The Game of Kings

Twelve in12

Reading
Queen’s Play ~ Dorothy Dunnett
Pride and Prejudice ~ Jane Austen
Sentimental Education ~ Gustave Flaubert
Finished
Mirror, Mirror ~ Gregory Macguire
Witchling ~ Yasmine Galenorn
Changeling ~ Yasmine Galenorn
Something Wicked ~ Catherine Mulvany
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ~ J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ~ J.K. Rowling
Myst: Book of Atrus ~ Rand Miller, Robyn Miller and David Wingrove
The Game of Kings ~ Dorothy Dunnett

BOOK REVIEW FOR TWELVE IN 12

Title: The Game of Kings – Lymond Chronicles Book 1
Author: Dorothy Dunnett
Pages: 543
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Vintage Books, 1961 (Republished in USA by Random House 1997)

Review: The Game of Kings, is the first book in a series about Francis Crawford of Lymond who is a Scottish noble accused of treason against the child Mary, Queen of Scots. He is on the run not just from the law, but also from his brother for crimes against their family. Everyone seems to be against him, except his rough band of outlaws. The book follows Lymond as he attempts to find the truth and set the record straight.

What I enjoyed most about the book was its constant surprises and twists. It was completely unpredictable, and I never knew what was going to happen as I turned the page. It is not an easy read, as the language and references are true to the time period. Many charaters have various nicknames, which caused some confusion for me in the beginning. But there is a character list in the beginning of the book, along with a map for those unfamiliar with the countryside. Its a tough read, and not a book to take on lightly. But it’s worth the effort and I’ve already started on the second book.