Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion

Our September Ancient read is I, Claudius

Set in the first century A.D. in Rome and written as an autobiographical memoir, this colorful story of the life of the Roman emperor Claudius stands as one of the modern classics of historical fiction.

Physically weak and afflicted with stuttering, Claudius is initially despised and dismissed as an idiot. Shunted to the background of imperial affairs by his embarrassed royal family, he becomes a scholar and historian, while palace intrigues and murders surround him. Observing these dramas from beyond the public eye, Claudius escapes the cruelties inflicted on the rest of the royal family by its own members and survives to become emperor of Rome in A.D. 41.

I just read this book last month and it was fabulous. At least in my humble (or maybe not so humble??) opinion.

Heavy on the history but entirely fascinating.

It sounds good, I'll try and read it with the group next month.

Fantastic Sabrina! :)

I just noticed this ebook is on sale right now for $2.99 for Nook, Kindle and iBooks.

how perfect - thanks Tina! I had this on a library hold, but this is much easier.

Had to borrow this before the Uni students raid the library system this week - so I'll begin it at the week end. Since Monday is a bank holiday, I'm hoping to get most of it read before Tuesday.

I got an audiobook in addition to reading the hard copy, the audio is a full-cast BBC production... .

I started listening today and its awesome! So well done and the acting is great. Dawn said its heavy on the history but the acting makes it seem like its not, it makes it very people focused (not sure if I phrased that correctly).

It is on sale at Amazon and B&N for $3.00. I just got the message from Book bub. So, it is a good time to buy!

A lucky day for me - popped into a charity shop and found this (double edition with I, Claudius/Claudius the God) for just 99p Wasn't sure if I was going to read this but I think I'll have to now!

A wonderful book!
Graves put a lot of fiction into his interpretation of those particular events. Like Livia's allegedly "active" involvement in all this (trying to add no spoilers ;)) - there is no clear evidence to that, only her possible motive. Still, his research in general seems to be impeccable, and the story is fascinating anyway, and this is what good in historical fiction exists for, in my humble opinion :)
(the second book is much heavier on history - a warning :D)

Linda wrote: "It is on sale at Amazon and B&N for $3.00. I just got the message from Book bub. So, it is a good time to buy!"

Unfortunately it's not for sale in Canada at all on Kindle. Arghhh!

Kimber wrote: "Linda wrote: "It is on sale at Amazon and B&N for $3.00. I just got the message from Book bub. So, it is a good time to buy!"

Unfortunately it's not for sale in Canada at all on Kindle. Arghhh!"

Or on kobo....no love for the canucks.

Every time some one says 'canucks' I think "what has this got to do with hockey?" but then I remember it's a nickname too! :)

Dawn wrote: "Every time some one says 'canucks' I think "what has this got to do with hockey?" but then I remember it's a nickname too! :)"

LOL

I've been wanting to read this for awhile, hopefully I can find the book here.

Started! I already love how Claudius is intentionally playing up his family's vision of him as this stuttering idiot.

Claudius was not fit to eat at the family dining table because he stuttered, had a gimp leg, floppy ears, and a turkey neck, and was given to improper fits of giggling. I shy away from making fun of people as a rule, but wait until you meet the little wife!

Linda wrote: "Claudius was not fit to eat at the family dining table because he stuttered, had a gimp leg, floppy ears, and a turkey neck, and was given to improper fits of giggling. I shy away from making fun ..."

Re giggling: Is it possible Claudius had what we'd call Tourette's Syndrome these days?

Linda wrote: "but wait until you meet the little wife!"

Poor girl, his first intended wife. But his actual first wife, yes, very much the little wife. Love what her name stands for, hehe.

I am giggling at you giggling on one side of my brain. On the other, I am trying to figure out the blood relation between Julius Caesar and Claudius because a vague mention was made that Claudius might suffer an inherited infirmary. Julius had fits that may have been epilepsy or migraine h/a or something else. Back to Claudius, it sounds like Tourette's or perhaps small doses of poison on a regular basis. Have you read that Claudius had Tourette's?

What did it stand for? The name looks rather suspicious,

No, I just wondered. I never read anywhere pro or con. Re epilepsy: To the best of my knowledge, that condition is not hereditary.

Now I'm looking forward to reading this.

Linda wrote: "I am trying to figure out the blood relation between Julius Caesar and Claudius because a vague mention was made that Claudius ..."

Here's the Julio-Claudian family tree (quite complicated) -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julio-Cl...

Looks like Claudius' grandmother Octavia was Julius Caesar's great-niece, as Augustus was his great-nephew. So a pretty distant linkage.

You are a walking encyclopedia! I cannot thank you enough!

So, he was Caligula's half-brother and Nero's half-uncle/father. He's fortunate he's getting away with just stuttering. Sanity, was touch-and-go with this line.

Darcy wrote: "So, he was Caligula's half-brother and Nero's half-uncle/father. He's fortunate he's getting away with just stuttering. Sanity, was touch-and-go with this line."

No. Claudius was Caligula's Uncle. Caligula's father was Claudius' full brother Germanicus.

He was Nero's great-uncle/stepfather. Agrippina was also Germanicus' daughter.

Alicja wrote: "I got an audiobook in addition to reading the hard copy, the audio is a full-cast BBC production... .

I started listening today and its ..."

There is something delightful about Sir Derek Jacobi reading Augustus. He made his name in television playing Claudius in the BBC adaptation of I, Claudius in the 1970s.

Margaret wrote: "There is something delightful about Sir Derek Jacobi reading Augustus. He made his name in television playing Claudius in the BBC adaptation of I, Claudius in the 1970s."

All of the voice acting is done very well. I am really impressed. And even though I am only a few pages in into the physical book, I have to say that it makes it come more alive than the text.

I actually would recommend for anyone unwilling to tackle this book to give that audiodrama a try.

Having watched the first DVD of the TV show recently, it's pretty amazing how they got so much dialog out of the book, which is pretty sparse on dialog.

Vicki wrote: "Having watched the first DVD of the TV show recently, it's pretty amazing how they got so much dialog out of the book, which is pretty sparse on dialog."

I was thinking that when I was reading it too.

I won't be reading this one with you all (its because of my mediocre interest in Roman histfic, I just can't force myself to read I, Claudius), but I will definitely be watching you all commenting on it as you go. That interests me. :)

Darcy wrote: "So, he was Caligula's half-brother and Nero's half-uncle/father. He's fortunate he's getting away with just stuttering. Sanity, was touch-and-go with this line."

lol, the best example of positive way of looking at things :D

I picture Darcy as a deadpan comic.

Zoe wrote: "lol, the best example of positive way of looking at things :D "

Always looking for the silver lining me.

Always look for the briiiight siiiiiide of life :D

Linda wrote: "I picture Darcy as a deadpan comic."

I had to check with my mates, because I didn't think so, but I've been assured that you've got it in one.

Zoe wrote: "Always look for the briiiight siiiiiide of life :D"

I literally tried to type the whistle bits. As expected, it didn't work, but you'll be happy to know I now have an earwig. :P

Darcy wrote: "Zoe wrote: "Always look for the briiiight siiiiiide of life :D"

I literally tried to type the whistle bits. As expected, it didn't work, but you'll be happy to know I now have an earwig. :P"

My goodness, I never knew there was an English term for this, but "earwig" does mean the same thing as "Ohrwurm". :)

A deadpan comedian is like Johnny Carson, the King of Late Night TV. Few words that are as funny as all get out! Claudius was a deadpan comedian of the written word. BTW, Joan Rivers, not a dead pan comedian, died today.

Darcy wrote: "Zoe wrote: "Always look for the briiiight siiiiiide of life :D"

I literally tried to type the whistle bits. As expected, it didn't work, but you'll be happy to know I now have an earwig. :P"

I think you mean earworm. An earwig is an insect. :p

True it's an insect, but here we call the stuck-song thing earwigs as well.

Here, ear wigging is something lawyers and judges do in private and is a breach of THE CODE OF JUDICIAL ETHICS.

Darcy wrote: "True it's an insect, but here we call the stuck-song thing earwigs as well."

I had always heard English has no exact word for it and German expresses it perfectly with Ohrwurm: meaning the song, phrase, or word you can't get out of your head. Margaret, yes, the exact translation would be ear worm.

"Ear wigging" is a new one on me. Thanks, Linda.

I don't know how much the BBC production influenced my reading of I, Claudius and Claudius the God but I thought they were brilliant. Graves remains the benchmark - something he maintained with .

Thank you, Darcy's mates!

Geoff wrote: "I don't know how much the BBC production influenced my reading of I, Claudius and Claudius the God but I thought they were brilliant. Graves remains the benchmark - something he maintained with [bo..."

You really liked [bookcover:Count Belisarius|324312]? I loved his books on Claudius, but Count Belisarius seemed turgid at best. What did you like about it?

I wish the author had written more about Claudius. I am at the point where I think about my review. I know something about his feelings about other characters, but what is the other side of the story?

Eileen wrote: "Geoff wrote: "I don't know how much the BBC production influenced my reading of I, Claudius and Claudius the God but I thought they were brilliant. Graves remains the benchmark - something he maint..."

Good question. So long ago now - maybe it's due for a re-read. What I do recall was that it was different from the usual Roman fiction ie set during the decline and fall and about a general whom I knew nothing about.