Kushner, Ellen - Swordspoint

[oyceter]

I actually started Swordspoint about three years ago, got halfway through, and abandoned it. This was largely because I found myself detesting Michael Godwin, completely confused as to why Richard stayed with Alec, given that I thought Alec was extremely annoying and rather useless and a provoker of violence at that, and angry because all the

Comments

[therck]

There's some comfort in knowing that I'm not the only one who doesn't adore the book. I don't dislike it or anything, but I read it years ago and then promptly forgot most of it until people around me started talking about it (years later). I recently tried a reread but gave up because I wasn't enjoying it.

My reading time is hugely limited these days-- I keep having to return books that I actually *want* to read to the library before I've opened them.

[oyceter]

Yeah.... I mean, I don't dislike it as vehemently as I did when I first read it, largely because of reading The Privilege of the Sword, but I still can't get swept away into the world of swordsmen because of above problems with the characters and the text.

[oracne]

I love Richard.

I also love the Dunnett Richard.

Could it be something about the name? Or did Ellen name Richard Richard on purpose?

[oyceter]

I was thinking the same thing while I was reading it! And I had a conversation with Mely on Sat. on quiet, overlooked, responsible characters who get overshadowed by their brothers/friends/lovers/etc. and how much we adore them.

Dunnett Richard very much came to mind, as did Faramir (maybe his middle name is Richard?).

[kate_nepveu]

Hmm. This makes me realize I also liked "Death of the Duke" though I don't like Alec and thus am not re-reading _Swordspoint_.

Best second-paragraph ever, though.

[oyceter]

Me too! I was actually very touched by "The Death of the Duke," particularly the final lines. I think part of it was because there was a female character that I liked in it! I felt so bad for her, even as I was feeling somewhat bad for Alec as well.

[sartorias]

You';re not alone--I did read Swordspoint with skimming, mostly noticing the Dunnet refs, as I did in those days, when Dunnet-inspired things were coming out from talented and bright women right and left. But I really enjoyed the new one a great deal--as you say, Alec was bearable (at least he had a sense of humor about himsself), their relationship is poignant, and the girls are simply wonderful. The girls, in fact, just make the story sing. And yes, Richard was always wonderful, though in this book he gains more dimension.

[oyceter]

I adore the girls in the new one. I didn't fall desperately in love with the book, but it did a lot of things that I liked, much of which addressed the things that I specifically didn't like about Swordspoint (role of female characters and women in the universe). Rather like Le Guin's Tehanu, which I, er, actually like better than the first and third Earthsea books....

[sienamystic]

I also felt a bit strange about not adoring Swordspoint like most other people. I loathed Alec, for the reasons you mentioned, and it spoiled much of the enjoyment of the book for me.

[oyceter]

Yeah, me too. I mean... in the end I could tolerate him because I adore Richard and would get caught up in their Pure and True Love, but then he'd go off by himself and I would want to yell at him again.