Books in series, especially historical fiction

bupkiss · #1 01-21-2002, 06:25 AM

Long time no post for me.

Anyway, does anyone else enjoy books that are in series? I've been getting into Jean Auel's Earth's Children series lately. It's about a young Cro-Magnon girl who is adopted by Neanderthals after an earthquake kills her family, and then her life after the clan condemns her and she is forced to wander northern Europe searching for her own people. I really like it, even though it is a bit hokey and overly descriptive in parts.

I am also interested in starting Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series and Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. Any thoughts on these books?

CurtisEdmonds · #2 01-21-2002, 08:08 AM

Best serial books out there now (for military folks) are Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin books and Bernard Cornwell's Richard Sharpe books.

murasaki · #3 01-21-2002, 09:27 AM

Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series is outstanding. I just got the latest in the series, The Fiery Cross, for Christmas but haven't started it yet.

I like the Auel series as well, but it takes so long in between book publications to really hold my attention.

Are you specifically looking for historical romance?

--naomi

kurt_messick · #4 01-21-2002, 10:08 AM

Of course, Sherlock Holmes was originally a series; now it is a collection. However, there are those who try to carry on and write more of the stories -- they are of varying quality, but I like those.

There are many mystery series out there. My favourites have been the Rumpole of the Bailey series, fairly well known thanks to the BBC/PBS productions, and the lesser known Sigismondo series, done by Elizabeth Eyre.

Grouch · #5 01-21-2002, 12:14 PM

Apart from going through a severe Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys phase 25 years ago, I really haven't gotten into books-in-a-series too much* until......

Lemony Snicket came along, drat him! I read all eight books in less than two weeks, became quite addicted and had to go into a 13-step recovery program (which included sitting on tacks for three hours a day and repeating the phrase "Afghan hounds wear afghans in Afghanistan" until my tongue swelled up in my head and I had to beg my sponsor for a glass of water).

And, Curtis, thank you so much for once again reminding me of my short-comings by mentioning O'Brian. While you're at it, why don't you give me a paper cut and pour lemon juice on it?

*my main modus operandi is to thoroughly devour an author's entire canon---and, trust me, it can be pretty tough to swallow them at times...especially the larger artillery pieces....[rimshot....Thank you, I'll be here through the weekend. Be sure and tip your waitress].

**MrsNormanMaine**[$] · #6 01-21-2002, 12:39 PM

I found Colleen McCullough's Rome books to be incredibly dull. How an author could take such fascinating people and events and make them so jejune is beyond me. Read Robert Graves' 'I, Claudius' and 'Claudius the God' instead.

I've never been a fan of Jean Auel either, soap opera in bearskins.

My personal favorite historical fiction series are Dorothy Dunnet's 'The Lymond Chronicles' (6 volumes starting with 'The Game of Kings') which cover mid 16th century Europe from the court of Edward VI to the child, Mary Queen of Scots to the Topkapi Palace under Suleiman the Magnificient to Muscovy under Ivan, the Terrible; and her 'The House of Niccolo' (8 volumes starting with 'Niccolo Rising') which cover mid 15th century Europe, three generations before.

MNM

CurtisEdmonds · #7 01-21-2002, 12:43 PM

Quote:

And, Curtis, thank you so much for once again reminding me of my short-comings by mentioning O'Brian. While you're at it, why don't you give me a paper cut and pour lemon juice on it?

Yeah? Well, I'm three books behind you in the Snicket series, so there. And I haven't read any of the books MNM describes, either. And I haven't seen any of the BBC movies of the Richard Sharpe series. Hmph.

I do get to go to Barnes & Noble today, though.

And apparently Russell Crowe has signed on to play Jack Aubrey.

erik_kosberg · #8 01-21-2002, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CurtisEdmonds
And apparently Russell Crowe has signed on to play Jack

He better put on some weight. Plum duff and Spotted Dog every day from now to when filming begins?

**MrsNormanMaine**[$] · #9 01-21-2002, 06:36 PM

Another couple of good ones that just occured to me...

Anthony Powell's 'A Dance To The Music of Time' which covers British Society from the 20s through the 70s as the lives of various characters become intertwined. (12 novels)

Paul Scott's 'The Raj Quartet', the basis of the BBC/Masterpiece Theater 'The Jewel in the Crown' about the last days of the British raj in India and Pakistan.

MNM

CurtisEdmonds · #10 01-21-2002, 07:51 PM

Crowe can handle it, though. Remember his part in The Insider?

arianej · #11 01-22-2002, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bupkiss
Long time no post for me.

Anyway, does anyone else enjoy books that are in series? I've been getting into Jean Auel's Earth's Children series lately. It's about a young Cro-Magnon girl who is adopted by Neanderthals after an earthquake kills her family, and then her life after the clan condemns her and she is forced to wander northern Europe searching for her own people. I really like it, even though it is a bit hokey and overly descriptive in parts.

I am also interested in starting Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series and Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. Any thoughts on these books?

Agreed, Auel's series was interesting, but a little corny in places. I'm not sure how much actual evidence there is for her theory about racial memory or the telepathy the Clan is capable of, and I think the story would've been fine without it, but...

It's been a while since I read it, but I remember liking Gabaldon's series as well. I haven't read the latest one, _The Fiery Cross_.

Ariane

Redlass · #12 01-23-2002, 10:52 AM

I'm an absolute sucker for historical fiction series. I have learned, though, that once the series goes downhill to start getting them from the library.

I really like Sharon Kay's series, especially The Sunne in Splendor. It has permanently colored my interpretation of Richard III.

There are also several good mystery series that are set in past periods that are fascinating.

**mjfrombuffalo**[$] · #13 01-23-2002, 11:01 AM

Gwen Bristow wrote some stand-alone historical fiction and one series that I know of, I think the first of that series is Deep Summer. Covers a couple southern families from Revolutionary War days to WWI. Accurate regarding day-to-day lives of people dealing with plantations, slave uprisings, carpetbaggers, floods, bugs, yellow fever, etc.

Another book which is so thick (1056 pages, if I recall) that it could be a series is "...And Ladies of the Club." Covers two women in Ohio from their high school graduation (late 1860's) to WWI. Good realistic descriptions of daily life like the introductions of cars, electricity, gas; political fracases on the local and national level; religious problems including the big cultural divide between the "regular" Presbyterians and the Reformed Presbyterians, etc.

Grandma was really into historical fiction -- thanks, gram!

mj