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Many writers don't like to read works in a similar
genre to their own for fear of being influenced by the
ideas of their peers. I admire these steadfast souls,
but it's something that I can't do.
I'm a fan. I started writing because I was inspired
by the books I read. I started writing because I wanted
to produce a book that I would want to read. There are
so many great writers with great stories to tell out
there - here are some of the books that I love.
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The Light Bearer
by Donna Gillespie |
The Light Bearer is without doubt one of the
great novels of the late 20th Century. Certainly,
without Donna's magnum opus, I would never have
been inspired to become a writer - indeed for
many people, reading this book is a genuinely
life-changing experience. From the heartless battlefields
of Germania to the crucible of the Flavian Amphitheatre,
no matter how many times the book is re-read,
the Light Bearer profoundly moves, entertains
and enlightens the reader. The Light Bearer and
its sequel, Lady of the Light clearly mark Donna
Gillespie as the natural successor to Mary Renault.
Gillespie is, without doubt, the finest historical
fiction author of our times.
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David Gemmell |
No one work of the
David Gemmell's can be elevated above another. It's
a truly rare talent that can produce book after
book after book of genuine quality. Gemmell was
such a talent. I cannot describe to you thrill that
I got when I saw the cover of 'Lion of Macedon'
for the first time in the book shop. It was a book
about Spartans, written with the same enthusiasm
and reverence I have for those great warriors. For
me, it was the perfect novel. What amazed me then,
and amazes me still today is that every single book
David wrote was of the same quality. There's an
honesty in his work, a love for his craft and an
unswerving commitment to his readers - he made every
book the best it could possibly be and the Times
rightly dubbed him as the greatest author of heroic
fantasy. David died tragically in July, 2006 at
the age of only 57 - I think that perhaps he stole
too much of their fire, and the gods were jealous.
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The 'Eagle' series
by Simon Scarrow |
Charting the adventures
of Centurions Macro and Cato, Simon Scarrow's Eagle
series are set at the height of the Roman Empire.
Military fiction doesn't come much better than this
- indeed the great Bernard Cornwell is quoted as
saying of Simon's work that he 'really doesn't need
this sort of competition.' The Eagle books are eminently
readable time and time again; for me, it's a great
pleasure when a new one is released as I always
start again a book one and work my way through the
entire series again. Thrilling action, genuinely
likeable characters and sumptuous research…I
can't praise the works highly enough. |
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Gates of Fire
by Stephen Pressfield |
Ever since I was
boy, I have loved stories of the Spartans. I'll
never forget watching "The Three Hundred Spartans"
on the telly and my mum telling me that it was a
true story. I was straight down the library and
my love affair with all things classical began.
Gates of Fire was the first modern book that I had
come across that charted the story of Leonidas and
the famous last stand at Thermopolae. Pressfield's
work is gritty, realistic and so well researched,
reading it is like taking a trip back to ancient
Lakedaimonia. Bone-shattering action sequences aside,
Gates of Fire takes the reader inside the heart
and soul of the Spartan warrior. We see the world
through Spartan eyes and truly understand the sacrifice,
discipline and pride that held the indestructible
scarlet and bronze phalanx together. It's a wonderful,
wonderful book, and again one that I never tire
of re-reading. |
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Eagle in the Snow
by Wallace Breem |
Eagle in the Snow
is an unrelentingly bleak novel. Set at the fall
of the Roman Empire, it tells the story of aging
Romano-British general Maximus and his doomed attempt
to stop the Germanic tribes from crossing the Rhine.
Maximus is a man trying to uphold his principals
in a world that is literally falling apart around
him. Social systems collapse, trusted allies turn
reveal themselves as traitors, life-long friends
become bitter enemies, battles are fought and lost…and
everywhere small-minded men unseeingly cause the
collapse of western civilisation. Eagle in the Snow
is a wonderfully written portrayal of despair and
hopelessness…and ultimately heroism. It says
much about the time it is set in and in doing so
much about our times as well. Like all great works,
Eagle in the Snow studies the human condition, and
like all great works, it is timeless, as relevant
today as it will be in 100 years from now. |
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The Mouse God
by Susan Curran |
I've read 'The Mouse
God' so many times I think I could probably write
out the whole book from memory. Susan Curran's 1987
work tells the story of the Trojan War through the
eyes of two women, Breseis and Chryseis. Though
they had small mention in the Iliad, their roles
were hugely influential in the 'Wrath of Achilles'
that opens the poem. Here, in the Mouse God, the
mythic side of the Trojan War is put aside, and
we are treated to very real stories of people trying
to survive in a terribly destructive war. Both women
are Trojan, both captured by the invading Achaeans
and both marked out as 'spoils' for the Achaean
generals, Chryseis going to Agamemnon, Breseis to
Achilles. Curran then paints a glorious palette
of characterisation, examining all of the major
protagonists in the war through fresh eyes. Given
such a large cast, it never ceases to amaze me how
well-drawn and three-dimensional all the protagonists
are. Agamemnon, sexually perverted, mean-spirited
and stubborn - but also driven, determined and he
does, in his own way, come to love Chryseis, Helenus
of Troy, sly, sardonic and seemingly care-free,
his cynical exterior masks an unrequited love for
the beautiful and guilt-ridden Helen. There are
so many more, it's not possible to go through them
here. It's a sumptuous tale of love and war - Curran
handles the battle scenes with as much skill as
she draws her characters and as such, The Mouse
God for me is a work to be treasured. |
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Men of Bronze
by Scott Oden |
Men of Bronze caught
my eye at a time when I was looking for something
new to read. It really was a case of synchronicity
in action for me because the book was literally
just what I was looking for - a new author who wrote
historical action/adventure set in the classical
world. I recall being drawn to the cover, and I
had picked the book up and bought it without even
remembering that I'd done it. Suffice to say that
the story of Barca the Phoenician gripped me from
opening word to last sentence - Scott Oden, like
Simon Scarrow, writes the kind of book I wish I
could. |
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