Book Recommendations please

[S_P]

Can anyone suggest any recent scholarly work on Viking/ Saxon and Post - Fall of Western Rome warfare?

Many thanks in advance.

[Belisarius]

I,ve just finished re- reading ( my 4th time ) Bernard Cornwell,s Arthurian trilogy .First book The Winter King followed by Enemy of God and then Excalibur, you should be able to pick them up cheap in any second hand bookshop.  I,ve always fancied a campaign based on the books. The time period is 480 - 525 a.d. I recommend photo copying the map at the start of each book , I hand coloured mine,  it makes it easier to follow the changing alliances and twists and turns of the plot. Good reading.

[Atheling]

Can anyone suggest any recent scholarly work on Viking/ Saxon and Post - Fall of Western Rome warfare?.

I,ve just finished re- reading ( my 4th time ) Bernard Cornwell,s Arthurian trilogy .First book The Winter King followed by Enemy of God and then Excalibur, you should be able to pick them up cheap in any second hand bookshop.  I,ve always fancied a campaign based on the books. The time period is 480 - 525 a.d. I recommend photo copying the map at the start of each book , I hand coloured mine,  it makes it easier to follow the changing alliances and twists and turns of the plot. Good reading.

At the risk of being pedantic, which I honestly don't mean to be, I don't think Cornwell's books were what S_P is looking for.

I'd go with anything by Ken Dark (aptly named  ). his Britain and the End of the 'Roman Empire is a very good scholarly book. If you're just interested in battles then Peter Marren, Battles of the Dark Ages is a good read too.

Hope that helps?

Darrell.

[S_P]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Gives me something to work on- the Ken Dark stuff especially. Will have to try Cornwall as everybody does seem to like him. Though I rarely read fiction these days....

[Atheling]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Gives me something to work on- the Ken Dark stuff especially. Will have to try Cornwall as everybody does seem to like him. Though I rarely read fiction these days....

You're more than welcome

I'd seriously think about buy a copy of Ken Dark's book- it's a gem

Darrell.

[Byrthnoth]

Have a look at Guy Halsall's work. Worlds of Arthur came out last year and does a wonderfully crotchety job of pouring cold water on various theories about the 'Historical Arthur' and surveying the current state of scholarship on early medieval Britain. His Warfare and Society in the Barbarian West: 450-900 is also promising, but I've only read the Kindle sample for that one. He also has a 'serious history' blog at http://600transformer.blogspot.ca and an inactive but wargaming-centric one at https://darkagewargaming.wordpress.com if you've not come across it.

[LeadAsbestos]

Have a look at Guy Halsall's work. Worlds of Arthur came out last year and does a wonderfully crotchety job of pouring cold water on various theories about the 'Historical Arthur' and surveying the current state of scholarship on early medieval Britain.

Absolutely one of the least enjoyable books I've ever had the displeasure of nearly completing. Really a steaming turd in the bath water of enjoying anything about King Arthur. Best avoided by anyone who enjoys a good myth or wargaming. I'd trade my beautiful new hardback (I bought w/o a read first) for half a pack of chewing gum.

[Atheling]

Absolutely one of the least enjoyable books I've ever had the displeasure of nearly completing. Really a steaming turd in the bath water of enjoying anything about King Arthur. Best avoided by anyone who enjoys a good myth or wargaming. I'd trade my beautiful new hardback (I bought w/o a read first) for half a pack of chewing gum.

Oops! Forgot about Prof. Guy Halsall. He's wargamer too, or was at the time he was running a Sub Roman Warfare Yahoo Group set up to test out his rules and for general discussion too. It seems like many a moon ago now!

Guy's probably one of the primary authorities on the subject in fact.

Actually, at the other extreme, if you wanted an introduction to the Saxon takeover you could do a lot worse than but a copy of the Age of Arthur WAB Supplement book as it's got quite a lot of historical notes in and is also great on pronunciation of certain na,es given to particular troop types!


Darrell.

[LeadAsbestos]

That is why I got it without reading a bit first! Hundreds of pages of" well, there is no evidence for..." is just an exercise in frustration.

[S_P]

Thanks again for the suggestions.... the myth or otherwise of Arthur is not a big part of it for me but the Warfare and Society looks very promising. I'll investigate the blog links too.

Cheers again.