Historical Fiction

[John Blaze]

Read McCarthy's Blood Meridian. It's a haunting look at the scalp trade in the 1840s.

I came in here to post about that actually. Its one of the best books I've ever read hands down as well as one of the most despairing. I think its one of the most astute things ever written about American Exceptionalism. Very few things within the past few years have affected me as much as Blood Meridian. People tend to hate McCarthy or love him and I'm definitely the latter in all respects. Several times I had to put this book down for a few minutes and just weep. You can call me a pussy JB, but I couldn't care less.

why would I do that? I cried during Marley and Me.

And I already have that book on my to buy list, but since you recommend it so highly I'll push it to the front of the list.

thanks.

look in the gude to dutch hill.

it's under "people of the..."

Hey thanks, I hadn't noticed you added the link.

Hey JB, I really enjoyed Gates of Fire. Twas awesome

And I can't believe I kept forgetting you told me already. I won't forget again feevs, thanks.

I don't read alot of historical fiction, but I love James Clavell. Shogun is an amazing read and the books that follow on from it, Gai Jin, Tai Pan are entertaining, if not the best writing around.
His WW2 story King Rat is a complete knock out though, that's highly recommended.

Is King Rat a stand alone book, or do I read the other 3 first?>

[obscurejude]

I'll be interested to read your thoughts on it Bruno. Its a very discussion provoking book in the right hands.

[Empath of the White]

I've got the first book in the Brethren of the Coast series--The Guardship by James Nelson sitting on my bookshelf. Its a good book; Nelson's use of the time period's dialect is something I really enjoyed. I can't say how the rest of the book is, since at some random point it just jumped back on my bookshelf and is still there waiting for me.

The pirate angle is what attracted me; the Pirates movie trilogy is my favorite, but of course they're fantasy. I was interested in a realistic look at the buccaneers.

[John Blaze]

I actually have a problem with authors using age specific dialect. If they want to use arcane phrasing, that's period correct, that's fine. But I don' want to read Canterbury Tales all over again, and don't much care for occitan.

Plain english, or spanish, is fine for me.

[obscurejude]

Large sections of Blood Meridian are in Spanish. McCarthy is fluent and thinks all Americans are idiots if they aren't.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

My favorite book from this genre has been Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson. It is the story of Cynthia Ann Parker. I have a friend from highschool (B. Parker) who is a decendant of Quanah Parker. He recommended the book to me, and it was very good. JB, I saw that you had read books on Sitting Bull and a couple of other Indian legends. If you enjoy books about Native Americans, don't let this one pass you up.

[John Blaze]

I've read abou Quanah before, definitely an interesting person. If you like biographies of native americans, read Panther In The Sky, it's definitely the best I've ever read, and it's the story of Tecumseh, from his point of view. Fictional, of course, but historically accurate.

[DoctorDodge]

JB, I don't remember if it was you I mentioned this to before, but here goes:

Conn Iggulden's books about Caesar. The series is called "Emperor". 4 books so far, great stuff.
Also Wilbur Smith's books about Taita. (River God, The Seventh Scroll, Warlock and The Quest)

I'm currently on the 1st Emperor book myself Chap, and it really is great stuff!

True, my new interest in ancient rome is partly because i've been playing Rome: Total War a lot, but also because ancient rome is pretty much my favourite period of history to read about anyway, whether fact or fiction: epic wars, a republic which became an empire, a civilisation with an underbelly of many vices including prostitution, all of that is great stuff for storytelling, I reckon.

Anyone know any other great Roman fiction that I should watch out for?

[educatedlady]

This isn't completely historical fiction but I quite enjoyed it. Fun summer reading anyway.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

It is part Salem witch trials part 1990s college life. The historical parts were my favorite.

[MonteGss]

3. "Aztec" by Gary Jennings. he has a couple of them on this genre, and Aztec itself has a couple of pretty good sequels.

I've had this one for a long time but have not picked it up yet. I inherited it when my parents moved away. You really liked it, huh?

[Munchausen]

Three names come to mind.
Ken Follett: Pillars of the Earth and its sequel World Without End revolve around a medieval village in England. The interaction of the peasantry, nobililty, clergy and rising merchantile classes is analysed in this novelization. Good characters and drama. Ken's WWII stuff is enjoyable too. I particularly liked The Jackdaws and Hornet Flight.

Harry Turtledove: master of alternative history. Start with Guns of the South and if that's not your cup of tea, then proceed no further. Otherwise you would enjoy his larger works that start with the premise that the CSA was able to achieve its autonomy and history works from there.

Jack Whyte: I'm still waiting for the third book of his Templar trilogy. The first two were excellent. They echo some of Dan Brown's conspiracies while still holding to a very well researched history. He also has his take on the Authurian Mythos. I've read Uther and liked it.

[Devorah]

The Master's of Rome series is excellent. I can't enjoy the book when I'm constantly thinking "that's wrong". This series is different. She clearly did her research. It is wonderfully written and brings to life such people as Marious, Sulla, Cicero, Caesar and so many more.

[John Blaze]

3. "Aztec" by Gary Jennings. he has a couple of them on this genre, and Aztec itself has a couple of pretty good sequels.

I've had this one for a long time but have not picked it up yet. I inherited it when my parents moved away. You really liked it, huh?

Read it, and any other Jennings you can get your hands on.

[Cort]

The Viking series by Tim Severin is pretty good. It covers some Norse,Irish and Saxon history and is quite nicely written, nothing too deep but an enjoyable series of books all the same.

[John Blaze]

that sounds very interesting. I'll put it on my list.

[Mordred Deschain]

I'll have to come back, there's a bunch of books I've read when I was dealing with fact and fiction and my struggle with religion and history. I have a lot of books dealing with the Roman Empire, before during and after Julius Caesar. Tons of Greek and Norse mytho books. Thor is my god! A few Arthur books. Books on Celtic history and Mythos. I'll have to find them so I can list them.

[John Blaze]

Arthur Books? i think Chris T posted some about him and Robin Hood I have on my list. When I'm done with my Malazan Book of the Fallen series I'm reading those next.

[Erin]

I've talked before about wanting to check out one of Margaret George's historical fiction books, but now I'm ready to start on one. I'm looking around on Amazon and can't decide which to read first between the Henry VIII, Cleopatra, Helen of Troy or Mary Magdalene books. All of them sound great to me. Any recommendations from anyone who may have read any of them?

[Erin]

why would I do that? I cried during Marley and Me.

Sorry for the double post, but I had to comment on this....I don't think i've ever been as torn up by a book as I was by Marley and Me. I was inconsolable after reading that book, it had such an emotional impact on me. I love my dog like a child.

[Emily]

I've never even noticed this thread before. Gates of Fire is one of my favorites, JB, it's funny that we've never talked about it before.

Someone mentioned this above, but The Camulod Chronicles (they're called something else not in the U.S., I think) by Jack Whyte are really enjoyable. The character Publius Varrus in the first few of those books is one of my all time favorite literary characters.

[Bethany]

Wow. How I have missed this? I love historical fiction, so much that I even prefer historical romances

JB got me hooked on Wouk, Winds of War and War and Remembrance are easily some of my favorites. Sheesh, I don't even know where to begin.

Centennial by Michener

North and South by John Jakes

The Woodsman and The Captives by Donald K. Wright~~Set during the America Revolution

Sacajawea by Anna Lee Waldo

The Grass Crown by Collen McCullough~actually the second book in a whole series about the last days of the Roman Empire. I haven't read any of the others but this one is very good.

These come to mind quickly. I'll have to think of some more. My stepdad is a voracious reader and always had books about WWII or the Civil War handy and I read whatever he was at the time.

[mystima]

My favorite book from this genre has been Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson. It is the story of Cynthia Ann Parker. I have a friend from highschool (B. Parker) who is a decendant of Quanah Parker. He recommended the book to me, and it was very good. JB, I saw that you had read books on Sitting Bull and a couple of other Indian legends. If you enjoy books about Native Americans, don't let this one pass you up.

This may sound weird but my 3 sisters and 1 brother are also descendants of Quanah Parker. we have different fathers. Their father is also a descendant. And yes that is a good book. I read it while my mother was looking up our family history when I was younger.