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What are you reading? April 2012

For discussions of historical fiction. Threads that do not relate to historical fiction should be started in the Chat forum or elsewhere on the forum, depending on the topic.
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fljustice
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Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Post by fljustice » Thu April 26th, 2012, 3:26 pm

[quote=""Nefret""]A History of God by Karen Armstrong[/quote]

How you liking it so far? I'm a fan of Karen Armstrong's and have interviewed her a couple of times.
Faith L. Justice, Author Website
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LoobyG
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Posts: 568
Joined: April 2010
Location: Derbyshire, UK

Post by LoobyG » Thu April 26th, 2012, 4:59 pm

Whilst on my jollies managed to finish 'Game of Thrones' by George R R Martin and 'Empress of Rome' by Kate Quinn, both of which I liked very much :) Now on 'Clash of Kings' by George R R Martin, and goodness knows how long it'll take me to finish it :o

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Madeleine
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 5860
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: "Mania" by L J Ross
Preferred HF: Plantagenets, Victorian, crime, dual time-frame
Location: Essex/London

Post by Madeleine » Fri April 27th, 2012, 9:02 am

I've just started "The Black House" by Peter May - modern crime set on the Island of Lewis.
Currently reading "Mania" by L J Ross

princess
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Location: Scotland

Post by princess » Fri April 27th, 2012, 11:15 am

[quote=""Madeleine""]I've just started "The Black House" by Peter May - modern crime set on the Island of Lewis.[/quote]

Think I might have to give this one a go. It's the setting of the Isle of Lewis that interests me most as I have family links to the place - it will be interesting to see how the community are portrayed and I hope the author hasn't stereotyped too much with the religious aspect.
Currently reading: The Poisoned Pilgrim: A Hangman's Daughter Tale by Oliver Potzsch

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Madeleine
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Currently reading: "Mania" by L J Ross
Preferred HF: Plantagenets, Victorian, crime, dual time-frame
Location: Essex/London

Post by Madeleine » Fri April 27th, 2012, 11:56 am

[quote=""princess""]Think I might have to give this one a go. It's the setting of the Isle of Lewis that interests me most as I have family links to the place - it will be interesting to see how the community are portrayed and I hope the author hasn't stereotyped too much with the religious aspect.[/quote]

I've only read the first couple of chapters, but the author describes the main character, who goes back to Lewis from his home in Edinburgh, as remembering the island being very puritanical during his childhood; no shops, restaurants etc open on Sundays, children not being allowed to play on the swings on Sunday etc. Presumably this wouldn't have been that long ago - 1970s or 80s maybe?
Currently reading "Mania" by L J Ross

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fljustice
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Post by fljustice » Fri April 27th, 2012, 2:44 pm

Finished Catching Fire and half through Mockingjay. Where Hunger Games can stand alone (if you don't mind some ambiguity in the ending), the sequels are really one book separated into two volumes.
Faith L. Justice, Author Website
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Ludmilla
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Post by Ludmilla » Fri April 27th, 2012, 3:25 pm

Currently reading Cecelia Holland's The Soul Thief (10th C Vikings).

DanielAWillis
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Royal Whore by Allen Andrews

Post by DanielAWillis » Sat April 28th, 2012, 12:49 am

This is a bio (not HF) of the Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine, one of Charles II's chief mistresses and the mother of a handful of his children.

The book heavily quotes from correspondence and journals written contemporarily in the 1700s. The narrative that surrounds these great quotes is written in a style to compliment the language used back then, However, this make the book a bit chewy.

But for all of the chewing through the language, it is a quite delicious, bawdy read. I had always viewed Nell Gwin as the potty-mouth among Charles's ladies, but Barbara has her own tantalizing way of wording things that often have double-entendre and can be downright naughty.

A definite must read for anyone into Restoration period England.
Daniel A. Willis
Author: Chronicle of the Mages series
www.DanielAWillis.com

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boswellbaxter
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Post by boswellbaxter » Sat April 28th, 2012, 3:54 am

I'm reading Livia: First Lady of Imperial Rome (NF) by Anthony Barrett.
Susan Higginbotham
Coming in October: The Woodvilles


http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/
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SCW
Avid Reader
Posts: 286
Joined: October 2010
Preferred HF: Lately World Two or the time immediately before and after this period
Location: Australia

Post by SCW » Sat April 28th, 2012, 9:22 am

Am halfway through Falls the Shadow by Sharon Penman (re-reading it actually).
Is 'Katheryn in the Court of Six Queens' worth reading?

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