Work has left little time to write this week, so I’m re-running a post that relates in a way to my recent posts about Ragnar Lothbrok. Leading up to my next installment in my series on Medieval Fiction, I thought I’d pose some questions about one of the late Fifth Century’s most legendary figures: Who…
Tonight marks the finale of Season 3 of Vikings on History. While this season has been as good as the prior two, it’s also highlighted the artistic license the writers have taken with real historical events. Let’s just say the “history” of Vikings is a complete mess. It’s conflated nearly a hundred years of real…
For those suffering from Black Sails withdrawal – after a wonderful season finale, I might add – Starz is finally giving us the second half of Outlander, season one, beginning this Saturday. It’s been a long hiatus, but I can’t wait to return to the eighteenth century Highlands! One of the best shows on television!*…
Season 2 of Black Sails on Starz has proved to be the best historical fiction on TV by a long shot – at least until Outlander returns in two weeks. But seriously, Season 1 was good, Season 2 has been amazing. Going into Saturday’s finale, I thought I’d re-cap some of the thoughts I had…
As Season 3 of Vikings gets underway, it just so happens I’m immersing myself in Viking-related fiction. I just finished Blood Eye by Giles Kristian, a book about the Vikings in England that guest reviewer Bill Brockman introduced me to last year. A quote on the cover from Bernard Cornwell (who writes some of the…
Television gets even better tonight as Season 3 of Vikings premiers on History. Vikings, along with Black Sails, is part of a quintet of great historical fiction and historical fantasy shows that will soon include Da Vinci’s Demons, Outlander, and Season 5 of Game of Thrones. Needless to say, I love this time of year!…
This Saturday marks the return of the Starz original series Black Sails. It is the first of what should be an incredible run of shows in the first half of 2015, including seasons 3 of Vikings and Da Vinci’s Demons, as well as the return of Outlander and the next season of Game of Thrones….
To kick off the New Year, guest reviewer Bill Brockman has reviewed Odin’s Wolves by Giles Kristian, and it looks to be another fantastic Viking tale. Bill is an avid reader of historical fiction, but he’s also devoted his life to public service as a Battalion Chief of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department and a…
I missed this when it came out last month, but Starz has started promoting the new season of Black Sails, the amazingly well-crafted “prequel” to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Last season was intense (and far superior to NBC’s Crossbones in my view), with Captain Flint and Long John Silver barely surviving an attack by a…
This week, I’m pleased to feature another book review by guest reviewer Bill Brockman, this time of Dubh-Linn by James L. Nelson, Book II of the Norsemen Saga. As many readers of this blog know, Bill is an avid reader of historical fiction, but he’s also devoted his life to public service as a Battalion…
Pirates must be all the rage these days. Barely two months after the finale of Black Sails on Starz, which was a worthy prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island (with another season on the way), NBC is offering a new pirate drama based on the notorious captain Black Beard. It’s titled Crossbones and premiers tomorrow at 10 PM. The series…