As a former fencer, how could I not like this book? A great tale of power struggles and politics. I enjoyed the story within a story that the young friends dote on and want to live themselves. But when things become all too real for Katherine's friend, and Katherine and her friend Marcus spy on other nobles, it's a little too pat that the kids can save the day. Nevertheless, a fun read. ( )

nemmeno questo è un fantasy
anche questo potrebbe essere un Harmony
credo invece che sia un precursore degli YA

TRAMA E SPOILER:
St. Vier si è ritirato e gli viene dedicato giusto un piccolo cameo
Alec, il suo compagno, da giovane tormentato è diventato un Duca tormentato che (con grande acume politico) spaccherà la testa del suo nemico con un soprammobile e scapperà, non prima però di aver fatto della nipote adolescente la nuova spadaccina e nuova Duchessa ( )

Entertaining story of an Austen-esque young heroine whose eccentric uncle compels to train as a duelist instead of a debutante, leading to melodrama, romance, politics and intrigue. I liked the Regency-ish setting and the dry wit of the dialog. ( )

Looks and sounds like a sword-slinging, badass female fantasy adventure on the covers but vague smut book on the inside. The "main" character's story is more of a subplot. The deeper into the book the more nonexplicit sex there is.

The quote on the front cover called it whimsical. Perhaps it is. But the other side of the perspective coin is lazy.

Basically, I put this book in the broad, all-too-common category of fantasy novels that make me wonder if the author wanted to write erotica but didn't want to write explicit sex, wanted a dated scene but didn't want to research to develop an in-depth world, and wanted to remind herself to include action and so slapped on "The Privilege of the Sword" title and fun girl-bests-boys subplot. But again, this is just a subplot. Sex and social chit chat are the main plot.

This is all too common and disappoints me all the time as someone who loves pure strong heroine adventures and deep messages.

On a positive note, despite--or because of--the lack of development of the world, the story, and the characters (still no idea what hair color anyone has or what they do when they aren't smutting or playing social politics) it reads fast like a short story. So if the lack of deep content isn't a problem, one would likely enjoy a quick guilty pleasure. It also has some quirky lines and three quirky characters (out of the dozen it focuses on--seriously, "main" girl Katherine didn't have a large share of the screen time when there were so many short stories starring almost random characters weaved together.)

I found a tidbit of literary value though. One of the characters known popularly as the "Mad Duke" is actually a "normal" person in our current Western society and the "normal" people in the this story's society are backward irrationals--perhaps "crazy" if they were in our world. Nice juxtaposition.

I was so happy when it was finally over. I can't believe I stuck with it to the end. Oh, the end--ex machina left and right. ( )

I didn't like this one as much as I did The Fall of the Kings. I expected it to be more about Katherine than it actually was, and I thought it could have been a better book had it been more tightly focused on her. That said, I enjoyed reading about her learning to be a swordsfighter and doing well in her fights, and her friendship with Marcus. ( )

Funny, emotionally resonant, exciting, fun, and chock full of distinctive character, this book manages to touch on some heavy subjects without spoiling its generally light tone.

Though I picked up "The Privilege of the Sword" because it was a sequel to "Swordspoint", this second book is an improvement in almost every way on its predecessor. Besides that, I think it covers background and setting well enough to be a great standalone novel that doesn't require a reader to have touched the first volume. The only lack I felt comparing the two books was for that while "Privilege" has a couple surprises, it doesn't have nearly so twisty a plot as "Swordspoint".

Unfamiliar words in this book:
Chary: Cautiously reluctant to do something.
Ructions: A disturbance or quarrel. ( )

I wish I'd realized this was the second in a series before beginning. Reads like a romance, but the plot is more complex. Fantasy elements seem limited to the setting being not quite actual 18th century Europe, but close enough. ( )

Katherine was cute. I like the idea of a lady turning into a swordsman instead of the other way around. The fact that she was forced into it (which is usually the opposite of the story so that's a nice twist on convention) made me really interested in seeing how she would resolve her new role. I'm glad that she came to like it and became good at it.

I thought a bit more was going to happen in the book. It ended being a bit boring for me coming down in the last third. I mean, it was nice and I enjoyed it but it felt lacking somehow. I would still recommend it though. ( )

I have a list of what I call ‘comfort books’: novels which, in times of stress or sadness, I can curl up with and be reminded that the world is a wonderful place (Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is one; These Old Shades is another). The Privilege of the Sword, a sequel to Swordspoint, has just joined this very select company. A quote on the back cover of my edition calls it ‘A magical mixture of Dumas and Georgette Heyer‘, which is precisely the right way to describe this gloriously bubbly swashbuckling adventure. Stuffed with duels, romance and intrigue, it also has the kind of feisty, independent heroine I would have adored as a sixteen-year-old. And I adore her even more now: in the intervening twelve years I’ve read enough books to know what a rare kind of heroine she is...

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2013/07/13/the-privilege-of-the-sword-ellen-kushner/ ( )

Not quite as good as the first one, and I wish the resolution at the end had been a bit more satisfying, but a good read nonetheless. ( )

This is the 2nd book chronologically (but the 3rd published).

We meet Alec, now Duke of Tremontaine following his grandmother's death. Called the Mad Duke, he brings his impoverished 15-year old niece Katherine to the city and dresses her as a boy and trains her as a swordsman. Much intrigue follows, especially as Lord Ferris has returned to Tremontaine from his exile at the end of Swordspoint. Entwined in the plot is the story of Artemisia Fitz-Levy, who ends up betrothed to Lord Ferris and her dealings with Katherine.

Suffice to say that Katherine ends up as Duchess.

Enjoyable.

This a sort of a midquel to Swordspoint and The Fall of the Kings - both of which I enjoyed. Privilege made me wish I remembered them better - some of the same characters were featured, but I couldn't quite remember their histories. The story is a teenage girl having adventures and coming of age in a narrow high fantasy setting - an unnamed city full of the conspiracies of nobles. I stayed up late to finish it. (September 30, 2006) ( )

I impulse bought this simply for the unusual point of view. It moves back and forth from Katherine's first person view to third person for everyone else, and we look through an impressive number of characters' eyes. If you hold rigid ideas about point of view correctness, pass this over. Personally, I love when someone can show the story from so many sides. It brings a richness that's impossible from a single viewpoint, and it's well done here.

That said, the story does ramble a bit, with a rather loose plot. I'm tempted to suggest heavier editing to tighten that up. But the multiple points of view plus the details of the culture--down to the swordwork and clothing--are too much fun to cut. I think some readers will definitely be put off by the structure, though. Actually, if I'd read it at a different time, I might not have enjoyed it as much as I did, but it was just the right diversion in the moment. ( )

Alec Campion, the Mad Duke, is some twenty years older than in Swordspoint, but he isn’t any less a trial to his family, friends, and enemies. Dividing his time between Tremontaine House and his Riverside house, the Duke Tremontaine hosts parties ranging from the risqué to the debauched, and lives a life of dissipation.

He also quietly makes political trouble for those intent schemes that would line their own pockets at the expense of the less powerful and the less well-connected. Aside from his own affinity for the dispossessed, it doesn’t hurt at all that the principal plotter against the general good is his old enemy, Anthony Deverin, Lord Ferris. Into this political and social minefield, Tremontaine brings his niece, Katherine. With the stick of a revived lawsuit challenging his sister’s marriage settlement and the carrot of permanently settling the lawsuit, he forces his sister Janine to send her daughter to him—with an absolute ban on family contact for six months.

Katherine arrives with happy dreams of fine dresses and a Season in town. She quickly learns that she will have only boy’s clothes, and fencing lessons. Her uncle is having her trained to be his bodyguard.

As Katherine slowly learns her way around the duke’s household, the city, and a sword, she also acquires a few friends, most notably Marcus, the duke’s young assistant, and Lady Artemisia Fitz-Levi, a sweet but somewhat silly young lady of her own age, who nevertheless receives and accepts a proposal of marriage from the most eligible bachelor available—the widowed Lord Ferris.

Katherine’s not happy to discover she’ll be going to no respectable balls, wearing no dresses, and being received by practically nobody, but she does learn to enjoy swordplay and, with Marcus, trailing and investigating one of the Duke’s visitors, whom she recognizes from her one very brief attempt to visit Artemisia. Unfortunately, the next place she meets Artemisia is at the Rogues’ Ball. Katherine has come with the Duke; Artemisia with her fiancé, Lord Ferris. Lord Ferris, concerned that the flighty Artemisia might call off the betrothal that he’s counting on for reasons of his own, has taken advantage of this evening away from Artemisia’s family, friends, and chaperones to make sure she has no choice. Artemisia begs for Katherine’s help, and Katherine’s personal desire to avenge and protect her friend gets tangled up with the Duke’s personal and political enmity for Ferris. Everyone’s keeping secrets from everyone, and things start to spiral out of control.

Like Swordspoint, this is a really fine fantasy novel with not a hint of magic to be found in it anywhere.

Recommended. ( )

I wanted to love this, but it was just okay. Smartly written, and I enjoyed the main character, but it took far too long for the book to get started, and then the book was wrapped up too quickly and too neatly. ( )

Austen would have been proud of this fantasy novel of manners, deconstructing a woman's place in a man's world. Chronologically the middle book in the Swordspoint Riverside trilogy, although written last. beautifully written, great characters, and something to say. classic. ( )

I wanted to love this, but it was just okay. Smartly written, and I enjoyed the main character, but it took far too long for the book to get started, and then the book was wrapped up too quickly and too neatly. ( )

The book is set a dozen or so years after Swordspoint, one of my very favorite fantasy stories. Alec Campion, the Mad Duke of Tremontaine, summons his young niece to the city. He promises to alleviate her family’s financial situation if she’ll obey his one command—she must dress only in men’s clothing and learn to fight. There are many fantasy books about young, naïve girls who learn to swordfight and defy convention, and most of them are terrible (even the Alanna series has some serious faults). This is not one of those books. Kate is initially far from pleased at her new situation, and the gradual growth of her appreciation for dueling is believable. The story starts frothily, with characters new and old whipping about, all having a grand old time double-crossing each other. But as it progresses, Privilege of the Sword becomes more about intimate power struggles and the right to personal freedom than just political infighting. Kate’s character also deepens, and while she retains a silly streak (she has a tendency to romanticize) she becomes a very likeable character. In the background of her story are Alec and Richard St. Vier, the main characters of Swordspoint; hearing hints of their story percolate up is both teasing and satisfying. The very end is a little too pat for my tastes, but overall I loved this book almost as much as its prequel. ( )

Interesting to listen to (download from Audible.com) all the way through, but I wasn't wild about it. ( )

I loved the main character Katherine. She starts off only doing what her uncle wishes in order to save her family, only to eventually discover that he is making her a swordswoman to give her her independence, something he believes his sister, Katherine's mother, lacked when she agreed to an arranged marriage.

The only thing that disappointed me about this book was that the one, two sword fights in it were extremely brief. ( )

Summary: Katherine's family is well-bred but poor, and entangled in some complicated legal proceedings. When Katherine's uncle, the Duke, requests that Katherine come live with him in the city, there's really no way her family can refuse. But her uncle, Alec Campion, isn't called the Mad Duke Tremontaine for nothing, and he's decided to have his niece trained in the art of swordplay. Katherine, who was prepared for society and balls and meeting eligible suitors, chafes under the Duke's requirements, but the longer she lives in the Duke's house, the more she realizes that the city has more to it than she was expecting… and her Uncle seems to be involved in most of the secret and clandestine parts.

Review: I really enjoyed this book, much as I suspected I would. I loved the world of Riverside and the characters of Swordspoint, but I found the audio production really distracting. In paper, though, with nothing to get in my way, I had a much easier time. This book (like Swordspoint) is this interesting blend of swordplay and chivalry and political intrigue and the criminal underworld and high society, kind of a blend of the worlds (if not the styles) of Dumas and Austen and Dickens, all smooshed together. It's fantasy, but apart from a few oblique references to magic being used in the old days, it's much more historical fantasy (although drawing from a mishmash of periods) than anything else.

Actually, let's talk about the oblique references to the old days a bit, particularly in reference to Kushner's worldbuilding. I'm in a little bit of a conundrum with this book, as I can't quite figure out how Kushner manages to do her worldbuilding. It's very subtle - about the far end of the spectrum from info-dumping - so subtle, in fact, that sometimes I wasn't quite clear on how various political and societal systems worked, or whether I'd missed some crucial detail. That should have really bothered me, but at the same time that some of the "structural" worldbuilding was a little sparse, the cultural/environmental worldbuilding was very vivid - you can feel the difference going from Riverside to the Hill, see the dark corners and gilded furniture and grimy alleys and fancy fencing salons. And as a result, even if I occasionally felt a little lost, I still found it really easy to sink into Kushner's world.

The characterizations are done equally subtly. Kushner expects you to be paying attention - a lot of the emotional importance of some scenes is meant to be inferred… since it's certainly not explained. As an example: Alec sends Katherine to stay at his house in the country, and train with the odd, reclusive man that lives there. I don't think that that character is ever named outright - or at least not until much, much later - but there were parts of that section of the book that were absolutely emotionally devastating, if you knew. (And that part I did catch, and it broke my heart.) Even some of the secondary/tertiary characters were developed well enough to be intensely sympathetic - Marcus coming to terms with his past particularly touched me.

Other things I loved about this book was its nonchalant handling of bi- or fluid sexuality (reminiscent of Sing the Four Quarters), and its touches of humor amid the swashbuckling and pathos (Alec can be a snarky, snarky man when he wants to). Overall, I had a lot of fun with it, even when it occasionally tore my heart out, and will definitely be on the lookout for the third book. 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: The Privilege of the Sword would work okay as a standalone, but the impact of some of what I thought were its best moments relied on having read Swordspoint first. These books remind me most of Galen Beckett's The Magicians and Mrs. Quent, but I think they'd be enjoyable for anyone who likes a healthy mix of swashbuckling and (seemingly) polite society. ( )

Originally post at FanLit.
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/reviews/the-privilege-of-the-sword/

�??Whatever the duke means to do with her, it canƒ??t be anything decent.ƒ?

The Privilege of the Sword is Ellen Kushnerƒ??s sequel to her novel Swordspoint which was about the doings of the high and low societies in her fictional town of Riverside. The main characters of that novel were the nobleman Alec Tremontaine, a student, and his lover, the famous swordsman Richard St. Vier. You donƒ??t need to read Swordspoint before reading The Privilege of the Sword, but it will probably be more enjoyable if you do because youƒ??ll have some background on most of the characters.

Now Alec is known as the Mad Duke Tremontaine. He spends some of his time in his mansion outside the city, but he really prefers to reside in his house in Riverside where the common people live. The Mad Duke is known for being rapacious and decadent. Yet when he asks his estranged sister to send her 15-year-old daughter Katherine to him, Katherine must go because Alec controls the family fortune.

When Katherine goes to live with her mad uncle, she envisions beautiful new gowns, exciting balls, and gallant suitors. And indeed thatƒ??s probably what she would have gotten if this story hadnƒ??t been written by Ellen Kushner. A sweet romantic fantasy isnƒ??t what Kushner had in mind, however (though there is sweetness and romance). Instead, the Mad Duke dresses Katherine like a boy and makes her take swordfighting lessons. She hates this at first, but later she learns that her skills are quite useful for carrying out her romantic schemes. Even later it becomes clear that thereƒ??s a method to her uncleƒ??s madness.

Katherine is a delightful character. At the beginning sheƒ??s a sweet romantic girl with starry visions and high hopes, but her innocence is challenged when she joins the lascivious dukeƒ??s household. Sheƒ??s forced to grow over the course of the novel and she learns about friendship, honor, and her own (and other peopleƒ??s) sexuality. Katherineƒ??s friendship with Marcus, a boy who works for the duke, is sweet. However, her friendship with the noblewoman Artemesia, which drives the plot in the second half of the novel, is hard to believe in since two girls hardly know each other. I did like, however, how they were bound together by the romantic admiration for the same book.

Alec is even more unlikeable in The Privilege of the Sword than he was in Swordspoint, but Kushner provides us with more of his backstory in this novel and he at least becomes a little more sympathetic. By the end I had decided that maybe I liked him after all. He has no respect for the rules of his society and itƒ??s hard not to admire him for that. Readers of Swordspoint will also be interested to see what became of the famous swordsman Richard St. Vier.

The plot of The Privilege of the Sword is ƒ??liteƒ? and a bit muddled. I found it somewhat dull at first, but it picks up eventually when the political intrigue starts and thereƒ??s a mystery for Katherine and Marcus to solve. The story isnƒ??t particularly memorable, but itƒ??s mostly amusing, unpredictable, and mercifully avoids all fantasy clich??s. Most notably, it examines gender and sexuality issues in a way that has so far been unusual in fantasy literature. (Though I hesitate to call this novel a fantasy since its only fantastical element is the totally made-up setting.) Most of the characters are exploring their sexuality (which is both homosexual and heterosexual and gets rather decadent in parts) and this, in my opinion, affects the plot negatively. In other words, it could be argued that the book is more about sex than it is about story.

I listened to the audio version of The Privilege of the Sword which was produced by Neil Gaiman Presents and expertly narrated by Ellen Kushner and a full cast. Neil Gaiman and actress Felicia Day make vocal appearances. If you plan to read The Privilege of the Sword, you should consider the audiobook. ( )

♦ What I Liked: Aside from a couple of interesting female leads this tale also has another of my favorite subjects. Political intrigue. As in book one, Alec thrives on mayhem. He somehow manages to get nearly everyone to believe he is slightly mad and quite harmless. In reality he has his finger in every pot and is not afraid to see how much trouble he can stir up. It is alot of fun to watch. Alec is much like an onion. He has layers under layers under more layers. And you might be surprised at what you find at his core.

Then we have Katherine. Forced into servitude to her "mad" uncle, she has no idea what to expect. Irregardless she is determined to take whatever he dishes out so her family's fortunes can be restored. Much to her surprise and dismay, he takes away all her dresses, gives her the attire of a boy and demands that she train with a swordmaster. The transition makes for a great coming of age tale.

Meanwhile we have Artemisia, a beautiful maiden of a noble house, abet a poor one, who dreams of nothing but true love and a blissful marriage. Katherine's best friend, she too has a coming of age tale to tell as she discovers the harsh realities of life.

Last we have Marcus, the Mad Duke's faithful servant. He has a story to tell too only you'll have to read the book to find out what it is 'cause I ain't tellin'.

♦ What I didn't like: I am honestly racking my brain on this one. Nothing jumps out at me as being unlikeable. This book even has less romance and if you are familiar with my tastes, less is better. I don't mind a little romance in my fantasy but I don't much care for it being the main focus.

Ultimately the only thing I can really complain about was the confusion created by the publication dates of the three books.

Swordspoint was written first, The Fall of the Kings second and this book third. There were also several blurbs which called Kings "the stunning follow up to Swordspoint." Those comments added to my confusion. However the published order is not the intended reading order. The chronological order is Swordspoint, The Privilege of the Sword and then The Fall of the Kings. Fortunately Ellen Kushner very politely corrected me when I mistakenly labeled Fall of Kings as book 2 in a tweet. She then graciously pointed me to 2 posts she had written explaining the correct order. The World of Riverside and Chronology and Short Fiction

I have corrected all of my posts here, on twitter, facebook, pinterest, and on tumblr so hopefully nobody else will make the same mistake. I know better. While it is rare to see books published out of order it does happen and I should have double checked my facts. For that I sincerely apologise.

♦ Conclusion: Fortunately my mistake took absolutely none of the pleasure out of this book. If anything reading The Fall of the Kings first made me more eager to read Katherine's story.

As with the other 2 books there is not a cliffhanger ending. (Always a plus in my opinion.) That being said, I do recommend reading Swordspoint first in order to get the full story behind Alec and Richard St. Vier. It is also invaluable due to the short stories included at the end of the book. They help to tie together both the events here and in The Fall of the Kings.

All in all a pleasant change of pace and a delightful read. Highly recommended!

Source: Dragons, Heroes and Wizards ( )

Katherine’s wealthy and “mad” uncle decides to foster her in the city and turn her into, not a lady, but a swordsman.

Despite being book two in the Riverside trilogy, The Privilege of the Sword is easily a standalone novel. I enjoyed reading about Katherine learning swordplay, her frustration with her uncle’s oddity, and the gradual way she grew to understand and even come to enjoy the new life she was throw into.

There are a lot of things I liked about this book; there were also things I did not like. I didn’t care for the way the second half of the plot depended on one of the main characters being raped and several other major characters being or having been prostitutes. I also found the frequent switch from Katherine’s first-person perspective to the third-person perspective around other characters jarring. ( )

In a word: Jaunty!

Not being a fan of Renaissance settings (Renaissance literature being an altogether different thing) in contemporary lit, I admit to not having gotten my hopes up over The Privilege of the Sword, a story obviously fashioned after such an era on a similar planet. But in truth the characters are well crafted, the settings fun and alive and the action everpresent. So what’s not to like? Indeed, it’s possible a book more accepting of differences in gender and sexuality has never been written.

This is not to say that Privilege is wholly without flaw. It’s been a very long time since a writer was able to make me feel ill and someone keep reading. Situationally, Privilege leaves much to be desir... okay bad choice of words. What I mean to say is, despite it’s protagonist being a teenage girl, Privilege is far from a children’s story. Though at times cute and lovable, it is almost exclusively vulgar. Fortunately, vulgar can be forgiven. The real problem I find with Privilege lies in its attempt to introduce too many plot elements which do not come together in a cohesive nexus as one might expect. Instead the reader is treated to a topsey-turvey roller coaster (I failed my constitution roll more than once) of a story. Yet it’s actually far more difficult to get into the heads of Kushner’s characters than one might expect given the subject matter and the extent to which each character gets their say, so perhaps this too can be forgiven.

All-in-all I firmly believe I like Privilege and am willing to live with a little vulgarity now and then. ( )