The Game of Kings cover art

The Game of Kings

The Lymond Chronicles, Book 1

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for £0.00
£8.99/mo thereafter. Renews automatically. Terms apply. Offer ends 31 July 2025 at 23:59 GMT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.

The Game of Kings

By: Dorothy Dunnett
Narrated by: David Monteath
Try for £0.00

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends 31 July 2025 23:59 GMT. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £16.99

Buy Now for £16.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett, read by David Monteath.

It is 1547 and, after five years imprisonment and exile far from his homeland, Francis Crawford of Lymond - scholar, soldier, rebel, nobleman, outlaw - has at last come back to Edinburgh.

But for many in an already divided Scotland, where conspiracies swarm around the infant Queen Mary like clouds of midges, he is not welcome.

Lymond is wanted for treason and murder, and he is accompanied by a band of killers and ruffians who will only bring further violence and strife.

Is he back to foment rebellion?

Does he seek revenge on those who banished him?

Or has he returned to clear his name?

No one but the enigmatic Lymond himself knows the truth - and no one will discover it until he is ready....

©1961 Dorothy Dunnett (P)2018 Penguin Audio Action & Adventure Historical Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Thriller & Suspense World Literature Scotland Royalty Fiction Suspense

Listeners also enjoyed...

 An Honourable Thief cover art
Twilight Cities cover art
The Convenient Marriage cover art
The Seeker cover art
City of Vengeance cover art
The Black Madonna cover art
The Master of Verona cover art
The Ashes of London cover art
The Silmarillion cover art
The Masterpiece cover art
The Lute Player cover art
Jarka Ruus cover art
Macbeth: A Novel cover art
The Marigold Chain cover art
A Splendid Defiance cover art
The Tudor Mystery Trials Box Set cover art
All stars
Most relevant  
I first read the Lymond Chronicles aged 15, of course I missed a lot of the nuances, but I fell in love with Francis Crawford. Here I am at 68 still reading them and still in love with him. Enough said.

A lifetime of Lymond

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
this took me quite a while to get into it.. However I am glad I stuck with it. As the threads come together it is gripping. it fleshes out this period in history.
I don't play chess, if you do it may enhance the story. Even though I don't. I am going to listen to the next two books

A dip into Anglo Scots history.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A masterpiece. Intellectual, artistic and poetic, Wonder and sheer joy for heart, mind and soul. I cannot wait to read the next in the series.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I have read this and all the books in the series many times, they are without parallel but hearing them read by David Monteith has added to my enjoyment. He has an amazing voice and understanding of the writing.

Superb narration.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Don't give up on this book - admittedly it is hard to follow initially, so many characters and so many quotes and historical references (often in different languages) but it is more than worth it in the end.

After the first couple of chapters - which I had to re-listen to, I found that I picked up the rhythm of the story and then I was totally hooked. I found all of the characters so well fleshed out and believable that I quickly became so invested in the story of Francis Lymond (a complicated and flawed hero) and his family, friends and foes and the plot line set against the back drop of the reign of the young 'Mary Queen of Scots" and the machinations of the English and others to overthrow her, that it was hard to stop listening to this book.

A special mention must be made of the narrator (always so important in audio books) David Monteath - who is completely excellent. You can easily distinguish all of the many and varied characters (no easy task) and he is the only male narrator that I have ever listened to that narrates the women in the story (of whom there are also many and very interesting strong characters) so brilliantly. He doesn't try to feminise his voice but he brings some, hard to define, element when he is narrating the women, that is so spot on, it is a delight to listen to.

Indeed, he brings such a great nuance and insight into the way each character speaks that I think he actually makes you more aware than you would be of their emotions and motivations - as Dorothy writes each character in a subtle way that does not immediately show their motivations but when you are listening to the dialogue narrated by David - it brings an extra depth.

Overall - I completely loved The Game of Kings - one of the best books I have read in a long time for plot, characters and the sheer art of brilliantly written story telling and I had to immediately download the next book.

Don't Give Up - It's more than worth it....

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I've read this set of books many, many times over the last thirty years. I've enjoyed the rush every time. But this audio book has been the best. I've been lost in the narrative, sitting on the shoulders of the Master, and none of the quick wit, or the subtle nuance is lost. In fact I think I've gained more insight into the machinations of Lymond's mind! I am looking forward to the rest of the series.
The narrator needs a special mention: it's not an easy book. Certainly, there are quotations aplenty, in many tongues, for which I applaud him; there are many characters to inter-distinguish; but more than that, I found got lost in his voice until only the story remained. That is the sign of a lasting audiobook. Thank you.

Better than a good read (no spoilers)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Brilliant book. Best I’ve ever read.
Probably the best Historical Fiction there is. Ignore the poor reviews - some people just don’t “get” Lymond. Which is such a shame. He’s brilliant, shining, talented, loyal and flawed.
Persevere - he’s worth it.
The audible was good but I found it a little difficult at times to distinguish who was actually speaking.

You either “Get” Lymond or you don’t

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I have read all the Dorothy Dunnett books so was concerned that an Audible version might not live up to expectations. I was not sure to start with but the more I listened the more I was drawn into the story again. Brilliant narration and I am looking forward to listening to book 2 Queens Play.

I Love Dorothy Dunnett

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Beautifully read by David Monteath. I look forward to listening to the rest of the series.

A gem for lovers of the work of Dorothy Dunnett

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is a beautifully written story. It is interesting and thoroughly entertaining. But the true magic of this audio book is the narration. Truly exceptional. The best of any audiobook I’ve experienced. The story comes to life under the narration. Highly recommended.

Fantastic audio book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews