Books in a similar vein?

[Sarah]

Having read the Poldark books to the point where I can almost recite them (very handy on trains when you've forgotten to bring a book!) I need something new to read. I've read Ben Retallick which was pretty good and I've also read WG's other Cornish works.

Does anyone know of any other books in a similar vein? Someone below mentioned the Pengarron series? Has anyone read them and what are they like?

In desperate need of something new to read!

Sarah

[Lily1]

Sarah, there are a series of books by John Jakes, an American Author. In some ways, it is similar to Poldark, except that the main Character flees from England to the United States. Here is a short explanation I found. There are a series of 8 books.


Historical Fiction 1700-1800

The Bastard by John Jakes.

First in the Bicentennial Series (Kent Family Chronicles). There are eight books, all quite long. They are of consistently good quality, carrying the tale through seven generations and 150 years. This volume tells the story of Phillipe Charboneau, the illigitimate son of a French actress and an English nobleman. Phillipe's story is that of a young man intent on bettering himself. He journeys to the American colonies, changing his name to Phillip Kent. His only training is as a printer's apprentice, and thus begins the Kent family business of printing and journalism. Phillip becomes involved in the politics of the Revolution, and this volume ends as the fight begins at Concord.

Lily

[laurie]

I'll second the Kent Family Chronicles recommendation. I read them shortly after reading the Poldark books and found them quite similar in style.

[Sarah]

Thanks! Sounds very promising. Off to eBay/Amazon now and will definitely let you know what I think

[Rhonda]

This is in a similar vein to Poldark and is set in Cornwall. I only read the first one having picked it up on a junk stall.

See my post further down to get the names of the books in the series.

Cheers, Rhonda.

[Kvetch]

or see here (there are advantages to having your board hosted by a book database )

[laurie]

I thought of 2 books by Susan Howatch that might also appeal:

Cashelmara

Penmarric

[Sarah]

Yay, thanks everyone!

There are a good few to get through there. Now where to start......

Sarah

[Sarah]

I did get Pengarron Land to start off with and it arrived yesterday. The cover of the book states that it is a 'compelling Cornish saga in the tradition of Winston Graham' which put my nose out of joint slightly because a) I can't see any book coming up to those exacting standards and b) surely that is for the reader to decide, not the publisher to assume.

But anyway....

Have read about 10 pages so far and it's interesting. It's funny to think that when this book first starts, a bit further up the coast Ross isn't even a twinkle in his father's eye. Joshua is womanizing, Charles is huffing and puffing and Nicholas Warleggan rules the clan....

Will let you know what I think. I hope I enjoy it as it is part of a series and I would like to become immersed again as I did with Poldark.

Sarah

[pdrumpole]

Hi Sarah,

It has taken me awhile to answer and post (computer did not like me), so I got a new one and hopefully, we will get along a bit better.

I have read "Pengarron Land" and "Pengarron Pride" and have the 3rd and 4th in the series sitting on my bookshelves. I admire anyone who can write a novel and get it published, so my comments about the two books that I read are only in comparison to the incomparable Poldark series.

When I read anything, I want to like the characters--a lot, because then I care about what happens to them. While the characters in Pengarron, are not unattractive, I had a difficult time believing that they would do what they did and for the reasons that they did them. When I compare them to Winston Graham's remarkable creations, they pale for me. They never leap from the pages, nor touch me in any meaningful way.

That being said, I had several evenings of pleasant reading and I will eventually get to book 3 and 4 and perhaps 5 (it was fairly difficult for me to find the books as they are not readily availabe in the US).

I look forward to hearing what you thought of the Pengarron Land.

Rita

[Lily1]

I actually read all the kent Chronicals when I was in the 6th grade. I was 12. The Poldark Masterpiece Theater series came out 3 years later. I actually won a readint contest my teacher gave for the most advid reader. I had to read one book after another, because the Knet Chronicals were too good to put down! Did anyone see the series on the Bastard on the tv when it first came out? Andrew Stevens played Philip Charboneau..later Philip Kent. He was gorgeous, but in a boyish sort of way. Robin Ellis still wins hands down as Ross Poldark.

Lily

[laurie]

I saw the TV series of The Bastard - you're right, Lily, Andrew Stevens was very "boyish". But then, he was only in his early 20s when it was filmed, so boyish could be expected.

If you'd like to see a more "boyish" Robin Ellis, find the videos/DVDs of Masterpiece Theater's "Elizabeth R" (1971-1972 season) starring Glenda Jackson. Robin Ellis played the Earl of Essex, and he looked VERY young.

[Rhonda]

I have only read the one book, having found it on a 2nd hand stall.

I agree it is "thin" compared with Poldark and ripped off a lot of it I thought. However, as you said it was pleasant reading and I hope to find more of them to read.

It does make you really appreciate how wonderful the Poldark series is.

Another thought about Cornwall books has anyone ever read Howard Springs novels or perhaps Derek Tangye's books. They are both wonderful and well and truly worth reading.

[Gill]

I've just started a book called Farewell The Tranqil Mind by RF Delderfield, which is set in Devon at the same time as the Poldark series. So far it's brilliant. I'm a big fan of Delderfield..he wrote A Horseman Riding By and To Serve Them All My Days (fantastic TV series). I'd recommend any of his books.

There are a couple of Daphne Du Mauriers that are set in the area too..Jamica Inn?

[Jim50]

Sarah

I presume that one of the main reasons you so enjoy the Poldarks is because of the skill of the author in making them so accessible and entertaining and so vivid all at the same time. You will know that Mr Graham wrote lots of other books besides the 12 Poldarks and I would encourage you to find and try them all. Though the standard is not uniformly good right across the board, it is still very high and I predict that you will find it a rewarding experience.

Aside from WG, Daphne Du Maurier (Rebecca, The Scapegoat, My Cousin Rachel) is good, as is Thomas Hardy (The Woodlanders, Far From The Madding Crowd etc) and the wonderful George Eliot (Silas Marner, Adam Bede, Middlemarch) is hard to beat.

Happy reading.

Jim

[Sarah]

Hi Jim

Yes, that is the appeal of the books. I have read Marnie and enjoyed it immensly. I also have Angell, Pearl and Little God but I did lose motivation with that one a little way through. I will try again.... I do want to dig out the rest of the books although historical fiction is far and away my favourite. I think the glorious weather we are having at the moment made me dream of crashing waves and rugged cliffs

My Cousin Rachel was one of my favourite books since childhood when I read it for an English class. I read it almost as often as the Poldarks and did so again recently. I have never read Jamaica Inn or Rebecca. Definitely others for consideration.

I have to say a bad school experience with Silas Marner put me off GE! Maybe if I read the others and come to another dead end I may reconsider.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I certainly have lots to be going on with. A lovely summer of reading lies ahead

Sarah

[Jim50]

Sarah

You're right in suggesting that forcing books on unwilling children at school does much more harm than good. I've never got on with Dickens and I suspect that being crammed with A Tale of Two Cities before I was ready for it is probably responsible. But I urge you to try Silas Marner again - it's a gem of a book. Also, I would suggest you try Rebecca before Jamaica Inn - Rebecca is marvellously good (indeed, much DDM's best book), whilst sadly Jamaica Inn is not.

Best wishes

Jim

[Sarah]

Thanks for the tip Jim. I will revise my Amazon order!

Sarah

[Jenah]

Well. they are not set in Cornwall, but if you are into family sagas which are quite well researched and historically accurate, you can't beat the Morland Dynasty series by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. They cover a Yorkshire family from the middle ages War of the Roses to (so far) just before World War 1.

The early ones cover about 50 years, so they move quickly each one covering a couple of generations, but the later ones move much more slowly, so the characters really develop- and they are all interesting people who participate in all sorts of interesting events in British (and elsewhere) history.
My personal favourites are The Campaigners, which covers Waterloo, and The Flood Tide, which covers the French revolution. I guarantee that anyone reading them will be hooked!

http://www.cynthiaharrodeagles.com/morland1.htm

[Sarah]

Thanks Jenah. Have ordered the first one of those as well!

[aurora]

I'm sorry to say I have to disagree about the Kent family chronicles. John Jakes can't hold a candle to Winston Graham. I couldn't get through the first book of this series. I haven't read other series written by contemporary authors, though I daresay there must be some good ones. I've always turned to the classics for other reading (Since I'm a scholar of British Literature, I suppose that's a busman's holiday. Perhaps that explains why nearly all my electives in college were English or English/Art classes.). I love Trollope's Palliser and Barchester novels. I adored Galsworthy's Forsyte Saga, which I read after watching the original series on PBS in the 70s. I'm watching that very series as I type this post. I also find reading social histories and biographies really fed my need to learn more about the people and places in Poldark and similar books/series.