Period Novels

[rbodleyscott]

I have just been reading, and would recommend:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Weaponsmith-Chr ... WY9YABHT29

[rumguff]

I loved the Baroque Cycle trilogy by Neal Stephenson. Not for the faint of heart or the casual reader, but it does deliver a sweeping tour of the 17th century from America to Europe to the Far east - not just battle but economics, science and high seas piracy with plenty of adventure and some token love interest. Winged Hussars are featured.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Baroque_Cycle

[KateMicucci]

Simplicius Simplicisismus/Adventures of a Simpleton. Required reading for those interested in the TYW

Memoirs of a Cavalier

The Warhound and the Pains of the World (didn't care much for this one- great premise but poor execution)

The Warwolf

A Gentleman at Arms

Fire and Sword

Many of Alexander Dumas's novels

By Pike and Dyke

Rora

[Triarii]

Give these a try - set against the background of the TYW in France by A.L. Berridge
"Honour and the Sword"
"In the Name of the King"
http://www.honourandthesword.com/

[stockwellpete]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Valley_(novel) and click on the "Do you mean . . ." link

This was also made into a (quite good) film with Michael Caine.

[rbodleyscott]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Valley_(novel) and click on the "Do you mean . . ." link

This was also made into a (quite good) film with Michael Caine.

This link did not work for me. Here is another link to it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_V ... 28novel%29

[Doyley50]

Michael Arnold is an author who has written a series of 5 or 6 novels set in the ECW with the same main character appearing in all of them.
Giles Christian is another , who has so far written two in a series of ECW novels.

All their novels are entertaining "ripping yarns" and well worth reading.

[stockwellpete]

Lindsay Davis - "Rebels and Traitors"

http://www.lindseydavis.co.uk/rebels-and-traitors/

[Garrotta]

Thanks for the intel I'll look in to these

[SteveD64]

The Mercenary: A Tale of the Thirty Years War

Free from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Mercenary-Tale-Th ... s+war+tale

[M4RT14L]

Novels from Captain Alatriste of Arturo Perez-Reverte, particularly "The Sun Over Breda", talks about life in Tercio's and how were the soldiers forming that unit.

[rbodleyscott]

Novels from Captain Alatriste of Arturo Perez-Reverte, particularly "The Sun Over Breda", talks about life in Tercio's and how were the soldiers forming that unit.

Sadly the English translations don't seem to be on Kindle, but are available in paperback. There are Spanish versions on Kindle.

[Aryaman]

Novels from Captain Alatriste of Arturo Perez-Reverte, particularly "The Sun Over Breda", talks about life in Tercio's and how were the soldiers forming that unit.

Sadly the English translations don't seem to be on Kindle, but are available in paperback. There are Spanish versions on Kindle.

I have to say that from an historical perspective is rather deficient, more an adventures novel with an sketchy historical background

[M4RT14L]

I have to say that from an historical perspective is rather deficient, more an adventures novel with an sketchy historical background

Quite right, but in the thread title talks about Period Novels and not historical essays.

Greets.

[Triarii]

Novels from Captain Alatriste of Arturo Perez-Reverte, particularly "The Sun Over Breda", talks about life in Tercio's and how were the soldiers forming that unit.

Sadly the English translations don't seem to be on Kindle, but are available in paperback. There are Spanish versions on Kindle.

I have to say that from an historical perspective is rather deficient, more an adventures novel with an sketchy historical background

Whatever your view of the historical veracity the novels were also made into an entertaining film - "Capitain Alatriste - The Spanish Musketeer". It was produced in Spain and stars Viggo Mortenson (Yes - He of Lord of the Rings) as Alatriste.
My view is the books I could get in English translation were as entertaining as Dumas' Three Musketeers' and in many ways similar.

The film actually finishes with the battle of Rocroi which I believe is in the last novel not available in English translation.

It is available on DVD in the UK - about 6.00 sterling from Amazon.
48 reviews are on balance much more complimentary than not.
For what it is worth I enjoyed it.

[vexillia]

Novels from Captain Alatriste of Arturo Perez-Reverte, particularly "The Sun Over Breda", talks about life in Tercio's and how were the soldiers forming that unit.

I have a hardback copy of the 1st Edition of the English translation of "The Sun Over Breda" for sale if anyone's interested?

PM me here or email via the blog.

[TheGrayMouser]

from the earlier part of the period:

Captain from Castile: Samuel Shellabarger
Cortez' expedition

The Adventurer: Mika Waltari
Finnish lad travels Germany during the Peasant revolt/witnesses the sack of Rome, later joins the Turks.

[batesmotel]

Christian Cameron has a series of serialized stories about his character Tom Swan on Amazon for the kindle. The character is in the employ of a cardinal in Italy with a taste for collecting classical antiquitiss. In the first series "Tom Swan and the Head of St. George" in 8 parts, Tom goes to Constantinople and has various adventures with the Ottomans and other factions.

The second serialized story, "St. George and the Siege of Belgrade" is currently up to Part III and has Tom headed to Belgrade to help relieve the Ottoman siege of the city. Chrisitan Cameron is an active re-enactor for both the classical and medieval/Rennaissance period so the military and other day to day details are quite convincing the the politics of the various settings are well worth reading.

Christian Cameron's other historical novels also come highly recommended including the Tyrant series (set in the Hellenistic world at the time of Alexander and his successors) and. Long War series (set during the Greek-Persian wars). I originally started reading the Tyrant series based on a recommendation by Duncan Head and a second from Phil Barker in the DBM or DBMM Yahoo group.

Chris

[Miletus]

GA Henty's novel The Lion Of The North is enjoyable in a Boy's Own sort of way. It seems to be based on the interesting notion that Gustavus's Scottish (or, as the author puts it, "Scotch") troops won most of his battles for him. Other than that though it does include a fair bit of historical detail about the campaigns. It's also available free here -

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5075

- or nearly free via Kindle, bundled up with a load of his other novels.

[stockwellpete]

Rory Clements currently has a series in progress that is set in 16thC England. The fifth book "The Heretics" is out now. The first four were "Martyr", "Revenger", "Prince" and "Traitor".