What do You think about Race Of Scorpions (1999)?
People who are devoted Dorothy Dunnett readers generally fall into two camps: the Lymond Lovers (her first series) and the Niccolo folk. I'm in the second camp. I like Lymond, but I love the House of Niccolo series.The thing is, I can't pick up any of the Niccolo books without wanting to read the whole series again. And given the complexity and demanding nature of these novels, that's like saying you're just rarin' to swim the Atlantic one more time.So here I am, in the middle of re-reading the series again. I'm on the third volume, A Race of Scorpions, and almost finished with it. This must be my seventh or eighth reading, and things don't get any easier, I have to say. Is this a streak of masochism in me? Or is there some other reason I go back and read these books again and again?Clearly, the story has me hooked. More clear still is the fact that I just don't understand some of what goes on in this novel, and every time I read it I am determined to figure it out. This third novel is set primarily on the island of Cyprus, in a time when Christian and Muslem powers were locked in one bloody war after another: for souls, for trade monopolies, for land.Niccolo is one of those extremely intelligent, extremely devious, utterly charming characters. He has reason to be devious and he certainly has reason to hold a grudge, and in fact he is a formidable foe. But Dunnett is so dedicated to keeping the reader guessing that she rarely lets us inside Niccolo's head, and so we readers are likely to end up as confused as some of the characters who find themselves in the middle of Niccolo's plans for (if not world, then trade) domination. The first two novels in the series are demanding, but this one takes it up a couple notches. Who is scheming against which King or Queen, Greeks and Mamalukes, Portugese and Knights of the Order, the Pope, the Sultan, the Genoese and the Venetians -- the next time somebody complains I've got too many characters, I'm going to hand them Dorothy Dunnett. Who is, according to the New York Times, the best writer of historical fiction, ever. Which reminds me: my publisher says that sales of historical novels are down across the board. Can that be true, given the following Dunnett has for these anything-but-fluff deeply written, very detailed novels?Should you read this book? Do you like a really good historical novel wrapped in many layers of complexity? Are you willing to read the first two novels first, and to read slowly? If so, you will be rewarded. Otherwise, you'd be better off with less demanding fare.
—Rosina Lippi
This is the third book in Dunnett's eight-book House of Niccolo series, which is about Europe and the Mediterranean in the late 15th century. I read the first two volumes years ago, but moving to Boston, going to grad school, and all sorts of other stuff kept me from picking the series back up. I decided that, since I was in the mood for a long historical epic anyway, I should read the remaining books before I forgot everything about the first two.The Niccolo of the title is Nicholas vander Poele, a charming, clever, and very smart young man who has risen from a dyeworks apprentice to the head of his own merchant and banking house. In Race of Scorpions, Nicholas, along with various new and old friends and associates, gets drawn into the conflict between Carlotta and James Lusignan, half-siblings competing for the throne of Cyprus. Nicholas sides with James, and Nicholas and his bank's mercenary company get involved in both the military and political machinations necessary to secure James' throne while advancing Nicholas' business and personal ambitions.This book was a truly enjoyable read. The plot is fairly intricate and allows for plenty of action and political intrigue. The characters are complex and interesting. The pacing is overall excellent - there are very few slow bits and no dull spots. I particularly liked the fact that the plot covered locations and events that seem to be less often addressed in historical fiction, especially since I knew next to nothing about Cyprus before reading the book.
—Carol
