Swordspoint (1987)

It's very rare that I give up on a book. But, sadly, that is the case here. Despite the rave reviews and five star ratings this novel just didn't engage with me.

The pace is funereal and while its well written I just didn't connect with the characters. The central pairing of the swordsman, St Vier, and the mysterious ex-student, Alec, just didn't ring true. St Vier is boring and Alec is an intensely annoying brat.

The intrigue and machinations of the nobles were all a bit "so what". I just didn't like any of these people, didn't care about their outcomes and that's probably why I couldn't get into the book. Oh well, each to their own. ( )

With it's total absence of magic or the supernatural, this is not a true fantasy novel but rather an alternate-reality historical or, as the author would have it, "a melodrama of manners."

The writing is good, often excellent, and I found the plot entertaining enough. Others have compared Swordspoint to the works of Georgette Heyer (whom I have not read) or Dorothy Dunnett (whom I promise I will read when next I have a hundred years to plow through and comprehend long-winded, intricate, witty, convoluted historical fiction).

But my great disappointment with Swordspoint was the utter lack of characters I could care about. These people are self-aborbed whiners, merciless schemers, souless murderers, or depraved fools. I wanted to slap them, or wash their souls out with soap.

It's a pity a writer of this talent could not find a modicum of redemption anywhere. Maybe in her later books...



( )

A re-read from back in the 90's, and it still holds up today. In fact, this time around I caught onto a lot more of the inner court intrigues that Ellen Kushner creates. The honor code of the swordsmen, how they accept (or not) their next commission, how Richard is drawn into court life through no fault of his own, and even how his whiny, troubled partner is more realistic than likeable, all of these are real elements in this world. To call it a fantasy novel is a mis-nomer; it could almost be historical fiction in the tradition of Guy Gavriel Kay if there was a real, truly live place like Riverside. ( )

3.5. I picked this up after enjoying Tremontaine (the prequel serial) so very much; and in comparison, Swordspoint did disappoint me slightly. Where Tremontaine's world feels rich, the characters passionate, and slight desperation fills their narratives; Swordspoint's characterisations actually felt a little flat. Almost as if this book was a nudge in the door to see if such a concept was acceptable within the realms of fantasy (it was 1989 I suppose! Having LGBT characters in fantasy still gets gasps of shock now!), and now with time, Kushner has become more daring, and is no longer reining everything in to the point of it feeling slightly dry, and a little brittle.

It's still full of societal intrigue, back room politics, and swordsman ready to stab people at a noble persons whim. In that area, it still delivers extremely well.

It will be interesting to see, as this chapter of the Riverside series progresses, if the fire is lit a little brighter under the characters, so that they aren't completely smoothered by all the intriguing plot machinations. ( )

I've probably had this book (and it's sequel) sitting on my shelf for 20+ years. Finally decided to give it a try. As I only seem to have time to read books before bed with my wife we started in on it hoping we would enjoy it. We gave it 2 chapters and gave up.

It was just kind of boring. It seemed especially "lite" and not especially witty or deep, which is kind of a requirement if there's no action. ( )