Swordspoint (Riverside)

Reading this book is like reading some of those of those historical novels full of intrigue,romance and strange twisted plots studded by coups de scene, set in a jaded milieu of effete nobles who are as ready to offend and take offense as the parasite signorotti of Manzoni's "The Betrothed", but unlike them can't even fight their duels by themselves, and have to hire swordsmen lke St. Vier, who is also a sort of champion of the oppressed. The description of this imaginary world, similar but very different from our own is masterfully detailed, the dialogues witty and brilliant,the characthers very intriguing. I recommend this book to any reader who likes fantastic (or alternate) history and romance. A warning for the homophobes: yes, in the society described in this book homosexuality is not considered a scandal, but is accepted as a fact of life( as it should be).Nonetheless, this is one of the best novels to read.

The first thing that first brings you into this book: the pristine and fine language. Kushner's prose is not just lovely--it's sharp as the edge of a knife and graceful too. The characters in the book cut each other with words almost as much as with swords, and blood is spilled both ways. Irony is a mainstay. If I were to visualize her writing, I'd picture it as a snowflake made of glass but just as chilly as ice.The story is made up of what stories are usually made of: political intrigue, honor, human needs, love and lust. But what really distinguishes the plot is her characters: reviewers have already made mention of the two anti-heroes, the disgraced student and his swordsman lover, and they are divine. Alec, the student, is slumming and recklessly depressed, with a decided taste for shedding blood and drama. He is mostly by turns moodily sarcastic and cutting, capricious and slightly disturbed--he gets the best lines in the book. Richard is lethal and mild, if that makes sense. He loves danger, and this, of course, is why Alec is so appealing. Both are plunged into a game of the aristocratic court, a game both deadly and layered, at the whim of nobles who care much more about winning than the value of human life. Especially human life that gets in the way of what they want.I love Kushner's way with her characters; she knows human behavior and can portray it subtly. Her writing rarely goes "into" the characters at all; her POV is steadfastly third-person. Yet in the small details of dialogue and description, she lucidly lays character depth. Alec is an arrogant swot, often malicious, very much the "boyfriend from hell," but Kushner wants her readers to like him, and I do. Oh boy, do I. Kushner shows her characters, rather than telling about them. We aren't fed with descriptions of Alec's charms--but shown them. He works his charm not only on his surrounding characters but us, the readers, as well. Another character, Diane, has subtle powers of manipulation and persuasion, and that too is convincingly shown through actions and behavior. I hate it in books when the author makes a character "smart" or "genius" and yet s/he behaves like a gibbering idiot. This knack of characterization makes "Swordspoint" a joy to get through: we get to know the characters slowly and without undue intimacy, like real-life acquaintances, giving the unfolding plot some sense of immediacy and drama. Kushner keeps herself at a strict distance from her characters, and her skill lures us in closer in fascination. Her knack with character and her chilly and gorgeous prose make this a very nice book.

I sincerely couldn't recommend this book enough times, if only just for the sheer pleasure of the language that Kushner uses. Having read Lynn Flewelling's Seregil books (Luck in the Shadows, etc) just before, I was doubly impressed by the huge difference in the level of the prose. (This is not saying I don't like Lynn Flewelling's books-- I loved them.) I'm a glutton for gorgeously composed text and this book had such a fantastic texture to it, like an elaborate embroidery or an intricate filigreed jewelery piece.Not to mention the characters! I adored Alec and Richard... especially Richard... *sighs*... there's not enough words for how many parts of this book I loved. I'd originally read a friend's borrowed copy and was so reluctant to give it back, and am now searching for a copy of my own. I wish the book wasn't out of print, but if you can find it at your local library, it's definitely worth more than a look!

It's like Georgette Heyer meets Armistead Maupin meets "The Lion In Winter". I loved it.Kushner takes every predictable Regency/Gothic/Modern Romance cliche and turns it on it's head. The stalwart hero is a master swordsman, a devoted lover...and a complete sociopath. The highborn love of his life is a green-eyed, sultry-voiced beauty...with severe emotional problems and a lot more testosterone than one generally expects in highborn beauties.The beauty gets kidnapped and manhandled. The hero gets even and then gets lucky. The beauty takes a powder. The hero gets arrested. The beauty has a brief, but memorable, career in politics. The hero gets off and then bows out graciously. The beauty lures him back with fish and chips and...whatever.I highly recommend this one, and I can't tell you how pleased I am that there's a sequel in the works.

This is one of the best books I have ever read, in any genre. The characters are unusual and unforgettable, the plot interesting and intricate, and the writing elegant and beautiful. Kushner makes her two main characters appealing and sympathetic, without compromising their fundamental ruthlessness and violence. She portrays deep, unconditional love without sentimentality or mawkishness. This is in many ways a dark, disturbing book, and it did raise unsettling questions in my mind about the nature of reality, the morality of violence, and people's ability to change, among other topics to ponder. Yet it is a joy to read; the sex and violence are not explicit; and I throoughly enjoy thinking about the book, rereading bits as I try to make sense of the novel's themes. This is a book I will read over and over, and never forget. Writers, this is how it should be done!