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Race of Scorpions | 
 enlarge | Author: Dorothy Dunnett
Publisher: Vintage
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
Buy Used: $0.93
You Save: $15.02 (94%)
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Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 247555
Media: Paperback
Pages: 560
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 0375704795
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780375704796
ASIN: 0375704795
Publication Date: March 30, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Help save a tree. Buy all your used books from Green Earth Books. Read -> Recycle -> Reuse!
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Product Description
With the bravura storytelling and pungent authenticity of detail she brought to her acclaimed Lymond Chronicles, Dorothy Dunnett presents The House of Niccolo series. The time is the 15th century, when intrepid merchants became the new knighthood of Europe. Among them, none is bolder or more cunning than Nicholas vander Poele of Bruges, the good-natured dyer's apprentice who schemes and swashbuckles his way to the helm of a mercantile empire.
In 1462, Nicholas is a wealthy 21-year-old. His beloved wife has died. His stepchildren have locked him out of the family business. He and his private army are the target of multiple conspiracies. And both contenders for the throne of Cyprus, the brilliant Queen Carlotta and her charismatic, sexually ambivalent brother James, are demanding his support. Walking a tightrope of intrigue, Dunnett's hero juggles adversaries and allies, from the delectable courtesan Primaflora to the Mameluke commander Tzani-Bey al Ablak, a man of undiluted evil. Masterfully paced, alive with sensual delights, Race of Scorpions confirms Dorothy Dunnett as the grande dame of the genre.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
Plot twists abound January 23, 2000
Charles G. Fry (Madison, WI)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Dunnett keeps the plot turning and twisting all through this book; expect to mutter a number of amazed exclamations along the way. She does all without losing depth or compassion in her characters, and without a speck of lost credibility in the plotline. This is a fascinating journey through part of Christianity's most troubled history, and one has to wonder if the series' setting hinges on the events in this particular book. The fictional characters are so real and engrossing as to nearly outshadow the huge and wonderful historical setting. An engrossing, moving, unpredictable, and completely unforgettable book.
 Who is Niccolo? March 2, 2000
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
This book has all of the interesting aspects of the previous two, such as politics and fighting, plus there is more romance though still not quite enough. I am disappointed in that even after reading the first three books of the series I still don't feel like I know the main character. The only other complaint I have is the lack of explanation as to how Niccolo has survived all of his injures without the least problem. Perhaps there is some magic involved? Even with today's medicine, someone with Niccolo's injures would at least have some trouble with their arms or legs. The story is none-the-less quite engaging especially in seeing how Niccolo gets out of all his difficulties.
At Her Usual Stunning Best February 26, 2001
S. Schwartz (alberta canada)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Dorothy Dunnett never disappoints her faithful readers. This, third in the Niccolo series is a wonderful book that depicts the unsettledness of the Island of Cyprus. We learn that this tempestuous island has always been an important one because of its strategic location. I enjoyed this book, because we actually got to see some of the mask come off Nicolo in his encounter with his Katelina. In true Dunnett fashion, this encounter did not take place in a private and safe bedchamber, but in a place where nature abounded, as well as danger. The history that we find out in this book is also equally interesting and true to what actually happened. This is certainly another great series.
my review June 21, 2001
Ana Maria Barrenechea (Westboro, Ma United States)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
On this, the third chapter in the Niccolo series, we fin Nicholas has been "kidnapped" by the 'presumptuous' King of Cyprus who is actually trying to recover his kingdom from his sister.Nicholas is able to help the king and at the same time obtain franchises in his dye works and sugar fields. He meets with Katelina, the mother of his only child, only to lose her once more after they reconcile. Finally, once the island is secure to King Zacco, Nicholas is allowed to return to Venice, where he faces once more his rival family, the de St Pol and Riberac. In this chapter of the story the author makes great use of description in her scenes and they are so vivid! the characters, the settings everything is so masterfully blended with reality and fiction. I loved this book and I have already started the fourth chapter. Good!
Dunnett takes on Cyprus June 28, 2006
Chapati (Chicago)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Ah, the frustrating pleasure of reading a Dorothy Dunnett novel :-) Her writing is dense, her plots are complex, and her characters (especially the male ones, which IMO are infinitely easier to like than the female ones) are nothing short of psychological studies. Often, while reading this book, I felt like I was way in over my head. And yet, I kept going, and the reward of Dunnett's writing, and her story, are well worth the effort, in my view.
In this third part of the eight-part Niccolo series, Nicholas is kidnapped and taken to Cyprus to fight with King James for control of the island, against his legitimate half-sister Carlotta. We meet the engaging courtesan Primaflora, who becomes Nicholas's mistress. We also see some old friends, such as Tobias the physician and Captain Astorre and the faithful Loppe. We meet Nicholas's cousin Diniz, and are reacquainted with the vengeful Katelina van Borselen.
But the vortex, as always, is the dynamic, ingenius, amazing Nicholas vander Poele. In this chapter of the story, we see how Nicholas deals with the stress of so many demands. We see how he deals with the love of two women whom he does not love in return, and the guilt associated with that. We follow him as he tries to play two sides (and sometimes more) of a dangerous game, all so that he can come out the winner. Nicholas is difficult to understand, but fascinating to read about. And in Race of Scorpions, Dunnett ensures that readers will not fail to follow him into his next adventure.
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