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 1701: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments I guess I was lucky. Having never read a Sharpe novel or an Iain Gale novel it was all fresh story to me. :)


message 1702: by Chris (new)

Chris  | 419 comments Terri wrote: "I guess I was lucky. Having never read a Sharpe novel or an Iain Gale novel it was all fresh story to me. :)"

Oh the writing is still good and the story so far is strong enough to keep me interested. So although those things I mentioned make the beginning seem not totally original to me the characters themselves are not straight copies from anyone else. If it maintains the quality that it has so far I'm thinking I 'll be likely to give it four stars, so unless something changes markedly well worth the effort. I'm up to page 68 now and already starting to form the more positive judgment that I thought would take much longer to develop 18 pages ago.


message 1703: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments What I liked about it the most is the constant action and plot twists and turns. Always something happening.
And the characters were all enjoyable, even the bad guys.


message 1704: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) I'm glad the second book Master of Rome is better. I think the story has great potential so I've added it to my TBR already.


message 1705: by Bobby (new)

Bobby (bobbej) | 1375 comments Is Ship of Rome (Masters of the Sea, #1) by John Stack the first in a series? Looks interesting. Might give it a try.


message 1706: by Chris (new)

Chris  | 419 comments Bobby wrote: "Is Ship of Rome (Masters of the Sea, #1) by John Stack the first in a series? Looks interesting. Might give it a try."

Yes it is the first Bobby, I liked it but found it a bit inconsistent in places. Felt the second was a bit stronger and worth 4 stars rather than three I gave the first one. This series is set during the first Punic War and is based around the naval conflict. I've recently finished the first book in Ben Kane's series on the Second Punic War Hannibal: Enemy of Rome and enjoyed that, so you may be interested in that at some point.


message 1707: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) I'd say it was worth a try Bobby. It's a good story and I think the rest of the series will be good. I like the Carthaginians as I don't usually get to read about them.


message 1708: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (last edited Feb 03, 2013 02:09AM) (new)

Terri | 19576 comments The 4th one is the heaviest on religion. It is also the one most like a medieval mystery in plot. I am thoroughly enjoying it, but Sovereign is still my fave so far.
Revelation (Matthew Shardlake, #4) by C.J. Sansom


message 1709: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments I'm afraid all I can say is that coming into the series at The Burning Land was never going to shed the series in a good light. :)
While the books are stand alone, they are less stand alone further into the series. Uhtred is a complex character with a complex history and a complex relationship with other key players in the story. Coming into the series at #5 in the series the reader is relying solely on the story and plot to maintain interest and I am not sure The Burning Land can pull it off in that respect. Whereas coming into #5 after reading the previous 4, the reader would have a different approach to the book and the Uhtred character.


(Deborah, could you please spoiler your stuff about the hostage. Thanks for that..:)..)


message 1710: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) I don't remember that part at all, that was my least favorite of the series but mostly because Uhtred was being a big whinging baby! :)


message 1711: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Oh and YAY! for you reading The Whale Road!!! :D


message 1713: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Dawn wrote: "I don't remember that part at all, that was my least favorite of the series but mostly because Uhtred was being a big whinging baby! :)"


To be honest, although The Burning Land was one of my faves of the series, I don't remember that part at all either. lol!


message 1714: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) And now it's bugging me......I need the book so I can read page 51 and remember what's going on! :)


message 1715: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments I might trundle downstairs later on and grab it out of the bookcase. See who (view spoiler)


message 1716: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) If you do, please fill me in....


message 1717: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments I shall...


message 1718: by Bobby (new)

Bobby (bobbej) | 1375 comments Deborah wrote: "I finally got around to trying ABernard Cornwell I had been hearing about him for a while and The Burning Landwas in the library.

The writing was adequate and I was interested in the time and era ..."


You should really enjoy The Whale Road (Oathsworn, #1) by Robert Low I thought it was a winner!!


message 1719: by Deb (new)

Deb Omnivorous Reader Terri wrote: "I'm afraid all I can say is that coming into the series at The Burning Land was never going to shed the series in a good light. :)
While the books are stand alone, they are less stand alone further..."



Sorry about the spoilers Terri; I actually thought I had put it in properly, but it does not seem to be working so I have just deleted the whole post :(

I was quite likeing Uhtred but did not actually realise it was #5. I checked the cover to see if I was coming in at the begining or the center and it gave me no hint. I think I will return this one to the library and go back and find the first one. though I would still love to hear other peoples take on the hostage situation...

In the meantime I am really loving The Whale RoadThe Whale Road it is so detailed and descriptive I think I can smell the arctic ocean.


message 1720: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Yeah, you know, I don't think I have ever seen anything on the series that would indicate which number it is.
I think the only place would be in those first few pages where it has the other books listed.


message 1721: by Deb (new)

Deb Omnivorous Reader Terri - No, no hint that it is in a series at all. I have just gone over it again. I knew there were a few of them from goodreads chatter, but I assumed that if it said nothing about previous books it was the first.

Ah well, it Cornwell can go back on the to-read pile for a while.


message 1722: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Send it back. Return it to the heap. Try book one and see if that appeals more. :-)


message 1723: by Anne (new)

Anne (spartandax) | 797 comments Almost finished with The Sands Of Sakkara by Glenn Meade Great thriller. If you like Brad Thor, James Rollins and Vince Flynn, thins will be your bag. Will be starting "Mercenaries" tonight.


message 1724: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments I'm still struggling with The Monk *sigh*


message 1725: by Bryn (new)

Bryn Hammond (brynhammond) | 1505 comments Today: back to The Last of the Templars, the first half of which was near to be my ideal book. Or an ideal book for me. But I have fears for the second half, from a few pages of that.


message 1726: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments I am still stuck in Revelation. I got waylaid by the blog thingie the last few days. Now it is all set up...back to reading.


message 1727: by Mark (new)


message 1728: by Jane (last edited Feb 07, 2013 10:43AM) (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Will be starting Pride of Carthage by David Anthony Durham

or Ironfire A Novel of the Knights of Malta and the Last Battle of the Crusades by David Ball

soon when I finish my current reading.


message 1729: by Bobby (new)

Bobby (bobbej) | 1375 comments Finally, getting to The Forgotten Legion (Forgotten Legion Chronicles, #1) by Ben Kane . Been on my list for awhile.


message 1730: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Jane wrote: "Will be starting Pride of Carthage by David Anthony Durham

or Ironfire A Novel of the Knights of Malta and the Last Battle of the Crusades by David Ball

soon when I finish my current reading."


Good luck with Pride of Carthage, Jane.


message 1731: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Bobby wrote: "Finally, getting to The Forgotten Legion (Forgotten Legion Chronicles, #1) by Ben Kane. Been on my list for awhile."

....and good luck with Ben's first book, Bobby. :-) Let us know how you get on.


message 1732: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) Mark wrote: "Prince of Thorns (The Broken Empire, #1) by Mark Lawrence"

I really liked this book. I thought it was very much like David Gemmell's The Complete Chronicles of the Jerusalem Man. But that could just be me thinking that all this dystopian stuff is the same. :)


message 1733: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) I have finished Sharpe's Regiment (Sharpe, #17) by Bernard Cornwell Sharpe's Regiment. Loved it but then I am a Sharpe fan. :)

I started Birds of a Feather (Maisie Dobbs, #2) by Jacqueline Winspear Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear. Book #2 in this series, I like the setting in the interwar era. The heroine can be a bit snooty but is mostly good.


message 1734: by Linda (new)

Linda (ladylawyer8650) | 1702 comments The Lion's Game by Nelson DeMille is the book I am reading now, thanks to Anne.


message 1735: by John (new)

John Phillips | 63 comments @ Dawn, l just love the Sharpe series and have read them all at least twice.
He kind of reminds me of me if l were tall, good-looking, brave and interesting to women.
Am reading Walls of Jericho by Jonathan Hopkins set in the same period, its actually very, very good.


message 1736: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) I love the Sharpe series and I'm trying to pace myself so as not to read them too fast. I'm not a re-reader so once they're gone that will be it. :)


message 1737: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments John wrote: ".
He kind of reminds me of me if l were tall, good-looking, brave and interesting to women...."


Hahaha! :D


message 1738: by Bryn (new)

Bryn Hammond (brynhammond) | 1505 comments Blomqvist 20% terrific


message 1739: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (last edited Feb 09, 2013 10:50PM) (new)

Terri | 19576 comments I was the same. I too felt that I had the culprit early on, but I liked the way he twisted me around all the time to wonder, are they in it together, or are they in it together, or is that one alone, or maybe I am wrong and it is that character.
Sovereign was a wonderful read.
I have just finished Revelation and didn't enjoy it as much (still good though: 4 stars). That may have something to do with the fact I read it so close to Sovereign. Hard book to follow.


message 1740: by Chris (new)

Chris  | 419 comments Sworn Sword I started this last night very good so far.


message 1741: by Bryn (new)

Bryn Hammond (brynhammond) | 1505 comments I read Blomqvist almost in one day. Similarities to The Last English King. Might even have to five-star, I'll decide in the morning.


message 1742: by Monica (new)

Monica Davis Will start the Maureen Ash Templar Knights series, thanks to Mark for suggesting them. I read the sample of the first in the series: The Alehouse Murders and enjoyed it. I can get these from the library; hopefully within a few days.

Also, did you know that a new book to the series is scheduled to be released in mid June 2013? The Kindle version is showing as $4.99 on Amazon (pre-order.) Here's that link:
http://www.amazon.com/Canterbury-Murd...


message 1743: by Mark (new)

Mark | 1885 comments The Daylight War (Demon Cycle, #3) by Peter V. Brett getting this tomorrow.


message 1744: by Mark (new)

Mark | 1885 comments hope so been waiting for it lol


message 1745: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) The Canterbury Murders #7 in the Templar Knight Mystery series by Maureen Ash is added to GR's now if anyone wants to add it to their TBR. :)


message 1746: by Monica (new)

Monica Davis Dawn wrote: "The Canterbury Murders #7 in the Templar Knight Mystery series by Maureen Ash is added to GR's now if anyone wants to add it to their TBR. :)"

Oh, thank you Dawn...didn't even think to check GR ;-)


message 1747: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Chris F wrote: "Sworn Sword I started this last night very good so far."

Glad to hear you are enjoying it so far, Chris.


message 1748: by John (new)

John Phillips | 63 comments Am in a pickle right now, trying to pick my next book and spoiled for choice.
I really like a good long book, 600 pages plus if possible, l read way to fast and get though shorter ones to quickly.
Keep looking at suggested titles and changing my mind.
Sigh !


message 1749: by Bryn (last edited Feb 10, 2013 02:30PM) (new)

Bryn Hammond (brynhammond) | 1505 comments I wish I had John's problem. I have piles of 600-page books staring me in the face, because I'm attracted to them too, only they take me ages.

Next I'd better get on with God of War that I am halfway through.


message 1750: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (last edited Feb 10, 2013 02:33PM) (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Well I am set for books for the rest of the month.
I am currently reading the group read book, Mercenaries then I have the other group read book. Then I have some others out from the library to finish the month off.


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