The Game of Kings .281961.29 Lymond Chronicles

1 game of kings (1961)

1.1 main fictional characters
1.2 main historical characters
1.3 main locations

the game of kings (1961)

living wits , sword-arm in 16th-century scotland, francis crawford of lymond charismatic figure: polyglot scholar, soldier, musician, master of disguises, nobleman—and accused outlaw. after 5 years exile, lymond has returned scotland, in defiance of scottish charges against him treason on behalf of english , murder. has assembled private band of mercenaries , ruffians follow ruthless, despotic leadership. reader gradually learns lymond has returned single goal: prove innocence , restore name, must find man framed him , condemned him 2 years french galley slave before managed escape.

the novel constructed clockwork mystery: intricate web of many moving parts, punctuated set pieces of adventure, high comedy, or intense drama. suspense whether lymond prove himself innocent, die in attempt, or captured , hanged. mystery lymond? dunnett reveals gradually, tantalizing hints , small details, lymond s motives , true relationships other characters. lymond leaves no 1 indifferent him: of key characters—such richard crawford, third baron culter , lymond s older brother, , margaret douglas, countess of lennox—are one-time friends or intimates become mortal enemies. betrayals , double-crosses, both potential , actual, abound. pieces of mystery fit late in story revelations @ trial.

as established part of minor landed aristocracy, crawfords cannot avoid becoming entangled in complex politics between england , scotland, anglo-scottish wars , scotland s alliance france, or in conflicts among residents of borders region between 2 kingdoms.

a number of historical persons appear in novel, many important , well-developed characters. include members of scott clan -- sir walter scott of buccleuch, wife, janet beaton, , son william scott of kincurd, becomes lymond s second-in-command in band of outlaws; mary of guise, queen dowager of scotland , young daughter, mary, queen of scots; , members of douglas family—including archibald douglas, 6th earl of angus, brother sir george douglas, daughter margaret douglas, countess of lennox (niece of henry viii brother of margaret s mother margaret tudor, widow of james iv, , mother of james v), , margaret s husband matthew stewart, 4th earl of lennox, potential claimant scottish throne in case of death of young mary, queen of scots. english military leaders responsible prosecuting war of rough wooing, sir william grey , lord thomas wharton, have prominent, , comedic, roles.

main fictional characters

francis crawford of lymond, master of culter
sybilla crawford, dowager baroness culter
richard crawford, third baron culter
mariotta crawford, baroness culter
christian stewart
jonathan crouch
gideon somerville
kate somerville
philippa somerville
samual harvey

main historical characters

mary de guise, queen dowager of scotland
tom erskine
walter scott of branxholme , buccleuch
his son, william scott of kinkurd
janet beaton

main locations

edinburgh, scotland
stirling, scotland
the lowlands of scotland (including fictional midculter castle)
northumbria, england (including fictional manor of flaw valleys , hadrian s wall)
threave castle, scotland