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Dorothy Dunnett

Niccolo Rising (House of Niccolo)

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Spring of the Ram (House of Niccolo) 

"Get Me on the Next Flight to Trabzond  "  was my reaction after reading this sequel to Niccolo Rising (House of Niccolo) . Dunnett's blend of intricate plotting and historical depth is amazing. Here she concentrates on the little known period immediately after the conquest of Constantinople, when the Byzantine empire struggled to survive in a corner of the Black Sea. Their allies are possibly more dangerous than their enemies, making a perfect setting for Niccolo's games. In 1999, we visited Trabzond as part of a 5 week trip to Turkey, and while the modern town is rather dreary, Dunnett's descriptions of past glories were still fresh in my mind.

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Race of Scorpions (House of Niccolo)

The struggle for Cyprus in the 15th century.  Again, her evocation of these times were one of the reasons we visited Cyprus, and walking the ruins of Famagusta recalled many incidents from the siege described in her book.

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Scales of Gold (House of Niccolo)

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The Unicorn Hunt 

After the comparatively linear plotting of Scales of Gold, Dunnett's back to her wonderful tricks in this book. Niccolo and friends (and enemies) continue to tear about the known world, making modern day travelers envious (although we do wind up in fewer dungeons than the resilient Niccolo). This volume starts in Scotland, but the ferment in the Eastern Mediterranean is still the focus of the plot. Dunnett has an amazing ability to weave intricate plots, then resolve or dissolve them within a few paragraphs, leaving the reader breathless. She continues to capture the essence of each country that Niccolo explores. Her descriptions of Cairo can serve as a guide for modern travelers -- having visited Cairo, her descriptions of medieval Cairo evoked memories of the khans and citadel.

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  To Lie With Lions : The House of Niccolo

 
 Caprice and Rondo Gemini
The Lymond Chronicles -- an earlier multi volume historical fiction series that prefigures the Niccolo masterworks -- first published in the 1960's but still worth reading on its own. set in the time of Mary, Queen of Scots, the action begins along the Scottish borders but expands to the entire Mediterranean basin.
The Game of Kings

Queen's Play

 The Disorderly Knights

The Pawn in Frankincense

 Checkmate

King Hereafter - Dunnett's unique retelling of the Macbeth story --

Among the other ideas she incorporates are the concepts of the pre-capitalist, pre-mercantilist kingdoms [in Bobbitt's terms, Princely states rather than Kingly states] 

 

 

 

 

 

Send a Fax From the Kasbah Typical Dunnett Byzantine plot, yet set in modern Morocco.  It's amazing how intricate her webs become, with only a half dozen major characters, yet each of them appears to have multiple connections and motivations.  The story runs from Marrakech to seaside Esssaouria, then back to the Atlas mountains. Her descriptions of Morocco give vivid reality to the otherwise fantastic storyline.
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