Welcome to the Historical Fiction Online forums: a friendly place to discuss, review and discover historical fiction.
If this is your first visit, please be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above.
You will have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.
To start viewing posts, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Dorothy Dunnett

User avatar
Brenna
Bibliophile
Posts: 1358
Joined: June 2010
Location: Delaware

Post by Brenna » Thu December 29th, 2011, 10:46 pm

I'm not sure I'm going to "plunge" ahead with 4 other books. I have the second one that I will likely read soon, but we'll see if I'll buy the other 3 or just get them from the library...
Brenna

SGM
Compulsive Reader
Posts: 700
Joined: March 2010

Post by SGM » Fri December 30th, 2011, 12:56 am

[quote=""Brenna""]I'm not sure I'm going to "plunge" ahead with 4 other books. I have the second one that I will likely read soon, but we'll see if I'll buy the other 3 or just get them from the library...[/quote]

I hope you get on OK with this one because it caused me problems until about half way through. You might find it goes OK for you but if it does not, stick with it, it will grab you too in the end.
Last edited by SGM on Fri December 30th, 2011, 4:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Currently reading - Emergence of a Nation State by Alan Smith

User avatar
Brenna
Bibliophile
Posts: 1358
Joined: June 2010
Location: Delaware

Post by Brenna » Fri December 30th, 2011, 3:29 pm

It's interesting you say that because the 2nd book got mixed reviews it seems. Some people said once you get through the first book, the rest are wonderful. Others said the 2nd book was their least favorite. Others want to chime in?
Brenna

User avatar
The Czar
Reader
Posts: 137
Joined: May 2011
Location: Nashville TN

Post by The Czar » Tue February 7th, 2012, 7:25 pm

I couldn't agree with the OP more. I tried three times to get into Niccolo Rising, and finally got through. For the first half of the book, I was thinking to myself, "this isn't very well written, not very good" then all of a sudden, it clicked, I was hooked, and I stayed up till 4am to finish it.

It was interesting how the first half of the book, a bunch of seemingly random events keep happening around the seemingly hapless, oafish Claes, then boom, all of a sudden, you realize that there is more to Claes than meets the eye. Then gradually, you realize the intricate, machivellian plot that he has wrought.

One of the more interesting protagonists I've seen. I've gotten tired of the formulaic "So and so is a noble, he trains and becomes a baddie" format that seems to becoming standard in historical fiction. This was a refreshing change, and I am already into Spring of the Ram.

Although, I would like to gripe about Miss Dunnett's publisher... $16 for a paperback, and one printed in microprint at that! I read the first one on my kindle, but the tiny print in the print version is going to kill me.
Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results.
_______________________________________________
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli

SGM
Compulsive Reader
Posts: 700
Joined: March 2010

Post by SGM » Tue February 7th, 2012, 8:46 pm

I really enjoyed the first four HoN novels but less so the next three. I thought Caprice and Rondo was one book too many although the Robin part at the end was needed, the whole Anna plot was unnecessary particularly as it was sort of replicated in Gemini -- which I did enjoy.

I saw a review by someone somewhere who pointed out that the LCs were constructed very tightly but the same could not be said of HoN especially after novel 4 and I tend to agree -- with reservations about Disorderly Knights. I never quite understood why DD decided to split parts of the novel before and after QP unless to set the scene for Francis's relationship with his family.

I really liked Nicholas's character and his sense of humour which reminded me more of Philippa than of Francis.
Currently reading - Emergence of a Nation State by Alan Smith

User avatar
The Czar
Reader
Posts: 137
Joined: May 2011
Location: Nashville TN

Post by The Czar » Fri February 17th, 2012, 2:24 pm

[quote=""Sintra""]Yes, it's really strange that in both Lymond and Niccolo series there were a lot of secondary characters who tried to control the main heroes. Francis and Nicholas are grown men, they don't exactly need excessive supervision.[/quote]

Indeed! I am about halfway through Race of Scorpions, and Tobie, in particular, is beginning to irritate me. Either shut up and do what Nicholas says, or go away and run your own damn life. But this constant suspicion is annoying.

I really enjoyed Niccolo Rising and Spring of the Ram, but Race of Scorpions is definately not as good as those two. The plot strikes me as rather silly with the constant introductions, and the fact that the same 8 people always seem to bump into each other be it in Italy, Flanders, or the Levant. Hell, I live in a smallish town, and I don't bump into acquantances as often as Niccolas bumps into Simon all over Europe.

Great reads though. I got the next three from the library and am going to plow straight through Niccolo. I may have to take a Dunnett break before I start Lymond though.
Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results.
_______________________________________________
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli

User avatar
The Czar
Reader
Posts: 137
Joined: May 2011
Location: Nashville TN

Post by The Czar » Wed February 29th, 2012, 12:23 am

Ok, I just finished Scales of Gold and I hope something REALLY terrible happens to Gellis Van Borslen in The Unicorn Hunt.

:mad:
Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results.
_______________________________________________
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli

annis
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 4585
Joined: August 2008

Post by annis » Thu March 1st, 2012, 7:19 pm

Hear, hear! Gelis is one seriously disturbed personality, and the overly convoluted plots surrounding her desire for revenge were the reason why I never took to the Niccolo series the way I did to the Lymond Chronicles.

SGM
Compulsive Reader
Posts: 700
Joined: March 2010

Post by SGM » Thu March 1st, 2012, 9:17 pm

I really enjoyed four or maybe five of HoN and I really liked Nicholas -- much less tortured than Lymond. Not that I didn't enjoy the Lymond Chronicles but I did spend a lot of time wanting to kick him. Unfortunately, HoN could not produce another Philippa.
Currently reading - Emergence of a Nation State by Alan Smith

Grainne
Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: May 2012
Location: Mountsorrel, near Leicester

Dunnett

Post by Grainne » Tue June 5th, 2012, 6:01 pm

I am currently reading SF at the moment (Adam Roberts' Yellow blue Tibia), but reading this has reminded me that I am on the fourth reread of Lymond, and I must get back to it. I know he's overly romantic, but I absolutely adore Francis, although if I had met him in the flesh I would probably have told him to grow up and get over himself. Philippa is fantastic. Apart from "The Game of Kings" and "Checkmate", my favourite of the series is "Pawn in Frankinscence". Love "King Hereafter" as well, but never really took to Niccolo. I would love to have read DD's take on the Civil War.

Post Reply

Return to “Dorothy Dunnett”