Fantasy in the ancient world

[BronzeOracle]

From what I can see most fantasy is based heavily on a medieval world. I've always been fascinated with the ancient world and in particular greek mythology, but I've seen very few if any novels based on this. I've seen novels which are dramatisations of ancient history (e.g. Thermopylae) or of particular stories/myths (e.g. the Trojan War) but nothing that is a newly created fantasy world with an ancient flavour. And I'm not counting Percy Jackson which is more urban fantasy I think with direct references to greek mythology.

Does anyone know of any good fantasy novels set in a fantasy ancient world?

 

[Jabrosky]

One series of books I'm very fond of are the Imaro books by Charles R. Saunders, which are set in a fantastical vision of pre-colonial Africa. Some of the kingdoms in those books are based off medieval-era civilizations, but the kingdom of Cush, which is portrayed as the setting's equivalent to Tolkien's Gondor, obviously draws off ancient Kush in Nubia/Sudan.

For that matter, the original Conan stories by Robert E. Howard had a setting which was really a juxtaposition of different time periods. Aquilonia is your standard medieval European fare, but there are ancient-era kingdoms like Stygia (Egypt) and Koth (Hittites) as well as prehistoric ones like the Pictish Wilderness and most of the Black Kingdoms.

 

[CupofJoe]

David Gemmell's Drenai books always give me the feeling of a pre-medieval society.

 

[Graylorne]

Would this count? 'Lest Darkness Fall', by L. Sprague de Camp. It's about a modern man irrevocably dumped in ancient Rome, where he starts to change history to prevent the Fall of Rome, etc.

 

[stephenspower]

Not fantasy, but Steven Saylor's ROMA SUB ROSA series are historical mysteries set in Caesar's Rome.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Does anyone know of any good fantasy novels set in a fantasy ancient world?

David Gemmell's Lion of Macedon and Black Prince are both set in an alternative Ancient Greece. The first book is a common favourite among Gemmell readers, but I'm not so personally enamoured with the sequel.

Of course, David Gemmell also wrote the Troy trilogy, which may also be of interest.

I'd also personally suggest you give historical fiction a chance here - Roman Historical fiction is especially big and varied, with authors such as Robert Harris, Lindsey Davis, Simon Scarrow, Ben Kane, and Robert Fabbri, all writing past-paced and very accessible novels. I would also personally argue that Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series is the greatest fantasy epic ever written - thick, rich, and very detailed - but no doubt some people will quibble over what degree of fantasy constitutes acceptable fantasy.

 

[Cambra]

David Gemmell's Lion of Macedon and Black Prince are both set in an alternative Ancient Greece. The first book is a common favourite among Gemmell readers, but I'm not so personally enamoured with the sequel.

Of course, David Gemmell also wrote the Troy trilogy, which may also be of interest.

I'd also personally suggest you give historical fiction a chance here - Roman Historical fiction is especially big and varied, with authors such as Robert Harris, Lindsey Davis, Simon Scarrow, Ben Kane, and Robert Fabbri, all writing past-paced and very accessible novels. I would also personally argue that Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series is the greatest fantasy epic ever written - thick, rich, and very detailed - but no doubt some people will quibble over what degree of fantasy constitutes acceptable fantasy.

Currently reading Robert Harris's Lustrum after completing Imperium... I would recommend both books, one of my excuses is research for my current fantasy... For example how did Romans make and keep detailed written records? Which has been entertainingly answered in these novels...