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Favorite Fiction?

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JBird

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I enjoy reading Historical Fiction or outright Fiction set in the past. Curious what some of you folks have enjoyed over the years, anything pertaining to the time periods discussed on this forum.

I'm currently reading Jack Hinsons One-Man Army and re-reading the Forbes Road series. Of course I've read the popular stuff like Lonesome Dove, True grit, Frontiersman, April Morning etc.

Any recommendations on "easy reads". I'd like to find some more Fur Trade and Civil War stuff.
 
For fiction I've got several of Larry McMurtry's books as well as Elmore Leonard and I think I've got just about every book Tony Hillerman wrote. I also have Jack Hinson's book and quite a few others that shine a little light of truth on Lincolnstein's dirty little illegal invasion of my homeland. Also like books on the American Indian and I still love MarkTwain.

I've read hundreds of Louis LaMour books they entertain but they remind me of an Audie Murphy story. A writer asked him what it was like to make his war movie & he said "Well, I'll tell ya, I've made that same damn western about 30 tines with a different horse so, it felt pretty damn good".
 
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Any recommendations on "easy reads". I'd like to find some more Fur Trade and Civil War stuff.

Gateway to Empire and Twilight of Empire by Allan Eckert, should dovetail into your Fur Trade subject area, showing the push West from the Ohio and the push North along the Mississippi River.

IF you'd like a change of pace from time to time, ANY of the Patrick O'Brian novels about The Royal Navy aka the Master and Commander Series of books. They are not too long, but the information is pretty accurate coupled with an entertaining story. Try to read them in order, however, as they tend to build upon each other.

LD
 
Gateway to Empire and Twilight of Empire by Allan Eckert, should dovetail into your Fur Trade subject area, showing the push West from the Ohio and the push North along the Mississippi River.

IF you'd like a change of pace from time to time, ANY of the Patrick O'Brian novels about The Royal Navy aka the Master and Commander Series of books. They are not too long, but the information is pretty accurate coupled with an entertaining story. Try to read them in order, however, as they tend to build upon each other.

LD
I have the first few books in the series, I do need to get back on them. Loved the movie.
 
Wow! This is a vast area of literature. Any of the Allan Eckert series Loyalist Dave mentioned would fit. Louis L'Amour in general, especially the early Sackett stories. The Killer Angels by Shaara. The Patrick O'Brian books and Horatio Hornblower stories. The Stars in Their Courses by Shelby Foote is certainly historical but I'm not sure it counts as fiction. (Any Civil War writing by Shelby Foote is worth reading.) Any of the fiction by William Gilmore Simms, especially the ante bellum South Carolina stories, is excellent. It isn't about firearms or the move west but it gives a wonderful description of the time and place.

The Rush Revere series by Rush Limbaugh is historically accurate fiction. It is imaginative, entertaining, and a great intro to history for youngsters. I have a great nephew turning five soon. I should probably get the first one in the series his folks can read to and with him.

Jeff
 
Crow Killer, by Raymond W. Thorpe
Mountain Man, by Vardis Fisher

Both novels were used as the basis of the movie Jeremiah Johnson. I had read both before the movie was ever released so I was really able to identify with Redford's character when I did see the movie (and the literal hundreds of times afterwards)
Both very well written and definitely worth the time.

Drums Along the Mohawk, by Walter D. Edmunds

This novel captivated my teenage years with dreams of flintlock rifles and settler/Indian conflicts. One of those books I was simply unable to put down.
 
Patrick McManus, but I’m not sure it’s fiction. Seems like I lived much of his writing in my youth.
Ain’t that the truth. Over the years I’ve known Racid Crabtree and Retch Sweeney and pretty sure I’m turning in to Old Ed.
I’ve known them by different names but recognized them when I read Pat.
 
Bernard Cornwell has a Civil War Series and a Revolutionary War series. And of course all his other historical fiction like the Sharpe books. Also, Don Wright has a couple of books in the mid-1700s period: "The Woodsman" and "The Captives". I enjoyed both books and wish he had written more of them.

Have to agree with Tenngun. Pat McManus is reality (at least my reality), not fiction.

Jeff
 
"I just finished writing a fiction novel set in the Rev. War. Hope to get it off to the publisher soon."

Rifleman1776, Please let us know when it comes out. Best of luck with the publishers.
Bernard Cornwell is mostly known for his series about England: The Winter King series is about King Arthur and The Last Kingdom series is about Alfred the Great and The Sharpe's book about the Napoleonic Wars. I was surprised when I learned about his novels dealing with American history.

Jeff
 
I enjoy reading Historical Fiction or outright Fiction set in the past.
Jack Whyte has written a 9 volume set dealing with the Arthurian Legend from a historical standpoint. Merlin is not a magician but a Romano-Briton military Commander and Arthur's cousin. If you like this type of fiction it's the best this English Lit. student has read. Called the Camulod Chronicles with 9 individual titles for the volumes. You can find them in paperback on abebooks.com.
 
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