thedailychannel.com — recommended books

Great Historical Novels

The Game of Kings
by Dorothy Dunnett

The Game of Kings is the first and arguably the best volume in the six-volume chronicles of Francis Lymond. In subsequent volumes the erudite, witty, complex, and patriotic Lymond roams throughout known 16th-century Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, in a never ending and action packed quest for ... well, that would be telling. This first volume is set in Scotland.

This first volume takes a little getting into, but if you make it past the first 150 or 200 pages (it took me two tries, and then boom, I was online for six absorbing novels), you're in for the reading ride of your life. At least in this first volume, you'll be consulting the dictionary frequently, no matter how large your vocabulary. And among other treats, you'll be rewarded with the very best swordfight scene in all of English literature.

This is a great historical novel, which bears re-reading and therefore owning. This re-issue of a new edition of the Lymond Chronicles is a wonderful gift from the publishing world. Visit Amazon read the amazing reviews by other readers, and then buy the Game of Kings

Some people recommend the second in the series, Queen's Play, as the place to start. Okay, maybe so, but do you really want to skip the best swordfight scene in all of English literature? Caution: the reviews of these books may convince you to buy all six. Not a bad idea, in my opinion.

Queen's Play Second in the Series:Scotland and France
The Disorderly Knights Third: 1551, Malta and Scotland
Pawn in FrankincenseFourth: Ottoman Empire, 1550's
The Ringed Castle Fifth in the Lymond Chronicles: Muscovy
Checkmate Sixth and final in the Lymond Chronicles: 1557 France and England