{"product_id":"checkmate-dorothy-dunnett-1st-edition","title":"Checkmate, Dorothy Dunnett — 1st Edition","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"2\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"2\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003ePublication:\u003c\/b\u003e London, Cassell \u0026amp; Company Ltd, 1975\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"3\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eFormatting:\u003c\/b\u003e 8vo, pp. [viii], 581.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"4\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"4\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eCondition Report:\u003c\/b\u003e Good. The binding remains remarkably tight and square, with the black cloth boards presenting cleanly and the silver spine titling unoxidised and bright. However, the text block exhibits age-toning andscattered foxing across the top, bottom, and fore-edges. This spotting has permeated the interior, leaving noticeable blemishes across the endpapers and the reverse of the dust jacket. The dust jacket itself is preserved in a clear, protective sleeve; it remains complete and visually striking on the shelf, though beneath the wrapper, it shows mild rippling to the extremities. Despite the internal foxing, the primary text remains clean and perfectly legible, making it a sound, readable copy of this concluding volume.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"5\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eCatalogue Note:\u003c\/b\u003e This is a true UK first edition, first printing of the culminating novel in Dorothy Dunnett's celebrated \u003ci data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"121\"\u003eLymond Chronicles\u003c\/i\u003e, published by Cassell in 1975. Though its title and striking cover art might initially draw the eye of those collecting historical chess literature, \u003ci data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"288\"\u003eCheckmate\u003c\/i\u003e is, in fact, a masterclass in historical fiction and a cornerstone of modern multi-volume sagas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"6\"\u003eThe book features an uncredited wrap-around dust jacket design that incorporates a chess king upon a checkered board, set against medieval heraldry, a fitting visual metaphor for the intricate political manoeuvring that characterises the series. While early volumes in the \u003ci data-path-to-node=\"6\" data-index-in-node=\"272\"\u003eLymond Chronicles\u003c\/i\u003e can be notoriously difficult to source in first edition, \u003ci data-path-to-node=\"6\" data-index-in-node=\"347\"\u003eCheckmate\u003c\/i\u003e enjoyed a larger initial print run, rendering it more accessible on the secondary market. Nevertheless, acquiring copies in immaculate condition remains a challenge, as these substantial novels were frequently and enthusiastically read. This copy, while suffering from standard paper degradation and foxing common to mid-1970s British publishing, remains a solid representative example of the first edition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"7\"\u003eIn this magnificent conclusion to the legendary \u003ci data-path-to-node=\"7\" data-index-in-node=\"55\"\u003eLymond Chronicles\u003c\/i\u003e, the enigmatic Scottish soldier-of-fortune, Francis Crawford of Lymond, finds himself in France in 1557, tasked with leading an army against England. As Lymond executes his brilliant, chess-like strategies on the battlefield, the ghosts of his haunted past begin to close in. Forces on both sides of the conflict become intensely interested in his true loyalties and lineage. Rich with political intrigue, devastating betrayals, and breathtaking action, \u003ci data-path-to-node=\"7\" data-index-in-node=\"527\"\u003eCheckmate\u003c\/i\u003e brings one of historical fiction's most complex and compelling anti-heroes to his final, unforgettable endgame.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Broadhursts Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54353334894931,"sku":"4650","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/1469\/6787\/files\/20260717_175751.jpg?v=1784539355","url":"https:\/\/broadhurstsbooks.com\/products\/checkmate-dorothy-dunnett-1st-edition","provider":"Broadhursts Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}