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 2351: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Duggan is one I will one day try. His ratings are so up and down and my library doesn't have the ones I want to try.


message 2352: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments I'm really enjoying this one, so far, but others he's written I do NOT like.


message 2353: by happy (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments Keeping in the Roman Empire Genre - just starting Harry Sidebottom's latest

The Wolves of the North (Warrior of Rome, #5) by Harry Sidebottom


message 2354: by Linda (new)

Linda (ladylawyer8650) | 1702 comments Pam of Babylon by Suzanne Jenkins. Started today, and kept thinking the book was so familiar. Ms. Jenkins wrote Don't You Forget About Me which was the first book of a three book series. The present book is second in series. No wonder it was familiar. DYFAM garnered four stars from me despite the many errors and a genre for which I do not care. (Notice how I manipulated that sentence so that it would not end with a preposition.) This present book is shaping up the same as the first book despite my reading snobbery.


message 2355: by Holly (new)

Holly Lewis | 39 comments I'm reading The Secundus Papyrus and it's a bit slow for my taste. Lots of details but not enough action.


message 2356: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Holly wrote: "I'm reading The Secundus Papyrus and it's a bit slow for my taste. Lots of details but not enough action."


Lol. Holly the font that author has opted for makes it look like a sci fi. More the type of font I'd expect on a Star Trek book. :-)


message 2357: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments I've started Sworn Brother (Viking, #2) by Tim Severin , Tim Severin's Viking #2 and am enjoying it so far-- 3 chapters in. I have King's Man (Viking, #3) by Tim Severin , his Viking #3 on my TBR list.


message 2358: by Holly (new)

Holly Lewis | 39 comments Holly wrote: "I'm reading The Secundus Papyrus and it's a bit slow for my taste. Lots of details but not enough action."

I thought that too. It reminds me of The Name of the Rose which I struggled to get through. If you like that one, you'd probably like this one too.


message 2359: by Holly (new)

Holly Lewis | 39 comments Jane wrote: "I've started Sworn Brother (Viking, #2) by Tim Severin, Tim Severin's Viking #2 and am enjoying it so far-- 3 chapters in. I have King's Man (Viking, #3) by Tim Severin, his Viking #3 on my TBR list."

This looks good! I've added to my list which is getting very long! Good thing I have a lot of business trips to do this month.


message 2360: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Good luck with them, Holly. They are well written, just don't expect much in the way of dialogue. As the author is a very good non fiction writer, he kind of takes that non fiction style approach with his fiction also.
If you are prepared for that, then you will be fine.


message 2361: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments I've just finished #3. Yes, Holly, they are well written, and you really learn a lot. There was enough dialog and enough action for me. It was interesting to learn about Constantinople, the Varangian Guard, the Lapplanders, European history at that time--they even had King MacBeth of the Scots and his story was more historically accurate than Shakespeare [I have a Short History of Scotland by Hume Brown I double checked]. I'm so glad Severin explained much of the Norse mythology.


message 2362: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments And Holly, in regards to the author of those Viking books, we have a discussion thread on him here to. :-)
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/9...


message 2363: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) Hmmm, it's been a few weeks since I posted here so I have a few books to mention.....

I have finished Gateway (Heechee Saga, #1) by Frederik Pohl Gateway, Mercury's Rise (Silver Rush, #4) by Ann Parker Mercury's Rise, Embassytown by China Miéville Embassytown, The Poisoned Chalice (Crowner John Mystery #2) by Bernard Knight The Poisoned Chalice, Conspiracies of Rome (Aelric, #1) by Richard Blake Conspiracies of Rome and Love Songs From A Shallow Grave (Dr. Siri Paiboun, #7) by Colin Cotterill Love Songs From A Shallow Grave

And I'm in the middle of Feast of Souls (The Magister Trilogy, #1) by C.S. Friedman Feast of Souls, Excession (Culture, #5) by Iain M. Banks Excession, Night Soldiers (Night Soldiers, #1) by Alan Furst Night Soldiers and When Parents Text So Much Said...So Little Understood by Sophia Fraioli When Parents Text: So Much Said...So Little Understood


message 2364: by Simona (new)

Simona | 1453 comments Are you liking Feast of Souls? I tried it but I never finished the book.


message 2365: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) I think I like the idea of it more than the actual product. I love the author but the story isn't involved enough, not like some of her others. It's only a trilogy so I'll probably read them all just to find out what happens.


message 2366: by Bobby (new)

Bobby (bobbej) | 1375 comments Finally reading again. Still on the road working the Stanley Cup. Halfway through Malevil


message 2367: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments I am halfway through our group read Pompeii.
I like it much.


message 2368: by Marty (new)

Marty (martymill) | 65 comments I'm starting Confessions of a Pagan Nun tonight. It looks really good.


message 2369: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments That was has a great cover. I always look twice at that cover. I will be interested in what you think, Marty. I have heard mixed feedback on it.


message 2370: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) I finished When Parents Text: So Much Said...So Little Understood which was pretty funny. And finished Feast of Souls which has such a fabulous concept but it's missing something.....

I haven't decided what to start......I can't even narrow it down to a short or long and I'm torn about what genre to pick from.....hmmmmm


message 2371: by Simona (new)

Simona | 1453 comments Dawn wrote: " And finished Feast of Souls which has such a fabulous concept but it's missing something...."

I agree!


message 2372: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Am reading The Boat of Fate by Keith Roberts , which is fantastic so far. I was up until 3 a.m. reading last night; I couldn't put it down and am about 60% finished. I think you really get into a character more if a book's written in 1st person, as this one is.


message 2373: by Bryn (new)

Bryn Hammond (brynhammond) | 1505 comments My Name is Red 16thC Istanbul. Enjoying the detail on the Turkish & Persian world, and the narrative is fun (in voices that include a dog, a tree and a murdered corpse), but can't say I'm involved in the story.

Dersu the Trapper (Recovered Classics) True adventures in what Russia called its Far East. Great stuff. He lets old Dersu of the Gold people star.

I'll be away from home and on my Kindle for a week so I started a public domain, The Charterhouse of Parma -- we've just had Waterloo.


message 2374: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments I like the look of Dersu the Trapper.


message 2375: by Marty (new)

Marty (martymill) | 65 comments Terri wrote: "That was has a great cover. I always look twice at that cover. I will be interested in what you think, Marty. I have heard mixed feedback on it."

So far so good - although it can be a bit choppy, jumping from her past life to her present life with fair frequency. I'm hoping to finish it tonight.


message 2376: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Cool. Thanks for that.


message 2377: by Bryn (new)

Bryn Hammond (brynhammond) | 1505 comments Terri wrote: "I like the look of Dersu the Trapper."

I bet you'd like it. Though it's an account of his explorations, he makes a story of it: I was scared when they were stalked by a tiger. Written with a bit of novelist's flair, too.


message 2378: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments The only thing I could see putting me off is the despair I always feel when I hear of the astronomical numbers of kills trappers and sport hunters did in those days. Especially on species that are now endangered or critically endangered.


message 2379: by Bryn (new)

Bryn Hammond (brynhammond) | 1505 comments Ah yes. Me too, but the Trapper of the title is the indigenous guy, and he's a big conservationist, as we'd say. And the Russian officer/scientist listens to him and learns.

Mind you, I'm depressed by the state of the indigenous peoples, degraded between China and Russia. Dersu feels like 'the last of' who isn't.


message 2380: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Bryn wrote: "Ah yes. Me too, but the Trapper of the title is the indigenous guy, and he's a big conservationist, as we'd say. And the Russian officer/scientist listens to him and learns.

Mind you, I'm depress..."

With you there. Loss of indigenous cultures and peoples depresses me too. ie lost tribes of the Amazon that are hanging in there despite being still hunted and slaughtered by illegal miners and timber getters. :/


message 2381: by Darcy (last edited May 20, 2013 05:59AM) (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments Marina wrote: "Started The Agincourt Bride (Catherine de Valois, #1) by Joanna Hickson.
It's one of those books written in a more "modern" way, like Riches' or Quinn's.
It's the story of Catherine de Valois, told by her loving nursmaid."


I'm reading about some of her offspring in
The Iron King (The Accursed Kings, #1) by Maurice Druon

I'll also be starting The Secret Rescue An Untold Story of American Nurses and Medics Behind Nazi Lines by Cate Lineberry sometime today.


message 2382: by Mark (new)

Mark | 1885 comments The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1) by Patrick Rothfuss can see why readers are loving this one.


message 2383: by Simona (new)

Simona | 1453 comments I am really happy that you're reading this one, Mark. He's such a good writer. The second one, The Wise Man's Fear, is just as good.


message 2384: by Anne (new)

Anne (spartandax) | 797 comments The Columbus Affair I am about 2/3 of the way through this book. I love Steve Berry's thrillers and so far, this one does not disappoint.


message 2385: by Mark (new)

Mark | 1885 comments Simona wrote: "I am really happy that you're reading this one, Mark. He's such a good writer. The second one, The Wise Man's Fear, is just as good."

me too, i can understand peoples complaints are about the main character been too perfect that's its irritating. to me its the narrative been from the older him that seems to give that impression.


message 2386: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments Marina wrote: "Darcy wrote: "I'm reading about some of her offspring in "

The Iron King (The Accursed Kings, #1) by Maurice Druon

Surely you mean predecessors :)
In any case, The Iron King is awesome, as is the whole series."


erm...yes, that's what I mean *mental head slap*


message 2387: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Just finished The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson
Enjoyed it. It must be the granddaddy of more recent Viking novels, such as Low, Severin or Cornwell. Written in the style of the old sagas.


message 2388: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments It is a classic that Long Ships. I haven't been able to find it, so I wait. Don,t know when I'll ever get to read it.


message 2389: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments I was lucky one of the library branches had it, tucked away in their basement, yellowing pp. and all. No one had checked it out since 1999.


message 2390: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Wow. Not since 1999. That is a shame. It is supposed to be a classic of the historical fiction genre. Inspired many authors to write HF.

Poor sad little yellow book in the basement. :(


message 2391: by Bobby (new)

Bobby (bobbej) | 1375 comments Semper Fidelis (Gaius Petreius Ruso, #5) by Ruth Downie Had this one for awhile...time to read it.


message 2392: by happy (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments FWIW I thought it was pretty good


message 2393: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments So did I!
Title puzzles me though: Semper Fidelis made me think of U.S. Marines in the Roman Empire! :)


message 2394: by Simona (new)

Simona | 1453 comments Jane wrote: "So did I!
Title puzzles me though: Semper Fidelis made me think of U.S. Marines in the Roman Empire! :)"


LOL I think it was actually the opposite...:)


message 2395: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Jane wrote: "So did I!
Title puzzles me though: Semper Fidelis made me think of U.S. Marines in the Roman Empire! :)"

Me too! Whenever I see that title I think its about the Marines and then have to look closer to realise it isn't.


message 2396: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Well, I guess the Marines wouldn't wear those accoutrements on the cover! :)


message 2397: by Anne (new)

Anne (spartandax) | 797 comments Just started Snow Wolf by Glenn Meade by Glenn meade-a thriller that goes back to Stalinist Russia. I have read a number of his books and he is now in my favcrites group of thriller writers. he always had excellent historical facts included in his stories.


message 2398: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Jane, I live in Australia. :)


message 2399: by happy (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments Jane wrote: "So did I!
Title puzzles me though: Semper Fidelis made me think of U.S. Marines in the Roman Empire! :)"


My first thought also, even though I was pretty sure what it was about :)


message 2400: by Laura (new)

Laura Libricz (lauralibricz) | 59 comments I'm reading A Farewell to Arms I'm really enjoying this.


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