Posted on 09/27/2013 12:03:41 PM PDT by Hugin
If you’re interesting in Richard the Third - who has just been found - try “Under the Hog” by Patrick Carleton (I know it’s a terrible title but it’s an excellent book) and “The Sunne in Splendor” by Sharon Penman. Excellent historical fictions.
I’ve read it so many times I got tired of going to the library, so I bought a copy.
Jeff Shaara. “The Glorious Cause”
From your examples you’d certainly like the Flashman series.
You can expand your light escapist semi-historical adventure taste to various genres such as sci-fi: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Larry Niven; and some authentic history-adventure would suit you too.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say Emperor has absolutely nothing to do with the historical record. Igulden takes some liberties with the history, but at least he tells about what is and isn’t accurate in his historical notes at the end. And as he points out, there isn’t a lot known about Julius Ceaser’s early life. And much less is known about Genghis, but he does stick pretty closely to what little is. What I liked about that series was his ability to present a completely alien mindset; an utterly ruthless conqueror who cared nothing for the traditional prizes of conquest; cities, land, gold, etc. It’s also a very rare thing in history for a single individual to create a nation out of people who never thought of themselves as such. Shaka Zulu did it too, but I can’t think of any others right off.
I thought the book much better also. I liked the way it went into the thought process and psychology of the snipers.
LOL!
Can you give me a title or two? Google and Amazon gave me a hodge podge of stuff.
Kenneth Roberts wrote some very good historical novels, mostly set in the late 18th to early 19th centuries. Robert Lewis Taylor wrote some amusing historical fiction, too. I’ve also enjoyed Dewey Lambdin’s books.
The novel depicts a Third World mass immigration to France which will lead to the destruction of Western civilization. Available for download here
More shameless self-promotion: my own novel, “Gifts”, is an historical tale with a metaphysical twist. But I might warn fundamentalist Freepers that the story’s premise is meant for those who can tolerate a Christian heretic’s notions...
These are all good.
The Walt Longmire series is pretty good, fun and easy.
The John Wells series is pretty good too. Some of them drag, but all in all decent.
Nelson Demille just came out with another one. I am reading it now...its pretty decent.
Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas - translation by Buss (must have unabridged edition in any case). You will not be disappointed.
Bump... I’ll be piggy-backing for the suggestions you get... always in need of suggestions!
You want to learn the truth about human condition, you read good fiction. You want to learn lies and interpretations about historical and contemporary topics, read non-fiction (YAWN!).
Do you read Ann Coulter's 5 year old books? Who does?
For escapism, one of the best was Robert E. Howard. Someone mentioned the Horatio Hornblower series. Absolutely outstanding storytelling. Get the whole series. You won’t be disappointed.
Some fine suggestions here but I'd throw a couple others into the ring: It's not fiction, but Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick will whisk you away accrost(sic) the turbulent ocean from the Old World to the New World and you'll get your learnnin on too. I can't recommend it highly enough.
Hampton Sides' epic American West novel Blood And Thunder is my favorite tome on the West and would make a smashing follow up to Mayflower.
Now both books are breezy reads, and my only wish is I could rediscover the unfolding stories within pages for the first time.
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