Category Archives: historical fiction

A Map of Betrayal

Posted on January 26, 2015 by smellincoffee

A Map of Betrayal© 2014 Ha Jin304 pages When  Lillian Shang touched down in mainland China, her official purpose was to teach. Unofficially, however, she was there to learn — to uncover the truth of her father’s life by tracking down … Continue reading →

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Casualties

Posted on January 22, 2015 by smellincoffee

Casualties: A Novel of the Civil War© 2010 David Rothstein465 pages The year is 1863, and Tom Connor just survived the Battle of Gettysburg. His kid brother didn’t, though, and agonized emotionally he is looking forward to a Christmas furlough … Continue reading →

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The Empty Throne

Posted on January 9, 2015 by smellincoffee

The Empty Throne© 2015 Bernard Cornwell320 pages Uhtred of Bebbanburg is an impossible man. A Saxon prince raised by Danes,  he  has nonethelessbeen the architect of a great redoubt against them, the defender of Wessex a hundred times over.  A … Continue reading →

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Gates of Fire

Posted on November 27, 2014 by smellincoffee

Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae© 1998 Steven Pressfield442 pages When Xerxes, Ruler of Asia, god-king of men, finally stood over the bodies of the few Greeks who had withstood his hordes drawn from half … Continue reading →

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Under the Eagle

Posted on November 10, 2014 by smellincoffee

Under the Eagle© 2000 Simon Scarrow256 pages If given the choice between being attacked by foul-smelling, weirdly-painted Germans, and being attacked by foul-smelling, weirdly-painted Celts, which would you choose? For Centurion Macro, it’s rather obvious: the Germans! At least monitoring … Continue reading →

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Master of Rome

Posted on November 8, 2014 by smellincoffee

Master of Rome384 pages© 2011 John Stack     Winning a naval war against the Carthaginians is such a pain in the ol’ gluteus maximus. Invade Africa, threaten their very capital, and what do they do? They break an entire Roman legion … Continue reading →

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The Belt of Gold

Posted on October 16, 2014 by smellincoffee

The Belt of Gold© 1984 Cecelia Holland305 pages      Two Frankish brothers returning home from a pilgrim to Jerusalem become unwittingly involved in a palace coup when they rescue a damsel in distress on the road to Constantinople.  When … Continue reading →

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Jefferson

Posted on July 9, 2014 by smellincoffee

Jefferson: A Novel© 1998 William Brant448 pages In  the late 1780s,  William Short put pen to paper to create a biography of his boss and mentor, Thomas Jefferson. Then serving as ambassador to France, Jefferson was already a seasoned American … Continue reading →

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The Scarlet Letter

Posted on June 28, 2014 by smellincoffee

The Scarlet Letter ©  1850 Nathaniel Hawthorne 180 pages                    In 18thcentury Boston, a young woman stands upon the gallows in the center of town, facing down the contempt of the assembled mob. Having broken the … Continue reading →

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The Smoke at Dawn

Posted on June 5, 2014 by smellincoffee

The Smoke at Dawn© 2014 Jeff Shaara528 pages The bells of the South in 1863 rang death knells, not peals of joyous victory. In July, on the same day that Lee’s army suffered a staggering loss at Gettysburg,  General Grant … Continue reading →

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