Drake Flint Belisarius

[Prunesquallor]

I finished the first two of the BELISARIUS sequence by Eric Flint and David Drake. Frankly I hadn't been expecting too much from it. I'd never read any of Flint's solo efforts (I live in a town without a bookshop, an abysmal library, and although there are two science fiction shops in towns within travelling distance, one concentrates on collectables and the other doesn't even stock books) and although I'd sampled half a dozen of Drake's books, I'd found them unimpressive (to put it mildly.) But to my surprise I thoroughly enjoyed them and sent off for the rest from Amazon. Are the merits of these books Flint's doing? I'd be interested to hear what people who have read his other stuff think.

[David Howery]

I found these books to be very good reading indeed... my sole complaint is Flint's usual thing about making his characters so larger than life. However, I wonder what's happened to the series... nothing has come out since the fifth novel over a year ago... I'm waiting for what should be the last volume in the series....

[DominusNovus]

Very enjoyable, though I've only read the first 3. A few minor problems here and there (there's spoilers in this, of course). For example, there was a reference to the Gothic campaign, even though that was averted by the war with the Malwa. Also, even with all their technology, doesn't it seem like the Malwa, by and large, are just to dumb and cruel to have conquered so much? And notice that there's no character (with the possible exception of Domadora [sic]) thats both bad, and talented. Actually, I take that back. Theodora's a good example of that, she just happens to be on the good side.

I don't particularly care for either Theodora or Antonina in the books. Theodora started pissing me off when she basicly decided that men suck, shouldn't get to have access to gunpowder, and neither should the Persians. Antonina pissed me off from the point she ridiculed the concept of a flag, onward (especially when she leveled that monastary. sure, they might have been scum, but its a monastary, for Christ's sake). They've got the advice of a brilliant man, who's got the advice of a being that knows the entirety of human history, and they regularly assume that they know better. And the Andhra princess was a bit stuck up, but thats just part of her culture, so its not quite as annoying.

Justinian, on the other hand, redeemed himself quite nicely, IMO. I love all the various groups, like the Kushans and Rajputs. Favorite part was when Belisarius was being pursued by the Rajputs and the Pathan guide, and totally throws them off. Their reaction was priceless. I saw it coming from a mile away though.

[zoomar]

For those of us who must plead complete ignorance about these books, how about a brief summary of what they are about?

[DominusNovus]

Originally Posted by zoomar

For those of us who must plead complete ignorance about these books, how about a brief summary of what they are about?

Humans from the future (millions of years in the future), obsessed with keeping humanity pure, have sent a computer back through time to help a Indian kingdom (Malwa) conquer the world, and impose their ideas of purity on humanity (following the caste system). They view Rome as the greatest enemy, as it cares nothing for purity, only ability. Caring about ability has polluted humanity, in their opinion, as various groups have evolved to varying enviroments. Some have even developed into a crystalline form, one of which was sent back to help the Romans (Belisarius in particular) to fight the the Malwa.

The first two books cover Belisarius' voyage to India, with a stop in Ethiopia, to help form an alliance with Axum, and escape from India, while his wife and friends try to develop new technology back home. The third book covers Belisarius' campaign in Mesopotamia, to save the Persians from a Malwa invasion.

Lots of battles, all very intersting. Lots of bigger than life characters, capable of killing 42.6 people in a single blow (give or take a few. All but one on the Roman's side, of course.

[Diamond]

'An Oblique Approach' is the first book in the series, right?

[Flocculencio]

Originally Posted by DominusNovus

Lots of battles, all very intersting. Lots of bigger than life characters, capable of killing 42.6 people in a single blow (give or take a few. All but one on the Roman's side, of course.

Pity the poor Malwa.

[Thyme]

The books are pretty good, but Flint's books have a tendancy to get a bit preachy. I keep expenting a paragraph like:

Of course the naked peasant with the hoe tore through the troop of heavy cavalry. If there's anything peasants understand it's farming implements, and cavalry only knows how to charge.

Supposedly wise characters (nobles...) are always stupider than peasants, servants, women... The enemy is always incompetant, unless he is an enemy only by circumstance, and will be a friend (and will work against his own leaders). The feeling seems to be more that the enemy loses because he is the bad guy than any other reason.

The books are very readable, but getting beaten over the head with the author's political and social philosophy gets a bit painful after a while.

[DuQuense]

The Sixth Book [?Dance of Victory??] is a Collabiation witha third Author who is writing the First Draft as whe wait [may 15 04] supposily out early next [05] year.

I'm Hoping for a bit more background on what is going on in the rest of Europe, as the Eastern Romans [Byzantines] start making Guns, Steam Ships, RRs, Ballons, Printing Presses, Ect.