Dorothy Dunnett’s SCALES OF GOLD – From Venice to Africa for Gold and then to Timbuktu, Nicholas is off on another adventure

It’s Exotic Locales month. You can’t get more exotic that Portugal, Madeira and African deserts with their endless caravans. Nicholas begins on a ship but ends on a camel.

 

This is the 4^th book in the addictive House of Niccolo series. The year 1464 finds Nicholas in Venice, plagued by enemies bent on dissolving his assets and smearing his character. Needing to restore his fortune, he sets sail for Africa, where gold can be found in such abundance that men prefer to barter in shells. There, he will manage to outsmart his enemies and redeem his bank but who can save him from Gelis van Borselen, who seems conflicted in her feelings for him. She comes along, ostensibly to prove all the bad that is said about him regarding her dead sister. She knows little of the real facts and ends up as his lover with less than a pure motive.

 

Dunnett captures the stunning scenery of Africa, the treachery and lust for gold some men embrace, which ends in death in the wretched desert. And the exotic Muslim center of learning that is Timbuktu. It’s the Renaissance for all to see. Poor Nicholas. As usual, everyone thinks the worst of him (including Gelis) when his motives are noble. Some of the characters from the earlier books play a role in this complex story, including Father Godscalc, Umar (formerly Loppe) and Nicholas’ nemesis, Simon, who is his father but not recognized as such.

 

In the end, Nicholas gains inner peace only to lose it when bad news comes from Timbuktu and

Gelis delivers a gut punch.

 

One cannot give Dunnett less than 5 stars for such an effort, which held my attention throughout, but I am looking forward to the next one and a different setting, one where they don’t have to eat camels to stay alive.

 

The House of Niccolo Series:

 

Niccolò Rising (1986)

Spring of the Ram (1987)

Race of Scorpions (1989)

Scales of Gold (1991)

The Unicorn Hunt (1993)

To Lie with Lions (1995)

Caprice and Rondo (1997)

Gemini (2000)

Dorothy Dunnett’s GEMINI – A Fitting End to a Great Series

I’m taking time out from my Western reviews to review the last book in a great series set in the early Renaissance in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Scotland by a favorite author.

 

This last in the House of Niccolo series is set in Scotland in 1477. Nicholas de Fleury, former banker and merchant, returns to the land that, four years earlier, he had brought very close to ruin in the course of an intense commercial and personal war with his enemies and his estranged wife Gelis, a war he won but at great cost.

Now, Nicholas finds himself embroiled in royal politics with the king and his two brothers. All the estates of Scotland are involved: the merchants of Edinburgh, the gentry, and the clergy, as well as the English, French, and the Burgundian, of which Nicholas is one. His presence soon draws Gelis (now his loving wife)  and their son Jodi to Scotland, as well as Nicholas’s companions in his past endeavors—Dr. Tobias and his wife Clémence, the shipmaster Mick Crackbene, the engineer John le Grant, and Andro Wodman.

 

Nicholas meets again with others who have had an influence, for good or evil, in his life: Jordan St Pol (“the fat father Jordan”), his son Simon, and young Henry, Nicholas’ bastard son thought by Simon to be his own. Mistress Bel of Cuthilgurdy and David de Salmeton, who seeks Nicholas’ death, and the always beloved, Anselm Adorne and Kathi his niece, who is a dear friend to Nicholas.

 

Meanwhile, more secrets as to Nicholas’ birth are revealed as Julius goes in search of proof that Nicholas is legitimate.

 

There are many exciting moments as Dunnett brings all the loose threads together while allowing us to dive deep into the world of the early Renaissance. I loved the hero, Nicholas, who sometimes seemed like a grown child at play, and at others a clever inventor, and still at others a man of keen strategy, who always seemed to know people’s true motives.

 

I was sad to see the series end. Now, I have to begin again with The Lymond Chronicles that follows this one in time but I read first.

 

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

 

Dorothy Dunnett’s KING HEREAFTER – A Wonderful Portrayal of MacBeth, King of Scots, His Times and the Woman He Loved

 After having read Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles (which I highly recommend), I couldn’t wait to read this book before moving on to her House of Niccolo series. She is such a good storyteller, and there are many twists and turns and insightful dips into history. (You have to love history, however, and tolerate some vague references, as there are many names and many historical figures.)

 

Thanks to Shakespeare, the historical MacBeth, King of Scots has been much maligned as a bad actor. From my research for my novel The Refuge, set in 11^th century Scotland, I knew Shakespeare got it wrong. In King Hereafter, Dorothy Dunnett brings us into the wild, half-pagan country of Scotland in those early days.

 

MacBeth begins as an ungainly young Earl Thorfinn with a lowering brow and a taste for intrigue. He calls himself Thorfinn but his Christian name is MacBeth. (Dunnett equates the historical MacBeth with Thorfinn Sigurdsson, Earl of Orkney, whose sons, Paul and Erlend ruled jointly for many years after their father’s death.)

 

Dunnett shows us MacBeth’s transformation from an angry, fatherless boy who refuses to accept his meager share of Orkney to an accomplished warrior and diplomat who wisely joins with King Canute and Queen Emma to become a respected leader of men.

 

His wife, Groa (who is made the same woman as the historical Ingibiorg Finnsdottir, wife of Earl Thorfin of Orkney), is a wonderful character who you will come to love. With the people of Alba and Groa behind him, Thorfinn becomes King of Scots. His heart is still in Orkney but he has a new concern for Alba, even going to Rome to see the Pope about clerics for Alba.

 

This is very much a love story, a romance even though rich in history. The ending is bittersweet and very well done. I felt rather melancholy after reading the last page.

 

If you would like to experience the court of King Malcolm III, the King of Scots who followed MacBeth, consider my novel, The Refuge, winner of the Illumination Gold Medal Award.

 

 

 

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

 

Dorothy Dunnett’s TO LIE WITH LIONS – Freezing snow, erupting volcanoes and treachery! Masterful storytelling!

This may be my favorite in the House of Niccolo series. Dunnett has excelled in bringing Iceland to life and Nicholas’ heroic rescues from erupting volcanoes. It begins in 1471as Nicholas leaves on a new adventure, to Iceland, hoping to beat others  the fishery and catch a huge amount of cod. But that is not his only task. He must balance his loyalty to the Duke of Burgundy against the demands of the King of France. Beneath all is the game, a war he wages with his estranged wife who wronged him terribly. The “lions” of Burgundy, Cyprus, England, and Venice all play in the game.

 

Meanwhile, Nicholas faces treachery, erupting volcanos and the vengeance of his 11-year-old son, Henry, who believes he is the son of Simon of Kilmirren, Nicholas’ enemy. Henry tries to kill both Nicholas and his son Jodi.

 

Woven throughout the action is interesting history of the “lions” and the merchant business that has made Nicholas a wealthy man.

 

Gelis, Nicholas’ wife is nasty piece. One view would see her as the woman who ruined a great man, diverting his huge talents to a game that is beneath him. But Nicholas would win at all costs. His son, Jordi, is winsome and loves both his parents.

 

Wonderful characters populate every page, including Julius, Gregorio, Kathi, Robin, Clemence, the nurse, Tobi, the doctor. And then there is Nicholas’ magnificent Nativity Play, a work that astounds all.

 

I highly recommend this series but read them in order.

 

 

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 (2000)

 

 

 

Dorothy Dunnett’s THE UNICORN HUNT – From Scotland to Egypt to Venice, Nicholas seeks revenge and the truth—a fast-paced read!

April is Classics month and Dunnett is one of my favorites. Her stories are complex, stunningly fast-paced in places and filled with intrigue. This one is from her House of Niccolo series. I do recommend reading the series in order. All the books are closely linked.

 

Another wild ride from Dorothy Dunnett. This one begins in Scotland in 1468 where our hero Nicholas de Fleury (aka Nicholas van der Poele), is still burning from the horrible truth his bride revealed on their wedding night. (Gelis van Borselen, Nicholas’ wife, may be the most despicable female villain ever. What woman would go whoring to her husband’s worst enemy just to spite him?) To me, Gellis appears cold, twisted and loathsome, and, like her sister, deceived.

 

Nicholas seeks revenge on Simon St. Pol, the man who was her partner in crime. While about that effort, Nicholas endears himself to the court of King James III and gains yet another knighthood. Granting the dying request of Nicholas’ priest, Godscalc, he agrees to stay away from Scotland for two years. So, he puts on hold his plans for Scotland and dedicates himself to a hunt for Gelis’ son who, like the fabled unicorn, might not exist. The chase takes him to Bruges, the Tyrol, Cairo, Mt Sinai, Cyprus and eventually Venice where a dramatic but wonderful ending awaits.

 

Some wonderful characters emerge, including Katelijne, the niece of Anselm Adorne, who in my opinion would make Nicholas a perfect mate, as well as the regulars who come at Nicholas’ call. Dunnett weaves an intricate story only she could hold together. So many threads, you’ll lose track. But the story will keep you turning pages, I promise.

 

The House of Niccolo Series:

 

Niccolò Rising (1986)

Spring of the Ram (1987)

Race of Scorpions (1989)

Scales of Gold (1991)

The Unicorn Hunt (1993)

To Lie with Lions (1995)

Caprice and Rondo (1997)

Gemini (2000)

 

 

Dorothy Dunnett’s RACE OF SCORPIONS, House of Niccolo, book 3, Another Worthy 15th Century Adventure!

Reading this series is like watching a juggler with 20 balls in the air, hoping he doesn’t drop one. You can’t possibly remember all the characters or historical figures as you are swept along but, captivated, you don’t mind.

Set in 1462, this one finds Nicholas at 21, wealthy and looking for his next adventure. Marian, his beloved wife has died and his two stepdaughters have locked him out of the family business. So he pursues his future elsewhere. He and his private army are wanted by both factions seeking to control Cyprus. Both contenders for the throne, Queen Carlotta and her bastard brother, James, are vying Nicholas’ support.

 

As always, Nicholas must deal with adversaries and allies, from the courtesan Primaflora, who becomes his mistress and then something more, to the Mameluke commander, Tzani-Bey al Ablak, an evil man who has cruelly used Nicholas and Nicholas vows revenge.

 

Several things were unclear to me at the beginning, left over from the last book. Why does everyone always think the worst of our hero? Why does Katerina van Borselen hate him when it was she who came to his bed—twice? Why do his friends often assume his motives are bad? Well, this time we get answers to many of those questions as Nicholas and his merchant team confront dangers and treachery in Cyprus. A worthy story and I’m on to the next one.

 

The House of Niccolo Series:

 

Niccolò Rising (1986)

Spring of the Ram (1987)

Race of Scorpions (1989)

Scales of Gold (1991)

The Unicorn Hunt (1993)

To Lie with Lions (1995)

Caprice and Rondo (1997)

Gemini (2000)

 

Dorothy Dunnett’s THE SPRING OF THE RAM – Nicholas Strives to Overcome in Trebizond

This second in The House of Niccolò is set in the 15^th century at the edge of the European Renaissance. It takes young Nicholas to Trebizond, the last outpost of Byzantium at the far eastern end of the Black Sea where merchants vie for the attention of the Emperor and seek to make a grand profit from silk and other goods. Leaving his wife, Marian in Bruges, Nicholas travels to Florence where he wins the respect of the Medici bankers and becomes their agent. Backed by Cosimo de' Medici, Nicholas sails with his companions to Trebizond, the last jewel missing from the crown of the Ottoman Empire.

 

Meanwhile, Nicholas's stepdaughter, 13-year-old Catherine de Charetty, has been seduced and seemingly married to his rival in trade: a Genoese sea pirate who races ahead of Nicholas, sowing disaster at every port to try and stop him. In addition to the man from Genoa to contend with, there is still the villain, Simon de St Pol, who Nicholas thought was his father. Nicholas is a solver of puzzles and impresses the Emperor with his unusual clock. Just when Nicholas seems to have overcome his enemies, he realizes that Trebizond may fall to the Turks and he must get the de Charetty ship and their goods out.

 

This is an exciting story with Nicholas having many narrow escapes and adventures as he cleverly impresses the powers over him to defeat his enemies. The research for this one was deep and that impressed me. Dunnett’s writing is like a roller-coaster, exciting and hard to put down. There are many names and gobs of characters, but I never minded. Dunnett paints the era brilliantly and brings the fictional characters to life against a real historical setting. I can’t wait to read book 3.

 

House of Niccolo series:

 

Niccolo Rising

The Spring of the Ram

Race of Scorpions

Scales of Gold

The Unicorn Hunt

To Lie with Lions

Caprice and Rondo

Gemini

 

 

Dorothy Dunnett’s THE GAME OF KINGS – Brilliant Storytelling in a Complicated Plot!

December is the month when I do catch up reading and feature my Favorite Heroes & Heroines. (There will be a special list later in the month.) In the last year I have discovered Dorothy Dunnett’s wonderful stories, beginning with the Lymond Chronicles and then the House of Niccolo, the series I’m reading now. Her novels are long and complex and historically impressive. And so worth the time.

This first in the Lymond Chronicles is set in 16^th century Scotland when the country’s future was at stake and the young Queen Mary was a sought after bride by both England and France, this is the story of Francis Crawford of Lymond. He is a nobleman who, through unfortunate events, ends up on the outside of the law, the head of a band of broken men. He has a sharp, witty intellect and is capable of dangerous endeavors.

 

In 1547 Lymond returns to his native Scotland, which is threatened by an English invasion. Accused of treason, he takes a risky path seeking to bring the truth to light, redeem his reputation and save his land. A hero in disguise, mistrusted by most, Lymond has many supporters still willing to rise to his defense.

 

Lymond is a charming, noble soul you will not be able to resist. Though often blamed in error for others’ crimes and treason, he rises above it all. Dunnett presents him an undefiled hero to be loved. And so he is.

 

This is an exceptionally well-told tale with passages that made me stand back in admiration. Even so, there were several places where I wasn’t at all sure what was going on or who was speaking. But these were minor detractions in light of the overall brilliant writing and great story. I couldn’t stop reading and am now on book 2 in the wonderful Lymond Chronicles. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction with a charismatic hero.

The Lymond Chronicles:

The Game of Kings
Queens' Play
The Disorderly Knights
Pawn in Frankincense
The Ringed Castle
Checkmate

 

Dorothy Dunnett’s KING HEREAFTER – A Wonderful Portrayal of MacBeth, King of Scots, His Times and the Woman He Loved

May is Scottish Historical Romance month on the blog and I’m beginning with a deep one. After having read Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles (which I highly recommend), I couldn’t wait to read this book before moving on to her House of Niccolo series. She is such a good storyteller, and there are many twists and turns and insightful dips into history. (You have to love history, however, and tolerate some vague references, as there are many names and many historical figures.)

Thanks to Shakespeare, the historical MacBeth, King of Scots has been much maligned as a bad actor. From my research for my novel The Refuge, set in 11^th century Scotland, I knew Shakespeare got it wrong. In King Hereafter, Dorothy Dunnett brings us into the wild, half-pagan country of Scotland in those early days.

 

MacBeth begins as an ungainly young Earl Thorfinn with a lowering brow and a taste for intrigue. He calls himself Thorfinn but his Christian name is MacBeth. (Dunnett equates the historical MacBeth with Thorfinn Sigurdsson, Earl of Orkney, whose sons, Paul and Erlend ruled jointly for many years after their father’s death.)

 

Dunnett shows us MacBeth’s transformation from an angry, fatherless boy who refuses to accept his meager share of Orkney to an accomplished warrior and diplomat who wisely joins with King Canute and Queen Emma to become a respected leader of men.

 

His wife, Groa (who is made the same woman as the historical Ingibiorg Finnsdottir, wife of Earl Thorfin of Orkney), is a wonderful character who you will come to love. With the people of Alba and Groa behind him, Thorfinn becomes King of Scots. His heart is still in Orkney but he has a new concern for Alba, even going to Rome to see the Pope about clerics for Alba.

 

This is very much a love story, a romance even though rich in history. The ending is bittersweet and very well done. I felt rather melancholy after reading the last page.

 

If you would like to experience the court of King Malcolm III, the King of Scots who followed MacBeth, consider my novel, The Refuge, winner of the Illumination Gold Medal Award. See it on my website HERE.

Dorothy Dunnett’s CHECKMATE – A Scottish Hero Like None Other and the Woman who Loves Him, a Keeper in a great series!

 

Set in 1557, this is book 6 in a most exceptional series. Our hero, Francis Crawford of Lymond, is now back in France, thanks to the actions of his friends and his unwanted wife, Phillipa Somerville. To get the annulment he seeks for his marriage that will free both him and Philippa to marry others, Lymond agrees to serve France for one year, leading an army against England and Spain.

 

Lymond succeeds brilliantly on the battlefield, and his wit, wisdom and charm win over the French court, but his mysterious past becomes an issue. Powers in Scotland want to use it to destroy him and Lymond wants to protect the story he discovers before others that will shame the family that raised him. Philippa makes this her quest. If she cannot have him, at least she can protect him.

 

Brilliantly told, you won’t even mind the long passages and poems in French that are not translated. I just let the story drag me on. There were nights I had to keep reading after my bedtime just because I could not bear to leave it. There were mornings I rose from my bed with the story fresh in my mind. The dialog is amazing, the characters beguiling and the twists and turns something to behold.

 

More than the others in the series, this one is the love story between Francis and Philippa, which I relished. Philippa is Lymond’s soulmate, the only woman who is his true equal (or at least close to it) and every man who meets her wants her. Lymond holds her away feeling unworthy of her for he has lived a jaded life.

 

As the end nears, courage triumphs, and love sacrifices. If you, like me, want a happy ending, you will get it so hang in there. This series of six novels is a triumph of adventure, history, great characters in a time of war and love that conquers all. The royal courts are well pictured and history of four countries in the 16^th century laid bare. In the midst of it all, one man rises a hero inspiring all around him, even his enemies. Only Philippa, who loves him with her heart and soul, was his worthy match.

 

I recommend reading the first five books before this one. They are all connected and you can’t really understand this last one without the others.

 

“There is nothing of me that does not belong to you.”

~ Philippa to Francis

 

“My son took many years to learn the simple truth. You cannot love any one person adequately until you have made friends with the rest of the human race also. Adult love demands qualities which cannot be learned living in a vacuum of resentment.”

 

Sybilla, Dowager Countess of Culter,

Francis Crawford of Lymond’s mother

 

 

The Lymond Chronicles:

 

The Game of Kings

Queens’ Play

The Disorderly Knights

Pawn in Frankincense

The Ringed Castle

Checkmate

Dorothy Dunnett’s PAWN IN FRANKINCENSE – Adventure in an Exotic Locale…Topkapi!

Pawn in Frankincense is book 4 in the Lymond Chronicles. This one takes us to the Ottoman empire where a young child is hidden and the evil Gabriel, thought dead, still lives, serving the sultan. Francis Crawford of Lymond, soldier of fortune and the exiled heir of Scottish nobility, is now the Ambassador to the King of France, and searching for the child he believes is his by his Irish mistress. He would ransom the child with his fortune but the sultan refuses. And another child emerges to confuse things. Each child is a pawn and Francis struggles to save them both while staying alive.

 

Philippa emerges as a smart, witty heroine, courageous in her defense of one of the child pawns. Her lift will be bound up with Lymond’s as he seeks to save her honor after she has been in the sultan’s harem.

 

An adventure with many twists and turns and authentic in its history, details and descriptions. This one culminates in a masterful chess game where the pieces are real people and, if taken, will die. Lymond, drugged by Gabriel, plays for his life and the lives of his friends—and the two young children, the pawns.

 

Dunnett, once again, delivers the heart of a brooding heroic figure. For all he suffers unjustly, Lymond will again triumph.

 

A great installment in the Lymond Chronicles.

 

The Game of Kings

Queens’ Play

The Disorderly Knights

Pawn in Frankincense

The Ringed Castle

Checkmate

Dorothy Dunnett’s THE DISORDERLY KNIGHTS – Francis Lymond goes to Malta for a Worthy Adventure!

This is the third in Dunnett’s The Lymond Chronicles, the wonderful adventure series of historical novels featuring the wonderful Scottish hero Francis Crawford of Lymond.

 

Disorderly Knights is set in 1551 in the Middle East and North Africa where Francis is dispatched to embattled Malta to assist the Knights of Hospitallers in defending the island against the Turks. Factions within the Order work to defeat their cause; Francis will try to rescue the beautiful Irish lass he made love to in book 2; and, notwithstanding Francis’ efforts, Tripoli falls to Islam.

 

This is adventure of the best kind set in an exotic locale with some intriguing romance sprinkled in. The characters, particularly Gabriel, are well drawn and compelling even if he turns out to have a secret agenda. We are never in the head of Francis but we know him by his words and deeds. And our hero triumphs, as always.

 

A well-written series with enough suspense to keep you on the edge of your sear. I am devouring the books like chocolate truffles. Highly recommended.

Dorothy Dunnett’s QUEENS’ PLAY – Lymond Goes to France to Guard the Young Queen of Scots

Set in the 16^th century, this is the second in the Lymond Chronicles and follows Francis Crawford of Lymond’s further adventures, this time in France where, at the request of the Dowager Queen of Scots, he guards the young Queen Mary. Disguised as an Irish bard and often drunk, he manages to keep danger from the young queen and win many hearts at the court of the King of France. As in the first book, he is accused of crimes he did not commit but manages to save the day through his sword and his agile wit. He is joined by some noble Scots, some Irish characters, including a young Irish king, and a menagerie of animals.

 

 

A great installment in a wonderful series, I loved it! The characters, the suspense and the intrigue are very well done and Lymond charms. This time he also takes an Irish beauty as his lover—for one night. Highly recommended.

  

The Lymond Chronicles:

 

The Game of Kings

Queens' Play

The Disorderly Knights

Pawn in Frankincense

The Ringed Castle

Checkmate

 

Dorothy Dunnett’s THE GAME OF KINGS – Brilliant Storytelling in a Complicated Plot!

December is Favorites Month and I’m starting with one that is not only one of my favorites but that of many authors.

 

It’s set in 16^th century Scotland when the country’s future was at stake and the young Queen Mary was a sought after bride by both England and France. This is the story of Francis Crawford of Lymond, a nobleman who, through unfortunate events, ends up on the outside of the law, the head of a band of broken men. He has a sharp, witty intellect and is capable of dangerous endeavors.

 

In 1547 Lymond returns to his native Scotland, which is threatened by an English invasion. Accused of treason, he takes a risky path seeking to bring the truth to light, redeem his reputation and save his land. A hero in disguise, mistrusted by most, Lymond has many supporters still willing to rise to his defense.

 

Lymond is a charming, noble soul you will not be able to resist. Though often blamed in error for others’ crimes and treason, he rises above it all. Dunnett presents him an undefiled hero to be loved. And so he is.

 

This is an exceptionally well-told tale with passages that made me stand back in admiration. Even so, there were several places where I wasn’t at all sure what was going on or who was speaking. But these were minor detractions in light of the overall brilliant writing and great story. I couldn’t stop reading and am now on book 2 in the wonderful Lymond Chronicles. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction with a charismatic hero.

The Lymond Chronicles:

 

The Game of Kings

Queens' Play

The Disorderly Knights

Pawn in Frankincense

The Ringed Castle

Checkmate