[mundanemies]

There is another thread in Fantasy, where I name My Name is Red my book of the Year.
Yes, It is very good http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

Just remembered Yashar Kemal. Somehow Pamuk reminds me of him. But then again, it's been a while since I read Kemal.

Dunnett can be a bit difficult because she really weaves a tale filled with subplots and allusions and really nifty little details that are meaningful in the last book. If even there. And it's all done with such finesse! She's just great. Difficultly written? Ahm, I don't really think so.

Eco. I don't think that his stories are that hard to grasp, but the nuances and intricate little details, ay, there's a rub. Same goes with Dunnett too, but her stories are somewhat more complex.

GAtes of Fire is stunning. It's surprisingly slow reading and the action is quite probably the best I've read. Tides of War is more complex and it really makes you think about the era and the people. Again, action is fierce, but the book is really far more complex than the appearance may seem. Take your time with it. Don't rush and read only the superficial plot of a heroic battle.

[whitebelly]

Mundanemies, which book by Dunnett would you recommend?

Re Pamuk: he actually came to Belgium a couple of months ago, to give a lecture at a small, 'alternative' (i.e. non-commercial) book fair called "Het Andere Boek" ("The Other Book", in English), but I was unable to go and regretted it enormously afterwards (not only for the lecture, but I'm a sucker for signed books, and this was an opportunity to get my copies signed ...). Oh well, http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/frown.gif

gtrz, wb

[Mithfânion]

WB

Her first book is Game of Kings, followed by Queen's play , three is Disorderly knights. It's a series of six.

I also found two cool books by Morgan Lllywelyn, Lion of Ireland and "Druďds". They seem very cool. Druids is about a young, very gifted Druid who becomes Vercingetorix's (the Gallic leader) best friend.

Has anyone read anything by Judith Tarr? That name keeps popping up. And Mc Cullough's Caesar? First man in Rome?

[Llama]

I'm quite a Pamuk fan myself...BLACK BOOK, WHITE CASTLE, NEW LIFE....

Not sure I'd say he's better than Eco, at least not YET. But Pamuk will clearly keep producing at a steady clip and with MY NAME IS RED is on an upswing, whereas with Eco one gets the feeling that fiction writing is just a sideline from his academic activities. NAME OF THE ROSE is one of my favorite novels, but FOUCAULT"S PENDULUM, although interesting, was not as good and ISLAND OF THE DAY BEFORE was a bit of a disappointment.

[mundanemies]

The Game of Kings is the first of the Lymond Chronicles, which she is (deservedly) most famous for. As said it runs six books long.
The there's House of Niccolo -series, starting with Niccolo Rising.
Want to read a single shot? Try King Hereafter. It tells the story of a young earl, passionate with power and intrigue, who calls himself Thorfinn but his christian name is Macbeth...
So now you know.

[whitebelly]

Txs, mundanemies, I've been ogling Dunnet's books in the library, but haven't read any yet. Mithfânion, please keep me informed on Sunne in Splendour - I'm terribly interested in the War of the Roses. BTW, there's useful info (genealogies) on the following site:

http://www.ehistory.com/middleages/warsoftheroses/genealogies.cfm#lancaster

Another nominee which I forgot is Iain Pears' excellent "An Instance at the Fingerpost" - I thought I saw the end coming, but boy, was I mistaken!

Books which are highly acclaimed, but which I haven't read myself yet are those by Lawrence Norfolk: "The Pope's Rhinoceros", "Lempričre's Dictionary" and esp. "In the Shape of a Boar".

I hope to find the time to read Matthew Kneale's "English Passengers" soon, which I hear from friends is absolutely superb

wb


[This message has been edited by whitebelly (edited January 02, 2002).]

[This message has been edited by whitebelly (edited January 02, 2002).]

[Mithfânion]

I will, of course http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Llama]

Re Lawrence Norfolk, LEMPRIERE's DICTIONARY I thought was superb. I haven't read his two more recent books, yet.

A US author who writes in a similar vein is Allen Kurzweil, who wrote a very good novel called A CASE OF CURIOSITIES about an automata maker during the French revolution. It's sort of a modern picaresque. His most recent novel, THE GRAND COMPLICATION, I thought was forgettable, however.

Also shouldn't forget AS Byatt's POSSESSION, which was a fabulous historical detecting story. Although her other novels have been rather blah....

[whitebelly]

hear hear !!!

I've read Kurzweil's "Case of Curiosities" some years back, and I agree, but I agree even more on A.S. Byatt's "Possession" http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

I've started 2 new books by A.S. Byatt recently, but due to Harry Potter barging in and blowing me off course, I am not too far in yet, though both seem promising so far:

"On Histories and Stories: Selected Essays"
"The Biographer's Tale"

also read "Angels & Insects" ... they made quite a good film out of that, with the magnificent Kristin Scott Thomas.

wb

[Mithfânion]

What about Jeff Shaara, has anyone read any of his?