If it is fiction, can it be history, too?

jcesarelli · Post by **jcesarelli** » Thu Apr 17, 2003 8:12 am

This article is from the current Medieval History section at About.com. What is your opinion?

http://historymedren.about.com/library/zprint/naa052900a.htm

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Joseph

And Allah took, as it were, a handful of the wind, created a horse, and said to it, "I create thee Arabian. To thy forelock I bind good; on thy back I set rich spoils. I made thy owner fond of you, and made thee fly without wings.
- Hadith -

ushumgal · Post by **ushumgal** » Thu Apr 17, 2003 9:06 am

If you want to read some brilliantly-written, and very well-researched historical fiction, try the Aubrey/Maturin books of Patrick O'Brian. Sure it's not Medieval (they cover the Napoleonic period), but they are superb! The first book is "Master & Commander", but you may want to start with the second, "Post Captain".

Jamie
LU2.DUB.SAR

^ · Post by ^ » Thu Apr 17, 2003 1:28 pm

Owen · Post by **Owen** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 8:37 am

For my period, I loved Christine McCullogh's series on the later Roman Republic, and Lindsey Davis' "Falco" series (hard-boiled detective in Rome!). They are helping me to learn to "think" like a Roman, and give lots of good tidbits on Roman life and culture. Both did amazing research.

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Owen
"Death is but a doorway-
Here, let me hold that for you"

Tancred de Lanvellec · Sat Apr 19, 2003 8:39 am

Peder, where can I find the Commynes? I have tried with no success.

bela of kaffa · Post by **bela of kaffa** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 9:13 am

it's at "ORB"...
http://www.r3.org/bookcase/de_commynes/decom_2.html

i enjoy historical fiction as just that; fiction, with historical references...
i just read bernard cornwell's "the archers tale"; it ain't great, but it was nice popcorn for a rainy afternoon... i love the patrick o'brien books, sharpes, hornblower, etc...

what bores the hell out of me are the cookie cutter medieval mysteries...
although "murder at the war" is good for a giggle...

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by tancred:
Peder, where can I find the Commynes? I have tried with no success.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

chef de chambre · Post by **chef de chambre** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 9:42 am

"The Sunne in Splendour" - Sharon Kay Penman is probably the bes hisorical fiction ever written regarding the Wars of the Roses. Very heavy on history, and where she has changed characters itineraries to suit the plot, she lets you know in the afterward. She did a lot of research for the book.

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Bob R.

adamstjohn · Post by **adamstjohn** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 11:20 am

I'll back up Bob completlely on that one. No other medieval fiction I have read so far convinced me as well as the Sunne in Splendour.

I also read her "Here be Dragons" (Wales in the King John period), but did not find it nearly as three-dimensional. Perhaps the people there are just too far away in worldview?

Cheers

Adam
/aethstan /sca drachenwald

Owen · Post by **Owen** » Sun Apr 20, 2003 8:22 am

Oh, yeah, a book that everyone should read is Arthur Conan Doyle's "The White Company". It was considered the "squire manual" by my former Knight.

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Owen
"Death is but a doorway-
Here, let me hold that for you"

Wulfgar Davinsson · Post by **Wulfgar Davinsson** » Sun Apr 20, 2003 9:24 am

"A Dream of Eagles" series by Jack Whyte...

(I believe it may be called the "Camulod Chronicles" in the U.S.)

AWESOME historical fiction, Whyte actually researched the locations in his books, which gives it a very good "you're there" feel.

It takes place in a couple of hundred years after the demise of the Roman Empire in Britain... good shit.

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Wulfgar Davinsson inn Gerpir af Ey-vist
Squired to Duke Davin Steingrimmson

Will Knight · Post by **Will Knight** » Sun Apr 20, 2003 10:21 am

I'll second the Aubrey Maturin books.
They are incredible; the characters are wonderful, the work is painstakingly accurate, and the books are just wonderful literature.

Now, they are about as accurate as a Medieval Arthurian Romance, but I liked Ivanhoe...inaccurate as hell, but a fun read.
Plus it helped launch the genre.
-Will

[This message has been edited by Will Knight (edited 04-20-2003).]

mordreth · Post by **mordreth** » Tue Apr 22, 2003 12:40 pm

If you can find it Poul Andersons "last viking" trilogy is wonderful
It basicly fleshes out Haraldssaga