What are the Forum members reading (4 Viewers)

Any good Historical Fiction suggestions? Anything pre-WW1 might be nice right now.
Anyway I just finished Salway's The Oxford Illustrated History of Roman Britain. Excellent "coffee-table" reading. Also Peddie's Conquest: The Roman Invasion of Britain. Plus plenty of related articles and an old History of the Celts. So maybe something about Roman or Roman Britain.
 
paxtoysoldier said:
Any good Historical Fiction suggestions? Anything pre-WW1 might be nice right now.
Anyway I just finished Salway's The Oxford Illustrated History of Roman Britain. Excellent "coffee-table" reading. Also Peddie's Conquest: The Roman Invasion of Britain. Plus plenty of related articles and an old History of the Celts. So maybe something about Roman or Roman Britain.
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For fiction there's lots of Roman Murder Mystery type books.

There's a whole series of books by Rosemary Rowe featuring her fictional Mosaicist, and Murder puzzle solver Libertus, mostly set in the reign of Commodus.
Also those by Ruth Downie, with her Medicus series of books set earlier in Trajan / Hadrian era.
Steven Saylors excellent series of Republican Rome.
And of course Lindsay Davis's, Falco series set during Vespasian's rule.
Simon Scarrow has written a slew of Boys own Adventure type novels.
Colleen McCullough series of epic novels on the late republic of Sulla, Marius, Cicero, Pompey and Caesar. Books hard to put down !
But my top prize goes like that of a first love to Rosemary Sutcliff and her novel most British kids were encouraged to read in junior school, "The Eagle of the Ninth" and around which a couple of movies took as original material and turned into terrible storyline adaptations messes ! The old BBC Sunday kids drama did the story better !
There's dozens more I could name and have enjoyed reading. I think the only one I have to mention as being pure **** was by a Conn Iggulden. Only read his first book and it was a struggle on the subject and was so disappointed never want to pick up another of his books again. Though he seems to sell, so others must like !
Anyway, hope I've given you some ideas !
 
Steve, have you read The Cadfael Chronicles? I haven't, but did enjoy the tv series starring Derek Jacobi, always an entertaining actor.
 
OzDigger said:
Steve, have you read The Cadfael Chronicles? I haven't, but did enjoy the tv series starring Derek Jacobi, always an entertaining actor.
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Hi Matt.
No, not read the Cadfael books.
Like you I enjoyed the t.v. series Cadfael. Jacobi had as I expect you know, played the part of Claudia's in the 1970s TV series I, Claudius. Tight BBC budget of course, but brilliant actors. The I, Claudius books written by Robert Graves were very good.
 
paxtoysoldier said:
Any good Historical Fiction suggestions? Anything pre-WW1 might be nice right now.
Anyway I just finished Salway's The Oxford Illustrated History of Roman Britain. Excellent "coffee-table" reading. Also Peddie's Conquest: The Roman Invasion of Britain. Plus plenty of related articles and an old History of the Celts. So maybe something about Roman or Roman Britain.
Click to expand...


Patrick O'Brian's books are outstanding. Robert McCammon's Matthew Corbett series is entertaining. There is a series of books set in colonial America by Eliot Pattison (Bone Rattler).
 
Thanks for the good suggestions.
I have only read the O'Brian novels & I, Claudius of those mentioned.
The Cadfael tv series was very good.
I'm going to check out as many as I can get!
Thanks again and all the best,
Paddy
 
Reading "Eagle of the 9th" from the library. I like it, not all books need to be pretentiously complex and it's a great story. I think I have seen or read this story before - maybe some re-hash or a dramatized BBC production?
3 Ruth Downie books ordered. I'm sure I will enjoy. I love Mysteries (and sci-fi/fantasy) almost as much as I love History!
Anyway I'll be in bed for a while so I'll work on Steve's and others' suggestions.
I have read Shogun, Brad. Years ago. Maybe it's time for a reread, it was a ripping good tale.
Best Wishes and Thanks for the good tips,
Paddy
 
paxtoysoldier said:
Reading "Eagle of the 9th" from the library. I like it, not all books need to be pretentiously complex and it's a great story. I think I have seen or read this story before - maybe some re-hash or a dramatized BBC production?
3 Ruth Downie books ordered. I'm sure I will enjoy. I love Mysteries (and sci-fi/fantasy) almost as much as I love History!
Anyway I'll be in bed for a while so I'll work on Steve's and others' suggestions.
I have read Shogun, Brad. Years ago. Maybe it's time for a reread, it was a ripping good tale.
Best Wishes and Thanks for the good tips,
Paddy
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Glad you're enjoying the book, her other books set in later in Roman Britain are ok, but just don't grab the imagination like Eagle of the 9th does.
Of course everyone's tastes in books varies, as does getting into a new author, there's books that looked to be promising from subject I've started reading but then not really gotten on with the writing style and I guess that's one reason some authors books are very popular and yet similar ones don't.
Anyhow hope you enjoy the other books I recommended as much as I did !
One other recommendation that came to mind late is "Eagle in the Snow" by Wallace Breem. A cracking good read, with action on Hadrian Wall and on the German Frontier as the Roman Empire is rapidly coming to an end in the West.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_in_the_Snow
 
If you like science fiction, and you haven't yet read them, I recommend "The Expanse" series. If you've seen the series, which I did up through season 3, the novels are better. They're fast reads, too.

And I recommend David Drake's "Hammer's Slammers" novels and short stories. Excellent military science fiction. Drake served in Vietnam, and some of the elements of his stories reflect his experiences there. He also draws on subjects from classical history, and from other works of fiction. They're really well done.

Prost!
Brad
 
I like sci-fi and fantasy fiction that is based on real cultures quite a bit. I like the military aspect even more. I will check them out someday.
Thanks for helping and Prost!
Paddy
 
That looks interesting.
I'm glad to learn that there are so many good Historical Fictions that I have never read. I used to read more but I've been busy with other hobbies and duties lately. Now I will have some time to read.
You fellows seem to keep up with the latest better than I do. I'm more Hobbit than water-cooler-converser but we are all social animals to some degree. I think reading brings us together when we can't be actually in close proximity. Also, you all read more before I was born...
So thanks again and keep suggesting. I'm sure some other people will read the posts and enjoy the books.
You all may want to read Cornwell's Agincourt if you haven't already. It is a very Historically accurate novel but the characters were a bit stiff, IMHO. But it's a great "re-enactment". Elegant.
As for sci-fi, some of the Dune spin-offs by Anderson and Herbert Jr are fun. Not very military but many social concerns are addressed.
Good Readings and Happiness,
Paddy
 
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Ruth Downie's Terra Incognita was an excellent read. Thanks Steve.
Eagle in the Snow is ordered but I have to finish 2 more Downie mysteries first.
Nothing beats a good read for calming down.
I will look into everyone's suggestions. Thanks again to all.
Best Wishes
Paddy
 
'Future Imperfect - Philip K. Dick at the movies'

This book reviews and compares his various books and short stories to the subsequent film adaptations,

You've never heard of him or his Books?

Chances are you know the Movies, e.g. Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report, Screamers etc.

A good read for those into sci-fi books or movies.
 
"Victorious in Defeat: The Life and Times of Chiang Kai-Shek" by Alexander V. Pantsov. A lengthy, new biography of Chiang. The US backed just about every dictator of the 20th century who opposed communism but strangely abandoned China. Arguably, the only such conflict that really mattered. Imagine how different the modern world might have been if the Communists had been defeated in China.
 
paxtoysoldier said:
Ruth Downie's Terra Incognita was an excellent read. Thanks Steve.
Eagle in the Snow is ordered but I have to finish 2 more Downie mysteries first.
Nothing beats a good read for calming down.
I will look into everyone's suggestions. Thanks again to all.
Best Wishes
Paddy
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Another author that I've started reading a couple of weeks ago since I hadn't come across her before with her own adventure / mysteries books set in Roman Britain and in and around a Mansio with the main protagonist being it's female Inn Keeper are by Jane Finnis, quite entertaining, I'm about halfway through the third book now.
Books in order:
Shadows in the Night / Get out or Die in US
A Bitter Chill
Buried too deep
Danger in the Wind
and then there is a book of short stories some set else where with different characters, A Pinch of Pure Cunning.
 
Horus said:
Another author that I've started reading a couple of weeks ago since I hadn't come across her before with her own adventure / mysteries books set in Roman Britain and in and around a Mansio with the main protagonist being it's female Inn Keeper are by Jane Finnis, quite entertaining, I'm about halfway through the third book now.
Books in order:
Shadows in the Night / Get out or Die in US
A Bitter Chill
Buried too deep
Danger in the Wind
and then there is a book of short stories some set else where with different characters, A Pinch of Pure Cunning.
Click to expand...

They look very interesting.
Thanks again and I'll keep reading.
Paddy
 
Took a pause from the Lawrence of Arabia tome to get something scary and spooky for October. Reading a book about the Persecution of witches and witchcraft. Flew through the first 40 pages last night.
 
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