Vimes
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Sorry delete button not working and post button working to well! Ai!
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You certainly make a good case for reading this book, so it has gone on my TBR list, can I get it on Kindle?I had heard of though not read, the poem, isn't it chilling?
Glad that I was able to suggest something to you, I hope that you will injoyed it when you read it
. I assume that it is available on Kindle although I don't know for sure, (Its on my e-book reader but it isn't a kindle and you know how things are. It's available here but not there... 
) Yes, the poem sent shivers down my soon the first time I read it. Makes you feel like you were there.
Hello Vimes, I'm a big fan of historical fiction I've never heard of this author before but will try to read one of her books in future.
Hi gardengirl! Are you a fan of historical fiction as well? Have you ever read Jean Plaidy?
I have too have a soft spot for a good Historical novel, I haven't ever heard of jean plaid. What books has he/she write?
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Firstly,
someone else has read Lindsey Davis! Sorry to answer your question with another question, but are you wanting me to suggest another Falco book or one of her other works? I ask because I have only read a little more than half if the Falco series and none of her other books
. And to properly answer you other question
, yes Tony Hillerman is the writer of the Joe leaphorn and Jim Chee mysteries and they are very good. Started this one yesterday and I am already half way through . Like Davis, Hillerman puts such care and detail into the story and the telling of the culture that is somehow such an important part of the story that it is wonderfully to read. The same go's to how he describes the scenery (he lives/lived where the books are based to he knew what he was talking about ), it gives you the feeling of bring right there with the characters. P.S Welcome to the forum, hope you injoyed being a part of it
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I think I have read the first Recluse book years ago, they are good but Corean Chronicles is way better IMO. I just loved the lead characters as well as finding the story fascinating and had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through.
P.S didn't you think that the Death Gate series was great? I injoyed them so much. Very thought provoking I thought. Corean chronicles as well both have points in them that I thought were worth a passing thought
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The second Duchess by Elizabeth Loupas is, I have to say, one of the best historical fiction book I have read in a while. Inspired by the poem ,"My Last Duchess" by Browning it is well worth a read. The story follows Barbara of Austria as she gets married and learns about the mysterious death of the first duchess and then how she finds out what happened to the first duchess.
For those that are interested here is the poem.
My Last Duchess
That's my last Duchess painted
on the wall,
Looking as if she were alive. I
call
That piece a wonder, now: Fr
Pandolf's hands
Worked busily a day, and there
she stands.
Will't please you sit and look at
her? I said
``Fr Pandolf'' by design, for
never read
Strangers like you that pictured
countenance,
The depth and passion of its
earnest glance,
But to myself they turned (since
none puts by
The curtain I have drawn for
you, but I)
And seemed as they would ask
me, if they durst,
How such a glance came there;
so, not the first
Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir,
'twas not
Her husband's presence only,
called that spot
Of joy into the Duchess' cheek:
perhaps
Fr Pandolf chanced to say ``Her
mantle laps
``Over my lady's wrist too
much,'' or ``Paint
``Must never hope to reproduce
the faint
``Half-flush that dies along her
throat:'' such stuff
Was courtesy, she thought, and
cause enough
For calling up that spot of joy.
She had
A heart---how shall I say?---too
soon made glad,
Too easily impressed; she liked
whate'er
She looked on, and her looks
went everywhere.
Sir, 'twas all one! My favour at
her breast,
The dropping of the daylight in
the West,
The bough of cherries some
officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the
white mule
She rode with round the
terrace---all and each
Would draw from her alike the
approving speech,
Or blush, at least. She thanked
men,---good! but thanked
Somehow---I know not how---
as if she ranked
My gift of a nine-hundred-
years-old name
With anybody's gift. Who'd
stoop to blame
This sort of trifling? Even had
you skill
In speech---(which I have not)---
to make your will
Quite clear to such an one, and
say, ``Just this
``Or that in you disgusts me;
here you miss,
``Or there exceed the mark''---
and if she let
Herself be lessoned so, nor
plainly set
Her wits to yours, forsooth, and
made excuse,
---E'en then would be some
stooping; and I choose
Never to stoop. Oh sir, she
smiled, no doubt,
Whene'er I passed her; but who
passed without
Much the same smile? This
grew; I gave commands;
Then all smiles stopped
together. There she stands
As if alive. Will't please you rise?
We'll meet
The company below, then. I
repeat,
The Count your master's known
munificence
Is ample warrant that no just
pretence
Of mine for dowry will be
disallowed;
Though his fair daughter's self,
as I avowed
At starting, is my object. Nay,
we'll go
Together down, sir. Notice
Neptune, though,
Taming a sea-horse, thought a
rarity,
Which Claus of Innsbruck cast
in bronze for me!
Robert Browning
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Oh yes! First time I saw Shelob, it almost made me a little wary of spiders for a day it two
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Except for the few Jane Austin books and the dark is rising by Susan cooper, I have to admit that I haven't read of any of the books in your list
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What? LOL
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I don't know, it would depend on how whats-his-face structures the next one I guess... I would love to know if he will put the spiders that almost eat the dwarfs in or leave them out. I have to say that the scene with the trolls/thingymajigs in the beginning and the spiders later on in the book are my two favorite parts of the book
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Rules were meant to be broken or at least bent went they??
lol yes I meant non-for-profit fantasy or sci-fi (which I mostly don't read :shocked: )
Rules were meant to be broken or at least bent went they??You mean off-topic as in non-fantasy?
Hehe, it's always good to go off-topic every now and then 
Rebel yell! lol yes I meant non- fantasy or sci-fi (which I mostly don't read :shocked: )
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Vegetable
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LOL cute! I have to say they are my two favorites of all of the dwarfs. They are like two peas in a pod, I loved how the director portrayed them in the movie.
Having skimmed through the Appendix, I am sure that there is still plenty that he can use to fill in the other two movies. What I really want to know is, what dose Smaug look like?
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I'm not sure whether we're all talking about the same kind of fantasy . . . When I think 'new' fantasy, I think books like Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence, The Name of the Wind by Pat Rothfuss (which I'm really enjoying at the moment), Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan (which is awesome), etc.
Maybe the reason older fantasy seems deeper is that it's had years of prequels, sequels and all sorts of expansions; perhaps the newer stuff just needs a decade or so to mature/circulate. Plus, we all change as we get older! I used to think The Hobbit was amazing, but read it recently after many years and was really disappointed.
On a side note: I'm actually allergic to 'dark fantasy'/'paranormal romance'. My eyes are watering now just thinking about it.
I totally sympathize with you, I tend to orun the other way when I see one! :ROFL:
You are possibly right about the newer fantasy just needing time. But I dunno... Speaking if the hobbit, have you seen the movie? I just thought it was wonderful! The way he is filling out the story with all of the history from the appendix. And the new way he filmed it was genius. It gave the movie a depth to it that was a treat to the eyes. (and yes I have watched it more than once, I confess!)
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Fair enough. It would be a pretty boring world if we all liked the same things
For what it's worth I wasn't implying that it's a case of old fantasy versus new fantasy. I used to love old fantasy, and I still have fond memories of David Eddings' books, and LotR etc, it's just my tastes have changed in recent years 
Out of interest, have you tried Robin Hobb or Blake Charlton? Or Brandon Sanderson?
It is also what makes interesting conversations about books, there would be nothing to talk about if everyone liked/thought the same things about everything . I didn't think it was at all a case of new or old, I do in fact read some of the "new" when it appeals, yes I have read most of Robin Hobb's books but I don't think I have heard of Blake Charlton
Or Brandon Sanderson. what have they written? Maybe a title will jog my memory!
Have you read any of Mercedes Lackey's Bedlam bard or Sarrated Edge series? The Sarrated Edge ones are good, read the one a while ago a.d the rest are on my TBD list, elves and racing cars; what more could one want out of a book?
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Just been going through my reader and came across a few other books that I would recommend.
Tad Williams- Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series
Robert M. Persia - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (non-fiction)
Yann Martel- Life of Pi
Fritz Leiber- Lankhmar series (for those of you who are interested, this are the books that inspired the Discworld books by Pratchett)
Spy/thriller/crime/mystery (yes I know s little off topic but these books are just to good to be left out
)Jefferson Bass- Body Farm series
Tony Hillerman- the Joe Leathern and Jim Chee series
Qiu Xiaolong- the Inspector Chen series (really injoyed these books, first proper detective books that I ever read and injoyed)
All great books that I have injoyed reading.
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I look through a book and read a few pages here and there so that I get a good feel about what the book is like before saying yay it nay to buying it, every book gets a fair chance! I know what kind of books you are talking about
. I still think that most modern fantasy lacks that something that I am looking for. Ok thought of a book that I think is awful, The Night Circus. I didn't even read half of the book, it was lacking in everything...oh and that other one...umm. Ai! I can't remember but it was just as bad.
sorry bad books don't stick in my head very well, I can remember that it was bad but not why! LOL -
LOL you want me to find examples of books I don't have and beyond saying, nope I don't want to read this, don't pay any attention to!
. I will go and think, maybe something will float up from the depths of my brain . I have read quit a few good books that were write in the first person. Umm the tigers wife is a example.
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Well there's Garion for a start
But yeah, it was a generalisation, my point being that a lot of modern fantasy authors are trying to get away from the tropes of the past.
But is that entirely a good thing? IMO (and this is where I stick my foot in it
) the standard of writing has gone down dramatically in the last few years and unless it looks like something special, and special don't come around very often, I tend to stay way from the new fantasy books. I am not saying don't write new and interesting stories, but what I am saying is that there is a reason that the good old classic fantasy authors are/were as known as they are. Their books were good and had depth to them and I for one can't say that about a lot of the "new" authors. -
And is much better for it (in my opinion!). There's only so many farmboys with a destiny one can take
Well I never really read the ones that had that many farmboys with or without any kind of special destiny
. I have always been far more into the kind of fantasy that has dragons and wizards and lots of magic and it seems to have all been replaced by vampires and zombies. Yuck! -
The Second Duchess
in Historical Fiction
Posted
Oh Tudor! Have them, just haven't read them yet
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