George William Rolls 🤖🧙🏻
@georgewilliamrolls.bsky.social
Aspiring writer of SF & Fantasy | Obsessive of pre-modern history | Occasional reviews. Mainly share things I find interesting.
📍Portsmouth, UK
📍Portsmouth, UK
Review (★★★★½) Hero of Two Worlds, by Mike Duncan – “The Revolutions of Lafayette”
#History #Lafayette #BookReview #MikeDuncan
#History #Lafayette #BookReview #MikeDuncan
Review (★★★★½) Hero of Two Worlds, by Mike Duncan – “The Revolutions of Lafayette”
[They] accused him of being too harsh or too lenient; for doing too much or too little; for grasping at power or reliquishing it too easily; for being both a radical republican and a crypto-royalis…
wp.me
July 12, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Review (★★★★½) Hero of Two Worlds, by Mike Duncan – “The Revolutions of Lafayette”
#History #Lafayette #BookReview #MikeDuncan
#History #Lafayette #BookReview #MikeDuncan
Review (★★★½) The Devils, by Joe Abercrombie – “Expedience”
'We remain stuck in the middle of nowhere, in the cause of the world’s least likely Empress, no offence…’
‘Entirely fair,’ said Alex.
#Fantasy #Books
'We remain stuck in the middle of nowhere, in the cause of the world’s least likely Empress, no offence…’
‘Entirely fair,’ said Alex.
#Fantasy #Books
Review (★★★½) The Devils, by Joe Abercrombie – “Expedience”
‘We remain stuck in the middle of nowhere, in the cause of the world’s least likely Empress, no offence…’ ‘Entirely fair,’ said Alex. ‘…at the behest…
georgewilliamrolls.wordpress.com
June 17, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Trial by jury doesn't work? What about trial by ORDEAL - a common practice in Anglo-Saxon England.
Overseen by a priest, this left the determination of guilt up to God. The accused could be forced to hold hot iron, or place their hand in boiling water. (1/2)
#history #anglosaxons
Overseen by a priest, this left the determination of guilt up to God. The accused could be forced to hold hot iron, or place their hand in boiling water. (1/2)
#history #anglosaxons
March 28, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Trial by jury doesn't work? What about trial by ORDEAL - a common practice in Anglo-Saxon England.
Overseen by a priest, this left the determination of guilt up to God. The accused could be forced to hold hot iron, or place their hand in boiling water. (1/2)
#history #anglosaxons
Overseen by a priest, this left the determination of guilt up to God. The accused could be forced to hold hot iron, or place their hand in boiling water. (1/2)
#history #anglosaxons
Review (★★★★) Howling Dark, by Christopher Ruocchio – “Half-Mortal”
“I imagined it was not space I looked upon, but the pelagic dark of the sea… The abyss stood lifeless, silent, and so screamed.”
#sciencefiction #bookreview
“I imagined it was not space I looked upon, but the pelagic dark of the sea… The abyss stood lifeless, silent, and so screamed.”
#sciencefiction #bookreview
Review (★★★★) Howling Dark, by Christopher Ruocchio – “Half-Mortal”
“I imagined it was not space I looked upon, but the pelagic dark of the sea… The abyss stood lifeless, silent, and so screamed.” Christopher Ruocchio No spoilers, read freely. Had…
wp.me
March 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Review (★★★★) Howling Dark, by Christopher Ruocchio – “Half-Mortal”
“I imagined it was not space I looked upon, but the pelagic dark of the sea… The abyss stood lifeless, silent, and so screamed.”
#sciencefiction #bookreview
“I imagined it was not space I looked upon, but the pelagic dark of the sea… The abyss stood lifeless, silent, and so screamed.”
#sciencefiction #bookreview
Review – Mistborn Era 2 (Wax and Wayne), by Brandon Sanderson – “Shots Fired”
“He became destruction incarnate. For to worship Harmony was not only to worship Preservation- it was also to worship Ruin, with all that implied.”
#Fantasy #BookReview
“He became destruction incarnate. For to worship Harmony was not only to worship Preservation- it was also to worship Ruin, with all that implied.”
#Fantasy #BookReview
Review – Mistborn Era 2 (Wax and Wayne), by Brandon Sanderson – “Shots Fired”
“You are like a lion. Most days only partially present with me. Lounging, half asleep. You do what you must, you fulfill the needs of the house, but you don’t thrive. Then the prey appe…
wp.me
February 27, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Review – Mistborn Era 2 (Wax and Wayne), by Brandon Sanderson – “Shots Fired”
“He became destruction incarnate. For to worship Harmony was not only to worship Preservation- it was also to worship Ruin, with all that implied.”
#Fantasy #BookReview
“He became destruction incarnate. For to worship Harmony was not only to worship Preservation- it was also to worship Ruin, with all that implied.”
#Fantasy #BookReview
"Noon" as a word for midday comes from the middle ages when monks split their days into liturgical hours.
Deriving from "nona hora" or ninth hour from when they awoke, noon was a time for prayer originally meaning 3pm. (Monks woke at 6am). (1/2)
#etymology #history
Deriving from "nona hora" or ninth hour from when they awoke, noon was a time for prayer originally meaning 3pm. (Monks woke at 6am). (1/2)
#etymology #history
February 27, 2025 at 12:51 PM
"Noon" as a word for midday comes from the middle ages when monks split their days into liturgical hours.
Deriving from "nona hora" or ninth hour from when they awoke, noon was a time for prayer originally meaning 3pm. (Monks woke at 6am). (1/2)
#etymology #history
Deriving from "nona hora" or ninth hour from when they awoke, noon was a time for prayer originally meaning 3pm. (Monks woke at 6am). (1/2)
#etymology #history
Review (★★★) The Bone Chests, by Cat Jarman – “Remains to be Seen”
In Winchester Cathedral, there are six mortuary chests containing sets of bones of some amazingly significant people in England’s history...
#History #BookReview #AngloSaxons
In Winchester Cathedral, there are six mortuary chests containing sets of bones of some amazingly significant people in England’s history...
#History #BookReview #AngloSaxons
Review (★★★) The Bone Chests, by Cat Jarman – “Remains to be Seen”
In Winchester Cathedral, there are six mortuary chests containing sets of bones of some amazingly significant people in England’s history. In this book, archeologist Cat Jarman uses these Bon…
wp.me
February 3, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Review (★★★) The Bone Chests, by Cat Jarman – “Remains to be Seen”
In Winchester Cathedral, there are six mortuary chests containing sets of bones of some amazingly significant people in England’s history...
#History #BookReview #AngloSaxons
In Winchester Cathedral, there are six mortuary chests containing sets of bones of some amazingly significant people in England’s history...
#History #BookReview #AngloSaxons
Seems important to mark the 80 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz horror camp. 1.1 million people lost their lives there.
I visited last year and it is truly a must-visit, if a difficult one. (1/2)
#AuschwitzMemorial
I visited last year and it is truly a must-visit, if a difficult one. (1/2)
#AuschwitzMemorial
January 27, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Seems important to mark the 80 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz horror camp. 1.1 million people lost their lives there.
I visited last year and it is truly a must-visit, if a difficult one. (1/2)
#AuschwitzMemorial
I visited last year and it is truly a must-visit, if a difficult one. (1/2)
#AuschwitzMemorial
Review (★★★★) Empire of Silence, by Christopher Ruocchio – “Humble Beginnings?”
“I know what it is they say about me, what they call me in your history books. The Sun Eater. The Half Mortal. Demon tongued. Regicidal. Genocidal. I have heard it all.”
#scifi #bookreview
“I know what it is they say about me, what they call me in your history books. The Sun Eater. The Half Mortal. Demon tongued. Regicidal. Genocidal. I have heard it all.”
#scifi #bookreview
Review (★★★★) Empire of Silence, by Christopher Ruocchio – “Humble Beginnings?”
“I know what it is they say about me, what they call me in your history books. The Sun Eater. The Half Mortal. Demon tongued. Regicidal. Genocidal. I have heard it all.” Christopher Ruo…
wp.me
January 18, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Review (★★★★) Empire of Silence, by Christopher Ruocchio – “Humble Beginnings?”
“I know what it is they say about me, what they call me in your history books. The Sun Eater. The Half Mortal. Demon tongued. Regicidal. Genocidal. I have heard it all.”
#scifi #bookreview
“I know what it is they say about me, what they call me in your history books. The Sun Eater. The Half Mortal. Demon tongued. Regicidal. Genocidal. I have heard it all.”
#scifi #bookreview
To curry favour means to seek favour through flattery, but as a phrase its origin is quite different.
It was originally "curry Fauvel". This seems to come from a French story about a horse called Fauvel who was unruly and so the need to curry, i.e., comb him. (1/2)
#etymology #words
It was originally "curry Fauvel". This seems to come from a French story about a horse called Fauvel who was unruly and so the need to curry, i.e., comb him. (1/2)
#etymology #words
January 14, 2025 at 1:39 PM
To curry favour means to seek favour through flattery, but as a phrase its origin is quite different.
It was originally "curry Fauvel". This seems to come from a French story about a horse called Fauvel who was unruly and so the need to curry, i.e., comb him. (1/2)
#etymology #words
It was originally "curry Fauvel". This seems to come from a French story about a horse called Fauvel who was unruly and so the need to curry, i.e., comb him. (1/2)
#etymology #words
The Reconquista is seen as a centuries-long struggle of north Christian kingdoms to push the Muslims out of Spain... As a battle of civilizations. But this is a myth.
Christian states were as likely to fight each other and ally with Muslims to get the upper hand on "fellow" Christians.
#History
Christian states were as likely to fight each other and ally with Muslims to get the upper hand on "fellow" Christians.
#History
January 12, 2025 at 7:56 AM
The Reconquista is seen as a centuries-long struggle of north Christian kingdoms to push the Muslims out of Spain... As a battle of civilizations. But this is a myth.
Christian states were as likely to fight each other and ally with Muslims to get the upper hand on "fellow" Christians.
#History
Christian states were as likely to fight each other and ally with Muslims to get the upper hand on "fellow" Christians.
#History
The Stats – My Reading and Writing of 2024
Happy New Year to all fans of years. Here's an update on my reading and writing habits.
#Writing #Reading
Happy New Year to all fans of years. Here's an update on my reading and writing habits.
#Writing #Reading
The Stats – My Reading and Writing of 2024
Happy New Year to all fans of years. 2025 has a really nice roundness about it – it’s 25 years since the last millennium, a quarter of the way through the century, and for those maths n…
georgewilliamrolls.wordpress.com
January 2, 2025 at 5:39 PM
January marks the beginning of the year... But it hasn't always. It used to begin in March.
The Romans original 10 month lunar calendar was altered later to add in January and February. This was so out of whack with the seasons it needed an extra month of Mercedonius every few years (1/3)
#History
The Romans original 10 month lunar calendar was altered later to add in January and February. This was so out of whack with the seasons it needed an extra month of Mercedonius every few years (1/3)
#History
December 31, 2024 at 10:35 AM
January marks the beginning of the year... But it hasn't always. It used to begin in March.
The Romans original 10 month lunar calendar was altered later to add in January and February. This was so out of whack with the seasons it needed an extra month of Mercedonius every few years (1/3)
#History
The Romans original 10 month lunar calendar was altered later to add in January and February. This was so out of whack with the seasons it needed an extra month of Mercedonius every few years (1/3)
#History
Review (★★★) The Mad Emperor, by Harry Sidebottom – “The Decadence of Rome”
"The offence consisted, not of his introducing a foreign god into Rome, or in his exalting him in strange ways, but in his placing him before Jupiter himself." - Cassius Dio.
#History #RomanEmpire
"The offence consisted, not of his introducing a foreign god into Rome, or in his exalting him in strange ways, but in his placing him before Jupiter himself." - Cassius Dio.
#History #RomanEmpire
Review (★★★) The Mad Emperor, by Harry Sidebottom – “The Decadence of Rome”
The offence consisted, not of his introducing a foreign god into Rome, or in his exalting him in strange ways, but in his placing him before Jupiter himself. Cassius Dio, Roman historian and senato…
georgewilliamrolls.wordpress.com
December 28, 2024 at 11:19 AM
Review (★★★) The Mad Emperor, by Harry Sidebottom – “The Decadence of Rome”
"The offence consisted, not of his introducing a foreign god into Rome, or in his exalting him in strange ways, but in his placing him before Jupiter himself." - Cassius Dio.
#History #RomanEmpire
"The offence consisted, not of his introducing a foreign god into Rome, or in his exalting him in strange ways, but in his placing him before Jupiter himself." - Cassius Dio.
#History #RomanEmpire
St Nicholas, the 4th century Christian bishop had a legend of secretive gift giving... giving rise to the character of Santa Claus. This comes from the Dutch: Sinterklass.
Another story has him attending the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD where he slaps...
#SaintNicholas #Christmas
(1/2)
Another story has him attending the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD where he slaps...
#SaintNicholas #Christmas
(1/2)
December 24, 2024 at 11:20 AM
St Nicholas, the 4th century Christian bishop had a legend of secretive gift giving... giving rise to the character of Santa Claus. This comes from the Dutch: Sinterklass.
Another story has him attending the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD where he slaps...
#SaintNicholas #Christmas
(1/2)
Another story has him attending the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD where he slaps...
#SaintNicholas #Christmas
(1/2)
I'm stoked that there's a new #Witcher4 game in development (given the Witcher 3 is perhaps my favourite game). Ciri is a natural protagonist to follow Geralt, and is arguably a bigger protagonist than he in the latter books. (1/2)
December 16, 2024 at 9:13 AM
I'm stoked that there's a new #Witcher4 game in development (given the Witcher 3 is perhaps my favourite game). Ciri is a natural protagonist to follow Geralt, and is arguably a bigger protagonist than he in the latter books. (1/2)
Review (★★★½) The Last Viking, by Don Hollway – “Hard Ruler”
"At the king’s bidding fires blazed in reprisal, and the roofs burning high compelled the poor farmers to rethink… All men yield to the warlord. There is no choice but to submit to the king."
#History #Vikings
"At the king’s bidding fires blazed in reprisal, and the roofs burning high compelled the poor farmers to rethink… All men yield to the warlord. There is no choice but to submit to the king."
#History #Vikings
Review (★★★½) The Last Viking, by Don Hollway – “Hard Ruler”
At the king’s bidding fires blazed in reprisal, and the roofs burning high compelled the poor farmers to rethink… All men yield to the warlord. There is no choice but to submit to the k…
georgewilliamrolls.wordpress.com
December 11, 2024 at 7:40 PM
Review (★★★★) A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine – “Byzantium in Space”
"Being alone in Teixcalaan was like drowning in clear air."
#scifi #bookreview #sciencefiction
"Being alone in Teixcalaan was like drowning in clear air."
#scifi #bookreview #sciencefiction
Review (★★★★) A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine – “Byzantium in Space”
Being alone in Teixcalaan was like drowning in clear air. Arkady Martine, A Memory Called Empire. The Empire of Teixcalaan stretches across the cosmos, having subsumed almost every star system it e…
georgewilliamrolls.wordpress.com
December 1, 2024 at 6:47 PM
Review (★★★★) A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine – “Byzantium in Space”
"Being alone in Teixcalaan was like drowning in clear air."
#scifi #bookreview #sciencefiction
"Being alone in Teixcalaan was like drowning in clear air."
#scifi #bookreview #sciencefiction
A smattering of shots from #Edinburgh this week.
Remains my favourite British city, moody grey Georgian architecture (to match its often moody weather). I visit pretty much annually, and at this time of year it is a perfect backdrop for early Christmas hype
Remains my favourite British city, moody grey Georgian architecture (to match its often moody weather). I visit pretty much annually, and at this time of year it is a perfect backdrop for early Christmas hype
November 29, 2024 at 2:05 PM
A smattering of shots from #Edinburgh this week.
Remains my favourite British city, moody grey Georgian architecture (to match its often moody weather). I visit pretty much annually, and at this time of year it is a perfect backdrop for early Christmas hype
Remains my favourite British city, moody grey Georgian architecture (to match its often moody weather). I visit pretty much annually, and at this time of year it is a perfect backdrop for early Christmas hype
Review (★★★) Ysabel, by Guy Gavriel Kay – “Gallic Love”
"How did you undo conquered Gauls on a Roman arch? How did you undo twenty-five years of silence?"
Ysabel is not Kay's worst book, but it also isn't his best. However it is a great advert for the Provence tourist board!
#bookreview #fantasy
"How did you undo conquered Gauls on a Roman arch? How did you undo twenty-five years of silence?"
Ysabel is not Kay's worst book, but it also isn't his best. However it is a great advert for the Provence tourist board!
#bookreview #fantasy
Review (★★★) Ysabel, by Guy Gavriel Kay – “Gallic Love”
“In a way this was what the druid had been doing: trying to fix something which couldn’t be made right. How did you undo conquered Gauls on a Roman arch? How did you undo twenty-five ye…
georgewilliamrolls.wordpress.com
November 21, 2024 at 8:03 PM
Review (★★★) Ysabel, by Guy Gavriel Kay – “Gallic Love”
"How did you undo conquered Gauls on a Roman arch? How did you undo twenty-five years of silence?"
Ysabel is not Kay's worst book, but it also isn't his best. However it is a great advert for the Provence tourist board!
#bookreview #fantasy
"How did you undo conquered Gauls on a Roman arch? How did you undo twenty-five years of silence?"
Ysabel is not Kay's worst book, but it also isn't his best. However it is a great advert for the Provence tourist board!
#bookreview #fantasy
Lovely map inside the new retelling of the Odyssey by Stephen Fry... But labelling Anatolia as Turkey is absolutely killing me.
There wouldn't be Turks in Anatolia for 2000 years.
It's like labelling France as Gaul in a book about the French revolution!
#greekmythology
There wouldn't be Turks in Anatolia for 2000 years.
It's like labelling France as Gaul in a book about the French revolution!
#greekmythology
November 21, 2024 at 7:52 PM
Lovely map inside the new retelling of the Odyssey by Stephen Fry... But labelling Anatolia as Turkey is absolutely killing me.
There wouldn't be Turks in Anatolia for 2000 years.
It's like labelling France as Gaul in a book about the French revolution!
#greekmythology
There wouldn't be Turks in Anatolia for 2000 years.
It's like labelling France as Gaul in a book about the French revolution!
#greekmythology
I have seen #GladiatorII .
Part of me finds it really funny that macho wannabe hardman Caracalla is portrayed as a snivelling foppish boy-king.
He would really hate it, and that makes me happy
Part of me finds it really funny that macho wannabe hardman Caracalla is portrayed as a snivelling foppish boy-king.
He would really hate it, and that makes me happy
November 21, 2024 at 5:52 AM
I have seen #GladiatorII .
Part of me finds it really funny that macho wannabe hardman Caracalla is portrayed as a snivelling foppish boy-king.
He would really hate it, and that makes me happy
Part of me finds it really funny that macho wannabe hardman Caracalla is portrayed as a snivelling foppish boy-king.
He would really hate it, and that makes me happy
Please is the magic word, unless you were Greek in ancient times.
Ancient Greece did not have a word for "please", meaning questions might look a bit more demanding and rude to modern eyes.
Greek developed the word "parakalo" (παρακαλώ) possibly due to outside influence. (1/2)
#etymology #greek
Ancient Greece did not have a word for "please", meaning questions might look a bit more demanding and rude to modern eyes.
Greek developed the word "parakalo" (παρακαλώ) possibly due to outside influence. (1/2)
#etymology #greek
November 19, 2024 at 12:25 PM
Please is the magic word, unless you were Greek in ancient times.
Ancient Greece did not have a word for "please", meaning questions might look a bit more demanding and rude to modern eyes.
Greek developed the word "parakalo" (παρακαλώ) possibly due to outside influence. (1/2)
#etymology #greek
Ancient Greece did not have a word for "please", meaning questions might look a bit more demanding and rude to modern eyes.
Greek developed the word "parakalo" (παρακαλώ) possibly due to outside influence. (1/2)
#etymology #greek