Historical Fiction Recomendation

I'm just finishing a fascinating series about 14th Century Chivalry: The Ill Made Knight by Christian Cameron. I'm currently reading the 5th and final book of the series. Action packed, Routiers, Crusade, Plague. It's all in this series. I can heartily recommend to those interested in this period of time.

 

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Sounds good. Although I prefer Ancient Rome for my historical fiction! I did like the Robert Low series of books about a group of Vikings, and recommend it.

 

Sounds like fun @Bing but, I have a difficult time reading fiction. I had trouble in school because we were required to read so much fiction.

 

I've read the Robert Low books and liked them very much. I too like Roman historical fiction, but I seem to be running out of good books about Rome to read. I read too much! I almost never watch TV (to me full of junk), so I'm reading 3-4 books per week. This series I had my doubts about. I'm not really much into the 14th century, but I have been fascinated through each book. Give it a try. I'm willing to bet you will like them.

I do not like pure fiction nor fantasy at all. This series is about actual events and people. The writer merely weaves a story where facts are not known. Just give it a try. I wager you will be surprised.

 

Ever do some Bernard Cornwell?

 

Thanks. I too do not watch much TV. When I do it is typically history and documentary stuff. I like to surf history and archeology articles on-line.

 

All of his books. Great writer. If you like Cornwell, you'll like this series.

 

@Bing......Don't know if you've read this one but for light reading I found it fascinating!.......I suppose we'd class it as semi-fiction....
It's a light read but IMO it's unique style allows you to picture the lives of the plebs, as his invisible presence wanders around Rome from just before dawn until midnight, describing different scenarios that gives you a real feel of what it was like to live in Rome in 115AD under emperor Trajan at the pinnacle of the Roman empire. Although he sometimes uses artistic licence to bring to life certain aspects its essence is taken from factual data accrued from archaeological sites such as Pompey etc...I learnt a great deal about everyday Roman life from the rich to the poor and some details I found quite shocking!....

 

I'll give it a try. Thanks

 

I can recommend this one. The author was faithful the the eyewitness account of the Great Siege of Malta written by Francisco Balbi da Correggio, who was one of the defenders.

 

I reading Tirano-Destructor de ciudades from same writer and very good entertainment. Thank Bing for showing new serie.

 

Yes! Great stuff, I’m an avid student of the Napoleonic Wars and a Duke of Wellington fan (I can’t get enough) I visited the Waterloo, Ligny, and Quatre Bras Battlefields in Belgium.

 

I haven't read that book (which is non-fiction) but did read, and highly recommend, all the Sharpe novels.

 

The 'Starbuck Chronicles' are excellent too.......

 

I started reading this one recently, since I picked up a coin of Memnon of Rhodes.



Here's the coin (yes, I just realized I need to brighten the photo).



To be honest, I'm not a fan of the book so far. The dialog just doesn't sound natural, nor typical of the times. Every character also sounds the same and there's a lot of "historical even dropping." That's a bit hard to describe, but I would expect that were I dropped somewhere in Asia Minor during the time of Philip II, and I were to walk down the street, I would probably do so uneventfully. I wouldn't be confronted with every historic event of the period just like today - you can walk down a random street and odds are you won't witness someone dropping dead of Covid, a shooting, or a political rally.

I'm tempted to just put it aside, but I'm continuing only because I'm anxious to learn more about this period in time.

The best book I've read so far about this period is this one.


It's non-fiction, but gripping. The only odd thing is IMHO it would make a great drinking game - every time he says "Eumenes."

As an aside, it's my dream to someday write a series based on this period. I've mentioned that as a goal to my wife when we retire in a few years, with the prerequisites that I'd have to first learn Greek, and travel to the areas of most of the scenes (with the possible exception of Babylon depending on the political situation). She's all for the sites in Greece and Turkey, but a bit apprehensive that I'd insist on seeing Susa as well.

 

@Bing and others, I enjoyed Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth and World Without End immensely and am currently reading his most recent related work, A Column of Fire. The time frame is late middle ages, 1400s-1500s. His research is careful, story lines marvelously woven, and characters deeply drawn. He always has a strong female character or two, which of course I like . (historical fiction)

 

I've read the first two years ago, but remember that I enjoyed them. The book I recommend in this thread seems to be carefully researched and has a few very strong female characters as well. I really think you may enjoy this series @TIF .

 

Presently reading:

- “Sarum”, Edward Rutherford
- Just finished: “The Druids” Peter Beresford Ellis (researched history, well done)
- “Killer Angels”, Michael Shaara (again), cuz I just finished his son’s “Gods and Generals”, Jeffrey Shaara ... they flow together.
- Just finished “Stonewall Jackson”
- “Lean Thinking”, James Womack (again), cuz I am implementing these principles at my new vocation.
- “The Secret of Crete”, Hans Georg Wundelich cuz, @ominus1 gifted me this really cool book that I finally picked up and already halfway through!
- “The Art of Happiness”, The Dalai Lama

Agreed!

LOL, Agreed!

Here’s some Horsey’s cuz I lovem and used to have some...



Makedon Alexander I 498-454 BCE AR Obol 10mm 0.75g Horse - Quadripartite incuse sq SNG ANS 32 Rare



Carthage mint 2nd Punic War 203-201 BCE BI 1½ Shekels 24mm 9.4 g Wrthd Hd Tanit - Horse stndng R hd L, raised foreleg Pellet SNG COP 394



RR 234-231 BCE AR Heavy Denarius - Didrachm Apollo-Horse prancing Crawford 26-1 Sear 28



China Song Dynasty 10th-12th C CE AE Gaming Token 29mm 6.42g Zhui Feng Zhi Ma-horse following wind- - Horse galloping left - Classic Chinese Charms Vol I 2149



Larinum Frentani 210-175 BCE AE Quincunx 22mm 9.8g Mars or Athena corinthian helmet- Galloping Horseman spear sheild tbolt 5 pellets NH Italy 625 BMC 2 SCARCE



OSCA Spain AR silver denarius 204-154 BC. Head r beard -N behind - Horseman spear, Iberian PMAN BOLSCAN Burgos 1501 Villaronga 3



RR Anon AE Semuncia 217-215 BC Turreted Horseman Whip Roma Craw 39-5 Sear 619 Scarce



RI Trajan AR Den Rome CE 112-114. IMP TRAIANO COS VI P P l SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI, Trajan on horseback RIC 291



Celtic Britain Iceni Boudicca 61 CE 1.03g Celt Hd r Celtic horse galloping Seaby 434 Scarce

 

I read a lot of history (as many do) .. but when things get very stressful at work I try to reach for some far out stuff to read in bed to take my mind away from the trials of the day. Helps me shut down and forget the challenges - otherwise I find myself trying to solve tomorrow's problems while in bed... never a good way to try to sleep!

So I love historical fiction and Sci-Fi... Sci-Fi will especially take me away from the grind and help me shut down.

One of my favorites is Ilium by Dan Simmons .. second book in the series is Olympos. Incredible books that are both historical fiction and crazy Sci-Fi.. ever want to relive the Iliad - but on Mars??? The gods don't reside on Mount Olympus - but on Olympus Mons. Achilles, Odysseus, Paris, etc are all there .. its a wild ride.

I didn't think so either - but wow.. weird as heck - but what a masterpiece.

For a great escape I highly recommend them.