Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion

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General Discussions > What Are You Reading Right Now? ( Hwæt béon ðu bocrædung?)

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message 5051: by happy (last edited Jul 13, 2014 09:51PM) (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments Finished The Straw Men - pretty good, I gave it 4 stars

currently reading

The War of 1812 by Harry L. Coles The War of 1812

need to brush up on the other war that is having a 100 yr (in this case 200) aniversary this year :)


message 5052: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments started The Rise of Zenobia (Overlord, #1) by J.D. Smith The Rise of Zenobia. Finished recently the latest Agent of Rome The Black Stone which was Roman POV on this era. Now this one looks a t this era from the other side.


message 5053: by Lisa (new)

Lisa | 11 comments Jane wrote: "Now reading The Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay The Last Light of the Sun"

I had to add this one to my tbr list. I loved Tigana and The Lions of Al-Rassan.


message 5054: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Jut added Tigana to my tbr; Lions of al-Rassan was already on it.


message 5055: by Gretchen (new)

Gretchen (eab2012) I guess I'm just in a historical mystery kind of place right now. I finished the ancient group read for the month. Now I'm starting Karen Harper's Elizabethan mystery series with The Poyson Garden. It should be an interesting process. I was tempted to throw the book back in the library drop box after about 30 pages.


message 5056: by Victor (last edited Jul 11, 2014 06:06PM) (new)

Victor Bruneski | 124 comments Just finished The Pagan Lord (The Saxon Stories, #7) by Bernard Cornwell . The plot seemed a little...familiar, but I liked it better then the last few. My spoiler filled review =>
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Gonna start Azincourt by Bernard Cornwell by BC too.


message 5058: by Kimber (new)

Kimber (kimberlibri) | 785 comments Dawn wrote: "I've started The Last Continent (Discworld, #22) by Terry PratchettThe Last Continent by Terry Pratchett
and Death Comes As the End by Agatha Christie[book:Death Comes As the End|121645..."


The Rincewind books aren't my fave but I do love The Last Continent and it's wonderful interpretation of Australia (i.e. very stereotypical). Love me some Pratchett!


message 5059: by happy (last edited Jul 13, 2014 02:36AM) (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments I just started Winston Groom's latest

The Aviators Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle, Charles Lindbergh, and the Epic Age of Flight by Winston Groom The Aviators: Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle, Charles Lindbergh, and the Epic Age of Flight

I really like his writing style. He is a successful novelist and this bleeds over to his non-fiction. He writes very readable general audience history.


message 5061: by Bobby (new)


message 5062: by Shomeret (new)

Shomeret | 55 comments Not fiction, but definitely medieval Pious and Rebellious: Jewish Women in Medieval Europe which was shelved by Maggie Anton, an author who is on my friends list here on GR.


message 5063: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) Started River God (Ancient Egypt, #1) by Wilbur Smith River God


message 5064: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments Trying to get into The Siege - still not sure about it.


message 5065: by Alicja (new)

Alicja (darkwingduckie7) | 657 comments Starting Roman Blood, will be joining you all in the discussion soon.


message 5066: by happy (last edited Jul 13, 2014 09:52PM) (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments Brian wrote: "I just started The Railway Detective by Edward Marston. It has a definite Sherlock Holmes feel to it. I'm liking it so far."

FWIW, I've liked the series, just finished #s 6,7,and 8


message 5067: by happy (last edited Jul 13, 2014 10:04PM) (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments Linda wrote: "Stormbird by Conn Iggulden."

It just came in for me - about 3 books down the stack

Hopefully I can get to it before the library wants it back :)


message 5068: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments happy wrote: "Linda wrote: "Stormbird by Conn Iggulden."

It just came in for me - about 3 books down the stack"


I couldn't get into it at all. I have another War of the Roses one at home to read Roseblood


message 5069: by happy (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments There definately has been a difference of opinion on this one. Do you normally like Iguldon?


message 5070: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments happy wrote: "There definately has been a difference of opinion on this one. Do you normally like Iguldon?"

Yes. I really enjoyed his series on Genghis Khan.


message 5071: by happy (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments Thnx - Now I am curious on how I'll like it :)


message 5072: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments happy wrote: "There definately has been a difference of opinion on this one. Do you normally like Iguldon?"

Happy, I read vol. 1 of his Roman series and didn't like it at all. It has put me off him entirely.


message 5073: by happy (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments I agree, the first few of his roman series weren't the best out there.


message 5075: by Amanda (new)

Amanda (daughterofoak) | 30 comments The Splintered Kingdom by James Aitcheson. So far it reminds me of the first book a bit because of the slow start.


message 5076: by Jean (new)

Jean Gill (jeangill) | 227 comments Kimber wrote: "Dawn wrote: "I've started The Last Continent (Discworld, #22) by Terry PratchettThe Last Continent by Terry Pratchett
and Death Comes As the End by Agatha Christie[book:Death Comes As t..."


Me too. Have been buying the latest as it comes out, for years now, and I can't tell you how sad I am that he's losing his battle to keep writing :(


message 5077: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments I'm reading The Alienist, which I'm really enjoying, so taking it slow and savouring it. Also reading Instruments of Darkness, the jury is still out on this one, but an interesting beginning and the audiobook du jour is Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, it's meh... pretty much what I expected.


message 5078: by Pamela (last edited Jul 15, 2014 09:45AM) (new)

Pamela (bibliohound) Having just finished the July reads, I'm now reading The Care and Management of Lies The Care and Management of Lies by Jacqueline Winspear as that was a giveaway win.

Also just started Absolution by Murder Absolution by Murder (Sister Fidelma, #1) by Peter Tremayne
as I saw it on Dawn's top ten in Historical Mystery and loving it so far.


message 5079: by Kimber (new)

Kimber (kimberlibri) | 785 comments Jean wrote: "Kimber wrote: "Dawn wrote: "I've started The Last Continent (Discworld, #22) by Terry PratchettThe Last Continent by Terry Pratchett
and Death Comes As the End by Agatha Christie[book:D..."


Me too. :( I've been getting autographed copies of his books for Christmas the last few years. I will definitely miss him. Maybe we need a Pratchett thread under a 'Historical Fantasy' subject.....


message 5080: by Allison (last edited Jul 15, 2014 11:31AM) (new)

Allison | 1704 comments Darcy wrote: "I'm reading The Alienist, which I'm really enjoying, so taking it slow and savouring it. Also reading Instruments of Darkness, the jury is still out on this one, but an ..."

arrhhhh, I've been looking forward to Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald :(


message 5081: by Jean (new)

Jean Gill (jeangill) | 227 comments Looked interesting to me too:( Have you read 'Save me the Waltz' by Zelda Fitzgerald? I read it alongside 'Tender is the Night' by Scott Fitzgerald and it's really interesting getting the less-famous wife's version on the same 'material'. I found Zelda's commitment to ballet (and I mean actually dancing)in Paris amazing, yet she often gets dismissed as frivolous/neurotic...


message 5082: by Allison (new)

Allison | 1704 comments I haven't Jean. I haven't even read Tender Is the Night. After reading The Great Gatsby (and HATING it), it was no more F.S.F for me! I just find these bios on authors significant others so fascinating :)


message 5083: by Steven (new)

Steven McKay (stevenamckay) Stephen King's On Writing A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
It's the first book of his I've ever read although I've enjoyed his films.


message 5084: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments Allie wrote: "Darcy wrote: "I'm reading The Alienist, which I'm really enjoying, so taking it slow and savouring it. Also reading Instruments of Darkness, the jury is still out on thi..."

I reckon people interested in her and maybe her spouse will likely enjoy it more than I. I'm certainly not the measure for this sort of novel.

I can say: It seems well written (at least it came off that way with the audiobook). The period interests me only in terms of the movements occurring at the time. While that is reflected in the novel, the story itself meant little to me since I don't really care that much about the literary 'elite' of the age.


message 5085: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) Pamela wrote: "Also just started Absolution by Murder Absolution by Murder (Sister Fidelma, #1) by Peter Tremayne
as I saw it on Dawn's top ten in Historical Mystery and loving it so far...."


One of my favorite, I love Sister Fidelma!


message 5086: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments Dawn wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Also just started Absolution by Murder Absolution by Murder (Sister Fidelma, #1) by Peter Tremayne
as I saw it on Dawn's top ten in Historical Mystery and loving it so far...."

One ..."

So did I... until Peter Tremayne decided to domesticate them. :p


message 5087: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) I have not got that far yet! :)


message 5088: by Jean (new)

Jean Gill (jeangill) | 227 comments Allie wrote: "I haven't Jean. I haven't even read Tender Is the Night. After reading The Great Gatsby (and HATING it), it was no more F.S.F for me! I just find these bios on authors sign..."

I was teaching his work to 18 year olds so I was looking for a way in for them...The Great Gatsby really means Robert Redford in a pink suit :)


message 5089: by Allison (new)

Allison | 1704 comments Jean wrote: "Allie wrote: "I haven't Jean. I haven't even read Tender Is the Night. After reading The Great Gatsby (and HATING it), it was no more F.S.F for me! I just find these bios o..."

I've never seen any of the adaptations of it either so unfortunately I have no idea what you're talking about :/ but good luck to those poor, unsuspecting 18 years olds lol.


message 5090: by Kimber (new)

Kimber (kimberlibri) | 785 comments Jean wrote: "Allie wrote: "I haven't Jean. I haven't even read Tender Is the Night. After reading The Great Gatsby (and HATING it), it was no more F.S.F for me! I just find these bios o..."

The 18 year olds would probably relate more to the Leo DiCaprio version :D


message 5091: by Victor (new)

Victor Bruneski | 124 comments Steven wrote: "Stephen King's On Writing A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
It's the first book of his I've ever read although I've enjoyed his films."


It's a really good book if you want to start writing yourself.


message 5092: by Scott (new)

Scott (scott18044) | 27 comments Neither are historical fiction, but I'm about to finish Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and Blood Song by Anthony Ryan. Not sure what I'm going to read next.

I guess I'm also reading Art in Renaissance Italy: 1350-1500, although I'm taking my time going through that because there is so much interesting information to digest.


message 5093: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) I'm reading Ramses The Son of Light (Ramses, #1) by Christian Jacq Ramses: The Son of Light, or rather listening to it.
I am liking it quite a bit. I am not usually a big fan of translated works but this one is interesting.


message 5094: by Paul (new)


message 5095: by Kimber (last edited Jul 18, 2014 09:27AM) (new)

Kimber (kimberlibri) | 785 comments *Smiles and holds up a copy of Written in My Own Heart's Blood Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander, #8) by Diana Gabaldon to show what I'm reading. Watches Terri shriek and walk in a straight line out of the room*

Get better soon!


message 5096: by Shomeret (new)

Shomeret | 55 comments Currently reading Enchantress: A Novel of Rav Hisda's Daughter which takes place during the time of the Talmudists in Persia. It's a Net Galley. It won't be released until September.


message 5098: by Gretchen (new)

Gretchen (eab2012) I finished Queen's Ransom and was slightly disappointed as I have become kind of fond of Ursula Blanchard. Instead of moving on with that series I'm going to go back to Matthew Shardlake and start Sovereign. I still have The Autobiography of Henry VIII with Notes by His Fool, Will Somers which I'm reading for a different group read but it's a slow process. Not only because the book is 900+ pages but because I am kind of annoyed with Henry. Just Margaret George's Henry VIII. I still love me some Tudors (obviously).


message 5099: by C.P. (new)

C.P. Lesley (cplesley) | 564 comments Allie wrote: "arrhhhh, I've been looking forward to Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald :( ."

If you're interested in Zelda, I recommend Guests on Earth. I loved it.


message 5100: by C.P. (new)

C.P. Lesley (cplesley) | 564 comments Doing my best to finish The Silkworm. I love mysteries, but not these two, however acclaimed the author.


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