Written in 1987, Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner is an intimate fantasy novel set in a renascence world – a world full of swordsmen and challenges, nobles and intrigue, jewels and assassinations. The stunning opening line, “Let the fairy tale begin on a winter’s morning, then, with one drop of blood newly fallen on the ivory snow: a drop as bright as a clear cut ruby, red as a single spot of scarlet on the lace cuff,” immediately shows how intimately the reader is placed alongside the characters.
What makes this novel so unusual as a fantasy tale is that the world is not at stake. Not even the kingdom is under threat. Instead, the story centers on a romance between two men. Richard St Vier is the best swordsman in the world, and Alec, the badly-behaved heir to the Duchy of Tremontaine, must choose between the duchy and his forbidden love.
Swordspoint is beautiful, emotional and poised. I was astonished when I first read it, because this book went against everything I believed a fantasy tale should be. The strength in this unconventional story lies in Kushner’s excellent characterization and lyrical prose. Packed with delicate details, the book requires a second and a third reading for the reader to truly see the city. From the chocolate whisks to the unlucky play The Swordsman’s Tragedy to the boating parties where fireworks are set off to amuse the nobles, Kushner has it all mapped out in meticulous detail, fully immersing the reader in Richard and Alex’s world.
In a reality of intrigue, treachery, danger and secret pasts, what truly stands out is the evolution of the two men’s relationship, which spins from true love to artificial hatred founded on verbal duels. Swordspoint strikes me as a stained glass window or a tapestry brought to life from the rich mythology and history that Kushner has created. This is a book whose folklore will stay with you months after you have finished it.
Booking It: Swordspoint
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