Publisher Description

In 1461, the mysterious enigmatic Nicholas is in Florence. Backed by none other than Cosimo de' Medici, he will sail the Black Sea to Trebizond, last outpost of Byzantium, and the last jewel missing from the crown of the Ottoman Empire. But trouble lies ahead. Nicholas's step-daughter - at the tender age of thirteen - has eloped with his rival in trade- a Machiavellian Genoese who races ahead of Nicholas, sowing disaster at every port. And time is of the essence- Trebizond may fall tot he Turks at any moment. Crackling with wit, breathtakingly paced, THE SPRING OF THE RAM is a pyro technic blend of scholarship and narrative shimmering with the scents, sounds, colors and combustible emotions of the 15th century.

Author Biography

Dorothy Dunnett is the author of the world famous Lymond Chronicles set during the sixteenth century, as well as the on-going House of Niccolo series. She was awarded the OBE for services to literature in 1992. She lives in Edinburgh.

Review

Vivid, engaging, densely plotted - are almost certainly destined to be counted among the classics of popular fiction -- - * New York Times * Lashings of excitement, colour and subtlety -- - * The Times * One of the greatest tale-spinners since Dumas -- - * Cleveland Plain Dealer * A masterpiece of historical fiction -- - * Washington Post * Marvellous, breathtaking -- - * The Times * A storyteller who could teach Scheherazade a thing or two about pace, suspense and imaginative invention -- - * New York Times * Praise for Dorothy Dunnett -- - * - *

Kirkus US Review

Book Two of Dunnett's series begun with Niccolo Rising (1986); here, it's 1461 and Nicholas (also Niccolo), our 19-year-old entrepreneur - the self-made former apprentice of Book One - sets sail from Italy for an exotic hotbed of East-West trade. Nicholas' goal: Trebizond, the Greek stronghold on the Black Sea, where dye-makings, raw silks, and other temptations outshine the threat of fierce Turks. Having procured - through wit and shrewd bargaining - the sponsorship of Cosimo de' Medici, Nicholas finds his initial days at sea marred by a dreadful discovery: his young stepdaughter Catherine has been seduced by - illegally "married" to - his tricky competitor, good-looking Pagano Doria, who trades for Genoa. After a multi-adventure voyage, both Nicholas and Doria achieve their destination and begin currying favor with Trebizond's decadent emperor David. Sultan Mehmet, though, has gathered troops: Will he squander energy fighting Sinope and/or the White Sheep tribe, or will he attack Trebizond? While this is being debated, Nicholas goes on an exploratory expedition and is nearly murdered by the treacherous Doria (who then exploits Nicholas' missing-in-action status and tries to claim, through Catherine, his company). But Nicholas is really scheming with the White Sheep gang, getting first dibs on the Asian trade caravan, and plotting, always plotting. As the Ottoman armies strangle Trebizond, Nicholas and gang - rebel Catherine in tow - slip away, disguised as Turks, in their treasure-stuffed ships. As always, Dunnett (the Francis of Lymond series, etc.) is literate, witty, and sure in her scholarship. A cumbersome snarl of names, places and plot twists will daunt some; but, on the whole, this mix of colorful characters, thrill-a-minute intrigues and 15th-century scenery makes rich fare for genre fans. (Kirkus Reviews)

Review Text

Praise for Dorothy Dunnett

Review Quote

A masterpiece of historical fiction

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