Love and Romanpunk by Tansy Rayner Roberts

Two short stories have been published in anthologies, including 'An Academic Question' (1998, SPQR series ) and 'Beware the Snake' (2011.Independent publishers have many disadvantages compared with their bigger brethren, but one thing that they can always compete on is quality of writing. The Year of Confusion (February 16, 2010) SPQR (1990) (also SPQR I: The King's Gambit) John Roberts Maddox's SPQR series is a truly excellent mixture of mystery and historical fiction, including several Mystery Writers' Edgar Awards. Kirk Mitchell's Germanicus trilogy is a neat package from the 1980's alternate history stylings where Rome never fell: The Cecilia Holland book might be more promising, so I'll check that out.

Eventually I decided I didn't like the look of them partly because I'm not keen on an invented main protagonist being recycled throughout different historical situations, so I haven't read any of them. I remember scouting out the Blake books about 3 months ago. Charmingly, she had her son, Constantine VI, blinded so brutally that he died shortly afterwards, after he attempted to reverse her policy of reinstating Icons. It's about Empress Irene, who was Empress Regent, and Empress Regnant, for about 20 years at the end of the Eighth Century. Yet, the Byzantines were able to weather the storm, by cutting out layers of useless bureaucracy, and turning serfs into soldier-farmers, giving the people a vested interest in defending their land from the Arabs.Įdit: I've received a recommendation for Belt of Gold, by Cecilia Holland. The period seems to have been as catastrophic in the East as the 5th century was in the West (the populations of imperial cities just collapsed). So, I'll give one a try and see what it's like. I now understand Sean Gabb has written a number of novels in 7th century Rome and Byzantium, under the pseudonym Richard Blake, which have had some good reviews. Heraclius was going to be the main protagonist and I was considering a POV for Muawiya. I briefly flirted with writing a super accurate historical novel about this period myself, and still have a draft of half a chapter which was going to be a prologue and featured Phocas marching to Constantinople to overthrow Maurice. It is the earliest account of the great war between Islam, on the one hand, and Rome and Persia on the other, and it also has good coverage of the 602-628 Romano-Persian war.

So not a novel but the Armenian history by pseudo-Sebeos with the commentary by James Howard-Johnston is amazing. I have suffered similar disappointments with novels set during the crusades. It is disappointing because there is so much untapped potential. Count Belisarius also sets a very high standard.

I'm always on the look out for novels about Byzantium in particular, but I usually end up staying away because they never look promising.

Love and Romanpunk by Tansy Rayner Roberts