Reviews

Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

timinbc's review against another edition

3.0

OK, it was her first novel. As such, quite good. For me, here in 2018, it lacks the overall polish that a more experienced author (such as later Kushner) would have brought. That said, there's a pretty good base, some worthwhile characters, a reasonable plot, some wit, etc.

I felt a bit of trying-too-hard in several of the above. I have no problem with characters being sexually whatever, but as I recall the mid-80s it seems a but much to have most everyone cheerfully bisexual. Still, author's choice.

The swordsman culture is a bit odd weird but allowable, and gives us a world that is definitely NOT ours, so the author has some room to create. But I didn't care for the "rule" that once you commit to a duel, the opponent can designate a better fighter and you can't uncommit. And I wondered why the culture requires everyone to fight the best guy and die, and no one gets to say, "screw this, I'ma run a grocery store from now on."

Characters need flaws, sure. Alec's witty and suicidal, and slumming for no apparent reason. Richard killed his wife in a fit of temper, and everyone's cool with that and still thinks the sun shines out his butt. HOW DID THEY GET TOGETHER? The Richard I see here would have nothing to do with the Alec we're shown.

Also, poor Alec suddenly decides to

Spoiler

step up, and vapid suicidal wimp becomes a fully capable noble schemer.

Humph.

Where did Arlen come from? Why does everyone defer to him?

And finally. Finally. We come to the eyes. As one other reviewer noted, we are never left wondering what color anyone's eyes are. I counted 26 references and I'm sure I missed some. We got green, blue-green, emerald green, grey, blue/grey, lavender/indigo, and one, count'em one pair of brown eyes. Sheesh. Alec's eyes are dark & green, green, sharp & green, vivid green, malevolent green, two matched emeralds, emeralds, green. Richard's eyes are deep lavender, indigo, the mute colour of drowned hyacinths, too blue, blue as spring hyacinths. Lord Horn's are blue and lazy blue, until a few pages later they are clear grey. What is this obsession fantasy authors have with eyes?

Oh, and check this out: “He steeled his own eyes as well as he could, knowing that, with their sea color, they would never be as immutably hard as he would like.” No matter how long he spent in front of the mirror practising steeling, he never could get it. Oh well, even this isn't the worst. I've noted examples of authors claiming that from 100 feet away the hero can see that another character has the shrewd, intelligent eyes of a left-handed scholar, and has a slight limp and a nagging nasal drip. Still, this was 30 years ago, and fantasy authors hadn't collected the Fantasy Tropes Library yet (inns, stew, etc.)

I've only read one other Kushner, and it was a YA. I am going to have to read a later one to see if the good stuff herein triumphed over the rest. Her reputation says it did.

merisaurum's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

alexgray's review against another edition

5.0

So much of the humor and thrill in this book comes from Kushner deciding that the characters will all know things that the audience doesn’t, and she uses it to throw a punchline in  such fun ways. Um this made me feel insane and was also so fun. 

emilygreen0110's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

oakington's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

serru's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

sofipitch's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

This was well written and entertaining, the characters and well written and interesting but it was very slow paced until 2/3rds of the way in where the storygraph description of the plot happen and that was just ok. But while I find the plot rushed and the conclusion not super interesting or meaningful there is something about the writing style and characters that really compelled me with this one. It reminded me a lot of Anne Rice's earlier work

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Kidnapping

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Violence, and Classism

finestgreen's review against another edition

1.0

Muddy characters in a muddy puddle

There's a decent short story buried in of the second half of the book, maybe. There's nothing worthwhile in the first half.

noam's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

hard to ask for more from a fantasy novel. i kind of love that it ends so abruptly. there's a vital energy generated by unspooling these threads just to leave them untied. but i understand why kushner went back for more. the characters, the world, the drama... it's all too seductive to abandon, even if it takes you nearly twenty years to return.

ajax's review against another edition

funny tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.0