Danwichmann Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 The Emperor series are well done. I'm re-reading them at the moment, they're the books that got me back into reading after around 10 years of not reading unless forced to! If you like that, make sure you try the Conqueror series (Genghis Kahn) as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 just re-read Resurrection Day by Brendan DuBois ( i read it about 11 years ago and just found it in a box in the loft) a sort of Fatherland but based on events around the Cuban Missile crises , starts a bit slowly but once it gets going it had me reading through until about 5am a couple of nights running so I could finish it ... lot of Meh reviews on Amazon for this book but i enjoyed it probably cause of my JFK "fixation " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeyVillan Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Nelson Mandela's autobiography at the moment. It's an interesting read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 The Emperor series are well done. Yes and No I enjoyed that series as well (and the Khan Series) and at some point i will end up reading it again .... but I read a Caesar biog after I'd finished Emperor to see how much basis in truth they actually had and really there is far too much artistic license in use in that series ..now I know it doesn't claim to be a true version of events but I always get worried when you end up with a "Hollywood'ised" version of history in the mainstream as it often ends up being accepted as fact rather than fiction ... guess Da Vinci code could be used as a prime example of fiction being accepted as fact by lots of people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 I'd recommend Colin Bateman's Mystery Man series if you like darkly humoured stories - simply put, three books about a hypochondriac crime book shop owner who accidentily becomes a private detective. Very funny and easy to pick up and read. Bateman's other books, including the Dan Starkey novels are also worth looking into. Very similar to Christopher Brookmyre - who's books are also quality. Currently reading my guilty pleasure, Michael Connelly with his latest The Fifth Witness! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted July 4, 2011 Moderator Share Posted July 4, 2011 Yes, I've read Mystery Man and one other of Bateman's might take another I have on the shelf to work tonight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Bicks, read most of Bateman now and they're all good! You should check out Brookmyre (if you haven't already!) if you like Bateman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danwichmann Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 The Emperor series are well done. Yes and No I enjoyed that series as well (and the Khan Series) and at some point i will end up reading it again .... but I read a Caesar biog after I'd finished Emperor to see how much basis in truth they actually had and really there is far too much artistic license in use in that series ..now I know it doesn't claim to be a true version of events but I always get worried when you end up with a "Hollywood'ised" version of history in the mainstream as it often ends up being accepted as fact rather than fiction ... guess Da Vinci code could be used as a prime example of fiction being accepted as fact by lots of people Which Caesar biog did you read? I've fancied reading one but never got around to it. I've always accepted history will give way to entertainment to some extent in the book, so timings especially are likely to change, but apart from that how much does it vary from real history? The obvious one (that isn't mentioned in the historical notes, which are as interesting as the book) is Caesar and Brutus being the same age / childhood friends. Any more glaring ones like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted July 5, 2011 VT Supporter Share Posted July 5, 2011 The trouble with ancient history is that it's pretty much impossible to get "the facts". The concept of objective history writing didn't exist back then - EVERYTHING was propaganda and myth-making, so we'll never know the full story of people like Julius Caesar. The best we can hope to do is read several different accounts to "average things out" (which, to be fair, is what the modern synthesising historians have done for us). But this is probably what makes it such fertile territory for novelists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted July 5, 2011 VT Supporter Share Posted July 5, 2011 Its not restricted to ancient history either! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted July 5, 2011 VT Supporter Share Posted July 5, 2011 Its not restricted to ancient history either!No, indeed it isn't. But the further back you go, the thicker the "fog" gets. Part of what makes it so fascinating, for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Which Caesar biog did you read? I've fancied reading one but never got around to it. will have to check the authors name when i get home , it does refer to some events that are in the Emperor books i.e when he demands the pirates increase the bounty on his head appears to be true , but doesn't the Emperor books have Marius being killed in Rome by Sulla when he actually died of old age ? (been a few years since i read the Emperor series) as Mike says a lot of the "history" of that day was propaganda , Ramesses II being a prime example , he almost makes Caesar look modest :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted July 5, 2011 VT Supporter Share Posted July 5, 2011 Caesar's Gallic Wars is a good read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danwichmann Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Which Caesar biog did you read? I've fancied reading one but never got around to it. will have to check the authors name when i get home , it does refer to some events that are in the Emperor books i.e when he demands the pirates increase the bounty on his head appears to be true , but doesn't the Emperor books have Marius being killed in Rome by Sulla when he actually died of old age ? (been a few years since i read the Emperor series) as Mike says a lot of the "history" of that day was propaganda , Ramesses II being a prime example , he almost makes Caesar look modest :-) Thanks. I've just gone and ordered the Meier one that Iggulden recommends anyway In fairness to Iggulden, IIRC he mentions both the pirate instance being true and Marius not being killed in battle (and the battle actually being much more protracted and very different) in the historical notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Has anyone read Johnny Got His Gun? I feel like I should read it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jezza Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Currently reading "Whirlwind" by James Clavell - it was published in 1986, and set in Iran 1979. It's a very detailed (although I'm not sure how accurate) view of the transition of power from the Shah of Iran to Khomeini at the time. Alot of the sentiments and observations in the book are perhaps a bit more relevant in light of recent world events/history. Has any one else read it - and if so, what are your thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDuck Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 The Emperor series are well done. I'm re-reading them at the moment, they're the books that got me back into reading after around 10 years of not reading unless forced to! If you like that, make sure you try the Conqueror series (Genghis Kahn) as well. I thought the Conquerer series was much better than the Emperor books, although I enjoyed both. Still has a way to go to reach the levels of Bernard Cornwell though, who I think is untouchable in the historical novel genre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xann Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Phill Brown worked on some of the most important albums of the last 40 years. Some great stuff in there, like how the original master tapes for 'I Shot The Sheriff' nearly got destroyed by an exploding spliff, what it was like to stay at Bowie towers in New York and how Talk Talk's 'Spirit Of Eden' was made. Led Zep and the Stones make an appearance, but it's not just all about the big names (Murray Head anyone?), it's really quite personal in places too. Phill berates the shift in power from the bands to the record companies through the 70's into the 80's, when you'd get record executives giving silly instructions on how they'd like the record to sound. You'll like this Mr Mooney. Now I have to own up, Phill is an old friend of mine but the book is a great read regardless. :winkold: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danwichmann Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 The Emperor series are well done. I'm re-reading them at the moment, they're the books that got me back into reading after around 10 years of not reading unless forced to! If you like that, make sure you try the Conqueror series (Genghis Kahn) as well. I thought the Conquerer series was much better than the Emperor books, although I enjoyed both. Still has a way to go to reach the levels of Bernard Cornwell though, who I think is untouchable in the historical novel genre. I'm not really a fan of Bernard Cornwell, I think Iggulden is far superior. The thing that gets to me with Cornwell is I always feel he goes overboard on British national pride type stuff, almost to the point where he's coming across as actually being a bit racist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted July 7, 2011 VT Supporter Share Posted July 7, 2011 Phill Brown worked on some of the most important albums of the last 40 years. Some great stuff in there, like how the original master tapes for 'I Shot The Sheriff' nearly got destroyed by an exploding spliff, what it was like to stay at Bowie towers in New York and how Talk Talk's 'Spirit Of Eden' was made. Led Zep and the Stones make an appearance, but it's not just all about the big names (Murray Head anyone?), it's really quite personal in places too. Phill berates the shift in power from the bands to the record companies through the 70's into the 80's, when you'd get record executives giving silly instructions on how they'd like the record to sound. You'll like this Mr Mooney. Now I have to own up, Phill is an old friend of mine but the book is a great read regardless. :winkold: Noted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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