Conn Iggulden

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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby johnrogers » Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:03 pm

ddeeanderson wrote:His battle scenes are Epic!! But I think what I like most about his books is the detail of the culture and lifestyle of the time period and people he is writting about. I feel as if I am in a Roman city 2000 years ago or in a field with the Mongols hundreds of years ago. He takes you there and every time you put the book down all you think about is going back there. Hopefully the release date of his next novel is as soon in your country as it is in mine!!!


I have to agree with you about being teleported back in time with Emperor or Conqueror - I had exactly the same experience as you did I really did feel like I was on the streets of rome or on the ground marching with Khan and his brothers - not many books can acheive this but what a thrill when they do :)
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby E-Hoog » Fri Sep 23, 2011 2:33 am

johnrogers wrote:Conn Iggulden is in there like a dirty shirt,I am sure he reads the forums posts daily and actually has a lot of fun interacting with his forum members.By the way Conn Igguldens forum is way over the top regarding activity in fact it is to fast paced for me many loyal forum members whom no doubt consider the forum part of there daily routine.Many university type younger people in the forum as well whom are history freaks - and let me tell you E-Hoog they know there stuff.However Igguldens forum is truly a fantastic experience.

I am reading a book right now that very much intertwines with Igguldens The Emperor Series - julias caesar and roman times - it is called The Memoirs of Cleopatra:A Novel by Margaret George - very in depth about Cleopatras time in Alexandria spent with Julius Caser,something Iggulden covered in his book as well.

The primary thing that you will enjoy when reading either The Emperor Series ( rome/caesar ) or the Conqueror Series ( genghis khan ) is the attention to the battles and the wars that Iggulden eludes to.He goes to great lengths to give you blow by blow accounts and descriptions of what is going on the battlefield - so be careful E-hoog you may have to dodge a few spears and avoid getting dismembered by a battle axe when reading ( har har )

[b7] You have got to read Jeffs book Sons Of Africa - it will blow your mind



Well, that's a good thing, because I like the battles very much (the one thing missing from Shogun). I actually have two books from the Conquerer series, but still have to buy the first one in the series. Also, I still have to read the last of the Julius' books. Shame on me, etc., etc. :wink:. If I have some time I will check out his forum :-)
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby bayside » Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:15 pm

I've just finished the third of CI's sagas on Genghis Khan. WOW. As a lover of historical fiction I have been bowled over by this man's ability to research, collate, and integrate enough of his imagination to put these books together. When I find a new author it's like striking a new vein of gold. Thanks to all of you who have recommended his works.

Off Topic: My first historical novel has just been published and is now available in print form on Amazon, Ingram, and Barnes & Noble. I'm working on an e-book format, but finding it very complex. Barnes & Noble seem to have the best price. The publisher set the list price high, to allow for discounting.

Name of Book: ENEMIES OF THEIR OWN BLOOD

website: outskirtspress.com/enemiesoftheirownblood.

Brief outline: Conscripted into the Confederate Army in 1861, during America's Civil War, Burton Allinder reluctantly fights for two years, is seriously wounded and sent home to recover. He decides to never return to the carnage of war and manages to reach Mexico. From there he moves on to Arizona Territory in the first year it is created. There he finds men not poisoned by the impassioned emotions of the war, men who accepted him for what he was - and was strong enough to do do. He becomes influential in developing this new land and in making it safe for settlement, free from the ravages of the fierce Apaches.

My second book will tell much of the same story, but mostly from the view of the Apaches.
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby Nefer » Wed Oct 05, 2011 9:47 pm

bayside wrote:My first historical novel has just been published


CONGRATULATIONS!!
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby Matbow » Thu Oct 06, 2011 8:26 pm

bayside wrote: Off Topic: My first historical novel has just been published and is now available in print form on Amazon, Ingram, and Barnes & Noble. I'm working on an e-book format, but finding it very complex. Barnes & Noble seem to have the best price. The publisher set the list price high, to allow for discounting.

Name of Book: ENEMIES OF THEIR OWN BLOOD

website: outskirtspress.com/enemiesoftheirownblood.

Brief outline: Conscripted into the Confederate Army in 1861, during America's Civil War, Burton Allinder reluctantly fights for two years, is seriously wounded and sent home to recover. He decides to never return to the carnage of war and manages to reach Mexico. From there he moves on to Arizona Territory in the first year it is created. There he finds men not poisoned by the impassioned emotions of the war, men who accepted him for what he was - and was strong enough to do do. He becomes influential in developing this new land and in making it safe for settlement, free from the ravages of the fierce Apaches.

My second book will tell much of the same story, but mostly from the view of the Apaches.


Congrats, but why is the book so expensive? I know you said the publisher set the price high for discounting, but it's $27 on Amazon; the place where I would expect the best discounts.
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby bayside » Fri Oct 07, 2011 9:33 am

Thanks for the comment, Matbow, I agree. The publishers rationale the price was that because it is a 409 page book, with high limited-production costs, the price had to be set this high to get the brick and mortar booksellers to carry it. The book distributors won't handle a book unless they are offered a 50-55% discount from retail so they can offer the retailer a minimum of a 35% discount. Added to all this are the shipping costs from the printer to the distributor, on to the retailer, and finally to the customer. By the time the entire publishing process was over I still was not sure what was happening, and how little control I had. Quite a learning experience to go thru -- interesting and humbling. For some reason Amazon seems to be selling all they order so are not discounting. Barnes & Noble are offering he best discount.

As a result this experience, I will be a more forgiving reader from this point on: A misplaced comma, an ill-chosen word, a confused plot, and even a misspelled word will be accepted without comment. Unless a person has experienced the process of researching, collating, dreaming up a story to reasonably fit in with history, shaping 160,000 words into a coherent, flowing, believable novel that ends up giving the reader the feeling he was glad he read the book, it's hard for anyone to understand the complexity of creation. My wife compares it to a woman giving birth and a man understanding what she went through.
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby jeffw » Fri Oct 07, 2011 10:30 am

Hi bayside,
That's why I went with Kindle - I have control of pricing and all publishing rights. Looked into hard copy publishing and to me, a rip off. The printer makes sure that he gets his money - never loses - easy for him, but for you, with such high discounts demanded by retailers, that's when the fun starts, or lack of. Agreed, a lot of folks like hard-copy reading, but as you are finding out, not easy to get it out there. Read Jo Konrath's blog (USA). Good insight to Indie publishing. Do it yourself, agents are unneccessary and for 15% of your pie for the life of your book, just aren't bloody worth it. Been down that road a thousand times.Best of luck with your book - not many writers finish one - takes a lot of bottle. Keep writing and start teaching yourself 'Indie Publishing'. Read Konrath, also Dean Wesley Smith, it will open your eyes to the truth. Electronic publishing won't go away - on the up 'n up, scaring the hell out of agents and paper publishers.
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby bayside » Fri Oct 07, 2011 9:53 pm

Thanks for the reply Jeff,

Yep, what a learning experience. Going with the e-version right off the bat seems to be the way to go. I am having my book formatted right now and hope to have it on Amazon and B&N within a month. By the way, I've decided to buy a kindle myself (at John Rodgers urging), and I will be looking forward to reading your, SON OF AFRICA. You might have read one of my earlier posts where I told how I was working in London at the Overseas Visitors Club in 1957, and came within a hair's-breadth of taking an accounting job with Rhodesian Copper -- who was actively recruiting in London at the time -- thus my interest in the area. The reason I didn't go with them was I was abruptly deported as "An undesirable Alien" for working in England illegally. Being short of funds, I hitched to Copenhagen and took a job up there, fell in love, and ended up forgetting the whole thing. The Road Not Taken. We all have some of those to muse back on in our older years.

Best regards and thanks again, Bayside
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby jeffw » Sat Oct 08, 2011 1:40 am

No worries - will stay in touch - Kindlers should stick together! Let me know how the formatting goes.
best reagards,
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby tedd » Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:40 pm

Interesting to note that Iggulden has more posts than any of the "Other Authors" - I had never heard of him until now and obviously had never read him. Damn all of you!! - I shall now have to deviate from my planned reading programme in order to see what the fuss is all about!
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby johnrogers » Sat Oct 08, 2011 11:04 pm

Proper Reading Sequence

The Emperor Series ( Caesar/Rome )

The Gates Of Rome
The Death Of Kings
The Field Of Swords
The Gods Of War

The Conqueror Series ( Genghis Khan )

Wolf Of The Plains
Lords Of The Bow
Bones Of The Hills
Empire Of Silver

coming very soon

Conqueror - book 5 in the Khan series
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby bayside » Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:16 pm

Hi Forum,

I finished CONQUEROR at 2 am -- and laid awake hours after that. This is one of the most magnificantly crafted books I've ever read. Unbelieveable in scope and content. For anyone who reads this series a pictoral atlas of ancient civilizations is a must. In the Historic Notes at the end, CE says he will probably make this the last of the Genghis books. Sad.

Footnote: One of my lifelong interests has been the American Apache. Recent DNA testing has shown a solid ancestral connection of the modern day Apache to the modern Mongol. Not so with any other Amerind tribe. For those of you who have read the Genghis books and marveled at their stamina and appalled by their brutality in battle, the connection between the two races is astonishing.
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby johnrogers » Sun Jan 29, 2012 8:20 pm

bayside wrote:Hi Forum,

I finished CONQUEROR at 2 am -- and laid awake hours after that. This is one of the most magnificantly crafted books I've ever read. Unbelieveable in scope and content. For anyone who reads this series a pictoral atlas of ancient civilizations is a must. In the Historic Notes at the end, CE says he will probably make this the last of the Genghis books. Sad.

Footnote: One of my lifelong interests has been the American Apache. Recent DNA testing has shown a solid ancestral connection of the modern day Apache to the modern Mongol. Not so with any other Amerind tribe. For those of you who have read the Genghis books and marveled at their stamina and appalled by their brutality in battle, the connection between the two races is astonishing.


I have put it off long enough,kind of keeping it for a treat,but I have just downloaded CONQUEROR from amazon.Love the Khan series and what a storyteller Conn Iggulden is.When he tell's the tale it very much seem's like your actually on the battlefield with arrows whizzin by your head.

[b7] Bayside is your book available as an ebook yet on amazon - I have not read it yet and decided to wait til the ebook version is available
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby Matbow » Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:51 pm

bayside wrote:Hi Forum,

I finished CONQUEROR at 2 am -- and laid awake hours after that. This is one of the most magnificantly crafted books I've ever read. Unbelieveable in scope and content. For anyone who reads this series a pictoral atlas of ancient civilizations is a must. In the Historic Notes at the end, CE says he will probably make this the last of the Genghis books. Sad.

Footnote: One of my lifelong interests has been the American Apache. Recent DNA testing has shown a solid ancestral connection of the modern day Apache to the modern Mongol. Not so with any other Amerind tribe. For those of you who have read the Genghis books and marveled at their stamina and appalled by their brutality in battle, the connection between the two races is astonishing.


Thanks for the reminder; I have also just downloaded this!
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby bayside » Tue Jan 31, 2012 6:27 am

Hi John,
I'll be curious to hear your reaction to Conqueror. It truly was one of the most memorable reading experiences I've ever had. Interesting to note that two years ago I'd just about decided I'd read all the great books and was really disappointed to have finished the last of Wilbur Smith's. Because of this I investigated WS's life, and thru that discovered the forum, and thru that, discovered Conn Iggulden. Just goes to prove it pays to keep communicating and not become too insular.

As an aside: Yep, Enemies of Their Own Blood is out in E=book form on Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and through another intersting company called Smashwords. On the latter they offer it also in the versions for the I-Pod and direct computer download == all of them for the realistic price of $2.99. On Smashwords you can go in and read the first four chapters for free. I like that. E books are truly the wave of the future. It's interesting to have lived so long to witness such incredible change.

Of even more interest is the number of new books coming out every day = literally hundreds of thousands every year. The old method of having to go thru an agent, and then a publisher, and then edits after edits, and then rewrite after rewrite all reasonably assured you a book would most probably have some merit if you chose to buy it. Somewhat sadly, with the advent of self-publishing in the print version and e-book publishing, none of the above criteria need be met. Therefore, books are becoming available without having gone thru the stages that would make them good, or better - or in some cases, rejected. With mine, for instance: I proof read it 5 times, my wife twice. In the print copy, even after all that proofing and discussing we still found 24 corrections. I'm still happy with the book but often wonder how much better it might have been had it been properly edited, analyzed by experts, alternate viewpoints discussed, and so forth. Anyway, If you purchase the ebook version I hope you will overlook some of the grammatical errors. Regards Robert
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby trinsekorps » Sat May 05, 2012 7:08 am

Hi forum!

I recently discovered Iggulden through this forum and got hooked. I am in the middle of the Khan series now and plan to move on to the series about Caesar after that.

Thought i would try Sons of Africa on kindle after finishing the Khans. And Jeffrey, if you are reading this I will post my feedback on your book as soon as I have read it!

Thanks to the forum for all information in here about WS and other great authors!

-John
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby E-Hoog » Thu May 31, 2012 2:37 am

I finally got around to reading Gods of War. Very good read again, but towards the end (the Cleopatra bit) I got a bit bored if I'm honest.

Spoiler:
Towards the end I felt that I didn't want to invest any more feelings/hopes in the story as far as Ceasar was concerned, because, well, the ending was already known.

Still a very good book, and I hope there will be a fifth book about Augustus.

I'm now reading Game of Thrones and am also still immersed in the Terry Goodkind novels (coming up on the 7th book in the Sword of Truth series :) ), so it might be a while before I can start with the Kahn series of Iggulden, but I'm looking forward to it!
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby johnrogers » Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:28 am

E-Hoog wrote:I finally got around to reading Gods of War. Very good read again, but towards the end (the Cleopatra bit) I got a bit bored if I'm honest.

Spoiler:
Towards the end I felt that I didn't want to invest any more feelings/hopes in the story as far as Ceasar was concerned, because, well, the ending was already known.

Still a very good book, and I hope there will be a fifth book about Augustus.

I'm now reading Game of Thrones and am also still immersed in the Terry Goodkind novels (coming up on the 7th book in the Sword of Truth series :) ), so it might be a while before I can start with the Kahn series of Iggulden, but I'm looking forward to it!


Hi E-Hoog
Surprised to hear you found Gods of War less than a 5 star read.When and if you have the chance read the Khan series.I have just finished Conqueror the 5th installment and never enjoyed anything as much.I do believe there will be a 5th installment in the Caesar series by Conn Igguleden.Hope life is treating you well :lol:
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby johnrogers » Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:31 am

trinsekorps wrote:Hi forum!

I recently discovered Iggulden through this forum and got hooked. I am in the middle of the Khan series now and plan to move on to the series about Caesar after that.

Thought i would try Sons of Africa on kindle after finishing the Khans. And Jeffrey, if you are reading this I will post my feedback on your book as soon as I have read it!

Thanks to the forum for all information in here about WS and other great authors!

-John


Yes I agree the Khan series is to good to be true - wait until you get your paws on Conqueror the 5th in the series - Best battle descriptions on the planet earth :)
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Re: Conn Iggulden

Postby E-Hoog » Tue Jun 05, 2012 6:11 am

johnrogers wrote:...
Hi E-Hoog
Surprised to hear you found Gods of War less than a 5 star read.When and if you have the chance read the Khan series.I have just finished Conqueror the 5th installment and never enjoyed anything as much.I do believe there will be a 5th installment in the Caesar series by Conn Igguleden.Hope life is treating you well :lol:


I will certainly read the Kahn series and am looking forward to it :). Just, well, time is an issue ;).I've been a bit busy of late (that's why I'm not around more these days), but the good kind. I see you are still reading like a maniac ;)
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