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Post by Mabel on May 19, 2018 1:34:13 GMT -5
Can anyone help?
I’ve been in an historical fiction kick- particularly anything about the Tudors, War of the Roses era, Mary Stuart, those sort of time frames (note, I’ve read everything by Phillipa Gregory already, and some from other authors).
I’m also super into the space program and would LOVE to find more novels based on that (think The Astronauts Wife, The Martian, etc.) I haven’t come across many so that would be cool...
I like dystopian stuff but have read pretty much everything I think lol!
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Post by stellarfeller on May 19, 2018 6:44:29 GMT -5
Have you read any Sharon Kay Penman? Her concentration is from Empress Matilda/Maud (Henry II’s mother) and King Stephen through to Edward I (I think - Longshanks), and she’s also written about the Wars of the Roses. She’s one of my favourite authors.
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Post by coachgrrl on May 19, 2018 11:41:22 GMT -5
Have you tried anything by Anya Seton (Old school) but Katherine, The Winthrop Woman and Green Darkness are all good
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Post by alicechalmers on May 19, 2018 12:03:14 GMT -5
I'll second Sharon Kay Penman. Her research is meticulous. The Sunne in Splendour follows the life of King Richard III.
Are you interested in any other eras or locales? Because I have loads of historical fiction I could recommend.
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Post by Wise Old Goat on May 19, 2018 15:10:46 GMT -5
Ender's Game - while not about the real space program would probably appeal based on your space mentions.
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Post by Mabel on May 19, 2018 16:48:10 GMT -5
I'll second Sharon Kay Penman. Her research is meticulous. The Sunne in Splendour follows the life of King Richard III. Are you interested in any other eras or locales? Because I have loads of historical fiction I could recommend. I’d love your recommendations, I really love all historical fiction! Those are just where I tend to lean  Stepping outside of my box would be fine! |
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Post by Mabel on May 19, 2018 16:57:13 GMT -5
Ender's Game - while not about the real space program would probably appeal based on your space mentions. I *think* I read this but I’m going to check into it! I really wish there were more books written about the space program that were similar to the astronauts wives. Actually maybe I should check into biographies/autobiographies. I’m just so fascinated by the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions. |
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Post by stellarfeller on May 19, 2018 17:38:51 GMT -5
I'll second Sharon Kay Penman. Her research is meticulous. The Sunne in Splendour follows the life of King Richard III. I knew you would! |
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Post by Wise Old Goat on May 19, 2018 18:23:47 GMT -5
Ender's Game - while not about the real space program would probably appeal based on your space mentions. I *think* I read this but I’m going to check into it! I really wish there were more books written about the space program that were similar to the astronauts wives. Actually maybe I should check into biographies/autobiographies. I’m just so fascinated by the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions. I'm assuming then that you've read The Right Stuff? |
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Post by alicechalmers on May 19, 2018 18:30:21 GMT -5
Sara Donati's "Into the Wilderness" series is multi-generational and takes place in the US, from the Revolutionary War to the War of 1812. They are, in order:
Into the Wilderness
Dawn on a Distant Shore
Lake in the Clouds
Fire Along the Sky
Queen of Swords
The Endless Forest
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Post by alicechalmers on May 19, 2018 18:37:16 GMT -5
Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant is set in 1570 Italy. A young woman is forced into a convent, the timing of which coincides with anti-Catholic political turmoil.
The Darling Strumpet by Gillian Bagwell is about King Charles II's mistress Nell Gwynn.
Queen Hereafter: A Novel of Margaret of Scotland by Susan Fraser King.
Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran.
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Post by alicechalmers on May 19, 2018 18:43:29 GMT -5
Mary Balogh, a romance author, has a series 1) The Gilded Web 2) Web of Love 3) The Devil's Web that is fairly so-so as far as the romance, and the amount of history varies from book to book but you have to read the whole series to get the big picture, but holy shit the description of the Napoleonic Wars and the Battle of Waterloo are fucking fantastic.
Romance as a genre often doesn't get much credit, but there's a lot of research wrapped up in those stories. Other books that tackle the medical advances of the Napoleonic Wars are The Bargain and Shattered Rainbows by Mary Jo Putney. She's a little more cliche in her plot but the characters are wonderful.
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Post by dharma on May 19, 2018 18:56:38 GMT -5
Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran. Loved this one. |
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Post by alicechalmers on May 19, 2018 18:57:14 GMT -5
The Jack Absolute series by C.C. Humphreys is a hoot. Jack is a British soldier in the time leading up to the US Revolution. He's very dashing and there's lots of adventure. I adore him.
1) Jack Absolute
2) The Blooding of Jack Absolute
3) Absolute Honour
City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin is set in Germany after WWI. It's so riveting. So, so riveting. And knowing your history makes the entire book that much more compelling. Brilliant.
The Winter Siege by Ariana Franklin is an unlikely friendship set during the English Civil War and would piggyback nicely with Sharon Kay Penman's Plantagenet series.
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Post by alicechalmers on May 19, 2018 19:06:03 GMT -5
More by Sharon Kay Penman:
She takes us through several generation of the Plantagenets:
When Christ and His Saints Slept
Time and Chance
Devil's Brood
Lionheart
A King's Ransom
The Justin de Quincy series are all mysteries set when Eleanor is Queen.
The Queen's Man
Cruel as the Grave
Dragon's Lair
Prince of Darkness
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Post by stellarfeller on May 19, 2018 19:11:51 GMT -5
SKP’s Welsh trilogy are some of my all-time favourite books - the ones I reread time and time again:
Here be Dragons
Falls the Shadow
The Reckoning
If I ever fell in love with book characters, it was with Llywelyn Fawr and Llywelyn ap Gruffydd ❤️
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Post by Mabel on May 19, 2018 20:58:25 GMT -5
Loving all these!! So excited to have a long “To Read” list again!!! Thank you!!
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Post by Wise Old Goat on May 20, 2018 10:10:44 GMT -5
I loved Madam Tussaud as well - none of her other books have yet to grab me the way that one did sadly. I never finished Nefertiti and Rebel Queen was interesting but didn't really enthrall me. I do still have Mata Hari on my list.
I know it's only kind of historical fiction but I love the Connie Willis Oxford Time Travel series - it plunks a future "historian" back in time to study a real historical event. They have an order but I've read them out of order. Doomsday Book is very serious and kind of depressing - but fascinating (medieval England during the plague). To Say Nothing of the Dog is a light hearted comedy that plays homage to Three Men in a Boat and then the Blackout/All Clear books (which do have to be read in order) which is about the blitz in WWII England.
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Post by Mabel on May 23, 2018 12:00:50 GMT -5
I should mention I love time travel books too!
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Post by Wise Old Goat on May 23, 2018 17:30:47 GMT -5
Well then in the dystopian/time travel arena let me recommend All Our Wrong Todaysby Elan Mastai - it was an interesting look at time travel and I dug it. There's also Paradox Bound by Peter Clines - which isn't time travel per se but traveling through history which is a distinction he keeps reminding you of  . It was interesting - not the best book on time travel but not bad either (although if I'm recommending a Peter Clines book I would be remiss in not recommending The Fold which is about teleportation type stuff) |
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Stepping outside of my box would be fine!
. It was interesting - not the best book on time travel but not bad either (although if I'm recommending a Peter Clines book I would be remiss in not recommending The Fold which is about teleportation type stuff)