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Rating: 
Summary: Hewn From Sparstone, Like Satin, Containing Its Light
Review: Dorothy Dunnett has a marvelous manner of play with language. I can't say how many times during the course of reading her novels have I paused to re-read a passage oncemore, simply awestruck by her uncanny ability to dream up such wondrously clever articulations of historical detail. Her heroes are always attractive, too. Two years ago, after having read her novel on Macbeth entitled KING HEREAFTER, I undertook to read Dunnett's entire six-book Lymond series - albeit not chronologically. Beginning with the 2nd-QUEEN'S PLAY, then to the 1st-THE GAME OF KINGS, I couldn't wait, so went straight to the 6th-CHECKMATE. I eventually relented, though, and read #'s 3-THE DISORDERLY KNIGHTS, 4-PAWN IN FRANKINCENSE, and 5-THE RINGED CASTLE in their respective order. For some reason it has been, more than any of the others, PAWN IN FRANKINCENSE that has stayed with me ever since. Francis Lymond, an exiled member of a noble family in 16th-century Scotland, embarks upon yet another quest for his honor: this time in lands far, far away from his home and all that he knows. It ultimately leads to an adventurous search for the child he fathered - a child who had, through painstakingly woven schemes and happenstance being wholly under the power of Lymond's most implacable enemy, Graham Malett, been hidden away within the labyrinth of the Ottoman Empire. With the help of some very wise and able allies, including his half-sister Marthe and her husband Jerott Blythe, as well as the daughter of a Scots nobleman, Philippa, Francis Crawford of Lymond sets out. The dangers Lymond faces and the obstacles he must overcome are a gripping force from beginning to end. They include not only scenes of intense battle and riveting action - such as a life-sized & all-too-realistic climatic chess match played out in a magnificent palace (indeed, fans - this form of competition was dreamed up well before the likes of HARRY POTTER ever materialized) - but also an intricate mind game that's generated between our hero and the forces perched against him. For the reader, this in itself becomes a dauntless, all-absorbing thing. The only criticism I have for this book is one that is shared with each of the other books I've read by Dorothy Dunnett: that there is an exasperating tendency to pit the hero against too much. In other words - Lymond never fails to get himself into dire circumstances that often wouldn't be so dire if only his friends and family would understand what he is about. In every plot, it seems he never fails to be continually misunderstood by those closest to him. One would assume that with the intelligence and insight that the majority of these characters never fail to display, there would be no problem in deigning what Lymond's motives are, so hence assisting him in his endeavors. Truly then, it's plain that Dorothy Dunnett's failings are of an admirable nature: for she's created characters of such vast depth and intelligence that there's no way ever to confound them.
Rating: 
Summary: suspenseful and exciting beyond belief
Review: Having read the first four Lymond books, I find this one to be my favorite, much as I loved "A Game of Kings" and "Disorderly Knights." It has been years since a book, especially such a dense and difficult book, has kept me awake until the small hours of the morning reading. Once I got through the first 100 pages, there was no stopping me; I finished it in a week. I grew much more attached to Phillipa, a character I hadn't particularly liked before, and to Jerott Blyth and, of course, to Lymond. Lymond's cunning and wit and daring amaze me; he's just so...good. And in this book, some of the human side of Lymond was revealed, which gave him even more depth as a character. Dunnett's amazing plot twists and turns and never fails to surprise me; I was literally unable to sit still for most of the second half. When I read the chess scene at the end, I could hardly contain myself (and I was in public, too). There is certainly nothing easy about Dunnett's series; I had to plow through the first 100 pages of "A Game of Kings" and most of "Queensplay," but after having read "Pawn in Frankincense," I couldn't be more glad that I kept going. Every character has his or her own nuances that are kept up and developed wonderfully; no one is ordinary in any way. I've grown very fond of the ones who have been around for a couple of books. I recommend the Lymond Chronicles to any lover of history or Europe, or just anyone who appreciates a good book. The history is flawless and the story is one of the best since Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings."
Rating:
Summary: Another Fantastic Book by Dunnett!
Review: Well, this is the fourth book by Dunnett that I've read (the three earlier books in the Lymond series being the others). Quite simply, Dunnett gets better with each book! Her style continually reminds me of Dumas. History, adventure, great characters - all mix together to form a gripping story. I couldn't put it down last night as I finished it. Most impressive to me is the way she is "realistic" (within, of course, the fictional world she created). By that, I mean that her characters, good and evil, make tough choices. Good sometimes doesn't triumph completely, bad people sometimes come out on top, and loyal friends sometimes pay the price for our heros adventures. This is no fairy tale. A few times, I was actually shocked by the story as it progressed (especially at the end of this book). All in all, a great read if you like historical/fictional mixes. I especially enjoyed being introduced to a world I knew nothing about (ancient Turkey and its empire).
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