Posted by Martin Read on May 07, 1999 at 08:31:30:
In Reply to: Re: Other Writers a la Vance posted by Terry on March 29, 1999 at 08:03:10:
: : If you are interested in other views of Ancient Persian (+ Athenian, Indian and Chinese) society I'd advise you read Gore Vidal's novel "Civilisation."
: Read Vidal's _Julian_ which is one of my favorite books. Certainly favorite history, though not for fundamentalist Christians. Heart breaking ending lead up to with beautiful prose and a great story.
I have done - it is exceptional. I have a particular interest in the Late Roman period and the book is certainly the best I've read for bringing that strangely complex society to life.
: : If you like Mary Renault's work - probably her finest is "The King Must Die" - the adventures of Theseus set in a true Mycenaean framework. I did have the advantage of first reading this book in Crete - just before a visit to Knossos!
: That'd surely help!
It did! The old stones had considerable eloquence, as they were, for me, cloaked in the events of the story.