Roman sci-fi novels ...

[scythius]

My favorite line:<br>
<br>
"Are they like <em>our</em> women?"<br>
<br>
"Close enough."<br>
<br>
Scythius <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

...are Eric Flint's and David Drake's Belisarius books. Belisarius and the Roman Empire are set upon my the Malwa empire of India. Very exciting stories, good battle scenes though the operational level seems a little too unrealistic. The tactics and strategy seem to be sound. I particularly enjoy the descriptions of Roman Cataphracts, Persian Deghans and the various Indian warrior cultures. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

This is my first post, so apologies if I'm a bit off topic -- although it seems folks have been enthusing about Roman novels a fair bit so I feel I'm probably safe in joining in.<br>
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I've been reading anything I can get my mitts on re: Roman alternate history (Household Gods & Kirk Mitchell's series, mentioned in this forum, are excellent reads, as is Killer by David Drake & Karl Edward Wagner). But I just thought I'd drop a note here since I've seen J.M. Roberts posts here occasionally to say "John Roberts, you rock!" for "Hannibal's Children". Presently, I'm camped outside the bookstore (ditch & sod wall included ) waiting for "The Seven Hills".<br>
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Also, a question for Mr. Roberts, if I may: Is the Secret Name of Rome your literary invention, or historical fact? If it's fact, can you direct me to where I can read more about it? Fascinating idea!<br>
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Te salutamus!<br>
<br>
C. Minucius Afer<br>
(a.k.a. Mike Breaton) <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

I've just read this string and thought I would mention in reply to the first part that my grandfather in Wales had teeth extracted without anaesthetic. Hardly ancient gritty realism, in that sense. Apparently, a man with a cart and pliers would come around the villages and sort out anything that needed removing. In fact, as far as I know, my father has never had an injection at a dentist, saying he prefers to have them take extreme care with fillings and the like, rather than hacking around like a butcher. When men were men etc...<br>
<br>
(I should say, I haven't tried this myself.)<br>
<br>
Conn Iggulden <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

What is the title and author of the novel where Pontius Pilate listens to his wife and frees Jesus? And the Roman Empire exists to this day?<br>
<br>
Mary <p></p><i></i>

[Caius Fabius]

Author Kirk Mitchell<br>
titles: Procurator *<br>
The New Barbarians *<br>
Cry Republic *<br>
<br>
He also wrote the book A.D. Anno Domini and some other historical fiction and science-fantasy.<br>
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*Pilate grants Jesus his freedom and the Roman Empire survives to the present day <p>"Just before class started, I looked in the big book where all the world's history is written, and it said...." Neil J. Hackett, PhD ancient history, professor OSU, 1987</p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

There are actually quite a lot of Roman AH novels, but unfortunately most of them do not seem to be interesting... Comments are my opinions only.<br>
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"Household gods" - one of the most grating and annoying books I have read. The story is about a really stupid and ignorant modern woman who travels back in time to Roman life, and is proven wrong in almost all of her ideas about the ancient world. Would not be so bad, if the woman in case were a bit less ignorant OR if the readers are as ignorant as the character. The original reason she travels back in time is that she believes that in the ancient times the position of the women was very good, in contrary to sexist modern times... which says a lot.<br>
Actually, after 300-400 pages the book gets a bit better as something actually happens (besides pointing out how stupid the woman is).<br>
<br>
"Hannibal's children" - a bad book about AH Roma where Hannibal won the the second Punic war. The idea is good and well thought out, but the book is not - the characters are not interesting, the romans are insufferably superior to inferior Carthageans, and the mighty princesses became soft women once they get a taste of real roman man... Did not actually finish the book (when they started to develop submarines...).<br>
Sorry for a bad review, Roberts, but after SPQR this book was definitely a disappointment.<br>
<br>
"Ranks of Bronze" - Drake's book is about a Roman legion bought by aliens to fight their wars for them. More like a space opera story than AH roman story... Quite ok, but not much of a book.<br>
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"Roma Eterna" - Silverberg's collection of short stories about Roman empire that was never affected by Christianity (the point of this AH is that Jews never got out Egypt, and thus no JC). The history covers 2000 years (about) and is not very feasible as such (after first couple of centuries it has nothing to do with a real world, thus it is not really possible to evaluate its feasibility but to my taste it is most improbable), but some of the stories are well worth reading.<br>
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Haven't read Belisarius-series (considering the writers, probably ok military stories but not in plotting department), nor Mitchell's books (Procurator etc. - hope somebody will write a review).<br>
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Can't remember more at the moment...<br>
<br>
Then there are probably plenty of books about some time travel stuff with Romans in them... e.g. in Watsons' "? (don't remember the name)" one Roman centurion (who has actually seen crucification of JC) is transported in time to modern England. Good book (especially the ending), but not really a Roman scifi/AH book. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Poul Anderson wrote a very good novella called "Delenda Est" in the Time Patrol series.<br>
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Time travellers killed Scipio Africanus as a young man at Lake Trasimene. Result was a Celtic low technology world....very good.<br>
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Actually Anderson's Time Patrol stories covered a lot of excellent concepts:<br>
<br>
14th Century Mongol conquest of America,<br>
Cyrus the Great a stranded time traveller,<br>
<br>
etc. <p></p><i></i>

[Robert Vermaat]

Quote:</em></strong><hr>and the mighty princesses became soft women once they get a taste of real roman man...<hr><br>
<br>
Hey, I recognise that one! In a lot of modern novels featuring Guinevere as the strong heroine, she becomes a complete babbling idiot close to tears as soon as she meets Arthur.<br>
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Do you think that could be a common idea about modern women?<br>
Oh and, not all authors of these novels are men, in fact most are women.<br>
<br>
Valete,<br>
Valerius/Robert <p></p><i></i>