All posts tagged: Historical Novel

Roman Mask Sunday Update

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Okay! Almost there now!  The map is now done- Hooray! I wasn’t sure at first whether I wanted a map for my novel or not, after all we’re all familiar with the general geography of Europe.  However, the names of the countries have obviously changed and I decided I needed to at least display the locations portrayed in the narrative of the book.  It is not an all-encompassing version of the Roman world, I could have gone into a lot more detail, but I thought that might make it difficult to locate the important destinations discussed in the novel. I thought long and hard about whether to add the mountains or not – the map is just a reference point for the reader, so was this necessary?  I decided that as one section of the Alps plays a not-insignificant role in the novel, I had better put them in.  However, I thought drawing small little trees to represent the Teutoburg forest was a step too far, and instead just marked it on the map. There …

A fun packed read, starting at the beginning – Gates of Rome, Conn Iggulden #historical #fiction #gladiators

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When a famous character of the past is depicted in a novel, where do you start?  Normally the proscribed path would be to research the history books, find out where he or she first comes to the attention of the historians and start your story there.  However, with some historical figures that means that you don’t pick up their story until they are approaching middle age, and you learn nothing of what shaped their character or motivated them through their youth.  That’s certainly the case with Julius Caesar; by the time he started conquering Gaul he was already in his forties and often bemoaned the fact that Alexander the Great managed to achieve so much – he conquered all the lands from Greece to India – by the age of thirty. So rather than wait until Julius Caesar has become a successful Senator and skillful politician, Conn Iggulden, in his novel ‘Gates of Rome’ has gone right back to the beginning and starts his story when Julius – or Gaius as he goes by then …

An Alternative view on History. Guest Article by Burmesa #Byzantine #Conquistadors

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I’ve been really looking forward to this post.  Last week I published two articles on  periods of history to set a novel.  Burmesa who has a keen interest in history, and also hosts a brilliant blog on animation named Animestus, read the article and very kindly offered to write an alternative view.  Burmesa has a strong interest in the Byzantine period, and the Spanish Conquistadors, and has highlighted the Pro’s and Con’s of setting a novel in these periods.  So, over to Burmesa….. Byzantine Empire 330-1453 AD Pros: The Byzantine Empire has it all, which is no big surprise considering it reigned for more than a thousand years. Still, it mainly revolves around these three elements: Religion, wars, and intrigue (the urban definitions of both “Byzantine” and “Byzantine Plot” have not been made by chance). The Byzantine Empire was heavily influenced by the prevalence of Christianity. Also, it is the period during which all modern religious beliefs were either born or established. If your story’s theme is religion, this is your go to period. There’s …

Great periods of History to write about – stage 2 (Tudors to WW2) #Historical #Fiction

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Ok, last time I discussed five era’s from Ancient Greece until the Medieval age, this time I’ll be bringing things up until the modern age. Featured novel: Philippa Gregory, The White Queen The End of the medieval period and the coming of the Tudors 1455 – 1603 – War of the Roses, a large King with some unfortunate wives, an iconic Queen. PRO’s:  Where to start with this one!  There are so many stories in this period, be it the Princes in the Tower, the battle of Bosworth Field, Henry VIII and his never ending quest for love  – tearing England apart in the process – and that’s before you even get to Elizabeth 1st and the defeat of the Spanish Armada.  This period more than any other personifies English History in most people’s imagination. CON’s:  Despite the War of the Roses ending in 1485, it seems that some people have yet to realise it.  There are still many in the UK and around the world that are either die-hard Plantagenets or Tudors, and are liable to …

There isn’t one proscribed path….

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This week I have looked at four separate novelists which have all made a great contributions to the two genres, but all have used very different writing styles.  In summary: David Gemmell – fast paced, exciting stories, interspersed with highly developed character development outside of the leading cast.  The sort of novel you can’t stop once you start. Bernard Cornwell – Gritty, realistic adventures closely matched to real events.  Strong emphasis on real history, and very clear and understandable battle scenes.  Will finish one of his books feeling you have learnt a lot, without realising how. Robin Hobb – Slower paced, but beautifully written novels, with a lot of detailed description and strong emotional journeys.  Immersion guaranteed into a rich and vibrant world, through close connection to leading characters. George McDonald Fraser – History told in the most unorthodox of styles – with a leading character as far removed from the mainstream as can be imagined.  Detailed history of the nineteenth century including some of its lesser known events; all held together by the author’s …

George McDonald Fraser – The Flashman papers.

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Okay, I’ll admit that this one isn’t for everyone.  George McDonald Fraser’s Victorian character, Flashman, that he took from ‘Tom Browns schooldays’ is a coward, a scoundrel, and a complete all round rotter.  Flashman manages to find himself involved in all the leading events of the nineteenth century, despite spending most of his time trying to run from trouble, and somehow always manages to come out smelling of roses, and being decorated with plaudits and medals.  The detailed historical research that went into these novels are also interspersed with George McDonalds Fraser’s quick wit, and they form a fun ride through some fascinating periods of history. The reason it is a controversial choice, is that even the most cynical hearted of readers couldn’t possibly condone some of Flashman’s behaviour, but it is key to these novels.  The novels raise an interesting point in the depiction of certain characters in Historical novels.  I know from my own experience of writing that it is impossible to create a believable character in the past if we try and …

Bernard Cornwell – The Sharpe series (any of them)

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Most of you will be familiar with these stories, from the T.V. series that leapt Shaun Bean to stardom in the UK, and ultimately led to him becoming noticed by Hollywood.  The Lord of the Rings, or Game of Thrones will now be what most will associate him with, but for me he’ll always be Richard Sharpe.  After the pilot series of Sharpe’s Rifles (two episodes back in 1993) I was intrigued by the story, and when I found an old battered copy of one of his novels in my grandmother’s bookshelf (My grandfather, before his death, had a great interest in Waterloo) I was led into a fantastic ride through the Napoleonic wars, as Sharpe led his rag-tag company of riflemen through the peninsular of Spain.  It proved a long held theory of mine, that the historical novel will always be superior to the film or TV series as the writer has so much more scope to explain the historical details so important in this genre.  Before long I was an expert on the …