Castro, Musharraf, and Historical Fiction

[kniedzw]

So, Castro is stepping down as Cuba's president. Musharraf's party suffers a massive defeat at the polls, implying that he might go soon, as well. At roughly the same time, at the demand request of my lovely wife, I've been told to decided to blog my progress through Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles, which various people I trust claim to be

Comments

[bryant]

It's the best historical fiction out there, although I'd start with the Niccolo books. But, you know, it's like saying that you'd prefer fresh roasted Kona over fresh roasted whatever; it's all good either way.

[kniedzw]

Apparently, Dunnett herself recommended hitting the Lymond chronicles first. ...but you added yet another recommendation to the pile, so thanks. :)

Oh ... would you actually like to be added to the custom group I'll be ostensibly posting under?

[bryant]

Sure!

And yeah, I know I'm an outlier here. But the Niccolo books are first chronologically, and IMHO very slightly better written.

[swan_tower]

Eh. I need to take another crack at the Niccolo books, but halfway through the first one I was still supremely unattached to the main character. Some large portion of that might be because of their economic bent, though; I hate economics.

[bryant]

Mmm, they are very economic.

I've also always suspected that one prefers the series one reads first. They're rather different in a lot of ways.

[swan_tower]

I don't think it's just first-encounter preference, or I would have kept reading (just not liking it as much). But Kyle's LJ is not the place to discuss the other reasons why, seeing as how he's read a whopping seven pages or whatever of The Game of Kings.

[kniedzw]

Pfft!