Welcome to Riverside, where the aristocratic and the ambitious battle for power in the city's ballroom, brothels and boudoirs. Into this alluring w...
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Dec 17, 2009
Res
rated it: 
The one where Mad Duke Alec brings his 15-year-old niece, Katherine, to the city to make a swordsman of her.
Very fine when it comes to Katherine's personal life; less successful in other areas.
Katherine is adorable, and her reactions rang very true to me; I especially liked how it felt for her to put on men's clothes for the first time, and how she gradually gained enthusiasm for her fate. Her sexual awakening was done very well, too.
I enjoyed seeing the dar More...
Very fine when it comes to Katherine's personal life; less successful in other areas.
Katherine is adorable, and her reactions rang very true to me; I especially liked how it felt for her to put on men's clothes for the first time, and how she gradually gained enthusiasm for her fate. Her sexual awakening was done very well, too.
I enjoyed seeing the dar More...
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Mar 19, 2010
Lukela
rated it: 
This is my first Riverside Book. If you want to know what it's about you can read that anywhere so I just tell you how I liked it.
I got it from the library because a friend told me that it is one of those rare books where there is no fuss about hetero- or homosexuality and everybody just minds their own business. And I was not disappointed - there are straight, gay and bisexual characters, but without mentioning those words. So that was very refreshing.
The story took a while to real More...
I got it from the library because a friend told me that it is one of those rare books where there is no fuss about hetero- or homosexuality and everybody just minds their own business. And I was not disappointed - there are straight, gay and bisexual characters, but without mentioning those words. So that was very refreshing.
The story took a while to real More...
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Feb 01, 2008
Like Swordspoint, which I also loved, this novel is an extremely entertaining read that manages to provoke far more thought than I would have expected from a book that's such pure fun. I think what I loved so much about The Privilege of the Sword is that it manages to grant the reader the very real narrative pleasure of the comedy of manners and the swashbuckling revenge tale while at the same time illuminating the gender and class politics at the very foundations of these genres. This knowing a
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Aug 20, 2007
Darlene
rated it:
The main character of The Privilege of the Sword (which my husband insisted on calling the Privilege of the Phallus) was a delight. Katherine was fascinating, multilayered, complex. I really liked her. She grew from an independent, loyal and sensitive girl into a fiercely independent, fiercely loyal, and dangerously armed sensitive woman. Yeah!
Some of the other characters were also intriguing -- the Duke in particular (sexy and dark, yum) -- but most of the others fell flat. Addi More...
Some of the other characters were also intriguing -- the Duke in particular (sexy and dark, yum) -- but most of the others fell flat. Addi More...
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Dec 17, 2009
Wealhtheow
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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)
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Apr 26, 2008
Sean
rated it:
There are some things I liked very much about this book. The moment of the main character's first sexual awakening is both hilarious and yet also believable; there are moments of brilliant wit and biting sarcasm; there are scenes of such vicious depravity and cruelty that one's breath is taken away; and there are a few moments of tender love. One problem many sequels have—true sequels, in which previous characters appear in a new story—is that characters one has learned to love or hate, or who i
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Dec 29, 2008
Lightreads
rated it:
About fifteen years after Swordspoint, young Katherine is sent from the country to her uncle the mad Duke, who has a nefarious but possibly brilliant plan to turn her into the first swordswoman.
Okay, so, it went something like this:
First 100 pages: Restless twitching, sighing, picking of fingernails. God, Ellen Kushner, are you seriously telling me you're letting me down in this universe twice?
Next 100 pages: Oh? Oh! Eeee! Well, why didn't you say so earlier? More...
Okay, so, it went something like this:
First 100 pages: Restless twitching, sighing, picking of fingernails. God, Ellen Kushner, are you seriously telling me you're letting me down in this universe twice?
Next 100 pages: Oh? Oh! Eeee! Well, why didn't you say so earlier? More...
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Jan 07, 2012
Lisa
rated it:
Expecting a swashbuckler, I found this much more tasty, original and complex. The compelling voice of teenage Katherine, brought to the city by her uncle, Alec Campion, the notorious "Mad Duke" of Tremontaine, to train as a swordswoman, drew me in. What kept me delighted was Kushner's fanciful metropolis of decadent high life, colorful low-life, and intellectual Bohemia, rife with political and erotic intrigue. Disputes over everything from a maiden's honor to the quality of poetry are
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Oct 03, 2011
Clay
rated it:
Ellen Kushner doesn't try to shoot the moon -- she’s just trying to write a fun book with just enough meat to balance the meal.
‘The Privilege of the Sword’ (Bantam Spectra, $14, 378 pages) is set in the same world as ‘Swordspoint’ and ‘The Fall of Kings’, and for the most part, it’s a pleasantly old-fashioned coming-of-age fantasy about an adolescent being brought from the country to become a swordsman (in a pre-industrial society, of course).
There are some twists, however. T More...
‘The Privilege of the Sword’ (Bantam Spectra, $14, 378 pages) is set in the same world as ‘Swordspoint’ and ‘The Fall of Kings’, and for the most part, it’s a pleasantly old-fashioned coming-of-age fantasy about an adolescent being brought from the country to become a swordsman (in a pre-industrial society, of course).
There are some twists, however. T More...
Jul 26, 2011
Rambles
rated it:
Ellen Kushner’s Swordspoint has the distinction of being among the most intelligent and stylish fantasy novels I’ve ever read. As it happens, I have to go back to a very basic definition of “fantasy” to make that statement, since Kushner’s universe shares no characteristics with traditional fantasy save that she made it up and it is most definitely not this world.
The Privilege of the Sword falls between the short stories “The Swordsman Whose Name Was Not Death” (which is the title of a More...
The Privilege of the Sword falls between the short stories “The Swordsman Whose Name Was Not Death” (which is the title of a More...
Jul 04, 2011
Cara
rated it:
Honestly, up until the final two chapters, this book was the best book I had ever read, which made the crashing failure at the end the most depressing thing that happened to me in a long time. The fact is, this was a story about Katharine and Artemisia. This isn't just my opinion. They had a majority of the POV parts, and their stories were the interesting arcing plot lines. I absolutely loved the story-line where they were interacting with the trashy romantic novel and the play based on it.
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May 30, 2011
Text
rated it:
For a person who really enjoyed Swordspoint, I sure took my time acquiring a copy of its sequel. But it was certainly worth waiting for, both in terms of publication and purchase!
And also very hard to describe. What historic epoch is this setting trying to echo? Renaissance Italy, maybe. Probably. Except for the part where the names are more English. Regardless: A decadent society, dominated by a noble class, with a tradition of dueling by proxy that in the present book is beg More...
And also very hard to describe. What historic epoch is this setting trying to echo? Renaissance Italy, maybe. Probably. Except for the part where the names are more English. Regardless: A decadent society, dominated by a noble class, with a tradition of dueling by proxy that in the present book is beg More...
Feb 21, 2011
Lis
rated it:
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. Asi More...
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. Asi More...
Aug 22, 2010
Scott
rated it:
The short of Ellen Kushner's The Privilege of the Sword: I liked it. Though I have to say I'm split.
But, first, a brief summary:
Lady Katherine Talbert goes to live with her Uncle, the Mad Duke, who has it in for Katherine's mother (the Duke's sister) and vows to leave her alone should she commit her daughter to living with him for six months. In that time, the Mad Duke completely changes her perspective on life and her place in it, having her trained as a swords(wo)man. O More...
But, first, a brief summary:
Lady Katherine Talbert goes to live with her Uncle, the Mad Duke, who has it in for Katherine's mother (the Duke's sister) and vows to leave her alone should she commit her daughter to living with him for six months. In that time, the Mad Duke completely changes her perspective on life and her place in it, having her trained as a swords(wo)man. O More...
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Apr 25, 2010
Michelle
rated it:
3.5 stars, even.
the plot synopsis up there is pretty straight on: a crazy nobleman calls up his country cousin to attend him in the bright lights of the big city as his swashbuckler. though this is all kinds of abhorrent to a properly brought up young lady, she agrees to his terms because her family is about out of money and crazy uncle has plenty of it. a fun, fast-paced story ensues, wherein she learns to deal with wearing breeches instead of chemises, attempts to ignore her unc More...
the plot synopsis up there is pretty straight on: a crazy nobleman calls up his country cousin to attend him in the bright lights of the big city as his swashbuckler. though this is all kinds of abhorrent to a properly brought up young lady, she agrees to his terms because her family is about out of money and crazy uncle has plenty of it. a fun, fast-paced story ensues, wherein she learns to deal with wearing breeches instead of chemises, attempts to ignore her unc More...
Jun 18, 2009
Chris
rated it: 
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Sep 25, 2010
Charlotte
rated it:
Charming world and engaging characters make this a worthwhile read. I was expecting a standard sword-and-sorcery novel. What I wasn't expecting was a comedy of manners crossed with swashbuckling. More than that, though, this is the coming of age story for a girl learning the sword in a Georgian-like society.
Much of the story is told by Katherine. She speaks like the 15 year-old girl she is and I was pleased to find that she wasn't initially eager to don boys' clothing or lift a More...
Much of the story is told by Katherine. She speaks like the 15 year-old girl she is and I was pleased to find that she wasn't initially eager to don boys' clothing or lift a More...
Feb 05, 2009
Ellen Kushner, host of public radio's Sound & Spirit, won the 1991 World Fantasy Award for Thomas the Rhymer (1990). She also wowed readers with her 1987 debut Swordspoint. She has revisited its setting in two novels: The Fall of the Kings (with Delia Sherman) (2002), and now The Privilege of the Sword. Critics admire the new novel's well-drawn characters, sharp humor, and driving plot; some even suggested starting with Swordspoint to become acquainted with the setting and the characters. Kushne
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Oct 15, 2010
Phoenixfalls
rated it:
I loved this book. It's set a couple decades after the events of Swordspoint and does feature a number of the same characters, but it can easily stand on its own. And unlike Swordspoint I was immediately emotionally invested in Katherine, because her world is more approachable to me than St. Vier's was, full of people mostly trying to do the right thing and build happy lives. Katherine is just your average girl from the landed class, raised to run a household and attract a husband. She knows not
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Oct 13, 2011
Jocelyne
rated it:
While I thought the book was entertaining, I really thought the end of the book was weak. I was in the last 20 pages and thought: How is this going to end in 20 pages?! There are also some loose ends left in the end which I detest, but I figure the author is likely going to write another novel.
Another thing I found is that there was too much development. I understand the character has to grow, but the first half of the book is kind of boring and all the action is in the second half. More...
Another thing I found is that there was too much development. I understand the character has to grow, but the first half of the book is kind of boring and all the action is in the second half. More...
May 25, 2010
Our Intrepid Heroine
rated it:
I read Swordpoint not too long ago because a) it looked interesting, b) the second book had a chick with a sword!, and c) a bunch of Goodreaders liked it, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I liked it fine, but it didn't seem finished. There was a complete story arc, but I just walked away feeling like there was no resolution. Basically, Swordpoint + The Privilege of the Sword = one big novel. I got my resolution from Swordpoint in its sequel, and then some.
This book had me howling be More...
This book had me howling be More...
Jan 05, 2012
Jo
rated it:
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 s More...
Jan 13, 2009
Laura
rated it:
I really liked Ellen Kushner's other novels in this world, but this one was very hum-drum. Of course, I previously read the other novels about 10+ years ago, and I have changed a lot since then.
Essentially this novel is about a crazy rich man who buys his niece from his sister in order to train her as a swordsman to protect him.
The girl, Katherine, only fights in two duels in the entire novel. The last part of the book she is just a horny teenager who is attracted to her More...
Essentially this novel is about a crazy rich man who buys his niece from his sister in order to train her as a swordsman to protect him.
The girl, Katherine, only fights in two duels in the entire novel. The last part of the book she is just a horny teenager who is attracted to her More...
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Jun 03, 2010
Rachael
rated it:
Katherine's family is battling with debt and planning on selling the silver when Katherine receives a request from her Mad Duke uncle to come to live in the city and learn to be a swordsman. Katherine is bound by the duty to her family and agrees to stay for 6 months with her uncle. in exchange, he will give her family a large sum of money, etc.
Katherine begins learning about herself, about her eccentric uncle, and her own sexual awareness. They live in a world bound by honor. Nobles More...
Katherine begins learning about herself, about her eccentric uncle, and her own sexual awareness. They live in a world bound by honor. Nobles More...
Sep 23, 2009
Kristin
rated it:
Katherine's family is noble but penniless, so when her uncle offers to pay for a visit in London, Katherine accepts, dreaming of the men she will make fall in love with her simply by walking down a staircase. There's just one catch: Katherine's uncle, the Duke of Tremontain decideds it will be far more amusing to make Katherine learn swordsmanship. But is entertainment at the expense of his niece truly Tremontain's motive, or is he secretly helping Katherine have another option than marrying a w
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Apr 20, 2011
Jacqueline
rated it:
An utterly delightful read. I liked this better than Swordspoint, though you would have had to have read the first book to really appreciate this one. I envy Kushner's style, and her observations of social mores are spot on. This more than the first makes Alec's rebellion against the society of the Hill more understandable, and I actually grew to like him as the book went on. Katherine I thought was very believable as his niece, who is dragged into his world because of family grievances and carr
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Nov 27, 2008
Alec, Duke Tremontaine, aka the Mad Duke of Riverside, has sent for his impoverished young niece, Katherine.
She and her family hope he'll make a good marriage for her, but the Mad Duke has decided to train her as a sword fighter.
She is furious, and besides a swordmaster to train her, her uncle also springs what becomes her fall into society, without warning or training, on her.
She learns the sword perforce out of self-defense and also, bit by bit, the city, More...
She and her family hope he'll make a good marriage for her, but the Mad Duke has decided to train her as a sword fighter.
She is furious, and besides a swordmaster to train her, her uncle also springs what becomes her fall into society, without warning or training, on her.
She learns the sword perforce out of self-defense and also, bit by bit, the city, More...
Mar 03, 2011
Kate
rated it:
Oh, how I loved this book! I wanted strap on one of my fencing sword and go sneaking about the backstreets of the West End. (No, I didn't, unfortunately). I loved the character of Katherine because she wasn't really solemn or bookish or anything like the usual "new girl in society" stereotype. She wasn't shocked or appalled by things, she just sort of shook her head and went back to practicing swordfighting. She was bold, mischievous, prone to action and not elaborating, and endearingl
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Nov 30, 2009
Tiffany
rated it:
I really enjoyed the sequel to Swordspoint. Kushner's characters are compelling and interesting. The whole world she creates is so different to this our own time period. It's fantasy, but could be very similar to what happened in the city-states of Renaissance times. I kept imagining much of the setting looking something like Italy.
I'd highly recommend this for those who like different, cutting edge fantasies. It is definitely not your average book. The swashbuckling is done by the m More...
I'd highly recommend this for those who like different, cutting edge fantasies. It is definitely not your average book. The swashbuckling is done by the m More...
Dec 02, 2008
Adrienne
rated it:
Sequel to the equally (dare I say slightly more?) fabulous 'Swordspoint'. The best part is that the genre is called mannerpunk. Lots of chocolate drinking and calls being paid. Also, girls dressing as boys, more Alec/Richard and other fabulous things I will leave out so as not to spoil. If the idea of a hot!mysterious!swordsman and his snarky, bored!ex-University student lover who relieves said boredom by picking fights so his swordsman lover will have to defend his honor intrigues at all, do pi
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