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hist-novels-msg – 7/3/05

 

Reviews of various historical novels. Recommendations.

 

NOTE: See also the files: movies-msg, Gram-Letter1-art, intro-books-msg, SCA-authors-msg, SCA-romance-msg, child-books-msg, border-stories-msg.

 

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NOTICE -

 

This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

 

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

 

I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.

 

The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors.

 

Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s).

 

Thank you,

   Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous

                                         Stefan at florilegium.org

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Subject: [Ansteorra] Period novels [was Newcomer Question]

Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2001 11:53:57 -0600

From: "C. Weed" <cweed at austin.rr.com>

To: <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>

 

Lady Medb Liath wrote:

Well, not really.  Most historical novels are not good sources.  Most of

them are poorly researched, comparatively speaking.  There are some out

there, and they are worth the time to read them, just be choosy and use good

judgement.

 

*****************

 

I think one of the best and most readable historical novels is "Tirant Lo

Blanc" by Joanot Martorell.  To me it's pretty much the period version of S.

Morgansterns "Princess Bride".  Written in the 1400s, it's still racy and

rompus enough to have warranted a bodice-ripper marketing in the late 1970s

here in the States complete with Fabio and D-cups.  Great read... and you

can't really beat it for a period source.  Required reading for my squires

in the sca.

 

Fighting, romance, villains, daring-do, sex, damsels in distress, and

plotting.  I'm surprised it hasn't made it to the big screen, actually.

 

This will get you to amazons least expensive Tirant page (although they list

about 15 different versions ranging up to $60):

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0446325848/qid=1005587215/sr=1-1/ref=

sr_1_8_1/107-1585001-8206900

 

Sir Dieterich

 

P.S.  Warning: if you read this book you *might* just have to alter your

view of what a tournament is all about...  *wink and nod*

 

 

Subject: RE: [Ansteorra] Period novels [was Newcomer Question]

Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2001 12:14:04 -0600

From: Jane Sitton <jane.sitton at radioshack.com>

To: <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>

 

And I'd recommend Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's vampire series (begun, I believe,

before Anne Rice's) that spans Egyptian times through modern day.  The best

one in the series, in my estimation, is the one set in Nero's Rome: "Blood

Games".  Ms. Yarbro is quite a scholar, but manages to make history come

alive.  Her books are very readable, and have kept me up into the wee hours

of the morning, turning pages as quickly as I could.

 

Ly Madelina de Lyndesaye

 

 

Subject: RE: [Ansteorra] Period novels [was Newcomer Question]

Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2001 16:00:35 -0500

From: "Connie Carroll" <Connie.Bunny at worldnet.att.net>

To: <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>

 

> And I'd recommend Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's vampire series (begun, I believe,

> before Anne Rice's) that spans Egyptian times through modern day.

 

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro is a scholar who throughtly researches everything for

her novels. Just take a look at her acknowledgement lists. Her research is

one of the reasons I strongly recommend her books.

 

While I also loved Blood Games, Blood Roses during the time of the Medicis

is marvalous!

 

Mistress Bunny

 

 

Subject: RE: [Ansteorra] Period novels

Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2001 05:10:23 -0800 (PST)

From: roger walker <draegan88 at yahoo.com>

To: <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>

 

Another very good (in my opinion) period writer is

Thomas B. Constain.  I have read several of his

novels.  My favorite being "Below the Salt".  It takes

place around the time of King John and the signing of

the Magna Carta.  It is VERY full of detail.

 

OTAR

 

 

Subject: [Ansteorra] Costain Books

Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2001 17:12:24 EST

From: <RESTORMEL1 at cs.com>

To: <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>

 

Greetings.  Thomas B. Costain is an amazing author.  He has several books

that bring different ages to life....

 

A four book series:

The Conquering Family

The Three Edwards

The Magnificent Century

The Last Plantegenets

 

He also wrote:

Below the Salt - about the time surrounding the signing of the Magna Carta

The Black Rose - (can't remember the story line off hand) but a great book

 

The Silver Chalice -- about the time right after the death of Christ

The Darkness and the Dawn -- about Attila the Hun.

 

All great reads from a wonderful author!

Honor

 

 

Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Costain Books

Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2001 10:03:41 -0600

From: "Shana Hardy" <Shana.Hardy at tsrh.org>

To: <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>

 

>Greetings.  Thomas B. Costain is an amazing author.  He has several books

>that bring different ages to life....

 

Honor,

I have to agree with you.  I've read everyone of these more than once and

always enjoyed them.

 

Tangwystl

 

 

From: "rosine" <nothingbutadame at inthe.sca.org>

To: <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

Subject: [Sca-cooks] Meideval Physician (was: Two pleasant announcements)

Date: Wed, 28 May 2003 02:24:59 -0400

 

    As an aside, if you enjoy reading books set "in period" and done well, I

strongly suggest the "Isaac of Girona" series by Caroline Roe - he's a 12th

(?) century Jewish physician in Spain, learned, smart, blind - who has found

himself in the position of being the physician for the local Bishop. Very

well researched, very well written. The stories are murder mysteries, but

it's hardly noticiable, so well described is the life of a mid-sized town,

it's relationship with it's Jewish quarter and the denizens, and the inner

workings of a Bishop's household.

 

Rosine

 

<the end>



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Comments to the Editor: stefan at florilegium.org