Lanista Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Salve Russ, You dealt with the topic more freely while James Duffy's gladiators were very authentic and the way he described the training it felt for me if I was walking onto the training ground myself (though at the time I read the first volume I had a ruptured muscle fibre in my left calf and wished I could train instead of lying on the sofa). Anyhow, I look forward to your sequel to "Gladiatrix". Vale optime, Medusa Just kidding, man. I really enjoyed enjoyed Jim's books too - he also did loads of re-enactment training as research! Cheers Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion-Macro Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 As I mentioned in my first post about these books they are about gladiators. The main figure become gladiator by some mischance and they are very well researched and well written. Unfortunately the homepage of the author where he advertised this series no longer exists. I shall take a look at them. I have been looking for a good gladiator book for a while now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galba Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I don't believe it ! No one has mentioned The First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough from her series Masters of Rome Her historical characters are very detailed an vivaed. The first two volumes were really thrilling but the later books of that series are not that good anymore. I'll have to agree with you on that one, sometime she puts too much emphasize on the scribing the atmosphere and characters that she forgets about the plot sequence. Although I also enjoyed the last book in the series Antony and Cleopatra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGolomb Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I love the Simon Scarrow books but my favorites are not that widely known: James Duffy "Sand of the Arena" "The Fight for Rome" The author had intended to write a trilogy but since he did not sell enough of the first two volumes he cancelled this project which makes me very sad since they are the best novels on gladiators I've read so far. I'm glad to read that you liked these two books. I thought they were terrific...perhaps stronger than Scarrow in terms of "pop" fiction. The action is absolutely terrific. I'd highly recommend both of these. I'm sad to read that the third book is canceled. I kind of thought that might be the case based on my reading between the lines on Duffy's website. That's a shame, because he had a real good thing going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGolomb Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 My favorite Roman fiction novel is M. Yourcenar - Memoirs of Hadrian. I've had this in my Amazon wishlist for a few months now. How does it compare to I, Claudius? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGolomb Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 My Top Ten in Roman Empire Fiction: I, Claudius - Graves Eagle in the Snow - Breem Claudius the God - Graves Eagle of the Ninth - Sutcliffe The Light Bearer - Gillespie Under the Eagle (#1 in Scarrow's series) - Scarrow Sand of the Arena - Duffy Eagle's Conquest (#2 Scarrow) - Scarrow Fire in the East - Sidebottom Fight for Rome - Duffy Gladiatrix - Whitfield (hmm...that would be my Top 11...I'm soooo Spinal Tap) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludovicus Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 For me, in the realm of non-fiction, The Fires of Vesuvius: Pompeii Lost and Found by Mary Beard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Modern Fiction Pompei by Robert Harris Modern Non-Fiction I agree that Holland's Rubicon is definitely worthy of the praise it generally receives. Christian Meier's "Caesar" is probably the first serious treatise of ancient Rome that I ever read and it still holds a very special place in my memory. Ancient source While each source has its particular value or importance, I'm partial to Appian of Alexandria probably because of core subject matter (Later Republic and Civil War era). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanista Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I'm sad to read that the third book is canceled. I kind of thought that might be the case based on my reading between the lines on Duffy's website. That's a shame, because he had a real good thing going. It really is - last time I spoke to him, he said that he could extend the series to nine books, he had it all mapped out, this is such a shame Cheers Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanista Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 My Top Ten in Roman Empire Fiction:I, Claudius - Graves Eagle in the Snow - Breem Claudius the God - Graves Eagle of the Ninth - Sutcliffe The Light Bearer - Gillespie Under the Eagle (#1 in Scarrow's series) - Scarrow Sand of the Arena - Duffy Eagle's Conquest (#2 Scarrow) - Scarrow Fire in the East - Sidebottom Fight for Rome - Duffy Gladiatrix - Whitfield (hmm...that would be my Top 11...I'm soooo Spinal Tap) You flatter me, Mr G. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGolomb Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 You flatter me, Mr G. ;-) L - yours is the only book that can "go to eleven". What's our ETA on your sequel? J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanista Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 You flatter me, Mr G. ;-) L - yours is the only book that can "go to eleven". What's our ETA on your sequel? J I had an email today from Myrmidon saying they were going to go for it, so that's good news. I think...October or something like that. I'm made up about, really really chuffed. Its loads different from Gladiatrix, but Myrmidon seemed to like it and that's the first hurdle to get over (and the toughest!) Cheers Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medusa Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 I'm sad to read that the third book is canceled. I kind of thought that might be the case based on my reading between the lines on Duffy's website. That's a shame, because he had a real good thing going. It really is - last time I spoke to him, he said that he could extend the series to nine books, he had it all mapped out, this is such a shame Cheers Russ I had been in e-mail contact with James Duffy where he told me that he dropped the Gladiators of the Empire series. I always thought of suggeting Book on Demand to him because his publisher claimed that he did not sell enough copies. Russ, could you get him over to Myrmidon books, then maybe he had the right publisher behind him for this kind of book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGolomb Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Congrats! I guess I assumed you were already signed for the second book. Great news... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanista Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 (edited) I had been in e-mail contact with James Duffy where he told me that he dropped the Gladiators of the Empire series. I always thought of suggeting Book on Demand to him because his publisher claimed that he did not sell enough copies. Russ, could you get him over to Myrmidon books, then maybe he had the right publisher behind him for this kind of book? I'll PM you on this, Medusa, we don't want to derail the "all time fave books" thread ;-) J: Thanks man, but no, I'm not on a contract, so it was totally nerve-racking *lol*. Any road - back to the books! Cheers Russ Edited May 17, 2010 by Lanista Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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