History Buffs United discussion

I thought it was finally time to start a "What are you reading" topic ;)

I just finished reading Eleven Eleven which I thought was good, and will be adding a review soon and now I'm reading Dodger

I thought Soldiers and Ghosts: A History of Battle in Classical Antiquity was wonderful.

Of course it can include nonfiction too ;) I really want to read Soldiers and Ghosts, but right now, I'm in Victorian England with my research. Went from ancient Rome to Victorian London within the course of a month. Writing is much like time traveling when you do HF

Amanda wrote: "Hm... can this include nonfiction, too? Because I'm not really reading any HF right now, though I just bought To Spare The Conquered for $0.50 from a UK used-book seller. Saw it compared to Rosemar..."

By the way, I really want to read "To Spare the Conquered" too. Actually when I read the description, it sounded a bit like your WIP ;) I think I'll be throwing it onto my next Amazon order when I get more money

You know that's the good thing about GR because you can actually take account of the date you read a book. Just in case anything pops up later ;)

Thanks, Hazel, for starting this thread. Just finished The Twelve Clues of Christmas, which I loved. It's no. 6 in a series, though: you want to start with Her Royal Spyness.

Trying to decide what to read next.

I'm reading "The Kingmaker's Daughter" by one of my favorite authors Philippa Gregory

Jennifer wrote: "I'm reading "The Kingmaker's Daughter" by one of my favorite authors Philippa Gregory"
I find Gregory's books depressing.

I just finished "The River Midnight" by Lilian Nattel. Fascinating look at Jewish village life in Poland pre-1900. Enjoyed it although the last 1/4 of the book lagged a little bit.

Let me know how those are, Amanda, I do love a good historical mystery =)

I just bought The Kingmaker's Daughter (Jennifer, we'll have to compare notes when we're done!) And I'm currently reading The Malice of Fortune

I just started reading the latest Crispin Guest novel Blood Lance: A Medieval Noir The only problem now is that I'll have to wait for the next one to come out when I finish. I've become quite fond of Crispin and Jack.

Amanda wrote: "All right, going on a Roman mystery spree. I checked out The Silver Pigs from the library today, and I just now bought Medicus because it was $1.99 in Kindle format. :-)"

Early Falco is such a angst riddled chap - he gets better. Love the series. Now reading Master and God (yes, I know, not the same series but at least its got a Flavian)!

The Course of Honour is great. The rise of Vespasian.

Amanda wrote: "Well, I really enjoyed "The Silver Pigs," so I'm excited to hear the series gets even better as it goes on. :-) I'm also currently waiting for The Course of Honor to come in on inter-library loan; ..."

I'd like to start this series now that I'm done with Crispin Guest until the next book comes out *sigh*. I love historical mysteries. I just have to order the first one from the library because it's not at my branch.

An interesting series is the Gordianus the Seeker one. Stephen Saylor, I think. Time of Tiberius. Much more of a feel for the seething underlying anarchy of the Roman state. Roma Sub Rosa is the series (again don't quote me).

Hazel wrote: "Amanda wrote: "Well, I really enjoyed "The Silver Pigs," so I'm excited to hear the series gets even better as it goes on. :-) I'm also currently waiting for The Course of Honor to come in on inter..."

Hordes of them out there in second hand book stores - should be able to pick 'em up for buttons on Amazon (They're re-readable, trust me I know as I need to re-read a whole series before the next Book is published - yes, I know, I'm an obsessive).

Oh ... tell me more about Crispin Guest.

I'll check it out on Powell's.com when I make another order. I have yet to find a really good used bookstore near me since my favorite moved up north =(

Crispin Guest is awesome, they are medieval mystery series this is the first book : Veil of Lies

I'm reading Robert Low
second book of his Bruce/Wallace 'Kingdom' series. I have to say the first was hard going until about halfway, but this is much more reader friendly :)

I haven't gotten to Robert Low's series yet, but I have them on my to-read. Lion at Bay looked really good, do you think I could get away with reading that one first? It's not like I don't know the historical background :P

Ah. You could, but a couple of the MCs aren't well explained, and you'd know their background better if you read Lion Wakes first. That's always difficult with sequels - do you explain everything for new readers, or risk boring the converted?
One of my problems with the first book was I didn't know the history and I found, apart from being not quite able to fathom which characters were important and which not (plus Low jumps POV, which I don't, and that took a lot of getting used to), the politicking is peppered with such dense dialect in places it slowed my reading.
But that's probably just me:)

Ah, I see, I wasn't sure whether this was a series with original characters or all real people. I usually do try to read series in order :)

Last of the Templars


Amazing, just amazing. It's knocking me around with its grim, inglorious end of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. I have never read a better fight scene than I just did. He's a poet.

As I am working my way through y Tudor period at the mo I am currently reading Elizabeth 1 by David Starkey. so far it's wonderfully easy to read. I however am really looking forward to reading my next Philippa Gregory book The virgins lover. can't wait just hope that it doesn't disappoint.

Well, I'm finally reading another HF book it seems like such a long time since I have because I was finishing up a stack of random other genre books from the library. I'm reading My Brother's Shadow right now which I'm enjoying. Frankly anything about the Germans in WWI time period I like.

Just finished Death in the Floating City—historical mystery set in 1890s Venice, with a subplot set in the Renaissance. The best Lady Emily mystery so far, but #7, so maybe not the place to start.

Just about to read Sackett's Land.

Well I just started reading Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. It's an african american cultural novel.

For those who like reading about germans, check out My Enemy's Cradle by Sara Young

@ Zachary: That's a good one! I hope you enjoy it

@Taylor, I'll check out that book, thanks =)

Hello all, I am just starting the 3rd book from the chicago fire series. By Susan Wiggs First 2 were good. Definitely worth checking out.

I'm currently reading book #6 in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. If you like series then I definitely recommend this one!

Finished My Brother's Shadow 4 stars, and I'm writing the review soon. Now I'm going to start The Silver Pigs

I am reading Quest for Honour right now, 3rd in the series and excellent, trying to rush through it as l have read the first chapter of Sideshow at Honey Creek and very eager to read the rest of it

Finished The Lion at Bay which was much better than the opener, IMO - a lot more pace and a lot less dialect.

I'm now halfway through Of Honest Fame, more my period (Napoleonic) and a spy story.

That looks like a good one, Jonathan. I do love Napoleonic books and spy stories =)

Man, we have some WRITERS among us, now reading , excellent work mate !

Thank you, John - you're very kind.

I've also messaged you :)

I'm reading Battle for Empire. It's book #5 in the Eskkar series. John, when you finish Quest for Honour, let me know what you think. That was my least favorite of the series, but this new one is good so far.

Hi Sandra, finished and enjoyed, looking forward to Battle for Empire
A excellent series of books in my humble opinion.

Just finished Blomqvist set in the 11thC. Unusual, creative and very well-written. I have to five-star that sort of thing. --It's an indie and $2.99.

Right now, I'm currently reading Dombey and Son, which is not only historical fiction, but satire and a classic all wrapped into one! ;) I don't know why most people don't care for Dombey and Son; it's hilarious!

Mara wrote: "Right now, I'm currently reading Dombey and Son..."

I think I have that one Yet to Read. I tend to get muddled with my Dickenses, but I don't recognise the names in that one. I'll make it my next Dickens, then. Little Dorrit has been my fave so far.

I'm really enjoying The Silver Pigs I think I've finally found a mystery series that will keep me appeased until the next Crispin Guest comes out =)

Bryn wrote: "Mara wrote: "Right now, I'm currently reading Dombey and Son..."

I think I have that one Yet to Read. I tend to get muddled with my Dickenses, but I don't recognise the names in that one. I'll mak..."

Little Dorrit is a very hard contender against Nicholas Nickleby for me - they both have such a wealth of different characters. But so far, I haven't read a Dickens book that I don't like. :)

He is great and you've made me nostalgic to get lost in a big thick Dickens. I've purposely kept a couple 'yet to read' to know I have them ahead. Don't want to run out. --Maybe it's hard to run out of Dickens, and when I say 'a couple' I mean I have several left. Enough to enjoy slowly over a lifetime.

Re-reading The Masqueraders for another GR group, the Dead Writers Society, and remembering how much I love it. Any other Georgette Heyer fans here?

John wrote: "Hi Sandra, finished and enjoyed, looking forward to Battle for Empire
A excellent series of books in my humble opinion."

There's also Eskkar and Trella, which does not appear to be on Goodreads. Have you read it yet? It was the 4th book in the series, but is actually a prequel (sort of like movie #4 of the Star Wars series) It gives Eskkar's backstory, and--for me, at least--made him much more sympathetic.

Sandra wrote: "John wrote: "Hi Sandra, finished and enjoyed, looking forward to Battle for Empire
A excellent series of books in my humble opinion."

There's also Eskkar and Trella, which does not appear to be on..."

not read yet mate, its on my ''to read'' list