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Re: Alexander the Great: Beginning the Campaign

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 9:41 am
by Paralus
Oh yes.

Re: Alexander the Great: Beginning the Campaign

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 10:11 am
by agesilaos
I second, or third that. It is the sort of thing that one walks around on the pavement. Bbbbb - bad, as George Thoroughgood might say :D

Re: Alexander the Great: Beginning the Campaign

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 10:29 am
by Paralus
agesilaos wrote: Bbbbb - bad, as George Thoroughgood might say :D
I believe he did: more than the once.

Re: Alexander the Great: Beginning the Campaign

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 11:40 am
by Kahiel
Now... I have second thoughts about getting the set. :D Thanks for the warning, guys. Really cuts down the books that I need to get.

Though in terms of fiction...if there's a book that you can recommend, what would it be?

Re: Alexander the Great: Beginning the Campaign

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 5:15 pm
by agesilaos
'Fire from Heaven' and little less 'The Persian Boy' by Mary Renault, I've not read much else that is as good let alone better! 'A Conspiracy of Women' by Aubrey Menen is amusing enough, as is Tom Holt's 'Alexander at the Ends of the World', Paul Doherty's alleged mysteries are best avoided as not just historically and geographically challenged but poorly plotted with cardboard characters. It is a pity that Alfred Duggan did not write an Alexander novel, but as acontemporary of Renault he probably could not see the point! His 'Elephants and Castles' about Demetrios Poliorketes is excellent, however and I would reccomend the Ptolemies quartet by Duncan Sprott, 'The House of the Eagle' and 'Daughter of the Crocodile', no idea when the concluding pair will appear but these go from 330-280 and 280 - c220 (I have not finished the second one yet and cannot remmber if it ends with III Euergetes or IV Philopatros.)

Re: Alexander the Great: Beginning the Campaign

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 7:39 pm
by marcus
Kahiel wrote:
LJLJ wrote:Please don't read Manferdi¡s, unless you are 13
Is it really THAT bad? :|
I wouldn't recommend it even for a thirteen-year-old.

It's *terrible*. And I mean T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E!

Re: Alexander the Great: Beginning the Campaign

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 2:47 am
by Xenophon
For a good overview of Macedonia in its heyday, I would recommend "The Miracle that was Macedonia" by N. G. L. Hammond, published by Sidgwick & Jackson 1991. This covers Macedon's early days briefly, then the days of Philip and Alexander, down through the Hellenistic age, to its eventual downfall at the hands of Rome. ( you may be able to find it second-hand - there are a dozen copies available on Amazon from $20-00, or through a public library, though that is perhaps a big ask in the Phillipines) Whilst Hammond, as has been said earlier, must be treated with a little caution, he had the inestimable advantage of having served in Greece during World war II, and made many trips there subsequently. Therefore his geographical knowledge is second to none, and he presents a general history of Macedonia in its heyday very well. He was also prominent in locating Aegeae/Vergina, the ancient capital, and worked closely with M Andronicos, the discoverer of Philip II's tomb.

Strongly recommended.

Like others here, I would suggest avoiding Manfredi or Gemmell's fiction - which is really more fantasy than anything else.

Re: Alexander the Great: Beginning the Campaign

Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:07 am
by Kahiel
Goodie~ More books on Macedonia. :D
I'll probably have to order it from the bookstore if I dont find an ebook of it sooner or later. These all seem to be great readings, by the way. Though that sure is fun..being able to work with the person who discovered Philip's tomb. What I'd give to be able to participate in an excavation.

I saw a comic/manga retelling Alexander's life through the eyes of Lysimachus. It's very straightforward. And pretty much very summarized.

http://www.mangahere.com/manga/alexandr ... yume/c001/

I'm sure that the element of fiction cant be taken away but most of it, at least from what I've read so far in history books, are pretty spot on. Though, I stand corrected if ever.