Hello from Denmark

Chiliarch · Post by **Chiliarch** » Wed October 12th, 2011, 11:41 am

After having lurked here for quite some time I have finally summoned up the courage to actually join this forum and post on it. What got me out of lurkdom was Annis review of Madeline Millers novel The Song of Achilles, but more about that on the appropriate thread.

I am a great fan of fiction set in Ancient Greece, from the Trojan War to Alexander the Great, and have tried to get hold of and read just about everything published on the subject. And not just in English, but in French, German and the Scandinavian languages as well. It runs to quite a lot of books, but I love them all and really enjoy reading them, feeling almost sad when a truly good read comes to an end. Fortunately, the last couple of years have seen the publication of a great number of novels set in Ancient Greece so I have not run out of books to read, especially as I also read non-fiction on the subject in order to know some more about the period.

My favourites are the three great As of Ancient Greek history : Achilles, Alexander and Alcibiades. Three different and yet not so different men. Strong personalities with soaring ambitions and boundless courage, so interesting that you cant help wanting to know more about them, read different writers take on them, both in fiction and non-fiction. And besides these three there is a host of other characters, whom you also want to get to know. There are landscapes, buildings, clothes, food, drink and a lot more to learn about, not to mention armour, weapons and ways of fighting from all these wars which took place in the period in which I am interested. Quite a lot to learn but so much fun when you get it right and I do appreciate writers trying to get the facts right, knowing how difficult it is and how much research it takes.

My favourite writer is Mary Renault. Nobody gets that truly ancient Greek feel through the way she does. But there are a lot of extremely talented writers out there, which pleases me no end as I cant get enough of the stuff.

Latest reads : Madeline Millers The Song of Achilles, Christian Camerons Marathon and Helena P. Schraders second part of a trilogy about Leonidas of Sparta A Peerless Peer.

Oh, and three dogs.

Susanne

Madeleine · Post by **Madeleine** » Wed October 12th, 2011, 1:00 pm

Hello and welcome, have fun on the boards!

fljustice · Post by **fljustice** » Wed October 12th, 2011, 2:07 pm

Welcome Susanne! You certainly came to the right place. Stewart is also one of my favs. Just read Gene Wolfe's Latro in the Mist a few months ago and highly recommend it. Looking forward to chatting with you on the boards!

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Wed October 12th, 2011, 2:18 pm

Hi Susanne. Glad you de-lurked and decided to jump in. The more the merrier.

donroc · Post by **donroc** » Wed October 12th, 2011, 4:18 pm

Welcome, Susan, and enjoy.

sweetpotatoboy · Post by **sweetpotatoboy** » Wed October 12th, 2011, 4:20 pm

Welcome, Susanne. Sounds like you're in the right place.

I'm currently reading "The Golden Mean" by Annabel Lyon, which is about Alexander and Aristotle. Have you read that yet?

Alisha Marie Klapheke · Post by **Alisha Marie Klapheke** » Wed October 12th, 2011, 4:31 pm

Welcome, Susanne. I hope your discussions here will enrich your reading experiences. There are some beautiful brains around here!

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Wed October 12th, 2011, 5:39 pm

Welcome, Susanne! I hope you enjoy it here.

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Wed October 12th, 2011, 8:38 pm

Hi Susanne! Mary Renault was one of the first grown-up Historical fiction writers I read. which probably dates me.

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Wed October 12th, 2011, 9:05 pm

Welcome, Susanne! Glad to have you here.