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Yesterday 8:45:39 PM EDT
Looking to distract my mind. Looking for I guess some historical novels the last couple of weeks I read "The Godfather" then "Shogun". I've read the Hornblower books any number of times. Scifi and post apocalyptic stuff is not for me.

I used to read bunch of non fiction history - but now I'm looking for distraction.

Thanks for the suggestions!
Yesterday 8:51:24 PM EDT
[#1]
Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Phillbrick. History that reads like fiction
Yesterday 8:53:42 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Curmudgeon762][Edited] [#2]
Masters: The Road Past Mandalay

Edit. Nevermind. You want fiction.
“That’s not how it works. You buy more tools and power than you need and as you fuck everything up you gain the knowledge to become a better carpenter.”

Tveddy
Yesterday 8:54:42 PM EDT
[#3]
The Serpent's Coil by Farley Mowat.
Yesterday 8:54:48 PM EDT
[#4]
Codename: Gopher by Dr. Jon Bathke
Yesterday 8:56:12 PM EDT
[#5]
East of Eden
Winds of War/War and Remembrance
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Stand
The Lord of the Rings

A short list of what I have read recently and enjoyed. Everyone likes different things I know, but hope it helps. What would you recommend to others?
Yesterday 8:59:52 PM EDT
[#6]
Last of the Breed by Louis Lamour is one of my favorite books.
Yesterday 9:13:51 PM EDT
[Last Edit: digitalebola][Edited] [#7]
Quote History
Originally Posted By slowitdown:
East of Eden
Winds of War/War and Remembrance
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Stand
The Lord of the Rings

A short list of what I have read recently and enjoyed. Everyone likes different things I know, but hope it helps. What would you recommend to others?
View Quote


The only other fiction books I've read over the past 20 years other than Hornblower - is Harry Potter!

I've really enjoyed Ben Rich's Skunk Works and all the stuff about the Blackbird. Reada bunch about Mercury through Apollo.

Really trying to branch out into fiction more! Other than the above it has all been technical manuals on computer stuff.

Thanks for the suggestions already given!
Yesterday 9:24:48 PM EDT
[Last Edit: 1245xx][Edited] [#8]
Check out the books subforum, specifically what are you reading now? Also, look in the outdoor forum, I believe it’s subforum is titled survival or some other type fiction.  You’ll know it when you see it.  There are several authors here on this website.
That subforum is titled essential survival guides and fiction.
peach fuzz
Yesterday 9:30:43 PM EDT
[#9]
Bernard Cornwell.
Yesterday 9:34:26 PM EDT
[#10]
The Aubrey/Maturin series.

The Centurions.
Yesterday 9:38:31 PM EDT
[#11]
The Bible.

66 books....

full of Wisdom and truth....

perhaps, you cannot handle the Truth?  

Good to find out if you can.

Yesterday 9:39:09 PM EDT
[#12]
Chesapeake by James A Michener
every gun makes its own tune
Yesterday 9:41:22 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Ege][Edited] [#13]
Since you read Shogun, maybe this?:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musashi_

I read it as a kid and remember loving it. There’s a new three volume translation out now.

ETA—huh, it’s linking the wrong wiki page, but it should be the Eji Yoshikawa novel.
Yesterday 9:45:40 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote History
Originally Posted By 1245xx:
Check out the books subforum, specifically what are you reading now? Also, look in the outdoor forum, I believe it’s subforum is titled survival or some other type fiction.  You’ll know it when you see it.  There are several authors here on this website.
That subforum is titled essential survival guides and fiction.
View Quote



Aw heck! Did not remember we had that!
Yesterday 9:45:41 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Frank_B][Edited] [#15]
Short story collections by H. P. Lovecraft and Ray Bradbury.
"...Capitalism...shares its blessings unequally; ...Socialism...shares its miseries equally."
Winston Churchill
Yesterday 9:53:33 PM EDT
[Last Edit: nh11b][Edited] [#16]
Quote History
Originally Posted By vtmarine:
Bernard Cornwell.
View Quote



Yes, if you liked Hornblower, read Cornwell’s Sharpe series.

Last of the Breed also excellent.   Not really a western, but still L’Amour.  As is Chesapeake-several good Micheners.

No Tom Clancy? I was just re-reading the Jack Ryan’s in order.  

Shogun great, but I liked it far better than others in the Asian Saga.

Game of Thrones.  Great reads, but by the end you’ll be pissed like the rest of us.  


ETA: Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield.
Yesterday 9:56:05 PM EDT
[#17]
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
Operation Bouncehouse
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Odd Thomas
Dresden Files
Yesterday 10:31:56 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote History
Originally Posted By slowitdown:
East of Eden
Winds of War/War and Remembrance
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Stand
The Lord of the Rings

A short list of what I have read recently and enjoyed. Everyone likes different things I know, but hope it helps. What would you recommend to others?
View Quote



The stand is a powerful book.   The movie didn’t carry that
I strongly support reading it.

Yesterday 10:36:06 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote History
Originally Posted By dogsbody:



The stand is a powerful book.   The movie didn’t carry that
I strongly support reading it.

View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Originally Posted By dogsbody:
Originally Posted By slowitdown:
East of Eden
Winds of War/War and Remembrance
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Stand
The Lord of the Rings

A short list of what I have read recently and enjoyed. Everyone likes different things I know, but hope it helps. What would you recommend to others?



The stand is a powerful book.   The movie didn’t carry that
I strongly support reading it.



I’d argue the only good movies of Stephen King writing was Shawshank and Stand by Me. Both novellas in Different seasons.  Maybe misery.  

Books just better usually, especially with him.
Yesterday 10:53:43 PM EDT
[#20]
Team Yankee or Red Phoenix
Yesterday 10:56:26 PM EDT
[#21]
You cant go wrong with the Aubrey series by Patrick O'Brien
Some people think I'm over-prepared, paranoid, maybe even a little crazy. But they never met any Precambrian lifeforms, did they.

Proud supporter of Team Ranstad

Survivor: Arfbortion 2016

Arfcom Callsign: Slingshot
Yesterday 10:59:15 PM EDT
[#22]
Peter Santanello has a very interesting YouTube channel about traveling America and acting as an independent journalist, and I saw his brand new book in the library today and had to bring it home.

Haven't read it yet, but it should be pretty good, easy reading.


Yesterday 11:06:15 PM EDT
[#24]
London by Edward Rutherfurd.

It's really good, goes from before Ceasar landed through all English history to modern times through three/four families that sometimes, through time, bump into eachother and interact.

Fantastic historical fiction... the author has done several other famous and ancient cities and some not so ancient.
Yesterday 11:07:51 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote History
Originally Posted By nh11b:


I’d argue the only good movies of Stephen King writing was Shawshank and Stand by Me. Both novellas in Different seasons.  Maybe misery.  

Books just better usually, especially with him.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Originally Posted By nh11b:
Originally Posted By dogsbody:
Originally Posted By slowitdown:
East of Eden
Winds of War/War and Remembrance
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Stand
The Lord of the Rings

A short list of what I have read recently and enjoyed. Everyone likes different things I know, but hope it helps. What would you recommend to others?



The stand is a powerful book.   The movie didn’t carry that
I strongly support reading it.



I’d argue the only good movies of Stephen King writing was Shawshank and Stand by Me. Both novellas in Different seasons.  Maybe misery.  

Books just better usually, especially with him.

Surely you just
Yesterday 11:10:56 PM EDT
[#26]
The Honor Harrington series (David Weber)  or the Lt. Leary series (David Drake). Both are sci-fi, but are an homage to Hornblower. Great space operas.

The first Honor Harrington book is On Basilisk Station  by David Weber. The first Lt. Leary book is With the Lightnings  by David Drake.

The Expanse books are also great space adventure but a little more hard sci-fi.
Life is about choices.
If you make a mistake once, it's a mistake.
You make the same mistake again, that's a choice.
Yesterday 11:11:14 PM EDT
[#27]
Sir Harry Paget Flashman
RIP Tamurand a damn fine Rhodesian Ridgeback 02-09-14
RIP Kaya, an equally fine Yellow Lab 06-08-2015
RIP Millie the Destroyer, AKA ShitTrumpet, WCCorgi 12-21-2015
NORCAL CALLSIGN: YODEL
Happy to be in ALASKA!
Yesterday 11:11:39 PM EDT
[#28]
Brad Thor stuff. Thrillers dealing with CIA, corrupt gubmint, wars, terrorism... basically foreshadowing today.  First is Lions of Lucerne.
If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit.
Yesterday 11:18:35 PM EDT
[#29]
Lions of Mercer by John Lovel
Let's go Brandon!

Everything you need to know about the left was on display during covid . -RC03
Yesterday 11:32:36 PM EDT
[#30]
Red Rising
Yesterday 11:47:59 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote History
Originally Posted By wormgod:
You cant go wrong with the Aubrey series by Patrick O'Brien
View Quote


This is hands-down my favorite masterwork of fiction.  If you've never read it, I envy you.   I try to keep 2-3 years between readings just to keep it fresh but I seem to pick up something new each time.

If you've read the Hornblower books, try the Bolitho naval adventure series by Alexander Kent.   Very similar and slightly better than Hornblower.  Plenty of books in that one too.
https://www.guntechtips.com
Yesterday 11:52:37 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote History
Originally Posted By vtmarine:
Bernard Cornwell.
View Quote


Good suggestion, seconded.  But do not read The Fort unless your blood pressure is well controlled.
Today 12:12:56 AM EDT
[#33]
Dungeon crawler carl.  

I was suckered into this series by a similar thread I made a while back.

I can't even describe the book or series adequately, but it's the most fun I've had reading in a long time.  

I also highly recommend our very own RikWriter who has created some really epic Sci-fi space opera.  I read just about his entire catalog this year.
Today 1:51:51 AM EDT
[Last Edit: MonkeyGrip][Edited] [#34]
2nd for the Aubrey- Maturin series.  
When the Lion Freds, by Wilbur A. Smith.
The Gray Man series, by Mark Greaney.  

The 13th Valley.
But then again, I just need to get my post count up.
Today 1:58:24 AM EDT
[#35]
DeltaV and Critical Mass, by Daniel Suarez:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2DKVXR6?binding=kindle_edition&searchxofy=true&ref_=dbs_s_aps_series_rwt_tkin&qid=1790315805&sr=8-1

Also by Suarez, Daemon and FreedomTM, which is very timely for it's discussion of AI and Augmented Reality:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074CDHK46?tag=arfcom00-20
Today 4:40:45 AM EDT
[#36]
Today 4:47:34 AM EDT
[#37]
Lonesome Dove
Today 5:09:32 AM EDT
[#38]
Point of Impact Steven Hunter
"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life." - Robert A. Heinlein
Today 5:10:24 AM EDT
[#39]
Originally Posted By digitalebola:
Looking to distract my mind. Looking for I guess some historical novels the last couple of weeks I read "The Godfather" then "Shogun". I've read the Hornblower books any number of times. Scifi and post apocalyptic stuff is not for me.

I used to read bunch of non fiction history - but now I'm looking for distraction.

Thanks for the suggestions!
View Quote


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_White_Company

The White Company is a historical adventure novel by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle, set during the Hundred Years' War.[1] The story is set in England, France and Spain, in the years 1366 and 1367, against the background of the campaign of Edward the Black Prince, to restore Peter of Castile to the throne of the Kingdom of Castile. The climax of the book occurs before the Battle of Nájera. Doyle became inspired to write the novel after attending a lecture on the Middle Ages in 1889. After extensive research, The White Company was published in serialised form in 1891 in The Cornhill Magazine. Additionally, the book is considered a companion to Doyle's 1905–06 Sir Nigel, which explores the early campaigns of Sir Nigel Loring and Samkin Aylward.

The novel is relatively unknown today, though it was very popular up through the Second World War. In fact, Doyle himself regarded this and his other historical novels more highly than the Sherlock Holmes adventures for which he is mainly remembered.
View Quote


This used to be one of my favorite reads.
Thanks for posting op.
Now I'm not going to be content until I read it again.

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