catwoman Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 Ok so I am looking for a book.... My Best mate's Birthday is next month and he is not a huge book fan but really loves the Sharpe series and has them all and I know that whenever his girlfriend and I talk books he always mentions wanting to find another book or series to read. Does anyone have any suggestions? He also loves the Lord of the Rings series, and historical fiction like Books based around Waterloo and Napolean. War kind of books, if that makes sense. As you can tell I do not know much about this genre. Thanks in advance CW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 I've not read any of the Sharpe books, but if Napoleanic wars are what you're looking for, Simon Scarrow has a sereis set during that period: Revolution series by Simon Scarrow: 1. Young Bloods (2006) 2. The Generals (2007) 3. Fire and Sword (2009) 4. The Fields of Death (2010) I haven't read them yet, but I have the first three waiting n Mount TBR and I adore his Romans series, so I'll most probably like these too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catwoman Posted July 26, 2010 Author Share Posted July 26, 2010 Ooo, thanks Kell. For some reason the name rang a bell and I think he has some books that are to do with Roman times. I will take a note of those ones and check he does not have them. Thanks Kell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladd Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 If it's Napoleonic books you are after there are a whole er fleet of naval series to choose from Hornblower - C S Forrester 13 books Ramage - Dudley Pope 18 books Bolitho - Alexander Kent 29 books Jack Aubrey - Patrick O'Brian 21 books to name the first four that come to mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catwoman Posted July 26, 2010 Author Share Posted July 26, 2010 Brillian t thanks for that Vladd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 I haven't read them, but the Flashman series of books by George MacDonald Fraser seem similar to what I know of Sharpe. The synopsis of the first one is: The Flashman Papers 1839-1842 Volume OneFlashman, soldier, duellist, lover, imposter, coward, cad and hero, triumphs in this first instalment of The Flashman Papers. His adventures as the reluctant secret agent in Afghanistan and his entry into the exclusive company of Lord Cardigan's Hussars culminate in his foulest hour -- his part in the historic disaster of the Retreat from Kabul. This is the story of a blackguard who enjoyed villainy for its own sake. Shameless, exciting and funny, Flashman's deplorable odyssey is observed with the cynical eye of a scoundrel who was honest only in reporting what he saw. He makes all other black sheep look respectable grey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladd Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 I haven't read them, but the Flashman series of books by George MacDonald Fraser seem similar to what I know of Sharpe. Read all the footnotes in the Flashman books and it is also a great way to learn Victorian history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catwoman Posted July 26, 2010 Author Share Posted July 26, 2010 They really do sound like they would be up his street thanks for that Chesilbeach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 It should be pointed out that the Flashman books are also very much tongue in cheek! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladd Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 Thats true although his Who's Who entry is impressive Flashman, Harry Paget. Brigadier-general, V.C., K.C.B., K.C.I.E.; Chevalier, Legion of Honour; Order of Maria Theresa, Austria; Order of the Elephant, Denmark (temporary); U.S. Medal of honor; San Serafino Order of purity and truth, 4th Class. b May 5, 1822, s of H. Buckley Flashman, Esq., Ashby and Hon. Alicia Paget; m. Elspeth Rennie Morrison, d. of Lord Paisley; one s., one d. educ. Rugby School. 11th Hussars, 17th Lancers. Served Afghanistan, 1841-42 (medals, thanks of Parliament); chief of staff to H. M. James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak Batang Lupar expedn, 1844; milit. advisor, H.M. Queen Ranavalona of Madagascar, 1844-5; Sutlej campaign, 1845-6 (Ferozeshah, Sobraon, envoy extraordinary to Maharani Jeendan, Court of Lahore); polit. advisor to Herr (later Chancellor Prince) Von Bismarck, Schleswig-Holstein, 1847-8; Crimea staff (Alma, Sevastopol, Balaclava), Prisoner of war, 1854; Artillery adviser to Atilik Ghazi, Syr Daria campaign, 1855; Sepoy Mutiny, 1857-8, dip, envoy to HRH the Maharani of Jhansi, trooper 3rd Native Cavalry, Meerut, subseq. att, Rowbotham's Mosstroopers, Cawnpore, (Lucknow, Gwalior, etc., V.C.); Adjutant to Captain John Brown, Harper's Ferry, 1859; China campaign 1860, polit. mission to Nanking, Taiping Rebellion, polit. and other services, Imperial Court, Pekin U.S. Army (major, Union forces, 1862; colonel (staff) Army of the Confederacy, 1863); a.d.c. to H.I.M. Maximilian, Emperor of Mexico, 1867; interpreter and observer Sioux campain, U.S. 1875-6 (Camp Robinson conference, Little Bighorn, etc.); Zulu War, 1879 (Isandhlwana, Rorke's Drift); Egypt 1882 (Kassassin, Tel-el-Kebir); personal bodyguard to H.I.M. Franz-Joseph, Emperor of Austria 1883; Sudan 1884-5 (Khartoum); Pekin Legations, 1900. Travelled extensively in military and civilian capacities among them supercargo, merchant marine (West Africa); agriculturist (Mississippi valley); wagon captain and hotelier (Santa Fe Trail); buffalo hunter and scout (Oregon Trail); courier (Underground Railroad); majordomo (India), prospector (Australia); trader and missionary (Solomen Islands, Fly River, etc.); lottery supervisor (Manila); diamond Broker and horse coper (Punjab); dep. marshall, U.S.; occasional actor and impersonator. Hon. mbr of numerous societies and clubs, including Sons of the Volsungs (Strackenz), Mimbreno Apache Copper Mines band (New Mexico), Kokand Horde (Central Asia), Kit Carson's Boys (Colorado), Brown's Lambs (Maryland), M.C.C., Whites and United Service (London, both resigned), Blackjack (Batavia). Chmn, Flashman and Bottomley, Ltd.; dir. British Opium Trading Co.; governor, Rugby School; hon. pres. Mission for Reclamation of Reduced Females. Publications: Dawns and Departures of a Soldier's Life; Twixt Cossack and Cannon; The Case Against Army Reform. Recreation: oriental studies, angling, cricket (performed first recorded "hat-trick"; Wickets of Felix, Pilch and Mynn for 14 runs; Rugby Past and Present v Kent, Lord's 1842; 5 for 12, Mynn's Casuals v All Engand XI, 1843). Add. Gandamack Lodge, Ashby, Leics. he was not your usual Victorian hero, in fact some people even say he was a coward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 As he wants tactics and seems not to mind fantasy, may I suggest Naomi Novik's Temeraire series (starts with His Majesty's Dragon)? Napoleonic wars with dragons...! What more could one want? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueK Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 If it's Napoleonic books you are after there are a whole er fleet of naval series to choose from Hornblower - C S Forrester 13 books Ramage - Dudley Pope 18 books Bolitho - Alexander Kent 29 books Jack Aubrey - Patrick O'Brian 21 books to name the first four that come to mind. Defo agree with the Hornblower books. I read them years ago and they always have a special place in my heart. If, again, you are looking for Napleonic then there is of course War and Peace!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Univerze Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Hornblower - C S Forrester 13 books See, I'd go for these, this would have been my recommendation. My dad loved the series of films they made of these books, and I sort of got him the Sharpe series, unfortunately he didn't have much time to enjoy those, but anyway, they seemed to me a lot alike. I loved both films too. Don't know the books, didn't even know they were books, but well.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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