Who is the best Historical Fiction author?

[Mary Hoffman]

You're absolutely right tio mention Georgette Heyer, even though they are romances and might seem unfashioned to the female readers and too chick-y to the males. But she got me reading historical and The Devil's Cub was my favourite book as a young teenager. Did you ever read her detective novels, like A Blunt Instrument? I loved those too.

Mary

 

[Parmenion]

Snowdog: try Simons New series, starts with young bloods and then follwed by generals...totally different from Eagles books.


Connavar

Will be interesting to see Parmenion, i mean he must be something special to inspire your name

The name parmenion was inspired from Gemmells Lion of Macedon, it was a very important book for me, and still is.
I have always used the name online and my online book shop is parmenion books etc.... On the Scorrow forum i am Parmenion...and Simon liked the name enough to name one of his characters arfter Moi!!

the real Parmenion is a real tough cookie one of Alexander the greats generals, In fact Alexander had him murdered becasue he feared retribution after he drunkenly killed parmenions son. Parmenion had helped Phillip alexanders father build the macedonian kingdom...from what i have found out not a man to mess with.

 

[Snowdog]

Snowdog: try Simons New series, starts with young bloods and then follwed by generals...totally different from Eagles books.

I intend to get round to them at some stage, but I've got too many books to read already.

I like detective stories sometimes so I'll definitely check out Georgette Heyer's...

 

[Toraspanda]

My favorite historical authors are:

Must not forget Mary Renault who wrote excellent books on ancient Greece such as The Bull from the Sea, The King Must Die, The Persian Boy (about Alexander the Great) and many others. She was a groundbreaker.

Heartily endore this, and add The Mask of Apollo and The Praise Singer to the "must-reads" of this writer.

Another must, for those who are interested in the Elizabethan and especially Stuart periods in English history, is Margaret Irwin, with Young Bess, Royal Flush, The Stranger Prince, The Gay Galliard, The Proud Servant.

Someone mentioned Dostoevsky earlier, sorry, I forget who it was.
It's a long time since I read any of his books, but I'd hardly call him a writer of Historical novels - Crime and Punishment for instance, of which the main emphases are psychological and philosophical, is set in 19th century Russia. Dostoevsky lived from 1821 to 1881

 

[Connavar]

I must read Mary Renault!!

I have been looking for good HF about ancient Greece.

 

[Parmenion]

Snow dog if you like the detective stories have you tried Steven Saylors romana series? I quite like them, seeing a crime solved in rome without the aid of modern techniques.

 

[Snowdog]

Snow dog if you like the detective stories have you tried Steven Saylors romana series? I quite like them, seeing a crime solved in rome without the aid of modern techniques.

No I haven't. So far I've found historical mysteries to be a bit hit and miss. Ellis Peters (Cadfael) usually turns in a good book, though a bit formulaic (as are all such series), Iain Pears' An Instance of the Fingerpost was top drawer. The Athenian Murders seemed to me to be a pointless exercise is what must have seemed to the author to be a clever ruse but which would have worked much better as straightforward story-telling. The Name of the Rose is a true classic which I'd recommend to anyone, even if they've seen the film.

I've searched in vain for good books on a par with Eco's book but I've either missed them or they don't exist.

 

[murphy]

Snow dog if you like the detective stories have you tried Steven Saylors romana series? I quite like them, seeing a crime solved in rome without the aid of modern techniques.

Is this anything like Lindsey Davis' Marcus Didius Falco books?

 

[Parmenion]

Saylors are just an easy fun read, they dont go to town, its what i class as a by the pool book!!

for a bit more depth try Doherty, he does a good crime story set in alexander the greats army

 

[Connavar]

The girl in my bookshop recommended to Steven Saylor's detective Roman series.


It might be good and all but i dont like to mix the two genres. I read crime stories when i feel like it and when i read HF i want a real one,epic or not. I dont wanna read one about solving a crime.

 

[murphy]

Saylors are just an easy fun read, they dont go to town, its what i class as a by the pool book!!

for a bit more depth try Doherty, he does a good crime story set in alexander the greats army

So is Lindsey Davis a fun read, but she does get her facts straight about Roman times.

Will look up Doherty. What's the first name?

 

[Parmenion]

lifted this from my web site

"THE HOUSE OF DEATH" - Paul Doherty LARGE H/B D/J
Published by Constable & Robinson in 2001

“ It is the spring of 334BC and the young Alexander has led his troops to the banks of the Hellespont, poised to make his invasion into the empire of the great Persian King, Darius III. He knows he must win the approval of the gods for his enterprise and makes sacrifice after sacrifice, yet the smoke does not rise, the sacrifices are tainted …”

 

[murphy]

lifted this from my web site

"THE HOUSE OF DEATH" - Paul Doherty LARGE H/B D/J
Published by Constable & Robinson in 2001

“ It is the spring of 334BC and the young Alexander has led his troops to the banks of the Hellespont, poised to make his invasion into the empire of the great Persian King, Darius III. He knows he must win the approval of the gods for his enterprise and makes sacrifice after sacrifice, yet the smoke does not rise, the sacrifices are tainted …”

Thanks. Will look him up.

 

[Aleen]

I'm a fan of Steven Saylor - fun mysteries and excellent history. He's really clever at weaving his mysteries in and around people and events of the times leading up to the end of the Roman Republic. If you've read Colleen McCullough's "Masters of Rome" series you'll recognise many of the characters.

Saylor's website has a great feature called his "bookshop" which lists all sorts of books about Rome and the ancient world. It's a great resource if you're looking for new reading material in that era. There's a sentence or two describing each book and by clicking on the book you'll get to Amazon.com for a more complete description. Being new here I can't post a link, but here's the www if you're interested.

stevensaylor.com/Stephensbookshop.html

 

[Aleen]

Snow dog if you like the detective stories have you tried Steven Saylors romana series? I quite like them, seeing a crime solved in rome without the aid of modern techniques.

I'm a Saylor fan. His mysteries are fun and his historical facts are right on. He's very clever at working his plots around known events and people of the times leading up to the demise of the Roman Republic. If you've read Colleen McCullough's "Masters of Rome" series you'll recognise many of the characters.

Saylor's website has the most amazing list of historical fiction books about Rome and the ancient world if you're looking for ideas about what to read next in that era. I'm new so I can't provide a link, but if you Google "Steven's Bookshop/USA Novels" it will pop right up. If a book looks interesting, click on it and you'll be taken to Amazon.com for a more detailed description.

 

[Mary Hoffman]

Saylor's website has the most amazing list of historical fiction books about Rome and the ancient world if you're looking for ideas about what to read next in that era. I'm new so I can't provide a link, but if you Google "Steven's Bookshop/USA Novels" it will pop right up. If a book looks interesting, click on it and you'll be taken to Amazon.com for a more detailed description.[/QUOTE]

Maybe you'd like my The Falconer's Knot (described by Bloomsbury as The Name of the Rose for teenagers?

It's set in Umbria in 1316 and has a strong detective element (i.e. there are murders) but plus romance, monasticim and fresco=painting so don't go there if it's just historical crime you like.

Mary

 

[Aleen]

Maybe you'd like my The Falconer's Knot (described by Bloomsbury as The Name of the Rose for teenagers?

It's set in Umbria in 1316 and has a strong detective element (i.e. there are murders) but plus romance, monasticim and fresco=painting so don't go there if it's just historical crime you like.

Mary

Thanks for the suggestion, Mary. My computer tells me there's a copy of "The Falconer's Knot" at my library, but it's checked out at the moment. I'll give it a try when I get the opportunity.

I like historical fiction and mysteries are fun, but the best mysteries (IMO) are the ones that combine mystery with details of time related topics (such as what's involved in painting a fresco).

I'm currently reading Michael Jeck's latest in his West Country Mysteries series which takes place in the same time period as TFK, but in Devon. His books frequently feature a particular aspect of life in those times - tin mining and life in a nunnery are two that come to mind - and his authors notes are always facinating. I like the feeling that I'm learning while being entertained.

Allie

 

[scalem X]

All I can do is second Pyan (from a few pages back).
Il nombre della rosa by Umberto Eco

It does help when you teach history at University it seems.
That man is just brilliant.

 

[Connavar]

For my personal experiance is that HF writers that have worked as historian, in archeology tend write thier work.... so school book like.

Manfredi and Simon Scarrow writes like that. Not always of course but sometimes.

 

[scalem X]

It can be and maybe foucault's pendulum (by Eco, might be a bit like that), but the name of the rose? Oh my, little did I know about Eco before I had devoured that book.