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| Queens' Play (Lymond Chronicles, 2) | 
 enlarge | Author: Dorothy Dunnett
Publisher: Vintage
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
Buy Used: $0.99
You Save: $14.96 (94%)
New (33) Used (51) Collectible (2) from $0.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  21 reviews
Sales Rank: 43724
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 432
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 067977744X
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780679777441
ASIN: 067977744X
Publication Date: April 29, 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Once an accused traitor, now a valued, if reluctant, agent of Scottish diplomacy, Lymond is sent to France, to protect a very young Queen Mary Stuart, who is being groomed for marriage to the dauphin. Disguised as a disreputable Irish scholar, Lymond insinuates himself into the glittering labyrinth of the French court, where every courtier is a would-be conspirator.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 16 more reviews...
 Book # 2 in the Lymond Chronicles and all is not what it appears February 3, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
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 to stop the murderous plot. Francis comes in disguise as a member of the entourage of a Prince of Ireland, and the game is on. Thady Boy Ballagh nee' Lymond charms the decadent French court with his wit, sarcasm and music as Dunnett slowly unpeels the layers of her tale with plot twists and surprise turns around every corner. No one is what they appears to be at first glance, even Francis. Is Thady Boy really a drunken sot or is someone trying to poison him? Someone is trying to kill O'LiamRoe but is it because they think he is Lymond in disguise? Does the young Archer Robin Stewart who befriends Thady Boy have another motive than friendship?
While the book is slow at times, this story unfolds amidst the decadence of the French Court, it's hard drinking, partying courtiers, scheming noblemen, a race atop the roofs and steeples of Paris (brilliant!!), and ending in a nail biting finish as the plot to murder Mary comes full circle and Francis' efforts to save Mary include some members of the King's menagerie -- a couple of elephants, a roaring lion and even the chimpanzees get in the act.
Throughout, Francis Crawford is a fascinating hero, and is as suave, debonair, flawed and fascinating as only a 16th Century version of James Bond could be. This is a complicated tale, and one that a reader has to pay close attention to, if you let your mind wander you may have to back track occasionally as I did. However, if you enjoy a complicated, action packed, surprise around every corner type of novel ala Dumas, you will probably find this series to be right up your alley. Five stars and now on to book #3 The Disorderly Knights.
Lymond series No 2: brilliant but not for everyone September 6, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
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 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 !
 Plodding Through July 26, 2007
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
I'm almost done with book 2 of the Lymond Chronicles and so far I've realized that Lymond is moody, manic-depressive, an alcoholic and highly intelligent. I couldn't be his woman. Actually, so far he hasn't had any serious relationships with anyone, just sex with [...] and one night stands with court people that are vaguely mentioned. The relationship with Christian Stewart in book 1 was very sweet and tender but purely platonic - however I know she had his heart.
I'll keep reading and see what more I learn of him. As a character he is interesting. This particular book - book II - is not my favorite. I am only reading it in hopes (and from reading reviews) that the rest of the series is better. I don't want to miss anything by skipping this one so I am forcing my way through. The most interesting part of forcing my way through are the tidbits I pick up on his character. The plot/story line of the book is not interesting at all to me.
I enjoyed book 1 after I got about 100 pages into it and after putting it down and picking it up for a second time.
Wonderfully pleasurable and eminently educational March 9, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Utterly fascinating from cover to cover as a novel, while the research backing up even the smallest detail commands an admiration bordering on awe. It is a book that I will re-read several times.
 Reviews paperback book, not content September 1, 2005
2 out of 11 found this review helpful
I have heard great reviews of this author from friends, so I set out to buy one of her books. The paperback version of this book is so offensively ugly no one should buy it. The type bleeds so the letters are fuzzy, and the overall impact is negative. I haven't looked at the hardbound version, but don't buy the paperback version - get it from the library if you want to read this book. No publisher should get away with this kind of product. No author should put up with it, and no reader should buy it.
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