I've had this book for a very long time (23 years to be exact). I bought it brand new in 1987. I started to read it but I was distracted by something or other and just never got back to it. Over the years I've spotted it as I moved, sorted, and re-sorted my books. I added neighbors to it- other books by Turtledove like Agent of Byzantium
(which I enjoyed), the Worldwar
series (which I enjoyed at first but then became bored with), and Conan of Venarium (which I absolutely hated).
(which I enjoyed), the Worldwar series (which I enjoyed at first but then became bored with), and Conan of Venarium (which I absolutely hated). But I never returned to The Misplaced Legion
. Until yesterday. This is a damn good book. Good enough that I ordered the second book from Paperbackswap today.
. Until yesterday. This is a damn good book. Good enough that I ordered the second book from Paperbackswap today. Turtledove's style doesn't fire my blood like Gemmell does but he is a scholar of Byzantine history and can mix his expertise with his prose very well.
If you liked this one, you'll enjoy the Time of Troubles series by Turtledove also (The Stolen Throne, Hammer and Anvil, The Thousand Cities, Videssos Besieged). I liked the way he alternated between Makuraner and Videssian protagonists in the books. I believe The Thousand Cities is based on the campaigns of Emperor Heraclius in Persia.
ReplyDeleteYep awesome series. One I enjoyed quite a bit. There is a second series based on the same world by Harry Turtledove called I believe Krispos of Videsos. Not as good. In fact I don't remember much about it. But the Misplaced Legion and the following books are one FUN ride. Especially if you like Romans mixed in a Fantasy setting!
ReplyDeleteIf you have not read "An Oblique Approach" by David Drake & Eric Flint you may want to.
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I like Turtledove's stuff. I started with Agent of Byzantium. I enjoyed this series but most of his other series run waaaaay to long with to many characters involved. Turtledove has a bit of diarrhea of the keyboard in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried any of his historical fiction novels written under the name Turteltaub? Four of them are set in the Hellenistic world of 310 b.c.