.jpg)
Every week Tanzanite features upcoming historical fiction
and history related non-fiction books that have come to her attention and may
be of interest to others. Since she has
an out of control TBR pile, so should everyone else!
A Trail of Fire: Four Outlander Tales by Diana Gabaldon. UK release October 11, 2012.
Four extraordinary stories featuring characters from the bestselling Outlander series.
Trails of tracer bullets, and the fiery trail of a wounded Spitfire falling out of the sky.
The burning of plantations in a Jamaican night, in a trail leading down from the mountains, straight toward Kingstown.
The trail blazed by night by the handful of heroic Highlanders who fought their way straight up a vertical cliff to stand on the Plains of Abraham in a fiery dawn.
And the trail of a torch burning green, through the eerie surrounds of a Parisian cemetery, down into the mysteries of the earth.
Four tales from Diana Gabaldon, each set in a different time and place - from Paris before the Revolution to London during the Blitz, from the West Indies in the grip of slavery to Quebec at the height of the French and Indian War - and yet each one a fiery thread in the warp and weft of the epic story that began in Scotland in 1945, when Claire Randall first touched a boulder in an ancient stone circle and was hurled back in time...
1356: Go With God and Fight Like the Devil by Bernard Cornwell. UK release September 27, 2012; US release January 8, 2013 (reposted with UK cover and US release date).
Go with God and Fight Like the Devil. A fascinating hero and the pursuit of a sword with mythical power - this is the remarkable new novel by Britain’s master storyteller, which culminates at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356.
Thomas of Hookton, a veteran of Crecy and many other battles, is the leader of a mercenary company of bowmen and men-at-arms who ravage the countryside east of Gascony.
Edward, Prince of Wales, later to be known as the Black Prince, is assembling an army to fight the French once more but before Thomas can join, he must fulfil an urgent task.
La Malice, a sword of mythical power guaranteeing victory to its owner, is thought to be concealed somewhere near Poitiers. With signs that a battle between the English and the French is looming others are seeking the treasure too, and some – French, Scots and even English – are pursuing their private agendas against Thomas.
But all – Thomas of Hookton, his enemies and friends and the fate of La Malice – become swept up in the extraordinary confrontation that follows, as the large French army faces the heavily outnumbered English in battle.
Temple of a Thousand Faces by John Shors. US and UK release February 5, 2013.
From the international bestselling author of Beneath a Marble Sky comes a new tale of ancient struggle and triumph.
In the twelfth century, the legendary temple of Angkor Wat was ruled by the benevolent and brilliant military strategist Prince Jayavar. When his land is taken by force, Jayavar narrowly escapes death at the hands of the conquering Cham King Indravarman. As Indravarman rules with an iron fist, Jayavar and his wife establish a secret camp to amass an army, reclaim their kingdom, and free their people. Temple of a Thousand Faces is an unforgettable epic on a grand scale, set against one of the world's most awe-inspiring creations.
The Turncoat by Donna Thorland. US release March 5, 2013 (reposted with cover)
When handsome British viscount Major Lord Peter Tremayne commandeers her home, rebel Kate Grey throws caution to the wind and responds to his seduction. But a spy in her own household steals the military dispatches Tremayne carries, ensuring his disgrace—and implicating Kate in high treason.
Months later, having narrowly escaped court martial and hanging, Tremayne returns to decadent, British-occupied Philadelphia with a new assignment—to capture the woman he believes betrayed him. Worse, the glamorous fiancée of his own dissolute cousin is none other than Kate Grey, now an undercover spy. And so begins their dangerous dance, between passion and patriotism, between certain death and the promise of a brave new future together.
The Borgias: The Hidden History by G.J. Meyer. Non-fiction. US and UK release April 2013.
Forget everything you think you know about the most infamous family of the Italian Renaissance. Here in every colorful detail is the real story of the Borgias and their indelible, tumultuous world, written by the gifted author of the acclaimed A World Undone and The Tudors and timed to coincide with the upcoming new season of the celebrated Showtime series, The Borgias.
Paris by Edward Rutherfurd. US and UK release April 16, 2013.
From the grand master of the historical novel comes a dazzling epic portrait of Paris that leaps through centuries as it weaves the tales of families whose fates are forever entwined with the City of Lights. As he did so brilliantly in London: The Novel and New York:
The Novel, Edward Rutherfurd brings to life the most magical city in the world: Paris.
This breathtaking multigenerational saga takes readers on a journey through thousands of years of glorious Parisian history.
A Chain of Thunder: A Novel of the Siege of Vicksburg by Jeff Shaara. US release May 28, 2013.
New York Times bestselling author Jeff Shaara returned to the Civil War in 2012 with his riveting account of the Battle of Shiloh, A Blaze of Glory. In this gripping sequel featuring Grant, Pemberton, and more, he moves to the Seige of Vicksburg. This new trilogy is Shaara at his best, writing for his broadest and most avid readership.
I'm very excited about Paris! I've read all of Edward Rutherfurd's previous books and loved them all.
August 3, 2012 at 1:11 PM
Well, I shall have to put Paris on my birthday list. I really enjoyed The Princes of Ireland. I wouldn't mind reading a good history on the Borgias, I hope this one is good.
August 3, 2012 at 3:21 PM
Woo hoo...so stoked for Paris, I just loved Rutherford!
August 3, 2012 at 4:56 PM
Paris and Temple of a Thousand Faces will be at the top of my own wishlist! It'll be nice to read about Paris during less familiar periods, especially.
August 3, 2012 at 7:42 PM