Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion

This is the discussion thread for the October group read of of Pride of Carthage.

This epic retelling of the legendary Carthaginian military leader’s assault on the Roman empire begins in Ancient Spain, where Hannibal Barca sets out with tens of thousands of soldiers and 30 elephants. After conquering the Roman city of Saguntum, Hannibal wages his campaign through the outposts of the empire, shrewdly befriending peoples disillusioned by Rome and, with dazzling tactics, outwitting the opponents who believe the land route he has chosen is impossible. Yet Hannibal’s armies must take brutal losses as they pass through the Pyrenees mountains, forge the Rhone river, and make a winter crossing of the Alps before descending to the great tests at Cannae and Rome itself. David Anthony Durham draws a brilliant and complex Hannibal out of the scant historical record–sharp, sure-footed, as nimble among rivals as on the battlefield, yet one who misses his family and longs to see his son grow to manhood. Whether portraying the deliberations of a general or the calculations of a common soldier, vast multilayered scenes of battle or moments of introspection when loss seems imminent, Durham brings history alive.

Terrific.
I have already read this one and loved it. I am contemplating a reread with you guys. It all depends on how fast I can get the other group read (Medieval) done.

Library does not have it:(....must find another source...maybe audible

Ah crap. Was it a lost copy?
There must be a lot of cheap secondhand copies around online..

I will be picking this one up at the library. Probably won't start until mid Oct.

If i don't reread it with you guys, I will most likely scan through it for a refresher so i can remember things enough to join in the convo.

Terri wrote: "Ah crap. Was it a lost copy?
There must be a lot of cheap secondhand copies around online.."

No, I was surprised to find they never had it. Could do an interlibrary, or purchase a copy later. Might do that. It looks good.

I've had this one and I pulled it off the shelf today :) I kinda-recently read The History of Rome, Books XXI-XXX: The War With Hannibal so I'm super excited to see a fictional rendition of Hannibal's war. It was gripping enough in a nonfictional format so I'm looking forward to seeing what a fiction author does with it.

I think you are in for a treat, Nate. (I say 'i think' because you never can tell when someone will not like something you liked)

Terri wrote: "I think you are in for a treat, Nate."

I think he is too, majorly.
I read in order: a great old nonfic Hannibal: Enemy Of Rome; then Livy that Nate links to; then Pride of Carthage. Each of which did justice to a wow of a story. I thought too, those nonfictions were so gripping, what's a novel going to be like?
I'll try to either read this again or dip in.

Good news! I may have to start early...

My copy has arrived today. What a bargain! Under £3 for a second hand hardback copy including postage! It's in pretty good condition too. I'm looking forward to starting this one as soon as I finish Marius' Mules: Hades' Gate

Hardback copy! Ohhh, lucky. I prefer paperbacks for reading, but I like to own a few nice hardbacks and Pride of Carthage would be a lovely hardback to own.

Interlibary Loan....why did I not think of this before! Hopefully I will have it before the end of October.

Daniel wrote: "Interlibary Loan....why did I not think of this before! Hopefully I will have it before the end of October."


Good luck. It might November before you get it, but as you know, these group read topics stay open.

Having done ILL for years, 50% is the choices of libraries to send to and that's an art to pick out the best, not a matter of 2 minutes. I always tried to send to the ones who owned the item, with fastest and most reliable service.

I got lucky. My local library (only a two minute walk from my work) actually had it on the shelves. I'll admit to getting a bit of a head start on the group read, but not by much...

Terri wrote: "Daniel wrote: "Interlibary Loan....why did I not think of this before! Hopefully I will have it before the end of October."


Good luck. It might November before you get it, but as you know, these..."

They are shipping it already, should have it before weeks end. This is good.

Someone chose a library on the ball! :)

Jane wrote: "Someone chose a library on the ball! :)"

I know, I love this library. It is out of my county, so I pay to use it....but it is worth it.

Two of you got lucky I see. Good stuff!

I really look forward to seeing what you all think of this one. I thought it was brilliant. The best Ancient Historical Fiction I have ever read.

I hope to be starting this one by the week end. I have some reading commitments to complete first and here's to all going well. ha!

I cheated and started this early because I want to re-read The Name of the Rose as well. I'm about 150 pages in & loving it so far. I really like this authors writing style.

Well you know..you can start a little early because it was the 1st here a day before you. :)

Darcy wrote: "I hope to be starting this one by the week end. I have some reading commitments to complete first and here's to all going well. ha!"


Good luck pal!

Have added a short 4 minute video to the group's videos. It is on Hannibal's battle Elephants.

http://www.goodreads.com/videos/52433...

Inebriated elephants! hahaha

hehe! ;)

I'm about 90 pages into it and thoroughly enjoying it. I very much feel like I'm settling into excellent epic historical fiction. The Barca brothers are brought to life so well.

Epic is what it is. It sure isn't a quick, low quality gore fest, like so many ancient themed hist fic are. Pride is a work of intelligence.

Liquid courage for elephants!

Poor little elephants. :[

Terri wrote: "Epic is what it is. It sure isn't a quick, low quality gore fest, like so many ancient themed hist fic are. Pride is a work of intelligence."

Yes! So intelligent. The characters are brought to life in this one like no other book I've ever read before.

Wow, Derek. :D

Bryn wrote: "Wow, Derek. :D"

+1
I am so impressed that you 'get' it. :) (not that I didn't think you would, I just mean that it is wonderful to see others appreciating a book I think so highly of).

Man this is making me excited to get into it. Alas, I'm cheating on the early days of October's group read with Lieutenant Richard Sharpe.

I saw in your update that Sharpe is wasting your time with the lady love.

I hold nothing against Louisa. She ran away from her dickhead grandparents to hang out with Sharpe and the Rifles and his cool companion Blas Vivar. Plus she's cute and wears bonnets and stuff, so I don't blame Sharpe either. It just feels like that friend that is constantly and frequently launching into new and ill-advised short-lived relationships that end horribly while you stand by and have to watch/deal with the chaos. I'll probably enjoy the series more when Sharpe manages to stay with a woman for more than one fucking book :)

Hi Nate. Any chance you can keep your language clean in here? From what I can see, usage of obscenities in AMM has been largely confined to discussing them when used in novels, not as casual comments.

Regarding the Sharpe series, I see my lack of having read any of them as a glaring whole in my bookshelves. I'll be trying them soon.

I'm still thoroughly enjoying Pride of Carthage. Why is the kid in me so looking forward to elephants?

Terri wrote: "Bryn wrote: "Wow, Derek. :D"

+1
I am so impressed that you 'get' it. :) (not that I didn't think you would, I just mean that it is wonderful to see others appreciating a book I think so highly of)."

I'm really liking it so far. And I must confess that I knew very little about Hannibal or Carthage going into this. So I'm learning a lot too. :)

Nate wrote: "I hold nothing against Louisa. She ran away from her dickhead grandparents to hang out with Sharpe and the Rifles and his cool companion Blas Vivar. Plus she's cute and wears bonnets and stuff, so ..."

The bonnets would make her cute company. :)

Justin wrote: "Hi Nate. Any chance you can keep your language clean in here? From what I can see, usage of obscenities in AMM has been largely confined to discussing them when used in novels, not as casual commen..."

Yeah. This is true (although we are in A&M and AMM is the blog..;)..I know, I know, lol, it was just a slip).

If anybody needs to swear. Like really needs to drop an f bomb - and i have been known to on very rare ocassions - make sure you do this f**king. While it may seem silly that a few of these ** changes the playing field, but for people who don't like swearing, it does look less visually confronting and can pass before peoples eyes with a lot less insult.

Derek wrote: "

.I'm really liking it so far. And I must confess that I knew very little about Hannibal or Carthage going into this. So I'm learning a lot too. :)
.."

I found at a certain stage that the author went off on one too many tangents and that affected my rating in the end. I know Bryn did not feel it was pointlessly tangential at all. So who knows where you'll land on that Derek.

I'll watch for that tangent and see if I notice it or if it bugs me.

I have my fingers crossed that nobody else will notice it. I won't even say where I thought it was. :)

Terri wrote: "Justin wrote: "Hi Nate. Any chance you can keep your language clean in here? From what I can see, usage of obscenities in AMM has been largely confined to discussing them when used in novels, not a..."

Touché!

Apologies to anyone who took offense to my language, my rationale was some casual cursing would not stir the waters as this is a group of adults reading books that often contain graphic language, rape and violence of all kinds and levels. I certainly don't want to upset those sensitive to it, though.

Well... I don't think all books in this genre contain graphic language (or rape or violence). Man, I try so hard to spread the word that non romance hist fic does not mean hist fic that centres on f words and rape and violence! And there goes Nate, ruining everything. ;)

But anyway. Justin asked nicely for no f words and Nate apologised. So all is good now.

Back to the Barca's!

Does anybody else find it refreshing that this book is not yet another book about the Romans? From a Roman perspective?

That was one of my biggest likes about the book. That this is mainly the story from the Carthaginian perspective.