Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion
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What Are You Reading Right Now? ( Hwæt béon ðu bocrædung?)
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Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd
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Jan 21, 2013 06:36PM

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Computers, who knows?!
I was just saying my favorite time periods, are the ancient, particularly the Roman, so I read all I can get my hands on or hear about. That's why my latest The Three Legions was a fairly obscure book. If anyone has any suggestions I'd love them, but I've probably read all the usuals. I do read other time periods though...

I never knew the Latin terms/names, so that's not a problem :D
I've ..."
If I get a book out from the library over and over and know I will reread it, I buy it. Then I can mark up my own copy if I wish.

Computers, who knows?!
I was just saying my favorite time periods, are the ancient, particularly the Roman, so I read all I can get my hands on or hear about. That's why my latest The Three..."
Hi Jane,
Have you checked out our ancient era threads? The Roman era thread? Lots of good recommendations for you there.
And I bet some you haven't read. :-)


Read the sample for this and liked it enough to continue if I can find it at a library, or reasonably priced:



Anything in particular?
Maybe the sample was just better writing by comparison after I'd gone through the other:


I found it very Young Adult. I am used to the way he writes adult fiction and that one is YA. Or it used to be. In the first few years of its release it was classed as YA. I did not realise that when I tried to read it, but it felt so YA that I looked into it and that's when i saw it was classed as YA.
I think so many adults starting reading it and liking it that the book stores dropped the young adult tag.
For me it was too young and simple. But as I say, that's me. Many people don't even feel it is young adult. So go with what your gut tells you when you read the sample.

Ahh, that could be. Hard to tell from the sample. The writing was so much better than the Tomlin book. If I find it at the library, or as a freebie somewhere, I'll get it to read.
So now I guess I'll venture on to this one and hope for the best:


Via this page.
http://www.goodreads.com/genres/young...

It was just young in themes and not very challenging and simple. :-)


Getting ready to start

I really loved this series Lia, one of Bernard Cornwell's best along with all his other series of course.


Getting ready to start

I really loved this series Lia, one of Bernard Cornwell's best along with all his other ..."
So far, this series hooked me line and sinker. :)


Anything in particular?
Maybe the sample was just better writing by comparison after I'd gone through the other:
[bookcov..."
Hood is very good. I haven't read the others in this series yet.

Oh, thank you for sharing this, Mark. I did enjoy the writing style in the sample. I look for an author who is a storyteller, one who develops a connection, and creates an experience/adventure for me as the reader. The first part of this book was well done.


I really loved this series Lia, one of Bernard Cornwell's best along with all his other ..."
What a pity that Bernard Cornwell hasn't added to this series for many years. I enjoyed it immensely.

Computers, who knows?!
I was just saying my favorite time periods, are the ancient, particularly the Roman, so I read all I can get my hands on or hear about. That's why my lat..."
Thanks, I did check those ancient time periods threads last night and wrote down some interesting titles I hadn't read.
Right now I'm reading

There's a glossary in back of the book -- medieval, [mostly military], terms which is a big help and which I keep referring to. I see how the meanings of such words as 'constable' originated: from 'constabular' -- cavalry unit of 10-20 men.

Computers, who knows?!
I was just saying my favorite time periods, are the ancient, particularly the Roman, so I read all I can get my hands on or hear about. Tha..."
I'm glad you're enjoying George Shipway's "Knight in Anarchy". He wrote several excellent novels about that period ("The Wolf Time" and "The Paladin") but also others set in British India in the 19th Century (he had served in the Indian Army), one book about Boudicca's Revolt, as seen from the Roman side, and one about the Trojan War as seen from Agamemnon's viewpoint. In every case his detail and sense of place were very convncing.




Computers, who knows?!
I was just saying my favorite time periods, are the ancient, particularly the Roman, so I read all I can get my hands on or hea..."
I have read

and hope to read

I've always loved Richard Strauss' Elektra, the opera. Basically, Orestes kills Clytemnestra and her lover. Elektra goes mad with joy and dances herself to death. Warrior in Bronze should be really interesting--Agamemnon's earlier story.

Computers, who knows?!
I was just saying my favorite time periods, are the ancient, particularly the Roman, so I read all I can get my..."
It was one of my favorite books when I was around 12-14. It's not a kids book, I just read adult material.

BTW: the book is 1000% better than the movie!

Problem is that YA is a relatively recent category. When I was a child there were children's books and adult books - no inbetween. I read Eagle of the Ninth when I was around 9-10. I loved it. I had no problems with it. But, I have to be honest that at age 9 I had the reading comprehension level of a 16 year old.

Computers, who knows?!
I was just saying my favorite time periods, are the ancient, particularly the Roman, so I read all I can get my hands on or hea..."
The copy of Knight in Anarchy
I'm reading is the American edition: title, The Knight. But it's the same book. Knight in Anarchy is the British title. There's blood dripping from a sword on the cover against a brown background.

When I went to library school in 1962, I took a class in YA literature, so that category is at least that old.

Not in New Zealand where I grew up.... we were 20 years behind the rest of the Western world. :p


I have started


Finally! Australians have been saying this about Kiwis for YEARS. :D

Finally! Australians have been saying this about Kiwis for YEARS. :D"
I used to move between both countries (one parent an Aussie, the other a Kiwi) - I saw first hand how far behind NZ was in the 60s & 70s. By the 80s they'd caught up with Aussie. No difference between the two now. :)

Yup. It was interesting as a kid. Flowing between the two countries. From black & white TV to colour...then back again. Cans of softdrink in Aussie, back to glass bottles with caps. I guess my childhood taught me to take things in my stride.

I'm 74% through The Sea-God at Sunrise and don't think I'll finish. The writing can be spectacular -- whether storms at sea or the pose of a sailor as he lights his pipe. Yet the story-telling never grabbed me, and I've had to admit I don't care what happens. It's a whaling tale, just about a tribute to Moby-Dick.


I have started [bookcover:The Iron Wyrm Affair..."
I am really interested in hearing what you think of the iron wyrm affair. It's on my bookcase to start next week.



Computers, who knows?!
I was just saying my favorite time periods, are the ancient, particularly the Roman, so I read all I can get my hands on or hea..."
Just added George Shipway to my "to find" list.

Just finished 'the Sealed Letter'


I think it depends on the child in question. I can see my little boy enjoying this in about four years time (he is six) but he is very mature in outlook. Some of his classmates who are no less intelligent would not, I think, enjoy it for some time after that.


Interesting and with a wealth of detail but much less fun than the story Lockhart put about.

Just finished 'the Sealed Lette..."
Well, it was a violent time! What about drawing and quartering, e.g., what was done to Sir William Wallace? This book was no more gruesome than anything else I've read. It was written 40 some years ago, so it's not as graphic as some of today's stuff. Sealed Letter looks interesting.

Yes, I'd recommend 'the Sealed Letter'.I've been reading a lot of fast pacy car chase murder type novels (not brutal ones :) ) so it was good to have all those tensions and undercurrents instead :) The period feel was excellent and that stage of a women's press fascinated me. I also had a very unhealthy interest in early divorce court proceedings :)


I let you know Mark, I should finish today. If the first third is any indication it will be a solid 3 star for me. Good story, interesting world and hopefully a good mystery.

Ah that's a shame for you. Since you liked the cover so much it would have been good if the story met your expectations.


As everyone in here who knows me can attest, this is not a book I would normally go for.
I bought it on sale 3 years ago and it has been sitting on my shelf ever since.
I decided this year I would read some of those (unread) which have been on my real shelves the longest. This is one of them.
Too soon to tell whether it is going to be too Chick Lit HF for me to finish.

Some are probably thinking I am a phoney and have loved chick lit all along. :D
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