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The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > Historical Fiction: Making a story from history
 
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parara
Apr 9, 2010
 I will never stop reading Colleen McCullough’s mammoth First Man In Rome series. By the time I’m done it’s been long enough since the first one that I’m due for another reread.

* # ¿ Feb 29, 2024 16:30
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# ¿ May 8, 2024 21:38
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parara
Apr 9, 2010

StrixNebulosa posted:

Is the series good?

zoux up there is spot-on. This is my favourite book series of all time but you really need to be a Rome turbo nerd or willing to be immersed to your chin in what McCullough is describing, usually at length. Probably both of those.

I get completely lost in these books every time, in the good way.

* # ¿ Mar 1, 2024 03:32
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parara
Apr 9, 2010

zoux posted:

No, but I will, I love subroman Britain. And Roman Britain too, but post-Roman Britain really is a true dark age, it's almost post apocalyptic.

Again, I'd recommend the Warlord Chronicles, just because it's a tightish trilogy and you are, I assume like most people, at least somewhat familiar with the major characters and events. One thing the Cornwell books get across is how much of a void was left by the Romans sudden departure, and how they have this almost mythical status among the remaining population. People living in decaying ruins, in buildings that no one knows how to build anymore. The fall of the western Roman empire is often said to be a slow decline and fade out, with many of the former "barbarians" being fully romanized culturally and technologically and so it wasn't as dramatic as we think it is. But it really was like that in Britain.

One of the most fun aspects of the series, I think, is the complete reversal of the religious aspects of the familiar story, with Merlin as the driving force against the spread of Christianity. He also does a great job of explaining why people might believe in the supernatural and magic without making them stupider than us. Merlin and Nimue are really good characters in this story.

e: oh yeah reading the wiki summary of The Dragon Lord, you'll find it very familiar.

This sounds really interesting, thanks for the recommendation! Definitely picking this up.

* # ¿ Mar 2, 2024 01:22
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parara
Apr 9, 2010

StrixNebulosa posted:

I wasn't expecting First Man in Rome to have such delightful prose? My eyes have been dragged across these dense pages as the lurid world draws me in. Sulla's party! The bulls! The sense that the author adores these people, as farce and as legend, and you can practically feel her smiling as she writes.

I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! Sulla is a delight and I looked forward to every chapter about him. Everything turns so flamboyant and unhinged whenever we're in his head.

* # ¿ Mar 13, 2024 08:05
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parara
Apr 9, 2010
 Don't let him hear you!!

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# ¿ May 8, 2024 21:38
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parara
Apr 9, 2010
 Roma Sub Rosa comes to mind especially!

* # ¿ Mar 29, 2024 19:45
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The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > Historical Fiction: Making a story from history