The Dorothy Dunnett Companion

I bought this book to use, rather obviously, along with Dorothy Dunnett's books. What I have discovered though is that this book is just a wonderful source for information as well. It's a stand-alone" book in that in that respect. I have yet to begin reading the Lymond Chronicles that I am collecting but I am about to buy the second volume in this series. Hopefully, I will collect all of the volumes of Dorothy Dunnett's books that I want to read - but in the meantime I am thoroughly enjoying the information in this great little 'companion' book!

I absolutely love Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles. They are by far my favourite book series. I first read them and loved them without this companion. I then reread them using the companion and it was like discovering a dear friend all over again and on a deeper level. The translations add depth to the dialogue and explain the subtle innuendos the text hints at. I also found that I spent hours flipping through page by page of the companion reading the historic background of the characters the companion also includes. It is possible to read the splendid series without this book, but you get so much more out of it if you keep it immediately next to you while you read; I highly recommend getting this! Don't be confused either- you need volume one of the companion, as volume two only covers the references not included in the first. It does not replace volume one.

I was fortunate to buy a copy of the Michael Joseph hardcover version of the Companion when it was first released in 1994, and have used it extensively. The first Companion was published before the last books in the House of Niccolo and so it only covers the Lymond Chronicles and the first five books of the House of Niccolo. While written as a comprehensive guide to Lymond and Niccolo, the Companion gives us some history, literature and - thankfully - translations of some references that are obscure to many readers. The Companion can be enjoyed on three levels: a glimpse into the research undertaken by Lady Dunnett; a starting point for some of the historical events and people introduced into the novels; and as 'a cornucopia of things'. I like the layout. It invites me to browse. I go to find one reference, and emerge at least half an hour later having been side-tracked by all manner of things. Such is the world of Dunnett! It is well worth acquiring a copy of this version of the Companion if you were not able to obtain a copy of the first edition. Volume II complements this book, it does not replace it. Highly recommended to all Dunnett fans! Jennifer Cameron-Smith

The book is wonderful and is truly an asset to anyone who loves Dorothy Dunnett's books. All the poetry, historical references, historical figures etc are explained or translated. It is an encyclopedic addition that completes your Dunnett collection. Dorothy herself is helping with the second volume to finish up the Niccolo books and tie everything together. A definite "must-have".

The fine folks at Vintage Books have done a great favor to those of us who are longtime fans of Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond and Niccolo chronicles as well as those who have only just discovered her writing. The Companion first was published in 1994 and inexplicably was allowed to go out of print, so that the only copies available recently were used books that seemed to start around [price]...and up. Some readers of Dunnett's books might have the benefit of a classical education that allows them to understand who all the historical characters are, what all the literary allusions are to, and what all of the quotations in foreign languages mean. For all of the rest of us, Elspeth Morrison has performed the invaluable labor of tracking down Dorothy Dunnett's original sources and fleshing out the details. Dunnett's books remind me of Medieval and Renaissance tapestries--rich in intricate symbolism and detail. You can look at them and enjoy them as fine art, but when you know what the details mean, your experience is that much deeper and richer. Fervent thanks to Morrison for making this illumination available!