[Ogg]

Ogg The Flatulent Underling would like to know if anybody has read the Videssos Cycle series of books by Harry Turtledove? I have just started the first book The Misplaced Legion and I’m hooked. Half way thought the book I put it down to log on-line and order the other books in the series. I have to be honest when I say it’s been some time since a book has captured me that way. My schoolwork and Spam posting totals are going to suffer, I can’t put this book down.

The lost Legion and its leader the Centurion Marcus Scaurus is a wonderful study in, politics, magic, military and empire history. I was just wondering about other insights or thoughts on this series or other Turtledove works…

[estranghero]

Hmmm, well can't say much about Videssos since I haven't read it. However, I have read Turtledove's other works like the alternative-history 'Guns of the South' and 'Into the Darkness' historico-fantasy series and I surmise they're totally different.

Turtledove's alternative history books uses a lot of POVs from different characters to establish the idea that the whole world's affected in his stories. I doubt that's the same for Videssos (from what I've seen at the back of those books).

What's the judgement on these? They're okay if you're willing to slog through x-number of times-POVs to get through the book. 'Guns of the South' is actually good while 'Into the Darkness' is so-so but very interesting concept.

In the same breath, I wonder how these compare to other 'misplaced warriors' series like Jerry Pournelle's Jannissarries series and William Fortchen's civil war Lost Legion. Any thoughts?

[fluffy bunny]

Read it a decade or so ago- I quite enjoyed it at the time- been meaning to reread it, but my library seems to have thrown them out :mad:

Harry turtledove also did the worlds at war saga- avoid that one. It seemed too contrived (well book 1 did- i didn't read the rest of the series after that piece of dross)

[Jon Shannow]

I thought Marcus was a Legate.

I reread the series about three years ago when he started bringing out a spin off series about the people of the four prophets. The four Videoss books are to my mind Turtledove best work just a little bit better than the Fox series.

Also the Videssos world is one of the best explored in fantasy with I think twelve books set all over the place.

[ookey]

Just wanted to save some people some precious reading time if possible and agree with fluffy bunny. Turtledove's Worlds at War series is terrible. I've read books one and somehow started book two (I had already purchased it).
IMO, they are like a bad remake of Wells' masterpiece, War of the Worlds.

I would like to read some of his better books though to get that bad taste out of my metaphorical mouth.