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will love Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. There are times when Gemini reads a little too much as if it is a 700 page long epilogue to the Niccoló series, especially in the middle of the novel when Dunnett is working hard to make her narrative fit with historical fact, and everything seems to drag a little. It's much more episodic than the previous instalments in the series, and while the pace does pick up substantially towards the end, and the revelations once more come thick and fast, it's something of a let-down when compared to the previous books. Of course, what it does do is make me want to re-read both the Lymond Chronicles and the Niccoló books, if only so that I can get straight in my head this gnarled specimen of a family tree (do NOT click if you don't want to be thoroughly spoiled for both series all the way up to the last 50 pages of the Niccoló series), never mind the resonances and the parallels that Dunnett has set up between the two series. (  ) siriaeve | Jul 1, 2009 |  Maybe it's just me, but reading this finale of the Niccolo series felt more like a duty done than a pleasure. I got the feeling that Dunnett had too much left to unravel from her previous plot lines and too much history to try to work into her narrative. The result is a story which cannot stand on its own merit. It is bloated and preoccupied with integrating the geneology of Scottish nobility. There is none of the intriguing plots and vital characters which gave depth to the first two novels of the series. I kept reading because I wanted to like this book - and because I wanted the relief of knowing what Dunnett was trying to accomplish with this series. An accomplishment - that's what I feel reading this novel comes down to. (  ) netedt | Apr 5, 2008 |  no reviews | add a review
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Nicholas in particular is a splendidly rounded creation. And by placing him at the center of her sprawling narrative, Dunnett helps us to navigate the many convolutions of the plot. Her female characters, too, are distinctive. However, it is the sheer breadth of Dunnett's ambitions that takes the breath away, along with her exhilarating set pieces:
The sword point bit into his cloak and grated across the cuirass underneath, bringing the swordsman close for a moment, his face blank with surprise. Nicholas kicked him under the chin, so that he blundered back and hit someone else, while Nicholas dragged out his own sword. The horse wasn't his, but it was a powerful beast and alarmed enough to be ready to rear. Nicholas wrapped the reins around one wrist and hauled, using the bit to drag the horse threshing onto its haunches, and then allowing it to plunge forward again.En garde, Dunnett fans! Those who have made the long trek with our sword-brandishing hero will find this a perfectly orchestrated finale. --Barry Forshaw
(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:57:55 -0400)
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