Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion
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What Are You Reading Right Now? ( Hwæt béon ðu bocrædung?)
I'm hoping to get that Pillars of the Earth thrill Alice, but I suspect it will not deliver. Still, I would like to finish off the series. I have only read one other Follett which was not a bad read and the story happened on board a Clipper. Night Over Water
I like Follett. I had A Column of Fire out form the library, but I had to return it unread. It seems too many people want to read I, so I could not extend the due date :(It also had a 14 day check out period instead of the normal 21 days.
I'm back on the hold list - maybe in 3 or 4 weeks
happy wrote: "I like Follett. I had A Column of Fire out form the library, but I had to return it unread. It seems too many people want to read it and I could extend the due date :("Mine is a library copy too, but I will be allowed 2 renewals even if there is a queue behind me. I got it on BorrowBox.
I saw a hardback at the Warehouse here in NZ today. I guess its like Wal-Mart but much smaller. It was $38NZD way too much for my budget and I would have needed an extra suitcase to travel with it lol.
Warehouse is probably closer to the Dollar Store than WalMart (I've been to all three.) Books are bloody expensive in New Zealand.
Margaret wrote: "Warehouse is probably closer to the Dollar Store than WalMart (I've been to all three.) Books are bloody expensive in New Zealand."Yep. I was at Whitcoulls the day before and it was very expensive and limited in titles too, so I just browsed and left feeling deflated. I'll be in Australia on Saturday for a week so I'll try Kmart which was the cheapest store for books from what I recall.
K-Mart or Big W both have reasonably priced books.Where are you docking, Ace?
Margaret wrote: "K-Mart or Big W both have reasonably priced books.Where are you docking, Ace?"
Oh yes, I think it was Big W, my memory, crikey!
We flew Margaret, was a family emergency here in NZ so a bit spur of the moment…
Hope the Family crisis resolved itself happily. That is the scare / angst when traveling. Be well.
I'm dragging my feet with Post Captain (Costa Sottovento) too, Ace.That's why I am reading other books in the meanwhile....
Simona wrote: "I'm dragging my feet with Post Captain (Costa Sottovento) too, Ace.That's why I am reading other books in the meanwhile...."
I read some more yesterday Simona, they were back on the water!
Simona wrote: "Ok, ok, I'll resist!!! 😇"Speed reading helps.... I think book 3 will be better.
I just finished The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell and An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors by Curtis Craddock. It took me a while to get into The Winter King, but once it picked up considerably, I really enjoyed it, and have the second novel on hold at the library. And I loved Craddock's novel. While it's a fantasy novel, the two kingdoms are very much modelled on a historical France and Spain, to the point where both the languages are used, there is a backstory for the Spanish kingdom that reads exactly like the discovery of the New World, and one of the heroes is a swashbuckling musketeer. Now though, I'm just about to start Kate Quinn's The Alice Network.
Megan wrote: "I just finished The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell and An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors by Curtis Craddock. It took me a while to get into The Winter King, but once i..."I really enjoyed The Alice Network Megan, let us know what you think.
Ace wrote: "Megan wrote: "I just finished The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell and An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors by Curtis Craddock. It took me a while to get into The Winter Ki..."I just finished it yesterday, Ace. I've yet to write my review, but I really enjoyed it, giving it a 4 star rating. 😄 Now I'm keen to try some of Kate Quinn's other novels!
Megan wrote: "Now I'm keen to try some of Kate Quinn's other novels! "Fantastic. I've read the The Serpent and the Pearl and The Lion and the Rose which were fun and involved my favourite topic -food!
Ace wrote: "Megan wrote: "Now I'm keen to try some of Kate Quinn's other novels! "Fantastic. I've read the The Serpent and the Pearl and The Lion and the Rose which were fun ..."
I've got The Serpent and the Pearl and her Mistress of Rome novel on hold at my library, so at least one is coming early next week. Hopefully I enjoy them just as much! What did you think of 'Serpent'?
I finally finished the third in Jack Ludlow's Conquest series,
which I enjoyed a lot, though it took me a while. Now, I have to decide which of his other books I should go for.Hopefully I'll get in a lot more historic fiction next year, I seem to have tipped into non fiction a lot this year.
Ok, I’ve FINALLY started
I know I’ve posted that I was going to start it a million times and now I have!! :P
Dawn, I'll echo May's comment - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
My current read is Autumn by Ali Smith... but I'm not reading much at all due to massive hangover from welcome dinner last night in Melbourne. Tonight (in a few minutes) another dinner with family and a birthday celebration will involve much red wine and whisky. If I am banished from the group in the next few days it will be because I stood Margaret up for afternoon tea. Truly sorry Margaret :( Tomorrow there is another function in the afternoon but I can that being cancelled due to ridiculous levels of rain in the South East of Australia this weekend.
Happy reading all.
I am reading
by Alys Clare. Set in 1603 England. Very good. This book is the first in a new series
I just finished The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, the 2017 Nobel Prize Winner in Literature. An Englishman reflecting about his 30 plus years as a butler from the 1920s through the 1950s. Simply wonderful.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Tamara wrote: "I just finished The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, the 2017 Nobel Prize Winner in Literature. An Englishman reflecting about his 30 plus years as a butler from t..."
Tamara, thanks for a very thoughtful and heartfelt review! I'm going to move it up on my TBR list :)
After going through three chapters, I've decided to give up One Hundred Years of Solitude - I couldn't feel any affinity to the characters or the author :(
Alice wrote: "After going through three chapters, I've decided to give up One Hundred Years of Solitude - I couldn't feel any affinity to the characters or the author :("Try his Love in the Time of Cholera, a wonderful novel. I preferred it to his One Hundred Years of Solitude.
Alice wrote: "Tamara, thanks for a very thoughtful and heartfelt review! I'm going to move it up on my TBR list :) ..."Thank you, Alice.
Tamara wrote: "Alice wrote: "After going through three chapters, I've decided to give up One Hundred Years of Solitude - I couldn't feel any affinity to the characters or the author :("Try his [book:..."
Thanks for the recommendation. I watched the movie adaptation and was not too impressed with it :(
Finishing
and really enjoying the series!
Recently started
which has already been discussed and recommended here frequently. Feels quite different from Cornwell's usual style but draws you deeply into its ambience. I love a strong sense of being immersed in the story and TWK delivers. Loving it so far.
Thanks, happy! I was encouraged by your raving review :)
I think it was the best of the four books
Batavia's Graveyard: The True Story of the Mad Heretic Who Led History's Bloodiest Mutiny / Mike Dash
Jane wrote: "[book:Batavia's Graveyard: The True Story of the Mad Heretic Who Led History's Bloodiest ..."I read that recently. Pretty interesting.
A Column of Fire. It's the Tudor period, but much of what happens is a result of what happens in the Middle Ages. Meticulously researched, it's a fun and fast read, despite the length. I'm enjoying it immensely, so I thought others in this group appreciate the recommendation. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Just received this as an early Christmas present!! Cannot wait!
I just started and am about halfway through Procopius' 
There definitely a reason it is titled "Secret History"
If the stuff he writes about came out in his life time - he would have had a very short life:D
So far he hasn't been very kind to either the Emperoress Theodora or the wife of the leading general Belisarius. According to Procopius they were both sexually depraved. For those old enough to remember Peyton Place - the story Procopius tells makes Payton Place seem like a child's bedtime story.
Interesting take on both the Emperor Justinian and Count Belisarius.
Close to finishing Bloodline. Very engaging and good story-telling. I also liked learning about the Lancastrian/Yorkist conflicts, and the feud between Elizabeth Woodville and Richard Neville (the Kingmaker). The characterization of Richard Neville is touching.
Iggulden does write Neville sympathetically. I'm glad you are enjoying it.
I really liked the way Neville was portrayed in Bloodline. A nice change from the usual depiction of his being utterly despicable and heartless.
Finished Bloodline. I loved the way the major historical characters (Richard Neville, Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville) and their relationships are portrayed. 4 stars.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished The Secret HistoryI really reads like Payton Place :) He accuses Justinian and Theodora of just about every sort of corruption imaginable!
my thoughts if anyone is interested
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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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Still reading Post Captain by Patrick O'Brian but its sl..."
I would be interested in hearing how you like Column of Fire. I liked his other books but they are a time commitment