What historical novel would you recommend best?

**qnzkid711** · January 21, 2005, 10:32 PM

What Historical Novel would you recommend?

**Justinian** · January 21, 2005, 11:27 PM

Gates of Fire RULES.

Don't get it unless you don't mind profanity, though, which you probably don't.

**Oldgamer** · January 21, 2005, 11:47 PM

Not necessarily an historical novel, but one that is extremely interesting a thought-provoking:

Executive Orders, by Tom Clancy. Almost the entire US government is killed during a joint session of Congress, while Jack Ryan (of Hunt for Red October fame) is sworn is as the new Vice-President. He lives through the attack on Congress, and must put together a new government, while dealing with many internal and external threats. No cheats here ...

... the book came out in 2000, and starts with a 747 "kamikazied" into the Capitol building!

**Justinian** · January 21, 2005, 11:50 PM

... the book came out in 2000, and starts with a 747 "kamikazied" into the Capitol building!

Wow.

**qnzkid711** · January 22, 2005, 01:29 AM

There was a lot of talk about planes hitting buildings and suicide bombers. Infact there was a movie with Steven Segal about a terrorist group who hijacks a plane and wants to slam it into a government building. Using commerical planes and weapons was and is nothing new. We were just blind to it.

**Rush Limbaugh** · January 22, 2005, 01:47 AM

Dam I still like The Three Musketeers.

**BassV2** · January 22, 2005, 01:55 AM

none.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

**qnzkid711** · January 22, 2005, 02:02 AM

I want something in the western world. Plus doesnt Romance have a ton of volumes?

**mib** · January 22, 2005, 02:07 AM

It's rather short really. But I didn't like it.

**Trax** · January 22, 2005, 03:35 AM

Originally posted by Rush Limbaugh@Jan 22 2005, 10:47 AM
Dam I still like The Three Musketeers.

It is the best indeed. Although "Twenty Years After" is almost as good

**wilpuri** · January 22, 2005, 04:46 AM

Moved to Historic arts and literature.

On topic:
The three musketeers is excellent, but I also like "autobiographies" like Sinuhe the Egyptian and I, Claudius. Other great Historical fiction that I've read would include:
The Monsoon
Under the North Star (Trilogy)
The Unknown Soldier or "War Novel"

And I'm currently reading the first book (called Red Dawn) of a trilogy called Trinity by Leon Uris. Its about Ireland, specifically Northern Ireland in the late 19th Century. It's pretty good.

**Lord Boris** · January 22, 2005, 05:05 AM

I too would recommend Gates of Fire. The Alexander trilogy by Massimo Valerio Manfredi is also pretty good.

I'd also really like to recommend Count Belisarius by Robert Graves. Its set in the Byzantine Empire, not long after the fall of the Western Empire. With Belisarius in command, they Byzantines came close to reconquering the west.

**JMF** · January 22, 2005, 05:37 AM

I would say Gates of Fire.

To plug some old favourites of mine: Any of the Sharpe novels by Bernard Cornwell or any of the Hornblower novels by C.S. Forester, all of which are excellent. Yes you can't beat The Three Musketeers for light reading :smile

JMF

**Spook153** · January 22, 2005, 09:50 AM

For a really good book about the Roman Empire, try to get hold of Imperial Governor by George Shipway. It is set in Britain at the time of Boudicca's revolt and the whole book is written as if it was an account of events from Suetonius Paulinus.

**Sulla** · February 16, 2005, 02:13 AM

I loved Colleen McCullough's 'Masters of Rome' series of six books. They look right into the 'fall of the Roman republic' in outstanding detail and gives you a real sense of what things might have been like for them in those time. Well worth a read.

**WyX** · February 16, 2005, 04:39 AM

You must all read ROMAN BLOOD by Steven Saylor. Theres about 9 books in series all about the end of the republic. Historical Murder mystery. First one is about Ciceros first case where he slanders Sulla and gets away with it!

**Little Legionaire** · February 16, 2005, 05:14 AM

I reed Julian, The treacherous Emperor. Excellent book about last pagan emperor Julian Augustus. I was reading Gibbons Fall of Rome series i'm impressed Julians actions. I was looking something in a book store and i saw it! Bingo i did took the book and reed it in two days. Honestly solid rock book. :cool

**qnzkid711** · February 16, 2005, 04:13 PM

Oh wow, I made this a while back. Right now I just finished reading I,Claudius and am awating the arrival of its sequel in the mail(Claudius the God) I also picked up gates of Fire. Im really tempted to read it, had it for about 1 week now, but I do not want to start then get Claudius the God and have to stop midway. So ill wait. Next book i do not know though. Maybe it will be another Graves, like Belisarus, or the Gallic Wars.