Dunnett, Dorothy - Queen's Play

[oyceter]

Ok, that one went by a lot faster than Game of Kings! And now I'm torn between reading LJ and jumping along headfirst into Disorderly Knights, because eep! So caught up in the world now!

Though I found this one easier to read over all than Game of Kings, I didn't quite like the conflicts as much. First things first -- not enough Richard =(. Boo. My favorite part of the book was when Richard goes to find Lymond poisoned, and I just wibbled all over the place. And now I have bad evil thoughts of incesty slash fics, and I blame this entirely on fandom. But the brothers! Squee!

I was sad when Sybilla didn't really show up, because I like her. I couldn't quite make up my mind about liking Oonagh O'Dwyer or not -- my general impression of her is that she is very pretty and has black hair, but not much of a personality in my head now. I'm still desperately trying to find a female character to glom on, because in general that's how I read or watch large ensemble productions. And since Dunnett already killed off Christian Stewart, I've been sort of floundering through Queen's Play in that respect.

Gah, I really need some sort of giant family tree type thing with all the characters and their ages and relationships and political affiliations somewhere. I keep having to flip back to the front of the book -- Janet? Which Janet? Wait, Margaret Erskine is Margaret Fleming, right? and the like. Oh, I was all set up to like Margaret Erskine as well, especially her little speech to Lymond in the beginning about him not liking her because she was essentially taking Christian Stewart's place for Tom Erskine. I like how Dunnett remembers the previous book. I kind of missed the old Scottish characters from Game of Kings (ok, mostly Richard).

The climax of this book also didn't have the same impact the last half of Game of Kings had for me -- no giant unexpected death scene of liked female character, no wibble-worthy sibling duel with lots of angst and recriminations or any patching up later. But Lymond climbing the tower with Robin Stewart was quite nifty. Luckily, Robin Stewart annoyed me less than Will Scott. I also in general have no idea what went on with the plot, heh. O'LiamRoe just kept switching sides on me (or else he was really devious and was only on one side to start with?) and I can't for the life of me keep all the various factions straight.

That's ok. I'm hooked anyway ^_^. Besides, I can figure out the plot on rereads. I want to get to more wibbly character parts. (Is there going to be a good female character coming up who's not evil? I like Margaret Lennox because she's all schemy, but I want someone else to read too)

I just skimmed through the cast of characters in Disorderly Knights and am quite pleased to note that Kate Somerville is there! She's Gideon's wife, right? From Game of Kings? I liked her.

Links:
- rilina's review
- rachelmanija on the first 50 pgs. and on the entire thing

Comments

[deadsoul820.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, there's a good female character coming up, but I'm not saying who...

[oyceter]

Good ^_^. Looking forward to her... (and now guessing wildly).

[oracne.livejournal.com]

Is there going to be a good female character coming up who's not evil?

Yes.

I am grinning very hugely. I just read these in the last couple of years, and I love hearing someone else wibble, too.

[minnow1212.livejournal.com]

Grinning as well. Grinning *hugely.*

>Though I found this one easier to read over all than Game of Kings, I didn't quite like the conflicts as much.<

FWIW, I had much the same reaction. To me, Queen's Play is the weakest in the series, though there are some fabulous moments.

>Kate Somerville is there! She's Gideon's wife, right? From Game of Kings? I liked her.<

Yup, Gideon's wife. There is a moment with a blackberry pie and Kate in Disorderly Knights that I love, love, love. Oh, you have so much to look forward to! :envious:

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

Grinning again. I wish you fun.

[oyceter]

^_^.

Fun and lots of sleepless nights to come ;).

[oyceter]

Oh good ^_^. I really like Kate Somerville from what I've read in Game of Kinds and Disorderly Knights... she's so wonderfully practical.

And my favorite parts in Queen's Play were the Richard-Lymond scenes and the very end, when Margaret Erskine is sort of berating Lymond to take the consequences of his own forceful personality.

[oyceter]

Yay!

At this point, I've been completely sucked in to the entire universe! And wibbling to a huge extent, because, eep, the goodness!

[rilina.livejournal.com]

As others have noted, Dunnett does provide another good female character. Hee.

Queens Play was also my least favorite of the series, though still quite good. LIke you, I'm more invested in the main Scottish supporting characters--Sybilla, Richard, etc. From what you've written here, you'll almost definitely enjoy The Disorderly Knights more (which, by the way, has perhaps the funniest scene in all of the Lymond books near its beginning).

And have PIF ready when you near the end of TDK.

[minnow1212.livejournal.com]

>which, by the way, has perhaps the funniest scene in all of the Lymond books near its beginning<

And a heck of a first line, too. It's a splendid beginning. (The opening line of book 5 is also great.)

[oyceter]

I adore the entire Culter family to pieces ^_^.

minnow1212 warned me about having PIF reading as well, so I've got the rest of the series checked out of the library, thankfully. I experienced a brief moment of panic when I thought I couldn't find Checkmate...

[cofax7]

I should sit down and reread Disorderly Knights, it's been too long. It will probably make you cry in several spots, but there is a hysterically funny sequence near the beginning.

DI introduces a number of my most favorite characters, characters you will follow through the rest of the series. There are three very strong female characters you have yet to meet (plus a number of strong secondary women characters).

I liked QP because it's basically a mystery and a one-off, although it does contain the seeds of later plot-related stuff. Also because Robin Stewart is so gormless, so tragic, and for the quote from Margaret Erskine (via O'Liam'Roe) near the end:

For those of nimble tongues: the strangest and most terrible power we possess is the power we have, each of us, over the chance-met, the stranger, the passerby outside our life and our kin. Speak as you would write, as if your words were letters of lead, graven there for all time, and for which you must take the consequences. And take the consequences.

I love Margaret (and Tom).

Enjoy your reading!

(This icon has a line from the end of DI.)

[oyceter]

Yay! Many strong female characters!

Oh, I love that Margaret Erskine quote from QP! I forgot to mention it in the midst of all the wibbling.