Monday, May 8, 2023

Dorothy Dunnett’s CAPRICE AND RONDO – Nicholas On His Own, Cast Down but not Forlorn. I love this hero!

This one began rather sadly for me. I have become rather fond of Nicholas (our intelligent and cunning hero) and want to see him happy. Here he is in snow-covered Danzig, Poland in the winter of 1474 in a self-imposed exile, sharing quarters with the ruthless pirate Benecke. But Nicholas will not stay with him for long.

Nicholas’ actions in the last book (To Lie with Lions), set in Scotland, France and Cyprus, cost him friends and family--not to mention much of his wealth. But he won the game with his estranged wife, Gelis, who thought she could outsmart him (not a chance). She was, for the most part, clueless as to all he was doing. In my opinion, she deserved what she got. She partnered with his enemies who tried to, and nearly did, kill him. She invited all he did. How can she criticize him? Yet her deserting him (that’s what I call it) has cost him his young son, Jodi, who he loves.

After some persuasion and the need to build back wealth for the accountant Julius and his beautiful wife, Anna, Nicholas decides to assist the Muslim Prince Uzum Hasan in his fight against the Turks. And that’s just the beginning. Anna is hiding secrets that involve Nicholas’ past.

 

This is another complex, well-told, action-packed story from a master of historical fiction, one of my very favorite authors. I highly recommend it. One more to go and I can hardly wait.

 

 

The House of Niccolo Series:

 

Niccolò Rising

Spring of the Ram

Race of Scorpions

Scales of Gold

The Unicorn Hunt

To Lie with Lions

Caprice and Rondo

Gemini


 

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