Dorothy Dunnett, is one of those books that have a little bit of everything. It’s a story filled with political intrigue and family drama, humor and pathos, adventure and historical accuracy. This novel is quite gripping, especially in the last few chapters, but is not afraid to
The novel is set in 16th century Scotland during the Wars of the Rough Wooing (which is my new favorite name for a war) in which England attempted to force the Scots to agree to a marriage between Edward VI and Mary, Queen of Scots. I knew nothing about this period before starting this book, and it isn’t really necessary to know more than very basic European history. For the most part, the war serves as a backdrop to the Lymond’s many escapades. Dunnett also uses the setting to discuss war in general, patriotism and tolerance.
“ It [Patriotism] is an emotion as well, and of course emotion comes first. A child’s home and the ways of its life are sacrosanct, perfect, inviolate to the child. Add age; add security; add experience. In time we all admit our relatives and our neighbours, our fellow townsmen and even, perhaps, at last our fellow nationals to the threshold of tolerance. But the man living one inch behind the boundary is an inveterate foe.”
However, Game of Kings is not at all a dry, boring book. Francis Crawford of Lymond is like a mix of Robin Hood, James Bond and Tyrion Lannister (despite their similarity in name, this book has no other relation to Game of Thrones, although that would actually be kind of awesome, now that I’m thinking about it). He’s a strategic mastermind, a polyglot, a poet, an expert swordsman and funny to boot. As he leads a bound of outlaws on adventures throughout Scotland in an attempt to clear his name, he’s hunted by his brother, Richard, for reasons that would be super spoilery to mention in this review. Richard annoyed me at first, but I came to really like him by the end of the story. His wife Mariotta, however, is another story. Excluding Mariotta, the female characters in this story were all strong and interesting. I especially loved Sybilla Crawford, the mother of Richard and Francis who should not be underestimated, and Christian Stewart, a blind girl who saves Lymond’s life.
Game of Kings was a twisty-turny, hilarious, tragic roller coaster of a book and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Grade: A
Recommended for: I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes clever dialogue, adventures, swordfights, political intrigue, romance or history. So basically everyone.
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meander off the path of the main plot for some funny or interesting side stories. My one caveat about the pacing is that the book can be kind of hard to get into in the beginning because a lot of names are thrown at you at once and the dialogue is peppered with French, Spanish, German and Latin quotes (the quotes aren’t necessary to understand the story, but are interesting to translate anyway).The novel is set in 16th century Scotland during the Wars of the Rough Wooing (which is my new favorite name for a war) in which England attempted to force the Scots to agree to a marriage between Edward VI and Mary, Queen of Scots. I knew nothing about this period before starting this book, and it isn’t really necessary to know more than very basic European history. For the most part, the war serves as a backdrop to the Lymond’s many escapades. Dunnett also uses the setting to discuss war in general, patriotism and tolerance.
“ It [Patriotism] is an emotion as well, and of course emotion comes first. A child’s home and the ways of its life are sacrosanct, perfect, inviolate to the child. Add age; add security; add experience. In time we all admit our relatives and our neighbours, our fellow townsmen and even, perhaps, at last our fellow nationals to the threshold of tolerance. But the man living one inch behind the boundary is an inveterate foe.”
However, Game of Kings is not at all a dry, boring book. Francis Crawford of Lymond is like a mix of Robin Hood, James Bond and Tyrion Lannister (despite their similarity in name, this book has no other relation to Game of Thrones, although that would actually be kind of awesome, now that I’m thinking about it). He’s a strategic mastermind, a polyglot, a poet, an expert swordsman and funny to boot. As he leads a bound of outlaws on adventures throughout Scotland in an attempt to clear his name, he’s hunted by his brother, Richard, for reasons that would be super spoilery to mention in this review. Richard annoyed me at first, but I came to really like him by the end of the story. His wife Mariotta, however, is another story. Excluding Mariotta, the female characters in this story were all strong and interesting. I especially loved Sybilla Crawford, the mother of Richard and Francis who should not be underestimated, and Christian Stewart, a blind girl who saves Lymond’s life.
Game of Kings was a twisty-turny, hilarious, tragic roller coaster of a book and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Grade: A
Recommended for: I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes clever dialogue, adventures, swordfights, political intrigue, romance or history. So basically everyone.
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LibraryThing member marchcat
This is a difficult book to get into, but anyone who makes it past the first 100 pages is usually hooked into the series. I literally could not put the book down. This is the first book written by the author, Dorothy Dunnett, and in my opinion has a little too much historical research showing, but
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that is the only negative thing I can say about it. If you like historical fiction that engages your mind and your emotions throughout, you will love this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member quinncannon
Simply my favourite historical series. Complicated fictional characters intersect with historical ones (4 year old Mary, Queen of Scots, for instance), playing out a rich and convoluted plot line across 16th century Scotland, England, Europe and beyond. Full of Latin, German, French etc quotations
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and poetry - translate them or ignore, just remember that in this world, they use words and swords as weapons. Show Less
LibraryThing member dbolahood
Okay, this is a difficult review for me to write. On the one hand I loved Lymond. I thought his character was a perfect anti-hero. On the other hand as a story I found it for the most part boring and difficult to follow. I would quite often sit down to read it and either fall asleep or I would
As difficult as the story was to follow as I said before I did really really like Lymond and may check the second book out of the library if I'm feeling particularly adventurous as I've heard its easier to follow.
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realize a half hour later that I had no idea what I had just read and have to go back and read it again. I did purchase the companion to read along with it but I didn't find the translations of any of the poems or quotes added anything to the story. Quite honestly if you were to ask me to tell you what happened in the story I would have a hard time as most of it didn't register as I was reading it.As difficult as the story was to follow as I said before I did really really like Lymond and may check the second book out of the library if I'm feeling particularly adventurous as I've heard its easier to follow.
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LibraryThing member ValLloyd
The start of it all.
Once again any summation of the plot would give away too much. But if you like historical fiction, can suspend belief enough to read high drama, enjoy meticulous research served with a beautiful leavening of a complex plot, great writing and can live with the confusion that
When reading this first book in the series try to remember that it's really a mystery and no is expected to understand half let alone all that is going on. Leave your pride behind and get swept away by the plot and the characters whatever you can decipher. Expect to reread these books, believe me you will want to. It is very difficult to find any satisfying books after finishing the six books in the Lymond Chronicle. I gave up looking and just reread them right away.
These are my favorite books with 41 yrs of reading behind me. There are no other books that come even close.
Once again any summation of the plot would give away too much. But if you like historical fiction, can suspend belief enough to read high drama, enjoy meticulous research served with a beautiful leavening of a complex plot, great writing and can live with the confusion that
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untranslated quotes bring, then these books are for you! Set in 16th century Scotland and many other ports of call. Sit back and enjoy the ride. All of us fanatics are jealous of those reading the series for the first time.When reading this first book in the series try to remember that it's really a mystery and no is expected to understand half let alone all that is going on. Leave your pride behind and get swept away by the plot and the characters whatever you can decipher. Expect to reread these books, believe me you will want to. It is very difficult to find any satisfying books after finishing the six books in the Lymond Chronicle. I gave up looking and just reread them right away.
These are my favorite books with 41 yrs of reading behind me. There are no other books that come even close.
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LibraryThing member eyja
I am still in the process of reading this book, but already I absolutely love it. The language is amazing, though sometimes difficult as the author has chosen to use some archaic words. I can't wait to read more of her work. This came highly recommended to me, and I would highly recommend it to
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anyone else. Show Less
LibraryThing member japaul22
Dorothy Dunnett is well-known in historical fiction circles for her well-written historical fiction. In [The Game of Kings] she has taken the backdrop of 16th century Scotland and created a fictional hero, Francis Crawford of Lymond. Lymond is a fantastic, complex character - it's hard to tell even
So, lots of great parts, but for me it didn't quite add up to the standard of Sharon Kay Penman or Margaret George. There was just a bit too much reliance on action scenes and I thought the plot was a bit unnecessarily convoluted.
I can see why people love these books, and by the end I sort of wanted to read the next in the series even with my misgivings. We'll see, maybe I'll give another one a try sometime but I'm not planning on it right now.
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half way through the book if he's good or bad at heart. The women in the book are great - good character development and clever dialogue. There is a ton of action that is really well written. You can see the fighting as you read. She also manages to write some really funny scenes. So, lots of great parts, but for me it didn't quite add up to the standard of Sharon Kay Penman or Margaret George. There was just a bit too much reliance on action scenes and I thought the plot was a bit unnecessarily convoluted.
I can see why people love these books, and by the end I sort of wanted to read the next in the series even with my misgivings. We'll see, maybe I'll give another one a try sometime but I'm not planning on it right now.
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LibraryThing member rakerman
Supposed to be a book for clever people, interesting read, etc. It's The Game of Kings, the first book in the "legendary Lymond Chronicles" by Dorothy Dunnett.
I found it pretty much completely unreadable.
It's a combination of Renaissance Scottish along with erudite Latin, German, and references to
This is a sample of witty banter:
There was a pause. The examinee, dazed by mental gymnastics at top speed, was first boggled. Then he had a pleasing idea. Lowering his lashes over a malicious sparkle he recited obligingly.
"Volavit volucer sine plumis
Sedit in arbore sine foliis
Venit homo absque manibus..."
...
There was an uneasy and deferential pause. Then Lymond gave a short laugh and capped him in German:
... un freet den Vogel fedderlos
Van den Boem blattlos...
This is another typical passage:
"So we did. I never saw so many weel-kent faces in all the one place: the most of them chowed off and in no state to give the sort of snash you get from half of them when they're upright. It was better," said Matthew, "than a front seat at the Widdy-Hill the day after the Assizes."
Um yeah, ok. I can more or less get the gist of that. But if you think I'm going to wade through another 500 pages of it, you're a dafty.
I found it pretty much completely unreadable.
It's a combination of Renaissance Scottish along with erudite Latin, German, and references to
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things I know nothing about.This is a sample of witty banter:
There was a pause. The examinee, dazed by mental gymnastics at top speed, was first boggled. Then he had a pleasing idea. Lowering his lashes over a malicious sparkle he recited obligingly.
"Volavit volucer sine plumis
Sedit in arbore sine foliis
Venit homo absque manibus..."
...
There was an uneasy and deferential pause. Then Lymond gave a short laugh and capped him in German:
... un freet den Vogel fedderlos
Van den Boem blattlos...
This is another typical passage:
"So we did. I never saw so many weel-kent faces in all the one place: the most of them chowed off and in no state to give the sort of snash you get from half of them when they're upright. It was better," said Matthew, "than a front seat at the Widdy-Hill the day after the Assizes."
Um yeah, ok. I can more or less get the gist of that. But if you think I'm going to wade through another 500 pages of it, you're a dafty.
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LibraryThing member brenzi
Well I don't even know where to begin except to say, "Bring on the next five books in the series." First of all, it took me a long time to get into this book. I think it finally started to click for me after more than 100 pages because #1. this is dense text; #2. there are a lot of French and Latin
That said, Dunnett created a wonderful world, filled it with complex characters, developed a plot with dozens of twists and turns and managed to have me furiously turning pages to find that next "aha!" moment. Brilliant!
Francis Lymond, the eponymous man of the Chronicles, arrives on the first page when it's announced, "Lymond is back." He's been away for five years and for good reason: he's wanted for treason. For the next 500+ pages we are treated to Political intrigue and bloody battles, laced with humor and historical facts, as this cunning, erudite brave man tries to put in place a plan that will clear his name and reunite him with his family. Or is he? That's the thing. You just don't know which end is up. Dunnett keeps you guessing right up until nearly the end. Just when I thought I had it figured out---boom----there goes that idea. Twist, turn, spin around. Start over. For 500 pages. Bring on book 2.
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phrases strewn liberally throughout the narrative; #3. the Scotch. Lots of it. That said, Dunnett created a wonderful world, filled it with complex characters, developed a plot with dozens of twists and turns and managed to have me furiously turning pages to find that next "aha!" moment. Brilliant!
Francis Lymond, the eponymous man of the Chronicles, arrives on the first page when it's announced, "Lymond is back." He's been away for five years and for good reason: he's wanted for treason. For the next 500+ pages we are treated to Political intrigue and bloody battles, laced with humor and historical facts, as this cunning, erudite brave man tries to put in place a plan that will clear his name and reunite him with his family. Or is he? That's the thing. You just don't know which end is up. Dunnett keeps you guessing right up until nearly the end. Just when I thought I had it figured out---boom----there goes that idea. Twist, turn, spin around. Start over. For 500 pages. Bring on book 2.
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LibraryThing member Fleur-De-Lis
A truly beautiful book.
I found it a bit hard to get into at the start maybe, on account of the oldish english, and the almost cryptically way it's written (which reminds me a lot of the way i write sometimes). But i have Chronic Fatigue which i am sure made it a lot harder. But once i got
Lymond is a wonderful character - A real rogue - and one that you find works his way into your heart - despite the destruction he causes. Lymond is trying to rebuild his reputation and take away the price on his head.
A wonderful start to a series of well-renown books. The Game Of Kings has managed to make me cry, and then laugh at the same time.
A book that is a beautiful masterpiece!
I found it a bit hard to get into at the start maybe, on account of the oldish english, and the almost cryptically way it's written (which reminds me a lot of the way i write sometimes). But i have Chronic Fatigue which i am sure made it a lot harder. But once i got
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started...Lymond is a wonderful character - A real rogue - and one that you find works his way into your heart - despite the destruction he causes. Lymond is trying to rebuild his reputation and take away the price on his head.
A wonderful start to a series of well-renown books. The Game Of Kings has managed to make me cry, and then laugh at the same time.
A book that is a beautiful masterpiece!
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LibraryThing member Misfit
What fun! Its 1547, Henry VIII is dead and his young son Edward VII sits on the throne, as does a very young Mary sit on the throne of Scotland. Negotiations were made and broken to betroth young Mary to Edward and cement the two countries - or will the Scots marry her off to the dauphin of France
Francis and his band of "merry men" immediately begin to wreak havoc, including setting fire to his brother's estate after stealing the silver and holding the ladies (including his mother) at knife point for their jewelry. Throughout, Francis' brilliant wit, sarcasm and heroism keep the reader enthralled and at times laughing out loud. Lymond's escapades take him up and down the breadth of Scotland as Dunnett slowly peels back the layers of her story and keeps the reader guessing until the very end, finishing in a trial of ups and downs, twists and turns ala Perry Mason.
This is not an easy tale to get into, especially if you have no passing knowledge of the Tudor/Stuart courts and noblemen during the 16C. Dunnett also liberally sprinkles her text with quotes from Latin, French and Olde English, you can purchase her companion book if you must know every word and nuance but I did just fine without it -- just skip the Latin you won't miss it. However, it's well worth the effort to stick with it until you "get it" as you will be well rewarded with a jolly good yarn, with as much action, excitement and swashbuckling good sword play as you would find in any Dumas novel -- for me that is the highest compliment I can give any author. A solid five stars, and I am now starting book two in the series, Queens' Play (Lymond Chronicles, 2).
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instead? Francis Crawford of Lymond, a disgraced nobleman accused of treason sneaks back into Scotland and thus the game begins (to clear his name? is he working for the English as a spy? to murder his brother so that Lymond can inherit the Culter estates?). Francis and his band of "merry men" immediately begin to wreak havoc, including setting fire to his brother's estate after stealing the silver and holding the ladies (including his mother) at knife point for their jewelry. Throughout, Francis' brilliant wit, sarcasm and heroism keep the reader enthralled and at times laughing out loud. Lymond's escapades take him up and down the breadth of Scotland as Dunnett slowly peels back the layers of her story and keeps the reader guessing until the very end, finishing in a trial of ups and downs, twists and turns ala Perry Mason.
This is not an easy tale to get into, especially if you have no passing knowledge of the Tudor/Stuart courts and noblemen during the 16C. Dunnett also liberally sprinkles her text with quotes from Latin, French and Olde English, you can purchase her companion book if you must know every word and nuance but I did just fine without it -- just skip the Latin you won't miss it. However, it's well worth the effort to stick with it until you "get it" as you will be well rewarded with a jolly good yarn, with as much action, excitement and swashbuckling good sword play as you would find in any Dumas novel -- for me that is the highest compliment I can give any author. A solid five stars, and I am now starting book two in the series, Queens' Play (Lymond Chronicles, 2).
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LibraryThing member Herenya
In 1547, Francis Crawford, the Master of Lymond, wanted by the Scottish government for treason, is back in Edinburgh. I started this five years ago but didn’t make much headway, and when I noticed the library had acquired the audiobooks I decided to try again.
The audiobook turned out to be the
I enjoyed the Scottish accents, the clever wit, the ambiguity about Lymond’s plans and motives, and the way many of Dunnett’s characters are very intelligent, perceptive people. I was interested in the historical political intrigue. I loved the twists and revelations, which are brilliant -- incredibly clever and satisfying.
“You don’t owe me anything, except a little amusement. Why not bite back?”
“Because,” said Lymond, lifting his eyes suddenly, “I’m a constant practitioner of the art and you are not.”
“I don’t mind,” said Kate wistfully. “Won’t you bite?”
“Like a shark. It’s a habit. And habits are hell’s own substitute for good intentions. Habits are the ruin of ambition, of initiative, of imagination. They’re the curse of marriage and the after-bane of death.”
Katherine surveyed the indifferent face critically. “For an advocate of chaos, you’re quite convincing. There is such a thing, you know, as habitual disorder—as of course you know: few have had such a permanently unsettled regime as you have. Suppose you had a chance to lead a normal life?”
“Let’s leave my sordid affairs out of this, shall we?” he said. “You’ve missed a point. There’s a nice difference between rootless excitement and careful variety.”
“If I can’t be personal, I don’t want to argue,” said his hostess categorically. “I may be missing your points, but you’re much too busy dodging mine.”
The audiobook turned out to be the
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perfect way to experience this story! Because it’s told from the perspective of characters who don’t know everything that’s going on or who keep their suspicions and conclusions to themselves, the reader just has to pay attention and wait for things to be revealed. But the narrator gives the characters different voices, making it easier to follow who is speaking, and, in the tone of voice he uses, highlights clues in the text about a conversation’s subtext, how characters are attempting to portray themselves and what people’s emotions might be. That helped me to follow the story even when I was feeling confused!I enjoyed the Scottish accents, the clever wit, the ambiguity about Lymond’s plans and motives, and the way many of Dunnett’s characters are very intelligent, perceptive people. I was interested in the historical political intrigue. I loved the twists and revelations, which are brilliant -- incredibly clever and satisfying.
“You don’t owe me anything, except a little amusement. Why not bite back?”
“Because,” said Lymond, lifting his eyes suddenly, “I’m a constant practitioner of the art and you are not.”
“I don’t mind,” said Kate wistfully. “Won’t you bite?”
“Like a shark. It’s a habit. And habits are hell’s own substitute for good intentions. Habits are the ruin of ambition, of initiative, of imagination. They’re the curse of marriage and the after-bane of death.”
Katherine surveyed the indifferent face critically. “For an advocate of chaos, you’re quite convincing. There is such a thing, you know, as habitual disorder—as of course you know: few have had such a permanently unsettled regime as you have. Suppose you had a chance to lead a normal life?”
“Let’s leave my sordid affairs out of this, shall we?” he said. “You’ve missed a point. There’s a nice difference between rootless excitement and careful variety.”
“If I can’t be personal, I don’t want to argue,” said his hostess categorically. “I may be missing your points, but you’re much too busy dodging mine.”
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LibraryThing member quondame
It's been almost ten years since I last read this, but so much of it is, after at least 3 reading prior to that, still fresh. Re-reading is such a different experience than the original whiplash impact of the story and it characters, but no less satisfying as the richness and depth of a 16th
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century world is rolled out before us. It may not be the real 16th century world, but it has a real, immediate feel, with real stakes and unmistakable dangers. Show Less
LibraryThing member librisissimo
Without question, the best series of historical novels ever published.
(Except for a few personal caveats regarding the "revelations" in the final book.)
(Except for a few personal caveats regarding the "revelations" in the final book.)
LibraryThing member randalrh
I very nearly put this down several times in the first fifty pages. Between the French, the Latin, the unfamiliar historical vocabulary (authenticity, in other words), and the author's penchant for referring to events first and explaining them later, it's tough to get a toehold unless you're
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already steeped in 16th century Scotland. In the end, there is certainly some reward for sticking with it, mostly in terms of plot and a sense of time and place. However, she also manages to include a lot of detail without necessarily revealing much, and only partly on purpose, and the hero seems to have powers of charisma that originate somewhere outside the pages of the book. I've read two of five, but I couldn't possibly read five of these in a row. Show Less
LibraryThing member lauralkeet
It’s 1547, and as the first line states, Francis Crawford, Master of Lymond, “is back.” He’s been in prison for reasons not immediately revealed, and is now living the life of a swashbuckling outlaw, appearing unannounced and often in disguise to influence political events between Scotland
The Game of Kings is the first of Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles, and Dunnett expects a lot from her readers. First, there’s the history, which is clearly well-researched but not provided as background. And then, there are characters. So. many. characters. Lymond is clearly fictional, as is his family and many of his cronies, but plenty of historic figures play important roles in the story. And finally, through Lymond, a well-read polyglot, Dunnett infuses the story with literary references, songs, and sayings, often in French or Latin.
But don’t be put off by these complexities. Readers who are willing to invest effort into understanding these elements will be rewarded with a rollicking story, filled with so many twists and turns that I often had to re-read passages to figure out what just happened. But it was fun! Just trust me, and start reading this series.
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and England. The English are keen to arrange a marriage between two child monarchs: Edward VI (son of the notorious King Henry VIII), and Mary Queen of Scots. The Scots aren’t having it, which has led to repeated armed conflict at the border. Lymond’s role and motives are unclear: whose side is he on, anyway? Can we, the readers, trust him? Would he be the hero of this story if we couldn’t? Well, maybe. The Game of Kings is the first of Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles, and Dunnett expects a lot from her readers. First, there’s the history, which is clearly well-researched but not provided as background. And then, there are characters. So. many. characters. Lymond is clearly fictional, as is his family and many of his cronies, but plenty of historic figures play important roles in the story. And finally, through Lymond, a well-read polyglot, Dunnett infuses the story with literary references, songs, and sayings, often in French or Latin.
But don’t be put off by these complexities. Readers who are willing to invest effort into understanding these elements will be rewarded with a rollicking story, filled with so many twists and turns that I often had to re-read passages to figure out what just happened. But it was fun! Just trust me, and start reading this series.
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LibraryThing member stnylan
A wonderful book, and I was entranced from the first page. I myself have tagged this one a Whodunnit, for there is a mysterey and a crime, of a sort, to solve. Mind you, I wouldn't class the rest of the series that way, but in this book it is accurate.
Set in mid 16th century Scotland this is a
Set in mid 16th century Scotland this is a
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book of war and politics and intrigue, but there is also a quite lovely love story that threads its way through. Some great characters, not least Lymond himself, and an excellent antagonist. Show Less
LibraryThing member lisapeet
I loved this. Really high-end historical fiction, so dense-packed with classical and time-specific references, vernacular, and 16th-century wordplay that it took a while for me to hit the right pace when it came to my ratio of reading/looking up—this is one series that I really need to read in
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ebook format with its quick look up function. But I did find a rhythm, and with that the story popped out and it was a LOT of fun. The subtext is the game of chess, and the twists and turns here—intrigue, double-crossing, warfare, spying, scandal, enmity, and the age-old question of who the good guys are—are exciting and fun to untangle. Plus Dunnett is just a lovely writer, and a lot of her scene-setting is just wonderful. I'll definitely keep on with the series—Lymond is a great character, and I'm a sucker for the good historical stuff. Not for everyone, but for the patient and the lover of history, a real gem. Show Less
LibraryThing member thorold
Many people have recommended Dorothy Dunnett to me, and I can see why — her writing is fluent, historically well-informed, and full of interesting cultural references of the sort I normally enjoy — but I still found it a struggle to get through this novel, which sat on my shelf with a bookmark
Essentially, what Dunnett serves up in this (which is only her first historical novel, so this may not apply to all her work) is pastiche Sir Walter Scott. The story is set in the Scottish Borders and Edinburgh in the 1540s, slap-bang in core Sir Walter country, and it is richly sown with obscure snatches of Border ballads, Provençal songs, Dante, and all the rest. Dunnett takes just as much pleasure as Sir Walter in obscure Scotticisms, and never hesitates to use a rare word when a common one would do the job just as well. She has Scott's taste for complicated plotlines that need huge amounts of back-story to render them intelligible to the reader, and even something of Scott's rather absent-minded approach to dialogue, with characters quite capable of switching in the course of a page from broad Scots to talking-like-a-book and back again. She doesn't take the same interest as Scott in theology, but she does follow his example in making key plot elements depend on obscure points of archaic Scottish law. All of which would be perfectly creditable in a book published in the 1830s, perhaps a little old-fashioned in the 1860s, and only becomes a bizarre outbreak of ultra-conservatism when you appreciate that Dunnett was writing this when Harold MacMillan was Prime Minister...
So, what's wrong with it? For me, the main failing (apart from the horrible airbrush cover-art of the Arrow paperback that makes it look like the sort of book you have to be 14 years old to enjoy) was that the characters are too flat to sustain a novel of this length. Lymond would make a great swashbuckling Errol Flynn character in the cinema, but on the printed page he's a bit of a one-trick pony. He may be skilful enough to win any fight and clever enough to win any argument, but he's still somehow got himself into the necessary situation of the thriller-hero where the English and the Scots armies are both after him, and (almost) everyone believes him guilty of appalling crimes. And then he goes on being the innocent man pretending for political reasons to be a villain for about 600 pages. The women are even more predictable; the only character that seems to develop at all in the course of the book is Lymond's brother, who does surprisingly well with the normally rather thankless role of the good-but-stupid man pushed into hatred by a misapprehension. The book is also far too long, and there is a good deal too much recapitulation of the complex plot points. We have to go through essentially the whole story again in the final trial scene: a few editorial cuts here and there would have helped a lot. But there is a lot of good stuff there too.
I haven't altogether given up on Dunnett: I've got a few of her later novels on the shelf still, so I will try one of those at some point to see if she learnt to breathe a little bit of individuality into her characters as she developed as a writer.
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about two-thirds of the way through for many months.Essentially, what Dunnett serves up in this (which is only her first historical novel, so this may not apply to all her work) is pastiche Sir Walter Scott. The story is set in the Scottish Borders and Edinburgh in the 1540s, slap-bang in core Sir Walter country, and it is richly sown with obscure snatches of Border ballads, Provençal songs, Dante, and all the rest. Dunnett takes just as much pleasure as Sir Walter in obscure Scotticisms, and never hesitates to use a rare word when a common one would do the job just as well. She has Scott's taste for complicated plotlines that need huge amounts of back-story to render them intelligible to the reader, and even something of Scott's rather absent-minded approach to dialogue, with characters quite capable of switching in the course of a page from broad Scots to talking-like-a-book and back again. She doesn't take the same interest as Scott in theology, but she does follow his example in making key plot elements depend on obscure points of archaic Scottish law. All of which would be perfectly creditable in a book published in the 1830s, perhaps a little old-fashioned in the 1860s, and only becomes a bizarre outbreak of ultra-conservatism when you appreciate that Dunnett was writing this when Harold MacMillan was Prime Minister...
So, what's wrong with it? For me, the main failing (apart from the horrible airbrush cover-art of the Arrow paperback that makes it look like the sort of book you have to be 14 years old to enjoy) was that the characters are too flat to sustain a novel of this length. Lymond would make a great swashbuckling Errol Flynn character in the cinema, but on the printed page he's a bit of a one-trick pony. He may be skilful enough to win any fight and clever enough to win any argument, but he's still somehow got himself into the necessary situation of the thriller-hero where the English and the Scots armies are both after him, and (almost) everyone believes him guilty of appalling crimes. And then he goes on being the innocent man pretending for political reasons to be a villain for about 600 pages. The women are even more predictable; the only character that seems to develop at all in the course of the book is Lymond's brother, who does surprisingly well with the normally rather thankless role of the good-but-stupid man pushed into hatred by a misapprehension. The book is also far too long, and there is a good deal too much recapitulation of the complex plot points. We have to go through essentially the whole story again in the final trial scene: a few editorial cuts here and there would have helped a lot. But there is a lot of good stuff there too.
I haven't altogether given up on Dunnett: I've got a few of her later novels on the shelf still, so I will try one of those at some point to see if she learnt to breathe a little bit of individuality into her characters as she developed as a writer.
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LibraryThing member BeyondEdenRock
Do you have a book – or a series of books – that you keep in a box marked ‘ I want to read, it, I know I’ll love it, but I have to wait for the perfect moment’ ?
I did – I still do.
And I say that because Dorothy Dunnett’s books used to live in that box, but they don’t live there any
I began to collect those books when they were out of print in this country; because I have always loved historical novels, and because the author of these historical novels was so lauded. I have come across many readers who read and re-read her books, and I have a very clear memory of a bookish television, some years ago, where I saw an author speaking so articulately of how she and her husband would eagerly await publication of each new book, and read aloud to each other.
I was sure that I would love them, but I hesitated to start reading because there were so many thick books, because I heard they were filled with complex plots, and a wealth of abstruse literary and historical allusions.
In the end though, the arguments for reading became overwhelming.
I picked up the first book, and now I can tell you that I loved it.
It was complex, I’m quite sure there were things I missed, I wasn’t always entirely sure what was going on, but none of that mattered. I was captivated, I had to keep turning the pages, and it was lovely to be able to listen to someone so much cleverer than me, who was so articulate, who had so much to say about a subject that she loved, talking at very great length …
The story opens in Scotland, in the 1540s.
The king’s widow, Mary of Guise, rules the country as regent for her infant daughter, who the world will come to know as Mary Queen of Scots. England has a boy king, Edward VI, and his realm is governed by the Lord Protector. He wants the Queen of Scots to be the bride of his King, so that he will rule over the whole of island of Great Britain. His troops are making forays into Scotland, and some of the Lords of that country are inclined to throw their lots in with the English. The rulers of the great European powers are watching, eager to see what will happen, and thinking how that might benefit, what they might do to steers events.
That’s an interesting point in history that I hadn’t considered too much, I don’t remember finding in fiction before, and it was lovely to follow a story in that period, so richly evoked.
That story was sparked by the dramatic return from exile of Francis Crawford of Lymond: the younger son of a noble family, a lover of wit and game-playing, and a former galley-slave. It gradually became clear that he was on a mission to prove himself innocent of a six-year-old charge of treason, that he believed that one of three distinguished Englishmen held the key to the success or failure of that mission, but that to have any chance of success he must avoid a great many interested parties who want to take him captive – or worse.
That’s as much as I can say about specifics of the plot.
That plot is labyrinthine; and as I found my way through that labyrinth I saw so many different scenes, and I realised that there were so many different aspects to this story; there were twists and turns, shocks and revelations, tragedy and comedy, high drama and quiet reflection. Some things became clear, other things remained opaque, and often it was revealed that things were not as they seemed at all.
The construction was so clever, and I loved that there were so many small details that could have slipped by unnoticed but would prove to be vitally important.
The depth and the complexity of the characterisation is extraordinary; and a cast populated by fictional characters and historical figures lived and breathed.
The world that they lived in is as well evoked; and I loved the cinematic sweep as well as perfectly framed close-ups. There is so a wealth of detail that makes up the bigger picture, and I could see no flaw in it; everything felt real and everything felt right.
The use of language is wonderful, and the love of language is clear; it may be too much for some in Lymond’s verbal flourishes, but I loved them and I think that anyone with a love of words, anyone who regrets that some many lovely words in the English language are underused, would love them too.
The success or failure of this book though, rested firmly on the shoulders of its central character. Francis Crawford of Lymond could be infuriating, but he had such charisma that I had to follow his story. He is incomparable, and the nearest I can come to any sort of comparison is to say that if you can imagine that the Count of Monte Christo had not been an honest sailor but an educated, cultured player of games …
It took a little time for him to grow on me. I realised that there was a lot of back story to account for the way he chose to make his entrance, the ridiculous risks he took, the terrible antipathy between him and his elder brother; but even taking all of that into his account there were times when he struck me as juvenile and spoilt.
As the story progressed though, he seemed to become more mature, and I came to realise that his history had left him damaged and deeply troubled. His relationship with one particular woman swung me completely to his side, even though I still wasn’t entirely sure where right and wrong lay in this story.
As events unfolded I became more and more involved, and though I didn’t want the story to end I did want to know how it would end.
That this is the first book in a series gave me a clue, and how I envy those readers who found this book when it was first published who didn’t even have that one small clue.
Dorothy Dunnett played fair, but oh how clever she was. The drama kept on coming, even after a dramatic shift into a courtroom, and it was only at the very end of the book that I could stop, draw breath, and realise what an extraordinary journey this book had been.
There is so much that could be said, and I feel that I’ve barely scratched the surface.
I understand now why so many people love this series of books, have read and re-read them, have written at length.
I’d love to do the same, I wish I’d started sooner, and now it’s time I started reading the next book.
I did – I still do.
And I say that because Dorothy Dunnett’s books used to live in that box, but they don’t live there any
Show More
more.I began to collect those books when they were out of print in this country; because I have always loved historical novels, and because the author of these historical novels was so lauded. I have come across many readers who read and re-read her books, and I have a very clear memory of a bookish television, some years ago, where I saw an author speaking so articulately of how she and her husband would eagerly await publication of each new book, and read aloud to each other.
I was sure that I would love them, but I hesitated to start reading because there were so many thick books, because I heard they were filled with complex plots, and a wealth of abstruse literary and historical allusions.
In the end though, the arguments for reading became overwhelming.
I picked up the first book, and now I can tell you that I loved it.
It was complex, I’m quite sure there were things I missed, I wasn’t always entirely sure what was going on, but none of that mattered. I was captivated, I had to keep turning the pages, and it was lovely to be able to listen to someone so much cleverer than me, who was so articulate, who had so much to say about a subject that she loved, talking at very great length …
The story opens in Scotland, in the 1540s.
The king’s widow, Mary of Guise, rules the country as regent for her infant daughter, who the world will come to know as Mary Queen of Scots. England has a boy king, Edward VI, and his realm is governed by the Lord Protector. He wants the Queen of Scots to be the bride of his King, so that he will rule over the whole of island of Great Britain. His troops are making forays into Scotland, and some of the Lords of that country are inclined to throw their lots in with the English. The rulers of the great European powers are watching, eager to see what will happen, and thinking how that might benefit, what they might do to steers events.
That’s an interesting point in history that I hadn’t considered too much, I don’t remember finding in fiction before, and it was lovely to follow a story in that period, so richly evoked.
That story was sparked by the dramatic return from exile of Francis Crawford of Lymond: the younger son of a noble family, a lover of wit and game-playing, and a former galley-slave. It gradually became clear that he was on a mission to prove himself innocent of a six-year-old charge of treason, that he believed that one of three distinguished Englishmen held the key to the success or failure of that mission, but that to have any chance of success he must avoid a great many interested parties who want to take him captive – or worse.
That’s as much as I can say about specifics of the plot.
That plot is labyrinthine; and as I found my way through that labyrinth I saw so many different scenes, and I realised that there were so many different aspects to this story; there were twists and turns, shocks and revelations, tragedy and comedy, high drama and quiet reflection. Some things became clear, other things remained opaque, and often it was revealed that things were not as they seemed at all.
The construction was so clever, and I loved that there were so many small details that could have slipped by unnoticed but would prove to be vitally important.
The depth and the complexity of the characterisation is extraordinary; and a cast populated by fictional characters and historical figures lived and breathed.
The world that they lived in is as well evoked; and I loved the cinematic sweep as well as perfectly framed close-ups. There is so a wealth of detail that makes up the bigger picture, and I could see no flaw in it; everything felt real and everything felt right.
The use of language is wonderful, and the love of language is clear; it may be too much for some in Lymond’s verbal flourishes, but I loved them and I think that anyone with a love of words, anyone who regrets that some many lovely words in the English language are underused, would love them too.
The success or failure of this book though, rested firmly on the shoulders of its central character. Francis Crawford of Lymond could be infuriating, but he had such charisma that I had to follow his story. He is incomparable, and the nearest I can come to any sort of comparison is to say that if you can imagine that the Count of Monte Christo had not been an honest sailor but an educated, cultured player of games …
It took a little time for him to grow on me. I realised that there was a lot of back story to account for the way he chose to make his entrance, the ridiculous risks he took, the terrible antipathy between him and his elder brother; but even taking all of that into his account there were times when he struck me as juvenile and spoilt.
As the story progressed though, he seemed to become more mature, and I came to realise that his history had left him damaged and deeply troubled. His relationship with one particular woman swung me completely to his side, even though I still wasn’t entirely sure where right and wrong lay in this story.
As events unfolded I became more and more involved, and though I didn’t want the story to end I did want to know how it would end.
That this is the first book in a series gave me a clue, and how I envy those readers who found this book when it was first published who didn’t even have that one small clue.
Dorothy Dunnett played fair, but oh how clever she was. The drama kept on coming, even after a dramatic shift into a courtroom, and it was only at the very end of the book that I could stop, draw breath, and realise what an extraordinary journey this book had been.
There is so much that could be said, and I feel that I’ve barely scratched the surface.
I understand now why so many people love this series of books, have read and re-read them, have written at length.
I’d love to do the same, I wish I’d started sooner, and now it’s time I started reading the next book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member SeriousGrace
16th century Edinburgh, Scotland (1547). The Game of Kings sets the stage for the subsequent five additional volumes in the Lymond series. Master Francis Crawford of Lymond is the anti-hero with "elastic morals." He is smart, funny, sarcastic and knows how to steal, kill, and charm. I'm sure he's
If you read Game of Kings make sure you pick up the Vintage publication. Dunnett wrote her own foreword and confesses that the text has been "freshened." Having not read other versions I have no idea what has been "freshened."
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handsome, too. That is, if you like blondes. Dunnett refers to Lymond's golden or yellow head quite frequently. Crawford has a chip on his shoulder. His reputation is shot and everyone is after him, friend and foe alike. He's a scapegoat with a band of misfits (some not to be trusted) who traverse the countryside trying to clear his name. There are enough characters and subplots to make your head spin, but stick with Lymond! He'll cheer you up.If you read Game of Kings make sure you pick up the Vintage publication. Dunnett wrote her own foreword and confesses that the text has been "freshened." Having not read other versions I have no idea what has been "freshened."
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LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
It took me a while to warm to this novel of 16th Century Scotland, the first in a series, but one that could stand alone. I wouldn't call it a slog exactly--it's never dull, but it is at times difficult. It's written in omniscient with a lot of archaic vocabulary and spelling, Scottish dialect,
At first its protagonist, Francis Crawford of Lymond, struck me as too thoroughly odious--but he did have style from the beginning and there were soon hints there was more to him than first appeared. There were several characters that became favorites--male and females both such as Lymond's mother Sybilla, his brother Richard, the blind but brave Christian Stewart--and the intriguing, and historical--Margaret Douglas.
This isn't the usual quasi-romance novel you often find in historical fiction. It's an adventure novel and more, that reminds me of Cornwall's Sharpe or Forester's Hornblower. Daring do, espionage, mystery, family feud, duels to the death, gypsies and alchemy and wit and humor and romance. What more could a girl want? And at the last line by eyes pricked with tears. And I'm not easy.
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snatches of foreign phrases in several languages and classical allusion and kept me looking up words in a dictionary every few pages--and in almost all novels I never have to look up even one: chumbling, lum, anent, clack, corybantic, douce, miniken, caesura, sfumato, chatoyant, campanile, ogee... There are a lot of characters to keep track of and an intricate plot of politics and intrigue. So a challenging read rather than an easy one, but worth it, and I found it easier as I went along and got absorbed into the story. At first its protagonist, Francis Crawford of Lymond, struck me as too thoroughly odious--but he did have style from the beginning and there were soon hints there was more to him than first appeared. There were several characters that became favorites--male and females both such as Lymond's mother Sybilla, his brother Richard, the blind but brave Christian Stewart--and the intriguing, and historical--Margaret Douglas.
This isn't the usual quasi-romance novel you often find in historical fiction. It's an adventure novel and more, that reminds me of Cornwall's Sharpe or Forester's Hornblower. Daring do, espionage, mystery, family feud, duels to the death, gypsies and alchemy and wit and humor and romance. What more could a girl want? And at the last line by eyes pricked with tears. And I'm not easy.
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Subjects
Awards
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1961
Physical description
543 p.; 5.2 inches
ISBN
0679777431 / 9780679777434