Hey all, looking for some recommendations for good historical fiction. The invention of the eBook is the best thing to happen to the submariner since dehydrated eggs (yuck!) but I need some books to fill it up. What are your favorites? Anything from Roman to Renaissance, preferably page turners with plenty of blood. I already downloaded The Saxon Tales, by Bernard Cromwell, so hopefully that's worth a read.

Thanks in advance,

Kenton

I always liked Stephen Lawhead's Byzantium

Thanks, Chuck. Bought it :)

Two other books by Cornwell that are also good are Stonehedge and Agincourt

There is a serie on Caesar too. I heard the first book on a long car ride.

Unfortunately I do not recall the title or author. :(

Okay, how about fantasy that is HEAVILY based on historic cultures and practices?

If that floats your boat, my favorite author's books will be perfect...

Check out these series by Tamora Pierce, in the order listed (they're consequtive, but follow different characters)-
The Song of the Lioness [4 books]
The Immortals [4 books]
Protector of the Small [4 books]
Tricksters [2 books]
Beka Cooper [3 books]

They all focus on female protagonists, so if a feminist outlook would annoy the heck out of you, look elsewhere... however, these are truly the BEST writen books I've ever read.

The first couple books of the Lioness Quartet are not quite as good, being the first books Tamora ever wrote, but they start off good and get better consistantly. I'm still dying to get the Immortal quartet and the last two 'Beka' books, lol.


I hope this helps!

-Brogdon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamora_Pierce

^There's a wiki link about the author, btw....

So sorry for the double post. :-X

-Brogdon

Flashman will change your life.

I haven't heard of Flashman... what is it? :?:

Thanks,
Brogdon

I don't know what is available in e-book format but these are books I recommend highly.


GATES OF FIRE by Steven Pressfield is a very engrossing and action filled fictionalized account of Thermopylae.

MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH by Ariana Franklin is much different but entertaining too. It is a murder mystery set in the England of King Henry II.

LITTLE BIG MAN by Thomas Berger is simply a great book and often hysterically funny.

If you're open to non fiction I would highly recommend LOST ROMAN LEGIONS by Tony Clunn. He is the discoverer of the location of the Varus Battlefield where two Roman Legions were virtually wiped out by Germanic tribesmen in 9 A.D.. Fascinating book.

enjoy your reading,


Ken

Thanks for asking about books to read. I am updating my reading list based on this forum. Here is what I recommend. First, "The White Company" by Arthur Conan Doyle. It is a great read. Ken Speed's recommendation to read "Gates of Fire" is perfect. That is a very good read.

My other recommendation to read is the Dies the Fire series by S.M. Stirling. While this series is not historical fiction, it is very good. The initial series has three books: "Dies the Fire," "The Protector's War," and "A Meeting at Corvallis." These books are fun. The plot is that an unnatural event occurs and in an instant most high-pressure and high-energy power sources fail and will never work again, including gunpowder, electricity generation, steam, and oil and gas. The civilization collapses and arms and armour with a modern twist come back into demand. Lots of fun with a positve outlook on the human spirit. Cannibal tribes roaming cities, knights, archers, witches, biker gangs run amok, and the survivors may be the craziest of them all.

Flashman:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Paget_Flashman

He must be the luckiest, vilest, most profane, ethically consistent, cynical, credible and bloodied hero in historical fiction. A blend of James Bond, Forrest Gump and a tomcat. The author was a combat veteran (Burma) and veteran of India, so he offers a grunt's-eye view of the great campaigns of the day--starting with Afghanistan, on into Pakistan, India, The Crimea, and even the U.S. `49, Indian Wars, slave trade and insurrection of John Brown. Flashman somehow manages to fall up through Victorian military society in spite of his appalling cowardice and tendency to have his pants down any time he's not running. Addictive books with authoritative military historical detail. If you need further endorsement, consider that GMF is the author of the celebrated book on the Border Reivers, "The Steel Bonnets" and the screenplays for The Three Musketeers and Octopussy. He has a 17th c. (satirically anachronistic) pirate book as well, which might interest you as a water-bound guy. In fact, several of his books are naval-themed, especially "Flashman's Lady," in which he spends most of his time at sea, first in a luxury yacht, then accompanying legendary pirate-hunter James Brooke.

Cecelia Holland -

The Earl - first English Civil war
Until the Sun Falls - Mongol invasion of Russia
The Firedrake - Noman Invasion
The Lords of Vaumartin - battles of Crecy and Poitiers, the Black Plague

Great author with a good spare style

Micheal Jecks - Last Templar Series, 14th century England, murder mysteries. All the blood you could ask for.

The Last Templar (March 1995)[1]
The Merchant's Partner (November 1995)
Moorland Hanging (May 1996)
The Crediton Killings (June 1997)
The Abbot's Gibbet (April 1998)
The Leper's Return (November 1998)
Squire Throwleigh's Heir (June 1999)
Belladonna at Belstone (December 1999)
The Traitor of St. Giles (May 2000)
The Boy Bishop's Glovemaker (December 2000)
The Tournament of Blood (June 2001)
The Sticklepath Strangler (November 2001)
The Devil's Acolyte (June 2002)
The Mad Monk of Gidleigh (December 2002)
The Templar's Penance (June 2003)
The Outlaws of Ennor (January 2004)
The Tolls of Death (May 2004)
The Chapel of Bones (December 2004)
The Butcher of St Peter's (May 2005)
A Friar's Bloodfeud (June 2006)
The Death Ship of Dartmouth (November 2006)
The Malice of Unnatural Death (December 2006)
Dispensation of Death (June 2007)
The Templar, The Queen and Her Lover (December 2007)
The Prophecy of Death (June 2008)
The King of Thieves (November 2008)
No Law in the Land (June 2009)
The Bishop Must Die" (November 2009)

Ed T.

I've read a few Simon Scarrow novels they are quite good.

There are 9 books so far with a 10th on the way. They are set during the Roman invasion of Britain (thats the Claudian invasion not Julius Ceasar's) and centre around a Centurion called Macro and his young Optio, Cato.

1.Under the Eagle (2000)
2.The Eagle's Conquest (2001)
3.When the Eagle Hunts (2002)
4.The Eagle and the Wolves (2003)
5.The Eagle's Prey (2004)
6.The Eagle's Prophecy (2005)
7.The Eagle in the Sand (2006)
8.Centurion (2007)
9.The Gladiator (August 2009)

Scarrow has also started a series about Napoleon and Wellington but I haven't read any of those.

Some of the books I was going to recommend have already been mentioned, certainly Stephen Lawhead's Byzantium set during the Viking Age, and the Simon Scarrow Roman Series .I would add to these Robert Low's Oathsworn series and Giles Kristianson's Raven Eye series.

Any of the historical/northern mythology books by Paol Anderson and 'The Goldenn Warrior' by Hope Muntz, a tale of Harold Godwinson. and also the 'Eagle in the Snow', by Wallace Breem , 'Rhinegold' a retelling of the Volsungs by Stephan Grundy. ''The Long Ships' is also a classic set in the Viking Age., 'Vlad the Last Confession' by C.C.Humphries, a novel lconcerning Vald the Impaler.

best
Dave

The Troy series by David Gemmell is truly epic, starts with Lord of the Silver bow, Shield of Thunder then Fall of Kings.
Almost any book by Valerio Massimo Manfredi but definitely Spartan and The Lost Army.
Conn Iggulden has done two epics on Julius Ceasar and Genghis Khan both worth a look.
Hope these help,
Nick

Sharon Kay Penman : When Christ and his Saints slept:( Stephen and Maud, pre-plantagenet anarchy)
Here be Dragons; Falls the Shadow; and The Reckoning : the Norman-English takeover of Wales

and the same theme with : The Brothers of Gwyneth Quartet , by Edith Pargeter of Brother Cadfael fame

Actually another book that springs to mind, in fact don't know how I forgot about this one! :)

I Claudius by Robert Graves.

Its an absolute classic of historical novels. It follows a fictionalised account of the early, Julio-Cladian Emperors of Rome from the point of view of the Emperor Claudius. It is a very very good book (actually its 3 books but they are usually sold as a single volume). I couldn't put it down when I read it.

Also check out the old 1970's BBC series of the same, its a classic too. The sets were a little wobbly and the production values aren't up to todays standards, but you'll soon forget that; historical drama at its very best IMO. :cool:

I can second the recomendation for Eagle in the Snow by Wallace Breem too.