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 3351: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments I'm currently on Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers Strange, strange little book.


message 3352: by C.P. (new)

C.P. Lesley (cplesley) | 564 comments Why, Margaret? That seems like an unusual choice.


message 3353: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments A very popular choice. So many people I know on GR have read that book. It gets around.


message 3354: by [deleted user] (new)

Margaret wrote: "I'm currently on Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers Strange, strange little book."

I'll admit it. I'm interested.


message 3355: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (last edited Oct 22, 2013 05:14PM) (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments @ C.P. I read in lots of different areas, and when I came upon this it looked interesting. When the author compared being dead to being on a cruise I was hooked. :)


message 3356: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (last edited Oct 22, 2013 05:15PM) (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments Terri wrote: "A very popular choice. So many people I know on GR have read that book. It gets around."

I agree. When I marked it 'To Read' I discovered a lot of my GR friends had either read it or had it to read.


message 3357: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments I saw a tele show about this. A woman (possibly the author) went to different places that handle cadavers to decide how she wanted to be handled after death - to remove that burden from her family.
Interesting the number of options out there.


message 3358: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments Darcy wrote: "I saw a tele show about this. A woman (possibly the author) went to different places that handle cadavers to decide how she wanted to be handled after death - to remove that burden from her family...."
There are. I'm up to a chapter about the Body Farm at the moment.


message 3359: by [deleted user] (new)

Margaret wrote: "@ C.P. I read in lots of different areas, and when I came upon this it looked interesting. When the author compared being dead to being on a cruise I was hooked. :)"

If being dead is like being on a cruise, then there is a hell for sure.:)


message 3360: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments Derek wrote: "Margaret wrote: "@ C.P. I read in lots of different areas, and when I came upon this it looked interesting. When the author compared being dead to being on a cruise I was hooked. :)"

If being de..."

LMAO Derek. I thought something similar.


message 3361: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Just started The Sea Runners by Ivan Doig The Sea Runners, novelized version of a true story, in 1852, four Swedes, indentured to the Russian American Company in Russian America [Alaska] escape a life of hardship, final destination Astoria, Oregon Territory. I just finished Chapter One and after 6 months of planning, they make their escape from New Archangel [Sitka]. The book's well written and promises to be exciting.


message 3362: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Gosh that looks good, Jane. I am adding that one to the tbr.


message 3363: by [deleted user] (new)

Jane wrote: "Just started The Sea Runners by Ivan DoigThe Sea Runners, novelized version of a true story, in 1852, four Swedes, indentured to the Russian American Company in Russian America [Alaska] esc..."

You beat me to it, Jane. Dang!


message 3364: by Paul (new)

Paul Bennett (hooverbkreviews) | 51 comments The Gates of Troy by Glyn Iliffe
Love this series...


message 3365: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Did you post about it further back, Derek? If you did, I should have paid more attention and added it to the tbr. I like the sounds of it.


message 3366: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Derek wrote: "Jane wrote: "Just started The Sea Runners by Ivan DoigThe Sea Runners, novelized version of a true story, in 1852, four Swedes, indentured to the Russian American Company in Russian America..."

I think you'll enjoy it. I'm trying to fill in before the group read--one from library and one on order.


message 3367: by [deleted user] (last edited Oct 23, 2013 08:20AM) (new)

Terri wrote: "Did you post about it further back, Derek? If you did, I should have paid more attention and added it to the tbr. I like the sounds of it."

No. I didn't post about it. Jane brought that book to my attention, by way of recommendation, a few weeks ago. Like you, I very much like the sound of it. I'm planning on reading it next, but I can't seem to find any reading time lately. Jane beat me to it gosh darn it! :)


message 3368: by Harold (new)

Harold Titus (haroldtitus) | 29 comments "Set Fair for Roanoke" by David Beers Quinn is non-fiction but an important secondary source if you want to write historical fiction about English colonial settlement at Roanoke in the 1580s.
Set Fair for Roanoke Voyages and Colonies, 1584-1606 by David Beers Quinn


message 3369: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments I'm not sure my stomach is up to finishing Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

I've come across some really stomach churning stuff. :p


message 3370: by Mark (new)

Mark | 1885 comments Margaret wrote: "I'm not sure my stomach is up to finishing Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

I've come across some really stomach churning stuff. :p"


Lols,


message 3371: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments This includes experiments using the genitals of male cadavers.

I am not sure my stomach is going to stand up to the rest of this book.


message 3372: by Mark (new)

Mark | 1885 comments Margaret wrote: "This includes experiments using the genitals of male cadavers.

I am not sure my stomach is going to stand up to the rest of this book."


Not what I want to hear about just before I go to sleep, Margaret.;););)


message 3373: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments Mark wrote: "Margaret wrote: "This includes experiments using the genitals of male cadavers.

I am not sure my stomach is going to stand up to the rest of this book."

Not what I want to hear about just before ..."


I was reading it before I went to sleep. NOT a smart move on my part!


message 3374: by Mark (new)

Mark | 1885 comments Not really. Lols.


message 3375: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)

Terri | 19576 comments Margaret wrote: "

I am not sure my stomach is going to stand up to the rest of this book."


I have never been tempted to read it myself for that reason. My stomach is too weak with that sort of thing. :x


message 3376: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments Terri wrote: "Margaret wrote: "

I am not sure my stomach is going to stand up to the rest of this book."

I have never been tempted to read it myself for that reason. My stomach is too weak with that sort of th..."

Mine's usually kind of strong. At least where books are concerned. I giggled at the brain eating scene in The Silence of the Lambs.

Maybe because this is real. I don't know. But I am getting distinctly queasy when I read Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers


message 3377: by Linda (new)

Linda (ladylawyer8650) | 1702 comments TWO RIVERS by Zoe Saadia. Cannot find the gold lettered book/author feature on this new format.


message 3378: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) Two Rivers (The Peacemaker Trilogy, book 1) by Zoe Saadia Two Rivers by Zoe Saadia

What new format Linda??


message 3379: by Bobby (new)


message 3380: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Started earlier this evening the delightful The Druid's Son, a sort-of prequel to the author's Storyteller series. This one concerns Togidubnos [Togi], a Druid-in-training, in Roman Britain, several centuries before the aforementioned series.


message 3381: by Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd (new)


message 3382: by William (new)

William Carter I'm reading The Last Conquest by Berwick Coates, only have a few pages to go really, so should finish it pretty soon. Its very good.


message 3383: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments Linking the book for William The Last Conquest by Berwick Coates


message 3384: by Dawn (new)


message 3385: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments Oh do let us know how the Dunnett book is. I really liked the first one, but know these books require a lot of time to invest.


message 3386: by Dawn (new)

Dawn (caveatlector) Will do. I'm in the mood for some epic books and thought this one would fit the bill nicely.


message 3387: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments This weekend have read and reviewed Morality Play by Barry Unsworth Morality Play by Barry Unsworth--a very good medieval mystery.
I've just begun To Forestall the Darkness: A Novel of Ancient Rome by Vann Turner, a very interesting period--Western Rome has fallen and is now ruled by the Lombards.


message 3388: by Bryn (new)

Bryn Hammond (brynhammond) | 1505 comments I've been trying a few things.

Read 100 p. of The First Man in Rome. First I found it catchy but then I found it soapy, and I'm not sure we have a future together. Sorry to have to report this way to Nate. :( The type of story isn't often my thing: social status, money and that.

Took up Kristin Lavransdatter which I read at least twice years and years ago. Happy to say it's everything I hoped or remembered or forgot and I had a hard time putting it down last night.

Also began Ancient Evenings. By Norman Mailer. This isn't straight hf in that he makes their spiritual world real -- the narrator is the ka of a dead person. But if you like that, he does it tremendously, besides, geez he can write.


message 3389: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments Oh thank God...I thought I was the only one who didn't think The First Man in Rome was a masterpiece. I loathed it.


message 3390: by Bryn (new)

Bryn Hammond (brynhammond) | 1505 comments Margaret wrote: "Oh thank God..."

I've trawled reviews. Divergence of opinions -- as always. You're right, though, masses of positive.


message 3391: by Jane (last edited Oct 27, 2013 06:04PM) (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Bryn wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Oh thank God..."

I've trawled reviews. Divergence of opinions -- as always. You're right, though, masses of positive."


Or, maybe a lot of negatives don't even write reviews. I thought what I read of that series was ok, but nothing to write home about. I didn't even read the whole series--I'm tired of Antony and Cleopatra--even Caesar and all the Julio-Claudians, for the most part.


message 3392: by Eileen (last edited Oct 27, 2013 05:57PM) (new)

Eileen Iciek | 553 comments Jane wrote: "Bryn wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Oh thank God..."

I've trawled reviews. Divergence of opinions -- as always. You're right, though, masses of positive."

Or, maybe a lot of negatives don't even write ..."


I enjoyed the series for a while. Probably the first 4 books, then it just began to seem as though it was being dragged out for the income potential. Granted, Caesar led an interesting life, but it was just too much after a while.

What I really appreciated about the books was the author's description of the end of the Roman republic and all the turmoil that brought it to an end. Although I thought I knew a lot about the Romans, until I read these books, I never understood what led to the rise of imperial Rome.


message 3393: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Dramatic license notwithstanding, I got as much about the end of Republican and beginning of Imperial Rome from the tv series, Rome.


message 3394: by Portia (new)

Portia Jane, we watched that series and like it very much. Wish there were more than two seasons.


message 3395: by Jane (last edited Oct 27, 2013 06:30PM) (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Portia, I feel the same but it came out to money [or lack thereof]. I did buy it so can look at it any time I feel like it. Sometime, get The Mayor of Casterbridge from Netflix. Ciaran Hinds [he played Caesar in the series Rome] is a marvellous Michael Henchard in MoC.


message 3396: by Portia (new)

Portia Always money spoils good shows. HBO had a series called "Deadwood" a few years ago and it was cancelled because the sets and costumes were too authentic and ergo too expensive. Ian McShane was in that one.


message 3397: by Mark (new)


message 3398: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Started last night The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng The Garden of Evening Mists, Malaya -- beautiful, so far


message 3399: by Darcy (new)

Darcy (drokka) | 2675 comments I'm reading the delightful The Stone Carvers by Jane Urquhart


message 3400: by Eileen (last edited Oct 28, 2013 06:59AM) (new)

Eileen Iciek | 553 comments Jane wrote: "Portia, I feel the same but it came out to money [or lack thereof]. I did buy it so can look at it any time I feel like it. Sometime, get The Mayor of Casterbridge from Netflix. Ciaran Hinds [he..."

Ciaran Hinds was wonderful as the Mayor of Casterbridge. I thought he looked the way the Hardy character would have looked, based on the novel. I did not think he looked much like Julius Caesar would have looked, though. His acting was fine, but I have always thought of Caesar as not quite so bulky, more cerebral. That is probably based on the busts of him that have survived.


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