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John Prigent
Homosapien
United Kingdom
8794 Posts |
 Posted - 01 September 2009 : 3:40:01 PM
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#Has anyone read this yet? Opinions? I spottd it this morning in a bookshop and wondered if it was worth getting, seems a bit of a copycat exercise though the Cato figure is a Praetorian officer who's taken service on Hadrian's Wall rather than a raw recruit.
Cheers
John
Sum, ergo cogito
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
14676 Posts |
Posted - 01 September 2009 : 4:10:57 PM
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Its had good reviews, and i have a copy of it, but not read it yet. It might be next on my read list im not sure. Im just reading a quick brain wipe thriller first.
Centurion Parmenion
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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John Prigent
Homosapien
United Kingdom
8794 Posts |
Posted - 01 September 2009 : 4:22:32 PM
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Hmm. Perhaps I'll risk the cash and buy it.
Cheers
John
Sum, ergo cogito |
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William
Single Cell Organism
United Kingdom
36 Posts |
Posted - 03 September 2009 : 10:05:20 PM
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I bought it as well but need to read a few others first.
Wills |
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Peter Croft
Dinosaur
United Kingdom
363 Posts |
Posted - 04 September 2009 : 11:29:29 AM
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| I read it. Pretty much a rip off of the eagle series, with a few tweaks Not badly written but the sense of having seen it all before did not help matters. That's the fourth Roman series to kick of recently I think. Just shows you how well the eagle series must be doing for such obvious rip-offs to emerge so quickly. |
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AndyCanty
Homosapien
United Kingdom
6782 Posts |
Posted - 04 September 2009 : 11:37:56 AM
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Welcome back Peter, stick around, we've missed you.
John, I have the book as a proof and it is on my reading pile also. so no idea, was going to start it the other day, but my mind cannot handle anything serious so reading Ice Station again, brain wipe book as Parm puts it.. 
_____________________________________
If all the worlds a stage?
Where's my script???
http://andycanty.blogspot.com/ |
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John Prigent
Homosapien
United Kingdom
8794 Posts |
Posted - 06 September 2009 : 1:21:03 PM
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Well, I bought it and I've just finished reading it. Definitely a positive recommendation from me if anyone else is thinking about getting it. No, it turns out not to be at all a Cato and Macro lookalike - any resemblance is coincidental. Unlike Peter I don't see it as a ripoff, any more than O'Brian and Pope, for instance, were ripping off Forrester or Stockwin is now just because they wrote/write navy stories set in the Napoleonic period. The characters are different and their backgrounds are different, in fact Riches' only real point of resemblance with Simon's books is that Wounds of Honour also uses Roman army characters and has some excellent battle scenes. It's good to have two such authors working away to entertain us, both far better than, for instance, Sidebottom whose first book I took on holiday and won't be bothering to read again.
Cheers
John
Sum, ergo cogito |
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
14676 Posts |
Posted - 06 September 2009 : 4:50:41 PM
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where as i like sidebottom and also Ben Kane
Centurion Parmenion
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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WarrenH
Homosapien
United Kingdom
2020 Posts |
Posted - 17 October 2009 : 10:23:25 PM
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I have just finished The book, and must admitt I felt almost every bit of it. I could feel the anger Marcus felt from teh begining, right to the end of the book, with him sitting with the inhereited sword!. The next book is due in April 2010. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrr..... so now I have two good authers to keep baderign for books... LOL
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
14676 Posts |
Posted - 23 October 2009 : 4:51:00 PM
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Next book
Arrows of Fury
Author: Anthony Riches
Price: £ 12.99
Date Available: 1 April 2010
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Synopsis
The Battle of the Lost Eagle saved Hadrian's Wall, but the new Roman governor of Britannia must stamp out the rebellion of the northern tribes or risk losing the province. Rampaging south with sword and flame under the command of their murderous chieftain Calgus, they have stretched his forces to the limit. For Marcus - now simply Centurion Corvus of the 1st Tungrian cohort - the campaign has become doubly dangerous. As reinforcements flood into Britannia he is surrounded by new officers with no reason to protect him from the emperor's henchmen. Death could result from a careless word as easily as from an enemy spear Worse, one of them is close on his heels. While Marcus is training two centuries of Syrian archers to survive a barbarian charge and then take the fight back to their enemy, the new prefect of the 2nd Tungrians has discovered his secret. Only a miracle can save Marcus and the men who protect him from disgrace and death . .
Centurion Parmenion
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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John Prigent
Homosapien
United Kingdom
8794 Posts |
Posted - 23 October 2009 : 7:17:18 PM
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Sounds good! I'll be getting this one.
Cheers
John
Sum, ergo cogito |
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Caratacus
Single Cell Organism
United Kingdom
45 Posts |
Posted - 27 October 2009 : 11:54:08 AM
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| Ive almost finished it & personally I've enjoyed it. I like the take on the intergration of the British culture into the legions & although there are obvious similarities to Simon's work It is a good read & another author for me to look out for in the future....... |
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Anthony Riches
Single Cell Organism
12 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 11:25:26 AM
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Hi chaps, I've just spotted this and thought I'd register and add my tuppence worth.
Firstly, for all those lovers of the Eagle series, let me assure you that 'Wounds of Honour' was most assuredly not a rip off of Simon's or anyone else's work. I wrote the book long before the first of Simon's books was published, and it's just frustrating that I didn't do enough to get it published before now. It's my opinion that Simon's series was a decent sized part of what opened the market up to the rest of us, and for that I'm truly grateful, but if you read the story you'll see that there are few points of resemblence.
Secondly, some of you like the book and others don't. That's inevitable, since some readers of the genre will prefer a more learned style - like Harry Sidebottom's Roman homage to Patrick O'Brian which I personally really enjoy - and others will like the more blood and guts oriented stuff that I'm writing. To mix the cliches, it's a horses for courses thing, and you pays your money and takes your choice.
Anyway, for those of you who commented positively, thanks very much, and to the rest of you, thanks for taking the time to read it.
Best regards,
Tony. |
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John Prigent
Homosapien
United Kingdom
8794 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 12:27:25 PM
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Wow! It's good to see you here and I hope you'll drop in again. I liked Wounds of Honour a lot and will be looking out for the next in the series.
Cheers
John
Sum, ergo cogito |
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Anthony Riches
Single Cell Organism
12 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 1:55:32 PM
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Thanks John, authors are notorious 'praise sponges' (well, you try spending a year of your life 'creating' and then not enjoying it when people are kind to your offspring), so this is appreciated.
I'll certainly be watching the site's activities with interest, and not just to work out whether I'd like to do anything similar when I manage to drop out of the project lifestyle - I'm writing this in Sao Paulo, which is fun but hectic and cramps my time and energy for writing - since I am curious to see how this sort of thing works for Simon and Alex, who I know have a very specific commercial approach.
Best regards,
Tony. |
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
14676 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 4:27:42 PM
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Welcome Anthony,
Like John i really enjoyed the first book, i can see why people have drawn parralells between your book and Macro, there are some similarities, but then after a while in any genre how can there not be, look at fantasy! i used to love reading fantasy, these days i cant read it, Only The Late great David Gemmell is worth cracking the spine these days in that Genre.
For me i already hope to add a signed copy of book 2 to my signed copy of book 1 so please keep us updated with any details regarding signing etc...publishers? shops etc?
Would also be good to know how far this series is going to go?
this type if thing is why its always good to have your own web site / forum, but im sure simon / alex will tell you it does take a bit of time and commitment on top of the writing.
Hope Sao Paulo is fun, i spent 6 months as a youngster in Rio living with friends and had a few trips out to see their relatives in Sao paulo, lovely country Brazil but the poverty is heart breaking. there is only one building i really remember there the Italy building i remember going up to the observation deck at the top great view from the top.
anyway...hope to see more of you on here and look forward to the new book in april.
Centurion Parmenion
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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John Prigent
Homosapien
United Kingdom
8794 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 4:54:19 PM
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Oh yes, we really do want to know how to get signed books from you Anthony! Please add a "Richesshop" to your website.
Cheers
John
Sum, ergo cogito |
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Anthony Riches
Single Cell Organism
12 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 6:59:42 PM
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How to get signed copies? Well the obvious answer is to buy them from one of the vendors that stock them. I signed a good number of copies for a couple of bookshops, and there's a special edition of 250 available (signed, dated, lined and numbered by my own fair hand, and by god it took bloody ages) as well. I'm still a working project manager and I have a big job in the US next year, so the idea of running my own book shop is never going to be possible until I make enough from the writing to go 'professional' rather than being the keen amateur that I am right now. Even then I'm not sure that I'd sell direct, but then I don't know what the commercial benefits would be. I've got a house close to Norwich, perhaps I ought to buy the brothers a beer and find out next time I'm up there!
As to how far the series is going, the simple answer is that (another parallel with Simon, perhaps, boo!) I have my eyes on the Emperor Septimius Serverus - so given that it's currently 182 ad, and will be until the end of book 3 ('Fortress of Spears'), I think we can see Marcus killing barbarians until well his forties (and my seventies!). More than that I am loathe to say, especially as I make most of it up as I go along - and bit like my approach to work.
By the way, I think 'Arrows of Fury' has gone back to the end of May. Could be wrong... |
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John Prigent
Homosapien
United Kingdom
8794 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 7:06:24 PM
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Ah yes - but one has to know which vendors have such goodies. I'd have cheerfully sprung for the special edition if I'd known of its existence and where to buy it, but not at the resale prices I see at Bookfinder.com. I'll have to settle for my unsigned copy, sigh.
Cheers
John
Sum, ergo cogito |
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Anthony Riches
Single Cell Organism
12 Posts |
Posted - 12 November 2009 : 7:37:39 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by John Prigent
Ah yes - but one has to know which vendors have such goodies. I'd have cheerfully sprung for the special edition if I'd known of its existence and where to buy it, but not at the resale prices I see at Bookfinder.com. I'll have to settle for my unsigned copy, sigh.
I'm pretty sure that Tim Allen is still selling his special editions at the moment, £25 a pop mind you, and I'm sure that there'll be some signings sometime next year to which you can bring the unsigned copy. Don't worry, we'll get it signed one way or another. |
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
14676 Posts |
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Anthony Riches
Single Cell Organism
12 Posts |
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Simon Scarrow
Ape
Uruguay
1048 Posts |
Posted - 13 November 2009 : 11:34:27 AM
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| Welcome Anthony. And I guess, welcome to what is rapidly becoming something of a genre in its own right. It's good to have more manpower behind the effort to spread the word about things Roman. |
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
14676 Posts |
Posted - 13 November 2009 : 11:39:18 AM
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I sometimes to limited editions with some authors, i did one for the recent release of Outlaw for Angus Donald, and have done 3 for Conn Iggulden, and every time i get the ink stamp just above the page im sure im going to screw it up, at this point the author has signed and hand numbered etc.. so screw the stamp and the book becomes damaged as far a collector is concerned.
Im getting afir collection of ink stamps these days for different limited editions, Christian Cameron has kindly agreed to do a limited edition for me of his next book, although i have to wait until next august for the signing a good 7 months after release, a bit of a risk, but as he does not sign often i think it will pan out.
the person who i wind up the most with it is the wife who has to put up with shelves piled high with books, sometimes 30 copies + of the same book.
although i didnt hear he complain when i sold my 1st edition Gemmell "Legend" for £2k LOL!
Did you do your 250 limited run direct to the publisher? or to a bookseller? (not that i could ever afford a run of 250..yikes..way to rich for me)
Centurion Parmenion
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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Anthony Riches
Single Cell Organism
12 Posts |
Posted - 13 November 2009 : 12:38:04 PM
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Thanks Simon, it's good to be here. All I need to do now is make the move to full time writing and life will be very good indeed. And there's a taut little thriller that's been trying to fight it's way out of my head for many a year now. One day...
Parmenion, I did the special for Tim Allen through Hodder, who sent me the pages to sign and return for tipping into the print run of 250 books with a different ISBN. I also signed 100 copies for Goldsboro and 50 for Alan White. I've no idea if signing that many is a good thing or a bad thing, but I was flattered to be asked if truth be told - I did spend a really long time with the book on the hard drive of various computers. Add to that the fact that I've collected signed firsts for a long time, and it was just amazing to find myself on the other side of the equation. Yes, there is an ego in here somewhere. |
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
14676 Posts |
Posted - 13 November 2009 : 1:13:54 PM
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LOL...an ego is good...as long as you dont hold it back!
if you get bored and fancy giving some budding writers a boost, there is a sister ...or brother site (depends how you look at it) called www.youwriteonline.co.uk its still a young site but there are quite av few people there plugging away with ideas on what and how to write, the odd compo etc.. iTs always nice when a real author pops in. So if you ever have the time??
and thanks for the background on the signings, as a collector its always nice to have the background info...geeky..but nice.
Centurion Parmenion
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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Anthony Riches
Single Cell Organism
12 Posts |
Posted - 13 November 2009 : 1:38:56 PM
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| I'll go and have a look. Spare time isn't somehting I'm over-burdened with at the moment but I'm keen to offer encouragement to anyone that has a decent book in them. Probably more from the 'how to get published and do persevere' angle than doing lots of reading, but if I can help with the time that's available I will. |
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
14676 Posts |
Posted - 13 November 2009 : 1:49:34 PM
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Cheers...you did say you were a project Manager...they dont really work for a living...they get everyone else to...LOL...thats how it is where i work anyway.
Im going back to trying to figure out how i can get 3 people to complete the work of 5 people on 147 projects?? been trying to figure it out for 4 days now and it still doesnt add up...is it me or the task i have been asked to accomplish!!! ...now you know why i have been in and out of here so often today!! at least you're in Brazil...i have drizzle in Nottingham.
on a more interesting aside how about an insight into what you read etc...? do you still read? some authors dont because it influences their work, or just cant read other work because they think it sucks!
Im just finishing King Solomons Mines, and then im onto The Burning Land by Cornwell.
Centurion Parmenion
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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Anthony Riches
Single Cell Organism
12 Posts |
Posted - 13 November 2009 : 2:56:17 PM
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You've more or less got me sussed in that first sentence, I'm the guy that knows how to get everyone else to do what they're good at, and at the right time. All style and sod all substance.
And Nottingham eh? My lovely wife and I lived in St Annes back in the 80's, when I was working for Boots and before the area went to ratshit (from what I've heard over the years), and I was born in Derby, so I know the area quite well.
What do I read? Well I avoid most Roman fiction for the obvious plagiaristic risks, although I make an exception for Harry since I'm unlikely to want to rip off his plots, and I like his stuff. I read voraciously, since I spend a lot of time on planes, and I like the harder end of the SF market (Richard Morgan, Iain M. Banks, etc), some historical fiction (the fighty, shooty stuff) and thrillers by the dozen. I also quite like American crime novels, since I've knocked around the US enough to appreciate the genre. Currently reading 'What your body is trying to say' (fascinating body language stuff written by an FBI officer), and just completed 'The Brass Verdict' by Harlen Coben (I think). I love film too, but I don't get to see enough. My last one from memory was Area Nine', which I loved to bits - especially the last half of the film with the big alien guns. God I'm shallow - but I like it!
And yes, the problem of reading other authors is that some of their stuff just doesn't work for me at all - although I have an obvious and inviolable policy of never naming names in that respect. Anyone who can get published needs to be both lucky and good at what they do, and I respect anyone who's fought their way through to the other side of the glass wall I was pressed up against only 18 months ago too much to sling around even the smallest measure of disrespect. |
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Parmenion
Homosapien
United Kingdom
14676 Posts |
Posted - 13 November 2009 : 4:04:06 PM
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Ah St Annes...yes...err...intersting area these days, i lived in sneinton for a couple of years...also gone to the dogs. These days i prefer the quiet of Newark...and yes i know what work you can make with the letters..(grin)
I used to like Coben, but he has gone off the boil a bit these days, i liked the myron bolitar books they were fun.
I tend to reall enjoy historical fiction, but im a sucker for thrillers as well and inbetween all of these i like to have what i call a brain wipe book a reall action adventure thriller, a Clive Cussler, a Matthew Reiley Andy McDermott or Jack Higgins style book, where there is no thinking involved, and every chapter ends with a bang...you can shoot through a 500 page book in 2 days....i just finshed 5 greatest warriors...and i loved it...great fun...will not win any awards..but great fun.
Centurion Parmenion
LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE
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John Prigent
Homosapien
United Kingdom
8794 Posts |
Posted - 13 November 2009 : 6:46:05 PM
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Thanks Anthony and Parm for the name and the link - I'm in touch with Tim Allen and have bid on the book on Ebay.
Oh, and Anthony, if you like hard SF take a look at David Weber.
Cheers
John
Sum, ergo cogito |
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Topic |
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Wounds of Honour - Anthony Riches
