Michael Curtis Ford [ancient warfare fiction]

[Celebrindal]

Michael Curtis Ford is fuckin' great. He's written 4 books, about greek, roman, persian and Hunnish warfare. They're written from around 500 b.c. to around 500 c.e.

About a year ago, while browsing the new paperback release section at my local Barnes & Nobles, I picked up The Last King.

The book is about the life of Mithridates VI, King of Pontus. It is blended with legend, facts and Ford's imagination. It's faced paced action, and has all types of awesomeness in it. This would've been a lot better of a movie to make instead of Alexander. Anyway, read the synopsis on the website if you like. If you're into history, warfare and just asskickery, buy the book.

A few months ago, I went ahead and bought his remaining books, and they've been collecting dust because I have so much other shit to read. I just started The Sword of Attila and I'm loving it. Just as before, Ford takes historical facts and blends it with his imagination to create a wonderful, vivid experience that no movie can do justice to. I haven't even got 100 pages in and I recommend the book already.

Comments?

[Celebrindal]

Massive bump here. With 300 coming out and the T.V. show Rome being a hit success, I think more people should check out these books. They seriously own.

I'll post a review of The Last King, so you can get a little bit more info on it.

Ford has crafted a fascinating fictional biography of King Mithradates the Great of Pontus. Though other enemies of Rome have had greater play in the history books, none were as feared or as respected by the ancient Romans as the Persian-born, Greek- educated ruler of the relatively small eastern kingdom on the edge of the Black Sea. Determined to forge a new Hellenistic empire, Mithradates clashed again and again with the Roman Republic over the course of 40 eventful years. Further motivated by the personal and military humiliation his grandfather experienced at the hands of the Romans, the wily warrior was able to contain and repel the mighty Roman war machine more effectively than any other foe. Eloquently narrated by Pharnaces, the illegitimate son of Mithradates and one of his favorite concubines, this rousing saga also provides an illuminating glimpse into the often vast divide that separated Eastern and Western warfare, culture, and philosophy during antiquity.