Customer Reviews

Checkmate: Sixth in the Legendary Lymond Chronicles

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Let me preface my review by saying I am an avid reader and have read everything from physics texts to children's books and in all of my journeys I have never found anything equal to the genius of these novels. This last of the series, Checkmate, is the most painful to read, for in it all loose ends are at last tied and all farewells must be said. It is just as satisfying as the previous 5 novels and Dunnet's rendition of the history of the religious battle over the souls of England and France in the 16th century is both riveting and fascinating. Dunnett's skill in story-telling is unparalelled. Her characters are rich and engaging and their world is one in which nothing is as it seems, and where history finally seems real. Lymond is a hero of epic proportions; ambiguous, complex and never disappointing. His trademark wit is always refreshing as is his astounding intellect. These are characters who become part of one's daily thoughts and one is guaranteed to miss them when their story has ended. I reluctantly turned the last page of this book while bravely fighting away tears and plan on reading the series again quite soon because I, like others, often missed the nuances of Dunnett's spectacular plots and dense dialogue in order to move on. I really cannot say enough about these books. When one reaches the end of the journeys of Lymond, one can't help but feel as if one has lived through them oneself, from the Highlands of Scotland to the frozen and snowy grounds of Russia. By the last chapter, I couldn't help but feel that I had earned the right to call Lymond by his Christian name, Francis, as only those closest to him are permitted. The Lymond of Crawford series reiterates and reminds me of the reasons we write and read literature: to excite, to escape, to feel truly human and to revel in the glory of being so. If you have dismissed these books early on, do yourself a favor and try again. The trip is well worth the fare. And to Dorothy Dunnett let me say Thank You for showing me what a masterpiece consists of and for giving those of us who feel that perhaps we might have been born a couple of centuries too late the chance to see what might have been.

A chance recommendation by a friend introduced me to this series and all I can say is that I am grateful for that suggestion. I have rarely enjoyed a series so much or found myself so involved with the characters and their lives. This final book, Checkmate, left me in awe of Lady Dunnett, severely attached to Lymond and Phillipa, immensely pleased with the conclusion and resolution, and more than a little reluctant to agree with Dunnett that there could be no more written about Lymond. No one could finish reading the book without imagining what the future would bring to Lymond and Phillipa. The characters are much too engaging to be put aside with the book upon completion. They grow in front of you and they grow with you until you feel that you have played a part in their character development and not merely seen it happen in front of you. It's wonderful. Lady Dunnett reaches a hand out to each reader and allows him to enter some private corner of these characters' minds until he begins to understand what prompts the characters and to sympathize with them all the more.To anyone considering this book, do not read it without reading the first five books, in order, but definitely do not pass up this series. I could not put the book down. Lady Dunnett is the most skillfull author I know of to truly weave history into the story until the seams between truth and fancy do not show. I felt as though I were leading a double life, both in the present, and in that far away, yet familiar (thanks to Lady Dunnett) world of the Renaissance.This is a book worth reading, and then rereading several times over. It will become familiar, but never old.

These are absolutely wonderful books -- erudite, witty, beautifully written, magnificently characterized and wonderfully plotted.

They, and perhaps particularly this last installment, aren't going to be for everyone. Readers who dislike sentiment and who get bored with long expository passages won't find this is their favorite book. Even I, who love melodrama, found myself tempted at some points during CHECKMATE to shake the characters violently and yell, "Get over it!"

But it's gorgeous stuff nonetheless. Dunnett's whole six-book series is the story of one outstanding character, only rarely told from his point of view, and aided by a vivid supporting cast. She spares him few agonies (even if at times one feels he overreacts just a tad) and gives him great beauty and great talents. Writing in impeccable omniscient point of view, she captures the 1500's beautifully with only a tiny hint of an anachronism here and there. I recommend these books to readers who enjoy character-driven historical fiction with considerable action as well as considerable emotion.

Over the last six months, I've slowly made my way through this wonderful series. But I read the last 250 pages of Checkmate in a large gulp. My feelings are mixed, primarily because I know my imagination will have to fill in the rest of the lives of Lymond and Philippa. But at the same time, Checkmate is a perfect ending to one of the greatest achievements in historical fiction. All of the loose ends are tied up--and, as in all great works, the triumph is tinged with sadness and some tragedy.

Dunnett's writing, at times, can be maddeningly difficult and opaque. But reading and re-reading with patience almost always ends in illumination. This is no series for the faint of heart. Prepare yourself for some real investment as you read, but the reward is worth it. The reader comes away with the feeling that he or she has climbed a tall mountain (and feels the triumph of a difficult task well accomplished). Most fiction today is little more than a slight uphill walk.

Checkmate successfully resolves a myriad of plot twists that have built over the the last four novels of the series. Dunnett has built a brilliant plot--the twists and turns of the last 100 pages were at least nail-biting and always surprising.

But the plot, great as it was, ultimately became secondary to some of the most compelling characters in fiction. In the end, the characters made it all for me. Lymond is, of course, the centerpiece. Other reviewers have written about his many facets and I concur. But the character that made the series, and in particular Checkmate, is Philippa. There's an old saw in the literary world that you can't make a "good" character interesting. In the case of Philippa it's wrong. She is good in every sense of the word--loyal, loving, willing to fight for those she loves and willing the sacrifice even more. I'm not sure Dunnett intended it, but I felt that she dominated every scene she was in.

Dunnett also created a huge cast of other great characters: Sybilla, Marthe, Jerott, Archie, etc. etc. Even the bad guys are terrifically drawn: Margaret Lennox, Leonard Bailey. All highly individual, all highly memorable.

What is amazing to me is that Checkmate was published in 1974. The recent New York Times Book Review article on Dunnett brought these books to my attention. One can only hope that the visibility of Dunnett's work will only grow in the years ahead.

I first read The Lymond Chronicles over ten years ago. I have re-read this series several times since. Checkmate is the most exhilarating, intoxicating conclusion to a historical series ever written! Dorothy Dunnett ingeniously intertwines fictional characters and events with actual historical figures and happenings. The main character, Francis Crawford of Lymond and Sevigny is, to my mind, the most amazing fictional character ever created. He is brilliant, neurotic, scholarly, cruel, willful, witty...I could go on indefinetly. Throughout the series, Lymond is surrounded by intriguing characters, both real and fictional, and travels all over the world in search of his future, but afraid of his past, and the truth of who he really is. He returns to the battlefields of 16th century France in the sixth and final installment of the Lymond Chronicles. He must lead an army against England while friends and family "assist" him, against his will, in his search for the truth.

Do yourself a favor: read Checkmate only after you've read Game of Kings, Queen's Play, Disorderly Knights, Pawn in Frankincense, and Ringed Castle first, in that order. You won't ever regret it.

Keep in mind, no matter how good I tell you this book is, it's better. You'll lose sleep, miss your stop, forget family and friends and then need to tell them all about it. It's why you read fiction.

Or at least why I do: to become lost in story, among fictional characters and situations that for the duration of the turning pages are more real than reality, a dream you finally leave richer and wiser -- and better understanding your own world -- then when you first entered.

Price of admission to this one is steep -- the five previous Lymond Chronicles are excellent novels all, but tally a dense 2500 pages. What isn't clear until this sixth is how much those serve merely as set-up for its breathtaking conclusion.

The emotional distance of the past two volumes is gone, revealed as an authorial ploy to finally bring us closer to Dunnett's peerlessly charismatic and mysterious characters. Here, the swashbuckling and history take a backseat to one of the most compelling gothic love stories in literature. Everything from the previous books pays off spectacularly, leading to a final hundred pages without comparison in suspense, heartbreak, and genuine thrills.

Taken as a whole, the six Lymond Chronicles form a wonderously intricate, moving mosaic, steeped in historical storytelling traditions yet completely unique, a complex, shimmering gift to anyone who loves to read.

In the wee hours of last night I finished reading Checkmate, the final saga in the splendid and turbulant life and times of Crawford of Lymond & Sevigny. Can it really be over? Francis Crawford is the single most fascinating fictional character I have ever had the joy to "know." Each of Dunnett's major characters is dazzling in their own uniquely individual way. The 20th century is far too small and cramped place for the likes of Guzel, Marte, Jerott, Archie, Sybilla, Graham Reid Mallet and of course Francis. If you like historical fiction, read these books. If you like fiction, read these books. If you like to read, read these books. And, then, read them again.

After all the other reviews there isn't much more one can say. I too found these novels to be brilliantly written - Dunnett is a master story teller - the attention to detail and the complextiy of the characters and the story line and the political intrigue of the time period is amazing - so compelling and engaging - the effect is similar to being taken to another world via a darkened movie theater with a big screen. I read most of Checkmate straight though over a 10+ hour period - I barely moved from the sofa. So absorbed had I become when I finished - it was as if real life was the fiction and my life was there in 16th century France and Scotland, the characters my friends and family - I walked around in a daze before I returned to reality - heartbroken that there was no more. But I look forward to re-reading the series and - perhaps with pangs of regret - moving on to new experiences with House of Niccolo.

You know how you feel every time after reading a really satisfying book. You think: this is the BEST book I have ever read. Well, NOTHING I have ever read gripped me like this series of books. A strong, likable protagonist is a must, of course. However, this series is filled with strong characters, and so well developed that you can almost see them as you read and feel that you understand what makes them tick. The rich historical details really pitch you back to the period it is set in. And the plot! The plot is so intricate that you just can not imagine what's going to happen next. Beats any mystery novel hands down. There is also so much literature, science, geography, philosophy.....in the series that it makes you contemplate about life, relationship, religion.....all those things that a good book should make you think about. I used to hate series because they usually run out of original ideas after the first 2 or 3 books. This series, however, gets more exciting as you go. The conclusion really floored me. Before I finished the series, my husband had to forcibly turn the light off every night because I could not stop reading otherwise. I hope this series never go out of print.

Thanks to all the reviewers. It is nice to know I'm not alone. I read "The Ringed Castle" first, in paperback, in the '70's. And, that was 4 years after I bought it. Before "What's His Name's" face was on every romance novel, the cover art was intriguing, but I did not make it past the first page. But! ... having read cereal box backs and sides on occasion for entertainment .... I found myself broke and book-less ... Egads! ... and I tried again. I finished it in one sitting and then was horrified to discover it was the fifth of a series to be six. Afterwards, I chased down the other four in ANY order at Austin, TX's many library branches, and then inhaled them. I waited with mad impatience for "Checkmate" to be published. I was sorely afraid that it would not measure up. I bought it in hardback in 1982, I think. I have read and reread that one to death and the others many, many times. Sadly, I have never been able to share this joy with anyone. This series has no peers. Even the newer series, although enjoyable, is Number 2 in my list.