Whole Story Audio Books

CD Edition

Price: £35.00

The Game of Kings: First in The Lymond Saga.

It's August 1547, and unrest in Europe is rife. Scotland, nominally ruled by 4 year old Queen Mary, is heaving with intrigue - and hot gossip. The notorious rebel, Crawford of Lymond, is rumoured to be back in Edinburgh. The city is sealed, but such things never worry 'Lymond'. As usual, he leaves a characteristic trail of hue and cry, vanished contraband, and a drunken sow.

Infamous for his ingenuity, Lymond has his own plan, starting with setting fire to his brother's castle and purloining his mother's silver. Stories about him abound, agreeing only that he's not a man to sit idle. With Europe recently unbalanced by royal deaths, he'll take a hand in The Game Of Kings.

Customer Reviews

Sandra Hall, York, England

5 out of 5

“For those people who like good, engrossing historical fiction, which is well-researched and packed full of gripping characters, humour and tension, then try The Game of Kings, the first in Dorothy Dunnett's series of novels about an out-lawed mercenary in 16C Scotland.

The original unabridged cassette recordings have been remastered and released as an excellent CD audio book by Whole Story Books Audio, in new and attractive packaging which will grace any shelf. I happily donated my original cassettes to the local library when I decided to replace them with the first three of the Lymond Chronicles on CD.

I have read and reread Dorothy Dunnett's books on numerous occasions, but hearing the books read by an experienced narrator revealed things afresh and aspects that I had missed on all those rereads. Action pieces and characterisations came alive. Dorothy Dunnett is an oblique writer, revealing her characters gradually through what they actually say and do, rather than giving a lengthy description when they first appear. Listening I grasped naunces, the rhythms and cadances of words that only made me appreciate even more that she is a wonderful stylist of the English language, as well as a compelling story-teller to rival Scheherazade.”

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This recording is unabridged. Typically abridged audiobooks are not more than 60% of the author's work and as low as 30% with characters and plotlines removed.