Reviews

The Race of Scorpions by Dorothy Dunnett

melindamoor's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

nigellicus's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense

5.0

Left at a loose end after the shattering conclusion to his Trebizond venture, assorted people seek to induce Nicolas to lend them his talents, and Nicholas refuses all of them, choosing instead to join his company's mercenary leader, Astorre, in fighting the war in Naples. Kidnapped and taken to the island of Cyprus, Nicholas is initially steadfast in his refusal to support either side in the war of succession between Queen Carlotta and the pretender, James, but soon finds various reasons, mostly cynical, one of them plain revenge, to pick a side, assuming he can keep himself and his army alive long enough. 

Action, adventure, schemes and plots, high and low romance, family feuds and epic battles and highly devious murder attempts enliven his stay in Cyprus, but then these sorts of things tend to follow him around, or lie in wait for him. Brilliantly entertaining.

casbb's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

amigo_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

lauriestein's review against another edition

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4.0

angst angst ANGST and endless machinations. such wonderful symbolism and layers re: commodity and polity and family.

juliana_aldous's review against another edition

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4.0

The saga of Niccolo continues.... If you like historical fiction this series is a good one to seek out.

raruther's review against another edition

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  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.5

Slow opening, Niccolo purposeless - will come back to this.

poachedeggs's review against another edition

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4.0

Slower-going than the earlier two, but finished very well. 3.5 stars.

gillothen's review against another edition

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4.0

It's by DD, so don't expect anything straightforward! Lush description, humour, tension, excitement, however, are there in plenty. Absorbing, enjoyable, complex and fascinating.

siria's review against another edition

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4.0

It's okay to admit that I still don't have the foggiest idea about much of what goes on in this book, right? Especially in the last third, when the plot twists, revelations and political machinations are coming fast and thick. Still, fast-paced enough to be very enjoyable, though, and I think it's a lot easier to spend six hundred odd pages with Niccolo than it is with Lymond. (Don't get me wrong, I'm very fond of Lymond, but the urge to smack him upside the head is so strong.)