Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion
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What Are You Reading Right Now? ( Hwæt béon ðu bocrædung?)
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May
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Jul 26, 2017 05:18PM
Yes, Ali, I agree! The Marshal series ranks right up there!!
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Agreed, the Marshall series is good. I also like her Eleanor of Aquitaine trilogy.
Sharon Kay Penman is always great reading!
It's historical fiction although it's not ancient. But it is excellent, so I thought I would mention it. I just finished Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien. It is about two families whose lives intersect during Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution in China, leading up to and including the massacre in Tiananmen Square in 1989. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2016.
The novel was epic in scope and very powerful.
My review on goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and on my website at www.tamaraaghajaffar.com
happy wrote: "I'll second Ms. Penman!"I third SK Penman.
Laureen wrote: "happy wrote: "I'll second Ms. Penman!"I third SK Penman."
I fourth!! Her The Sunne in Splendour is another rare 5 star for me.
I'm rereading Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov which I read awhile back and am really enjoying it 2nd time around, as much as the first. I see some of me in the hero.
Jane wrote: "I'm rereading Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov which I read awhile back and am really enjoying it 2nd time around, as much as the first. I see some of me in the hero."I love that novel. Haven't read it in years. Your post inspired me to consider reading it again.
I'm reading (and enjoying) Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George. I'll post a review when I'm done.
And since people have mentioned Outlander, which has a fantasy/time travel element (I love it, I don't mind mixing genres a little as long as the history is still valid and accurate and well-researched) I would like to add one of my all-time favorites: The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. It is such a poignant and realistic portrayal of the Black Death. I highly recommend it, even though it does begin with time-travel.
Allie wrote: "Laureen wrote: "happy wrote: "I'll second Ms. Penman!"I third SK Penman."
I fourth!! Her The Sunne in Splendour is another rare 5 star for me."
The Sunni in Splendour is my favourite Allie.
Finished
and gave it 4 stars. The greatest thing about books like this, is that while you read it you can extract from it other 3 or 4 books to add to your wish list. Started The Last King: Rome's Greatest Enemy
by Michael Curtis Ford
Laureen wrote: "Allie wrote: "Laureen wrote: "happy wrote: "I'll second Ms. Penman!"I third SK Penman."
I fourth!! Her The Sunne in Splendour is another rare 5 star for me."
The Sunni in Splendour..."
Yeah, I loved that one.
Laureen wrote: "Allie wrote: "Laureen wrote: "happy wrote: "I'll second Ms. Penman!"
I third SK Penman."
I fourth!! Her The Sunne in Splendour is another rare 5 star for me."
The Sunni in Splendour..."
Tamara wrote: "It's historical fiction although it's not ancient. But it is excellent, so I thought I would mention it. I just finished Do Not Say We Have Nothing by [author:Madeleine Thien|2655..."
Amazing book!
Ace wrote: "Tamara wrote: "It's historical fiction although it's not ancient. But it is excellent, so I thought I would mention it. I just finished Do Not Say We Have Nothing by [author:Madel..."
I'm glad you feel the same way about it, Ace.
Tamara wrote: "It's historical fiction although it's not ancient. But it is excellent, so I thought I would mention it. I just finished Do Not Say We Have Nothing by [author:Madeleine Thien|2655..."
Tamara, very thoughtful review! It makes me want to read the novel - I had earlier placed a hold at my library, but there's a long queue.
Ace, good to know that you love it too :) The book won the 2016 Scotia Bank Giller Prize! I may have a chance to meet with the author in person this November at the Hong Kong Literary Festival :)
Jennifer wrote: "Reading 
Really enjoying it!"
I'm also "currently" reading that one - it's a catch-as-catch can read, so it's going rather slowly. It's been pretty good so far.
I finally finished Christian Cameron's
I liked it - solid four stars. It's about a young man who runs away and joins the Black Prince's army in time for the Battle of Poiters. After the battle he decides to stay with the military life and becomes a Roiter ( Mercenary/Brigand) in France. He eventually wins his Knighthood in the Italian Mercenary Wars.
According the to the Author's note, he actually existed along with many of the other major characters in the novel. I'll continue reading the series.
Currently reading a NF book on a part of the Viet Nam war that doesn't have a lot written on it
This one is very special to me, because my father was tangentally involved in these battles. He was assigned to the Division TOC and coordinated all indirect (arty and mortar) fires and close air support in the division AO. He was on the radio with these guys as they fought the battle.
I've just finished Orwell's Coming Up for Air. A very moving story that resonates easily with anyone who's experienced an urge for escape from fear and anxieties.I will start Roseblood tomorrow.
Alice wrote: "Ace, good to know that you love it too :) The book won the 2016 Scotia Bank Giller Prize! I may have a chance to meet with the author in person this November at the Hong Kong Literary Festival :)"That would be awesome Alice. Don't wait for the library copy, just buy it. You will want to keep it forever. I'm going to grab a copy from the next English speaking country bookshop I go to so I can re read it and underline all of the great passages. I listened to the audio and the narrator is so good and I hope that will help me with the pronunciation
and spelling while I read. Plus it will have a family tree. I can't even begin to do it justice with a review.
Ace wrote: "Alice wrote: "Ace, good to know that you love it too :) The book won the 2016 Scotia Bank Giller Prize! I may have a chance to meet with the author in person this November at the Hong Kong Literary..."Yes, Ace, I may as well buy a copy, so that I can get it signed :)
Finished Roseblood. 4 Star read.Started Dreaming the Eagle based on Tamara's recent reviews of this series.
It's interesting so far and well written.
I'm hoping to read more Ancient and Roman History this fall.
Renata wrote: "Finished Roseblood. 4 Star read.Started Dreaming the Eagle based on Tamara's recent reviews of this series.
It's interesting so far and well written.
I'm hoping t..."
I really enjoyed the Boudica series. Terri recommended it to me. Hope you enjoy it.
Ian Mortimer has a new TIme Traveler's guide out. Mrs Happy just happened to bring it home, so I am now reading it
I read the August alternate, The Pyramid. It was in my library, and I'm tightwad. Here's my review. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Paul wrote: "I read the August alternate, The Pyramid. It was in my library, and I'm tightwad. Here's my review. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."Paul, I loved your review. I have a copy of The Pyramid and plan to read it as soon as I've finished the two books I checked out from the library.
THE AMBASSADOR'S WIFE by Jake Needham.
Fantasy is not really my thing. I tried LOTR before the movies came out and couldn't finish the first book. I read so many reviews from LOTR fans bashing on the Shannara series that I decided to try it, hehehe. Though this book has been in my shelf for many years, I'll start now and see how far can I get with
The Elfstones of Shannara. I'm taking into consideration what everyone said about the first book being a cheap clone of LOTR, so I'll ignore that one.
Diego wrote: "Fantasy is not really my thing. I tried LOTR before the movies came out and couldn't finish the first book. I read so many reviews from LOTR fans bashing on the Shannara series that I decided to ..."
Going to be interesting hearing your thoughts on the elf stones.
Would have loved to hear your thoughts on the sword of shannara since you haven't read the LOTR books.
"Paul wrote: "I read the August alternate, The Pyramid. It was in my library, and I'm tightwad. Here's my review. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."Paul, I loved your review. I have..."
Good review. I think that book would have made a good group read.
Novella length forthe time poor and something done a little differently.
Mark wrote: "Going to be interesting hearing your thoughts on the elf stones.Would have loved to hear your thoughts on the sword of shannara since you haven't read the LOTR books"
So far it started well, the story grabbed me already. Now don't go thinking I haaaaate fantasy, I spent a lot of hours in World of Warcraft and card games.
But is like that, I like it in gaming, I don't find it interesting in books. I rather read fantastic elements or mythology within real historical events. I also read the first volume of the Wheel of Time, and after a week I couldn't remember any of the characters or plot. I still have the second book, so I'll eventually give it a chance.
Who else has read "A Distant Mirror" by Barbara W. Tuchman? I was amused to read that the terminology used to describe my former profession, free-lance, originated with Medieval rascals with lances. A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century
I read it years and years ago - I really don't remember much about it other than I liked it :)
How do I remove those books I cannot finish from my "currently reading" shelf?
Ella wrote: "Who else has read "A Distant Mirror" by Barbara W. Tuchman? I was amused to read that the terminology used to describe my former profession, free-lance, originated with Medieval rascals with lances..."I also read it a long time ago, and recall it as being based around the life of a French knight (was it Enguerrand de Courci?) who lived in the latter half of that century. It was a good read at the time, but since then Jonathan Sumption has written a superb series of books about the Hundred Years War, which certainly eclipse this book for both detail and readability.
May wrote: "How do I remove those books I cannot finish from my "currently reading" shelf?"May, you can go to your currently reading shelf and it will list them all in a row and at the end of each row there is an X. Pressing the X will remove the book from your profile. There's also a column for "shelves" which you can change by hitting [edit]. This will keep the book in your profile but on a different shelf.
I created a shelf called not-for-me and I also have a DNF (depending on why I didn't finish it), I know that I will not attempt a re-read of those on the not-for-me by accident.
Linda wrote: "Helen of Troy by Margaret George. An excellent read!"Thanks for the recommendation. I've added it to a growing pile.
Ace, I have created a shelf for "Cannot Finish" and I click on it for each of the books. However, they are still on my "currently reading" shelf. Like you, I do not want to inadvertently buy any of them in the future, so do not want to delete them. I guess my challenge is how to activate that new shelf.
Ace, I have a shelf "Abandoned" and GR automatically updates the book to Read. I guess in a way it's ok, since I have read it as far as to when I gave up on it.
May, under the column "Shelves", click edit, then in the drop-down menu uncheck "currently reading".
May wrote: "Ace, I have created a shelf for "Cannot Finish" and I click on it for each of the books. However, they are still on my "currently reading" shelf. Like you, I do not want to inadvertently buy any of..."Oh, yes, you need to edit your bookshelf.
In GR by default, a book must fall into one of 3 exclusive categories. 1. To read. 2. Currently Reading. 3. Read.
You can add your new self to this EXCLUSIVE list.
(I have 6 exclusive shelves now. A book cannot be in more than one of these shelves at any given time).
Go to My Books.
At the top left next to the word "bookshelves" click on "edit".
You will see all of your shelf properties in the columns.
The second last column is called Exclusive.
Click the little checkbox for your new cannot-finish shelf to become Exclusive.
(Then you may need to move those books again to your new shelf, I can't think which will dominate at the beginning).
Cool, thanks Ace for the info. I needed this too :)
Whoa!!! It worked!!! Thank you, Ace! Love a question w an answer!!
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