The Legate\'s Daughter by Wallace Breem

[Spedius]

Ave,

I've just spent a couple of pleasurable hours reading through the topics in this part of the Forum.

I, like many of you, enjoy reading historical fiction. One of my favourite authors is Wallace Breem, and one of my favourite novels is "The Legate's Daughter". Did you know, and not a lot of people know this, that Curtius Rufus is possibly the daddy of the current crop of Roman detectives?

If only Wallace Breem's character had caught on. We might have had a whole series of Curtius Rufus novels. As I write this I'm looking at my 1975 paperback edition published by Arrow and costing the princely sum of 65p. I also have two copies of his other Roman based novel "Eagles In The Snow", another one of my favourites.

Top of the list though, has to go to George Shipway's "Imperial Governor". My all time favourite. I have a hardback and two paperback copies of that book.

If anyone's interested I could post the list of historical fiction currently sitting on my bookshelves?

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo

[Niedel]

I liked "Eagle in the snow" a lot but didn't like "The Legate's Daughter". Loved "Provincial Governor" as well. Would be very interested to hear more about what you have on your bookshelves, I'm always interested in historical fiction. I've also read the series by Lindsey Davies, Stephen Saylor, John Maddox Roberts, Colleen McCullough, Simon Scarrow and some others. I also enjoyed another Roman mystery series by David Wisehart (I think that was his name).
Another really good trilogy IMO was Lion Feuchtwanger's Josephus series, but I don't know if that's available in English, I read it in German.

[Spedius]

I liked "Eagle in the snow" a lot but didn't like "The Legate's Daughter". Loved "Provincial Governor" as well. Would be very interested to hear more about what you have on your bookshelves, I'm always interested in historical fiction. I've also read the series by Lindsey Davies, Stephen Saylor, John Maddox Roberts, Colleen McCullough, Simon Scarrow and some others. I also enjoyed another Roman mystery series by David Wisehart (I think that was his name).
Another really good trilogy IMO was Lion Feuchtwanger's Josephus series, but I don't know if that's available in English, I read it in German.

Ave Niedel,

Thank you for your message.

The only author who's books I haven't got or read, from the English language ones you mentioned, is John Maddox Roberts. I believe he is a member of this Forum and has, on occasion, actually posted some comments on his books. Are his books good reads? I have them on my wants list.

A decent pair of books to look out for are "The Three Legions" by Gregory Solon and "The Lost Eagles" by Ralph Graves. The first is about Varus and the Teutonberg Wald, the second is about Varus' relative and his attempt to recover the three legionary standards, the eagles. I have both published in paperback by Sphere in 1972, costing 35p each. These are both good reads.

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo

[Niedel]

Spedius,

thanks, I'll have my eyes out for those, never can get enough.
And yes, I have seen John Maddox Roberts on this site, a real treat IMHO, as I love his books. I'd say they're somewhere in-between the Falco and the Gordianus series, same period as Gordianus, of course, a little more humor and more crime/mystery than Gordianus, too, but not as heavy on the history. A lot more history and less humor/family fun than Falco, though. I only wish they were a little longer.
I really liked the last one I read, The River God's Vengeance. The one before that was a little weaker (The Tribune's curse), I thought, but the others are good as well. Definitely recommended, and if I'm correct, they were the first English language Roman mystery series, so congrats for that, too (internationally, I think the German "Caius" series from the 60s about a gang of Roman kids solving mysteries might have been the first).
Other authors you might look into, if you dont' know them yet, are Rosemary Rowe and Gillian Bradshaw. I also enjoyed Donna Gillespie's The Light Bearer, a bit much new age mumbo-jumbo, but good action and relatively historically accurate (but beware of the second one, out only in German, it's terrible).
I also recently read a newer book about Julian, called Gods and Legions, fun read as well (altough I still prefer Gore Vidal's version).

On the not recommended list, the only historical fiction that has ever made me sort of mad because it was so fictionalized was the first book of a series called "Emperor" about Caesar et al., can't remember the author's name, Con Igulden (spelling?)? I only read the first one and it's more alternative history than history. Don't understand why you would change compelling and dramatic real facts to introduce weird stuff (Caesar and Brutus are the same age and grow up as best friends, Caesar's dad dies in a slave uprising attack on their country estate - sort of a "Indians attacking the fort" scene...Caesar grows up a country bumpkin, etc.). I couldn't bring myself to continue with this series.

I love this thread, post more if you run into good stuff. I will do the same. There is a lot of historical fiction out there and it's sometimes hard to find the gems (like Imperial Governor or Eagle in the Snow were to me).

[Arthes]

Greetings,
I have had a copy of The Legates Daughter for quite a few years... must be one of the earlier printings ...not to hand at the moment to check.
I quite enjoyed the story...
regards
Arthes

[Spedius]

Ave Niedel (aka Christoph),

Ave Arthes, welcome to the thread, please feel free to add any historical novels that you've enjoyed.

I do believe that Conn Iggulden is a member of this Forum and, like John Maddox Roberts, has been known to write the occasional comment.

I have the first two of Conn's books, "The Gates of Rome" and "The Death of Kings" but, as I spend all of my spare time on this Forum, I havn't had a chance to read them yet.

Rosemary Rowe and Gillian Bradshaw I havn't heard of. What can you tell me about their books? Donna Gillespie's The Light Bearer, I've got her book too. I've got Gore Vidal's "Julian" too, but I've yet to read it.

Another set of books to look out for are:

01. The Eagles: The Hill of the Dead by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1976
02. The Eagles: The Land of Mist by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1976
03. The Eagles: City of Fire by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1976
04. The Eagles: Blood on the Sand by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1977
05. The Eagles: Sea of Swords by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1977

Great cover illustration by Richard Clifton-Dey. I would have liked to attach pictures of the covers but I still havn't learned how to do that yet. Our central character is a gladiator who goes by the name of Vulpus the fox. The books are a series of combats with Vulpus displaying many talents. The main stories are presented in flashbacks though. The period is set during the reigns of Titus and then Domitian so 79 AD plus.

I believe that Andrew Quiller is a pseudonym for yet another English author named Ken Bulmer.

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo

[Niedel]

Rosemary Rowe and Gillian Bradshaw I havn't heard of. What can you tell me about their books?

I've only read one of each of their books. Rosemary Rowe writes Roman mysteries (another one!) set in Roman Britannia (I read "The Germanicus Mosaic"), Gillian Bradshaw books about the ancient world in general, from Greek Syracuse to Alexandria etc. I read her novel "Island of Ghosts" about Sarmatian cavalry at Hadrian's wall, not bad.

[Arthes]

Greetings,
Gillian Bradshaw also wrote an Arthurian era trilogy, 'Hawk of May', 'Kingdom of Summer' and 'In Winter's Shadow'. I have the first two and borrowed the last from the library. I would recommend them...!
Her 'Horses of Heaven' looks rather interesting, set in Bactria/Asia in the mid 2nd century bce. The illustration on the front of the 1990 edition is reminiscant of the famous picture of Alexander facing Porus at Hydaspes.
[url:2cs0febr]http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/gillian-bradshaw/horses-of-heaven.htm[/url]
regards
Arthes

[Spedius]

Ave Niedel and Arthes,

Thank you both for the information on Rosemary Rowe and Gillian Bradshaw.

Another pair of books to look out for are "Masada (Formerly The Antagonists)" and "The Triumph" both by Ernest K. Gann. The first was published in Britain by Coronet in 1980 and the second by Pocket in the USA in 1987.

As the titles imply they are the stories of the seige of Masada and the triumph in Rome celebrating the victory. The Roman's central character is one L(ucius) Flavius Silva Nonius Bassus, to give him his full range of names. He was the Governor of Judae from 73/74 to 77/78 and, as such, also commanded the legion X Fulminata at Masada. He was subsequently to become an elected consul, for the date please click on the link below.

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=6732

These two books are well paced and give a snapshot of what life might well have been in those far off days.

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo

[Robert Vermaat]

01. The Eagles: The Hill of the Dead by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1976
02. The Eagles: The Land of Mist by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1976
03. The Eagles: City of Fire by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1976
04. The Eagles: Blood on the Sand by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1977
05. The Eagles: Sea of Swords by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1977
Great cover illustration by Richard Clifton-Dey. I would have liked to attach pictures of the covers but I still havn't learned how to do that yet.

Like this one?

[Spedius]

01. The Eagles: The Hill of the Dead by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1976
02. The Eagles: The Land of Mist by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1976
03. The Eagles: City of Fire by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1976
04. The Eagles: Blood on the Sand by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1977
05. The Eagles: Sea of Swords by Andrew Quiller - Mayflower - 1977
Great cover illustration by Richard Clifton-Dey. I would have liked to attach pictures of the covers but I still havn't learned how to do that yet.

Like this one?

Ave Vortgern Studies,

Wecome to the thread.

Yes, just like that one! It would have been great if I could've lined all five of them up from left to right!

How did you do it?

Tell me all about www.iblist.com ? I assume it's an image hosting website? Is it free?

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo

[Robert Vermaat]

Yes, just like that one! It would have been great if I could've lined all five of them up from left to right!

Sure. Emended the first post, added the other three:

How did you do it?
Tell me all about www.iblist.com ? I assume it's an image hosting website? Is it free?

No, it's just an internet book-seller. I found them through a Google search.[/quote]

[Spedius]

Ave Vortigern Studies,

Outstanding!! Thank you.

I've checked out www.iblist.com , very interesting website.

It would seem that my information about Ken Bulmer = Andrew Quiller was right.

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo

[Graham Sumner]

Gosh you guy's have awoken some memories! My friends and I used to read the Andrew Quiller 'The Eagles' series at Art college. Of course we also liked the cover artwork by Richard Clifton-Dey. He illustrated the Times newspaper advert showing the Trojan Horse being pulled into the city with the slogan "haven't you ever wished you were better informed!"

My copy of 'Spartacus', by Howard Fast, also has one of his illustrations on the front cover as well. He has used similar Gladiator equipment as on 'the Eagles' series of covers.

Robert you seem to have missed one cover out 'The Land of Mist' which was set in Britain!

I have the complete set of those books except for the first one 'The Hill of the Dead' which I remember was about Masada. Does anyone have a copy they would like to sell or know where I can get hold of a copy. It would have to be in the same paperback series as the others with the cover as illustrated above. Is it just me or does everyone else hate it when the covers of books change format halfway through?

For instance I thought the 'First Man in Rome' series of hardback covers were quite attractive until they changed format after the second book.

My own copy of 'The Legate's Daughter' has her portrait painted amongst the clouds alongside the hero with what looks suspiciously like The Ermine Street Guard marching across the foreground!

Graham.

[Graham Sumner]

Ah Robert I see the missing book cover has now appeared as if by magic in your previous post!

The Ermine Street Guard also seem to appear on the cover on a recent book about Boudica! Although that is not a novel.

I also have somewhere another book on a British born Gladiator called Attalus I think, which appeared around the same time as the Andrew Quiller series. In fact I think the character actually appeared in one of 'The Eagles' books fighting alongside Vulpus the fox in much the same way as Falco's family appeared in the last Simon Scarrow book. However there did not appear to have been any trouble in doing that sort of thing back then.

Graham.