SWORDSPOINT: Amazon.ca: Ellen Kushner: Books

Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

In the highly stratified world of Kushner's nameless old city, the aristocrats living in fine mansions on the Hill settle their differences by sending to the thieves' den of Riverside for swordsmen who will fight to the death for a point of someone else's honor. Young Lord Michael Godwin is so taken by these romantic figures that he studies the art himselfuntil challenged by the best of them. Master of the Sword, Richard St. Vier is picky in his contracts and precise in his killing but he nevertheless becomes embroiled in the nobility's political, social and sexual intrigues. When his lover Alec is kidnapped by Lord Horn, St. Vier must take drastic action. Kushner's authorial voice may be somewhat smug and self-conscious but that suits her subject. Her novel is intelligent, humorous and dramatic, with a fine, malicious feeling for the operation of gossip in a closed society.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“[Kushner] draws you through the story with such lucid, powerful writing that you come to trust her completely--and she doesn’t let you down...Watch this woman--she’s going to be one of the great ones.”
--Orson Scott Card

"There is an element of high romance to Kushner’s work, but it is honed to a bleeding edge by a deep appreciation of what motivates men and women. These are fantasies for adults, with the pang of real love and loss in them, sometimes surprisingly violent, sometimes breathtakingly tender, and sometimes very passionate indeed." --Realms of Fantasy --This text refers to an alternate Mass Market Paperback edition.

See all Product Description

Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.

First Sentence
SNOW WAS FALLING ON RIVERSIDE, GREAT WHITE feather-puffs that veiled the cracks in the facades of its ruined houses; slowly softening the harsh contours of jagged roof and fallen beam. Read the first page

Explore More
Concordance

Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt

Tag this product

(What's this?)

Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.

Customer Reviews

37 Reviews

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

Average Customer Review

4.1 out of 5 stars (37 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most helpful customer reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting for gay-fantasy fans, Dec 22 2003

By

Wiggle (Kansas City, MO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Swordspoint (Mass Market Paperback)

Is it so much to ask that a book have deep, lush writing, strong characters, an interesting plot and real life scenes? While Swordspoint delivers on some of those points, it falls quite flat on others.

Of course, the plot is excellently crafted and fascinating, as other reviewers have mentioned. Kushner's semi-fantasy, semi-historical novel seems so very like our own, if history had taken different turns, and different values were held in higher esteem. Her world-building and plot-twisting cannot be faulted, however, her relationship-expounding certainly can.

Each of the characters that we read the most about (Richard, Alec and Michael) are strong fellows with a true depth of character, even when that character is mysterious and shrouded (as in the case of Alec). Each feels ultimately real, with passions, hatreds, needs, desires, strengths and flaws. It's only when the characters interact with one another that my interest started to wane. Initially, I found Richard and Alec's relationship hauntingly fascinating, but something was lacking. I never truly felt their closeness, even when Richard takes great pains and goes to great lengths for Alec's honor and safety. Some measure of connection was glossed over, and truly.

Now, I gave this book four stars as it is, The problem was that each time I felt I was about to see some depth to the characters' relationships -- whether between Michael and the Duchess, or Richard and Alec, or anyone involved (and many of them are!) -- the author took a step back and veiled her readers' eyes from the emotional as well as the physical details. Tender, delicate wording did not serve to spare my sensibilities. It only served to turn my reader's eyes away from the most intimate moments of the characters' relationship: emotional as well as physical.

However, the book itself is a wonderful read, and interesting enough for me to want The Fall of the Kings to see if Kushner can top Swordspoint, and possibly show me a little more intimacy. In all senses of the word.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

3.0 out of 5 stars nice bookcover, May 15 2010

By

Jia - See all my reviews

This review is from: Swordspoint (Mass Market Paperback)

I bought this book based on the cover (which I find very beautiful)

The plot is ok, some political stuff behind it.
But I was disappointed that the love life between Alec and Richard was not fully portrayed. The knight keeps going off fighting while the other is just... there. not very present.
It might be interesting for those who enjoy stories about knights and duels though I was really hoping for the love between Alec and Richard to go on to a next level throughout the story. slightly disappointed.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely language and description, Feb 2 2010

By

ancientharp - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Swordspoint (Mass Market Paperback)

This book exploded all the tropes. It was a fantasy without magic, a tragedy where the two main characters live, and a love story without romance. Or, at least the sort of 'romance' you see with half-naked men on the covers. Highly recommended.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 37 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Want to see more reviews on this item?

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 74 reviews 4.1 out of 5 stars

Most recent customer reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Well written, but not my cup of tea
I first heard about Swordspoint through Amazon.com. I'm quite a regular at Amazon, not just buying things but just looking up stuff and finding more stuff to read. Read more

Published on Mar 16 2004 by Wendy C. Darling

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Regency-style Fantasy With a Perfect Hero
I have just finished reading Kushner's Swordspoint, and I am dazzled, delighted, and amazed. The central character, the swordsman, Richard St. Read more

Published on Feb 16 2004 by happywalrus