- Paperback: 448 pages
- Publisher: Vintage Books; 1st Vintage Books Ed edition (31 May 1997)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 067977744X
- ISBN-13: 978-0679777441
- Product Dimensions: 20.5 x 13.4 x 2.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 364,613 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
For the first time Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles are available in the United States in quality paperback editions.
Second in the legendary Lymond Chronicles, Queen's Play follows Frances Crawford of Lymond who has been abruptly called into the service of Mary Queen of Scots. Though she is only a little girl, the Queen is already the object of malicious intrigues that extend from her native country to the court of France. It is to France that Lymond must travel, exercising his sword hand and his agile wit while also undertaking the most unlikely of masquerades, all to make sure that his charge's royal person stays intact.
Second in the legendary Lymond Chronicles, Queen's Play follows Frances Crawford of Lymond who has been abruptly called into the service of Mary Queen of Scots. Though she is only a little girl, the Queen is already the object of malicious intrigues that extend from her native country to the court of France. It is to France that Lymond must travel, exercising his sword hand and his agile wit while also undertaking the most unlikely of masquerades, all to make sure that his charge's royal person stays intact.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the second book in a series which you will either love or hate. It is also one of those multi-book series which must if at all possible be read in the right order, which is
1) The Game of Kings
2) Queen's Play
3) The Disorderly Knights
4) Pawn in Frankincense
5) The Ringed Castle
6) Checkmate
The Queen of the title is Mary Queen of Scots, a child ruler at the time of the story, with much of the action in Scotland and France relating to intrugues as to who will control the person of the young Queen.
There are two reasons why this series, and indeed the author's similar "Niccolo" series, should be read in chronological order. The first is that the plots are incredibly complicated and if you read them out of sequence you have no chance of understanding what is going on. The second is that many of the characters meet their deaths in ways which are exceptionally unpleasant both for themselves and for the characters who survive them.
I made the mistake of reading one of the later books first. When I came to read this one, advance knowledge of how an important character in this book is going to die, and how Lymond is going to find out about it, seriously affected the pleasure I would otherwise have had in reading the passage when they meet for the first time in "Queen's Play".
Like the books, the central character, Francis Crawford of Lymond, is brilliant, violent, and extremely complicated. Unlike the books he is very flawed. Lymond is a mercenary with particular interests in Scotland and France, and gets involved in nefarious deeds all over the world as 16th century Europeans knew it. Dunnett brings the splendour, cultural ferment, and violent cruelty of the Renaissance world splendidly to life.
If you are at all squeamish, or do not like having to make your brain work overtime to follow a book, leave this series alone. Lymond's story is neither "chewing gum for the brain" nor a comfortable read. And even if you prefer flawed heroes to knights in shining armour, Lymond may infuriate you from time to time. But if you can put up with these features, these books will richly reward the effort you make in reading them.
There is no middle ground: you will either hate the Lymond series or recognise these books as one of the greatest works of historical fiction ever written. Or very possibly both !
1) The Game of Kings
2) Queen's Play
3) The Disorderly Knights
4) Pawn in Frankincense
5) The Ringed Castle
6) Checkmate
The Queen of the title is Mary Queen of Scots, a child ruler at the time of the story, with much of the action in Scotland and France relating to intrugues as to who will control the person of the young Queen.
There are two reasons why this series, and indeed the author's similar "Niccolo" series, should be read in chronological order. The first is that the plots are incredibly complicated and if you read them out of sequence you have no chance of understanding what is going on. The second is that many of the characters meet their deaths in ways which are exceptionally unpleasant both for themselves and for the characters who survive them.
I made the mistake of reading one of the later books first. When I came to read this one, advance knowledge of how an important character in this book is going to die, and how Lymond is going to find out about it, seriously affected the pleasure I would otherwise have had in reading the passage when they meet for the first time in "Queen's Play".
Like the books, the central character, Francis Crawford of Lymond, is brilliant, violent, and extremely complicated. Unlike the books he is very flawed. Lymond is a mercenary with particular interests in Scotland and France, and gets involved in nefarious deeds all over the world as 16th century Europeans knew it. Dunnett brings the splendour, cultural ferment, and violent cruelty of the Renaissance world splendidly to life.
If you are at all squeamish, or do not like having to make your brain work overtime to follow a book, leave this series alone. Lymond's story is neither "chewing gum for the brain" nor a comfortable read. And even if you prefer flawed heroes to knights in shining armour, Lymond may infuriate you from time to time. But if you can put up with these features, these books will richly reward the effort you make in reading them.
There is no middle ground: you will either hate the Lymond series or recognise these books as one of the greatest works of historical fiction ever written. Or very possibly both !
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
After the Scottish setting of Game of Kings, Queen's Play moves to France and the French court of Henri II and his queen Catherine de Medici. Someone is trying to kill the young Mary Queen of Scots who is betrothed to the Dauphin, and Lymond, working secretly for Mary de Guise, is there to stop the plot. Poisonings, love affairs, crazy races through the rooftops of paris - and Lymond comes close to falling in love.
This is also the first book where the Dame de Doubtance appears who is an important character throughout the series, and also introduces Archie Abernethy, one of Lymond's truest friends and spiritual father.
I can't say how wonderful this whole series is, and would give all the books a 10-star rating if I could!
This is also the first book where the Dame de Doubtance appears who is an important character throughout the series, and also introduces Archie Abernethy, one of Lymond's truest friends and spiritual father.
I can't say how wonderful this whole series is, and would give all the books a 10-star rating if I could!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Lymond incognito. Lymond goes from despot to beautiful, retaining his ability to charm both sexes and inspire in some the sort of obsessive devotion that is to plague him throughout. Clues are starting to show but not necessarily picked up unless you read the series at least twice.
Queen's Play is full and fast paced, rich with 16th century Courtiers. As ever, the author keeps you spellbound and gasping at all she puts her hero through, but still with those lovely touches of humour that can make you laugh out loud. This to me is the more difficult of the 6 books, both to keep up with and understand the twists of the plotting. It is probably worth taking the time to read it twice before moving on to The Disorderly Knights.
Queen's Play is full and fast paced, rich with 16th century Courtiers. As ever, the author keeps you spellbound and gasping at all she puts her hero through, but still with those lovely touches of humour that can make you laugh out loud. This to me is the more difficult of the 6 books, both to keep up with and understand the twists of the plotting. It is probably worth taking the time to read it twice before moving on to The Disorderly Knights.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
An old fan eager to reread
I have known Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond and Niccolo series for some years. And I come back every 2 years or so, needing to re-read either one or other series. Read more
Published on 22 Nov 2009 by G. Swain
Lymond Chronicles
A must read book in the series which is all top of my wish list for a desert island. Complex, intriguing and challenging, but a delight on every page. Read more
Published on 1 Jun 2009 by Mrs. Joanna S. Knight
An excellent sequel
I've just finished this second book in the Lymond series, and it was excellent - a very clever plot, some terrific action and I don't think there is one single weakly portrayed or... Read more
Published on 22 April 2008 by Deborah
Book # 2 in the Lymond Chronicles and all is not what it appears
It is two years since the close of The Game of Kings and someone is planning the murder of young Mary Queen of Scots, and Mary of Guise summons Francis Crawford of Lymond to France... Read more
Published on 3 Feb 2008 by Misfit
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