Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion
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Mercenaries
Monthly Group Reads
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FEBRUARY 2013 (Group Read 2): Mercenaries by Jack Ludlow
I think I will kick off the month with this one. then read the other group read.
So...who's going to be reading this one with me?I am interested in how it will turn out. I have interest in the 11 century England and France and I really want to like this book.
Will be reading the other group read first and I should get to this one by the end of the first week Feb. However, if the other GR doesn't come into the library on time, I will swap the GRs around and read this one first.
I am, due to the snow we have I have lots of free time so I can have most of books finished by next week.
Oh good. :-) Two interesting books for our Group Reads in Feb. Fingers crossed they live up to expectations.
I'll be reading this one after the Attila one.
I will. I downloaded it from Amazon, it was just around $6.
Nice and cheap.
Hmm. $6.99, on the verge of affordable. When the group read comes I'll see if the sample eggs me on to spend.
A lot better than paying $9 for that small Eaters of the Dead. :-)
Had to break down and buy this one....cost me $11.83...but got it in the mail today so I have both for next month. Have to take them with me while skiing in Lake Tahoe!!
For once a book is dearer for a US member than it is for an Australian. :-) Usually we are the ones paying more for books.Will be good to have you along on the group read, Bobby.
oops. looks like I will be starting the month with this book and not the other group read.So, come Feb 1...I will be reading Mercenaries.
Both this and Attila arrived on Monday. I'll be ready.Not entirely happy with "Awesomebooks" from Abebooks, btw. Two of the six books I've ordered from them in the past few months have been misrepresented in their description. Both times they've been called VG; the first had the cover defaced by a botched sticker removal and the second was indeed VG, except for the library stamps inside. Grr.
But their prices are good so I'll probably keep going back and rolling the dice...
I had this happen to me through Better World books, which I think have the same suppliers advertising their wares.The book was classified as 'new' from a seller and I paid a new retail price. It turned out to be yellowed, stinking of cigarettes and while the spine was not crack it was still most likely secondhand and not 'new' because when I read it the spine did not crack either.
I only buy new online now, unless there are decent pictures of the book. And I will never buy through Better World Books again as they never responded to my complaint.
Terri wrote: "I had this happen to me through Better World books, which I think have the same suppliers advertising their wares.The book was classified as 'new' from a seller and I paid a new retail price. It ..."
Thanks to you and to Patrick for calling my attention to these two booksellers. I will avoid them. I know Book Depository may be more expensive but I've had very good luck with them so far and their 'print on demand' books are high quality. The only downside is that it seems like it takes forever for books to arrive.
I have to say... I've used Better World Books (through Abebooks or Amazon Marketplace) quite heavily, with happy results. They were cheap and fast and mine were as advertised. I'll worry now to hear of other experiences, but they have been high on my list. I see I've used Awesomebooks a few times too. Haven't had trouble.
I've used both as well and will continue to do so unless the ratio gets out of hand. The prices for gently used HC books outstrip the irritation of the occasional problem.
I picked up my copy today and am really looking forward to starting it. I might not be able to wait until the end of the month.
Aww come on! Lol. You've got to..! (well, not technically...but it was worth a try) :-)
I am on track to start Feb 1 or 2 also.
Since this book seems mostly set around the Normans in Italy, I have added a video to the groups videos, on the Normans in Sicily.Videos on the Normans were hard to find on You Tube. Every one seemed to be about the Battle of hastings and/or William the Conqueror.
Normans did exist long before the Battle of Hastings. :/
http://www.goodreads.com/videos/37337...
The funny thing is for that if it weren't for the Norman invasion of Italy there probably wouldn't have been an Norman invasion of England.
It sure is an important part of Norman history. It should get more attention.
I have the book on my wish list on amazon for the longest, but I have yet to purchase it. I never seem to have enough time to read all the books I want to read. I was wondering how good of an author is Jack Ludlow? And is the Mercenaries book worth reading?
I'm in. I'm primarily interested in the Late Middle Ages usually, but the Normans are fascinating, too, and I like the summary of this book.Looking forward to my first group read here!
Hi Annika,Welcome to your first A&M group read!! Hopefully it will be a good one for us all.
All opinions on a book are welcome in our group reads (and in the group).
If you hate it or love it, feel free to share. Everyone's opinion is valid.
George wrote: "I have the book on my wish list on amazon for the longest, but I have yet to purchase it. I never seem to have enough time to read all the books I want to read. I was wondering how good of an auth..."I know nothing about Ludlow so this will be a first for me. I am hoping it isn't too much of a bromance (the boys club kind). When a book has a bunch of guys doing guys things there is always that danger. :-)
I have my fingers crossed it is good, since the era is a favourite one of mine.
Terri wrote: "Hi Annika,Welcome to your first A&M group read!! Hopefully it will be a good one for us all.
All opinions on a book are welcome in our group reads (and in the group).
If you hate it or love it,..."
Thanks for the kind welcome :-).
Anytime. :-)
I have notice that Mark has started. Anyone else started yet? I still have a couple hundred pages of my current read to go before I can start.
Just started now. If one has an interest, Lars Brownworth did a great series of podcasts on the Normans, from the early days to the end of their Italian empire. I think episode 10 or so is contemporaneous with the read.
http://normancenturies.com/
He also did a solid series on Byzantine Emperors.
That's fantastic, Patrick. Thanks for posting that link. I will be listening to them all if I like the sound of the narrator.
Episode 8 of that podcast is where our book would start, not 10. :)I'm about a third through now. My only complaint?
(view spoiler)
Other than that, so far so good.
I was wondering how Ep 10 was relevant to the book. I was going to come back and ask you when I got a chance. lol.I couldn't wait. Although i still have another book to finish I read the first 20 pages of Mercenaries and there seems to be some promise.
Too soon to tell if that promise will come to fruition yet.
I got "Mercenaries" yesterday from ILL. I have another ILL I am reading and will start when it is finished. I also have "Attila" waiting. I did not ger "Niccolo" yet, Terri.
Mark wrote: "I gave it 3stars."So not a complete loss for you then.
Anne wrote: "I got "Mercenaries" yesterday from ILL. I have another ILL I am reading and will start when it is finished. I also have "Attila" waiting. I did not ger "Niccolo" yet, Terri."I am still a ways off starting Niccolo too Anne. Hopefully it will come in before I finish two and a half books. :) (As I am not getting to the end very fast on my current read, and then I have Mercenaries and Attila).
Terri wrote: "Mark wrote: "I gave it 3stars."So not a complete loss for you then."
No I did enjoy it,
Terri: Revelation was the first HF book I read, at least consciously. My wife and I were in London in 2008 and I saw ads in the Underground for it and thought "That looks like something I would like!" Bought a copy at the airport and read about half of it on the flight home. Took me a couple of days to realize that it was part of a series and I was leaping in on the 4th book. I've still only managed to read the first two, looking forward to doing Sovereign this year.
I hope the series never ends!Of the 4 I have read so far (although I am just passed halfway in #4) Sovereign has been the best. I really got into that one.
Sovereign
I was going to put aside Revelation on Feb 1 to start Mercenaries....but I can't. I am too into it.
Haven't read anymore than those first 20 pages. I am madly, madly trying to finish the book I am on so I can give all my thoughts to Mercenaries. I am not very good at having more than one fiction on the go at the one time.
I have read 13% so far (I can't say exactly how many pages since I'm reading on Kindle). So far, I'm enjoying it, although I find the Guaimar/Berengara story pretty confusing. Maybe it would be easier to understand if I knew more about the time period.
Hi Annika,If you get a chance, or have the means, you may be interested in the pod cast that Patrick posted earlier in the thread.
He mentioned the Episode 8 podcast as a good background for Mercenaries.
http://normancenturies.com/
The Guaimar/Berengara story becomes more clear a little after that Annika. I do like that there is a good mix of likeable and love-to-hate characters. I'm about 3/4 of the way through and I've already decided I'll be reading the getting the sequel.
Two sequels to enjoy. It is a trilogy. :) 
I was just coming back to add that there is a third one, as I discovered when putting in my order. Got them both and (completely off topic) a previous monthly read where I was unable to participate Outlaw
A nice satisfying bit of book shopping for you there, D. :-)
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