Customer Reviews

The Game of Kings (The Lymond Chronicles)

5 star:		(116)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

Wildly Thrilling, Fully Satisfying! My sister reticently recommended this series knowing that while I enjoy reading, as a full-time working mother of an active toddler I don't necessarily have the time or inclination to tackle too difficult a read. Needless to say, I was so engrossed with The Game of Kings I was up until dawn on many a night eagerly pursing the clever, twisting, endlessly engrossing exploits of Francis Crawford of Lymond, Dunnett's astoundingly human yet otherworldly heroic antihero. The plot lines, like the characters, are intricate, involving and compelling. Each book can be read on many levels: pure action adventure, expertly executed historical fiction, stimulating intellectual gamesmanship, academic and literary, morality play with a twist, and more. Dunnett toys with her readers like Lymond toys with his antagonists and allies alike -- and that's half the fun of it! These are excellent books. You will be challenged, you will be entertained, you will be well rewarded for your efforts.

I picked up the first of this series because a note at my favorite bookstore said, "These are the best books in the world." I read Game of Kings and did not think it was the best book I'd ever read but was willing to try another one. By the end of the second book I couldn't put them down.

But they are not easy to read. Game of Kings, although the only stand-alone of the series, is particularly difficult because of the quotes in antique foreign languages. I didn't try to decipher them, and by the second book they all but disappear.

All I can say to those readers who found the series difficult to read is that reading it is worth your patience. If you like authentic historical fiction, exciting action, and compelling characters, plough on ahead! Lymond as a character is not easy to understand, but rest assured that most of your questions will be answered by the end of the series.

I hesitated before reading this book, the first in a set of six collectively called "The Lymond Chronicles." I'm already three deep in Patrick O'Brian's historical series, so I wondered if I would be tempting my history filter to overload by starting another so soon? Not to worry, because the two time periods and areas are quite unlike each other, and there seems little chance that I will mix the two in my memory. Comparing the two to each other might prove useful, though.

Dunnett has only one protagonist, instead of O'Brian's two, and he is a figure whom is quite larger than life. When we meet Lymond at the beginning of this novel, he is a confirmed rogue, wanted by his native Scotland as a traitor and *persona non grata* as well with the British. He survives as a Robin Hood, with a band of sixty-odd men, taking advantage of the interminable conflict between England and Scotland to feed and supply his men. He seems to revel in antagonizing his older brother, possibly with a purpose (trying to claim his inheritance a la Esau?). An excellent swordsman, a fierce and loyal leader, and a polyglot--there seems to be nothing that his quick wit and rapier-like mind cannot do.

Well, there is one thing, and that is to explain himself. Much of the plot of The Game of Kings concerns Lymond's search for the Englishman who can restore his reputation in England, who can provide him an alibi that will show his kindred that he is not a traitor. Yet his pride will not allow him to explain (or try to explain) just how he expects this to be achieve to anyone--family or friends. Which is a pity, because several characters here would react quite differently if Lymond would only speak his mind. Speak he often does, in several languages (a passing knowledge of Latin and French helps when reading some of the trickier passages), but these are often quips, not information.

Like the best rogues of old, you cannot help but like the fellow. He has his own code of conduct and, especially compared to the obsessive maniac his older brother becomes, a style that recalls the best of Sean Connery (another Scot, don't you know) in his portrayal of James Bond. There's a comparison that sits a little truer--Lymond is the 16th century Bond.

This is adventure stuff of the finest degree. There are shooting contests, secret raids, impersonations, captures, intrigues, and a long, glorious duel between brothers. Yes, there is history here, too; I understand a little more about the makeup of Scotland and its past politics than I did before. Dunnett's details are not in the rigging, as O'Brian's are, though. She has a much larger picture in mind, and if she throws in an Errol Flynn to keep you amused while getting to it, so what?

I more than enjoyed this, and I will most likely continue the series at a later date.

Starting the Lymond Chronicles is not for the faint of heart. In the first 50 pages you will meet Lymond, Francis Crawford and the Master of Culter. Somewhere around page 100, you will learn that they are all the same character. Many first time readers are put off by the complexity and by the image of this arrogant, polyglot, male-diva storming around Scotland offending everyone he meets. This is supposed to be our hero?

Indeed he is. In Game of Kings, Lymond is wanted for treason and if caught he'll hang. Scotland is at war with England, and political machinations between Scotland, England and France are at a delicate state in which, as Lymond says, they are all "energetically cheating". As Lymond tries to clear his name, he is also working to assist in the war effort, but which side does he support? And how can you focus on the plot when every other phrase Lymond utters is a quotation or allusion? Some advice to help you get started:

1. Skim over the quotations. As one character says - I wish he would speak plain English! The quotes help add color to the scenes, but if you are getting bogged down, skip them, until you are ready to reread. (And then, you might want to have the Dunnett Companion with you, so you can get the full translation.)

2. Keep track of the characters. There are many, and as I mentioned above, they aren't always called by the same name.

3. Let yourself be drawn in. This is not an easy read. But once you start to connect with the characters, you will find it hard to put down. If you are still reading by the time you come to lisping Spaniard scene, I suspect that you will become hooked on the series.

It's been 5 years since I discovered Dunnett, and with each reread, I am finding something more to the story. This is a series that will open your mind to the wonders of well-crafted sentences, and fully-developed characters in the hands of a brilliant author. Dunnett is one of the few authors I'm aware of who never spoon-feeds her audience. You must come up to her level to progress through the book. She produced dense, well-researched books with many subplots and diversions along the way to the resolution. And in Francis Crawford of Lymond she created a tortured hero who will rip you to shreds with his words, make you laugh at his amazing stunts, and then touch your heart with his music, all while keeping you in constant wonder about what might happen next. Highly recommended.

There really is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I bought The Game of Kings after reading the recent article on Dorothy Dunnett in the NY Times Book Review. I couldn't believe that anything as good as they described could have escaped by attention--I've had life long love affair with historical fiction. But it had escaped by view and I'm almost giddy with the knowledge that there are five more in the Lymond series, then I can begin the Niccolo series.

I recently read Timeline by Michael Crichton, a story premised on 20th century scientists going back into medieval France. It was a bad book and I never felt that the characters had gone back or that Crichton had any idea what life was really like back then. Dunnett, on the other hand, not only convinces you that she knows the past, she transports you there. Crichton's book probably would have been quite good if Dunnett had written it.

Dunnett's prose is not easy to read--it requires your absolute attention and a good dictionary close at hand, but the rewards are enormous.

My biggest dilemma right now is whether to re-read this book and thereby unpeel the onion some more or plunge into Queen's Play, the second Lymond book (I'll probably do both simultaneously).

While there are innumerable things I liked about this book, I'll focus on three of them:

1. The characterizations. Rather than simply paint a character as good or evil when we first meet them, Dunnett slowly unfolds them a layer of time through what they do and say (and often by what they don't do or say). In the end, the characters feel like real life humans, with both flaws and strengths. I found the young blind woman, Christian Stewart, to be both complex and wonderful. And Lymond has more layers that a wedding cake.

2. The prose. Yes, it's difficult. Yes, it's often ambiguous. Yes, it's filled with obscure allusions and foregn phrases. You don't need to understand them all the first time through. But in the end, Dunnett is quite simply a wonderful stylist of the language. One of the characters said this about a coming war: "I don't like this war. I don't like the cold-blooded scheming at the beginning and the carnage at the end and the grumbling and the jealousies and the pettishness in the middle. I hate the lack of gallantry and grace; the self-seeking; the destruction of valuable people and things. I believe in danger and endeavour as a form of tempering but I reject it if this is the only shape it can take." That is great writing and very wise.

3. The Plot. In the end, it's simply a great story, with more twists and turns than can be fully comprehended in one reading. I read the last 150 pages in a big gulp.

This is a great book--I'm sure it's a great series, one that will be right up there with Aubrey/Maturin. The thing that will now keep me up nights is the question whether there is another great series out there, wonderful but undiscovered.

It is difficult to write about Dorothy Dunnett without surrendering to hyperbole, but I will try. This series has everything: intricate plots, character development that cuts wide and deep, and enfolding it all a dazzling panorama of 16th century Europe and Asia, from the highlands of Scotland to the sewers and palaces of the Ottoman Empire, and beyond. Every detail of the historical setting is handled with such thoroughness and confidence that it is difficult to believe that Dunnett did not actually live in that time period herself. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic--might as well give in--Dunnett's ability to convey the details of her historical settings and to weave plots that confound with their intricacy, scenes that are rich with nuance and enigma, render her almost superhuman as far as I am concerned. She simply does not seem to possess human limitations. Most authors who are coolly capable of weaving complex plots stumble with the emotional content of their books, but Dunnett's intellectual brilliance is equalled by her psychological adeptness in scenes that are as beautifully written as they are moving.

Of course there are flaws in this series, but it is difficult to care when so much has been accomplished. While the hero is perhaps a bit too capable, too flawless in his responses, Dunnett undermines this at times with flashes of insight into his vulnerabilities. The only time I would argue that Dunnett falters in her brilliance is in the last book, "Checkmate," in which she lapses somewhat into the conventions of romance novels (and romance lovers will of course feel that this is a positive development rather than a failing).

This is a tiny complaint for a vast series, and should not deter anyone from picking up what I feel is the best of the series, this first installment. "A Game of Kings" introduces the reader to Francis Lymond and explores his identity--among friends, family, and within himself. It is a virtuoso performance in every respect, from the intrigues to the naked revelations that leave one breathless. And Dunnett is at the top of her game here--literally, her game, as it becomes clear that the chess-related titles are no coincidence: every book plays out with technique similar to a chess game, with feints, gambits and misdirections so subtle that there is bound to be at least one surprise for even the most experienced reader.

A word of warning: the book is VERY slow to start, and may strike some readers as too dense. Stick with it, and you'll find that the last 300 pages will speed by in no time at all. Dorothy Dunnett's work is among the most complex and difficult out there, but the rewards exceed the required effort. For anyone who loves historicals, mysteries, complex plots, or simply a deeply satisfying story--this book is for you.

These books are addictive. I found myself reading into the wee hours of the morning, unable to stop. The Lymond Chronicles can also be frustrating to read. Dunnett doesn't reveal her characters's motivations at the outset. You may hate Francis Crawford of Lymond for his actions. But wait and reserve judgment. He always has an excellent reason for what he does. But you may not learn that reason until chapters later -- even in another volume of the series. He is generally guided by good intentions and moral values, even when he is being cruel and hateful. Pay attention to details. A scene from The Game of Kings, Vol. 1, may explain something said near the end of the last volume, Checkmate. Especially memorable are the deadly chess game in Pawn in Frankincense, the rooftop race in Queen's Play and the sword fight in The Game of Kings. I can't begin to tell you how good these books are. They have adventure, romance, mystery, terror, history, travel, politics, the occult -- a bit of everything anyone could want. If you haven't read these books, kick yourself now, or start reading!

I first read the Crawford of Lymond series in the 1970's. I started The Game of Kings and abandoned it after 100 pages; I picked it up a year later and began again, and, once I hit my stride, could not stop until I had read all six. Many writers want you to believe their protagonist is of surpassing intelligence, but one rarely believes it, because the author doesn't have the intellectual firepower to bring it off. Dunnett does. The series is a joy for many reasons: the historical accuracy, the complex characters and plot, and, not least, the extraordinary way she brings it all together in the last pages of the last volume. As I look at the comments of others, I get tired of hearing Americans whine about others using foreign languages when they write; it is our shortcoming that so few of us have even a passing familiarity with other languages. We would be the better for a little stretching of our own intellects through a more thorough acquaintance with other languages, history, and culture.

What is it about the Scots that make them such good romantic figures, in a way that others, the English, the French, the Italians, etc., never achieve? All that wild Highland blood (even in the most civilized, like Lymond) or something else? No matter; you can't do any better than this series.

This book was copyrighted in 1961, and I read it that year, on loan from the US Army post library in Bamberg, Germany. I read it again at least twice before "Queen's Play" was published in 1964 and I became addicted to waiting for the next Lymond novel to be published. All the books in this series take work on the first reading. That is because Lady Dunnett is basically a mystery writer and presents her stories as mysteries. Subsequent readings bring pleasure and reveal elements overlooked earlier. Then, too, she does not insult the reader's intelligence--as some contemporary American fiction writers do--by providing an instant translation of foreign language passages. She clearly assumes that, if the reader cares enough, the reader will "look it up." For instance, if you care to "look up" the words in Old French to the repeated love song that Lymond sings in "The Disorderly Knights" and subsequent books, you can deduce that the Francis-Philippa reunion WILL take place. The Lymond series is the best historical fiction I have read since I discovered historical fiction with Shellabarger and Yerby 50 years ago. Lady Dunnet's work is NOT, as an old history professor once said, "turgid claptrap featuring a woman in a purple gown on the cover." It is solid, factually-based fiction with highly developed, multi-dimensional characters. I do not recommend it to those who buy books from the "romance" shelves, although several years ago, some commercial American booksellers tried to place this series in that category.

And, "experience" is an apt way to describe reading this book & becoming embroiled in the adventures of Lymond Crawford, Master of Culter and the other characters who bring this story to life.

More than once during the first 100 pages or so, I thought I would give up on it ... the subtleties and the intricacies of the tightly woven plot were difficult to follow at first. And, the references to ancient literature, ancient language, customs, etc. almost left me in despair of ever understanding.

But, then I would come across a sentence that is so perfectly written, so beautifully stated & that lends itself so completely to the flavor of the story that I literally had no choice but to reread it several times from sheer enjoyment and then continue on with renewed interest and enthusiasm.

The last 150 or so pages were enthralling ... sit on the edge of your seat ... read long after you should be preparing for bed, or work, or dinner, etc. Everything comes together in a way that leaves you simply counting the days until the sequel arrives & you can pick up where you left off!

So, I have decided that this book is something of a paradox. To really enjoy The Game of Kings, one must first know the characters. Unfortunately, the only way to get to know the characters is by reading The Game of Kings. I'm sure you see where I am heading: this book is one to be read, & reread with increasing enjoyment with each reading! After I finished reading it for the first time this morning, I immediately went back to the beginning of the book & reread some of the beginning scenes -this time with delight & full understanding of my hero!

Best advice: if this is a subject matter that interests you; if you are a true student of fine historical fiction, then by all means give this a try ... and don't give up!