Best Ancient Rome Books (fiction and nonfiction)

Welcome to a list of the best books about Ancient Rome. This comprises two lists: fiction and nonfiction.

Best Ancient Rome Fiction

5. Under the Eagle (Eagles of the Empire #1)

Under The Eagle (part of Simon Scarrow’s bestselling Eagles of the Empire series) is a double-time march in the footsteps of the Ancient Roman legions. What I like to categorise as sword-and-shield historical fiction, expect plenty of nail-biting fights and gritty detail as you watch the lives of Cato and Macro play out on the barbarian frontier of the Roman Empire.

The protagonists are written around each other in the best possible way: inexperienced intellectual Cato and toughened veteran centurion Macro. Easy reading which shouldn’t take you long to finish and is more than likely to get you hooked on the series. It did for me!

4. Dictator (Cicero Trilogy #3)

Political thrillers and Ancient Rome go together like tea and biscuits, and Robert Harris proves himself to be a masterful composer of that ensemble in Dictator. In it he brings together two titans of the Late Roman Republic, Cicero and Caesar.

Ambition, corruption and uncertainty are three of the hallmarks of the book and the period. Set during one of the pivotal moments of Roman history, this novel certainly deserves its place in the top 5 historical novels set in Ancient Rome.

I misbehaved and skipped ahead to the third in the trilogy, but you can find Imperium (Vol 1) and Lustrum (Vol 2) by following the links.

3. Fire in the East (Warrior of Rome #1)

Fire in the East falls into the same sub-genre as #5, but Harry Sidebottom’s thrilling Ancient Rome fiction series is significantly more developed. I say developed to avoid calling it more sophisticated. That would be unfair to Simon Scarrow, whose legionary romps fill a slightly different niche.

The series follows Ballista, a barbarian who has become a leader in the later Roman army. What I loved most about this historical novel is the message of one man standing tall against seemingly impossible odds. He is a barbarian at the heart of an empire which views his kind as backwards and untrustworthy. His task is to hold a small fortress against the mightiest foe Rome ever faced. It’s impossible not to root for that kind of underdog!

If you do give it a go and enjoy it, I highly recommend reading on to #5 in the series, Wolves of the North; an absolutely fantastic read!

 2. First Man in Rome (Masters of Rome #1)

Politics, manipulation, deceit and ambition. Colleen McCullough’s gripping Masters of Rome series really does stand on the top rung of Roman Empire historical fiction. She takes us all the way through from Marius and Sulla to Pompey and Crassus and finally the great man himself, Caesar.

Masters of Rome is the first instalment and, as is so often the case in historical fiction series, the first outshines the rest. Absolutely a recommended read for any fans of the sordid politics of Ancient Rome.

1. I, Claudius

This is a book which not only changed the way historical fiction about Ancient Rome is approached, but it has also influenced the way we think about the emperor Claudius. Many of the assumptions we make as students or observers of Claudius’ rule are grounded to some extent in this fantastic novel.

I, Claudius treats a man who rose unwittingly to the head of the Roman Empire in a very human way, portraying him as a simple man caught up in extraordinary circumstances. Robert Graves captures the essence of Roman politics and high society just as well as, if not better than, the above author. But he goes further in creating a compelling story which will immerse you in the imperial court of Ancient Rome.

Best Ancient Rome Nonfiction

5. Ancient Rome on Five Denarii A Day

I love the concept of this book. It tries to bring history out of the past and reconstruct it in a way which lets you really experience a lost age. A travel guide for a long dead civilisation with a good sense of humour, Ancient Rome on Five Denarii A Day is worth picking up if the drier, heavier history books aren’t really your thing.

4. Annals and Histories (Tacitus)

Unlike the above book, Annals and Histories isn’t going to be everyone’s idea of a good read. Tacitus lived in the period he is writing about, which makes his contribution to the historical record invaluable. With the painstaking care of a diligent chronicler, he takes the reader through the first century AD from the death of Augustus to the death of Domitian.

Undeniably, this should take a prominent place on the bookshelf of any would-be historian looking to gain a deeper knowledge of Ancient Rome and draw their own conclusions from a first-hand account.

3. The Twelve Caesars (Suetonius)

Another primary source, Suetonius differs from Tacitus in a significant way. The Twelve Caesars shows us much of the world explored by Robert Graves and Colleen McCullough in their novels, the public politics and courtly relations. But Suetonius has an advantage over them beyond having been present in the first century AD. He also lived at the imperial court.

This access and his willingness to lay all bare before the reader makes The Twelve Caesars more than just another stuffy contemporary account. The narrative is interspersed with anecdotes surrounding the Caesars’ private lives. These can range from who had an affair with whom to which poison was placed in whose cup.

2. SPQR (Mary Beard)

Mary Beard is my favourite historian because she has a brilliant ability to hone in on the daily lives of ordinary people in Ancient Rome. You can see this in her documentary series, Meet the Romans, which I’ll embed the YouTube version of below.

As for SPQR, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I’ve noticed a trend in history publishing recently where it seems that all we’re getting are new books which tell the same tired story in a different way. This couldn’t be less true of Mary Beard’s history of Ancient Rome. She captures small details often glossed over by other writers which add real value to the reader’s experience. Her entire approach is based on the brilliant idea that, no matter how small or insignificant, the stories of every individual in history are worth taking time to discover, understand and describe.

1. Rubicon

Tom Holland’s Rubicon manages to achieve everything a history of Ancient Rome should rightly aim for. My only regret about this book is that it only covers the end of the Roman Republic, because it’s that good you won’t want it to end!

The author uses a narrative history approach to lead you in through the gates of Rome and along its streets. You meet the important people and the common man. You experience their world and witness the great triumphs and tragedies of their lives. What stands out most to me about Rubicon is how the author brings this distant era of history into the present and draws parallels between the world of the Caesars and our own. A five star history!

Helpful online resources

• History.com
• BBC History
• Time Maps
• History Extra

My Books

Click the image to view my books on Amazon.com!

  

Best Viking Books (fiction & non-fiction)

Welcome to a list of the best books about Vikings. This comprises two lists: fiction and non-fiction.

Best Viking Fiction

5. Oddin’s Child (Viking #1)

Oddin’s Child is a fascinating tale which blends fantasy and historical fiction in one. Thorgils is intelligent, adaptable and possesses the gift of second sight. While being somewhat less believable than the other viking novels on this list, it is nonetheless a great read.

 

4. The Whale Road (Oathsworn #1)

The Whale Road combines two of the best marauding groups in history, Huns and Vikings. A group of Norse explorers head out on the dangerous waters of the Whale Road in the search for Attila the Hun’s lost treasure. Who can argue with that?

 

3. Blood Eye (Raven #1)

Giles Kristian’s first novel in this gripping trilogy tells the story of Osric, a man with a sinister past and a crimson eye. He is soon thrown into the brutal and treacherous life of a viking seafarer. Is his best chance at survival to become one the feared vikingr?

Click here to find out!

2. The Long Ships: A Saga of the Viking Age

Much like my own novel, Vikingr (sorry, I couldn’t resist), Bengtsson’s saga is a coming-of-age story which follows the exploits of a young Norseman who grows to become a proud viking warrior. This saga sits high on the list owing to its quality as a historical fiction epic.

 

1. The Last Kingdom (Saxon Stories #1)

This is the first novel in Bernard Cornwell’s series set during the viking invasion of England. You can find The Last Kingdom on Amazon Kindle here.

 

 

Best Viking Non-fiction

Chronicles of the Vikings

This is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the Vikings or who wants to write about them. It’s the Viking story told from their own perspective, an inside scoop on the culture that terrified Europe for centuries.

Here on Amazon.

Vikings: A Dark History of the Norse People

I’ll recommend Vikings as a good general introduction to the Norse people. It’s particularly good for the photographs and illustrations contained within, which enable you to better visualise life among the Vikings.

Helpful online resources

• You can find an extremely helpful list of the 45 best viking novels on Historical Novels Info
• There is another ranked list of Viking novels on Goodreads
• And a list of fiction relating to Vikings on Viking Answer Lady which is a very useful resource for anyone with an interest in the Viking Age.

My Books

Click the image to view my books on Amazon.com!

 

 

 

Wars of the Roses: Stormbird Review

As promised, here is my review of Conn Iggulden’s Wars of the Roses: Stormbird. It’s an important novel for me as it partly inspired my current work-in-progress, Servants of Infamy (previously White Rose).

Introduction

The genre is historical fiction. It’s set during the Wars of the Roses, 15th Century England. Conn Iggulden is a renowned author of historical novels set in Ancient Rome or Medieval Europe for the most part.

Click here for an article by me about why this book represents a dramatic change in Conn Iggulden’s writing style.

Is Stormbird any good?

This is some of the best historical fiction I’ve read recently. The author manages to get to grips with a complex tapestry of historical events without getting bogged down or letting his prose dry out.

It’s an immersive read. You can’t help but be drawn into the environment and empathise with the characters. I found a few characters particularly engaging: Margaret, Suffolk and Derry Brewer to name a few. Conn Iggulden avoids allowing his characters to be constrained by their historical personas. They are very human and that’s a good thing.

The plot also moves at a good speed and keeps the reader interested. There are twists and turns, moments of suspense to keep you hooked. You’re not always sure whether your favourite character will make it out of a situation alive.

Problems with Stormbird

In spite of all of this, there are a number of issues with this historical novel.

Perhaps I’m being fussy, but when I purchased a novel with Wars of the Roses in the title I expected, well… maybe a little bit of war between the roses. In reality, this novel concerns the build-up to the civil war, with the future opposing sides merely snarling at each other and firing warning shots. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I was led to expect more.

There’s also the issue of where in society Conn Iggulden draws his characters from. It seems that Derry Brewer is most people’s favourite character and he’s certainly mine. That’s because he’s interesting, but more importantly he stands out from the rest of the protagonists as a man of humble birth.

After a while I lose all sympathy for someone who gets their head lopped off because owning a mere dukedom just didn’t cut it.

Should you read the next instalment?

You should definitely read Stormbird if you’re a fan of historical fiction. That said, I wouldn’t bother continuing with the series. The reason ties in with a few things I’ve mentioned above.

This novel is set before the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses and the characters don’t fit their historical personas. Sadly, when the conflict does begin later in the series, it seems to have a severe effect on Conn Iggulden’s characters. I lost much of my sympathy for those I liked in the first novel, much of my respect for those I despised.

The second instalment falls flat in many ways. I’d rather have read the first and treated it as something which stands alone, rather than as part of a series. If I wanted to read about Margaret of Anjou as the severe, ruthless queen rather than desperate heroine of Stormbird, I would have read a history and not a novel.

Find Stormbird here on Amazon.

Breaking Free Of The Boys Club (What I’m Reading)

Warning! May contain emotions!

I just started reading War of the Roses: Stormbird (WotR #1) by Conn Iggulden. Don’t worry, I’m still reading The Falcon Throne (give me time!).

Conn Iggulden is an author that I read a lot of in my childhood. His historical novels always struck me as being what I affectionately call “boys club historical fiction”. They’re books about brave chaps with big swords laying waste to their foes. Bernard Cornwell is another author I’d put in that category. Of course, women read their novels as well. But I always got the impression that this type of historical fiction was targeted at a stereotypical male readership.

So far, I’ve read the prologue and found myself very surprised.

“What’s this? Why am I reading from a female character’s perspective? She’s kissing a man now. I’m having feelings! Emotion feelings! What’s happening?”

It looks like Conn Iggulden has broken free from the boys club! I’m eager to read more of Stormbird and the War of the Roses series. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still expecting there to be plenty of gore, bravery and battle. But I can sense something new coming through this historical fiction, the female perspective and more subtle elements in the narrative. Perhaps there will be conspiracy afoot, political scheming and, heaven forbid, feelings.

Find Stormbird on Amazon here.

The Last King of Lydia Review

Author and Genre

The Last King of Lydia is a historical novel by Tim Leach. The author was a student and professor of creative writing at the University of Warwick.

Synopsis

Here’s what is says on the blurb:

“A defeated king stands on top of a pyre. His conqueror, the Persian ruler Cyrus, signals to his guards; they step forward and touch flaming torches to the dry wood. Croesus, once the wealthiest man of the ancient world, is to be burned alive.

As he watches the flames catch, Croesus thinks back over his life. He remembers the time he asked the old Athenian philosopher, Solon, who was the happiest man in the world. Croesus used to think it was him. But then all his riches could not remove the spear from his dying elder son’s chest; could not bring his mute younger son to speak; could not make him as wise as his own chief slave; could not bring his wife’s love back; could not prevent his army from being torn apart and his kingdom lost. As the old philosopher had replied, a man’s happiness can only be measured when he is dead. The first coils of smoke wrap around Croesus’ neck like a noose…”

My Thoughts

This is an excellent book for those with an interest in ancient history, specifically Ancient Greece, or readers who are looking for something a bit different.

It is the story of a great man, a powerful man, looking back on his life after having lost everything. There are some twists and turns along the way to keep you on your toes.

If you’d like to know more about Croesus, the protagonist, before diving in then check out this Wikipedia link.

I would certainly recommend it for some moderate reading and you’ll find it here on Amazon.

 

Find another historical fiction review here.

You can download my ebook on Kindle here.

The Last Kingdom (Warrior Chronicles #1) Review

Genre and Author

I’ve already mentioned The Last Kingdom briefly in another post listing the Best Viking Novels. It’s historical fiction by the bestselling author Bernard Cornwell (link to his Goodreads profile), famous for his Sharpe series.

Synopsis

Here’s what the blurb says:

“Uhtred is an English boy, born into the aristocracy of ninth-century Northumbria. Orphaned at ten, he is captured and adopted by a Dane and taught the Viking ways. Yet Uhtred’s fate is indissolubly bound up with Alfred, King of Wessex, who rules over the only English kingdom to survive the Danish assault.

The struggle between the English and the Danes and the strife between christianity and paganism is the background to Uhtred’s growing up. He is left uncertain of his loyalties but a slaughter in a winter dawn propels him to the English side and he will become a man just as the Danes launch their fiercest attack yet on Alfred’s kingdom. Marriage ties him further still to the West Saxon cause but when his wife and child vanish in the chaos of the Danish invasion, Uhtred is driven to face the greatest of the Viking chieftains in a battle beside the sea. There, in the horror of the shield-wall, he discovers his true allegiance.

The Last Kingdom, like most of Bernard Cornwell’s books, is firmly based on true history. It is the first novel of a series that will tell the tale of Alfred the Great and his descendants and of the enemies they faced, Viking warriors like Ivar the Boneless and his feared brother, Ubba. Against their lives Bernard Cornwell has woven a story of divided loyalties, reluctant love and desperate heroism. In Uhtred, he has created one of his most interesting and heroic characters and in The Last Kingdom one of his most powerful and passionate novels.”

My Thoughts

Bernard Cornwell is an expert in military history and this is certainly apparent in his writing. He creates vivid battles in which every detail is accurate and considered. This allows him to weave a rich plot through which the reader can become immersed in the historic setting and events.

His prose is creative and vivid, plunging you into Medieval England and engaging you with characters that are both historically believable but also whom the reader can relate to (I’m assuming none of us are medieval Saxon warriors, but correct me if I’m wrong).

One possible negative point is that Bernard Cornwell writes for a very particular genre. His historical novels draw heavily on his strengths as a military historian and they appeal to those with an interest in war and battle in the past.

The Last Kingdom is a sword, shield, ship and fire sort of novel, targeted towards a reader who likes to see a bit of blood on the pages. There is nothing wrong with this, I’m all for a bit of battle and mayhem, but I understand that not every reader feels the same way.

News

Something very exciting which I discovered today is that the BBC are currently working on a TV adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s Warrior Chronicles entitled The Last Kingdom. It is being set up as an immersive sword-swinging epic TV series like Game of Thrones and we can look forward to its release this year. You can find out more here.

 

Buy The Last Kingdom on Amazon Kindle here.

To read a review of a similar historical novel, click here.

You can also read an introduction to my novel, Vikingr here.

Fire in the East (Warrior of Rome: Part 1) Review

Author and Genre

Harry Sidebottom (find his Goodreads profile here) is a lecturer in Ancient History at the universities of Oxford and Warwick. Clearly, he is someone who knows the histories of Ancient Rome and Greece back to front.

Fire in the East is historical fiction, unsurprisingly, set in the Ancient Roman Empire.

Synopsis

Here is the full blurb:

“The year is AD 255 – the Roman Imperium is stretched to breaking point, its authority and might challenged along every border. The greatest threat lies in Persia to the east, where the massing forces of the Sassanid Empire loom with fiery menace. There the isolated Roman citadel of Arete awaits inevitable invasion.

One man is sent to marshal the defences and shore up crumbling walls. A man whose name itself means war: a man called Ballista. Alone, Ballista is called to muster the forces and the courage to stand first and to stand hard against the greatest enemy ever to confront the Imperium.

This is part one of Warrior of Rome: an epic of empire, of heroes, of treachery, of courage, and most of all, a story of brutal bloody warfare.

Dr Harry Sidebottom is a leading authority on ancient warfare – he applies his knowledge with a spectacular flair for sheer explosive action and knuckle-whitening drama. Fans of Bernard Cornwell will love Sidebottom’s recreation of the ancient world.”

Protagonist

Our protagonist is Ballista, a barbarian from the north who has been caught up fighting on behalf of the Roman Empire in its wars due to international and imperial political maneuvering.

Should You Read It?

Sidebottom’s Warrior of Rome series is slightly unusual in that it focuses on the later Roman Empire, the less-known era of imperial decline.

Owing to his expertise in Ancient History, the author is able to produce historical fiction which is accurate to the smallest detail. He creates a world which is realistic, helping the reader to become immersed in the ancient setting.

His prose is also gripping and the plot will keep you hooked up until the final pages. One drawback is that I would describe this novel as “male historical fiction”. While I’m sure it appeals to female readers as well, it is the type of story which would typically be read by a predominantly male audience.

 

Fire in the East is available on Amazon here.

You can find another historical fiction review here.

To find out more about my historical novel, click here.

Masters of Rome Series Review

Author and Genre

This is one series which I wish I’d thought to review sooner as they are some of my favorite books.

Masters of Rome are historical novels (7 in the series) written by Colleen McCullough and set in Ancient Rome. They follow the lives and adventures of three historical giants: Gaius Marius, Lucius Cornelius Sulla and Gaius Julius Caesar.

Characters

The three main characters are true historical heavyweights. Marius was a commander and statesman who revolutionized the Roman military system. It is thanks to him that the Roman Army came to exist in the form we are familiar with: legionaries, centurions and testudos.

Marius

Sulla was Marius’ one-time protege who later became his most bitter enemy. The pair fought a violent civil war in the 1st Century B.C. The author charts Sulla’s rise from a hedonistic, young and impoverished aristocratic to a charismatic political leader expertly. She describes his descent into despotic autocracy and carnal depravity equally well.

Sulla

Finally, there is the young Caesar. McCullough presents him as an engaging youth with the best traits of these two powerful men. He has all of Sulla’s aristocratic charm and cunning, as well as Marius’ military know-how and popularity. But he also shares some of their flaws, pride being one of them.

Caesar

Should You Read It?

I think you should absolutely read the Masters of Rome series if you are a fan of historical fiction or have even a passing interest in Ancient Rome. The period in which the novels are set was one of the most pivotal moments in the history of the Roman Empire.

The author paints her characters vividly and engagingly, weaving a plot which keeps you reading on even when you ought to have put the book down and got on with something else.

If you do take my advice and read the first installment, First Man in Rome, then you can expect to start losing sleep as you tell yourself more than once “I’ll stop reading at the end of this chapter”. They are hard books to put down and easy to pick back up again.

 

You can buy Masters of Rome: First Man in Rome here.

You can find a historical novel written by me here.

For more historical fiction reviews, click here.

 

Lamentation Review

I have now finished reading Lamentation by C J Sansom. Here are my thoughts and feelings on this novel.

Author and Genre

C J Sansom is the author of historical crime fiction novels. That sounds like a mouthful, but it’s a brilliant concept.

Lamentation is the newest installment in the highly acclaimed Shardlake series. The series focuses on an English lawyer named Shardlake who searches out the answers to mysteries and crimes in Tudor England.

Shardlake

Shardlake is the protagonist. He is a very engaging character for the simple reason that he is rather ordinary. The hero is a poor fighter, not exceptionally intelligent (not a fool by a long way but not a genius either) and his looks have never been given much attention.

But Shardlake has that everyman quality which allows a wide range of readers to engage with the plot as he moves through it. I would say that his greatest trait, and the author highlights this on several occasions, is that he doggedly pursues the truth in spite of the obstacles thrown in his path.

Other Characters 

As well as numerous high-profile characters from Tudor politics each of whom C J Samson portrays vividly and believably (they were only human after all), there are also some “ordinary” characters whose presence is essential to the plot.

Barak is as ever Shardlake’s loyal assistant. But we are given a fresh perspective on this old rogue in the latest novel in the series. He is a family man now, married with a young child. This throws a spanner in the works in terms of the dynamic between Shardlake and Barak within the plot, but the narrative thrives on this rather than letting it dull the story.

Nicholas is another important character. He is a brash, self-centered youth from a gentrified background. Or at least that is how Shardlake views him at the novel’s opening. As Lamentation continues, C J Samson winds aspects of Nicholas’ story around the plot and allows us to see how there is more to his character than meets the surface.

Finaly, there are Shardlake’s household servants. This is almost like a second plot within the greater mystery narrative of the novel. Sharlake’s home is painted almost as a royal court by the author, with smaller mysteries, intrigues and crimes going on beneath his own roof.

The Plot

Arguably, this is the most important aspect of the novel (or any novel) and sadly it is not all good news.

The mystery / crime narrative which unfolds is, as ever with C J Samson, cunningly thought out and very well-executed. I was completely at a loss for the solution right up until the great reveal towards the novel’s end. The author has the ability to keep both Shardlake and the reader guessing, giving away small clues here and there to keep us hooked.

But that is also the problem in a way. The pace seemed to me to be extraordinarily slow, even for a 700+ pager. This could just be my personal tastes coming through. If so, don’t hesitate to comment and let me know. I found that I was really struggling in some places to keep up the motivation to read on when the facts of the case were being summarized for the second or third time.

Should You Read It?

If you are already a Shardlake fan then you should certainly read Lamentation. The character development and mystery-weaving are brilliant as ever. However, considering what I have just mentioned, if you haven’t read Shardlake before you should start with the first in the series: Dissolution. 

I know that sounds obvious but I’ve started a series in the middle / end before and if you want to read C J Samson and his Shardlake at their best, start with Dissolution and work your way forward.

For more historical fiction reviews click here.

For an introduction to my historical novel click here and to read the first chapter click here.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0113AJ0RE?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

 

Currently Reading: Lamentation

Who is the Author?

C. J. Samson is the author of a gripping series of historical fiction set in Tudor England. He studied history at Birmingham University (BA and PhD), as well as training and working as a solicitor. His Wikipedia page is here.

What is the Shardlake Series About?

The Shardlake books are historical crime novels by C. J. Samson which follow an English lawyer named Shardlake during the reign of Henry VIII, perhaps England’s most famous monarch.

This is a fascinating period of English history with great social, political and religious upheavals. The author captures this sense of grand change by using it to guide the wider plot through the series.

Rather than focusing so much on the king himself, the author keeps Shardlake tangled in the machinations of the great men and women surrounding Henry VIII. There is a sense of how his advisers jostle continuously for power, sometimes with sinister consequences.

Expect to encounter prominent figures such as Thomas Cromwell as you read through the series.

What Do I Think So Far?

I’m only about 50 pages in so far but the story already has me hooked. Samson isn’t an author who allows himself to be rushed. He takes his time setting out the background to the plot and immersing you headfirst in the historical climate.

It’s a method which works extremely well. You get a real sense of the Tudor period and can enjoy vivid historical escapism. But the narrative soon intensifies. It doesn’t so much increase its pace (at least not yet), as I mentioned the author keeps things steady, but you begin to get hints and rumors of the twists and turns lying in the reader’s path.

Where can you find it?

You can find Lamentation on Amazon by clicking here.

For other book reviews click here or here.

For the first chapter of an unpublished historical novel, click here.