The Ringed Castle cover art

The Ringed Castle

The Lymond Chronicles, Book 5

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The Ringed Castle

By: Dorothy Dunnett
Narrated by: David Monteath
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About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Ringed Castle by Dorothy Dunnett, read by David Monteath.

Sixteen-year-old Philippa Somerville has left Constantinople intact. Returning to England as wife in name only to Francis Crawford of Lymond, she wastes no time in seeking the truth about her new spouse, even as she finds herself navigating the paranoid court of Queen Mary.

Lymond, meanwhile, arrives in Moscow to assist its young Tsar Ivan to create a fledgling Russian army. But when he is tasked to visit London as Ivan's envoy his path is bound to cross that of the wife he has sworn to divorce.

Yet neither Lymond nor Philippa, caught up in their own scheming, can quite see the vast conspiracy enshrouding them . . .

©1971 Dorothy Dunnett (P)2018 Penguin Audio Action & Adventure Historical Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Thriller & Suspense England Russia Fiction Marriage Suspense Royalty

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All stars
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Brilliant. Not any of the overly florid writing that marked the previous books. So glad to see the end of Graham Mallett!. A little of the Robert Louis Stevenson's comic touch. Excellent .
The reader is fantastic, really enjoyed his performance

The best so far of a tremendous series.

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The Twist and Turns of the story continue and this makes it a good book. Narration is excellent.

A Good Book

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Dorothy Dunnett has a distinctive writing style, which I suspect that you will either love or hate - can be satisfyingly immersive when it comes to the historical settings, but the endlessly oblique and obscure dialogue between her characters can be very wearisome. And all her books basically feature versions of the same arrogant conceited main character, who frankly is a complete pain. Liked the Russian setting for this one, and quite well read, although I didn't like his characterisation of Philippa, who is meant to be intelligent, educated and self assured, not some modest mouse

Good book, but annoying protagonist

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Francis and Philippa, man and wife, are on either side of the world, providing good service in different ways to different monarchs. The events of the previous book have changed them both, but it's fair to see Francis has been affected most severely. Forced to live by his vow to Philippa, he divests himself of all that is weak, brings out all that is strong, and throws himself into the forging of a nation under Tsar Ivan of Russia. Philippa, through the intervention of Margaret Lennox, is summoned to the court of Queen Mary, who burns heretic and pines to give her husband, Philip of Spain a son. Between them stretch intrigues and ventures and the demands of family and loyalty, but though they are pledged to divorce as soon as possible, have they become too alien to each other for any common ground? Or are they more alike than either could even imagine?

Ring ring

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Historically accurate visits to far off places. Bold adventure, an invincible hero and romance. A classic Dorothy Dunnett.

History, mystery and romance.

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Dunnet at her best. l am looking forward to book six and will try not to finish it too soon

gripping

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One book left in the series and i am dreading it coming to an end. It’s difficult to express how good the Lymond Chronicles are. Its not an easy read or listen, you just have to let it flow over you. It is exciting, complex, fun and just utterly brilliant. A timeless classic, Dorothy Dunnett is one of the greats!

Utter brilliance

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