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Scales of Gold: The Fourth Book of The House of Niccolo | 
 enlarge | Author: Dorothy Dunnett
Publisher: Vintage
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
Buy Used: $2.00
You Save: $13.95 (87%)
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Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 148766
Media: Paperback
Pages: 544
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.1 x 1.1
ISBN: 0375704809
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780375704802
ASIN: 0375704809
Publication Date: June 1, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: In good reading condition. Corners are a little bent/rounded on cover. Spine has some creases. Good reading copy. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact. Some pages include limited notes and highlighting. Ships in 24 hours. Satisfaction Gauranteed.
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Product Description
With the bravura storytelling and pungent authenticity of detail she brought to her acclaimed Lymond Chronicles, Dorothy Dunnett, grande dame of the historical novel, presents The House of Niccol 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.
The year 1464 finds Nicholas back in Venice. Plagued by enemies bent on dissolving his assets and smearing his character, he sets sail for Africa, legendary location of the Fountain of Youth, home to a descendant of Sheba and Solomon, and the source of gold in such abundance that men prefer to barter in shells. He will learn firsthand the brutality and grandeur of the Dark Continent, from the horror of the slave trade to the austere nobility of Islamic Timbuktu. He will discover, too, the charms of the beautiful Gelis van Borselen--a woman whose passion for Nicholas is rivaled only by her desire to punish him for his role in her sister s death. Erotic and lush with detail, Scales of Gold embraces the complexity of the Renaissance, where mercantile adventure couples with more personal quests behind the silken curtains of the Age of Discovery.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 `Nicholas, you cannot go back..' July 19, 2008
J. Cameron-Smith (ACT, Australia)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
This is the fourth volume in the eight part House of Niccolo series. The House of Niccolo is definitely a series best read in order: the history, the intricate plotting and the characters develop throughout the series and the connections between the books can only be appreciated if read in sequence.
In this volume (covering 1464 to 1468), Nicholas returns to Venice from Cyprus and is met by a watchful reception and an attack. Nicholas's company is threatened with bankruptcy and those for whom he cares are also in danger. Nicholas embarks on a mission of his own: he will journey to the heart of Africa, to the fabled land of Prester John in search of the River of Gold. Nicholas is accompanied by some of the characters we have met in earlier novels and his life is, of course, complicated by various events along the way. From Venice to Timbuktu and all manner of places in between, Nicholas is acquiring wealth in all its forms, but will it be enough?
As is the case in earlier novels, the pages are action filled, the research is impeccable and the journey is fraught with danger and discovery. As a first time reader, reading these books as they were published, I agonised over the choices Nicholas had to make and wondered what would happen next. As a serial re-reader (I confess), I find new aspects to enjoy and admire in every read.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Dunnett does it again August 16, 2003
Caroline S. (United States)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
First of all, let me encourage everyone reading this not to make the mistake of one of the other reviewers and read this book out of sequence! Dunnett's books are not like other books in a series where the order doesn't matter much. It does in this and the Lymond series. I loved this book. I stayed up half the night last night to finish it even though I have huge graduate school exams in 2 days. Although I have loved the previous 3 in this serious, I didn't feel that Niccolo grabbed me in the way Lymond did until this book. In it Nicholas travels from Europe to Africa in search of the riches that will restore business and prestige to his Bank, which has been hurt by the dogged persecution of a new, powerful rival. With him go his priest, Goldscalc, friend Loppe, cousin Diniz, enemy Gelis, sister to the dead Katelina, and Diniz's mother's companion Bel, who comes along to watch out for Gelis and Diniz. This book is about Nicholas finding himself and peace, without reference to his family ties (?) with de Riberac and St. Pol. Never for a moment think that this peace won't be interrupted. This is Dorothy Dunnett, after all. I, too, was shocked and felt cheated by the cliffhanger, seemingly inexplicable, and out-of-character ending. BUT, Dunnett thrives on those feelings, as do her true fans. I have complete faith in Ms. Dunnett's ability to weave the rest of the series in such a way as makes everything before and since this book come together tightly, as in one of the expertly woven Charrety cloths. Enjoy this book, the rest of the series, and read Lymond next if you haven't already!
Don't buy this without buying Unicorn Hunt too! June 8, 1999
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Warning: don't even think about attempting to finish "Scales of Gold" without having "Unicorn Hunt" sitting right next to you. Probably the most amazing cliffhanger ever written. As someone on a discussion list said, "I don't know how all of you who read the series as it was published survived two years without medication."
Just a Bit too much for my taste this time. March 29, 2001
S. Schwartz (alberta canada)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
I love Dorothy Dunnett's writing, and the way she describes the exotic places that our hero visits is extraordinary. This book covers the mysterious land of Africa. We see so much majesty and grandeur here, especially in fabulous Timbuktu. We see a much more mature Nicholas as he finds and admits real friends into his world. Godsalc and Loppe finally get to see some of the true Nicholas. Diniz is a real treasure and I really like this character. Nicholas' group faces real danger and privation in this book and none of them that attempt the adventure come back the same. Nicholas does manage to regain and even add to his fortune. Something that is different in this book is that there is not much description of what happened on the trip that Nicholas and Godsalc took to find Ethiopia. We also didn't hear much about the trip across the Sahara. This is indeed different for Ms. Dunnett, since these two events are what really changed Nicholas outlook and his dealings with his people. She always goes into quite vivid details about side trips that Nicholas has taken in previous books. Now why, after I have extolled all the virtues of this book have I only given it a 4 instead of a 5? Because I felt cheated at the end of the book. Yes, it's a clever cliffhanger, and it does make you want to continue reading the other books to find out if Nicholas does find his true love, but to me it seemed like "grandstanding", and that's not like the Dorothy Dunnett that I know and love. I won't reveal the ending for those of you who want to read the book because it would spoil it for you, but suffice it to say that there is nothing in the previous 500 pages to explain why she chose this way to end the story. Yes, I will continue to read the series, but I must admit that I was disappointed and angry after I closed the covers on this one.
You have to pay attention October 25, 2005
Mimi Sherman (New York City)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I, too, was surprised - perhaps annoyed - at the ending of this volume of the Niccolo story. On further consideration, however, I believe that there WERE clues to support Dunnett's unexpected ending. Her red herrings and surprises abound, as always, and I had fallen into one of her marvelous traps. Only shows what a superior craftsperson she is.
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