Summer Reading Recommendations (2025)

By Owain Williams


Summer is well underway, and it is already very hot. Venturing outside is the last thing on my mind. So, for people who are hiding from the sun’s rays in whatever shade or cool spot they can find, I thought I would talk about some books that I want to check out this summer.


The King Must Die and The Bull from the Sea by Mary Renault 


Retellings of Greek myths are everywhere these days, filling shelves in bookshops. Indeed, it seems, at times, like every other book I see recommended online is such a retelling. Yet retellings of Greek myths are not new. Way back in the 1950s, Mary Renault was working on a retelling of the story of Theseus, the mythical king of Athens.


Like most retellings of Greek myths, these books cannot be truly considered historical fiction, despite taking place in the Greek Bronze Age. Firstly, we know far more about Bronze Age Greece now than we did seventy years ago. Secondly, Renault made use of Robert Graves’ dubious (at best) theories about this period when writing the books. Consequently, these books should be considered historical fantasy rather than historical fiction, but that doesn’t change how good they are – they are recommended by very well-regarded modern authors.


I am a huge fan of Mary Renault’s work. The Last of the Wine is one of my favourite books set in ancient Greece. However, I have not yet read these books, despite them being some of Renaults more well-known works. I am really looking forward to reading them.

The Sarantine Mosaic by Guy Gavriel Kay


My next recommendation is another historical fantasy duology, albeit one that I have read.


The Sarantine Mosaic by Guy Gavriel Kay tells the story of Crispin, a mosaicist, who becomes embroiled in the political world of the fictional city of Sarantium. There are some elements taken from other periods of history, such as Constantine VII’s ‘floating’ throne, but the books’ setting is unapologetically based on the Mediterranean world during the reign of Justinian. Sarantium is a stand-in for Constantinople-Byzantium, complete with a vast hippodrome and chariot racing factions. It may be fantasy, but the setting is thoroughly grounded in history, with few explicitly fantastical elements to be found.


The story, however, is not simply a retelling of Justinian’s reign with the names changed slightly. Of course, there are characters readers familiar with Late Antique Roman history will recognise, including a Procopius-like figure spreading malicious lies about the empress, but how they interact with one another and how the narrative progresses are very different. 


I was enthralled when I first read these books – the ending alone packed a bittersweet punch – and I am looking forward to reading them again. 

Nero by Conn Iggulden


It has been a while since I have read a book by Conn Iggulden. When I was younger, I thoroughly enjoyed his series about Julius Caesar. With his return to Rome, I thought I might check out his work again. 


Nero, as the title suggests, is about the Emperor Nero, the last Julio-Claudian emperor, who ruled in the mid-first century AD. Nero is a fascinating character – the autocrat who wished to be an actor and athlete – and fertile ground for a historical novelist. It has long been recognised that the depiction of ancient emperors in the ancient sources is not to be taken at face value, often the product of stereotypes and folk motifs, and much work has been done recently to determine what about specific emperors has been exaggerated or even invented by hostile sources. 


I’m interested to see how Iggulden treats Nero, whether he sticks to the impression of the ancient source material or if he turns to modern academic treatments for a more nuanced depiction. 




Have you read these books? What did you think? Do you have any other recommendations? 

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