Return of the Book Bloggery!

[swan_tower]

Once upon a time (a time known as "last summer", I embarked upon a project to re-read the Lymond Chronicles and blog my way through, performing a craft-oriented close reading as I went. I made it a goodly way through The Game of Kings before I discovered that I couldn't write one sixteenth-century novel while reading another, and then after that there was the wedding and all, and what with one thing and another it ground to a halt.

Now it's starting up again.

For those of you who have borne with me all this time, I'm most grateful; thank you for your patience. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, follow that link and you'll see. For those newcomers to this journal who have read all the books, or those who have in the meantime finished the books, comment here if you want in on the action, and I'll add you to the special Lymond filter, so you can see what's gone before and join in the discussion as we go on forward.

Comments

[wldhrsjen3.livejournal.com]

I would love to follow along the discussions! Sounds really interesting.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Do you solemnly swear you've read all six books? Because the posts already contain spoilers for the entire series.

[aliettedb.livejournal.com]

Oooh, more Lymond!
I'd definitely like to be added to the filter.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Sure! You're added now; just click the "lymond" tag to see back posts.

[aliettedb.livejournal.com]

Ok, thanks!

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

Please add me. I'd love to read your comments.

I first read _The Game of Kings_ on a family camping trip when I was 11, but I thought it was a stand-alone and only found the others when in university. I almost failed a SNOBOL exam by reading _Checkmate_ instead of studying garbage collection algorithms (OK, that dates me a bit).

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

I still feel guilty that my sister might have done that teensy bit better she needed to pass the bar exam on her first try if she hadn't been reading the end of the series when she should have been studying.

You're in, and welcome!

[kurayami-hime.livejournal.com]

Oh, don't feel guilty! I can't lay all of the blame on the books, even if they did monopolize most a lot of the studying time. Would I really have practiced the essays over and over and over again without Lymond? Who's to say? Besides, the second time I was obnoxiously upbeat about the whole thing because I did, in fact, know how bad it could be. The people around me must have hated me.

[diatryma.livejournal.com]

Oh, hell.
Would you recommend this to someone who has only just finished them and is to some extent still digesting?
That's a no for me, but I will probably pin you down at a con someday and make you summarize your findings, at least plotwise if not prosewise. I'm still chewing on the books.
Sigh.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

I don't see why you shouldn't join in. The entire purpose of this is to chew on the books. And honestly, if I add you now and you decide that it's a bit much for you just yet, then it's easy enough for you to not read the posts. I LJ-cut them all, since they tend to be long.

[diatryma.livejournal.com]

Okay then. Add away!

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Should be done; let me know if it isn't.

Lymond!!!!!!!!

[jewell79.livejournal.com]

I solemnly swear that I have read all six Lymond books.

And due to the complete refusal of anyone I've ever recommended them to to get beyond the first chapter of Game of Kings (it's too historical being one unfavourable comment!) I have no-one to discuss them with. Please, please add me to the filter!

Nikki
(introducing self as newcomer who got here from novel in 90)

Re: Lymond!!!!!!!!

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Fie upon those who say they're too historical! But I understand, actually -- as I say repeatedly in my early posts, it took me quite a while to learn how to read Dunnett. There's a certain opacity to her style, and navigating it can be a challenge when you first pick her up. Yet somehow she managed to engage me, even when I wasn't quite sure what was going on.

Anyway, welcome; I've added you to the filter now.

Re: Lymond!!!!!!!!

[jewell79.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[thomasyan.livejournal.com]

Yay, for this returning! Every few months I check in to see if it is back, and now it is! Woo hoo!

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

<winces at the "every few months">

Yeah, life ate my head. But I will persevere.

[thomasyan.livejournal.com]

Hahahahaha! Shortly after I posted, work got crazy. I have yet to actually look at any of your posts this year. But I will beat work back into submission and rejoin the discussion!

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Well, I just finished it all the other day, so there's plenty to look through! And keep an eye out for a post about the possibility of doing Queen's Play.

[d-leprosy.livejournal.com]

I'd absolutely love to partecipate.

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Sorry for not answering sooner -- I'm afraid I've been off the Lymond track for a little while. I've added you to the filter now, so you should be able to see all of the lymond-tagged posts. (There's a new one going up momentarily, to explain the current situation.)

[d-leprosy.livejournal.com]

thankya!