saluki's review
3.0
Neil Gaiman presents this Melodrama of Manners and his description, "If Jane Austen wrote fantasy," had me wanting.
So, social class politics are the driving force of the plot. The elite reside on the Hill and the lower classes live below in dangerous Riverside. The amoral elite look to Riverside to hire swordsmen to fight duels to solve personal disputes and preserve honour. But, honour is a screen, the swordsmen are tools used for personal and political gain. They're often used to solidify status too as master swordsman Richard St Vier expresses after returning home from a duel at a dinner party where social showmanship for the bored elite, plus the gossip it inspires, is a stepladder for fame. From the beginning we see these party entertainments undermine the integrity of the nobility and the professionalism of swordsmen who face a duel to the death.
Richard St Vier is particular about the contracts he takes and he is possibly the only character I mildly liked. He's a swordsman for hire who lets slip a considerate side to his nature on occasion. His lover, Alec, had too many faces for my liking... an intelligent scholar, seemingly slumming in Riverside, who can become self-destructive in a heartbeat. He is a Jekyll and Hyde personality with secrets. I couldn't get a handle on Alec's see-saw personality especially when he's irrationally vile and vindictive just to cause trouble. How could Richard love this apparently crazy and self-abusive man? Still, Alec is intriguing for this reason.
Lord Michael Godwin admires Richard St Vier, or at least his fame, and seeks sword training in an attempt to impress and woo a beautiful Duchess. I enjoyed his development, although not particularly his preening character, a man self-absorbed and all about appearances, but just when things were looking really interesting he is shipped off... end of Michael's storyline. What's that about? After spending time with this character's viewpoint I was confused by his departure.
So, plenty of intrigue which was interesting and sometimes amusing but I did get a little bored with the power politics at times. I suppose I was expecting more dauntless swashbuckling and some chivalry, or at least a few more likeable characters. Riverside is a seriously messed up place and I'd be afraid to talk to or trust anyone if I lived there!
I enjoyed it enough and it is a very different beast to the high and epic fantasies of the eighties but I've been spoiled with George R.R. Martin among others whose intrigues, dialogue and wit is superior in my experience.
Good, but I expected more. Even though the narrator, and especially the voice-actors in illuminated scenes, were good... I think I would have enjoyed it more in book form rather than audio, maybe?
cn_scott's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
saoki's review
4.0
A great book for lovers of intrigue and dueling. So many great lines and characters (of course Alec is my favorite) that it's perfectly possible to forgive the eventual loose end. The ending is beautiful, that's the important thing.
I also loved that bisexuality is the norm on this setting. It's a rare treat.
I also loved that bisexuality is the norm on this setting. It's a rare treat.
rachelisgreen's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Kushner is credited with coining the term Fantasy of Manners, and this book is perfect example of it. For fans of Austen-esque social puzzles and strategy, this will be highly enjoyable, with the added bonus of sword play and a cast of characters saturated with queerness.
I enjoyed the central irony of nobility proffering challenges to the death based on petty misdeeds/ social slights, but when a swordsman challenges a noble over a very real harm, it’s suddenly murder.
I found myself lost a few times in the complicated knot of social relationships, but overall I was able to follow the story and feel satisfied with the conclusion.
I enjoyed the central irony of nobility proffering challenges to the death based on petty misdeeds/ social slights, but when a swordsman challenges a noble over a very real harm, it’s suddenly murder.
I found myself lost a few times in the complicated knot of social relationships, but overall I was able to follow the story and feel satisfied with the conclusion.
krsweet's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
stardiver's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The Melodrama of Manners is slow to unfold, but no less gripping for it. I thoroughly enjoyed these characters and their dance of noble politics, challenges and honour - I especially appreciate the complex main characters of Richard and Alec and their peculiar dynamic. Keeping the action in very few places around this fictional town has grounded the story very well.
I might come back to this one day. It's been wonderful seeing how this older mlm fantasy has inspired some newer writers of the genre.
I might come back to this one day. It's been wonderful seeing how this older mlm fantasy has inspired some newer writers of the genre.
sebastiannothwell's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Did you enjoy Jane Austen or Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell but wished for more murderhusbands?
Do you think any book could be improved with swords?
Do you prefer your characters queer until proven otherwise?
Some have called Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner a "cult classic," which is a fun way to say a book is criminally underappreciated. It's a perfect blend of fantasy, intrigue, romance, and edge-of-your-seat action. This forerunner of the mannerpunk (or fantasy-of-manners) subgenre is a marvelous balance of Austenesque social ritual with bloody consequences. A wealth of worldbuilding-through-implication is packed into this shockingly slender volume that leaves the reader ravenous for more.
While it contains far more grit and gore than your average romance, it is still at its core a romance, and a queer one at that - almost every twist of the ever-coiling plot is a direct result of romantic desire either thwarted or indulged. Our heroes, the low-born master swordsman Richard St. Vier and his mysterious academic lover Alec, form the core of this Gordian knot. Though I prefer a Happily-Ever-After over a Happy-For-Now, I concede that Swordspoint's conclusion puts the punk in mannerpunk and thus feels wholly appropriate for this one-of-a-kind story.
tl;dr - read Swordspoint and come scream with me, pls.
Do you think any book could be improved with swords?
Do you prefer your characters queer until proven otherwise?
Some have called Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner a "cult classic," which is a fun way to say a book is criminally underappreciated. It's a perfect blend of fantasy, intrigue, romance, and edge-of-your-seat action. This forerunner of the mannerpunk (or fantasy-of-manners) subgenre is a marvelous balance of Austenesque social ritual with bloody consequences. A wealth of worldbuilding-through-implication is packed into this shockingly slender volume that leaves the reader ravenous for more.
While it contains far more grit and gore than your average romance, it is still at its core a romance, and a queer one at that - almost every twist of the ever-coiling plot is a direct result of romantic desire either thwarted or indulged. Our heroes, the low-born master swordsman Richard St. Vier and his mysterious academic lover Alec, form the core of this Gordian knot. Though I prefer a Happily-Ever-After over a Happy-For-Now, I concede that Swordspoint's conclusion puts the punk in mannerpunk and thus feels wholly appropriate for this one-of-a-kind story.
tl;dr - read Swordspoint and come scream with me, pls.