The Disorderly Knights
Ratings3
Average rating4.7
15
Ratings3
Average rating4.7
Back in Scotland, Crawford establishes a trained force of mercenaries and encounters Joleta Malett, a beautiful and wilful teenager. Through her brother, Graham Reid Malett, a knight of St John of Jerusalem, (who will also be a central figure in the next book of the series, Pawn in Frankincense), Crawford is enticed to Malta to help the Order's defence against the Turkish forces of Suleiman. This section of the book (the defence of Mdina, Gozo and Malta in 1551) closely follows historical events.
Back in Scotland, and accused by his brother and companions of debauching the lovely Joleta, Crawford's rivalry with Malett results in the death of some of the series' most attractive characters, and culminates in a dramatic showdown between the two in Edinburgh.
This is an historical romance and the third of 6 books set in the mid 1500s and focused around a flawed hero, Francis Crawford of Lymond. The series starts and ends in Crawford's (and the author's) homeland of Scotland. The books follow Dunnett's hero through a series of adventures at the centres of power in Scotland, France, Malta, Stamboul (Constantinople), and Russia. He develops as a leader in war and politics, with the potential to rule a country: but at the expense of his humanity, his family and his companions, as he ruthlessly suppresses his own weaknesses and frailties.
The language, culture, customs, political intrigue, warcraft and ethos of the time are captured in beautifully constructed prose and the books are worth reading for this alone. But they are also cracking adventures. If you can, ignore the author's constant reminders of her hero's beauty and stick with them.
Series
6 primary booksThe Lymond Chronicles is a 6-book series with 6 primary works first released in 1961 with contributions by Dorothy Dunnett.
Reviews with the most likes.
The Disorderly Knights takes Francis Crawford into dark territory. Instead of defending himself against false accusations motivated by political ambition, or uncovering plots against the child queen of Scotland, Crawford finds himself in a struggle with plain evil. True to form for the Lymond Chronicles, it is an evil no one else recognizes. Because of Crawford's past, it is easy even for his friends and family to believe that it is really him who is the problem. This story explores a new aspect of the familiar Lymond Chronicles theme, deceptive appearances: physical beauty and pleasant appearances as tools for distraction and deception.
This story introduces the shadow of deep sadness into what had been a fairly lighthearted adventure tale. At a moment when, no longer an outlaw, Francis Crawford could begin to pursue all the inviting possibilities open to a talented, wealthy and handsome young man of good family, he is instead hijacked into a nightmarish conflict. And at the end, you know there will be more conflict to come.
The Disorderly Knights begins and ends in Scotland, and travels to France, Malta and Tripoli from 1548 to 1551. As always, Crawford's adventures are woven into the events and political intrigues of the time.
