Personal: Historical Novels

Lately I have been reading novels set in historical times. The "Sharpe" novels by Bernard Cornwell, set during the peninsular wars with Napoleon got me started down this road. While waiting for each new novel in the series to be published I read proper histories of the era. The more I read of the actual events, the more I became aware of how much research went into each novel. If Cornwell describes a battle then you can be sure that that battle happened just as he describes it. He also captures the life of a soldier in those times, the conditions under which they served and fought, lived and died. His tales are populated by real historical characters reliving real history. They are also populated by absorbing fictional characters engaged in proper military adventure. Just my cup of tea.

Recently I began reading three seperate fictional series all set during the fall of the roman republic and the beginning empirical rome. What drew me to these novels was my interest in the actual histories of the time. I read "The Twelve Caesars" by Seutonius, "The Annals of Imperial Rome" by Tacitus, and "The Achievements of the Divine Augustus" written by Agustus himself. These books are populated by names that will never be forgotten: Julius Caesar, Augustus (Octavian), Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. There are also many historical characters like Cicero, Crassus, Sulla, Sejanus, Livia, Messalina, Germanicus and many more.

After reading the proper histories I was drawn to see if any other novelists were doing for Rome what Cornwell had done for Napoleonic Europe. I am pleased to say that there are, and they do.

First I would recommend a series of novel by a writer/historian named Steven Saylor. He has invented a protagonist called Gordianus the Finder. He is a seeker of the truth. He is hired by the powerful men and women of Rome to get to the bottom of things for them. Cicero, a very famous character in history, is an orator and advocate. He is called upon to defend accused men in Roman courts, and to prosecute them occasionly. Gordianus moves between Pompey and Caesar, Cicero and Sulla, and many other historical names with ease. He is witness to the times and has the inside ear on many real events. If Cicero defends Milo for the murder of Clodius, then the reader can be certain that in real history this trial took place. These are very entertaining and enlightening reads. Raymond Chandler meets Sparticus (whose revolt forms the plot of one of the novels).

The next series is by an author named Simon Scarrow. These novels follow the adventures of two centurians of Caesar's 10th Legion. From the conquest of Gaul to the invasion of Britain, and beyond the Rubicon to the Middle-East. Their general is Vespasian, who would later become Emperor himself. These are wonderful military adventures and very entertaing reads.

Finally there are a series of novels by a man called Conn Iggulden. These are biographical novels on the life of Julius Caesar. From childhood to dictatorship they chronical the life of one of histories great figures.

I am not try to sell these books. Just letting you know what I have been reading. I am at the end of this blog for today. "The die is cast", Caesar to his troops on crossing the Rubicon.