Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion
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What Are You Reading Right Now? ( Hwæt béon ðu bocrædung?)
I finished 
Good read! Set in the last year of Henry VIII's life, Shardlake gets recurited to find a stolen manucsript authored by the Queen that could undermine her at court.
In addition to the mystery, I thought this was an interesting look at the last year of Henry's life and the political situation reguarding religion.
Currently read a NF account of the 1879-80 Zulu War
Reading this
an urban historical fantasy book 2
Back to tales of adventure on the high seas with
I started the group read
and I'm loving it. So happy to be back in the land of HF!!!
So far it's not quite as advertised but it's still a good book. There's just something about older books (this was first published in 1959) that makes me smile.
Gretchen wrote: " So far it's not quite as advertised but it's still a good book. There's just something a..."I just love the character of Will Somers in this. Have you got to Anne of Cleves yet?
Margaret wrote: "Gretchen wrote: " So far it's not quite as advertised but it's still a good book. There's..."In the current book I'm still only at Anne Boleyn but she doesn't have much time left. I do have My Lady of Cleves: A Novel of Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves to read when I'm finished with this one. I like this Will Somers much better than George's in The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers. He's more fleshed out and not just a casual observer.
I agree. It was "The King's Fool" that first brought the character of Will Somers to my attention. I intend to visit the church where his memorial is when I'm in London in July.When you do get to Anne of Cleves, well actually, it's after the divorce, there is THE most wonderful scene. It cemented the book as an all time favourite. I still have an extremely old and beat up copy that I will not part with as I can't replace it. I often pick it up for a light, enjoyable re-read.
Margaret wrote: "I agree. It was "The King's Fool" that first brought the character of Will Somers to my attention. I intend to visit the church where his memorial is when I'm in London in July.When you do get ..."
I have to imagine I'm getting close. I'm more than half way through and Anne Boleyn is still alive. I would guess the last four wives will be rather quick. I am also enjoying Barnes' Princess Mary. I love when authors treat her like a human being instead of some crazed zealot. I'm going to have to search my local used store for Barnes' work.
Gretchen wrote: "Margaret wrote: "I agree. It was "The King's Fool" that first brought the character of Will Somers to my attention. I intend to visit the church where his memorial is when I'm in London in July...."
I've read all of Barnes' work. I found "The King's Fool" to be her best. She wrote one about Richard II that was lovely too. Nearly as good, but I found the others pretty much interchangeable with other writers of the period, like Norah Lofts and Jean Plaidy.
Jean Plaidy wrote a brilliant book about Princess Mary. Part of her Queens Autobiography series. Each book purporting to be the diary or personal journal of one of England's queens. The book is In the Shadow of the Crown. One of the best in that series and paints Mary as a very real woman.
The Richard II one is: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...
Margaret wrote: "Gretchen wrote: "Margaret wrote: "I agree. It was "The King's Fool" that first brought the character of Will Somers to my attention. I intend to visit the church where his memorial is when I'm in..."It's been a while since I've read In the Shadow of the Crown. I own all of my grandmother's Jean Plaidy books. It's my evidence she was capable of reading something with more substance than a Harlequin novel ;)
She really was, and those huge Queen novels proved it.They were genuine historical fiction.
Linda wrote: "The Serpent and the Pearl by Kate Quinn. The first half of the book was boring with a few sprinkles of excitement. The second part is much better. At present, the pope's mistress..."I believe it was used like a diaphragm.
I stayed up well past my bedtime to finish King's Fool: A Notorious King, His Six Wives, and the One Man Who Knew All Their Secrets and now I'm reading Tyrant of the Mind
Gretchen wrote: "Linda wrote: "The Serpent and the Pearl by Kate Quinn. The first half of the book was boring with a few sprinkles of excitement. The second part is much better. At present, the p..."<That makes sense. I thought it might be similar to the aspirin method.
Had I known, I could have saved money on the diaphragm and pesticide (lol) cream or jel.
Gretchen wrote: "I stayed up well past my bedtime to finish King's Fool: A Notorious King, His Six Wives, and the One Man Who Knew All Their Secrets and now I'm reading Tyrant of the Mind"What did you think of Anne of Cleves' scene with Will's son when Henry comes to visit? The first time I read it I laughed out loud. I could visualize it so easily.
Margaret wrote: "Gretchen wrote: "I stayed up well past my bedtime to finish King's Fool: A Notorious King, His Six Wives, and the One Man Who Knew All Their Secrets and now I'm reading Tyrant ..."</i>I thought that was a delightful scene. I just loved the imagine of Anne opening up Richmond for random children and making eel pie in her spare time. After seeing Anne of Cleves portrayed in this novel, I'm excited to move on to [book:My Lady of Cleves: A Novel of Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves to see how Barnes characterizes Anne in a stand alone novel.
I think MCB's Anne of Cleves in "The King's Fool" is what made her my favourite of Henry VIII's wives. :D
Gretchen, you are funny! A spate of reading one eighth inch thick Harlequin 'love'books can get one through some of life's patches. I depended on those books while practicing law. After reading heavy all day at work, I confess a Harlequin was a good sleeping pill.
It's really about my grandma more than the books. She would always say she skips the trashy parts and focuses on the story. My response was always "I guess that's why you read them so fast. You only read 10 pages per book." She also always insisted on keeping one of her homemade book covers on them lest one of her quilting ladies discover what she was really reading. I miss that woman terribly.
Gretchen wrote: "She also always insisted on keeping one of her homemade book covers on them lest one of her quilting ladies discover what she was really reading."Meanwhile each of the quilting ladies has a book in a homemade cover. I notice this phenomenon on the bus during my commute.
Yes! One of the other moms in the waiting room tried to hide that she was reading 50 Shades the other day. I told her she didn't have to hide her book from me. I own all three (still in the plastic wrap but I own them).All the quilting ladies had homemade book covers because Grandma made them!
Got it! I liked the stories about reading those luv books. I hear that some people are reading novels on Nook and Kindle while in church pretending to read the Bible!
Linda wrote: "Got it! I liked the stories about reading those luv books. I hear that some people are reading novels on Nook and Kindle while in church pretending to read the Bible!"I'd watch those people for reactions to what they are reading; someone silently chuckling during the person of the cloth's sermon. A young adult blushing during a ritualistic preperation...
Daughter begged me to read The Maze #2
so here I go!!
I am reading
The Tudors: The Complete Story of England's Most Notorious Dynasty,
The Taming of the Shrew &
Crazy Rich AsiansI've been entirely off historical fiction lately even though I have The Invention of Fire & Beyond Measure out of the library right now. I keep hoping the mood will strike me soon!
Finished My Lady of Cleves: A Novel of Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves this weekend while the twinkers and big sister were fishing in the rain. Right now I'm reading Sorrow Without End and paging through a copy of Four Gothic Kings: The Turbulent History of Medieval England and the Plantagenet Kings I found at a library sale.
Almost finished with Bruce Macbain's Odin's Child: Book One of the Odd Tangle-Hair Saga and enjoying it greatly. I think Giles Kristian now has company in the Rousing Viking Saga category!
I have an arc of that book too. I am not getting through it as quickly as I thought. I find myself constantly making Uhtred comparisons. I need to learn to stop doing that.
I just finished A Man's Word by Martin Jensen. Easy read with good humor and a great mystery. This is the third book by Jensen in this series and have enjoyed them all very much. Just starting "The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Putzsch.
I'm watching the Vikings TV shows - season 1. I keep thinking Bernard Cornwell must have written the script.
Unfortunately, the latest season was a downer for me.
Oh? Lia, how many are there. I am only up to episode 7. So much blood so far LOL. Lucky I'm not queasy in the stomach.
They just finished season 3, and by the looks of it there is more to come.
Ragnar has just seated himself on the throne, which we could see happening a mile off. I'm actually enjoying the character who's a bit crazy in the head.
We have a specific thread https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... for the Viking TV show, let's move this conversation there please!
Oopsy, sorry Dawn! I thought I'm at the right place. Did not read the discussion's topic and just butt in.
James wrote: "I just finished A Man's Word by Martin Jensen. Easy read with good humor and a great mystery. This is the third book by Jensen in this series and have enjoyed them all very much. ..."I have this sitting on the kitchen table; hope to.get to it soon, but at the rate things are going pribably not until winter.
James wrote: "I just finished A Man's Word by Martin Jensen. Easy read with good humor and a great mystery. This is the third book by Jensen in this series and have enjoyed them all very much. ..."Thank you! I thought we had a deal group! You were supposed to tell me when Jensen had a third book translated! Got it and Popped it into the kindle. Much appreciation James ;)
Kimber wrote: "James wrote: "I just finished A Man's Word by Martin Jensen. Easy read with good humor and a great mystery. This is the third book by Jensen in this series and have enjoyed them a..."Messages 38-40 on this thread https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
;)
Royal Harlot: A Novel of the Countess Castlemaine and King Charles II by Susan Holloway Scott. I'm doing a buddy read for this book, which is very fun! It's a little more romance than I usually read, but the author has a strength in writing good dialogue so I'm enjoying it.
Darcy wrote: "Kimber wrote: "James wrote: "I just finished A Man's Word by Martin Jensen. Easy read with good humor and a great mystery. This is the third book by Jensen in this series and have...":D Thanks Darcy. *packs for a long journey...a quest to find her memory....*
I have got really stuck on The Invention of Fire. Quite disappointed. It just isn't pulling me in, and the characters seem quite dull, I just don't care what happens at the moment. Maybe I'll come back to it after reading something else, that works sometimes :)
Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction
Books mentioned in this topic
M*A*S*H: A Novel About Three Army Doctors (other topics)A Court of Betrayal (other topics)
Imperium (other topics)
The Handfasted Wife (other topics)
The Swan-Daughter (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Robert Harris (other topics)Carol McGrath (other topics)
Carol McGrath (other topics)
Carol McGrath (other topics)
Ken Follett (other topics)
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I still have group reads from last month and this month to finish. I'll get to them eventually, they just aren't due back to the library as soon as some other books.