Niccolò Rising

Written by Dorothy Dunnett

Narrated by John Banks

In this first book of The House of Niccolò series, the author of the Lymond Chronicles introduces a new hero, Nicholas vander Poele of Bruges, the good-natured dyer's apprentice who schemes and swashbuckles his way to the helm of a mercantile empire.



With the bravura storytelling and pungent authenticity of detail she brought to her acclaimed Lymond Chronicles, Dorothy Dunnett, grande dame of the historical novel, presents The House of Niccolò series. The time is the fifteenth century, when intrepid merchants became the new knighthood of Europe. Among them, none is bolder or more cunning than Nicholas vander Poele of Bruges.



Niccolò Rising, book one of the series, finds us in Bruges, 1460. Jousting is the genteel pastime, and successful merchants are, of necessity, polyglot. Street smart, brilliant at figures, adept at the subtleties of diplomacy and the well-timed untruth, Dunnett's hero rises from wastrel to prodigy in a breathless adventure that wins him the hand of the strongest woman in Bruges and the hatred of two powerful enemies. From a riotous and potentially murderous carnival in Flanders, to an avalanche in the Alps and a pitched battle on the outskirts of Naples, Niccolò Rising combines history, adventure, and high romance in the tradition stretching from Alexandre Dumas to Mary Renault.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: May 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9798350805048

Reviews for Niccolò Rising

[nigellicus · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Some chaotic incidents, beginning with an incident with a bath, a cannon and a canal, upset the good Burghers of Bruges. They also launch the career of a brilliant, dangerous man into the world of the Renaissance, where chivalry is on the wane and business is on the rise, and war is business. Despite his brilliance, he makes mistakes, or over-reaches, or simply sets in motion trains of events that have outcomes even he can't control or predict, for he is still young and inexperienced. If he survives his enemies, disasters, wars, tragedies and the machinations of Dukes and kings, he still has his family to worry about, because under all the plots and plans and clever designs there are deeper, ineradicable secrets. This is merely the edge, the launch and dive into the world of Niccolo. Questions you weren't aware were being posed in the first page will not be answered the end of seven whole epic novels, because though the writing can seem fine as filigree, it's also as sharp as razors and the plot is like a network of steel hawsers. Dive in, it's brilliant.

[auldhouse · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Three young men floating down a canal inside a bathtub being delivered to a Duke in Bruges. Action and hilarity ensue but this chapter is key--don't read it lightly. I read it twice in a row. The chapter has layers and kicks off the events not only in this book but in the entire series. This is my second time through this series--it was a delight the first time when I had the pleasure of reading it through with several co-workers--we had a lot of fun at lunchtime discussing the antics of Nicholas de Fleury and company. And it was a delight this time. Dorothy Dunnett is for people who love dense historical fiction (I know this because there is a Dorothy Dunnett society and a Wiki)--she mixes in real events with fictional characters in 15th century Europe and there is always a surprise waiting around the page for you the reader and the characters in her books.

Please, oh please, someone adapt this into a series for HBO, Showtime or Netflix.

[librisissimo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyed the first few titles the most, but they got too dark and depressing later on.
Brilliant, of course, in both research and writing.

[karenhulseman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

First book in the series. It's alot of detail to set you for the rest of the series. I am currently re-reading the entire series. The last 1/4 of th ebook starts getting into the character to get you into them.

[seriousgrace · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When Dunnett finished the Francis Crawford of Lymond series she felt there was more to Francis Crawford's story that needed to be detailed. By way of explanation she went back to the 15th century. Niccolo Rising is the first in the House of Niccolo series and features Nicholas de Fluery, three generations before Francis Crawford of Lymond's birth. For reference, the 1459 Queen of Scots is thirteen years old.
Be prepared for high drama! Nicholas (or Niccolo or Nicholas vander Poele or Claes, as he is first called) only wants what every young man craves - acceptance, recognition, and love from his elders. When we first meet him, he is known as Claes, an eighteen year old dyer's apprentice. Clumsy as a puppy and equally annoying, the people in his life spend most of their time babysitting his actions and cleaning up his messes. It is hard to imagine Claes's transformation into a good-with-numbers, savvy businessman who capture the heart of one of the most prestigious women in the country. Much like 15th century Bruges's commerce and trade, Claes undergoes a spiritual and intellectual growth. By the end of Niccolo Rising he is practically unrecognizable. And that's when the fun starts...

[victoriajz · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I have given up reading == for some reason, it never grabbed me. I wasn't interested in those who were supposed to be main characters and the story line just did not interest me. I'll wait a year or two and try again, but it really never connected with me.

[dchamp_4 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Could not get past the first few pages. Too many vague references and words that could not be defined.

[devilish2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An intriguing book set in the 1400s. Claes is an apprentice dyer in Bruges. It details his exploits. Throughout the book you are never quite sure which characters are as they seem - Marian de Charetty, the owner of the dye works; Felix her son; Julius the notary; the various merchants of Bruges, etc. It portrays the normal life, the trading and the intrigues of politics, particularly the deeply intertwined families across Europe. It's mainly based in and around Bruges with insights to Geneva and Italy. I found the historical detail fascinating.

[jkdavies · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

stunningly  complex, rich and colourful, as to be expected from the incomparable Dorothy Dennett. For me, she is the Tolkein of historical thriller/romance, someone who defines a genre.
This is the first of the Niccolo series, which when I first read it, I was superficially disappointed. Where was the dazzle, charm, eloquence and flair of Lymond? Why did we have a clownish Dutchman instead? But re-reading, necessary as ever, makes things develop. This book has the burden of laying the scenes and characters that will develop over several thousand pages. Oh, to give a condensed version of the plot is beyond me... Claus, a dye-yard apprentice and illegitimate relation to the Charetty family, grows into a businessman in 15th century Bruges, and we meet various political players in Europe as history is teased out. 

[kirstie_innes7will · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The first in the incomparable Niccolo series. Stands alone as a masterful piece of historical fiction, but has so much more resonance once you've read to the end of this series - a masterwork of plotting!

[stuart10er_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I also struggled with the first book of the Lymond series. It seems like it is necessary to set up the vast array of characters and (more importantly) outline what their motives or goals might be. This sets the rest of the novel in motion as the author then moves us through a fairly straightforward narrative. However, as the story nears it ends - all the pieces that were set up in the beginning (which at the time didn't exactly make sense) come together in a resounding manner. Slow to start - but moves powerfully once it gets going. Really enjoyed it at the end.

[leslie398 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If Dunnett's Lymond saga was too difficult for you, you should try the Niccolo series... Same great writing but a little more transparent plots and much fewer foreign language quotes. This series is a must for historical fiction fans!

[lisapeet · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked this very much. It's a real puzzle-box of a book, and wants close attention -- Dunnett makes you work hard for your swashbuckling. But it was so rewarding, and exactly what I want out of the genre. I'd read some really tepid historical fiction in my 20s and had pretty much decided it wasn't for me, but Wolf Hall knocked me out and I'd been hoping for something similarly complex, evocative, and seamless in regard to research/story. This was entertaining and invigorating, although it took me the first hundred pages or so to get into her narrative groove. But very much worth it, and dammit now there are seven more to the series and, I find out, two companion books so you can look up the historical references. I'm hoping they have costume pictures, because that's what I was most curious about, and Google only satisfies halfway

[antiquary_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Firt book of her second series, set in Italy in the 1400s. Competent but somehow less involving than the Lymond series; more interesting for the setting than the characters.

[kasthu_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Niccolo Rising is the first in the House of Niccolo series. In this particular book, we are introduced to young Claes, who begins the story as a servant in the dyeing establishing of the widow Charetty in Bruges.

I picked this novel up because I love historical fiction. On the whole, though, I struggled with Niccolo Rising, primarily because the author lost me when she got into the political events of the time. Frankly, I was bored, so much that I began to skip pages to get to the more interesting parts. The language is dense and difficult to follow. I had to read this book is short fits and starts because the author really packs the information in, sometimes to the detriment of the plot. But when the plot got back to Claes, it was actually quite interesting. It’s just too bad that there was so little plot there. Too, it was really difficult for me to identify or even understand the main character, since the third-person narrative doesn’t actually revolve around him most of the time. It was disappointing, considering all the good things I’d heard about this book prior to beginning it.

[rocalisa_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Niccolo Rising - Dorothy Dunnet (9/10)
Historical fiction; book 1 of The House of Niccolo.
I loved Dunnett's Lymond books and had tried to read this one in the past, but didn't get far. At the end of August I found an online group that was doing a slow read of the Niccolo books together and it seemed too good an opportunity to miss. I had to catch up with this first book to be where they were and I found it a surprisingly easy thing to do. As always, Dunnett has so many layers and details in this book that I'm sure I missed a lot, but a loved it all the same. A rich and detailed tapestry of merchant life in Bruges in the fifteenth century with a truly fascinating main character.

[eltomaso · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Adventure and intrigue set in 15th century Europe and the Mediteranean. This is a series with devotion to detail of the highest degree but maybe overly so, as it can get a bit tedious at times. Generally, Dorothy Dunnetts House of Niccolo series is significantly superior to most other work of this genre. I highly recommend this series!!