Grand unified books thread

[jimmy olsen]

If you have ever wondered how Captain Hook's personality would stand out next to those of Blackbeard or Long John Silver this book will be a treat.

Pan as an inhuman fae monster is what interested me there. I can see it.

[The Brain]

Read the Osprey book on Towton 1461. Graham Turner's artwork is great as always (I love his work on the WotR), but I am not convinced by some things that the author says.

It seems unlikely to me that you would deploy a medieval army with the battles behind one another instead of side by side. I can think of all kinds of C&C issues and it just seems odd. But maybe I'm just ignorant? But my impression is definitely that the two wings and a center system makes a lot more sense. The source quoted for Fauconberg's archer tactics also makes more sense if he only commanded part of the Yorkist archers.

Speaking of Fauconberg, the author's claim that he ordered his archers to leave half of the Lancastrian arrows that had fallen short in the ground (instead of shooting them back at the Lancastrians) to form an obstacle for the Lancastrians when they advanced smells wrong. The source quoted makes more sense if interpreted that part of the arrows were fired back at the Lancastrians and part were not, not because of some command but because that's just the way it would play out IRL. Among other problems with such a command is that the commander would have had to believe that an arrow would do more damage to the Lancastrians as an obstacle in the ground instead of as a missile fired into them, which seems odd to me.

[Razgovory]

Is that the one in the snow?

[The Brain]

Is that the one in the snow?

Yup.

[The Brain]

Read the Osprey book on Towton 1461. Graham Turner's artwork is great as always (I love his work on the WotR), but I am not convinced by some things that the author says.

It seems unlikely to me that you would deploy a medieval army with the battles behind one another instead of side by side. I can think of all kinds of C&C issues and it just seems odd. But maybe I'm just ignorant? But my impression is definitely that the two wings and a center system makes a lot more sense. The source quoted for Fauconberg's archer tactics also makes more sense if he only commanded part of the Yorkist archers.

Speaking of Fauconberg, the author's claim that he ordered his archers to leave half of the Lancastrian arrows that had fallen short in the ground (instead of shooting them back at the Lancastrians) to form an obstacle for the Lancastrians when they advanced smells wrong. The source quoted makes more sense if interpreted that part of the arrows were fired back at the Lancastrians and part were not, not because of some command but because that's just the way it would play out IRL. Among other problems with such a command is that the commander would have had to believe that an arrow would do more damage to the Lancastrians as an obstacle in the ground instead of as a missile fired into them, which seems odd to me.

I notice that the author (Christopher Gravett) puts the battles side by side in his books on Tewkesbury 1471 and Bosworth 1485. I wonder if he has considered the weirdness of a unique form of deployment at Towton.

[garbon]

There's now an alt-hist book about the world if Gore had won.

[Sheilbh]

Just finished The Prime Minister. In my view the best Palliser novel.

Now on The Duke's Children.

[The Brain]

There's now an alt-hist book about the world if Gore had won.

Gor?

[Habbaku]

 

[dps]

There's now an alt-hist book about the world if Gore had won.

Are the survivors reduced to eating moss?

[Razgovory]

There's now an alt-hist book about the world if Gore had won.

I read that.  It ends with the Chinese all flying away into space in giant city-spaceships.

[merithyn]

Looking at picking up Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, since her second book in the trilogy is out and the third is supposed to be coming out relatively soon. I know Sheilbh and JR have read it. Worth my time?

[Grey Fox]

Since this place is about books. Kobo's Mini Ereader is 50$ online only, today only.

I was perusing Amazon last nite to find something to read & came upon 1632. What a ridiculous premise, it has me intrigue.

[Syt]

I recently read Legionary: The Roman Soldier's (Unofficial) Manual.

It explains what a Roman signing up for service in ca. 100 AD could expect - from recruitment, to what equipment to get (helmet to pilum to eating utensils) and how to keep it in good shape, what training and everyday life is like and what to expect when besieging a town or meeting the enemy in open battle:

1. Joining the Roman Army
2. The Prospective Recruit's Good Legion Guide
3. Alternative Military Careers
4. Legionary Kit and Equipment
5. Training, Discipline and Ranks
6. People Who Will Want to Kill You
7. Life in Camp
8. On Campaign
9. How to Storm a City
10. Battle
11. Aftermath


Very fun read, slightly tongue in cheek (soldier's cynicism?). From the same author (Philip Matyszak):

- Gladiator: The Roman Fighter's [Unofficial] Manual
- Ancient Athens on 5 Drachmas a Day
- Ancient Rome on 5 Denarii a Day
- MITHRIDATES THE GREAT: Rome's Indomitable Enemy
- The Enemies of Rome: From Hannibal to Attila the Hun

And others.

[crazy canuck]

Looking at picking up Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, since her second book in the trilogy is out and the third is supposed to be coming out relatively soon. I know Sheilbh and JR have read it. Worth my time?

I read both.  They are not for everyone.  I liked them.  My wife didnt finish the first book after trying a couple times.