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Scales Of Gold

The House Of Niccolo 4

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About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Scales of Gold by Dorothy Dunnett, read by John Banks.

The year 1464 finds our hero Nicholas in Venice. Plagued by enemies bent on dissolving his assets and smearing his character, he sets sail for Africa, legendary location of the Fountain of Youth and the source of gold in such abundance that men prefer to barter in shells. He will discover the charms of the beautiful Gelis - a woman whose passion for Nicholas is rivalled only by her desire to punish him for his role in her sister's death. Erotic and lush with detail, SCALES OF GOLD embraces the complexity of the Renaissance, where mercantile adventure couples with more personal quests behind the silkeb curtains of the Age of Discovery.

 Action & Adventure Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Medieval Middle Ages Romance Africa Morocco

Critic reviews

Praise for Dorothy Dunnett (-)

A storyteller who could teach Scheherazade a thing or two about pace, suspense and imaginative invention

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Marvellous, breathtaking

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A masterpiece of historical fiction (-)
One of the greatest tale-spinners since Dumas (-)

Lashings of excitement, colour and subtlety

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Vivid, engaging, densely plotted - are almost certainly destined to be counted among the classics of popular fiction (-)
'A glorious panorama of medieval times . . . The historical research is impeccable' (-)
All stars
Most relevant
This is, in many ways, the last magnificent adventure for Nicholas, the last of his innocence, not that some of the people around him aren't mad at him for being underhanded and secretive and ruthless about his scheming, which of course, he is. To Africa, then, in morally questionable circumstances, unable to escape the tangled web of personal and family complications that cling to him like molluscs, to find riches, but also suffering, and perhaps even love and a glimmer of peace, all to be shattered by one of the cruelest endings of a book since... well since Checkmate by the same author.

It is a big and epic and intricate book full of the bustle and buzz of traders embarking on a major expedition, brilliant with descriptions of people and places, the evocation of Timbuktu in particular an absolute masterpiece of historical gorgeousness, a beautiful, vulnerable city of trade and learning that captures the hearts of the characters and the readers.

Gold

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I loved the unfolding story of the main characters in this novel, and the way the fictional plot is interwoven with the real life events and characters of medieval Europe and the African continent.

The Heat of Africa

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Just like the Lymond series (which are SO good) the overarching story is a slow burner. Here in Book Four we begin to reap the benefits of the character building of the other books. Here there is enough derring-do, romance, and adventure to sate any taste.

And then just when you think we have a denouement there is a twist, and another, and another. Yes, a very satisfying read; I recommend you listen to the first three episodes first to get the full experience. This is definitely a meat-and-potatoes story.

Now we get to the crux of it all

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This is the best of the series so far. The characters are utterly compelling, the book sweeps from Madeira to The Gambia to Timbuktoo and then to Venice and finally back to Bruges. You know something dreadful is bound to happen in the end (there is always a cliff hanger with DD) but the double whammy knocks you sideways.

Another breathtaking story of Klaus

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Loved this book as I loved the others.
Can't wait to find out where Nicholas goes next.
Great story telling.

Brilliant

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