Good medieval reading?

Started by Toonces, July 23, 2013, 01:30:24 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Print
Go Down Pages1 2
User actions

Toonces

July 23, 2013, 01:30:24 AM
'Sup all?

I'm just about to finish up The Bruce Trilogy about the liberation of Scotland by Robert the Bruce in the 1300's.  I'd like to find another good medieval'ish book to read following it.  I've read A Distant Mirror already.  I'm flexible between a history book, an historical fiction book, or something like The Bruce Trilogy which is like historical non-fiction fiction, if that makes any sense.
"If you had a chance, right now, to go back in time and stop Hitler, wouldn't you do it?  I mean, I personally wouldn't stop him because I think he's awesome." - Eric Cartman

"Does a watch list mean you are being watched or is it a come on to Toonces?" - Biggs

Staggerwing

#1
July 23, 2013, 05:21:32 AM
Try 'the Mongoliad'. I just started it myself and it's pretty interesting so far. It's about an ancient order of warriors who get caught up in the Mongol invasion of Russia and eastern Europe. The book gets labeled as 'alternate history' but, other than the fictitious Order, I have not found any historical divergences yet.
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat?  -Voluspa

Nothing really rocks and nothing really rolls and nothing's ever worth the cost...

"Don't you look at me that way..." -the Abyss
 
'When searching for a meaningful embrace, sometimes my self respect took second place' -Iggy Pop, Cry for Love

... this will go down on your permanent record... -the Violent Femmes, 'Kiss Off'-

"I'm not just anyone, I'm not just anyone-
I got my time machine, got my 'electronic dream!"
-Sonic Reducer, -Dead Boys

bayonetbrant

#2
July 23, 2013, 05:51:39 AM Last Edit: July 23, 2013, 12:16:59 PM by bayonetbrant
The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

Gusington

#3
July 23, 2013, 09:26:55 AM
Teutonic Knights by William Urban.
✡

слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Martok

#4
July 23, 2013, 12:00:37 PM Last Edit: July 23, 2013, 12:03:04 PM by Martok
Quote from: bayonetbrant on July 23, 2013, 05:51:39 AM
Byzantium from Robert Lawhead
You mean by Stephen R. Lawhead?  ;) 

I agree it's a terrific book, though.  I highly recommend it.  (That's another one I make a point of reading about once a year.) 

"Like we need an excuse to drink to anything..." - Banzai_Cat
"I like to think of it not as an excuse but more like Pavlovian Response." - Sir Slash

"At our ages, they all look like jailbait." - mirth

"If we had lines here that would have crossed all of them. For the 1,077,986th time." - Gusington

"Government is so expensive that it should at least be entertaining." - airboy

"As long as there's bacon, everything will be all right." - Toonces

bayonetbrant

#5
July 23, 2013, 12:17:18 PM
^^ fixed.  My bad - no idea what I as thinking.  I know better
The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

Gusington

#6
July 23, 2013, 01:17:35 PM
I've been wanting to read that forever...but at 880 pages it's intimidating. What makes it so good?
✡

слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Martok

#7
July 23, 2013, 01:46:22 PM
You wanna field this one brant (at least for now)?  My sleeping meds just kicked in, which is making it quite difficult to type coherently... 

"Like we need an excuse to drink to anything..." - Banzai_Cat
"I like to think of it not as an excuse but more like Pavlovian Response." - Sir Slash

"At our ages, they all look like jailbait." - mirth

"If we had lines here that would have crossed all of them. For the 1,077,986th time." - Gusington

"Government is so expensive that it should at least be entertaining." - airboy

"As long as there's bacon, everything will be all right." - Toonces

Gusington

#8
July 23, 2013, 08:29:23 PM
^Stop teasing me!
✡

слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

bayonetbrant

#9
July 23, 2013, 08:41:46 PM
it ties in a variety of well-described medieval themes into a narrative that includes excellent setting details.  Lawhead is so descriptive and fluid that you can totally visualize exactly who, what, and where.  The story goes from Ireland to France to Scandinavia to Byzantium to Arabia and back again and never feels forced.  The ways in which the lead character (an Irish monk) makes his way through the world - often being dragged by circumstances - never feels like a mere writer's laziness, but a solid part of the narrative.
The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

Gusington

#10
July 24, 2013, 07:42:30 AM
Is it a quick breezy 880 pages?
✡

слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

bayonetbrant

#11
July 24, 2013, 07:43:12 AM
hell to the yes
The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

Gusington

#12
July 24, 2013, 09:46:53 AM
Ok I will take the plunge.
✡

слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Martok

#13
July 24, 2013, 02:52:57 PM
Quote from: bayonetbrant on July 24, 2013, 07:43:12 AM
hell to the yes
Big +1 to that!  Despite its length, I race through that book in no time flat. 

What's even cooler (at least to me) is that -- nah, I won't spoil it for you. 




Quote from: Gusington on July 24, 2013, 09:46:53 AM
Ok I will take the plunge.
Excellent!  :) 

"Like we need an excuse to drink to anything..." - Banzai_Cat
"I like to think of it not as an excuse but more like Pavlovian Response." - Sir Slash

"At our ages, they all look like jailbait." - mirth

"If we had lines here that would have crossed all of them. For the 1,077,986th time." - Gusington

"Government is so expensive that it should at least be entertaining." - airboy

"As long as there's bacon, everything will be all right." - Toonces

Gusington

#14
July 24, 2013, 07:37:14 PM
^Teasing me again!! Is Byzantium the first of a series?
✡

слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd
Print
Go Up Pages1 2
User actions