November 2010: What Are You Reading?

[Ash]

Reading my first Arianna Franklin; nice read for lazing in the autumn sun, but I have some historic quibbles as well as some anachronisms that are making me stop. Did they have cement in the 12th century? She makes a comment about the cast being as hard as cement. Anyway, the writing isn't bad, the characters interesting and the plot is moving along quickly. I've read worse.

Also reading a NF memoir My Father's Paradise, about the authors journey - physical and emotional - to his father's Kurdish village, one of the last traditional Jewish communities in Iraq which was 'rescued' and taken to Israel in the 50s. Very interesting; Has a bit of fictional embellishment but he indicates what is what, and its well written enough that Im not very bothered (tho I am early in the read)

[Berengaria]

Have just received a book from a friend...it is the first book in the dynasty series by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. The Foundingbegins in the 15th century and has fictional and real characters. I've read the first few pages, and seeing as there are others who want to read it, I plan to concentrate on it over the next few days. The weather in the North island is miserable today, so it is a good time to sit by a fire and sink myself into the era! Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

[EC2]

[quote=""Ash""]Reading my first Arianna Franklin; nice read for lazing in the autumn sun, but I have some historic quibbles as well as some anachronisms that are making me stop. Did they have cement in the 12th century? She makes a comment about the cast being as hard as cement. Anyway, the writing isn't bad, the characters interesting and the plot is moving along quickly. I've read worse.
[/quote]

Not sure. I wouldn't use it. I'd go for mortar to be safe. There are a lot of historical errors - Henry's head being described as a billiard ball comes to mind and the whole thing with the monk and the catheter is very silly because if he's in that condition, it's not just going to be a one off quick cure is it? The guy's doomed. I enjoyed the first one despite the constant anachronisms. She told a great fast-paced tale that was fun to read. Just don't mention the second one.

[Ash]

I finally lost it when Henry says to Adelia 'whats that got to do with fish?'. The book isn't heavy enough to be a wall banger, but it did make a nice thud against the patio window.

[MLE (Emily Cotton)]

The Romans had cement -- even a variety that cured underwater, which modern technology didn't figure out until the 1940s. The Pantheon in Rome is a huge dome, done with five different grades of cement in a single pour. We still can't match it today.

No clue if the middle ages retained that knowledge.

[Vanessa]

I've just started Mariana by Susanna Kearsley.

[fljustice]

[quote=""Ash""]Did they have cement in the 12th century? She makes a comment about the cast being as hard as cement.[/quote]

Sorry to be the word quibbler here, but cement and concrete are frequently and erroneously interchanged. From the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:

CEMENT:
"...a powder of alumina, silica, lime, iron oxide, and magnesium oxide burned together in a kiln and finely pulverized and used as an ingredient of mortar and concrete."

CONCRETE:
"...a hard strong building material made by mixing a cementing material (as portland cement) and a mineral aggregate (as sand and gravel) with sufficient water to cause the cement to set and bind the entire mass."

Like the use of "less" when "fewer" is called for, this may be a lost cause. Words shift meaning all the time in common speech. Cement and concrete may retain their particular meanings only among building specialists. And MLE is right, concrete allowed the Romans to achieve many wonderful engineering feats including building ports with underwater setting concrete.

As to the writing, I mildly enjoyed the first one Mistress of the Art of Death, but I guess I've watched too many CSI shows, because I was able to predict all of the plot twists.

[fljustice]

Finished an ARC copy of Conn Iggulden's newest: Khan: Empire of Silver--review coming soon. I finally started Antony and Cleopatra by Colleen McCullough--OK so far, but understand the complaints of "plodding."

[chuck]

[quote=""Ash""]Reading my first Arianna Franklin; nice read for lazing in the autumn sun, but I have some historic quibbles as well as some anachronisms that are making me stop. Did they have cement in the 12th century? She makes a comment about the cast being as hard as cement. Anyway, the writing isn't bad, the characters interesting and the plot is moving along quickly. I've read worse.

Also reading a NF memoir My Father's Paradise, about the authors journey - physical and emotional - to his father's Kurdish village, one of the last traditional Jewish communities in Iraq which was 'rescued' and taken to Israel in the 50s. Very interesting; Has a bit of fictional embellishment but he indicates what is what, and its well written enough that Im not very bothered (tho I am early in the read)[/quote]

I have read most of Ariana Franklin's Novels....From the start I accepted the Forensic premise....So I basically let the anachronisms slide....I enjoy the main characters and the plots are interesting with the exception of "The Serpent's Tale"...did not like or believe the "Fair" Rosamund Clifford and Eleanor of Aquitaine and the nasty intrigues that drove the story....

[EC2]

[quote=""chuck""]I have read most of Ariana Franklin's Novels....From the start I accepted the Forensic premise....So I basically let the anachronisms slide....I enjoy the main characters and the plots are interesting with the exception of "The Serpent's Tale"...did not like or believe the "Fair" Rosamund Clifford and Eleanor of Aquitaine and the nasty intrigues that drove the story....[/quote]

I was so astounded at the goings on in The Serpent's tale that I couldn't believe in it, even setting my quibbles aside. The 'defrosting' scene has to be one of the most bizarre and distasteful scenes I have EVER read in a historical novel... and the later 'squelch' scene - well! I felt it entered defaming the dead territory, especially as neither Eleanor nor Henry were around in England at that point, and Rosamund had another 3 years to go befor she died. A shame because I enjoyed the first one enough to play along.