I'll use this as an opportunity to promote my own work. I have three fantasy stories up on Elfwood at the moment. Each prominently features weapons and warfare inspired by this world's history. I hope to get a fantasy short story published soon; I've managed that with two science fiction short stories, though they're quite different from my fantasy.

My favorites and influences include Ursula Le Guin, J.R.R. Tolkien, Torquato Tasso, and Ludovico Ariosto. I enthusiastically recommend Ariosto's Orlando Furioso. The poem alternatively resembles 1960s superhero comics, pulp sword-and-sorcery novels, and medieval fight books. I'm fairly out of touch with recent fantasy and historical fiction. I appreciate the suggestions here. Few portrayals of combat with medieval- or Renaissance-era weapons satisfy me.

just three words,
terry prattchets discworld.. we can all agree that for fantasy, the realm of the discworld is a legend (im surprised noone included it)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discworld

i would also maybe suggest the horrible histories series
this is more a history book made to be funny but ill include them anyway if you want a laugh

Nobody seems to have mentioned our fellow forum member - Christian Cameron - his "Tyrant" series set in the period of Alexander, and others (which I haven't read yet) set around Marathon and the Graeco-Persian wars, lots of blood and violence for those who like that sort of thing.
Neil

I'm somewhat surprised that no one has yet mentioned the Captain Alatriste novels by Arturo Perez Reverte. i was just looking at Amazon Books and there seem to be two new ones in the series.

Some here, I'm sure, have watched the ALATRISTE movie starring Viggo Martinson. I thinks its a good movie made from a series of much better books. I noticed a reviewer was complaining that the latest Alatriste novel is too poetic. While I have yet to read the novel I feel the poetic nature of the writing is not overdone on any of the books I have read and it feels appropriate to the character and the time period.

Perez Reverte also wrote THE FENCING MASTER, which is a bit more of a mystery and more cerebral than the Alatriste novels but also has to do with swordsmanship.

I noticed, too, that someone mentioned THE THREE MUSKETEERS but I don't think anyone has yet mentioned THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO which is another classic.

The Worm Ouroboros is another classic. Strange, anachronistic writing style, good yarn. Also seconding Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, which are really wonderfully written.

Mikko Kuusirati wrote:

M. John Harrison's Viriconium sequence (The Pastel City, A Storm of Wings and so on)...

There was more than one? :surprised:

Mikko Kuusirati asked, "Hello? Is this thing even on? *tap tap*"

Sorry Mikko, I must have been having one of those negative hallucinations. You know, like when you don't see the eight hundred pound gorilla in the room?

Well at least we have good taste in books!


Ken

The Eagle of the Ninth is the book that got me into history and a cracker.

I love most of Bernard Cornwells stuff (except stonehenge and arthur which I thought was junk) and sure he writes to a formula, but what a formula.

Recently I have read a couple of Christian Camerons books. As was said earlier this is Greek history set just as Rome was beggining on its rise and Rome I knew a bit about, but Greece I knew almost nothing about, so I found it intriguing, I found 'Killer of men' a damn good read and am currently finding Tyrant/Funeral games un-put-downable.

Tod

So far. Con Igulden's Emperor series. Hands down. I'm in the middle of a song of Ice and fire. I'd say the best fiction I've ever read. Another author that I have come to like is Jack Ludlow. He also has a couple of other names that he uses, but look him up and you'll find plenty of book's that are well worth reading.

For those Cornwell fans out there, January 17th release date:

http://www.amazon.com/Death-Kings-Novel-Saxon...amp;sr=1-1

I'm neither an apologist for nor a total fan of Bernard Cornwall's writing. I think he generally writes a good adventure yarn but his main character is pretty much the same guy in different clothes. I suspect BC is trying to accomplish something different in The Saxon Tales inasmuch as the story takes place over a man's lifetime and that man changes and grows up. In the Saxon Tales he starts out a minor princeling destined for the church who is captured and semi enslaved by Vikings and then is more or less adopted by the Vikings and finally becomes a Viking. Then he becomes a warrior for Alfred, then a war leader and on it goes. His actions are going to be different as a Saxon nobleman than as a young raider and as he matures he's going to have to deal with things that are more complex. So I would expect that the later books would be more thoughtful than the first ones.


I look forward to reading the next installment in the series.

Two recomendations from me.

First is Michael Moorcock (Elcric, Corum, Hawkmoon). He has a very particular writing style, and his books are very sci-fi/fantasy rather than historical, but he is the origionator of so many of the "non-Tolien" tropes in modern fantasy that he deserves a look ( and some people, myself included, absolutely LOVE his stuff). As another plug, Lemmie from Motorhead's fave fantasy author (make of that what you will)

The other is Gene Wolfe's "Book of the New Sun" (a four parter) one of the most beautifully writen books I have ever read, not restricting that to fantasy. Pace is very "considered" but plenty of action. Also noteworthy for having a sword as a central character (although Termins Est is not presented as being magic or sentient). Especially noteworthy as the main character wears the sword in a back sheath, but specifically talks about the fact that he cant draw from it, instead having to take the sheath of his shourlder, hold the hilt in one hand and the scabard in the other and seperate the two. Wonderfully considered and moving book. Also worth reading because it captures part of the "mediaveal" mindset, and drives home beter than any text book I have ever read that the medievals though diferently to us, but that "different" does NOT mean "stupid"

A little known but soon to be famous author, first initial R, last name Ashby, who has written a 6-book fantasy series with lots of swords, armor and medieval nastiness. He's the guy for me! :-) :D

AND he's bloody talented, too! LOL