Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

[kat_nic]

Comments

[iriththedreamer]

I just reread this one, having disliked it intensely the first time I read it. I thought maybe I hadn't understood it or something way back just out of high school when I first read it. But no... that wasn't the problem.

This time I wouldn't have called it a fail entirely. Instead it just left me ambivalent... and wondering a bit, like you, about the plot. When it ended I was left going... wait... what?

I did like St. Vier okay, but Alec I disliked intensely. And I couldn't see what St. Vier was doing with him at all, since Alec certainly didn't seem to care about him.

Thanks for the comment on the sequel though, I will go ahead and give that one a try and hope it hit the mark that Swordspoint missed.

[kat_nic]

There are two sequels, The Privelage of the Sword which is about Alec and his neice, and The Fall of the Kings, which takes place a generation later. TPotS is more of the same of Swordspoint. But in TFotK--everything wrong with SP is fixed.

[iriththedreamer]

Thanks so much, that's the one I'll look out for then. Also thanks for this post that vindicates my confusion about the plot and characters.

[kat_nic]

I know, right? Most reviewers seem to like it, especially Alec. If we'd been given some hint of why he is the way he is (we find that out in Privelage, and it made me go, lol, whut?) and he had occasional moments of bs-free vulnerability, then yeah, I might have liked him. But he's just an a**hole.

[psychedeliceyes]

I only read it about a year ago but I found it so average and lackluster that I can only recall a handful of things about it. I didn't hate it since I've read far worse in comparison but it didn't strike me as particularly wonderful.

Frankly one of the huge disappointments about the book is the relationship between Richard and Alec. I found myself wondering, time and again, just what is Richard's attraction to Alec?

This, exactly. I don't mind characters that are angsty, petulant little smart-ass bastards but it's disappointing to see so little done with a relationship. I just didn't get it. I didn't see what motivated them to put up with each other at all.

[kat_nic]

I think the reason I dislike it so much is because I was expecting it to be awesome, like it's sequel. Disappointment made me bitter.

[psychedeliceyes]

I need to read the sequel. I've heard it beats Swordspoint by miles.

[phantomminuet]

I loved this book, but I will admit that it had certain narrative failings.

[kat_nic]

I was going to say something to defend my point, but then I saw your awesome icon, and all my thoughts left me.

[phantomminuet]

Thanks. I don't get to use it nearly often enough. :-)

[kat_nic]

X0

Firefly is awesome.

[hearts_blood]

In spite of the fail, I was intrigued enough by the presence of Richard and Alec as lovers to do a search on the author. I found out that she's one of the founders of the (very interesting) interstitial arts movement... with my ex-creative writing professor, who nearly killed the craft for me.

So imo, that makes this book a pre-emptive fail by association.

[kat_nic]

Sometimes I wonder if the reason it is so popular is because it has gay main characters, and there are enough slash fangirls to keep it alive.

[hearts_blood]

Which then begs the question, what do actual gay men think of the characters and their relationship?

The author is a woman, married to a woman. But if you're a good author, that shouldn't make a damn bit of difference. Relationships should read true-to-life regardless of your gender/orientation/preference OR your characters'.

[kat_nic]

*shrug* Just a theory. I tend to read books and have the opposite of the popular opinion.