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Phil U
Location: Seattle Joined: 07 Nov 2010
Posts: 44
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 Posted: Sat 26 Nov, 2011 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Brandt Giese wrote: | | Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales |
Agree, at least for the first 2-3. From there it seems to degenerate into potboiler writing like his Sharpe's novels.
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Benjamin H. Abbott
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| Posted: Sat 26 Nov, 2011 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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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.
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William P
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| Posted: Sat 26 Nov, 2011 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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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
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Mikko Kuusirati
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| Posted: Mon 28 Nov, 2011 11:47 am Post subject: |
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| William P wrote: | 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) |
Did too!
Although, that reminds me - I'm mildly surprised Arturo Perez-Reverte's Capitan Alatriste hasn't come up yet... It's sort of like a cross between The Three Musketeers and Corto Maltese, with the former's keen wit and characterization and the latter's sweetly melancholy atmosphere. And quite delightful fencing scenes! The titular "Captain" (it's more of a nickname than an actual rank) is a professional soldier (by nature) and sellsword (by necessity) in the Spanish Golden Age. One of my favorite historical fiction series, and characters, at that; the movie adaptation was merely okay overall, I thought, but is worth seeing just for Mortensen's spot on performance as the epically mustachioed Diego Alatriste.
"And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is."
— Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum
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Neil Melville
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| Posted: Tue 29 Nov, 2011 10:45 am Post subject: |
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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
N Melville
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Ken Speed
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| Posted: Tue 29 Nov, 2011 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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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.
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Mikko Kuusirati
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| Posted: Wed 30 Nov, 2011 6:51 am Post subject: |
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| Ken Speed wrote: | | I'm somewhat surprised that no one has yet mentioned the Captain Alatriste novels by Arturo Perez Reverte... |
Hello? Is this thing even on? *tap tap* 
"And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is."
— Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum
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Jon Pellett
Location: Kamloops, BC, Canada Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Wed 30 Nov, 2011 10:20 am Post subject: |
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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)...
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There was more than one? 
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Ken Speed
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| Posted: Wed 30 Nov, 2011 10:43 am Post subject: |
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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
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Mikko Kuusirati
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| Posted: Wed 30 Nov, 2011 12:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Jon Pellett wrote: | | Mikko Kuusirati wrote: | M. John Harrison's Viriconium sequence (The Pastel City, A Storm of Wings and so on)...
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There was more than one? |
Oh yeah. AFAIK there are three novels, The Pastel City, A Storm of Wings and In Viriconium, and a short story collection, Viriconium Nights.
I've only read the first two books, but they were both delightfully trippy - I'd warmly recommend them for anyone tired of the regular formula. 
"And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is."
— Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum
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Mikko Kuusirati
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| Posted: Wed 30 Nov, 2011 12:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Ken Speed wrote: | 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 |
Indeed!
In the same vein, I'd like to throw in Michael Chabon's Gentlemen of the Road, sort of a historical take on Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser - or perhaps more like Dumas's musketeers rolled into two and tossed into the Khazar kaganate in the 10th Century. IIRC, Chabon's original working title was the rather more on-the-nose "Jews with Swords".
"And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is."
— Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum
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Leo Todeschini
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Wed 30 Nov, 2011 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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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
www.todsworkshop.com
www.todcutler.com
www.instagram.com/todsworkshop
https://www.facebook.com/TodsWorkshop
www.youtube.com/user/todsstuff1
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Brett White
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| Posted: Wed 30 Nov, 2011 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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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.
"My sword has deus vault engraved on the blade, his has sharp end toward enemy." -Ash a secret history.
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Will Law
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| Posted: Thu 01 Dec, 2011 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Scott Moore wrote: | | I heartily recommend The Long Ships ,by Franz Bengtsson ,an old title recently back in print. It is my hands-down favorite historical novel,written in the style of a saga, about real historical events,with engaging characters and wry wit. Don't let the horrid 60s' movie dissuade you .The book is a gem. |
I second this reccomendation wholeheartedly, it is hands down one of the best historical fiction books I've ever read.
Also in a Viking vein, the Hammer and the Cross trilogy (Hammer and the Cross, One King's Way, King and Emperor) by Harry Harrison and John Holm is a blindingly good blend of fantastical elements and alternate history.
Also, I was recently bought a copy of The Sagas of the Icelanders, which probably qualifies as historical fiction - perhaps "Based on a True Story". The matter of fact, laconic style really sets off the blood-soaked storytelling.
And rather later in period, all of the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian should be required reading everywhere by everyone.
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Phil U
Location: Seattle Joined: 07 Nov 2010
Posts: 44
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Brandt Giese
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| Posted: Wed 28 Dec, 2011 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Phil U wrote: | | Brandt Giese wrote: | | Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales |
Agree, at least for the first 2-3. From there it seems to degenerate into potboiler writing like his Sharpe's novels. |
Got to disagree as I find it odd that he would decide to do so and would be more inclined to attribute such as the subject matter being less fresh in the readers mind. I too felt it drag a bit but the story has to go somewhere.
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Phil U
Location: Seattle Joined: 07 Nov 2010
Posts: 44
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| Posted: Wed 28 Dec, 2011 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Brandt Giese wrote: | | Got to disagree as I find it odd that he would decide to do so and would be more inclined to attribute such as the subject matter being less fresh in the readers mind. I too felt it drag a bit but the story has to go somewhere. |
Good point about less fresh material. Still, for me, the difference between the first two in the series and the most recent two is clearly in favor of the first two, to put in mildly. That said, I bought them all and plan to buy the next!
I've always understood that authors don't always have a great deal of choice in timetables for publication so if you have to get something out you may do so quicker than you would like. Cornwell's portfolio of books is wierd to me. I think his Sharpe's novels, for example, are awful, whereas his Arthurian trilogy is top shelf, for me. So when I perceived a decline in his Saxon tales books I wasn't surprised. but again I acknowledge that could be due to various factors including me.
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Ken Speed
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| Posted: Wed 28 Dec, 2011 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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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.
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Nat Lamb
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| Posted: Wed 28 Dec, 2011 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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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"
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R Ashby
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| Posted: Thu 29 Dec, 2011 4:22 am Post subject: |
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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! :-)
AND he's bloody talented, too! LOL
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