#The Disorderly Knights

[j-august]

"And when Francis is troubled he doesn't show it, he just goes and makes life wretched for somebody."

Dorothy Dunnett, The Disorderly Knights

[thecrenellations]

@morethanfantasy : Jerott, lying: Lymond is an impeccable ally but there's nothing else about him I care for at all @cartograffiti : Now there's a Jerott meme in my head where he goes "I've had Lymond for ten years and if anything happened to him, I wouldn't care." But he's squeezing Lymond so tightly.

Jerott Blyth, circa The Disorderly Knights. He may be a slightly unreliable narrator…

accidental addition to these classics

[leojurand]

they were in love here

[cesaray]

[cultivating-wildflowers]

2024 Reading - September

Another productive month. Which I know would rub some readers the wrong way, and sometimes that mindset isn't great for me either, but as a girlie who likes her lists? I'm happy getting to check off stuff.

The biggest accomplishment this month was FINALLY finishing The Disorderly Knights. It took me so long that by the end of the story, I'd already forgotten what happened at the beginning. But it's done, and I have the next book on my shelf. For next year. Maybe.

Total books: 10  |  New reads: 9  |   2024 TBR completed: 2 (1 DNF) / 29/36 total   |   2024 Reading Goal: 63/100

August | October

potential reading list from September 1st

#1 - The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown - 5/5 stars

After hearing people rave about the movie and then the book, I snagged a cheap copy from my local used bookstore and decided to check it out.

It was so so worth it. Absolutely breathtaking. All of the assorted narratives--the different characters, the historical background, the technical details--came together so perfectly and resulted in a captivating story. I love every bit of it. I cried.

#2 - In the Forests of Serre by Patricia A. McKillip - 5/5 stars ('24 TBR)

This is exactly the sort of story I was craving. Absolutely spellbinding.

More like this: I had the sense this story reminded me of something else I've read, but I'm blanking on it just now. If I remember, I'll come back here. It might have been a fairy tale kind of story. It's a bit like the first Earthsea book. Perhaps Robin McKinley, Patricia C. Wrede, Madeleine L'Engel, Shannon Hale.... Diana Wynne Jones. It feels like a Ghibli movie.

#3 - The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol 2 by Beth Brower - 4/5 stars

A fun installment! I am quickly losing track of the cast, but I can totally see the author's vision of this being a delightful period drama.

#4 - The Disorderly Knights by Dorothy Dunnett - 4/5 stars

Note to anyone I've recommended this series to: I unfortunately have to retract that hearty recommendation and replace it with...several caveats.

I finished! Honestly, I don't know why it took so long, because once I made myself sit still and read it was easy-ish going; I just had trouble sitting still.

Ok, so "easy" is not the right word. With this series, the first half of each book tends to be a slow build-up, while the end careens rapidly downhill to the conclusion and the ever-brilliant (and painful) reveal.

And, uh.... This got much darker and more intense than I was prepared for. (If I made a habit of reading more in this line, I might have seen that coming, but epics aren't my usual fare.) Narratively, it all worked very well, but it was right on the edge of what I can tolerate.

Still, with 200 pages left to go, I absolutely planned to keep reading the series, well aware that it would be...an experience. Then I saw a blurb for both Book Four and Book Five, skimmed some super vague reviews for Book Four ("Five Stars. owowowowowowowowowowww") and freaked out. And, against all my usual inclinations, hunted for spoilers. And now I'm scared. (But, weirdly, less stressed about the conclusion? Which is an odd experience.)

#5 - Od Magic by Patricia A. McKillip - 3/5 stars (audio)

This confirms my suspicion that McKillip is one of those hit-or-miss authors for me. The first book of hers that I read was The Changeling Sea, six years ago, and I remember absolutely nothing about it. Then In the Forests of Serre blew me away. Od Magic? Another middling story.

Don't get me wrong; McKillip's writing is gorgeous. It immediately draws you in, connects you to living, breathing characters, and paints the most vivid pictures. But the story here just kind of...wanders along. It's a pleasant journey, but not very exciting.

Note: I didn't dive into "Od Magic" because of how much I loved "In the Forests of Serre". I needed an "O" title, and realized McKillip had a few. 😅

#6 - Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - 5/5 stars (reread, audio)

We all know I love this. 'Nuff said.

#7 - Yours From the Tower by Sally Nicholls - 4/5 stars

Another Tumblr rec! And a read that had the unfortunate pressure of me getting to it on the heels of 1) a so-so fantasy and 2) a historical fiction adventure that wrung me out. I did my best not to go into it with any expectations outside of being pleasantly charmed, and charmed I was. 90% of it was a fun, light read with just a touch of drama, but my stars, the end had me rolling. There's something so fun about epistolary novels when it comes to twists and big reveals.

#8 - Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher - 5/5 stars (audio)

A gorgeous little story.

#9 - Bryony and Roses by T. Kingfisher - 4/5 stars (audio)

Largely enjoyable, but the ending felt rushed.

#10 - The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories by Susanna Clarke - 4/5 stars

An impulse pick from the library. I wanted something short and sweet and discovered this after finishing Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. As is becoming a habit with Clarke's writing, I enjoyed this book. I loved the variety of styles and tones within the collection.

DNF*

The Element of Fire by Martha Wells - Not a bad story, but by the 15% mark I remained bored and vaguely confused and unable to pay attention, so I gave up. I like Wells's writing style (obviously), but this was evidently her debut and is a bit dull around the edges. For some reason it reminded me vaguely of The Curse of Chalion, which I love, so might be worth checking out if you enjoy Lois McMaster Bujold. Goodreads also shows that fans of T. Kingfisher might enjoy this one as well. (Note: Paladin's Grace [below] also had the same general feel as The Element of Fire and The Curse of Chalion)

The Anthropology of Turquoise: Reflections on Desert, Sea, Stone, and Sky by Ellen Meloy ('24 TBR) - I was hoping for a more scientific exploration of color. Instead, this book is a collection of (in my and my friends' opinions) weirdly stuffy, stilted essays. I don't usually mind slow, descriptive/lyrical writing, but this is something else. If you don't mind a deeply personal and conversational writing style and a book you can sit with for several months, definitely check this one out, because it has merit; it's just not for me.

Zao's Tales by J.A. Sommer - I'm still vaguely unclear on how this book arrived on my shelf (it was a gift from my mother and she bought it to support someone?). Decidedly not for me. Also...now I don't have a "Z" title for my alphabet challenge lol.

just kidding, I found another one that was kind of on my radar and ordered it from the library, whoo

Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher - I'm learning that Kingfisher really straddles the line on what I'm willing to tolerate content-wise. This one was a "no" based on that.

The Sea at the End of Everything by Emily McCosh - The writing style was not for me. Sorry, Ruby.

*I'm starting to wonder if I should bother recording books I DNF.... They make up fully a third of the books I've picked up this year.

Currently Reading:

The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks - just started

[aspocko]

lymond: *pukes*

gabriel: maybe lymond just isn't fit to lead an army

jerott: maybe lymond should lay off the alcohol

adam blaclock: maybe lymond hasn't slept in three days and his friend is dying????? hello????

[chapter-title-tournament]

Round 1, Match 7

Fried Chicken (The Yoke of the Lord) (The Disorderly Knights, Dorothy Dunnett)

In Which the Plot, Behaving in Much the Manner of a Soup to Which Corn Starch Has Been Added, Begins, at Last, to Thicken (The Phoenix Guards, Steven Brust)

[orangeshipper]

Disorderly Knights, Part 3, Terzetto, Played Without Rests

Francis... just let people love you. Let them help you like they know you need it.

Kate, absolute legend.

I think the latter half of Disorderly Knights is nigh on perfect - the dramatic climax hits and then just keeps going breathlessly all the way to the end. I always feel like this point is approaching endgame, when it's barely over halfway!

[softieghost]

Either Joleta is pregnant by her own brother or she isn't pregnant at all and Graham is going to try and pass off oonaghs kid as Lymond and joletas (which would be hard considering the kids age) so that means it's the first thing and I'm going to scream unless of course she's not pregnant at all and something else is afoot

[bellaroles]

Sometimes Lymond just wants Richard to intuitively understand and be on his side without him having to explain anything. 😅😭

[j-august]

"He regards boredom, I observe, as the One and Mighty Enemy of his soul. And will succeed in conquering it, I am sure -- if he survives the experience."

Dorothy Dunnett, The Disorderly Knights

[thecrenellations]

I’ve connected the dots! 😭

… even if this particular connection is nothing, I LOVE that Janet gets to confront Gabriel and Randy Bell. She defends Lymond, knowing how hard he tried to prevent these murders, even though he failed. And then she gives him Will’s ring! Did she know about the bet? Maybe? But she definitely knows they were important to each other.

[leojurand]

this is one of my favourite endings in the dunnettverse. i've read it so many times, and it always makes me feel so much. it's such a beautiful scene, a moment of genuine affection from nicholas with no motivation behind besides reassuring the king that he has his friendship. the king, who is enchanting, and alone, and young.

[cesaray]

[cultivating-wildflowers]

Potential July Reads

Getting into multiple acknowledged classics this month, quite by accident (and one that an old coworker recommended to me several years ago).

Currently Reading:

The Disorderly Knights by Dorothy Dunnett - currently at ~10%

All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy - currently at ~20% (audio)

TBR:

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson - ~12 hours

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens - 370 pages

The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner - 335 pages

Other Potential Reads:

A nonfic I picked up last week with the hope of finishing at least one nonfic in June. Still haven't touched it.

Shadows in Flight by Orson Scott Card (one day I'll finish this series).

Reread A Swiftly Tilting Planet, AKA one of my comfort reads.

[sophosthewisebunny]

Reading the Lymond books for the first time, please appreciate this collection of mental breakdowns I’ve had in the last 26 hours