Any other Dorothy Dunnett fans?

[Lymond]

I namechanged to Lymond recently to try to come across some other DD fans on mumsnet. [lame obsessive emoticon] I was hoping for

"Lymond - as in Francis Crawford of?" as a hijack on some other thread. But it hasn't happened yet. Any other Dunnett fans on mumsnet?

And anyone who has stumbled across this, if you want historical prose even more beautifully written than Wolf Hall, a hero even sexier than Edward Cullen, historical accuracy to outstrip even Patrick O'Brien, combined with humour and adventure, yet scarily unsentimental, go and buy or borrow the Game of Kings.

[Pogleswood]

Well,there's me! I haven't seen you on any other threads.I love the Lymond books,and King Hereafter,but never really got on with the Niccolo series,though I do mean to try them again at some point. I hadn't read her for a while,but last year I listened to the whole series on audiobook - it was fantastic,I enjoyed them so much!

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

I've spotted you and thought 'I bet she means Francis Crawford' but never said

Love the Lymond Chronicles so much, spent many days hours of teenageredom swooning over him.

I think they might be due a re-read.

[Lymond]

Well my plan kind of worked then, Alibaba! Yes, do re-read; I re-read LC every 2 years. You must have been a very bright and erudite teenager; I discovered GOK aged 20 at university, I don't think I'd have coped with them any younger.

Pogleswood I haven't found the Niccolo as easy as Lymond either, but want to try them again sometime soon. DH bought me the first 4 LC on cd for my birthday, I tried to listen to them when I drive, but between the DC yealling "Booooring", and being transfixed by the storyline and getting distracted from the road I haven't got very far yet. Are RC and CM available on audio book as he said he colud only find first 4?

One of the biggest acheivements in my married life has been to get DH to read the LC. he really enjoyed them, so now I have someone to discuss them with; can't swoon over Lymond with DH though, that would just be weird...

Do you have any book recommendations for me? All my favourite authors have been recommended to me by other Dunett fans.(Dorothy L Sayers, Patrick O'Brien, George R R Martin, Lois McMaster Bujold's "Miles Vorkosigan" books)

Maybe I'll become ThadyBoy next!

[KurriKurri]

Lymond - I've never read any, but like the sound of them, will add to my 'to read' list - what would you recommend to start with?

Also literature map is a handy site for finding authors similar to those you enjoy.

[Lymond]

KK, start with "A Game of Kings". Not Dorothy Dunnett at her absolute best (as was her first foray into writing), but still better than any other historical fiction ever written (caveat: except Patrick O'Brien and Mary Renault). Its the first in an excellent series of six about Francis Crawford of Lymond, a Renaissance man sworn to the service of the young Mary Queens of Scots, or perhaps to her English enemies...

Off to play with the literature map - thanks!

[MrsSaxon]

DD fan here!!! Almost started a thread myself a couple of times!

I first read them when I was about 18 and re read about every 5 years or so. I always get so much out of each re-read as the plots are so complex.

Please all re try with the Niccolo books, they really are utterly amazing. If you get to the end you will not believe how she links them with the Lymond books (now you HAVE to read them to find out!)

I am so thrilled that there are others out there!!!

[Lymond]

Yay, another one! I knew MNers were a discerning bunch!

I did get to end of Niccolo, and liked the links. Enjoyed each book. But didn't "get" Niccolo in the way I "get" Lymond, which somehow made it less rewarding, and so far I haven't re-read them. Also found Gellis annoying. But I think in the course of my life I may end up getting more out of HoN than LC... assuming I live long enough

I know there is an online forum linked to the Whispering Gallery Magazine, where they do a group read of the Niccolo books, teasing out all the Lymond links, and all the deeper meanings and clues to Niccolo's character generally. I've just never found the time to join in, but keep meaning to.

[MrsSaxon]

It took me a while to warm to Nicholas, but he got me in the end!

He is a rawer, cruder character then Francis. He has a lot of his genius, but without any of his social advantages.

Lymond is a master of the game, whereas Nicholas is a beginner who often makes spectacularly bad choices.

The Lymond books are always the ones I re read the most though, I still get surprised by the plot, even though I know it so well.

[FromGirders]

Me, me!
Started with GoK when I was an impressionable teenager (my mum gave me them!) and no-one has ever quite lived up to the Comte de Sevigny. Love the Niccolo series too, although I started it before the series was finished writing,a nd had to do it in bits, which isn't ideal.
Am about to re-read the whole lot starting with Niccolo and moving on to Lymond.

[FromGirders]

And yes, Lymond, i've noticed you about! But I tend to lurk more than post . . .

[MrsSaxon]

FromGirders, my mum gave me them to!

They had weird 70s covers and the illustration did not look like Lymond at all!

I still have a few of the old ones, but have bought myself some shiny new ones on the way.

[FromGirders]

Yep, my mum has the same ones - Lymond has dark hair!!! Looks weird.
Actually, I don't suppose you still have GoK in that edition? My mum lent it to a friend in the eighties, whose dog ate it. The friend replaced the book with a newer edition, so now mum doesn't have a matching set. I've been looking on Amazon for it for her, but none of the booksellers will answer my queries about which cover they have !

[MrsSaxon]

I will have a look tomorrow, they are currently residing in my garage.

He did have dark hair didn't he, and looked about 50! Very odd.

I am gonna re-read, starting from Niccolo Rising, all due to this thread.

[FromGirders]

Sorry, I kind of put you on the spot there. However, if you do have GoK and would be interested in selling it, I'd be interested in buying it! (Wouldn't have asked if you hadn't had a new shiny set). It's really irked my mum for a lot of years now . . .

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

FromGirders - no-one could possibly live up to him though could they, which I rather think was the point. Always felt vaguely sorry for DD's husband

I am encouraged by the comments on HoN, I've never attempted it. MrsSaxon, would you say it was better to read Niccolo before re-reading Lymond?

[MrsSaxon]

If I have one, you can have it, no good for me.

Just about to start Niccolo Rising, wish me luck.

[Pogleswood]

Hi,all! Lymond, publishers of the CDs did publish all 6 books as audiobooks on tape,so I assume they will put RC and CM onto CD too.(I plan to email them and ask,now!)Our library had all the books on tape and thats where I got them from first. It's a pity I think that GoK had a different narrator - I didn't like him as much.

[Lymond]

I wondered why they changed narrator after GoK. That's the one I'm on now... good to hear it improves.

FromGirders - I collect DD books in all their many editions from charity shops, as I don't like seeing them look lonely next to trashy books, just doesn't seem right! So next time I'm in my loft I'll check whether I have an old GoK for you.

Who owns Elspeth Morrisons "Dorothy Dunnett Companion pt1 and pt 2". You can look up all the quotes from chapter headings, things characters say in different languages, etc.. As I'm sure you all know, these things often have a large bearing on what is actually going on. I mean to look each thing up when I read Niccolo next - I think it may help.

Good luck MrsSaxon! I'll finish the series I'm currently reading, and then start NR too.

[MrsSaxon]

FromGirders alas, no Game of Kings, I will keep an eye out though at the boot fairs etc.

Alibabaaandthe40nappies I would certainly read the Niccolo series before a Lymond re-read.

[Pogleswood]

I'm working up to getting the Dorothy Dunnett Companion,but can't quite bring myself to spend the money,as I'm spending far too much money on books at the moment anyway!
My problem with the Niccolo books is that I didn't particularly like any of the characters,whereas I was going to list the Lymond characters I really like and realised it is pretty much all of them(with certain obvious exceptions!)And I find the politics and history fascinating,but in the Niccolo area and time period it just doesn't capture my interest in the same way.(have only read the first 2 books I think)
So,those of you who have read HoN - what is it that you like particularly?

[AppleTreeWick]

Tant que je vivre....from memory so it's probably wrong

"As long as I live, my heart shall never vary
for no one else however fair or good,
brave, resolute or rich of gentle blood
my choice is made and I will have no other"

Sob...I think Lymond RUINED me for normal life tbh thank you for reminding me (in a good way obviously)I will now spend the afternoon daydreaming about Phillipa's adventures (God I loved her too).

Also...."the Bishop's get"...Danny something loved him too. He fell in love with a Tartar girl then snuffled his way through France.

[AppleTreeWick]

oh oh oh...I have never actually known how to pronounce Lymond...is it Lie-mond or li'mond then?

[Pogleswood]

AppleTreeWick! Everyone loved him,didn't they (Again,obvious characters excepted!)
I always said Limond,(i as in list) but the narrator of the audio books says Liemond - took me a while to get used to that..

[AppleTreeWick]

Aha! Thank you Pogleswood. So Liemond is canon then?

I used to experiment pronouncing Lymond in various really quite poor scots accents (think "we're doomed")to try and get something that sounded like it could be a hero name. I ended up ignoring it by the end...Voevoda Bolshoi I liked, now that was a hero name...

[Pogleswood]

So was this practising in the privacy of your own room,AppleTreeWick?! I preferred it when he was still the Master of Culter,myself!