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TaggarMiddle Ages (5), Bernard Cornwell (5), history (5), medieval (5), historical fiction (5), Hundred Years War (3), George R.R. Martin (3), fantasy (3), Viking (2), Song of Ice and Fire (2) — se alla taggar

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GrupperFantasyFans, Historical Fiction, Medieval Europe, Science Fiction Fans

FavoritförfattareBernard Cornwell, Ken Follett, C. S. Lewis, George R. R. Martin, Edward Rutherfurd, J. R. R. Tolkien (Gemensamma favoriter)

Om mighttp://steventill.com/about/

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URL:er http://www.librarything.com/profile/StevenTill (profil)
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Medlem sedanJun 22, 2008

Dina senaste aktiviteter

StevenTill betygsatte:
A Writer's Country: A Collection of Fiction and Poetry av Jeff Knorr

StevenTill betygsatte:
World Without End av Ken Follett

StevenTill betygsatte:
Timeline av Michael Crichton

StevenTill betygsatte, lade in:
The Story of the Middle Ages Box Set : The Making of the Middle Ages ; The Birth of the Middle Ages ; The Crucible of th av Folio Society Editors et al

StevenTill betygsatte:
Sarum: The Novel of England av Edward Rutherfurd

StevenTill betygsatte:
Prey av Michael Crichton

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Hey guy. Did you ever get around to reading any of Bradley's Darkover series?

inlägg gjort av willowcove vid 4:54 pm (EST) Aug 18, 2009

Sorry Steve, I see you posted a comment on my page several months ago. I don't really check in here too often, so I didn't see it until just now. I suspect you have finished off Martin and now you are like the rest of us poor saps, waiting patiently for him to finish the next book.

Currently, I am reading a book called "The Name of The Wind." It's not Martin, but it's a pretty decent way to pass the time whilst I wait.

--Joe

inlägg gjort av Wronghead vid 4:45 am (EST) May 30, 2009

Hi Steve,

I was perusing your website to see if there was any new writing. How's the novel going?

Trudy

inlägg gjort av MissTrudy vid 8:06 pm (EST) Apr 17, 2009

Sorry I never got back to you on this - basically, some think it is a bit too much like popular history, which I don't regard as a bad thing, as long as accuracy is maintained. History isn't just for academics. John

inlägg gjort av john257hopper vid 7:54 am (EST) Mar 30, 2009

I have and read several general histories of England. Fascinating. I have read several books specific to the era, ie. Elizabethan history, King James, and am looking for some on the Puritans. I am interested in the common life of that time. My wife has traced her history back to Norfolk area up to 1420 and I want to find out what their life was like.

inlägg gjort av Finley1882 vid 1:38 am (EST) Mar 16, 2009

Thanks for offering to review Muse once it is published. I'm sure I'll be very keen on taking you up on it!

Until then,
Mary

inlägg gjort av MaryNovik vid 6:25 pm (EST) Mar 10, 2009

Hi
You were asking whether I'm writing full time, and the answer is yes. Conceit (my book set in 17th-century London) is doing quite well, and I'm now pushing ahead with Muse which as you guessed will have something to do with the popes in 14th-century Avignon. I am supposed to be pushing ahead with it quickly, so back to the computer....
Fun talking.
Mary

inlägg gjort av MaryNovik vid 1:03 pm (EST) Mar 7, 2009

Hi,

These aren't areas I know much about but, in terms of crime and punishment, you might find the transcripts of Joan of Arc's trial in 1431 interesting. You can get it off the Web at:

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/joa...

There is also a new translation with interesting introductiory material called The Trial of Joan of Arc by Daniel Hobbins.

Cheers,
Roberta

inlägg gjort av robertajl vid 8:58 pm (EST) Feb 25, 2009

Sorry for not replying sooner. Yes, the papacy does figure in my novel, along with some of the poets, writers, musicians, etc., who were there at the time, especially Petrarch. I'm going to have to come up with a good description of Muse soon, but at the moment I've just got to get another draft done!
Cheers,
Mary

inlägg gjort av MaryNovik vid 7:22 pm (EST) Feb 24, 2009

My favourite books are those I have just started, but among the goodies I recently finished in my particular area of interest in the who, how, and why of marginal people and groups are:

Phyllis Mack. Visionary Women: Ecstatic Prophecy in 17th c England. Rather a flawed book. The first part deals with non-Quaker ecstatics, the remainder addresses the issue of why Quaker women changed from a similar mode of expression to relative quietism without much discrimination between the social forces of the period and the internal pressures within the denomination.

Jeremy Cohen. Living Letters of the Law: Ideas of the Jew in Medieval Christianity. This book has the advantage of repeating and summarizing past interpretations of the position of Jews in Med'l civilization and of adding additional insights.

Joan Cadden: Meaning of Sex Differences in the Middle Ages: Medicine, Science, and Culture. I am still reading this, but it is quite thorough with reasonable analyses of med'vl presumption--so far.

Andrew Cunningham and Ole Peter Grell. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Religion, War, Famine, and Death in Reformation Europe. A fascinating book.

inlägg gjort av Beauregard vid 12:00 pm (EST) Feb 23, 2009

Sorry, I'm not up on the crime and punishment topic unfortunately.

inlägg gjort av stellarexplorer vid 3:05 pm (EST) Feb 21, 2009

That's a good question--are you wanting to stay strictly in the middle ages, or are you interested in heading towards the Renaissance? Most people say the Renaissance gets started around 1450 or so, but that usually refers to the Italian renaissance (which then spreads all over Europe)...but many people consider the burst of Gothic architecture and courtly manners in France in the 1200's to be a sort of Renaissance too. Ah those historians...someone else mentioned Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror. I really enjoyed it, but I always prefer my history books to be full of anecdotal stories and excerpts from letters and maybe some paintings, and Tuchman is pretty good at that. I've read somewhere on these boards that some people feel her to be a "pop" historian, but I honestly can't detect anything really shoddy about her work. One work that IS a bit pop-history, but I like very much nonetheless, is William Manchester's "A World Lit Only By Fire", which covers the Middle Ages as they were right before the big Renaissance broke in the 1400's...but it goes into the Renaissance a bit, as well, with some good stuff on Magellan and Luther. It's sort of a slice-of-life book, how people lived, their attitudes towards sex, that sort of thing. There are some great passages though, like when he writes about the great swathes of forest, how in those days the woods were full of magic and mystery...One of my favorite history topics from the middle ages, btw, is the papacy--if you haven't read about the Papal Schism, a long affair in which the king of France basically tries to kidnap the pope for attempting to meddle in French affairs (and overcompensates by dragging the papacy to Avignon)--I really recommend it. Tuchman covers it, and Manchester (I think).

I also think that one of the best ways to read history is via biography--it puts you on the ground, so to speak. Sometimes I feel like straight history is a bit like flying overhead in a helicopter, easy to get the lay of the land, hard to get the feel of it. I loved Alison Weir's bio of Eleanor of Aquitaine. She was married to a really wussy French king, went on a horrible mess of a crusade, met the Prince of England and basically divorced her husband for him. From then on the book spends a lot of time on Henry II, who is one of the greatest English kings--tolerant, justice-loving, empire-building--and his sons via Eleanor, Richard (the Lionheart) John (the Asshole) and Henry (who died young). Details are scanty (I wrote a review of this book if you wanna read it) on some of the more intriguing mysteries (such as, did Eleanor really sleep with King Henry's father before she married Henry?) but speculation isn't bad. Throw in the famous murder of Thomas a Becket (will no one rid me of this turbulent priest???) and the image of the king throwing such a temper tantrum that he rips open his mattress and begins chewing on the stuffing...really comes together well. Sadly I can't seem to find a good bio of Henry II himself...

Fiction-wise you can't beat Anya Seaton's "Katherine", the story of a 14th century woman who figures largely in the future of England. Wonderful attention to historical detail, great characters, etc. Then there's Ariana Franklin's two mysteries about a female pathologist (or close equivalent) running amuck in the England of Henry II. I forget one title but know the newest is called "The Serpent's Tale". Also great is "Blood and Roses" by Helen Cantor. The setting is England during the Wars of the Roses, viewed through a great family, the Pastons. They left huge quantities of letters, an extremely rare occurrence in a time when almost every history was written by a monk or a cleric. At one point they purchase the house of a bankrupt aristocrat. They have several houses, of course, and while at a different home the aristocrat sends armed guards to "capture" his property. The legal battle to extract him takes YEARS--possession, in those days, really was 9/10 of the law! (probably more like 9.999/10, but oh well)...Oh! There's a really neat little book called "The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at the Turn of the Last Millennium" (or something like that) by Danny Danzinger, and it goes through the lives of men and women living at the turn of the last millennium. Danzinger wrote a sequel, as well, entitled 1215: The Year of Magna Carta, and it's really interesting how the changes between the two eras (before and after William the Conqueror invaded England).

A few more fictional Medieval stories you might like: "The Canterbury Papers" by Judith Healy (hell, read Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, and if the Middle English is too hard, there are lots of translations--it's really skanky and funny at times, the Wife of Bath is a hoot). Then there's the Arthurian tales of the day, my favorite of which is "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight", in a translation by the poet Simon Armitage (it's a poem, but in the way that the Odyssey is a poem). It starts off with a Christmas dinner at Camelot and is wonderfully light-hearted, adventurous, sly, artful.

inlägg gjort av uncultured vid 4:08 am (EST) Feb 18, 2009

I've been reading a lot about children in history. One of my favorites is Nicholas Orme's Medieval Children. Though it should more properly be called "Medieval English Children in the 14th to 16th Centuries" since that is where most of his evidence is from. He's extremely through but also a very lively writer.

Mhasel

inlägg gjort av mhasel vid 11:12 pm (EST) Feb 17, 2009

Sorry, Steven, those aren't my forte. You might find something on the Tower of London. The devices they house there might tell you all you would ever want to know about crime & punishment! :D

inlägg gjort av lorsomething vid 2:03 pm (EST) Feb 17, 2009

Hello Steven,

Thanks for contacting me. I always appreciate hearing from people with similar interests. Here are a few books I really like:

Abelard: A Medieval Life by M.T. Clanchy. This is one of my favorites. Clanchy does a terrific job of describing not just Ablelard but his world and the intellectual issues that consumed the best minds of the time. You'll also learn a lot about Bernard of Clairvaux and Peter the Venerable.

From Memory to Written Record: England 1066 - 1307 by M.T. Clanchy. I'm adding this because it ties in well with the previous book. It describes the changing meanings of literacy in the medieval world.

Ermengard of Narbonne and the World of the Troubadours by Fredric L. Cheyette. This is a wonderful work on Occitania in the eleventh and twelveth centuries.

Roberta

inlägg gjort av robertajl vid 11:48 pm (EST) Feb 15, 2009

Glad you're enjoying my website - and I appreciate the link! It's interesting to see what other people have been recommending. I second the recommendation of Connie Willis's novel The Doomsday Book - great reading, and she really makes the period come alive.

inlägg gjort av margad vid 9:31 pm (EST) Feb 15, 2009

Thanks for asking -- I'll offer a few ideas:

1) Cantor, Norman F.
The Civilization of the Middle Ages
Comprehensive, encyclopedic, classic.

2) Lindberg, David C.
The Beginnings of Western Science: The European Scientific Tradition in Philosophical, Religious, and Institutional Context, Prehistory to A.D. 1450
Thorough treatment if you are interested in the history of science in medieval times. Does cover earlier periods though.

3)Maenchen-Helfen, Otto J.
The World of the Huns: Studies in Their History and Culture

Wonderful piece of scholarship. Begins prior to the medieval period however. Link to the book, including my review: http://www.librarything.com/work.php?boo...

4)Weatherford, Jack
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
Recent well-received appraisal

5) Cohn, Norman
The Pursuit of the Millenium: Revolutionary Millenarians and Mystical Anarchists of the Middle Ages

A classic, focusing on the millenial and utopian movements, especially as the turn of the millenium approached.

6)Southern, R. W.
The Making of the Middle Ages

A classic on the formative period of modern Europe

inlägg gjort av stellarexplorer vid 5:11 pm (EST) Feb 15, 2009

I'd recommend six books on very different topics.

Georges Duby, The Age of the Cathedral: Art and Society, 980-1420
Georges Duby, The Early Growth of the European Economy
Jacques Le Goff, The Birth of Purgatory
Geoffrey Barraclough, The Origins of Modern Germany
Jean Richard, The Crusades, c. 1071- c. 1291
Norbert Elias, The Civilizing Process

inlägg gjort av theoria vid 12:29 pm (EST) Feb 15, 2009

I have Newman's book, too. It's excellent. Three more I think are similar in caste and also excellent are Orme's Medieval Children, Thomas Costain's The Magnificent Century, and The Flowering of Mysticism by (I think the author's name is Bernard McGinn, I think! It's been a while since I read it.)

The Doomsday Book is fiction. Connie Willis is one of my favorite fiction writers, writing mostly sci-fi. Doomsday is a time-travel tale that held me spellbound. If you get to read it, I hope it does the same for you.

I bookmarked your website and intend to visit often. There's a lot to see.

Thanks,
Loretta

inlägg gjort av lorsomething vid 11:41 am (EST) Feb 15, 2009

Hi Steve,

Like to read around European medieval, 18th, 19th and 20th century history.

Latest book read was Phillip Blom's book 'The Vertigo Years' which was a very well written and readable book about the period 1900-1914. I wish I had more time to read history - however I remain superficially educated!

Sorry I cannot be more helpful, but I suspect that you are more qualified to educate me - especially after visiting your exellent site.

Cheers, Karen

inlägg gjort av kiwidoc vid 12:20 am (EST) Feb 15, 2009

Hi Steven

Are you on Facebook? I searched under "Steven Till" but nothing came up. One book that is an oldie but goodie on the Middle Ages is "Les Intellectuels dans le Moyen Age" by Goff, which I think in English is titled "Intellectuals in the Middle Ages." I will definitely read your other stories soon as I have a chance! I have been crazy busy but am looking forward to it. Best,

Trudy

inlägg gjort av MissTrudy vid 9:10 pm (EST) Feb 14, 2009

Nice website, by the way. There are any number of books I would recommend, but I bet you've read them all. Probably the one I liked best is The Customs of Old England by F. J. Snell. I enjoy reading about everyday lives, customs, etc. Snell's book covers that beautifully. If you haven't read it, I hope you get the chance. Now I'm off to look at your library. (I noticed you rated Timeline 5 stars. I liked it, too. Have you read The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis? Great one.

inlägg gjort av lorsomething vid 10:23 pm (EST) Feb 12, 2009

Hi Steven - looking at your blog and comments, I am certainly not qualified to advise you on books - I think the Medieval group has some very good suggestions however. It is not my area of expertise!!

Cheers,

KAren

inlägg gjort av kiwidoc vid 7:58 pm (EST) Feb 11, 2009

Have you seen Elizabeth Chadwick's excellent list of nonfiction books for researching the medieval period? There's a link on the Resources page of my website.

inlägg gjort av margad vid 4:49 pm (EST) Feb 11, 2009

I've written about a bunch of my favorite historical novels, including novels set in the medieval period, at www.HistoricalNovels.info in an article on my favorite reads of 2008: Best Historical Novels. One of my favorites that is missing from the list is Edith Pargeter's The Heaven Tree. Like Follett's World Without End, it's about the building of a medieval cathedral, but I find it more tightly constructed and intense, with characterizations that are more interesting and more true to the medieval period.

I've been enjoying your website.

inlägg gjort av margad vid 4:48 pm (EST) Feb 11, 2009

I forgot you also asked about nonfiction. My nonfiction reading tends to focus on areas I'm researching for my own writing, so it's a little hard to pick a "favorite." Some of the most useful books for research can be very dry or overly specialized for general reading. For example, I'm currently researching the German Reformation period, and can recommend Marius's biography of Martin Luther, but that's out of the medieval period.

inlägg gjort av margad vid 4:42 pm (EST) Feb 11, 2009

Steven,
Thank you for writing. I just checked out your web site; it is very interesting.
I signed up with Librarything's medieval group to meet people like you. I don't read a lot of medieval fiction yet I love Bernard Knight! Since you asked here is a list of some of my favorite or must read medieval titles:
Barbara Tuchman for information, but be warned she is a little on the dry side.
Anything by Norman Cantor. My favorite is In the Wake of the Plague.
Joseph and Frances Gies Life in a medieval city.
Marjorie Rowling Life in medieval times. This is a quick read.
I like Thomas Cahill though a lot of academics do not.

So now it is your turn to give me some book ideas.

Sari
http://theviewfromsarisworld.blogspot.co...

inlägg gjort av Sarij vid 11:39 pm (EST) Feb 10, 2009

Steven, I don't know about crime and punishment but might check with LibThing user cemanuel who is pretty well read on medieval. For Feudalism, the Wikipedia article - which I mostly wrote - is a quick overview of the issues, it's a contentious and complex topic. Most Medieval historians are moving away from the term entirely, sort of like "dark ages" is not used much anymore (the Wikipedia article on that I also helped write).

inlägg gjort av Stbalbach vid 9:27 pm (EST) Feb 9, 2009

Hi Steven,

Thank you for contacting me. I just read you rshort story, "Sea Ghost," and enjoyed it. It is very "real." Let me think of books I can recomnend and I will get back to you on that. Are you on Facebook too? I think there are several groups of Facebook you might like to join.

Trudy

inlägg gjort av MissTrudy vid 1:37 pm (EST) Feb 9, 2009

Hi Steven. Some helpful and up to date books are `The Medieval World View` and `Thinking Medieval` (Marcus Bull). I'm looking forward to reading `The Forge of Christendom: The End of Days and the Epic Rise of the West` by Tom Holland when it comes out (UK release first).

inlägg gjort av Stbalbach vid 8:13 pm (EST) Feb 8, 2009

Thanks for your comments, Steven. My preference is for biographies or books about specific events, rather than general surveys of a whole historicla period. That said, I like Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror for its overall flavour of the 14th century, though some Medievalists don't like it. Off the top of my head, some outstanding reads from the last year or so include Ian Mortimer's Edward III, Alison Weir's Katherine Swynford and John Kelly's book on the Black Death. I know I should read more general surveys and I have Friedrich Heer's book on 1100-1350, the Gies book on the Medieval town that I see you have, and one or two others. So many interests, so many books, too little time;)

John

inlägg gjort av john257hopper vid 6:17 am (EST) Feb 8, 2009

Hi Steven

My novel Conceit is set in 17th-century England (mainly London) and is about the family of the poet and priest John Donne. His most famous lines are "never send to know for whom the bell tolls--it tolls for thee"! It seems to be appealing to men as well as women, so you might like to take a peek sometime.
I've got oodles of info, including a synopsis of the novel, at http://www.marynovik.com

Thanks for asking,
mary

P.S. I'm now working on a novel set in 14th-century Avignon.

inlägg gjort av MaryNovik vid 10:32 pm (EST) Feb 4, 2009

I don't often read non-fiction but my favourite would have to be "a world lit only by fire" by William Msnchester.

Sorry I've taken a while to reply ;? )

inlägg gjort av thejohnsmith vid 4:25 am (EST) Feb 2, 2009

Thank you! I will look into those.

inlägg gjort av camarie vid 6:46 pm (EST) Jan 28, 2009

Hi sorry I haven't replied to your comment earlier but I have been quite busy. I have this good book in my library called Life in a Medieval City. Other than that, I really haven't read much. Most of what I know I learned from public schools, which isn't a lot. If you have any recommendations for me, please let me know :-)

inlägg gjort av camarie vid 5:46 pm (EST) Jan 28, 2009

Hi: One of my favorites is Seven Medieval Kings by Joseph Dahmus published in 1967. This is one of those books that has sort of been forgotten through time, but is full of very valubale information. I will warn you though, it can be a bit dry at times. I personally like dry books with niggly little facts (my wife makes fun of me). If you can find a copy it this work, it is well worth the read. I also enjoy Tuckmans work in this area and even though he seems to have fallen out of favor of late (politics I think), I find anything written by Will Durant very readable and informative. Sorry it took so long to answer this...I am still trying to figure out how to navigate this site.

don

inlägg gjort av theancientreader vid 2:24 am (EST) Jan 27, 2009

Found the website!

http://www.gulfwars.org/

inlägg gjort av narniarose vid 7:48 am (EST) Jan 23, 2009

Yes....the book is so much better than the movie (although the movie was well done). If you have the chance I highly recommend that you read Memoirs of a Geisha. It's a fun read :)

inlägg gjort av saibaby79 vid 8:20 pm (EST) Jan 21, 2009

It's a big event where several Kingdoms meet for a "war" and camping. I think it lasts a week.

inlägg gjort av narniarose vid 8:05 pm (EST) Jan 21, 2009

Ever heard of Gulf Wars? I think that is in Alabama every year. I haven't been but would love to go.

inlägg gjort av narniarose vid 7:01 pm (EST) Jan 20, 2009

The Chatelaine is also called the "Gold Key." We are responsible for taking care of newcomers. We provide information, maintain and distribute loaner garb and loaner feast gear. We also oversee recruitment and demonstration activities in the community. It's a lot of work, but I love to meet new people so it's a good fit for me. What Kingdom are you in? I'm in the Canton of Buckston on Eno in the Barony of Windmasters' Hill in the great Kingdom of Atlantia!

inlägg gjort av narniarose vid 6:39 pm (EST) Jan 20, 2009

Just realised I haven't checked into here for some time so apologies for not replying. I've just had an email from Amazon this week as I have the next Martin book on pre-order and they are now saying November 2009 as the release date!

inlägg gjort av basilisksam vid 2:53 pm (EST) Jan 20, 2009

Hello, Steven! Hard to say what my favorite is. I've actually just got started creating this library. I belong to a Medieval Re-Creation Society called Society for Creative Anachronism (www.sca.org). Are you familiar with this? I am the Chatelaine for our Barony and I'm building a library to help our members research their personas and other things that interest them. I've been amazed by how many interesting books there are out there on this subject. I'm finding some true treasures! Nice to know you!

Rose

inlägg gjort av narniarose vid 7:22 pm (EST) Jan 17, 2009

Hi Steven,

Sorry, I am so busy that though I love LibraryThing, I usually only am able to sign on during weekends - thus my delay in replying to you.

Tuchman's "A Distant Mirror" is subtitled "A History of the Calamitous 14th Century." At least I think it is. I am not near it now and do not have time to go and look it up. Generally speaking, she is dealing with the entire century by focusing on one particular family in France.

To answer your other question, I believe that Norman Cantor died within the last 12 months, once again, something I am stating from memory. You could easily check this online.

The "Medieval Group" on LibraryThing appears to be a great bunch of people - interesting, knowledgeable, generous, etc.

Kathy

inlägg gjort av Kathleen828 vid 9:09 am (EST) Jan 17, 2009

Gee, you've kind of got me on the favourite book question. I'm writing a novel set in Avignon in the 14th-century, when the Popes were there, as well as poet-scholars, musicians, artists, etc. It was an amazing time. Ok, it's not exactly nonfiction, but I'd recommend Petrarch's Canzoniere. Beautiful poems, many written in Avignon at that time.

Cheers, Mary | http://www.marynovik.com

inlägg gjort av MaryNovik vid 9:18 pm (EST) Jan 16, 2009

No, this is not my entire library. A lot of my books are still in a box at my parents house Florida. Someday I'll go back down there and get them. I miss my old books dearly. Feel free to browse my "small" library :)

inlägg gjort av saibaby79 vid 7:39 pm (EST) Jan 16, 2009

Thanks for visiting my blog, Steven: as you saw, it's a little bit of everything and not much of anything.

I just recently received the 4th volume of The Saxon Tales, but I haven't read it yet.

And I just saw on Amazon that GRRM's ADWD is now set for October 29. I'll believe when I see it.

Charlie

inlägg gjort av BrainFlakes vid 1:48 pm (EST) Jan 16, 2009

Hi Steven!
I just got started on reading Medieval History so I don't have much to recommend as of yet. Although, I must say that the books I have shelved in my library have been very enlightening. They all focus primarily on the Plague but mention the fuedal system and late Medival European social dynamics as well :)

Mandi

inlägg gjort av saibaby79 vid 9:23 pm (EST) Jan 15, 2009

The book that a lot of people turn to re: violence in the late medieval period is Communities of Violence, by David Nirenberg. You might also try Defaced: The Visual Culture of Violence in the Late Middle Ages, by Valentin Groebner.

inlägg gjort av Kasthu vid 11:45 am (EST) Jan 15, 2009

Hi--

Thanks for the note! I'm not a true expert in any sense about the medieval period, but I created my own minor in medieval and early modern studies as an undergrad, and I'm seriously considering going back to school for my Masters--though I'm not sure what I'd do with it once I was done.

What about the medieval period are you specifically interested in? My particular interest in the middle ages lies in the fourteenth century. The books in my library are more or less skewed towards that topic, some popular history, some not. Some of my favorite books on the medieval period include Civilization of the Middle Ages, by Norman Cantor; and his book In the Wake of the Plague is also a great book. I also enjoyed Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror, Renee Weis's The Yellow Cross (about the Cathars), and Frances Stoner Saunders's The Devil's Broker, all excellent books about the fourteenth century (the last is more popular history, though).

Happy reading!

Katherine

inlägg gjort av Kasthu vid 4:52 pm (EST) Jan 14, 2009

One more note -- one book I do recall reading and enjoying, a few years ago, is The Tournament in England, 1100-1400, by Juliet R.V. Barker. As a study of various types of tournaments in England (with occasional glances at other countries) -- and studies also of the armor, weapons, heraldry, and such -- I found it quite interesting. My beef with the book is that it contains large swathes of quoted material in the Latin, Old French, etc. that are not translated into English. This is unfortunate, as the quotes (some of which are extensive) appeared interesting and well used in support of the text. Other than that, it was an interesting book. (Alas, I gave it away, so it does not appear in my library here.)

inlägg gjort av Essa vid 12:51 pm (EST) Jan 14, 2009

You asked:
"You mention that's it difficult to find a good historical fiction author. Are there any you would recommend that do a really nice job with the medieval period?"
Check the "favorite authors" on my profile page. I spent so much time just cataloging non-fiction that I decided not to even begin on fiction, but I listed all my favorite historical fiction authors. Walther von der Vogelweide is, of course, an actual medieval poet, but all the others except for Tolkien are good historical fiction authors, almost all medieval. Ken Follett is not on the list. Neither is Chrichten's _Timeline_. I believe I've panned both on the Medieval Europe list somewhere.
My friend Kudrun, also on librarything, has some good historical fiction listed in her catalog. She said she was just listing the first book in each series, so if you find one you really like, you can look for more by the same author.

inlägg gjort av erilarlo vid 12:42 pm (EST) Jan 14, 2009

Hi, thank you for the kind comment. :) I'm not a professional or academic, like so many of the people in that group, so I can't comment from an expert perspective. I'm more of an armchair medievalist, I suppose. I don't know if I have a "favorite," because there is still so much I haven't read!

I thought that The Horizon Book of the Middle Ages is an interesting general overview (and a large, illustrated, coffee-table style book, to boot). The Gies' book Catherdal, Forge and Waterwheel is, to me, a fascinating overview of technology and invention (areas which I find of interest). Some, however, dislike the Gies' books and feel they are not scholarly enough. So, perhaps that is a caveat. I'm also interested in "deviance" (heretics, Jews, criminals, and others outside the mainstream) so I enjoyed The Medieval Underworld and Sex, Dissidence and Damnation.

Byzantium and the medieval Middle East are other areas of interest for me in that time period, but I don't know if you share those interests so I will not comment on them at this point. :)

There are other books I've read but not cataloged here in LT; I can try to dredge my memory to recall some of them if that's helpful for you. Thanks again and kind regards!

inlägg gjort av Essa vid 12:42 pm (EST) Jan 14, 2009

The History of English Law by F.W. Maitland is still a standard work, I believe. It's still on my shelf, too. Marc Bloch's history of feudalism was, like Maitland, once the standard explanation. Can't hurt to start with these two, you'd have to be familiar with them were you to study medieval Europe in the academy.

inlägg gjort av mhodder vid 5:01 am (EST) Jan 14, 2009

Re: "The Killer Angels"

This was a very important book for me. All during my early years of school I loathed history. It was only just dates and other boring facts... until I read KA. That lit the tiniest fire in me. The conflagration didn't start though until college when, by chance, I saw that a course on barbarians and Rome was being taught. What the heck, thought I. But little did I know what was to come. The teacher put us to work on primary sources and I've been hooked ever since.

And yes, PageinHistory is me blog.

inlägg gjort av ThePam vid 9:52 pm (EST) Jan 13, 2009

The History of Private Life is a multivolume edited anthology of scholarly essays. I own Vols I (From Pagan Rome to Byzantium) and II (Revelations of the Medieval World). They were originally published in French, with Georges Duby as editor, but were then translated into English. They're interesting because the focus is less on the traditional topics of history books--battles, royal dynasties, trade, etc. at the scale of nations--and more about domestic society, households, kinship groups, and the development of concepts of personal and group identities, solitude and intimacy, public and private spaces, and so on.

I don't have much to offer in the way of English law or feudalism in general. I have Bloch's Feudal Society and various Gies books (Life in a Medieval Castle, etc.). Doubtless you are familiar with those. I'm afraid I spend more time perusing my friends' fiction shelves when I visit, rather than their medieval nonfiction.

I have not yet visited Spain. I had to cancel a planned trip a few years ago. I am planning to visit in the future and am currently building my itinerary of sites and museums.

inlägg gjort av justchris vid 6:32 pm (EST) Jan 13, 2009

I've seen it, but haven't looked too closely at it. I have read some of his books, but it's been a long time.

At the moment I'm trying to NOT buy more books, instead trying to get through my 'to read pile' which is just scary (it's too big).

inlägg gjort av ElenaGwynne vid 5:24 pm (EST) Jan 13, 2009

Hey Steven!

I mostly read Medieval warfare works, though I do pepper those with some traditional histories. If you enjoy military history from that era, check out Hans Delbruck's History of the Art of War series ( http://www.librarything.com/series/Histo... ), specifically the Medieval Warfare volume. It can be quite dry, but if you like a detailed study of military preparation, movement, logistics, and execution, these works are a treasure. Also, check out The Year 1000 ( http://www.librarything.com/work/62609/b... ) which offers a look at life in that era.

inlägg gjort av IslandDave vid 2:01 pm (EST) Jan 13, 2009

By Sword And Fire: The Savage Reality Of The So-Called 'Age Of Chivalry' looks specifically at medieval warfare and justice. It is a bit gruesome in places but it's a good read.

Some of the battles the book uses as examples include Hattin, Agincourt and Verden. Also the siege of Jerusalem and several entire campaigns.

inlägg gjort av ElenaGwynne vid 1:40 pm (EST) Jan 13, 2009

I'm surprised the book hasn't been translated, if it hasn't. Maybe it has, and I just don't know about it. You could try searching for it. I couldn't find it on amazon.co.uk, but maybe it's available somewhere else.

Hm. The sights you'd enjoy seeing would depend on your personal taste, but Stockholm is probably a good suggestion. There's so much to see in one place. There's an excellent museum about medieval times, as well as other interesting museums. 'The old town' - the old city center - is also worth seeing. Skansen - which is an outdoor museum is another example, as well as the Wasa - a ship from the 17 century, that has been brought up from the bottom of the sea and preserved.

I can also recommend the south - with Lund and Malmo, and Gotland - an island in the Baltic sea.

inlägg gjort av misabel vid 12:56 pm (EST) Jan 13, 2009

Hi,

I've listed lots of good books on single topics or special regions, but since I prefer the systemic approach to history I'd recommend Janet Abu-Lughod "Before European Hegemony". http://www.librarything.de/work/97075

Greetings Neurasthenio

inlägg gjort av Neurasthenio vid 4:49 am (EST) Jan 13, 2009

I am just beginning to read about this era. I am interested in researching English history, specifically about the Norwich/Norfolk area as my wife's family came from there. Any good recommendations?

inlägg gjort av Finley1882 vid 12:31 am (EST) Jan 13, 2009

Thanks for the link. My favorite detailed history has to be

Angevin England: 1154-1258 (History of Medieval Britain) by Richard Mortimer

inlägg gjort av dlweeks vid 4:27 pm (EST) Jan 12, 2009

Hi Steven!

Love your website! In fact, I'll be linking to it soon ex PageinHistory as soon as I get done with the site's redesign.

My own Medieval focus was on the very early years. My favorite primary source was Gregory of Tours "History of the Franks". Secondary authors, including: Goffart, LaTouche,Bloch, Pirenne, Southern, Tierney, Thompson, Wallace-Hadrill, Wemple.... All good :)

Regards,
Pam

inlägg gjort av ThePam vid 12:33 pm (EST) Jan 12, 2009

Steven, thank you for the welcome. I see that you are a very busy person and it's an interesting website you have. I'll have to take more time someday (!) to explore it more thoroughly.

Doubtless you are already familiar with the general survey books on the medieval period. I am not as well-read in that sense as I would like to be. I can tell you that I am very pleased with my most recent purchases: A History of Private Life, vol I--a steal at $3 in hardcover and A Source Book in Medieval Science. I look forward to reading them.

My particular interest is taifa period al-Andalus (11 c. Moorish Spain) and most of my historical research involves homing in on that. I did enjoy reading The Aristrocracy in Twelfth-Century Leon and Castile. The Quest for El Cid by Fletcher is a classic. I really liked Joinville and Villehardouin's Chronicles of the Crusades and I look forward to comparing those accounts to Arab Historians of the Crusades. And I'd really love to get my hands on a reasonably priced copy of The Legacy of Muslim Spain. Frankly I'm not spending as much time reading histories written by historians. I'm too busy trying to get my hands on translations of 11 c. works so I can find details of culture, costume, etc., which reminds me: The Dove's Neck-Ring (or the Ring of the Dove, depending on the translation) by Abu Muhmammed 'Ali ibn Hazm al-Andalusi is a great love manual from the taifa period. Still apropos today in many ways.

Does that give you any new leads?

inlägg gjort av justchris vid 12:36 pm (EST) Jan 11, 2009

Hi Steven,

Nice to "meet you."

I have an undergraduate degree in Medieval and Renaissance Studies from Ohio State, am now MLIS (Librarian) and have kept up with my interest in the medieval and renaissance world all as an avocation, though sadly, not as a profession.

However, much of my reading has been just a bit farther on than your interest appears to be - 14th and 15 century, rather than 12th and 13th. That"s Renaissance territory much of the time, though of course there is no clear boundary.

One of the best non-fiction overviews of Medieval France is Barbara Tuchman's "A Distant Mirror."

Two of the great ones about the Tudors are "The Armada" by Garrett Mattingly, and "Gloriana: The Years of Elizabeth the I," by Mary M. Luke.

I see that you already have The Folio Society's boxed set of "classic" writing about the Middle Ages. Norman Cantor's Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages is a beauteous thing. And, pretty much anything by him (he recently died) is excellent.

I think one of the best summations of European life and culture ever written is Jacques Barzun's "From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Cultural History." It begins at the end of the Middle Ages, more or less, but it's so informative and well-written that anyone with an interest in European history and culture can't go wrong in reading it.

Oh - and though you asked for non-fiction, I must mention Le Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory. It is my favorite medieval work. I never tire of it. I love its language, its worldview, its creativity and imagination - it's just superb.

It's also a very good source of information about medieval life.

Hope these are helpful to you.

inlägg gjort av Kathleen828 vid 6:44 pm (EST) Jan 10, 2009

Thanks. My interests are mostly classical, not Medieval. I took a course on the early Byzantine period and another on the Crusades--and toured Crusader sites in Turkey and Syria--but I don't know anything about the Latin Wester after, say, Justinian :)

inlägg gjort av timspalding vid 2:03 pm (EST) Jan 10, 2009

Nearly 30 years ago I was a PhD candidate at UC Berkeley in medieval studies. My fields of interest were the historical development of English law and the institutional development of early medieval southern France. My familiarity with the modern literature is nil, I'm afraid, and I don't often read in the subject, now. I can recommend the following, however: 1) John Morris, "The Age of Arthur" (Phoenix, 2004); and 2) Peter Heather, "The Fall of the Roman Empire" (Oxford U.P., 2006). The first brings together all the primary source material for the period 350-650 no matter how obscure and is quite a job. It's also an easy read. The second is a modern study that I found interesting but is not an easy read.

inlägg gjort av mhodder vid 10:19 am (EST) Jan 10, 2009

Hi Steven,

Well, since I live in Sweden, most of the books I've read on Medieval history have been in Swedish so it's hard for me to recommend one. However, I can tell you about one I found absolutely fascinating. It's by a Swedish historian named Dick Harrison. In the book ('The man from Barnsdale' - my translation of the title) he provides convincing proof that Robin Hood and some of his Merry Men could well have been real historic characters. Unfortunately, I don't think it's been translated into English, but if it has, I can really recommend it. I had so much fun reading it.

Camilla

inlägg gjort av misabel vid 4:34 am (EST) Jan 10, 2009

Hallo Steven

Fine website you have! I bookmarked it.
Yes I like the Middle Ages, although the early modern period is more my thing and these years I am reading a lot of 19th and 20th century stuff because of a beautiful tv-series that runs in Holland and Belgium on 20th cent. Europe (with reference to the book by Geert Mak. See: http://www.ineuropa.nl ).

The non fiction book about the Middle Ages I would recommend is The Fourth Crusade by Donald E. Queller. I own the revised 1997 edition he did together with Thomas F. Madden (with an essay on the primary sources by Alfred J. Andrea). It produced a strong controversy among medievalists/byzantinists at its first publication in 1977. At present Quellers vision is widely accepted. The book is an absorbing read: you follow the crusaders and have lots of background information. Long ago I spent a very happy three months studying the controversy.

Another one that jumps in my mind: Inventing the Middle Ages by Norman E. Cantor. A serious and a fun book in one!

inlägg gjort av marieke54 vid 4:26 am (EST) Jan 10, 2009

I'm rather partial to the Francis and Joseph Gies books, and also to By Sword And Fire. I have a lot of others, but they're not books I've read yet. I have a bad habit of buying books and not reading them.

inlägg gjort av ElenaGwynne vid 1:37 am (EST) Jan 10, 2009

"Always nice to find others interested in medieval history. I found your profile through the Medieval Europe group. Any particular book you would recommend? What's your favorite non-fiction book on medieval history?"

I have to bring along part of your note to keep myself on track 8-) That is one big can of worms, as you might guess from looking at my medieval collection. I'm a major castle freak, and have some really great books about them. If I had to pick a favorite among those, it might be the first major one in that category I acquired, which probably wouldn't do you a lot of good, because it's the German Deutsche Ritter, Deutsche Burgen. I have many favorites for different facets of my obsessions. The ultimate book for early Minnesang, another speciality of mine is, of course, McMahon, but that's probably a bit too specialized. If you're interested in the Hohenstaufen emperors, I can offer opinions on sources I've argued with 8-) Again, the best books there are in German, though some have English translations. That Medieval Fortress book is not bad; it has some nice illustrations of architectural details.

I just looked at your favorite authors list. . . I won't comment on the historic accuracy of the ones who don't have much. I like a lot of fiction, but unless it's fantasy(like the Cornwell Arthur books, which I enjoyed), I have problems with historical fiction; I can't stand authors who pretend to set novels in periods I know well and mess up the historical background, to say nothing of characters who think and act like 20th or 21st-century people. Needless to say, the more I learn about a given time and place, the shorter my favorite historical author list gets 8-)

Enough already. Have fun with your reading!

inlägg gjort av erilarlo vid 8:52 pm (EST) Jan 9, 2009

I'm far from an expert but I like "Medieval Europe: A Short History" by C. Warren Hollister. It covers alot of ground without being overly long.

inlägg gjort av sgtbigg vid 5:41 pm (EST) Jan 9, 2009

I rarely log on to LibraryThing these days; forgive my late reply.

The only Cornwell series I have ever read is his Arthur trilogy. A friend sent me the first paragraph of _The Winter King_ and I was smitten. He remains one of my favorite authors simply because I think they're some of the best books I've read, with an innovative reinterpretation of the Arthur mythos. As a Romanophile, I also enjoyed his representation of Britons and Saxons fighting over ruins they cannot understand or reproduce. He captures the feeling of transition I think best represents the early Dark Ages, so I forgive his deliberate historical improprieties.

The Saxon Chronicles look interesting. If I manage to stop constantly reading nonfiction, I will pick up _The Last Kingdom_.

inlägg gjort av tiresias_bc vid 3:53 pm (EST) Jan 9, 2009

No spoilers, Steven. Sometimes my reviews seem short because I don't do spoilers.

inlägg gjort av BrainFlakes vid 3:34 pm (EST) Jan 8, 2009

Steven,
I like many types of books but my favorite genre is "Epic Fantasy". I thought "A Feast for Crows" was good, not great; but overall Martin is my favorite author. A friend and I have been having a reading contest this year and we have been reading a lot of epic fantasy. The best of the list is Pat Rothfuss's "The Name of the Wind," a must read. Scott Lynch's "The Lies of Locke Lamora is also top notch. Steven Erikson's "Garden's of the Moon" was good too. Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy is outstanding.

inlägg gjort av WiscoLibrarian vid 12:48 pm (EST) Jan 8, 2009

Steven: Here's my review of Agincourt--good book!

Agincourt, Bernard Cornwell

And Happy 2009, if I forgot.

Charlie

inlägg gjort av BrainFlakes vid 12:26 pm (EST) Jan 7, 2009

I saw Rutherford among your favorite authors. I have all of his stuff except the one about Russia. "Sarum was the first one I read. I bought started it got bored picked it up several years later and ended up liking it.

inlägg gjort av kathygarrelts vid 5:18 pm (EST) Jan 1, 2009

I haven't been on in a while, Love the Ken Follett medievals, I haven't read anything else of his. Most people seem to like the second book better than the first.
About Cornwell, I read "The Saxon Chronicles" after having read the series about the archer. Those weren't my favorite. "The Saxon Chronicles" are fabulous. I love the Uhtred character. Have you read the bio blurb about Cornwell? I may have read it on his website, about his growing up having been adopted and eventually meeting his father. Really interesting! After checking and some re-reading I have found the "Uhtred" character in a couple of other novels. I love the way Cornwell portrays him. I read this lady's quote in a review of the series, " I don't know whether I want to be him or I'm in love with him." I thought it very apropos!
I just finished "Azincourt" and thought it was wonderful.

inlägg gjort av kathygarrelts vid 5:09 pm (EST) Jan 1, 2009

From your reply:

How did Harper know to contact you?

According to the marketing rep, they have a spider that checks out blogs and I have Cornwell's name listed about 6 or 8 times on my sidebar. From what I figure, publishers are giving away more books to the peons and peasants so that they don't have to pay reviewers and reviews get up on Amazon way before the book is released (Amazon started doing that somewhat recently).

BTW, those sand sculptures are incredible! Do they spray something on them to preserve them, or are they gone with the rain?

inlägg gjort av BrainFlakes vid 8:03 pm (EST) Dec 17, 2008

Hey, Stephen!

I'm sure you've heard about Cornwell's new book "Agincourt" coming out 1/20.
Yesterday, HarperCollins asked me if I wanted a free review copy, so guess what I said?

Info on the book if you're interested:

Agincourt

Have a good Christmas, or whatever you do or do not celebrate.

Charlie

inlägg gjort av BrainFlakes vid 12:52 pm (EST) Dec 17, 2008

Hi Stephen,

The Bernard Cornwell interview on BBC Radio 4 that I sent you the link to probably isn't available anymore as I think the 'Listen Again' feature is only there for one week. Maybe you managed to hear it before it wen off. Hope you enjoy the book anyway.

Regards,

'Stilestrider'

inlägg gjort av Stilestrider vid 3:36 am (EST) Nov 8, 2008

I'd completely forgotten about this place. And my username and password. That was interesting. Is bookmarked now =)

I love Lawhead's Pendragon Cycle (only read 3 of the 5 though) because it draws on a lot of 'real' history interwoven with , besides the main Arthur myth, the lost city of 'Atlantis'.

I also more recently read The Song of Albion trilogy mostly because I'm not very good at trying new books so tend to stick to the same familiar authors. This was really good, more Celtic-ness not romanticised but still a bit quirky - some funny bits: "He's not the king, you are." "Pardon me, I keep forgetting." [conversation in cell] =)

I like his descriptions, and that he doesn't use them ALL the time. Also remember his characters being very good, and he's not afraid to kill people, which can be sad, but beautiful....tragic...

inlägg gjort av JenSomething vid 7:03 am (EST) Nov 7, 2008

Hi Stephen

Sorry to be so late replying, messages aren't forwarded to email.

I enjoyed Stonehenge very much, even though one of my close friends was scathing about attempting to write about such distant times.

Pat

inlägg gjort av hesadevil vid 8:06 am (EST) Nov 1, 2008

Hello,

You can listen to the Bernard Cornwell interview on the BBC Radio 4 website, Listen Again feature:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00...

'Stilestrider'

inlägg gjort av Stilestrider vid 5:11 am (EST) Nov 1, 2008

Hi Steven,
Sorry for the delay in replying to your message. I have read some of the Sharpe series, and plan to read them all. I do have to say that although good, some of the storylines become a bit repetative after a while. I haven't read any of Cornwell's other series. He was on BBC Radio 4 recently discussing Agincourt.

'Stilestrider'

inlägg gjort av Stilestrider vid 5:31 pm (EST) Oct 31, 2008

I've enjoyed reading all of the Cornwell books that I've picked up, but so far I've enjoyed the Warlord series the most, with the Grail Quest a close second. I've found the Saxon Stories to be a bit repetitive from book-to-book, although not quite as annoying as the repetitive mentions of horn paneled windows in the Grail Quest series:

* Father Roubert went to a window screened with a lead lattice supporting scraped horn panes...

* The rush wick burned badly and its horn shade turned the dim light a leprous, flickering yellow.

* Rain hammered at the horn panels that covered the windows.

* ..as he had kicked out the horn panes of the east window...

* A window screened with opaque horn let in a dirty brown light...

* The sky was still not wholly dark, but had a luminous quality like the glow of a candle behind horn.

(all of these quotes were pulled out of the Amazon.com "search inside" feature)

-daniel

inlägg gjort av skwm vid 9:16 pm (EST) Oct 29, 2008

Next year,Brandon Sanderson is finishing the last Book. you can read about it at Dragonmount. http://www.dragonmount.com/ I found out about Robert Jordon's illness after I read the First 10 books. It was kind of like when I was waiting for Steven King to write the next book in his Dark Tower series. He gets hit by a van and almost dies, and all I can think is what about Roland and will he find the Tower. It is to easy to get into the writer's created world and we can forget the person that created this story is a real person.

As far as reading all of them, I got one of the books on tape (discount bin) and that one got me hook enough that I wanted more. I travel two and a half hours every day in my truck and it is books on tape that keep me sane. also I get them at the library, This is an inexpensive way to read a book that I would not likely buy or take the time to read. I often find new authors that I like that way.

The only thing I don't like is abridge books on tape, and unfortunly Benard Cornwell's are usually abridged.

inlägg gjort av Ross.Farnsworth vid 6:11 pm (EST) Oct 26, 2008

Here is one reason why GRRM is sticking it to us ASOFAI fans:

Busted Flush

Like I've said before, so much for reader loyalty.

inlägg gjort av BrainFlakes vid 11:05 pm (EST) Oct 24, 2008

I have read both volumes of Dreamsongs. They are good books but it was not something that I could read everyday. I had to take them to work and if I got bored on lunch or break, I would pull them out and read a story of his. The Hedge Kinght is in Volume Two and it is worth the purchase alone. Ice Dragon is in the first volume. It was okay but it is mainly a children story. If you are thinking about buying them, pick up volume two just for The Hedge Knight. Those stories have a lot of good information and some of it could come into play in ASOIAF. It is believed that Brienne of Tarth is a descendant of Duncan The Tall, and Sworn Sword has some cool info about Bloodraven. Both stories have a lot of info on The Targaryens as well. His third Dunk and Egg story should be released next year in a short story collection called "Warriors". A Westeros/ASOIAF companion book is also in the works and I think it is due late next year or early 2010...I am not for sure which date it is but knowing GRRM it could be 2035.

Fevre Dream is sitting on my bookshelf unread. I have been aiming to read it but just haven't gotten around to it yet. He also wrote The Armageddon Rag but I am not going to buy it until I read Fevre Dream.

inlägg gjort av PuroGeo vid 9:16 pm (EST) Oct 22, 2008

I am a Sharp fan of course but I really liked his Starbucks chronicles and I hope he writes another. I also liked his grail and Arthur series. Oh and yes of course I am a Tolkien fan, Must of read the lord of the rings at lest ten times and I got the silmarillion on tape so I could enjoy hearing the names pronounced correctly.

Have you read any of the wheel of time series by Robert Jordon. If you like tolkien's world and you enjoy the pace and action of cornwell, you might like this series, It is eleven books long and we are still waiting on the last one.

inlägg gjort av Ross.Farnsworth vid 3:12 pm (EST) Oct 21, 2008

We share the same thoughts on The Pale Horseman. I am still reading it but Uhtred is really unlikeable right now. I hope the book and series has more of Ragner in it later on. He is more likeable...even though he is a brutal killer. Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles is great and is the best Arthurian story I have read. Great battles, strong character and some of the most heartbreaking moments I have read. Check them out and let me know what you think when you read them. Sounds like you will love them.

Also, if you like a good story with strong characters with flaws, definitely check out Joe Abercrombie's The First Law Trilogy. Logen Ninefingers is the greatest "hero" ever. It's already finished so you don't have to worry when the next one will come out. Abercrombie's writing is not quite as good as GRRM (it is still really good), but the man is hilarious. If you get in a "fantasy mood", I can't recommend this series higher.

Since you are close to finishing AFFC, who are your favorite characters in the series so far? Mine would be Sandor Clegane, Oberyn Martell and Davos Seaworth. My favorite GRRM character in Westeros would be Ser Duncan The Tall though. He is in the Dunk and Egg short stories that GRRM wrote and he is mention in ASOIAF. You can check them out in Legends and Legends II: Dragon, Sword and King. Or you can buy the graphic novels The Hedge Knight and Sworn Sword. Both are on par with the first three books in ASOIAF in my opinion.

inlägg gjort av PuroGeo vid 9:00 pm (EST) Oct 20, 2008

Steven Erikson's Malazan books are often hailed as very good. I have read the first two, and I really liked the second one. One of the climactic scenes (there are several) was so powerful I decided to take a break and read some Discworld before I read the next one. That was two years ago, so I really should move on to the rest sometime soon. Erikson is also a quick writer, so there will be less waiting than with Martin.

Currently I am reading the Scavenger Trilogy by K.J. Parker, which I like, although it sort of feels a little bit anachronistic. The Engineer Trilogy looks very tantalising, and I'll probably pick it up eventually.

I have also read a lot of Fantasy labeled Young Adult in recent years, which often tends to be more focused, with more attention to plot and narrative drive. Pullman's His Dark Materials, Stroud's Bartimaeus Trilogy and Nix's Old Kingdom Trilogy are all great reads.

If you like Medieval stories, as your library would seem to indicate, you should try to get hold of the Swedish writer Jan Guillou's Crusader Trilogy (The Road to Jerusalem, The Knights Templar, The Kingdom at the End of the Road,) but although they've been published in English, they seem to be hard to get hold of, even through Abebooks.com. The first and third books are set in 12th Century Sweden, a tribal society where Christianity is just taking over, while the middle book is set in The Holy Land, where the hero, Arn Magnusson, becomes a valued Knight Templar, rubbing shoulders with men like Saladin and Richard the Lionheart.

You should also look for the classic French series "The Accursed Kings" by Maurice Druon, though sadly only the original 4 books seem to have been published in English (and in Norwegian, so I have never read the final three books either, but the first four are self-contained.) Much easier to get hold of if you read French, or Spanish. The Guillou books are also easier to find in Spanish... Druon's series starts with the French king Philip the Handsome destroying the Templar Order in 1307. As their Grandmaster, Jacques de Molay, is burned at the stake, he curses the Pope and the French king and his offspring, hence the title. The following books describe how the next decades saw one king after another die in mysterious ways, ruling only briefly. Great stuff, really, and should be republished.

If I worked at one of the big publishing houses, I would try to create an imprint like "Fantasy Masterworks" for historical fiction, and publish beautiful editions of the greatest works of the genre, and try to translate the top works from different nations, for most countries have some great, famous historical novels that are beloved in that country, and practically unknown elsewhere.

An interesting Medieval novel that should be a lot easier to find is "The Cathedral of the Sea" by Ildefonso Falcones, set in Barcelona during the 14th Century. It has a sweeping narrative and an interesting, exotic setting, although the nobility of the main character is a bit too much at times.

If you are also interested in the Roman Empire, I recommend the Masters of Rome series by Colleen McCullough, an immensely detailed and meticulously researched 7 novel series telling the story of the Fall of the Roman Republic from Gaius Marius to Augustus, spanning 8 of the most interesting decades in world history. McCullough is not a great writer of dialogue, but her research is staggering, and the real life political intrigue is riveting, although the middle books are somewhat marred by her utter worship of the nearly superhuman Gaius Julius Caesar...

inlägg gjort av Ardashir vid 2:44 am (EST) Oct 16, 2008

sorry for the delay in responding. just saw the comment today. I would have to say Sharpes is my favorite series, particularly enjoyed the earlier tales of his adventures in India.

inlägg gjort av bingereader vid 8:22 pm (EST) Oct 15, 2008

Hey. Sorry it took long to reply but I just saw the comment today. I am reading The Saxon Tales right now also (I am on The Pale Horseman) and it is a solid series so far. Not quite as good as The Warlord Chronicles but I wasn't expecting that. Those three books are some of the best stuff I have ever read.

ASOIAF is my favorite series as of right now. Read the first three books in the series 5 times a piece. I liked A Feast for Crows but was still disappointed in it. Most of that was my fault because I probably had way to high expectations, and most of my favorite characters were not in it. Still, one of the best things GRRM has wrote is in that book when he writes what a "broken man" is. Powerful stuff. I can't wait for A Dance with Dragons. No matter how the book turns out at least we will know who Coldhands is!

Thanks for the comment.

inlägg gjort av PuroGeo vid 8:19 pm (EST) Oct 15, 2008

i think it was the weaker of all the books, we'll have to wait for the juicy bits in A Dance With Dragons...

inlägg gjort av escalla vid 10:55 am (EST) Oct 10, 2008

Yes, I've read virtually everything Crighton has written, but I can't remember anything about the one you mention ;>)

inlägg gjort av jeff.coatsworth vid 2:03 pm (EST) Oct 7, 2008

William Horwood:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hor...(novelist)

FWIW, "Duncton Wood" was the best novel I read in the 80s, and "The Stonor Eagles" the best I read in th 90s.

inlägg gjort av N7DR vid 1:14 am (EST) Oct 7, 2008

http://wanderingcoyote.blogspot.com

inlägg gjort av allykat vid 6:00 pm (EST) Oct 6, 2008

Without a doubt. I thought that Cornwell's Arthurian series was head and shoulders above everything else he's done.

Most of his books, at least until then, I treated as essentially trivial light reading. The Arthurian series showed me that he could really write, and in a mould somewhat akin to William Horwood.

I nominated the last two in the series for Nebulas, but that went nowhere.

inlägg gjort av N7DR vid 10:24 am (EST) Oct 6, 2008

Through blogging!

inlägg gjort av allykat vid 11:49 pm (EST) Oct 3, 2008

Sorry for the delay in replying, recently moved overseas and still settling in. I'd have to say the Sharpe Series is still my favourite. If you like Cornwell, you should try Allan Mallinson, I've recently discovered him at the local library.

inlägg gjort av TheMachine vid 7:10 pm (EST) Oct 3, 2008

Here is a blurb from Publishers Weekly for the first book, Jack Absolute:
"The inestimable Capt. Jack Absolute, an 18th-century 007 has a "talent for trouble," a rogue's way with women and more lives than a cat. Although he expresses sympathy for the rebels' cause, Jack agrees under duress to serve as Gen. John Burgoyne's chief spy in America. As Burgoyne launches a campaign to capture Albany, N.Y. ("the heart of the country"), Jack and his Mohawk blood brother, Até, are dispatched to root out spies working for the Illuminati, a secret lodge within the Freemasons who hope to establish a utopia in the colonies. Jack hooks up with Louisa Reardon, a beautiful Loyalist traveling with Burgoyne's army, but they are captured and separated. Escaping his captors, Jack rushes back to join Burgoyne, but arrives too late to help prevent a humiliating British defeat. A dejected Burgoyne dispatches Jack to Philadelphia to warn British commanders of the hidden threat. There is more than one surprise in Philadelphia awaiting Jack and readers. Humphreys combines historical detail, a larger-than-life hero, clever plotting and fast pacing to craft a thoroughly entertaining historical adventure."

Alan Mallinson (a retired British Cavalry Officer) is another good author whose books are set during the Napoleonic wars -- I actually recommend reading him more than Humphreys. Matthew Hervey is the hero in his series.
Besotted

inlägg gjort av bookbesotted vid 8:32 am (EST) Oct 3, 2008

Hi,
Yep, Martins A Song of Ice and Fire series is one of my absolute favourites. I have to agree with most other reviews out there though: A Feast for Crows is not quite as good as the earlier books (that said, it is still very good=), IMHO mostly because it contains only half the characters/storylines, the other half being held back for the next one.
I'd rather have had them mixed as before, even if the resulting book would probably have been ginormous.

Depending on when A Dance with Dragons will be released, I'm planning to reread the series before. It was at least a year ago I read it last and I prefer reading a series in one go.

/Adara

inlägg gjort av adara vid 1:09 pm (EST) Oct 2, 2008

I ordered it from Amazon UK. Have you read the Jack Absolute books by C.C. Humphreys? They are not as well written as Cornwell's books, but enjoyable none the less.

inlägg gjort av bookbesotted vid 7:59 am (EST) Oct 2, 2008

My period's generally a bit earlier than yours however for England up to the 13th century, Barlow's "The Feudal Kingdom of England and Bartlett's "England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings" are both on my "to read" list. I can't recommend them since I haven't read them but I've heard good things about both - I'm planning on reading them together. If you want to go back a few years I've just finished Peter Blair's "An Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England." It's fairly old but seemed solid.

And I always recommend anything from the Yale English Monarchs series. Those are just plain good though obviously they deal with a briefer period of time.

inlägg gjort av cemanuel vid 9:06 pm (EST) Oct 1, 2008

Steven,
Hard to say which is my favorite Cornwell series, probably the Saxon Stories. I enjoy all of his books – especially Starbuck and Sharpe.

Finished Azincourt recently and it was quite a pleasant read.

Besotted

inlägg gjort av bookbesotted vid 12:44 pm (EST) Oct 1, 2008

I'll believe "Dance" has been published when I have a copy in my hands! Amazon et. al. has been teasing me with it's supposed publication dates for way too long. I also review for Random House, who publish Martin under one of their imprints, and so far none of the reps I've talked to have any idea when the book is coming out.

inlägg gjort av allykat vid 7:39 pm (EST) Sep 30, 2008

A Feast for Crows was good, but quite different. It's a little less focused and some of my favourite characters were left out of it. Some of the POVs were well done, some a little rambling. There are some things I'm still fuzzy on, but I just have to go back and read the book again to clarify...I'm eagerly anticipating the next book!

inlägg gjort av allykat vid 12:50 am (EST) Sep 29, 2008

Kind of depends - are you looking for an overview or do you have a specific period/region/topic in mind?

For a medieval overview I'd say LeGoff's Medieval Civilization is probably the best. Cantor's good but dry and lacks footnotes, though the reading list at the end is good. LeGoff doesn't use footnotes himself but he textually references a lot and he lists his sources by book chapter at the end so it's close to the same thing.

Curt

inlägg gjort av cemanuel vid 2:32 pm (EST) Sep 28, 2008

I was a little disappointed with A Feast For Crows mainly because it leaves out some of the best characters. I especially miss Tyrion who has been looking increasingly like the real hero of the series. I've been waiting for the next installment but it keeps being put back and back - Amazon is showing the release date as May 2009 now. It's still the best fantasy series I've ever read though- I'd thoroughly recommend the unabridged audio recordings that Roy Dotrice made of the first 3 volumes if you can get them.

inlägg gjort av basilisksam vid 10:51 am (EST) Sep 28, 2008

The book I would most recommend for medieval history would be, A World Lit Only By Fire by William Manchester. It is a great read as well as giving the reader a look in to the minds of the people who lived during those times.
Though my specialty is in Greek and Roman history and archaeology. I use my medieval history for my writing (and because its just interesting), which explains the large collection of writing books in my library.

K

inlägg gjort av km.cruz vid 7:22 pm (EST) Sep 27, 2008

It was a great book, but like a lot of other people I think there was too much time between the previous book and this one. The excitement and passion for the series has dropped a bit. I'll probably have to reread all the previous books right before Dance. By the way, nice website/blog. You might be interested in my site on Japanese Castles too. http://www.jcastle.info

inlägg gjort av Anrake vid 7:03 pm (EST) Sep 26, 2008

I liked it a lot - better than most, actually. It seems that a lot of people feel the book is quite a bit weaker than the others, but I really like all the political stuff, and there's a lot of that in this book. I did miss Jon Snow and Daenerys, though.

inlägg gjort av Ardashir vid 6:54 pm (EST) Sep 26, 2008

My favorite Cornwell series - before The Saxon Chronicles - was the Grail Quest trilogy. I never thought that any other character could take Thomas of Hookton's place as my favorite Cornwell character, but Uhtred has won me over. It may have to do with the immediacy of the story being told in first person, as opposed to third person, or it could be that we meet Uhtred as a child and are with him as he grows in character. Whatever it is, after reaching the end of Sword Song I was a little disappointed to learn that Cornwell's next novel will be the stand-alone, Azincourt. Given the setting and subject, and his talent as a writer to plunk his readers right into the thick of things, I'm sure it will be excellent, but I'll still be watching for the release date for the next in the Saxon Chronicles series.

As far as the Martin books go, I had a tough time getting into the series - I think I attempted it three times before I finally managed to break through. I have a very difficult time getting into fantasy fiction, but once I got drawn in I enjoyed them all very much. It's been awhile since I read them, and I'll definitely read them again before A Dance with Dragons comes out to refresh my memory, but I'm not holding my breath. Supposedly there are to be seven books in the Song of Ice and Fire series, and the time between releases is getting longer and longer. Frustrating for his readers!

Susan :)
http://mostly-medieval.com/

inlägg gjort av skellorg vid 4:32 pm (EST) Sep 26, 2008

I have to say ASOIAF is up at the top of my all time favorite novels, and so far I haven't been disappointed except for the interminable WAITING. My husband got me into the series and it helps to have each other to figure out the plot details... every time I read it I find a detail that I had glossed over previously. So many good bits! "A peach, brother?" "His name is Summer" "It is known" are things the hubby and I say to each other all the time and laugh madly. One of the key things we have discovered, there is no fluff or filler in a GRRM book. You don't have to pick up on every little thing to follow the story, but if it is in the book, then it is important to the plot.

I'm not crazy about the splitting of the plot line between the last and the next; I think eventually he'll regret how jarring it is. I know he planned to jump ahead a few years so the Stark kids would be older, but it didn't work because he had to write too much in flashback. Obviously the story has taken over and grown WAY beyond his original plans. I have a terrible fear that he'll run out of time and die on us, like Patrick O'Brian.

So I've tried to be patient, despite all of the other crap GRRM has found to do besides write the damn book. I am very very very excited about the possible HBO series however, after watching Rome. I love how merciless GRRM is with his characters and I think it fits very well with the HBO style.

Oh the waiting!

inlägg gjort av Ardath vid 4:27 pm (EST) Sep 26, 2008

To be honest I havn't had much success reading Cornwell other than his warlord trilogy. As to Duggan, his IMPERIAL GOVERNOR is one of my top 10....I've read & reread over the years. Check oout Wallace Breem sometime, his EAGLE in the SNOW about Late Rome is excellent. Two guys you should check up on are MacBeth & Donogh, they've got excellent libraries. MacBeth is a fellow wargamer and quite the medievalist.

inlägg gjort av Ammianus vid 3:58 pm (EST) Sep 26, 2008

My favourite Cornwell series is probably still the Sharpe books, though I like the earlier, original books in the series more than the prequels he's been writing the last few years. I'm really liking the Saxon novels, too, though; I went through Lords of the North in two or three days. My favourite single Cornwell novel is probably Redcoat.

To be honest, I never really got into Martin. I have to the first two books but have never managed to finish them.

inlägg gjort av ianracey vid 12:33 pm (EST) Sep 26, 2008

You'll enjoy those Cornwell ones; I'm waiting for him to write some more in the series. I agree that Crighton's last wasn't all that exciting, but Airframe was pretty good.

inlägg gjort av jeff.coatsworth vid 11:32 am (EST) Sep 26, 2008

I haven't read A feast for crows yet, but plan to read it soon.

inlägg gjort av annarosa vid 1:41 am (EST) Sep 26, 2008

Hey Steve,

I actually rather liked A Feast for Crows, even though a lot of people didn't. But then, I didn't wait for four years to read it (I started reading the series near about the time A Feast for Crows came out), so I wasn't anticipating a great deal.

I wouldn't say that I'm a big Martin fan yet, as I haven't read any of his other books. Something I'm going to rectify soon; but I have to finish all the books I've already brought first.

inlägg gjort av Anks vid 12:39 am (EST) Sep 26, 2008

Hi Steve,

I've always been a big fan of the Richard Sharpe series though they're rather predictable. Sharpe is just a derivative of C.S. Forester's Hornblower series except Cornwell's hero fights on land. That said, I still read every new book ASAP whenever one comes out.

So have you read Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror - The Calamitous 14th Century? It's been years since I last read it but now that I've pulled it down off my bookshelf I'll have to reread it.

inlägg gjort av ALinNY458 vid 9:53 pm (EST) Sep 25, 2008

Hi Steve, you asked which Cornwell's my fav, the Warlord Chronicles, since I enjoy the Dark Ages (& similar fantasy).
Good job with the legend.

inlägg gjort av Ammianus vid 6:48 pm (EST) Sep 25, 2008

I thought the first three Westeros books were terrific but A Feast for Crows was a big step down. Feast introduces a ton of new point-of-view characters who seem to have only a peripheral relation to the main thrust of the story.

The decision to split the story into two books was a fatal mistake in my opinion. I hope Martin returns to form with his next novel.

inlägg gjort av amweb vid 4:25 pm (EST) Sep 25, 2008

I've only read the Saxon Chronicles thus far, but the Arthurian series is next on my list.

inlägg gjort av 2seven vid 3:08 pm (EST) Sep 25, 2008

I haven't read Crichton's Timeline yet, unfortunately. :o( I just picked it up at the local library for 50 cents. I've been getting a lot of books from the library that way lately. They've been piling up on my "to read" list.

inlägg gjort av veritasnoctis vid 1:32 pm (EST) Sep 25, 2008

You asked me which countries I would recommend for a first time visit to Europe. Of course, I'm obligated to answer 'the Netherlands' :-) I really recommend the UK for the 'old world' feel and Switzerland for the dramatic landscape: the Alps are simply gorgeous. Germany is also great because it has some very nice medieval castles and well-preserved medieval towns. I also really liked Tuscany in Italy but that has more Renaissance remnants than medieval stuff.

inlägg gjort av yhoitink vid 11:09 am (EST) Sep 25, 2008

Hi again, Steven!

I've been writing seriously since 2001. I've finished three manuscripts and a VERY rough draft of a fourth. The first three were all Regency historical romances. One of them had an army setting rather than the traditional high society backdrop. I enjoyed the research and my sergeant hero, and my critique partners told me my writing really shone on the battle scenes. After getting several rejection letters from editors and agents that basically said, "Intriguing voice, but is it really a ROMANCE voice?" I decided to try my hand at something different. I'm working on an alternative history that imagines how the Napoleonic Wars might've played out if certain key events had turned out differently.

inlägg gjort av susansw vid 1:20 am (EST) Sep 24, 2008

I read up to A Feast for Crows a while ago but have been too busy with other things to start it yet.

inlägg gjort av veritasnoctis vid 12:12 am (EST) Sep 24, 2008

Hi Steven,

I've visited lots of castles, I don't know how many but it must be close to 100. Just two weeks ago I visited Hochosterwitz in Austria, which is a lovely castle on a hill. There are also many castles in the area where I live in the Netherlands. They are pretty popular for weddings too, two of my best friends got married in a castle about 20 miles from here a couple of years ago. I guess we Europeans often don't realize how lucky we are to have all this visible history virtually at our doorsteps!

Thanks for the tip on the Arthur series, I will put that at the top of my wishlist!

inlägg gjort av yhoitink vid 5:11 pm (EST) Sep 23, 2008

Hi Steven,

Of Cornwell's books, I liked the Saxon Chronicles best. However, since I've only discovered Bernard Cornwell two months ago I've only read two of his series to date (Saxon Chronicles and the Grail Quest series). The rest of his books are now on my wishlist!

It's been a while since I've read A Feast for Crows by George Martin. I liked it but I prefer the first two books. I thought it was a bit slow and I missed some of the main characters (no spoilers!).

If you like both Bernard Cornwell and George Martin you should also try Sharon Kay Penman. I particularly liked her book 'The sunne in splendour'. Like Cornwell, she uses a real historical background to tell her stories. The sunne had some parallels to the George Martin series so I think he may have been inspired by the historical events described in the book.

Like you, I really like the Middle Ages in many aspects. I read fantasy books, I read historical fiction, I visit medieval castles and even research medieval history in the archives. My last big medieval project was researching and editing a book about a medieval convent in my home town, which was great fun!

Yvette Hoitink

inlägg gjort av yhoitink vid 3:19 pm (EST) Sep 22, 2008

I really enjoyed a Feast for Crows. I think Martin is Brilliant and I think that it did enrich the series. He is a huge favorite of mine and I am always glad to find more people who like him. I am hoping to re-read the series before the next one comes out...if it ever does. :o)I am pretty sure I am going to have time.

inlägg gjort av wizardsheart vid 9:50 pm (EST) Sep 20, 2008

Hi, Steven. I haven't read A Feast for Crows yet, but the series is great so far.

inlägg gjort av veritasnoctis vid 12:21 am (EST) Sep 20, 2008

Here is what a knowledgeable guy on Amazon said regarding ADWD:

I dropped a comment to GRRM's girlfriend, Parris, about the date and after she stopped laughing she suggested that GRRM would take a look at it. The book is currently scheduled to come out spring 2009, as per his publishers' comments:

"George R R Martin has let us know that he will be later than expected delivering A Dance with Dragons, so we're sorry to say that we've had to postpone publication. Based on the new delivery date, we are very much hoping to be able to publish in Spring 2009. Thanks for your patience!"

He also coughed up the names of books 6 and 7, if they're ever written: Book 6 is called The Winds of Winter and 7 is called A Dream of Spring.

All of this could be horse hooey, of course, so we'll just have to wait and see.

inlägg gjort av BrainFlakes vid 8:50 pm (EST) Sep 19, 2008

"Dreamsongs", that's right. That's what I meant when I mentioned "Rretrospective" -- sorry. I've bought the one-volume edition, but haven't read it yet. I've got quite a few of the stories in other collections already.

inlägg gjort av MonkeyRobo vid 8:12 am (EST) Sep 19, 2008

Boy, you've been busy since we chatted in July! At the time, GRRM's A Dance with Dragons was set for release in December on Amazon. Now its been pushed back (forward?) to April, 2009, or whenever. I think I'm going to declare Tyrion (the best character in the series)the winner and to heck with GRRM.

Thanks for the invitation, and I still like your blog; that ancient artifact called the Antikythera Mechanism sounds kind of fascinating.

inlägg gjort av BrainFlakes vid 9:32 pm (EST) Sep 18, 2008

Hi Steven,
sorry it took me so long to get back to you.
I have read the Farseer trilogy. It's entertaining but it does get cheesy in parts.
As for the Dispossessed- that is a book that examines the in the most even handed way the advantages and disadvantages of a socialist society verses a capitalistic/consumeristic one. The story is essentially an anthropological treatise, but well written. Two human societies regain contact with each other after a long mutual silence and separation based on ideological differences. Neither society's ideologies has faired how they had hoped. Le Guin is able to be even handed in her criticism. Sounds like it would bew boring but it's really good.
Left Hand is a book that examines gender. See Le Guin really likes to examine a societies deeply held beliefs by inserting strange what if scenarios. In this book. A human ambassador of sorts visits a planet not part of the planetary consortium ( kinda like a galactic UN . The planet he visits is just about to have it's very first war ever. And this culture does not have either fixed gender roles, or fixed sexual characteristic. Instead, they are sexually undetermined until one of a partner comes into estrus, or heat essentially. Thus the fabulous line :" The King was pregnant." Le Guin examines how gender and sexuality impact violence.
I hope you check either out. They're more interesting than I've made them sound.

inlägg gjort av lesleyap vid 9:28 pm (EST) Sep 18, 2008

Yes, I am half way through Lords of the North. You should check out Conn Iggulden.

inlägg gjort av chelseth vid 8:56 pm (EST) Sep 18, 2008

One of my favorite science fiction/fantasy combo series. It's by Marion Zimmer Bradley (Mists of Avalon), and is about a planet colonized by humans centuries earlier (they crash landed)where some of the people stuck on the planet develop psi powers that are unique to certain blood lines. There are currently 27 books in the series with a few more coming. (Even though Marion died several years back, her collaborator at the time of her death is having the remainder published posthumously)

Here are a couple of links:

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

http://mzbworks.home.att.net/index.htm

Check them out and let me know what you think!

inlägg gjort av willowcove vid 2:40 pm (EST) Sep 18, 2008

Hey guy! Thanks for the message. Yes, I love Martin's books and am chomping at the bit waiting for his newest to be released. I love just about anything "sword and sorcery." The Darkover series is one of my especial favorites. Have a great day. Stephen

inlägg gjort av willowcove vid 7:54 am (EST) Sep 18, 2008

Hello, and thanks for the invite! Judging by your "Most recent activity" module,(as of 9/18/08) it looks like we have some common reading interests. I'm a huge fan of historical studies and especially those dealing with the Middle Ages. As for the fiction included in your recent activity, (When I actually get around to entering my library's fiction section) I will have plenty of Clancy and Crichton. I also see that some of your favorites (Follett, Lewis and Tolkien) are some of my favorites as well.

Anyway, thought I'd say hello!

Have a good day, and Happy Reading!

inlägg gjort av DanoStone vid 7:48 am (EST) Sep 18, 2008

The Sharpe series is my favorite Cornwell, not so much because I think it's the best as because it's Napoleonic era, and that's my "home" period as a reader and as a (hopefully someday published) writer.

inlägg gjort av susansw vid 12:11 am (EST) Sep 18, 2008

Hi there! I am indeed a fan of GRRM. It seems a lot of people were disappointed with A Feast for Crows - honestly, I still enjoyed it, even if I was disappointed by the absence of many of my favorite characters. Still (anxiously) awaiting A Dance with Dragons!

If you want to get into Erikson, you should just start at the beginning of the series, with Gardens of the Moon. I've told a lot of people this, however: Gardens is pretty confusing the first time through. I think Deadhouse Gates (book 2) is where you first see how truly genius Erikson is, and my first time through the series, I actually went back and read Gardens after Deadhouse and it made a lot more sense that way. If you decide to delve into Erikson, let me know what you think! He seems to be an either-loved-or-hated author amongst fantasy fans.

Take care!
Dani

inlägg gjort av philosojerk vid 12:16 am (EST) Sep 11, 2008

Fevre Dream is one I'd recommend, yes. It's a vampire novel. I've seen it criticised for not being innovative enough, but (even if that's true, which I don't know) that doesn't bother me a bit. With Martin, it's often all about the emotional punch. Fevre Dream has that in spades.

My favourite of his is The Armageddon Rag. (This one's been posted about recently on BoingBoing -- see http://www.boingboing.net/2008/09/08/geo... ). It's about a '60s rock band getting back together in the '80s, and about survivors of the counterculture trying to make sense of everything they went through, and what they've become afterward. Oh, and there's a story of black magic and possession thrown in, too.

I also love Dying of the Light, his only "pure" science fiction novel. Again, it's a great blend of the poignant and emotional with an exciting adventure story.

He's written more short stories than novels, and these have just been collected in a book called Rretrospective (available in one or two volumes).

There are others, but those are the four I'm mad for. All great stuff, in my opinion.

Good to see others becoming fans!

inlägg gjort av MonkeyRobo vid 2:40 pm (EST) Sep 9, 2008

I've decided to wait until Martin's finished the whole thing before carrying on. I've read the first three volumes, and I thought they were great -- but I'd rather read the whole thing all at once than get the story piece by piece.

Some of his earlier stuff is excellent as well. If the Song of Ice and Fire books are your first ones, there are plenty more out there to look forward to.

inlägg gjort av MonkeyRobo vid 8:29 am (EST) Sep 6, 2008

So far, "A Feast For Crows" is great. I'm about half way finished but work has limited my nightly reading as of late. I definately can't wait for the last book in the series. I pre-ordered it on Amazon but according to Martin's website (a while back that is) it'll still be a while before its out.

inlägg gjort av merlin_r68 vid 10:00 pm (EST) Sep 3, 2008

"Sarum" was my first exposure to Rutherfurd. Picked it up in a used bookstore - the title and subject intrigued me. It really blew me away with the sweep of it, and it's ties, over millenia, to the land. But "London", for reasons I can't put my finger on, seems to have stayed with me longer. I think it's because it has all the same things going for it that "Sarum" had, plus the added benefit of a location that brings up such powerful associations to anyone with an interest in world history. "London" is the first book I think of when I consider re-reading one of his works (or any historical fiction, actually).

I also read "The Forest", "Princes of Ireland", and "Rebels of Ireland". I posted a review for "Rebels" and meant to do so for "Princes". I'd rate them both about the same, and much for the same reasons. Excellent hist. novels, but not quite the calibre of "Sarum" or "London". Still well worth the read.

I've not read "Russka" yet. My personal interests lie more in the British Isles and the Mediteranean. But that might change once I've read "Russka".

regards,
Os.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
you wrote: "...Edward Rutherfurd...I've read Sarum and The Forest. I enjoyed Sarum the most, especially the first half of it. Which novels of his do you like best?

inlägg gjort av Osbaldistone vid 10:58 am (EST) Sep 2, 2008

Not that I can think of, off the top of my head. I know there's one other author who writes epic historic literature like Rutherford's, but I can't remember the name. I'll let you know if I do!

inlägg gjort av DreamGoldenHaze vid 11:26 pm (EST) Aug 31, 2008

Stephanie Meyer: Guilty as charged. I read #2 and #3 and just bought #1 and #4. I normally read in order, but that's how it worked out.... It's ok, but not mind blowing. Chick lit with fangs.

I like George R.R. Martin (as you know) and Fevre Dream is on my wishlist....

inlägg gjort av cathepsut vid 2:13 pm (EST) Aug 19, 2008

Hey, I am a friend of Littlebookworm's and when I saw you were interested in Classics and the construction projects, I couldn't help but respond--being a history and classics major myself. Not knowing what you have or haven't read, here is a quick checklist.

Try reading Julius Caesar's commentary of Gaul (commentary being the technical term..it is usually known as the Gallic Wars), and also I think the Plutarch or Suetonius life of Caesar, which go over some of his works. I think Plutarch's Alexander and probably Arrian go over Alexander's siege of Tyre, and Arrian talks about Alexander's buildings in Babylon and elsewhere throughout it.

Suetonius is a little bit crazy and makes up his story a good amount, but he has some interesting things to say about construction in the lives of Augustus and Nero.

Let me know if this helps!

inlägg gjort av koboldninja.5 vid 11:28 pm (EST) Aug 18, 2008

>Which vampire novels or authors in that genre do you like most?

Well, a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away I read Bram Stoker's Dracula. And then Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire. That was before all the hype and the fame. I read her Vampire Chronicles until volume 4 or 5 and then lost interest. The first 4 were very good. I think by now she has written too many and run out of steam.

I've read a lot of those semi-erotic, girly, romantic vampire series that are about in abundance:

About 15 or so volumes of Laurell K. Hamilton's series of Anita Blake Vampire Hunter -- the first few are very good, before the amount of sex rises proportionally to the loss of plot.

The Blood series by Tanya Huff is not bad.

The Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries by Charlaine Harris are very tongue-in-cheek and fun.

Carrie Vaughn's mystery series (Kitty Norville) is good, but more about werewolves than vampires. Although they make an appearance.

I haven't reached saturation levels yet with those series, but would not mind some inspiration from your side, if you can recommend any other authors, that are a bit more on the 'manly' or 'horror' side of things...

Cathy

inlägg gjort av cathepsut vid 12:42 pm (EST) Aug 14, 2008

Hey I wanted to let you know that due to some recommendations and connections from your site, I picked up and read both "Old Man's War" by Scalzi and "Altered Carbon by Morgan and they made for some fine reading. Thanks.

inlägg gjort av BruderBane vid 10:00 pm (EST) Aug 13, 2008

Thanks for dropping by to say hello! :) It's a pleasure to meet others who appreciate a well written story - especially well written, well researched historical fiction. That's what appeals to me about Cornwell's writing. Even when he plays around with historical fact, in his notes he lets the reader know that he's done so. And his deviations from the facts are always to good effect.

It was the Sharpe series that I first began reading - books borrowed from the local library - and Richard Sharpe remains a favorite character. But right now I'd have a difficult time choosing between the Saxon series and the Grail Quest series as my favorite. I just finished Sword Song, having gradually read the preceding books in the Saxon Series - and thoroughly enjoying each. But The Archer's Tale captured my interest so strongly that I ended up reading the other two books in that series, one after the other, in two days, and nights - sleep was elusive until I'd finished Heretic.

As for Tolkien, that love affair began nearly forty years ago. While some critics persist in downplaying the quality of the Professor's work, I remain an unabashed fan of his word-weaving.

inlägg gjort av Edrys vid 6:45 pm (EST) Aug 10, 2008

I don't read a lot of spy novels, but sometimes I mix some of them in. Or some crime novel or a thriller. Some adventure yarn. I've been reading a lot of Urban Fantasy this year -- werewolves, vampires, wizards, that kind of stuff. Nothing very deep or varied. I felt I needed something else, before grabbing the next vampire romper....

inlägg gjort av cathepsut vid 6:24 pm (EST) Aug 9, 2008

I am currently reading this:
http://www.librarything.com/work/864336/...

Think Sherlock Holmes as a painter, better looking and very gay. Funny, weird, amusing. Mark Gatiss wrote and played in The League of Gentlemen, a very successful British comedy series. Have you ever sen it? His books feel similarly quirky....

League of Gentlemen website:
http://www.leagueofgentlemen.co.uk/

And here's an interview with him, talking about the book (eventually):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kat1tAsWC...

Cath

inlägg gjort av cathepsut vid 6:22 am (EST) Aug 9, 2008

Hi Steven, excuse the long delay, only just got my Internet connection set-up after moving...
A Feast for Crows -- still on my TBR-pile! My friend Anne read it already and did not like it as much as the first three.
Tolkien -- only ever read LOTR, which I loved. I love Fantasy anyway.
Wilbur Smith -- hm, I've pretty much gone off him in recent years. The Leopard Hunts in Darkness was pretty good. And I lo9ved River God -- but I lived in Egypt for a long time, so I am biased. The Dark of the Sun is (one of) his first and a classic...
Cathy

inlägg gjort av cathepsut vid 5:02 pm (EST) Aug 7, 2008

Looking forward to reading your first chapter when you get it on the site. Good luck with your revisions. I don't know how you feel about revisions, but personally I don't mind them much. If I'm revising it means I got the groundwork done. And I find I don't mind cutting as much as I used to. Used to be I thought every single word was precious because I created it and I couldn't bear to ditch any of them. Not so much now.

inlägg gjort av Fourpawz2 vid 12:50 am (EST) Aug 5, 2008

I read the first of the Saxon Chronicles, but haven't followed up with the last two. I liked the book a lot, and just haven't gotten around to taking up the rest of the series.
Kevin

inlägg gjort av ksmyth vid 10:04 am (EST) Aug 4, 2008

Thanks, Steven!I look even more forward to reading The Forest, now.

I'm curious if you have read any of Martin's other novels? I'm thinking specifically of Fevre Dream: given your appreciation for historical fiction, you may perhaps enjoy it. Although it is most certainly not an ancient or medieval setting, his historical details are quite meticulous and as always, his writing is very good.

It is, at heart, a steamboat novel set on the Mississippi in the late 1850's with a dark, vampiric theme. If gothic horror novels typically don't appeal to you, this one is definately worth making an exception for! Although it is a very different voice for Martin than his Fire and Ice work, he speaks in it just as masterfully and gracefully.

If you happen to be looking for SF, I also remember enjoying Dying of the Light, though it's been a few years since I've read it.

Your website looks very enticing! I intend to give it a good look when I have a bit of spare time!

And as an aside, I know what you mean about not reviewing enough...everytime I finish a book, my head is so aswirl with thoughts of it that I always mean to get down, if only to satisfy my own writing itch. But alas, I'm always distracted by something shiny (usually in the form of some unread book glinting at me mysteriously from my bookshelf!)and I too often put the review aside for a later time!

inlägg gjort av glowboat vid 5:57 am (EST) Jul 30, 2008

Also, you asked about Eco?

I adored The Name of the Rose. It was the first book of his that I read.

As for recommendations, I myself enjoyed Baudolino quite a bit, though most seem to prefer Foucault's Pendulum...which I found to be a fantastic story weighted down by stilted sections of wordiness. The wordiness is worthwhile to wade through though, especially if you don't mind really absorbing what you are reading.

Actually, apart from The Name of the Rose, I find I enjoy his essays the most:Misreadings and How to Travel with a Salmon are both utterly delightful collections, and well worth the perusal. His wit really seems to shine most brightly in them.

Thanks so much for getting in touch Steven. Now I have a question for you:
I was recently gifted with a beautiful copy of The Forest, by Edward Rutherford. I've never read anything at all by him before. Can you tell me why he's listed in your favorite authors, and what to expect? Thanks!, and cheers!

inlägg gjort av glowboat vid 3:42 am (EST) Jul 28, 2008

Hi Steven! Sorry I've been so long in replying; I've been away from my computer.

A Feast for Crows was a great book, though I have to admit to some disappointment. After waiting so long for it, it was a bit frustrating to only get half of the current story! Still, it's one of my favorite fantasy series, by far, and I can't wait until the next installment comes out. I'd recommend it, certainly, but if you can hold off until the next one is released, it might be a fine idea to read them back to back.

inlägg gjort av glowboat vid 3:11 am (EST) Jul 28, 2008

Hi Steven - Thanks for making the first contact. I haven't replied because I've been out of my librarything loop for a little while. Recently, I've been reading more Cornwell and Martin than the others, but I do really enjoy the Follett thrillers. You asked about Pride of Carthage - I highly recommend it. I really enjoyed how Durham developed the character of Hannibal. The novel really focuses on the humanity and intellect behind his actions. I haven't read Acacia, but the reviews all say that it is as carefully crafted and written as his other novels. I'm looking forward to giving it a read.

inlägg gjort av cindycarter311 vid 12:36 am (EST) Jul 28, 2008

Hi Steven - it's terrible, there are soooooo many books I would love to read! I will check out Nicholas Sparks. Thanks for the tip. Also I just got notice that I scored a early reviewer copy of 'Sweetsmoke' by David Miller. It's about the Civil War and slavery - looks pretty good. Thanks again -
Erin

inlägg gjort av erinmontague vid 2:06 pm (EST) Jul 25, 2008

Not yet, but I have been looking for some of his other books. I belong to a couple of book clubs, I use the "Friends of the Library" and a used book store, but have not found any of his books there yet. I have my son and one of his friends looking too. We all like Martin's writing.

inlägg gjort av Kaysee vid 1:08 pm (EST) Jul 25, 2008

Steve, I've always enjoyed the Sharpe novels even though they're pretty formulaic. I especially liked the three that take place in India. However, my favorite Cornwell book is probably The Archer's Tale. It really fueled my interest in the Hundred Years War.

inlägg gjort av ksmyth vid 8:25 am (EST) Jul 25, 2008

Hi there. It is nice to find other people who enjoy Edward Rutherford's work. Other novels by him that I've read are London, Russka and The Forest. I'm trying to find time to read the Dublin Saga, too. Read any of those?

Indeed, you've got to love Tolkien. :-)

inlägg gjort av DreamGoldenHaze vid 5:26 pm (EST) Jul 24, 2008

They run (so far) from 1858 to 1868, following the story of two distant cousins – male and female - from Massachusetts and Virginia – their , friendship, courtship, separation, participation in the war, reunion, marriage, the beginnings of Reconstruction and the problems they have with the northerners and southerners they are trying to live among. I really wanted to see if I could write anything near creditable, combat-wise, for I think a lot of female writers tend to skirt around the edges of the matter when they are called upon to do it. I don’t know if I’ve been successful; people tell me I’m pretty bloody, but then they are people who like me – I think.
As for the Civil War fiction I read, I have to confess that I’ve read practically none. Killer Angels of course and I am in the process of reading Bernard Cornwell’s Starbuck series, but all in all I have mostly tried to stay clear of that era in fiction for fear of some other writer’s stuff leaching into mine. I have a horror of unconsciously plagiarizing ideas or phrasing.

I just read the excerpt from “The Ravens Beneath the Ash” – is this the short story you speak of or is it from your novel? (Sorry, I’m not able to thoroughly explore your site right now – there is a hell of a thunder storm going on and I’m going to get off LT in a minute before I’m struck dead).

inlägg gjort av Fourpawz2 vid 11:49 pm (EST) Jul 23, 2008

By the way, Gardens of The Moon is the place to start, its an epic series, be ready for a long haul!
Eoin

inlägg gjort av eoinpurcell vid 7:03 pm (EST) Jul 23, 2008

Hey,

Thanks for the comment. I loved the Cornwell's Sharpe, that's what I started with.

However, his Arthur books really reminded me of some of the stuff I had read when I was younger, Rosemary Sutcliff and the like, and that was great.

I haven't started this latest series but I think I'll like it!

As for Martin, amazing! Pure amazing the scope is exceptional!

inlägg gjort av eoinpurcell vid 6:50 pm (EST) Jul 23, 2008

Cornwell's Grail books are unique in that they are subversive. Derfel, the main character, loves and admires Arthur, but he doesn't always agree and spends a big section of two books being furious at him. Lancelot is not the greatest knight of the age, but a vainglorious coward. Guinevere is essentially a gold-digger. It's those little tweaks to the stories we think we know and the humanity that Cornwell breathes into the myth that makes these books so great, and The Winter King my very favorite.

inlägg gjort av johnleague vid 3:17 pm (EST) Jul 23, 2008

I will probably have to re-read all of the series before I read his new book just to keep everyone straight. He did tend to stay more with one group in the Feast of Crows but explained at the end that the tale is getting to big to try to keep switching back and forth as in the previous books.

I have read Fevre Dream which I thought was excellant. Highly recommend this one. I read Hunters Run which is ok. George R R Martin is a very good storyteller but in Hunters Run I began to see where the story was going before it got there. Good read - but not as good as some of his others.

inlägg gjort av Kaysee vid 9:11 am (EST) Jul 23, 2008

Totally, huge fan of his. The Saxon Chronicles are amazing.

inlägg gjort av euthanatos vid 11:49 pm (EST) Jul 22, 2008

If you liked Sarum, you would probably like London too! It starts out in pre-historical times as far as I recall, like most of Rutherfurd's books do. I'm with you on preferring the medieval bits, though. Those are always my favorite parts of his books. If you like them, you might also like Roma by Steven Saylor, which is in a similar format but about the founding of Rome. It depends if classical history interests you, but it might be a title to look into. =)

I'm going to be reading The Warlord Chronicles as soon as I can acquire The Winter King. I hope they're as good as the Saxon series is!

inlägg gjort av littlebookworm vid 9:55 pm (EST) Jul 22, 2008

Hi Steven, I really enjoyed 'The Traitors Wife ' by Susan Higginbotham. I have not read anything else by her but really like that particular novel. I say in my library description that I like just about anything - but I think I lied. I notice that I do not have any biographies, or autobiographies. Not one! I guess I read mainly for entertainment and escape, and historical fiction - medieval fiction seem to be high on my list. I like 'some' creepy stuff too. One of my favorite books of all time is 'The Stand' by Stephen King. He sure knows how to tell a story.

I also love those 'girl' books, you know women friends forever type. (probably not on your list;) I was lucky enough to receive an early reviewers copy of "The Wednesday Sisters" by Meg Waite Clayton and then actually got to meet her in person at a reading near where I live. How cool is that!? If you haven't joined the Early Reviewers yet, do it! It's a wonderful thing to get a free book and get a chance to post a little review of it. Love it!

Erin

inlägg gjort av erinmontague vid 7:25 pm (EST) Jul 22, 2008

I enjoy George R. R. Martin's writing very much. I am disappointed in the fact that at the end of "Feast of Crows" he said that the next book was almost ready to print and that was two years ago. Series are always so hard to read one at a time. I have read a couple of other books by him that I really enjoyed also.

inlägg gjort av Kaysee vid 12:09 pm (EST) Jul 22, 2008

I really liked A Feast for Crows. Like many others I missed a lot of characters and therefore I'm looking forward to A Dance with Dragons, but the writing and the story is as good as the first three books.

Regarding Erikson and his Malazan Book of the Fallen series you should start with Gardens of the Moon. It's definitely one of the best fantasy series I've read! I agree with CUViper that it is a very complex world and you have to figure it out by yourself, but it's worth the effort.

inlägg gjort av Mailand vid 10:15 am (EST) Jul 22, 2008

Favorite Cornwell series: the Grail. His Arthur books are simply amazing. Much as I love the Saxon books, the Arthur books will always be my favorites, which is high praise.

Martin is wonderful and infuriating at the same time. His books just keep getting bigger and bigger without any sense of a winding up of plot or character. I had the same complaint about Robert Jordan.

inlägg gjort av johnleague vid 9:32 am (EST) Jul 22, 2008

No, there is no website. I'm jealous of my time and I don't want to have to deal with that. If I were published, I suppose it might be different, but until that (far off) day, I think I will remain website-less.
I have finished two American Civill War era novels and am struggling with a third (just to finish up with a few characters), and I am fooling around with a fantasy novel and a novel about 17th century America - specifically King Philips's War. Some days I think that I have much too much in my head and that all that diversity is making the writing process more difficult.

inlägg gjort av Fourpawz2 vid 12:24 pm (EST) Jul 21, 2008

Well, I have yet to read Cornwell's Arthurian trilogy or any of the Sharpe series, but so far my favorite is definitely the Saxon Tales. I really liked Lords of the North, I hope you do too!

As for Martin, well, A Feast for Crows is not up to the standards of his first three in ASoIF. It would probably still be up there if it had included better characters. I'm really looking forward to A Dance with Dragons, although it has been so long that I'll have to reread the first four to remember what's supposed to be happening.

I also enjoy Edward Rutherfurd's books - my favorite of his is definitely London. Which is yours?

inlägg gjort av littlebookworm vid 11:06 am (EST) Jul 21, 2008

If I got info on Feast for crows wrong, well obviously I haven't read it yet, so I could easily have confused stuff I've heard or forgotton or whatever.

My definition of Swords and Horses is sort of Middle-ages style, Knights and epic land wars. There is frequently magic, but not always. sometimes there are other races, sometimes not. It's usually High Adventure. So, Robert Jordan's Wheel of time stuff definitely, Martin's stuff, Terry Goodkind, Much of Terry Brooks' stuff, (if Brian Jacques characters weren't all rodents, that would be swords-and-horses), Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series (even though that's more Roman than middle-ages), Lord of The Rings, Dragonlance, much of R.A. Salvator's stuff, Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series. No electricity. No Aliens. Nothing where Romance is the entire point. The world can be different, slightly different rules and very different countries, but, say, Weis&Hickman's Death Gate Cycle is only borderline, because the composition of the Worlds involved are so atypical. Good Series, though.

inlägg gjort av KristiCritchley vid 12:03 am (EST) Jul 21, 2008

Hi Steve:
It's so hard for me to choose just one Cornwell series, but forced to it I would have to say that I probably like the Warlord Chronicles the best. As for Martin - yes, A Feast For Crows is a little weak, but I think it was a result of his having to split his fourth book into two on account of it being just too damn big. I think that left alone, it might have been as powerful as the first three. I have great hopes for the next one. I've only completed the Farseer Trilogy. I'm not sure how I feel about Hobb's writing; there were times when I was reading one of them that I just wanted to chuck it and then wham! - it picked up and I went on.
I see by your website (yes, I peeked, briefly) that you are a writer and that your feelings about the process are a lot like mine. For me there is nothing better than having a really good day writing - when I make my 1200 words and they are good ones.
Thanks for contacting me - it's good hearing from a Cromwell/Martin fan.

inlägg gjort av Fourpawz2 vid 12:52 am (EST) Jul 20, 2008

Hi Steve,
Like a lot of others I thought Feast for Crows was a bit slower than the others, and since I prefer the North I was left wanting, but I still really liked it. I'm waiting (aren't we all?) with baited breath for the next book. Gotta see how my theories bear out.

As for LeGuin, she varies widely. If you read her Wizard of Earthsea series that'll be more mythological/fantasy than her Hainish novels like The Dispossessed (my favorite) and Left Hand of Darkness. Those book are more socio-political. But they are excellent, and the best known. Good luck and let me know how you like them!

Anything you can recommend?

inlägg gjort av lesleyap vid 12:29 pm (EST) Jul 19, 2008

Hey, Thanks for the comment. I'm only partway through storm of swords, actually. I got distracted by Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth Series and Jordan's Wheel of Time. Nice to see other fans though, your right. My cousin got Feast for Crows the day it came out and finished it by the following day. Our friend Ian (http://www.librarything.com/profile/ianm...) and another friend also finished it pretty quick and the three of them were raving about it for weeks. Apparently it was quite good. And also a cliffhanger. Like, literally. Dance with dragons is the next one, I think, 'cause martin had to split them up and tell the targaeryn story seperately (which means that we won't get the resolution to the cliff hanger until the NEXT book comes out). DWD comes out this fall, I think, and is available for pre-order. I hope it's good, or My cousin might talk my ear off.

inlägg gjort av KristiCritchley vid 1:03 am (EST) Jul 19, 2008

I'm way behind, actually; I haven't even read A Storm of Swords yet, so Crows is still off the radar for now. The thing is, I need to go back and reread the first two books, and that'll be a huge timesink. A solid week of no obligations to catch up would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath for that!

inlägg gjort av iamrazorwing vid 10:48 pm (EST) Jul 18, 2008

Hi Steven,

Thank you for your comments. I enjoyed A song of Ice and Fire very much, but I have put off reading the last book in the series, I prefer to wait until the other half of the book is done.

From Guy Gavriel Kay I would reccommend Tigana, The Fionavar trilogy and The Lions of Al-Rassan.

inlägg gjort av egraaf vid 3:49 pm (EST) Jul 18, 2008

Hi Steven, thanks for visiting! I do love George R. R. Martins books - I have yet to read the last of the series- people told me it wasn't as good as the earlier books so I kind of skipped it. I really loved those books! It's still on my shelf though so someday;) Totally recommend 'Fevre Dream' (Vampires!)

I read both Pillars and World. Actually liked Pillars better because World was so similar it seemed rather repetitive. Both good though. The only other book I have read by Ken Follett was 'The Eye of the Needle' which was a suspense action spy thriller. They made a movie out of it I believe. Very good but completely different than Pillars or World.

The blond puppy is named Betsy and she is 7 months old. She is a great dog! We are raising her for Canine Companions for Independence, (cci.org) which means we will have to give her back next May:( It will be hard, but if you know anything about service dogs you understand how wonderful it is for someone to receive such a gift - for free! Makes such a difference for someone with a disability. The graduation ceremonies where they match a dog with a disabled person are very, very moving.
Thanks for stopping by! Any recommendations for me?

Erin

inlägg gjort av erinmontague vid 8:36 pm (EST) Jul 17, 2008

I am thinking that you might enjoy these two threads here at LT:

http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.ph...

http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.ph...

Thankfully, we have an appreciably large number of people here who are extremely fond of historical fiction. I have found about a hundred books I want to read just from browsing historical fiction threads in LT forums.

inlägg gjort av An_Fear_Glas vid 10:48 pm (EST) Jul 16, 2008

Edward Rutherford's books: "Sarum" is my favourite of his thus far, though for more than just the prose style and the characters. I have a particular fondness for the geographical location too. His "Russka" novel was pretty similar to Sarum in style, and I have it as a close runner-up for a favourite from Rutherford.

"London" has been a bit different. I recently acquired it and the style has changed. He seemed a bit more interested in detailing the minutiae of the characters' lives. This is, I imagine, because he is dealing mostly with an urban setting, being a bit smaller in scope than his other works, instead of a generally regional view, and the history of London is certainly a colourful one. It is my third favourite. I still plan to read more of his works soon.

Umberto Eco: Like many of his fans, I read "Il nome della rosa" because of the delightful movie of the same name starring Sean Connery. One of my older siblings rented it and read the book, and I tend to trust his judgement in both film and literature (he is MattMcg here at LibraryThing). I was not disappointed.

"Il nome della rosa" was somewhat arduous reading for me at the time since I was young-ish during the 1980s, but I re-read it over the years and was able to get more and more out of it as time passed and my interest in both religion and history expanded. The book entitled "Key to The Name of the Rose" is an excellent companion to Eco's book. It saves a lot of time looking up some of the more obscure details of the theological disputes between the Franciscans and the Mediterranean powers-that-were and the Papacy which form a large part of the plot.

I definitely think Eco's novels are for the sort of folk who delve pretty deep into mediaeval and ancient Western theology and history. Eco himself is an extraordinarily well-read and intelligent person, and he caters to the same sort of audience. His work in semiotics leaves me breathless sometimes, though mostly in how it works so well with C. Jung's works more often than not.

For his other books, I have enjoyed every one of them. "Baudolino" was entertaining and amusing, more so than most of Eco's work. He obviously had fun writing it. The characters will charm you if you have any appreciation for irony and sardonic wit. "Foucault's Pendulum" was a slow read for me, like having a good expensive whiskey to drink. I was certain to go through it around ten or fifteen pages at a time to savour it as he was dealing with many topics of special interest to myself. "The Island of the Day Before" is the strangest in style of his fiction for me thus far. It had a curiously disjointed narrative which irritated me at first, but grew on me as I began to understand the purpose of it in the context of the story.

I have read around twenty of his other works, but I think this response is probably already more than you were seeking. :)

inlägg gjort av An_Fear_Glas vid 10:43 pm (EST) Jul 16, 2008

Definitely start Erikson with Gardens of the Moon. Just beware that his is a very complex world, and he seems unwilling to do very much exposition. It's challenging for a while to figure out how everything connects. I found that I enjoyed the later books more, probably because I'd gotten my bearings by then, but I've been meaning to go back and revisit the early ones...

How about your favorites? I haven't read any of Cornwell, Follet, or Rutherfurd -- any recommendations there?

inlägg gjort av CUViper vid 1:22 am (EST) Jul 11, 2008

Hi Steven -- kudos on the excellent taste in authors. :) A Feast for Crows is definitely a great part of the series. As others have mentioned though, missing half of the characters makes the wait for A Dance with Dragons all that more agonizing. If you have enough else to read, it might be better to wait and save it for a mega back-to-back read.

inlägg gjort av CUViper vid 11:09 pm (EST) Jul 10, 2008

Thank you for the recommendations! I'll have to check those out. :)

-FeegleFan

inlägg gjort av FeegleFan vid 12:28 am (EST) Jul 10, 2008

Hi Steven,

thank you for the comment. I was actually thinking of rereading ASOFAI series the other day, when we were playing the Game of Thrones board game with my friends. I think you will enjoy Feast for Crows. Just remember that half of the characters are not even in the book and will appear in A Dance with Dragons. :) If Amazon is correct, it will be released on September 30th, 2008. I love the series, but the huge gaps between the books make me cry.

inlägg gjort av alchymyst vid 9:46 am (EST) Jul 8, 2008

I think Night Over Water or The Man From St. Petersburg would be good starting points in Follett's work. They are two of my favorite Follett works besides Pillars, of course. Hammer of Eden is the only one of his that I have read and not enjoyed. Starting with that one, might make someone doubt the rest of his books :(

Happy Reading!
Dan

inlägg gjort av DanoStone vid 8:26 am (EST) Jul 8, 2008

Steven: Based on all these comments, you seem to get around! And thanks for visiting my LT!

As far as A Feast for Crows, I'm with Gwenhwyfach: I enjoyed the book because of GRRM's writing and incredible imagination, but a full cast would have been better. There was scuttlebutt going around that A Feast was originally twice its size and the publisher refused a 2,000 page book, so it was split with the stories of half the characters. I think that's Oscar Meyer Bologna: GRRM, by his own admission, has been dawdling around writing the next book, A Dance with Dragons for months (years).

And I think that's unfair to his fans. GRRM is a big kid who loves toys and conventions rather than getting the work done--could he be burning out, I wonder? Stephen King dawdled with The Dark Tower too, but he finally sat down and finished it.

As far as Cornwell, I really liked The Grail Quest series. It not only made me realize how incredibly stupid the Hundred Years War was, but the description of the Battle of Cricy was the finest and most understandable battle scene I've ever read. I still have the third book in The Saxon Chronicles to read, and two books in The Winter King (Arthur)series to go.

After I've finished with those I'm curious about his Civil War trilogy, but I suspect I'll have to hunt those down.

BTW, I enjoy your blog. I've been on Blogger for about three years, but I'm on hiatus--I may be taking after GRRM and burning out.

inlägg gjort av BrainFlakes vid 5:16 pm (EST) Jul 7, 2008

Hey Steven,
Good to hear from a Follett fan!'

I'm exactly the same when it comes to Pillars of the Earth. I constantly recommend it to people. It's one of my all-time favorites. I agree about the sequel. World Without End was good, and I think it would have been great if not for my constant and mostly unavoidable comparison to Pillars. I think that trying to match the emotional depth and richness of Pillars of the Earth is a nearly-impossible task.

Have you read all of Follett's other works? I've read most of them, with only 3 or 4 to go. I've jumped back to his early days recently, and just started Paper Money. So far it's exciting but I'm only a short way into it.

Have a good day!
Dan

inlägg gjort av DanoStone vid 8:40 am (EST) Jul 7, 2008

I have really enjoyed Cornwells books. Although I haven't been able to get into his civil war series.
I see some comments on Till We Have Faces. That is one of Lewis' best. Lewis even said that was his own favorite of his books.
I recently found another series by Naomi Novik. Temeraire It's set during the Napoleonic Wars like the Sharpe's series and the Patrick Obrian series, only it adds a touch of fantasy. She adds dragons to the mix.

inlägg gjort av RickLewis vid 1:06 pm (EST) Jul 6, 2008

Dance with Dragons isn't so much parallel as the other half of the same book. So it will be the exact same story but with the other half of the characters that didn't make the first one. I have a major dislike for Cersei so I didn't enjoy her perspective much, I'm rather hoping she is killed off soon.

CS Lewis's "Till We Have Faces" is completely different from all of his other works. All of the heavy handed use of religion in Narnia is gone, in fact it doesn't read like a Christian book at all. It is a retelling of Cupid and Psyche told from the perspective of Psyche's sister Orual.

inlägg gjort av Gwenhwyfach vid 7:51 pm (EST) Jul 5, 2008

What would I recommend for new SF readers? You mean, besides my books? :-)

I wrote a post on that topic on my blog a while back, and there were over a hundred responses from the SF community. Here it is: Introductory SF Books for Literary Readers

inlägg gjort av DavidLouisEdelman vid 4:51 pm (EST) Jul 5, 2008

It's been a while since I read it now, but I liked A Feast for Crows fine, maybe slightly less than the previous books, but only because some of my favourite characters weren't in it. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you liked the previous ones.

And yes, I do have to love Lewis and Tolkien, yhough I have still not managed to get my hands on Lewis' space trilogy.

As for Hobb, I quite liked he farseer series, but it is the Liveship Traders trilogy which is her best work, in my opinion, Of course, you still need to read Farseer first, if you want to get the full picture.

inlägg gjort av Obdormio vid 4:00 pm (EST) Jul 5, 2008

Thanks for the comment.

As for A Feast for Crows, I think it was far and away the least of the Westeros books so far... I wrote a more comprehensive review of it when it came out.

And will I ever write full-time? If the income ever rises to the level where I can support myself... sure. In a heartbeat.

Dave

inlägg gjort av DavidLouisEdelman vid 9:40 am (EST) Jul 5, 2008

Thanks for the welcome, Steven. My family and I are excited to be in Birmingham. Maybe we can get together for a cup of coffee to talk about GRRM sometime.

The ASO job was appealing for several reasons: it's a good orchestra already, with a sense that Justin Brown can really take it places. As a business, there are a few things that it does well already, and other areas where things can be improved. And there are a group of community leaders who are very generous supporters and want to see that pool of support expanded. All good reasons to think the ASO can grow and be a greater asset to the region.

Best wishes,

Curt

inlägg gjort av clong vid 6:57 am (EST) Jul 5, 2008

I actually haven't read any of the ASOFAI series by Martin; my favorite of his stuff is the Wild Cards series, Fevre Dream (his vampire novel), and Windhaven, with Lisa Tuttle.

As for Lawhead, I liked Hood, and I'll get the second in the series, Scarlet, when it comes out. I haven't read The Iron Lance, but I did like The Song of Albion series, and I have his Arthurian series, but haven't gotten around to reading it, yet. So many books, so little time.

inlägg gjort av BrigidsBlest vid 8:49 pm (EST) Jul 4, 2008

Yeah, I've enjoyed most of the stuff of Cornwell's I've read so far. Conn Iggulden is probably worth looking into, too.

inlägg gjort av nickl vid 8:35 pm (EST) Jul 3, 2008

His work is awesome, I am a little weary of his "Sharpe chronicles". I have loved every book by him so far. The first half of the "Winterking" was a little slow but it picked up and turned out to be a great trilogy. Happy reading!

inlägg gjort av jkovach vid 4:48 pm (EST) Jul 3, 2008

Cornwell is always great, I've enjoyed all of his series. Strangely the only series i haven't really delved into is Sharpe's. Too many books, too little time!

inlägg gjort av SurlyTurtle vid 3:32 pm (EST) Jul 3, 2008

Hi Stephen,

A Feast for Crows was good, but unforntunately, only focuses on the South. The north is left alone for the most part, although A Dance with Dragons should further their story.

As to Lawhead, I recommend you read the Song of Albion trilogy or the stand alone Byzantium as his best works. Hood is good, but these are much better.

John
Grasping for the Wind: Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Reviews

inlägg gjort av graspingforthewind vid 9:40 am (EST) Jul 3, 2008

Feast for Crows was my least favorite of Martin's books so far, mainly because I missed having a full cast of characters, that is not to say it was a bad book, the writing was still superb, but the only character I really liked in this one was Arya all the rest are in the next half which should more than make up for it.

As for Robin Hobb, her Farseer series was good, definitely worth finishing, and seems to be the perpetual favourite but I prefer her Liveship trilogy. I thought it better written and the concepts of the ships were something different and a little dark. Of course her latest series The Soldier Son trilogy is one of the most depressing things I've ever read and that is saying something as Martin is not exactly about happy endings and butterflies either. I don't know if I'm even going to finish..

You mentioned C.S. Lewis. Have you read Till We Have Faces by him? It's my favourite of his works but it seems one of his least known.

inlägg gjort av Gwenhwyfach vid 9:04 pm (EST) Jul 2, 2008

I wasn't a big fan of the Archer's Tale but I really enjoyed the other two books in that series. My favorite are the Arthur Books. I love the stories about Arthur and the knights of the round table and this was a new twist on that story. Don't get me wrong, I love the Saxon Chronicles but for me the Arthur Books are more enjoyable.

inlägg gjort av DaddyPupcake vid 11:51 pm (EST) Jul 1, 2008

Thank you so much for the recommendations. I appreciate it! :)

inlägg gjort av Tylidae vid 5:49 pm (EST) Jul 1, 2008

You mentioned medieval nonfiction. Can you recommend anything particularly good in reference to lifestyles? I'm trying to do some research for a novel, and any help is better than none. :)

inlägg gjort av Tylidae vid 5:39 pm (EST) Jun 30, 2008

I envy you having some of the Saxon C's to still read
All I can do is wait for the next!

Outside of Wilbur Smith and the Flashman series do you suppose there are any historical action series on par with that?

Ric

inlägg gjort av ricw vid 3:37 pm (EST) Jun 30, 2008

Thanks for the comment. Hope you enjoy the rest of the series. Uhtred is a fantastic character. What can you say about the Martin series in your library? Worth diving into??

inlägg gjort av lefay vid 1:32 pm (EST) Jun 30, 2008

Thanks for the link. I enjoy reading well written reviews and you seem to have an abundance of them.

inlägg gjort av BruderBane vid 12:32 am (EST) Jun 30, 2008

Lords of the North is excellent. I still haven't gotten around to reading Sword Song yet, either. I'm hoping for it to come out in paperback soon.

inlägg gjort av Tylidae vid 8:59 am (EST) Jun 28, 2008

Actually, I've reviewed each Cornwell book I've read to date. Check out my reviews here on librarything.

inlägg gjort av BruderBane vid 10:12 pm (EST) Jun 27, 2008

Thnak you for the comment. I still have the latest chapter in Mr. Cornwell's Saxon chronicles to read, been saving it for a summer weekend.

inlägg gjort av BruderBane vid 12:20 am (EST) Jun 27, 2008

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