07-15-2013, 11:57 PM
OOo this is actually a topic I've had increasing interest in. When younger I used to be dismissive of them on basis of accuracy, I've now chilled out in that regard and have a broader appreciation of such books. I still think 99% are trash for either bad writing or being inaccurate and anachronicistic beyond what I can stand, but still...Arkhwmetha 8) This saves me putting this in the Classics blog we're planning. Also I'll be blunt. Are we sticking to English?
1 Mary Renault - The Praise Singer.
Ok I'm not one to recommend Renault, despite her popularity. I find certain things annoying, she's very...dated, whilst her attitude to homosexuality is suprisingly liberal her characterisation of women is often dull. Moreover she's ensconsed in the old German view of Greeks as all pale blondes disliking the dark aboriginals. Her character motivation is frequently un-Greek, her attempt at nicknames for her characters violate all rules of Greek onomastics (NO YOU CAN'T CALL HIM HERK, JESUS WOMEN!)...Anyway, you can see that despite her overwhelming popularity this is not the stuff to draw a Classicist, usually.
However this is exceptional. The above is somewhat minimised, the story is somewhat naive but at the same time this is easily the most evocative treatment of the archaic/early Classical poetic world. The power players, the patronage...even the aristocratic lilt is wonderful. There are even occasional, not too good, quotations from Simonides and the references to Bakkhylides and Pindar are wonderful. If you dislike it, you're silly. Its a brilliant book. As brilliant as her others are boring. One of my favourites.
2 Tom Holland - The Walled Orchard.
Again, based on a poet of insane importance to us yet often overlooked, Eupolis. Not much to say since I didn't finish it (thesis!) but its funny as hell with a healthy dose of history and whatnot woven into it. Fantastic. I'd kiss the man just for focusing on Eupolis though, I really would. On the lips, Roman style, as if he were my son in law. A wonderful picture of classical Athens.
3 Christian Cameron - Various
What's to say? This is a man who has read his Herodotos. Ok there are slight quirks as in K.O.M we have Arimnestos' mother singing Homer...we'd really want Hesiod or one of the others at this stage and Poseidon's spear goes off the map and we start getting modern Greek names etc (I'm guessing in deference to friends). However, probably pound for pound the best Greek books. It understands war, it quotes Homer, Herodotos and has Greek philosophy. It understands war (again) without glorifying it. It happily shows Greek aristocratic culture and there are times it lets the dissonance between its characters and our mores through. It also really, really, feels mediterranean.
Also the Marathon series mentions: Herodotos, Aeschylus, Phrynicus (!!) and a host of others. I mean Hipponax is a main character and so cleverly done we all delighted. These are the books I pass to other Classicists. A friend of mine is on Hipponax and they were delighted at the nice twist.
Ok, not read them *ALL* so quick notes. I didn't like Tyrant 3, make your own mind up. The first one was..phenomenal, as a story. I mean...fuck man...the supernatural elements, the presentation of the landscape. Philokles. The later books shift to first person, it may or may not annoy you. He's the reason I scrapped my Mycenaean novel since I can't write like this. Anyway this section is too long, so I can't go into individual detail. I didn't like Tyr.3 and am unsure about Alexander but none are less than great novels. If you're interested in fighting you'll be happy.
4 Lindsay Clarke - War at Troy/Return from Troy.
Read them years ago, not sure has well they've aged. I loved them at the time...literary novel meets Greek mythology meets pseudo-Historical background, grounded realism. They follow various epics, tragedies and handbooks. The first is better than the sequel. Pair this was Zachary Masons' "Lost Books of the Odyssey" or somesuch, you need to know the Odyssey first though. These are old and probably out of print but worth it. The fighting description and PST is nice.
Ok I've rambled too much here, I'll cut this off and do another one on Rome. OBVS all this is opinion and obvs there are other good ones out there, this is just an immediate selection.
1 Mary Renault - The Praise Singer.
Ok I'm not one to recommend Renault, despite her popularity. I find certain things annoying, she's very...dated, whilst her attitude to homosexuality is suprisingly liberal her characterisation of women is often dull. Moreover she's ensconsed in the old German view of Greeks as all pale blondes disliking the dark aboriginals. Her character motivation is frequently un-Greek, her attempt at nicknames for her characters violate all rules of Greek onomastics (NO YOU CAN'T CALL HIM HERK, JESUS WOMEN!)...Anyway, you can see that despite her overwhelming popularity this is not the stuff to draw a Classicist, usually.
However this is exceptional. The above is somewhat minimised, the story is somewhat naive but at the same time this is easily the most evocative treatment of the archaic/early Classical poetic world. The power players, the patronage...even the aristocratic lilt is wonderful. There are even occasional, not too good, quotations from Simonides and the references to Bakkhylides and Pindar are wonderful. If you dislike it, you're silly. Its a brilliant book. As brilliant as her others are boring. One of my favourites.
2 Tom Holland - The Walled Orchard.
Again, based on a poet of insane importance to us yet often overlooked, Eupolis. Not much to say since I didn't finish it (thesis!) but its funny as hell with a healthy dose of history and whatnot woven into it. Fantastic. I'd kiss the man just for focusing on Eupolis though, I really would. On the lips, Roman style, as if he were my son in law. A wonderful picture of classical Athens.
3 Christian Cameron - Various
What's to say? This is a man who has read his Herodotos. Ok there are slight quirks as in K.O.M we have Arimnestos' mother singing Homer...we'd really want Hesiod or one of the others at this stage and Poseidon's spear goes off the map and we start getting modern Greek names etc (I'm guessing in deference to friends). However, probably pound for pound the best Greek books. It understands war, it quotes Homer, Herodotos and has Greek philosophy. It understands war (again) without glorifying it. It happily shows Greek aristocratic culture and there are times it lets the dissonance between its characters and our mores through. It also really, really, feels mediterranean.
Also the Marathon series mentions: Herodotos, Aeschylus, Phrynicus (!!) and a host of others. I mean Hipponax is a main character and so cleverly done we all delighted. These are the books I pass to other Classicists. A friend of mine is on Hipponax and they were delighted at the nice twist.
Ok, not read them *ALL* so quick notes. I didn't like Tyrant 3, make your own mind up. The first one was..phenomenal, as a story. I mean...fuck man...the supernatural elements, the presentation of the landscape. Philokles. The later books shift to first person, it may or may not annoy you. He's the reason I scrapped my Mycenaean novel since I can't write like this. Anyway this section is too long, so I can't go into individual detail. I didn't like Tyr.3 and am unsure about Alexander but none are less than great novels. If you're interested in fighting you'll be happy.
4 Lindsay Clarke - War at Troy/Return from Troy.
Read them years ago, not sure has well they've aged. I loved them at the time...literary novel meets Greek mythology meets pseudo-Historical background, grounded realism. They follow various epics, tragedies and handbooks. The first is better than the sequel. Pair this was Zachary Masons' "Lost Books of the Odyssey" or somesuch, you need to know the Odyssey first though. These are old and probably out of print but worth it. The fighting description and PST is nice.
Ok I've rambled too much here, I'll cut this off and do another one on Rome. OBVS all this is opinion and obvs there are other good ones out there, this is just an immediate selection.
Jass
