"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Set in Scotland in 1477, in the international world of trade and commerce, fatal results are suffered by those who do not know the rules of the game. When Nicholas de Fleury returns to Edinburgh after four years' absence, curiosity about why he closed all his ventures in Scotland and deserted his friends is high. Struggling to fend off his enemies' attempts to kill him, Nicholas rejoins the fledgling court of young King James the Third, and finds that the dangerous internecine squabbles of James and his treacherous siblings is every bit as dangerous as the local intrigue he has left behind. Dunnett describes this with the kind of ornate and pungent prose that she has long been mistress of, with her customarily massive cast of characters all delineated with genuine brio.
Nicholas is a splendidly rounded creation, and by placing him at the centre of her sprawling narrative, you are always given the perfect lodestone to draw you inexorably through the convolutions of the plot. Dunnett's female characters are as distinctive as ever, with Kathi Sersanders remaining the most memorable, her relationship with de Fleury adroitly drawn. However, it is the sheer breadth of Dunnett's ambitions that takes the breath away and, as ever, the set pieces are exhilarating:
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.Those who have followed the House of Niccolò series will find this a perfectly orchestrated finale. --Barry Forshaw
Praise for Dorothy Dunnett
(- -)"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. 'Dunnett's legion of devoted readers will need no recommendation to buy GEMINI. They would, I imagine, walk barefoot to the bookshop over broken glass to get it.Anyone reading this novel, even as an introduction to Dunnett's work will, I suspect, join that band of admirers' Sunday Times GEMINI represents the final appearance of Nicholas de Fleury, who opened this series as a carefree, clumsy 18 year old apprentice in Flanders. Now he is in his thirties. The culmination of this amazing series sees Niccolo face his toughest battle yet, against an enemy who will tax every skill he has acquired over the course of the last few years. The final appearance of Nicholas de Fleury, who started in the first of the Niccolo series as an 18-year-old apprentice. Now in his 30s, his flair for numbers means he could find a place almost anywhere in 15th century Europe. But first he has to return to Scotland where men wait to kill him. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780140252316
Book Description Condition: New. In eng. Seller Inventory # ria9780140252316_new
Book Description Paperback / softback. Condition: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days. Seller Inventory # B9780140252316
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. 768 pages. 7.76x5.12x2.09 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # __0140252312
Book Description Soft Cover. Condition: new. Seller Inventory # 9780140252316
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. 768 pages. 7.76x5.12x2.09 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # zk0140252312
Book Description Condition: New. The final appearance of Nicholas de Fleury, who started in the first of the Niccolo series as an 18-year-old apprentice. Now in his 30s, his flair for numbers means he could find a place almost anywhere in 15th century Europe. But first he has to return to Scotland where men wait to kill him. Series: House of Niccolo. Num Pages: 768 pages, geneal. table, maps. BIC Classification: FA; FV. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 138 x 198 x 45. Weight in Grams: 580. . 2001. New ed. Paperback. . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland. Seller Inventory # V9780140252316
Book Description Condition: New. The final appearance of Nicholas de Fleury, who started in the first of the Niccolo series as an 18-year-old apprentice. Now in his 30s, his flair for numbers means he could find a place almost anywhere in 15th century Europe. But first he has to return to Scotland where men wait to kill him. Series: House of Niccolo. Num Pages: 768 pages, geneal. table, maps. BIC Classification: FA; FV. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 138 x 198 x 45. Weight in Grams: 580. . 2001. New ed. Paperback. . . . . Seller Inventory # V9780140252316
Book Description Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware - GEMINI represents the final appearance of Nicholas de Fleury, who opened this series as a carefree, clumsy 18 year old apprentice in Flanders. Now he is in his thirties. The culmination of this amazing series sees Niccolo face his toughest battle yet, against an enemy who will tax every skill he has acquired over the course of the last few years. Seller Inventory # 9780140252316
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. 'Dunnett's legion of devoted readers will need no recommendation to buy GEMINI. They would, I imagine, walk barefoot to the bookshop over broken glass to get it.Anyone reading this novel, even as an introduction to Dunnett's work will, I suspect, join that band of admirers' Sunday Times GEMINI represents the final appearance of Nicholas de Fleury, who opened this series as a carefree, clumsy 18 year old apprentice in Flanders. Now he is in his thirties. The culmination of this amazing series sees Niccolo face his toughest battle yet, against an enemy who will tax every skill he has acquired over the course of the last few years. The final appearance of Nicholas de Fleury, who started in the first of the Niccolo series as an 18-year-old apprentice. Now in his 30s, his flair for numbers means he could find a place almost anywhere in 15th century Europe. But first he has to return to Scotland where men wait to kill him. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780140252316