Anyone know of a similar series to CA, either in magical abilities or in culture? I'm a big fan of Roman era fantasy, but can't seem to find anything that doesn't revolve completely around romance.

So...Recommendations?

PS-Hope this is in the right section, don't know if it would be better to put this in CA or anime/books, so just chose here as it's CA centric.

 

Eagles series by Simon Scarrow. HIstorical fiction. Very well done.

 

Ahh thanks for the recommendation. I've heard the name I believe, but never read anything by the author. Sounds promising.

 

So I wiki'd the Eagle Series and found a category of fiction with Roman themes. Don't know if you will find Roman-era fantasy in there - the Codex Alera is strangely absent - but you might find something you like.

Roman novels

 

The Black Company is a pretty epic series, and its got the roman legion style and magic and what not. Definitely check it out.

 

I would recommend the Gor series of novels by John Norman. Although dealing less with magic than with melee, it is similar to the Codex Alera in that it explores the scenario of ancient-era civilizations transplanted onto a foreign world, and the impact that would have on those civilizations. The books also pay a much deeper attention to the social aspects of said civilizations, particularly with respect to the effect cultures' evolution on different world would have on gender relations. Don't let that turn you off, though - unlike some other books, the author (a professor of philosophy at Queens College) takes care to distance himself from the beliefs of his characters, oftentimes showing those beliefs to be false. His academic background clearly shows through in the logical way he constructs his societies, showing a strain of creative worldbuilding similar, although I admit of lesser degree, to that of Tolkien. The Gor books also share a similarity with the Codex Alera series in that the main culture featured is strongly influenced by Greco-Roman civilization.

Good books, good action, good philosophy - I encourage any and all to at least start the series.

:awesome...

 

The Videssos Cycle by Harry Turtledove is a good one. It involves a segment of Julius Caeser's (pre-Imperial) army being transported from Gaul (France) to another world in which magic is real, and the land is dominated by a very Christianity-esque religion. The series is basically about seeing the excesses and fanaticism inherent in a militant religion like Christianity through the eyes of a pragmatic Pagan.

Don't let that turn you off, though, as there is a ridiculous amount of action, political intrigue, and magic that obscures the religious undertone quite well.

 

I was curious about this too. All I could find was this. I haven't read it myself since I am in the middle of the Malazan series and that is going to take me a while to finish.

The Oath of Empire series- found this summary on some website: It is 600 AD and Rome has never fallen. The Roman Empire of the East will join the Roman Empire of the West to invade the inimical Persians who threaten the very gates of Constantinople itself. Featuring epic battles, beautiful babes, and powerful magic Oath of Empires is an epic story so full of energy that your hair will sizzle. It features the epic scope of a Steven Erikson novel, a Robert Jordan Wheel of Time like struggle, and the George Martin propensity for axing main characters.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Harlan


Now, going from that review snippet the people make it sound really good comparing it to such authors as Martin, Jordan and Erikson. If any of you guys read this please let me know how it is.

The rest of the review also recommended the The Sun Sword series by Michelle West. I don't know if it's Roman themed or not.

 

David Gemmel has quite a lot of books written where there is a kind of equivalent for Rome.

 

Mistborn has a very similar magic system to it I thought. Has it variances, but still very similar.