Can anyone reccomend some good historical fiction?

[Emerodius]

I like reading histroical fiction things like Bernard cornwell's saxon stories and warlord chronicles for example but I have not been able to find any historical fiction novels set in ancient Rome. Can anyone reccomend any? i dont care if its set in Rome itself or if its about a roman soldier on campaign somewhere.

[Brennus]

There is a book called "Druids" by Morgan llewelyn that I like alot. It's about the War between Caesar & Vercingetorix, with some added characters to flesh out the story, of course. It's from the Gallic point of view though, so it might be a little biased. It's still interesting seeing it from their POV though. I actually teared at the end. I know, what a bleeding heart :oops: :lol:

[ParthianBow]

There's loads out there nowadays, Emerodius, all about soldiers and/or gladiators:

the excellent Gladiatrix by our own Russell Whitfield - 2nd C AD set in Halicarnassus.
ditto the wonderful Wounds of Honour and Arrows of Fury by our own Tony Riches, set in 2nd C AD Britannia
another favourite of mine the Warrior of Rome series (first book Fire in the East) by Roman history professor Harry Sidebottom, set in 3rd C AD Middle East.
Eagle in the Snow, by Wallace Breem. Amazing story about the end of the Empire in AD 401 as told by a general facing overwhelming odds.
The excellent Emperor quartet by Conn Iggulden - a tremendous fictional account of Caesar's life.
Manda Scott's quartet about Boudica (OK, not directly about Roman soldiers.)
Ship of Rome and Captain of Rome by John Stack, set in the first Punic War.
The Eagle series by Simon Scarrow, following two centurions at the invasion of Britain in 44 AD.
My own books, which follow 4 characters from 70 BC to 44 BC, including Crassus' campaign into Parthia.
There are more too, but my memory isn't great at this hour...

Go to http://www.bookdepository.co.uk to find them - the site charges NO postage and packing anywhere in the world! Yes, it's true.
Enjoy!

[Lindsay_Powell]

To ParthianBow's excellent list I'd add:
* Steven Saylor's Sub Rosa series with Gordianus the Finder
* Lindsey Davis' Falco novels (especially 'The Silver Pigs' and 'Iron Hand of Mars')
* Marguerite Yourcenar's 'Memoirs of Hadrian'.

I read Wallace Breem's 'Eagle in the Snow' a long time ago and its haunting tale has stayed with me for years.

[Zenobia of Palmyra]

Harry Sidebottom's Warrior of Rome series is my favorite.

Donna Gillespie's Lightbearer series is based on the Germanic female warrior Aurinia; its set during the reign of Domitian. It's very accurate and enjoyable I think!

[Epictetus]

I, Claudius.

[qcarr]

As ParthianBow mentioned, Wallace Breem's Eagle in the Snow. Very good book.

[john m roberts]

Ahem (cough, cough)
Might I recommend the SPQR series by one John Maddox Roberts? Ripping yarns, every one of 'em.

[M. Demetrius]

[sarcasm] Just about anything by Mr. Dando-Collins. [/sarcasm]

[Quintius Clavus]

I just finished reading Island of Ghosts by Gillian Bradshaw. It is a well researched novel about the first Sarmatian cavalry to arrive in Britain in Roman service during the reign of Marcus Aurelius.

I would also recommend James Mace's "Soldier of Rome" series. I have read the first two. They deal with Germanicus' campaigns and Sacrovir's revolt. They are following the career of one legionary. I have not read the third one and a fourth one is either in print or will be shortly.

[Virilis]

Gore Vidal`s "Julian" is very good...

[ParthianBow]

Ahem (cough, cough)
Might I recommend the SPQR series by one John Maddox Roberts? Ripping yarns, every one of 'em.

It's me who should be coughing here, with embarrassment, for not mentioning you too, John. My sincere apologies. I mis-read Emerodius' initial post, taking in only the last bit, about soldiers on campaign, not the first bit, which was asking about all HF set in Rome. :oops:

[Justin of the New Yorkii]

Gore Vidal`s "Julian" is very good...

I second the motion!

[Viventius]

Imperial Governor by George Shipway - about Paulinus Suetonius and his slight trouble with Boudicca :roll: Published 1968, but reprinted by by Cassell in 2002, so you might be able to find it.

And then of course, there's Rosemary Sutcliff's Roman novels eg. Eagle of the Ninth (coming to a screen near you as The Eagle early next year), The Silver Branch, and so on

[Lanista]

Parthian Bow (Ben Kane) is far too modest to mention his own excellent Forgotten Legion series:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_nos ... on&x=0&y=0

Cheers

Russ