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Penman's Progress...
Penman's Progress...
Hello all and good evening! Sorry if this isn't the right place to ask but I'm just after some good HF recommendations. Having read Lady of the Rivers at the insistence of my wife, I proceeded to devour all of PG's books followed by CJ Sansom's, Mantel's (WH and BUTB......A place of greater safety just looks too monstrous though!) and then, after initially thinking they were too massive, tried a Penman .......smitten!!! Now everything I read gets compared to her books (wrong I know) and I'm desperate to find some books on a par with hers. Didn't get on with Company of Liars but loved Cornwell's Azincourt (different kind of novel I know) So just looking for books that you all love and adore as much as I adore SKP's. Apologies for the over abundance of full stops and exclamation marks
- MLE (Emily Cotton)
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 3566
- Joined: August 2008
- Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
- Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
- Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
- Location: California Bay Area
Welcome to the forum, Paul! Somewhere far back in the posts there is a thread of 'your ten favorite HF novels'. Just go over them and compare the other novels on lists that include SKP. Have you tried Elizabeth Chadwick? Or Elizabeth Loupas?
I don't think Sansom is on many, but only because most of his novels are pretty recent. I'd certainly add the Shardlake series to my list!
I don't think Sansom is on many, but only because most of his novels are pretty recent. I'd certainly add the Shardlake series to my list!
- Lisa
- Bibliophile
- Posts: 1153
- Joined: August 2012
- Favourite HF book: Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman
- Preferred HF: Any time period/location. Timeslip, usually prefer female POV. Also love Gothic melodrama.
- Location: Northeast Scotland
Hi and welcome, Paul!
I think we all understand here how it's hard to compare books after you've read Sharon Penman.
I second the Elizabeth Chadwick nomination, and will add that the two Susan Higginbotham novels that I've read (The Traitor's Wife and Hugh and Bess) had that 'epic', well-written feel for me that you get with Penman.
ETA: There's Margaret George as well, most find her a hit or a miss. I've read Elizabeth I and The Autobiography of Henry VIII and enjoyed both.
Edward Rutherfurd is also a hit or a miss, but I liked Dublin: Foundation and Ireland: Awakening and want to read more.
I liked Nancy Bilyeau's Joanna Stafford books too (although I haven't read the third yet) - not suite in the same vein as Penman as they're thrillers, but they are good reads.
Susanna Kearsley also writes damn good books. Again different from Penman's as they're paranormal timeslips.
I could go on...
I think we all understand here how it's hard to compare books after you've read Sharon Penman.
I second the Elizabeth Chadwick nomination, and will add that the two Susan Higginbotham novels that I've read (The Traitor's Wife and Hugh and Bess) had that 'epic', well-written feel for me that you get with Penman.
ETA: There's Margaret George as well, most find her a hit or a miss. I've read Elizabeth I and The Autobiography of Henry VIII and enjoyed both.
Edward Rutherfurd is also a hit or a miss, but I liked Dublin: Foundation and Ireland: Awakening and want to read more.
I liked Nancy Bilyeau's Joanna Stafford books too (although I haven't read the third yet) - not suite in the same vein as Penman as they're thrillers, but they are good reads.
Susanna Kearsley also writes damn good books. Again different from Penman's as they're paranormal timeslips.
I could go on...
Last edited by Lisa on Tue July 7th, 2015, 9:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
[QUOTENow everything I read gets compared to her books (wrong I know)][/QUOTE]
Hee nothing wrong with that at all, welcome to our world! Yes to Chadwick, and don't be scared off with Place of Greater Safety - its a challenging read but really well worth it (can't wait for Mantel's next book!) Also try Legacy, by Suzanne Kay, probably the best book I've ever read about Eliz I.
Hee nothing wrong with that at all, welcome to our world! Yes to Chadwick, and don't be scared off with Place of Greater Safety - its a challenging read but really well worth it (can't wait for Mantel's next book!) Also try Legacy, by Suzanne Kay, probably the best book I've ever read about Eliz I.
- Lisa
- Bibliophile
- Posts: 1153
- Joined: August 2012
- Favourite HF book: Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman
- Preferred HF: Any time period/location. Timeslip, usually prefer female POV. Also love Gothic melodrama.
- Location: Northeast Scotland
Re:
Become an editorPaul wrote:Thank you so much everyone...my to read list just ballooned!!1 Now just to find a job where you get paid to read!!!
Re: Penman's Progress...
Mmmm....can't even proof read my own posts.....missed that spurious "1" that slipped in on my last one!
- FredQ
- Technical Librarian
- Posts: 192
- Joined: October 2014
- Currently reading: The Templars, Two Kings and a Pope
- Interest in HF: I like how HF can fill in the gaps where we don't have enough information.
- Preferred HF: Everything about the Knights Templars
- Location: Northeast Scotland
Re: Penman's Progress...
Welcome!Paul wrote:Mmmm....can't even proof read my own posts.....missed that spurious "1" that slipped in on my last one!
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