Posted by Tim on March 29, 1999 at 00:00:22:
In Reply to: Other Writers a la Mary Renault posted by Frank Denton on March 26, 1999 at 13:50:24:
: Martin Read mentions the wonderful books of Mary Renault. Not Vancean at all, except that the society and culture are so different from ours, is a relatively new books entitled Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield. Primarily about the Battle of Thermopylae, but much about Spartan society and its preparations and training for war from early boyhood. Very much a man's book, but an outstanding read. I recommend it.
I think Mary Renault's books are great too. Their only real similarity to Vance is the exotic, extravagant worlds the chaacters inhabit; but where Vance presents marvellously polished surfaces, Renault's work is more concerned with emotional states within and between characters. That's not to say she's a better writer, just that she's setting out to do something different.
Anyone wanting to check her out - which I recommend - would do well to start with the Alexander trilogy or the Theseus books.