Ancient Times (Oct-Dec 2025)

[Bill]

I enjoyed this challenge very much. The Eagle of the Ninth Chronicles was quite excellent, each story seemed better than the previous. Interesting stories of three generations of the Aquila family as the end of the Roman occupation of Britain comes about... Looking forward to the next Time Travel challenge..

[Sarah]

Not having much luck with finding those 2 books =[
I have however been looking for either Egyptian or King Arthur and Tristan and Isolde. So fingers crossed for a search in the library this evening.

[Sarah]

Will have to wait and go to another library later this week. My local library didn't have any of the books I've chosen for this challenge lol.

[Liz, Moderator]

Glad to be back on the challenge, I'm now halfway through I, Claudius. It's taken me a while to get used to the style (it was written in 1934 and is a little old-fashioned). I'm enjoying it now and it's really helping get my Roman emperor's straightened out!!

[Catherine]

so..here is a series...the first 2 don't have so much ancient as medieval history...but the 3rd definitely has ancient history.... is the first :) just finished the 3rd

also this series has some ancient history in it as well .. ..I'm up to the 4th :)

[Gemma]

I've been umming and aahing about whether to take part in this challenge but I don't think I can resist any longer - the book choices look too amazing :) As I'm a bit late for this period I might run over into July... Just finished The Song of Achilles which I picked up after seeing how much everyone in the group seemed to love it and it really did live up to the hype! I couldn't put it down! I've moved on to Julius Caesar and then hope to pick up Nefertiti, The Winter King and maybe something biblical :)

Thumbs up to whoever's idea this challenge was as there are some great choices out there for each period :)

[Em]

Glad to have you join us Gemma! No probs if it takes you into July, I'll start the next discussion thread for The Middle Ages but I don't see why we can't rumble on with Ancient times for a while longer alongside that - I've really enjoyed my books for this challenge.

[Susan]

I'm reading The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and enjoying it.

[Sarah]

I'm a bit sad I haven't found anything I've actually wanted to read yet =[ My library isn't co-operating at the mo. I've found everything else I want to read apart from books for this challenge. So may have to do Ancient Times into July.

[Gemma]

Fingers crossed it crops up soon for you Sarah, definitely worth the wait for The Song of Achilles...

Just finished A Classical Education: The Stuff You Wish You'd Been Taught in School which I've had tucked away on my Kindle for ages. It gives a really good overview of the Greeks and Romans including their mythology, historical figures, teachings, legacy etc. Easy to read and informative :)

[Kate, Moderator]

That Classical Education book looks good Gemma. I've added it to my to read list. :)

[Nikks]

I know I am a little late to discover this challenge, but would love to participate. I was thinking I might read The Iliad, but am actually going to read The Red Tent. I have The Song of Achilles on my bookshelf too.

[Em]

Welcome to the challenge Nikks, quite a few people are continuing into July with their Ancient Times books so I think you'll be in good company. I'm beginning to think about some books set in the Middle Ages...

[Bill]

I've got a few in mind for the Middle Ages challenges; books covering the Crusade and the 100 Years war... Not sure which one(s) I'll end up reading. But looking forward to moving forward in Time.. :0)

[Ellie]

I have some juggling to do; want to do an A-Z challenge so recently started the Ancient Guide to the Modern World by Natalie Haynes, and plan to follow that with Robyn Young's Brethren (Crusades era); in between those, I need to fit in finishing Shadow of the Wind (which I'm 1/3 of the way through), and Merivel by Rosé Tremain (which I'm reading for a book club) which, being set in the 17th Century, is too late to meet the Middle Ages criteria

[Nikks]

Elaine wrote: "I have some juggling to do; want to do an A-Z challenge so recently started the Ancient Guide to the Modern World by Natalie Haynes, and plan to follow that with Robyn Young's Brethren (Crusades er..."

Elaine, sounds like you are juggling ! lol So many books on the go at once.

[Nikks]

Em wrote: "Welcome to the challenge Nikks, quite a few people are continuing into July with their Ancient Times books so I think you'll be in good company. I'm beginning to think about some books set in the M..."

I am a bit behind on my A-Z challenge too. So just to make things doubly complicated, I need to find books of the appropriate era with the author surname to fill gaps in my A-Z challenge ! Nothing like a bit of added pressure. lol

[Susan]

Good luck finding the right books, Nikks......

I wonder if I can find something set in medieval times, in a country I haven't already visited in my around the world challenge, by an author with a surname beginning with a letter I need for my A to Z, which will also fit with whatever genre we choose for July....I'll let you know......

[Nikks]

Lol Susan, good luck to you.

[Sarah]

Woohoo, I found a book =] So glad I could squeeze one in on time.

[Kate, Moderator]

I'd be interested to hear how you get on with that one Sarah. I have it on my to read shelf...

[Liz, Moderator]

I finally finished I, Claudius by Robert Graves. It was good, but takes quite a while to get into...

Are we heading into the Middle Ages next month, Em? I will have to dig out a few titles. I've read The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, which is excellent (although the detail might put some people off)

[Nikks]

Loved The Name of the Rose, it was a compelling and clever read.

I was thinking I would do The Iliad for the Ancient times read, but have a specific translation in mind that I dont have. I want to read it in verse. So instead I am starting The Red Tent - with only a few days left in this challenge ! lol Better get on with it ....

[Em]

I really enjoyed both of my reads for Ancient Times - I, Claudius was good, very intricate in terms of the history and a lot of Romans to keep track of so it required a bit of concentration. Worth the effort. However, The Song of Achilles is quite simply, my kind of book - I loved the sweeping romance of it and the tragedy - fantastic!

[Andrew]

I only managed which I really enjoyed and it was a book I wouldn'y have tried otherwise, Philip Marlowe in a toga!! I will try harder for mediaeval.For anyone wanting to tie mediaeval into round world I'd recommend which I did for my physical group , didn't fancy but enjoyed ,nuns in mediaeval Italy.

[Nikks]

I have that in my tbr pile. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Sue]

I really enjoyed Sacred Heartstoo. Also hope to do a bit better on Mediaeval!

[Chantal]

I'm annoyed with myself for doing only one for Ancient Times (Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West) and I'm still reading it so shall have to overlap a bit with the Middle Ages. It's a very good read so I'm not sure what my excuse is.

Otoh have lots of options for the next stage. Looking forward to it.

[Gemma]

I'm still going with Ancient Times at the mo, just finished The Five Books of Jesus which I thought was really good even though it's taken me 2 months to read... I still want to fit River God in also before moving on to Middle Ages (although The White Queen TV series is seriously tempting me to pick up some Philippa Gregory!!!)

[Em]

So... during the last two years we've read our way through the centuries and have come full circle. We are now returning to Ancient Times - let us know what you're reading this time...

I've added to our pre-existing discussion thread because I thought it might prove useful for inspiration. Personally, I'm looking forward to reading Pompei by Robert Harris.

[Ellie]

ooh didn't realize we were doing this again. I missed out last time due to babies taking my reading time away ☺

[Kate, Moderator]

I love this challenge!!! I'm ready to start again and I have Pompei on my shelf too Em so I may well join you.

[Liz, Moderator]

I've been looking through my to-read list and there's a lot of contenders...

I've been meaning to read The Dream of Scipio by Ian Pears for a while (I loved his An Instance of the Fingerpost), but it goes between different times frames, only a third being set in Ancient Rome.

I'd also like to try Mary Renault and The King Must Die sounds good.

[Mercia]

My Around the World challenge has quite a few Roman era novels so I might pop one in here.

[Em]

Last time around I read The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and I, Claudius by Robert Graves both of which I thought were excellent. If I have time, I might squeeze in another "Ancient" book as well as Pompei. It absolutely adore reading about this period of history.

[Ellie]

Anyone recommend any books on Ancient Persia (I'm having a phase of reading books from that region)? Thinking novels. I see Mary Renault has written some but wondered what they were like.

[Em]

I don't know of any but I'm liking your plan - if I've got time I may well copy you!

[Ellie]

Feel free :)

[Ellie]

Otherwise The Song for Achilles or a book on Cleopatra will probably be my next choices.

[Em]

Pompei was good - I learned more than I thought I would about aquaducts!!

[Bill]

Always a good piece of info to have in your back pocket for awkward silences, Em... :0)

[Kate, Moderator]

lol, I haven't started it yet Em.

[Em]

Well, my Dad was interested... so there! Admittedly, he may be the ONLY one who's interested...

[Andrew]

I am determined to try and keep up this time, so much so that I picked up in a second hand bookshop yesterday - Neanderthals, can't get much more ancient.

[Catherine]

Em wrote: " Pompei was good - I learned more than I thought I would about aquaducts!!"

Just finished as well...and wow! I learnt a lot about aqueducts and volcanoes and a little about weather too!!!

[Mercia]

I'm doing a couple of ancients as my next two Around the World reads. LM Ironside (aka Libbie Hawker)'s The Sekhmet Bed set in the Egyptian New Kingdom (which even is ancient history is very old). Then its up to Israel or Palestine as was for the early Roman era piece by Philip Pullman The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ. I have some more ancient pieces as I travel overland from the Med to the North Sea, but i may not get to them by December.

[Mercia]

An interesting insight into life in the royal palace of the Egyptian New Kingdom (new as in 1250BC). Marred by the teenage girl diary YA writing style and a somewhat unlikely plot from an author devoted to historical accuracy.

[Danielle]

Ellie wrote: "Anyone recommend any books on Ancient Persia (I'm having a phase of reading books from that region)? Thinking novels. I see Mary Renault has written some but wondered what they were like."

The second book in the Alexander trilogy by Mary Renault The Persian Boy is set in Ancient Persia. And if I remember well, the third book Funeral Games as well. It's decades ago since I read it. But I read it twice as I enjoyed these books a lot.

[Liz, Moderator]

Finally starting my book for the challenge.

I'm reading Mary Renault for the first time too, but mine is about Theseus: The King Must Die

[Ellie]

Thanks Danielle - been away from Goodreads for a few weeks dealing with family stuff so apologies for not replying sooner!

I've yet to start a book for this challenge...oops!