07-16-2013, 12:12 AM
Ok if novels on Greece are plastic and full of assumptions, Roman ones have the issue of being even more anachronistic, often soldiers are like US marines and these come off as if the author is trying to transplant the US. It gets annoying. Not sure if these are worse than the Greek ones or not, but ok. I'll be brief since I need to finish reading this crap on Roman patronage. BTW Roman cultural machinery is almost 99% totally absent, so bear that in mind with "accuracy". There's never salutatio, the myriad little religious motions, the personal names, the right names for deities. Actually...the same with Greece but its even more pronounced here. Not once have I ever seen a character receive a sportula. Seesh...Ok....
Note that these will be relatively "late" due to the preponderance of stuff on the late Republic and Augustan age, since Scarrow etc will deffo be mentioned. I'm also not touching the wonderful Greco-Roman mystery genre.
1 Gore Vidal - Julian
Almost literary, yes very American but the writing makes this worth it. I wish it were as good as his Creation terrible but...anyway its lovely, Livanios and Priskos star and there are great moments.
2 William Napier - Attila trilogy.
Ok, the Romans almost come off as effete British Imperials here "oh no one wouldn't get so tanned! ohh my hands are dirty, fancy that" etc but the pace and characterisation make this stand out and you sympathise with both Atilla and Aetius. Typical eye rolling description of the Eastern Empire , alas. The battle descriptions will annoy people here though.
3 Harry/Henry Sidebottom - Warrior of Rome series.
Ok, difficult. Set in the 3rd century where evidence is scarce, a mix of invention and real characters. It does a lot right. Its by far the most historically accurate Roman set of novels, in terms of Roman culture etc, this it achieves by remarkable understatement. Those who know surrounding periods well will get a huge kick out of the backhanded use of literature from those eras, especially the erotic tales. I laughed. However the writing is not always good and the clumsy insertion of Latin terms with English glosses breaks up the flow. So not quite the Latin version of C. Cameron but close. Wunderbar.
I do love that it slips a lot of Roman culture in, the warfare is brutal and honest and quick too. I've only read the first 3 or 4, however. I think there are 5/6 now.
Ok super long twin posts so I'll stop annoying people and wait for recommendations.
Note that these will be relatively "late" due to the preponderance of stuff on the late Republic and Augustan age, since Scarrow etc will deffo be mentioned. I'm also not touching the wonderful Greco-Roman mystery genre.
1 Gore Vidal - Julian
Almost literary, yes very American but the writing makes this worth it. I wish it were as good as his Creation terrible but...anyway its lovely, Livanios and Priskos star and there are great moments.
2 William Napier - Attila trilogy.
Ok, the Romans almost come off as effete British Imperials here "oh no one wouldn't get so tanned! ohh my hands are dirty, fancy that" etc but the pace and characterisation make this stand out and you sympathise with both Atilla and Aetius. Typical eye rolling description of the Eastern Empire , alas. The battle descriptions will annoy people here though.
3 Harry/Henry Sidebottom - Warrior of Rome series.
Ok, difficult. Set in the 3rd century where evidence is scarce, a mix of invention and real characters. It does a lot right. Its by far the most historically accurate Roman set of novels, in terms of Roman culture etc, this it achieves by remarkable understatement. Those who know surrounding periods well will get a huge kick out of the backhanded use of literature from those eras, especially the erotic tales. I laughed. However the writing is not always good and the clumsy insertion of Latin terms with English glosses breaks up the flow. So not quite the Latin version of C. Cameron but close. Wunderbar.
I do love that it slips a lot of Roman culture in, the warfare is brutal and honest and quick too. I've only read the first 3 or 4, however. I think there are 5/6 now.
Ok super long twin posts so I'll stop annoying people and wait for recommendations.
Jass
