Historical Fiction Message Board

Welcome to our newly created group!

I'm curious what historical periods and/or placesother group members are most enthusiastic about. I'm especially interested in ancient Rome and the Middle Ages. I've noticed more historical fiction is currently being published about more recent historical periods.

My favorite historical periods are Medieval and really anything British history really catches my fancy.

My fave is definitely Napoleonic wars: Bernard Cornwells Sharpe novels, Patrick O'Brians Aubrey-Maturin novels and now Allan Mallinson's Matthew Hervey novels.

I also like Ancient Rome, especially Simon Scarrow and Conn Iggulden. The rest of Cornwells' output that I have read - the Arthurian trilogy and the Vagabond trilogy.

If a novel is well written, I will read it almost whatever period it's set in - for example, Jean M Auel.

Special mention to Neal Stephenson for the Baroque Cycle and Cryptonomicon - maybe there are elements of fantasy in there, but they are steeped in the best traditions of historical fiction and I love them.

Scifi_nut, if you like the Napoleonic wars and don't mind a fantasy take on them, you might like Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, and Temeraire books.

My favorite period is also the Georgian and Regency eras in British history, though I am expanding slightly into other eras. I don't much care for anything after the Industrial Revolution, though.

Scifi_nut, if you like the Napoleonic wars and don't mind a fantasy take on them, you might like Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, and Temeraire books.

My favorite period is also the Georgian and Regency eras in British history, though I am expanding slightly into other eras. I don't much care for anything after the Industrial Revolution, though.

I'm very interested in East Asian historical books. :)

My favorite eras: Regency, Napoleonic, WWI. Not so crazy about Civil War novels.

I'll read just about anything historical, but I'm especially interested in 1800-1930, or thereabouts.

Right now I'm in the middle of The Great Stink, which is set in London right after the Crimean War. Anyone else read it?

I like to read future historical novels. There are to few of them worth reading though. The Third World War was a very readable paperback novel in its day.

It's interesting to note that, although the vast majority of books we share are indeed historical fiction, some recurring favorites are the Harry Potter books, the Narnia books, and Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife. The Narnia books are in my own library (though I haven't posted them yet) and I loved The Time Traveler's Wife (though I checked it out of the library, so it doesn't show in my list). I'm not usually interested in fantasy or sci-fi, so I'm wondering what it is about these books that seems to appeal to us in the same way historical fiction does (and most fantasy or sci-fi doesn't).

I mostly read works set in the classical Greece and Roman periods.

Currently I'm reading my way through the whole of the "Masters of Rome" series by Colleen McCullough.

The Masters of Rome series is great. I finished it a few weeks ago and it got me heavily into Roman history.

I seem to be caught in a rut with the Medieval and Renaissance eras, but I'd be happy to expand into other eras if the books are good.

With a name like that, hanno, I have to ask you, have you read Pride of Carthage?

I'll read just about anything, but lately (if a year counts as recent) I've been reading quite a few of Georgette Heyer's books. I don't actually own any, so they don't show up in my catalogue, but a friend has quite a collection.

Robertgreaves:

I didnt read Pride of Carthage. McCullough's books are the first ancient historical fiction books I read, with the exception of one book by Leon Feuchtwanger.

My nickname actually comes from a science fiction book, The Boat of a Million Years by Paul Anderson.

Hanno.

Fence, I'm so glad to hear you're reading Georgette Heyer! I have the majority of her books and I LOVE her!

I must admit to not being very impressed with McCullough's Masters of Rome series. At least, I could never get into First Man in Rome, so I didn't try the other ones. I prefer my Roman history Marcus Didius Falco style :-)

Margad, as for fantasy and sci-fi showing up on the list many times, it could just be because a lot of people like both genres :-) I know I love both historical fiction and fantasy! Though I haven't done much sci-fi.

I have The October Horse by Colleen McCullough in my yet to be read pile. I'll definitely have to put it near the top.

Also, I JUST finished reading The Time Traveler's Wife two days ago. Bawled at the end. It is an amazing book. I'm not sure why we history lovers enjoy it, maybe for the flashbacky type elements of it?

Aarti I'm really enjoying Georgette Heyer's books. More for the language and characters rather than any plot. It is always so obvious what will happen in the end, but that doesn't matter.
Though I haven't read any of her mysteries, I'm guessing they are slightly different :)

Any Dorothy Dunnet fans? I'm a complete House of Niccolo fangirl.

I've read the Lymonc Chronicles, and am currently half-way through Niccolo, though I don't think I can read those books all in a row the way I did with Lymond :-) As for which hero I prefer ... I'm *slightly* leaning to Niccolo at the moment, but the jury's still out.

Anyone else read The Black Flower by Howard Bahr? It's a Civil War book that came out about the same time as Cold Mountain and I think it's a much better book - very haunting and well written - but it seemed to get overshadowed by Cold Mountain, which I didn't think lived up to all the hype.

Hi all,

I can finally post - YAY!!!

Anyway.....Has anyone read The Greatest Knight - the Story of William Marshal by Elizabeth Chadwick?

I've just started it - I'm a couple of chapters in. It seems very good at the moment, I'm just hoping the rest of the book lives up to the promise of the first few chapters.

Has anyone read any other Elizabeth Chadwick? She's not an author I've tangled with before so I'd appreciate any views before I take the plunge and buy more of her books!

PDeebs, I've read Howard Bahr's The Black Flower when it first came out and and enjoyed it quite a bit. He's got a new one out now, the title escapes me this second, and Charles Frazier's follow-up to Cold Mountain will be in bookstores before the end of the year as well.

Elizabeth Chadwick is a very popular author. I have read The Greatest Knight and I really enjoyed it! I also have two more of her books- Lords of the White Castle and The Marsh King's Daughter, but I haven't read them yet. She's very hard to find in the US (especially for a reasonable amount of money). But she's a VERY nice person :-)

kwintesenc, I recently read Time Traveler's Wife as well and loved it too. Very different, but brilliantly done.

I'm almost finished with the second David Liss book, The Coffee Trader. Really good description of economic culture in seventeenth-century Holland. The first Liss book A Conspiracy of Paper was another good one, I thought.

Has anyone read or heard about Triangle by Katharine Weber? It's a fictionalized account of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911.

I love reading about every era of history, from prehistory to world war two. My favourites are Ancient Greece and Middle Ages.

Anyway, has anyone read The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova? Just curious, what did you think about it? Personally, I found all the historical details interesting.

Hey Doc, Katharine Weber's been a pretty good friend of mine for several years now, and though I know I'll read her book later this year, the reviews of it so far have been unanimously wonderful and she's been ecstatic over them too. Just the other night she had over 80 attendees at a reading/book signing at a bookstore in NYC, a totally unheard of number for any such event.

PDeebs - I just picked up The Great Stink at the library the other night and since I finished the book I was reading (not historical fiction), I think I'm gonna make it the next book to grace my nightstand.

I'm more or less a Anglophile and read most historical fiction set in England / Great Britain. However, I do venture into other areas now and again.

DoctorRobert - I'm interested in Triangle which you mentioned -- just went and added it to my wish list. It appears it's the same Katharine Weber who wrote The Music Lesson. I really liked that book -- another one about a Vermeer painting.

Anyhow, lots of good suggestions here so far... If anyone has any good recommendations for historical fiction set in/about Australia, I'd appreciate them. I loved Christine Balint's novel, The Salt Letters but other than Bryce Courtenay's Australian Trilogy, Aussie historical fiction seems a bit hard to come by in the USA.

I read The Great Stink last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. I couldn't say the same for The Historian however. I thought that could have done with being several hundred pages shorter.

I really enjoy 'sweaty sailor stories' such as Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series or a new one I discovered recently, Julian Stockwin. I liked the early Sharpe novels, but I think Cornwell has milked that particular well dry. Simon Scarrow does a 'Sharpe joins the Roman Army' type series, but I don't think he's quite as good as Cornwell, although historically he's spot on.

Anyone else here a fan of Jean Plaidy? Or any other books by any of Eleanor Hibbert's pen several names?

OH yes, Jean Plaidy's books are some of my favourites. So glad to see Three Rivers Press reissuing some of them. (Reminds me, I need to check to make sure I have all of them reissued to date.) I'm sort of obsessed with the English monarchy, so I read almost anything I can find on them - fiction or not.

Started The Great Stink yesterday -- probably shouldn't have read that first chapter over lunch. Ewwwwww! But I'm liking it so far.

Tudorri, I've read The Love Knot by Elizabeth Chadwick and thought it was excellent. I've got a couple of others by her on my tbr pile.

My favourite historical time period is Regency but I'll read anything. Just finished a Victorian one - Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, which was fantastic.

I'm also a big fantasy fan. I plan to try and get hold of the Temeraire books if I can. Also plan to get hold of The Great Stink.

I have the series by Jean Plaidy on the six wives of Henry VII. I've started on the first one which is for Katherine of Aragaon. I also love reading about the English monarchy as well. It's quite sad that I know the order of the English monarchy better than the order of our presidents! I'm going to blame that partially on the number British History courses I took towards my History B.A. and partially on my distaste for American history which I find horribly boring.

Ugh that should be Henry VIII not Henry VII...wish there was an edit feature...

I think you've got something there, kwintesenc, about the time travel element in Time Traveler's Wife. Of course, it's an extraordinarily well-written book. But ideally, when we read historical fiction, we are traveling in time ourselves, aren't we?

For those who enjoy Colleen McCullough's Rome novels, I highly recommend Steven Saylor's Gordianus the Finder series. Technically, these are mystery novels, but they are so rich in historical detail and philosophical-political issues that their appeal is far broader. They are shorter books than McCullough's, yet convey a more complete and emotionally complex view of the Roman world. Once McCullough reached Julius Caesar's story, her novels lost some of their interest for me, because her admiration for him almost amounts to hero worship, and leads her, I feel, to oversimplify his character.

Caffy metnioned Sarah Waters. I *love* everything I've read by Waters to date. I have The Night Watch on Mt TBR still. Actually, started it but set it down to read stuff from the library first. It'll hold -- no freshness date to worry about. I liked Fingersmith an awful lot, but loved Tipping the Velvet, her debut novel. Affinity was a decent read, but didn't hook me as much as the other two books did.

kwintesenc - I'm like you in knowing the English monarchs better than the US presidents. Of course, my 'formal education' in regards US history ended shortly after the Civil War. With what I was taught, you'd think nothing happened in the 20th Century. *g*

And although I haven't made a typo here (yet) -- at least not that I'm aware of -- I agree an edit feature would be nice. *g*

I just finished unpacking the last of my books and found a box of books I grabbed in a library book sale. I found Colleen McCullough's The First Man in Rome. Now are these Rome books a series and should they be read in order? I have this one and The October Horse.

Yes, kwintesenc, they are a series. The First Man in Rome is the first in the series, and The October Horse is the last in the series, although I did read somewhere that Colleen McCullough is working on another one. In order the series goes:

The First Man in Rome
The Grass Crown
Fortune's Favourites
Caesar's Women
Caesar
The October Horse

Hi, margad. I also enjoy the Gordianus books. I agree Colleen McCullough's portrayal of Caesar as he who can do no wrong can get a bit wearing at times. It hasn't stopped me from reading them, though.

I have never read the Gordianus books, but I do adore Lindsey Davis and her Falco books, which take place around 70 A.D.

Hurrah, some Patrick O'Brian fans! I'm fond of the Napoleonic era for the Aubrey-Maturin books, but also for the Hornblower novels and of course the incomparable Pride and Prejudice. I've His Majesty's Dragon from a friend, which I do mean to read in the next week while on vacation.

I started on historical fiction, however, because of The Killer Angels - and thus am sitting here as a history major who dabbles in miltary history :)

Parelle I'm a big fan of the Napoleonic era too, although I'm fairly new to it all. And a lot of my interest was generated from the books by Bernard Cornwell which are great fun reads. But I've also read some of Patrick O'Brian's and of course Jane Austen's.

I highly recommend The Last kabbalist of Lisbon by Richard Zimler...I am 1/2 way through and intrigued and a bit awed.

It takes place in Portugal at the end of the 15th Century. The story centers on the slaughter of Jews who are outlawed and the community of Jews who still practice their beliefs in hidden cellars.

Have you read any of Sandra Gulland's books?

I have read Michael Kilian's books about the Civil War, last one titled Shiloh Sisters. Has anyone read anything by Edward Marston? The King's Evil is the first in a series set in London just after the Great Fire--very enjoyable.

Voracious, I read Sandra Gulland's Josephine Bonaparte trilogy and LOVED it.

! will read just about anything that comes into my clutches. But the periods of History I prefer are the American Colonial Period through the early Republic. I even wrote my own Historical Novel that takes place in 1780 during the American Revolution.

When it comes to the Renaissance or Medieval times, I think I tend to enjoy the histories and biographies more than the fictions. In fact Devil's Brood was very good and I've re-read that many times. :)

Never read Sandra Gulland, but I know she has a LT profile: http://www.librarything.com/profile/SandraGulland

I, Claudius is my all-time favorite, and I don't think it has been mentioned yet, although I may have missed it. Also its sequel, Claudius the God. It is based on Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, which my father (a tremendous historical fiction fan) says is very readable, sort of like reading the National Enquirer's version of Roman history.

Another of his favorite authors is Thomas Costain, though I haven't yet attempted any of Costain's work.

Some of my favorites have already been mentioned, but I will give them another plug, because they are just so fantastic: The Killer Angels (which we had to read in 8th grade, and all ADORED, ultimately demanding a trip to Gettysburg), Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell (which is delightful for its wonderfully discursive form as well as its characters; it is like a marvelous encyclopedia that you never want to end), and Fingersmith (absolutely gripping).

I also wanted to recommend something else which I believe hasn't been mentioned yet, the Regeneration trilogy by Pat Barker (Regeneration, The Eye in the Door, and The Ghost Road). These books follow some of the famous poets of WWI (Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon) through their time in a military psychiatric hospital where they are being treated for shell shock (which in Sassoon's case is a euphemism for dissent) by a famous anthropologist/therapist.

Glad to see Jean Plaidy mentioned above. I love her stuff!

Another great one is Margaret George. Heavy duty reading, but well worth it.

My favourite historical author, or at least the one I derive most pleasure from reading, has to be Ellis Peters for the Brother Cadfael books. Perhaps not entirely serious books, and not as 'historical' as many others, but I think on them often with great fondness. A close second however would be Dorothy Dunnett for the Lymond Chronicles. I have read the first of the Niccolo books, and I am sure it is only a matter of time before I devour the rest.

We're talking about Ellis Peters over in the Historical Mysteries group! If you like that particular period and want something a little more serious, I recommend When Christ and His Saints Slept.

Thank you for the heads-up. I'll head on over. And thanks for the recommendation.

The Josephine trilogy was brillant. I could not put them down. It has inspired all of my Napoleanic book purchases.

Hi all,

(Geraldine Brooks) has written some excellent historical fiction. Have any of you read Year of Wonders or March? I highly recommend them for their well researched portrayal of historical events and wonderful characters and plot. Of course, Brooks is Australian born and now a Pulitzer prize winner!

coffeespoons, I've read both of Year of Wonders and March within the last year or so. Both were good, but I enjoyed the former more.

Hi jbdl,

I agree. I enjoyed Year of Wonders more too. However, I did find that once I was able to put my feminist inclinations to the side and read March as a portrait of a character who is very true to his time - self righteous, missionary, selfish and conceited - I appreciated the historical perspective of the American Cival war.
Year of wonders was extrodinary. I was fascinated to explore the history of Eyam and its self impossed quarantine, both through the book and via my trusty computer/window to the world.

Year of Wonders is one of my favourite reads, although I though the ending was a bit implausible. I didn't quite see it as 'in character'...

Had the wonderful opportunity to visit Eyam last fall. I was in Nottingham for a business trip and extended my stay to go out to Derbyshire where we went to Eyam and saw all the places in the story, including hiking out to the Riley Graves. (The matriarch of this family buried her husband and six children who all died in a matter of days from the plague -- I think it was the Hancock family in the novel.) Whew! What a hike, but worth it for the view.

Don't know if this'll work, but here's a few photos for those interested

The Plague Cottages
http://img.clubphoto.com/xyzzy/3890708/24/480/id10t/pebkac.jpg

Eyam Countryside
http://img.clubphoto.com/xyzzy/3890708/25/480/id10t/pebkac.jpg

Eyam Museum - gotta love the weathervane!
http://img.clubphoto.com/xyzzy/3890708/26/480/id10t/pebkac.jpg

Church
http://img.clubphoto.com/xyzzy/3890708/27/480/id10t/pebkac.jpg

Riley Graves
http://img.clubphoto.com/xyzzy/3890708/29/480/id10t/pebkac.jpg
http://img.clubphoto.com/xyzzy/3890708/30/480/id10t/pebkac.jpg

After reading this book some two years ago, it's been my dream to visit the actual village which served as inspiration for the novel. I was thrilled to be able to make that a reality last year... Even my husband was intrigued by the story and insisted that we visit. Usually I drag him to places like this kicking and screaming. :)

stnylan, I'm a fellow Dorothy Dunnett fan. In fact, after finishing my current book (American Gods), I plan to pick up The Unicorn Hunt and cross that hump of being MORE than half-way through Niccolo. I read Lymond last summer :-)

I also have When Christ and His Saints Slept and Time and Chance on my TBR pile, but I haven't picked them up yet. I've never read Brother Cadfael, but I've heard a lot about him and Matthew Bartholomew. And about Sister Fidelma. There seem to be a lot of those out there. For those who like Tudor era fiction, Dissolution and Dark Fire are really good mysteries set in the era. I hear there is a third one coming out in the US next year, though apparently it's already out in the UK.

Hello!

I love Jean Plaidy, too. I think I read every one of her books I could get my hands on when I was a teenager. Most of them I got out of the public library, but I still have my own copies of The Lady in the Tower and Lucrezia Borgia. I'm glad to see her books are being reprinted.

Sarah Waters is one of my favorite writers. I haven't read The Night Watch yet but Fingersmith is my favorite of hers.

Anyone else here fans of Anya Seton? I loved her book Green Darkness. Katherine is sitting on my bookshelf, as yet unread.

I just finished reading One Thousand White Women which was pretty decent. My favorite HF read this year I think has to be The Thrall's Tale.

Katherine is the only Anya Seton I have read, but it was wonderful. Perfect for reading at the same time as Chaucer, who was the protagonist's brother-in-law!

aarti: I have Dark Fire waiting on my book shelf, though I haven't read any of the others. Glad to hear your recommendation.

I can't believe no-one had mentioned the immortal Flashman yet! Also, is it heresy to say I prefer Horatio Hornblower to Jack Aubrey?

I've been meaning to mention the Arch Cad for for a while sloopjonb, I love the whole basic premise of taking a minor fictional character and running with it, as is the case with Flashman. Similarly Peter Carey does this in Jack Maggs, a terrific book if you haven't read it. Cheers

PS sloopjonb, it is heresy to prefer HH to JA. :)

I must say I am NOT an Anya Seton fan. I read her Katherine and wasn't overly impressed, and couldn't get into Green Darkness at all, either. I think I'm pretty much the only person I know who doesn't enjoy her writing, though. So it's probably just me ;-)

WOW! I can't believe how many people have joined the group! I only created it almost two weeks ago when I first discovered librarything, and was investigating what it was all about. It is already number 5 in the list of groups with the most subscribers. Guess there is a real love of historical fiction amongst us serious booklovers.

My husband has just gifted me lifetime membership! How cool!

Amanda

To answer the original question - what periods and/or places...

I lean towards Medieval/Rennaisance and British Isles. But, I love Edward Rutherfurd's approach - to start with a family (or families) in pre-historic times and follow them, much in the same geographical location, through historical events up to near-present time. Being into genealogy, this approach really floats my boat, letting me imagine my own family tree going back into pre-history, and wondering how they were effected by the sweep of history.

My fav periods are for Britain Tudor/Elizabethan, Medieval and Restoration, and for the French court during the medieval, Catherine de Medici, and Louis XIV.

I also like the family saga approach as mentioned by sergio1.

Amanda

I forgot Eleanor of Aquitaine and her brood!

Amanda

Sandra Gulland wrote one of my favorite trilogies about Josephine Bonaparte. It is a wonderful world to escape into. The titles areThe Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., Tales of Passion and Tales of Woe, The Last Great Dance. I was hooked on historic fiction after these three and Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.

Not sure if this qualifies as old enough to be considered historical fiction but I love the periods after WWI and WWII.

Although this is advertised as a mystery series I loved the Maisie Dobbs books which take place in England after WWI. The author is Jacqueline Winspear.

Ancient Egypt...Anything out of that era, even Wilbur Smith, who I cant otherwise stand. River Godis actually pretty good, Warlock is ok too. Christian Jacq has a bunch of books of uneven quality. There arent that many great ones, out there, but its a fascinating period.

NancyK18,

That encompasses my favorite era two, basicaly anything in the first half of the 20th century but especially the interwar period, and then WWII and the aftermath--this is true both for mysteries and for general fiction.

Hey everyone! My favorite time periods are medieval and Renaissance Europe, plus pretty much anything American history. I have a special fondness for English kings and queens, particulary the War of the Roses and the Tudors. Victorian times are also fun, and I always enjoy a good Regency romance or well-written novel set in the historic American west and starring a strappy young heroine of some sort.

Anyone else here a fan of Sharon Kay Penman? I really like her older books. My favorites are Here Be Dragons and The Sunne in Splendour. I haven't been able to get into her newer mysteries, though.

I like anything that has romance or strong woman characters, and I also have a weakness for "family sagas".

Some other favorite historical fiction authors, in no particular order: Rosalind Laker, John Jakes, Judith Merkle Riley, Ann Rinaldi (great American YA stuff), Ellen Jones, and Gillian Bradshaw.

Speaking of Ellen Jones, has anyone read The Fatal Crown or Beloved Enemy? They were favorites of mine in middle school and I just reordered them from Amazon. I've never met anyone else who's read them.

I love Sharon Kay Penman's work! Her research is into the period and characters is amazing.

As far as Ellen Jones, I picked up The Fatal Crown at a library sale for 50c, and I had been going to order it online! Not read it as yet, but looking forward to reading it as was intrigued by the Stephen and Mathilda stuggle in Penman's While Christ and His Saints Slept, so am interested in comparing them!

Amanda

I've only read one of Sharon Kay Penman's, that was here be Dragons for a group read. And I really enjoyed it, haven't managed to get around to reading more, but she is defo an author I enjoyed and would recommend.

For those of you who loved Year of Wonders you might also like Down the Common. Both of these sure gave me some perspective on what a real hard life would be like. The Thrall's Tale was an eyeopener, too.

Some of my favorite semi-historical reads are The Bull from the Sea and The King Must Die. As these are more based on myth, I'm not sure they qualify, but they are great novels. Renault's The Persian Boy is also fantastic, and does qualify more as historical fiction.

I enjoy Sharon Penman's straight historicals--not so much her mysteries. I've really enjoyed The Seventh Son and Fatal Majesty by Reay Tannahill as well as books by Jean Plaidy, Juliet Dymoke, Brenda Honeyman, and Sandra Gulland. My preferred times/places are medieval and Tudor England, though I've also enjoyed books set during the French Revolution.

So I dropped $94 at Half-Price books yesterday mostly based on recs from this group ($60 on The Complete Monty Python, but that's a topic for another board). Lucked into 3 Penman's on the $1 overstock outside (I'd heard of but never read - very good a couple chapters in), Graves I Claudius (don't know how I missed it), and a few others. I feel that what I've found here (and in other groups) the last week has more than compensated my $25 investment in lifetime membership. Thanks LT.
Regards,
Jasper

I found Fingersmith in the used bookstore today and quickly snatched it up after everyone's recommendations! And I should be getting Affinity in the mail soon, too, so hopefully I like Sarah Waters! Also picked up Push Not the River and Ahab's Wife. Has anyone read those?

I loved Ahab's Wife! It's one of those books that I continually recommend to people, especially those in book clubs, looking for suggestions. I just started a bookring over at BookCrossing.com for a duplicate copy I purchased.

I'll second the rec for Ahab's Wife although I'll admit I didn't like Naslund's follow-up (Four Spirits or whatever it was called). Ahab's Wife is one of those books I could read and read again -- I loved the story and never wanted it to end.

I'll go ahead and add my third for loving Ahab's Wife. Its one of those books that I'll always buy as gifts for others just so they are forced to read an excellent story. *grin*

Oh, yes, any of Mary Renault's novels set in ancient Greece is well worth reading. I always hate finishing them and having to leave the world she creates.

year of wonders is one of my most favorite historical fiction books...I tell everyone about it. I have also enjoyed her older book Nine Parts of Desire and her newest novel March. I am going to find Down the Common today. Thanks for the recomendation.

Nellista, thanks for creating this group! It's the first one I joined, and I'm so happy there are so many other people who appreciate historical fiction the way I do.

aarti, I'm curious what you found missing in Anya Seton's books---what would you recommend that did excite you?

I discovered Anya Seton as a teenager. I've read Katharine two or three times and enjoyed it, but the one that really hooked me was about a woman who married young and regretted it, then her husband died and she remarried a Crusader and nursed him through his last illness, and finally married a third husband with whom she immigrated to America. Anyone recognize it and remember the title?

Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series is great. The mysteries may be short and easy to read, but they're well researched and beautifully written. She also wrote more "serious" work under her real name, Edith Pargeter. The Heaven Tree trilogy is a five-star favorite of mine, and I also liked The Brothers of Gwynedd Quartert, which has some brilliant passages, as well as some that are more like a tedious history textbook.

I love historical fiction, and find myself reading mainly Ancient Rome and the Middle Ages.

For the Middle Ages, The Pillars of the Earth was what got me started on historical fiction, and I still rank it as one of my all-time favorites. Unicorn's Blood was well done. The Daughter of Time is a classic.

For Ancient Rome, I loved Colleen McCullough's Master's of Rome series. I also thought that Quo Vadis was excellent.

For a little more recent history, I thought that Rose was a very good mystery. And although it's not part of the Sharpe series Bernard Cornwell's Redcoat was very good.

I have a few more of my favorites listed in my Amazon Listmania list here:
http://snipurl.com/uzxv

I invite Utah residents or those with an interest in all things Utahn to join me in the Utah Thing group:

http://www.librarything.com/groups/utahthing

I don't remember if it was Pillars of the Earth or something else that got me started on my love of historical fiction... Actually, I think it was. I was in the book store and asking for recommendations from the woman working there. I gotta admit, seeing Ken Follett's name on the spine had me worried, but it was an enjoyable read. I was plesantly surprised. Of course, that lead me to search out non-fiction books about cathedrals throughout England (and then mainland Europe)...

I struggled with Daughter of Time -- while I liked it, I didn't love it. However, I've been on a Richard III kick ever since. (Of course, had a giggle when I was walking the walls of York and came across the teensy Richard III museum.)

That took a while to read all those! Whew!

Anyway, I got started on historical fiction through my friend Philippa Gregory. Actually, she got me back into reading. I am so surprised to not see her mentioned yet! The first was The Other Boleyn Girl then The Queen's Fool. My second favorite has to be Sarah Dunant. Her work on The Birth of Venus really set Italy alight for me and I actually got to go! I was already attatched to Florence and I didn't realize it!

It appears that I need to get to reading Year of Wonders and Fingersmith due to all the recommendations here!

Oh yes, count me as a fan of Philippa Gregory, too! Her Wideacre trilogy is great as well. I think my favorite of hers (so far) is The Other Boleyn Girl, but I'm biased as I have a bit of a fascination with Anne Boleyn.

Argh. Trying this again. I just finished Lawrence Norfolk's Lempriere's Dictionary, and I'm just wondering if anyone has read his later books and what you thought of them. This one was just "alright" in my view, so I'm curious to know if they get better.

Lempriere's Dictionary - ooh, that touchstone ought to work but doesn't.

Dictionary brings it up (click others and search) - it's because of the grave accent. Lemprière's dictionary finds it.

Yeah I tried with the accent and it just said "loading" for about three minutes so I gave up and posted sans touchstone. Glad it worked for you though!

Hi biggestfan! Good to see you here! :)
I've also read and own The Other Boleyn Girl and The Queen's Fool.

I also liked The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. You may want to try The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by robin maxwell...very good.

I've got Lemprière's dictionary here on my shelf, but I haven't read it. I'm disappointed to hear you didn't like it, jdb1, as I was quite looking forward to reading it ... eventually.

Has anyone read Martin Davies' The Conjurer's Bird? I've had that one for a while and haven't cracked it open yet, either.

I liked Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl, but not so much that it really made me want to read her other work, I guess.

I didn't really like Pillars of the Earth. I clearly have taste completely different from everyone else's ;-) I thought Pillars was pretty tedious reading and it didn't really ring true for me, period-wise. Though I don't know much about the historical period overall, I'm pretty sure that it was highly unlikely the daughter of a lord would just be left by herself with her brother, and their very important castle abandoned.

Margad, Anya Seton ... I don't know what it is about her I don't like. In her Katherine, I thought the whole religious portion of the book, when Katherine attempts to come to terms with her sins, was utterly and completely random. And a lot of the language just seemed stilted to me, for some reason. I don't think it was anything in particular, but just the overall feeling of the book I didn't like. I also tried her Green Darkness, but just couldn't get into it, and since then I've just come to terms with the fact that everyone else likes her and there's clearly something wrong with my taste ;-)

No, no, I disliked Pillars of the Earth, too. ^_^ You are not alone.

aarti, there were things that I really liked about Lemprière's dictionary, but something just didn't click for me with it. I think I'll try one of his others just to see.

I did read The Conjurer's Bird when it first came out; it was decent but not earth-shatteringly good.

aarti: I also disliked Pillars of the Earth. I thought the characters and some elements of the plot and setting (including the one you point out) were pretty inaccurate.

Hello, Princess! Love seeing familiar faces!

And BettyJo, I have all of Robin Maxwell's books, but of course haven't read them yet. That tends to be the case with me- I buy much faster than I read!

Hi, everyone! I too love reading most eras of historical fiction: Ancient Roman, Greek, Macedonian, Egyptian, and Babylonian, Dark Ages, Medieval, Renaissance, to about the turn of the 20th century.

As a child, I read The Robe by Lloyd Douglas, Dear and Glorious Physician by Taylor Caldwell, and The Agony and the Ecstacy by Irving Stone & have been hooked ever since. Sharon Kay Penman is a favorite author, esp. her Sunne in Splendour. I also liked Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom and am looking forward to reading the next 2 in the trilogy. I loved Edith Parteger's The Heaven Tree trilogy but couldn't get into Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth. I've read & reread I Claudius and Claudius the God. Did anyone read The Passion of Artimisia by Susan Vreeland or The Egyptologist by Arthur Phillips? Both were really good too. Over the years, I've also enjoyed reading Mary Renault, Mary Stewart, Gore Vidal, and Colleen McCullough. I'm sure there are more, but I don't want to write a novel here. :D

Storeetllr- I have The Passion of Artemisia by Vreeland on the shelf with all the others. I am glad to hear it was good- I tend to like books that involve art!

Also have The Robe and heard several good things about it, but suprise- I haven't read it either!

Has anyone been disappointed in the historical accuracy or lack of research to adequately present with honestly the era an author is writing about? This happened to me with "Aztec" by Gary Jennings. Since then, I have developed a new method for reading historical fiction. I read a non-fiction book about the same era simultaneously with the fictional work. This has helped somewhat to answer questions of historical accuracy as well as filling in areas untold by the fictional work. It might seem tedious; however, it enriches the experience of a period and both books.

Hello biggestfan..I do the same thing but go ahead and read the secret diary of anne...it's good and quick. That is the only book I have by her so let me know the other titles.

a211423 - Sometimes I do, sometimes I am in it just for the story. Recently I read The Thrall's Tale and flipped through one of my history books and read the chapter on Vikings. Lo and behold, much of what Lindbergh wrote was dead on and I felt much better about the things I couldn't identify.

What did you find inaccurate about Aztec?

Just finished The Madonna of Leningrad by Debra Dean. It is a beautiful book on many levels. It will stay with me a long time. Also if any of you liked The Seige by Helen Dunmore then you will like this one. The art descriptions are an added plus.

BettyJo: I am not sure if you were asking for the other titles by Maxwell, or if you were asking for thoughts on them after I have read them. Other titles are:The Queen's Bastard, Virgin: A Prelude to the Throne, Wild Irish, and To the Tower Born. I should be reading 'Tower' soon, and will be sure to express some thoughts.

I really wanted to read 'Leningrad'. So glad to head a good review! I love the art books! You've read The Birth of Venus, haven't you? An all-time favorite!

Hi, biggestfan09 ~ I first read The Robe when I was about 10, and it was wonderful! I reread it every few years for awhile, because it was so good. A couple of years ago, I tried to read it again, but I lost interest early on in the book. Maybe I had just read that book enough times, or maybe it's because there are so many new books out there that I want to read, but it's definitely worth reading once! :)

Hi Bookmarque : ) It wasn't so much inaccuracies; rather, historical information critical to the Aztec civilization that was not adequately explained offering the reader a better understanding and, therefore, sympathy and motivation for the characters. One example was human sacrifice. Children, women and men are brutally sacrificed and the reasons why are either sketchy or non existent. My questions were: If sacrifice was such an important part of their culture, how did it evolve and why? He tells us they used people from outside their tribe, but that's as far as he goes. Cannabalism is another example, and this appears with regularity, but again, no explanations. The part I did like was when the main character loses everything, he goes in search of remains of the cradle of his civilization, and discovers what appears to be a backward tribe. An elder tells a story about people were forced to leave when a woman introduced them to war gods and human sacrifice. As the reader, I was thinking this civilization appears to more "civil" than the main characters who entertained wars and used human sacrifice, accumlated wealth and slaves, and endless bloodshed for nothing. The primitive peopl co-existed within their ecosystem, they did not alter it, rather they lived in harmony which is probably why they were still there. (Sorry this is so long, but I hope I have explained myself a little better here. And I didnt want it all to be negative about "Aztec." ) I love finding historical accuracy such as you did with the Vikings, it makes our reading experience that much more exciting. Galilleo's Daughter was one book that excited me this way. Note: I read "Stolen Continents" and "1491" as my historical non-fiction to explain something about the Aztecs. Also, "Guns, Germs, and Steel" and "Collapse" are good resources for understanding the evolution of civilizations around the world.

a211423 - I gotcha now. It's been over a decade since reading Aztec, so I can't recall whether or not I found it had lack of background or explanation, but I know what you mean. It is frustrating when an author doesn't explain motivations for the things cultures do, especially when they make a big deal of it.

Bookmarque: I have to check out Thralls Tale. I like stories about the Vikings but my knowledge of their civilization is limited. I just ordered several of Lindsey Davis' mystery novels set in ancient Rome, so when I have finished those I will delve into Scandinavia. Keep me posted on any new books you find.

Has anyone read Jane Smiley's book The Greenlanders? Since The Thrall's Tale was one of my favorite reads thus far this year, I'm curious as to how they compare. Thanks!

Hi Cinnamon-Girl: I have not read Greenlanders, but I have read A Thousand Acres and Horse Heaven. I like the way Jane Smiley creates multi-faceted charactors keeping the reader pleasantly unbalanced. After I have read The Thralls Tale and Greenlanders I will post a comment.

So many wonderful recommendations! So many wonderful reads!
I have the Gordianus, or at least part of the series, but in my TBR stack, and I've read First Man in Rome, McCullough and have the rest in the TBR stack. I enjoyed her rendition of Casear, but it didn't gel with what I've read before.
Someone above mentioned The Passion of Artemisia, I've read and loved it, of course it made my blood boil at certain points! Seton is a favorite too. I've read some of Phillipa Gregory, but not all.
One book that is one of my favorites of all time in this genre is Pillar of Iron by Taylor Caldwell. Marcus Cicero's life. Her dialogue is taken from actual letters between Cicero and Caesar, Pompey, his publisher Atticus etc. Just Marvelous!!

Goodness! I'm not sure where to start...I'm a little dizzy from my first day on LibraryThing. It is amazing, to say the least. I have a feeling this might get me into trouble as my "books to read/buy" list is getting longer by the moment.

To answer the original question I'm particularly fond of British historical fiction (any time period) and WWI, the inter-war years, and WWII.

I recently discovered Sharon Kay Penman, and she has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I think that the Sunne in Splendour is my favorite so far, and I want to try some of her historical mysteries. I also recently read and enjoyed Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom and The Pale Horseman.

I have Mary Renault's The King Must Die and The bull From the Sea in my "to be read" pile along with The Game of Kings.

hello 4plus2: How did you catalogue so many books in one day? Yes, I agree being exposed to so many readers and their books makes my reading list longer--and that's the best part!

Welcome 4Plus2, the wwi through wwii era is my favortite, also. Any favorites of that era? I am very fond of the E.M. Delafield Provincial Lady books. I laso like the Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard starting with The Light Years.

I love the French Revolution and also the late 1400's in England. Escpecially if the story involves Richard the III. I love books by Isolde Martyn who writes mostly in these times.

But i also enjoy book's by Baroness Orczy who started me on the whole History thing, Philippa Gregory, Sharon Kay Penman especially The Sunne in Splendour which is about Richard III. Dorothy Dunnett is also a fav.

Aren't Books fantastic?

Hi
I reading Green Darkness by Anya Seton, so far it is very good.
I also read her book Katherine and it was great.

Another favorite author is Philippa Gregory.

So in answer to the question about what Historial period do you like. Mine would be Historical British history.

Cassandra

In regard to Aztec, I couldn't judge its accuracy, but after reading 2 or 3 of Gary Jennings' books, I noticed that he includes violent or exploitive sexual scenes in all his books. It didn't bother me so much in Aztec, because I accepted it as part of the setting. However, after I read similarly lurid scenes in his other books, set in quite different times and places, it seemed like the only significant theme that tied all his books together, and made me disinclined to read any more of them.

Thanks, aarti, for answering my question about your reaction to Anya Seton's Katharine. People's tastes are different, and I'm always curious to know what makes someone like or dislike a book. The Other Boleyn Girl is somewhat similar in style to Katharine, I think, so it's not surprising you are lukewarm about it. I notice you're especially interested in the Georgian and Regency periods, which have a very different flavor from books set in the Middle Ages.

Which of Dorothy Dunnet's novels did you like best? I've only read the one about Macbeth. I loved all the scenes with his wife Groah, but found some parts of the book tedious.

mardad thank you for responsding about Gary Jennings. You gave him more chances than I did. Aztec was enough for me to form an opinion. And I would go further than "lurid." It was depraved without giving any motivation for the actions; therefore, it was definitely exploitive and gratuitous. I realize ancient cultures were not governed by the same morals and beliefs as ours, but if an author is going to give us such explicit detail than he needs blend historical fact and elucidation together with the actions to make the story minimally palpable.

I had read about Dorothy Dunnet's historical novel series the Lymond Chronicles. I started The Game Of Kings, but I did find her writing tedious, and after 100 pages, I set the book aside. Is the novel you are referring to in The House of Nicolo series? I want to give her another try, so I might read the book you are referencing.

House of Niccolo is one of the few historical novels I have ever given up on, despite being a huge fan of the genre. I still have King Hereafter waiting to be read but expect (hope?) to enjoy that more.

John

John: I was hoping Nicolo Rising would be more intriguing. Why did you give up on it? Was it her writing style? In Game of Kings I found the story interesting but plodding with too much detail about one character seemingly at the expense of developing breadth in a captivating story with depth and foreshadowing of future events. ( I apologize to all Dunnet fans. If I am off base or missing something--please let know.) So, for my light summer reading I have five Lindsey Davis mysteries that I found out about here. I have never read mysteries before, but having the setting in ancient Rome is delightful, and PI Falco is witty and charismatic. I loved Cadfael tv mysteries, and I didnt think I would enjoy the genre as well when reading, but I am enjoying Lindsey Davis. I am reading Livy at the same time. Even though Livy is BCE, it's a sound historical base for understanding Roman history.

The Dunnett novel about Macbeth is King Hereafter, and it's a stand-alone novel. I found it well worth reading for the parts that hooked me. She based the novel on the theory that Macbeth was the same person as Thorfinn of Orkney. All the reviewers consider this a daring and highly intriguing idea. Since I had never heard of Thorfinn of Orkney, it wasn't that aspect of the novel that pulled me in. I loved the characterization of Macbeth's wife Groah. Dunnett is very good at characterization, and this is what I like best in her novels. She's also very authentic and detailed in her re-creation of medieval politics, which I suspect is what her most devoted fans relish. While I enjoyed that aspect to a point, it can also make her books, or parts of them, difficult to follow, because one has to keep track of a lot of details to make sense of some of the plot developments.

Hi, a211423 ~ if you are enjoying Lindsay Davis' Falco mysteries, you might also give Steven Saylor's Gordianus the Finder and John Maddox Roberts' SPQR mysteries a try. They are set in Rome during the last days of the Republic, and they similarly have wonderful "detectives" together with fascinating and well-researched insights on life in the ancient Roman world.

My computer has a rough time coping with this message board now that it has so many messages in it. How about continuing the discussion at "Recommendations and Reviews" ?

a211423

It was a number of years ago that I gave up on Niccolo Rising and I can't really remember my reasoning at the time. I think it just didn't grab me and became to much of an effort, but that may been beacuse the historical backdrop wasn't one of my favourites. I still mean to try King Hereafter though as the period is more my thing.

John

Lindsey Davis is okay, but I prefer Steven Saylor as the tone is darker and the characters more meaty.

I've tried one David Wishart, Sejanus, which was okay and which prompted me to get his Ovid and Nero.

For me, though, Colleen McCullough is still the queen of Roman historical fiction, albeit that these are not mysteries, so a slight change of tack in this part of the discussion.

John

Hi Storeetllr: Thank you for the recommendations. I usually don't read mysteries and Lindsey Davis' are the first, but I might give Saylor and Roberts a try.

I would agree that Lindsey Davis' tone is light with humor, which definitely is a departure from strict Roman historical fiction like Colleen McCullough whom I have read and enjoyed on a different level. I will read Sejanus and let you know what I think--or do you think Ovid or Nero were better? Although, I have read most of Ovid's works, I have not read any fiction about him.

I love Lindsey Davis' books. In fact, I just finished One Virgin Too Many last night. I think they're super fun to read. But then, I couldn't get very far in the Masters of Rome series, for whatever reason!

I do focus more on the Georgian and Regency eras, though I am spreading backwards more, I think. I am currently reading Queen of Swords by Judith Tarr. I just finished Hilary Mantel's A Place of Greater Safety, about the French Revolution and it was very, very good!

Regarding Dorothy Dunnett: I agree that she is very difficult reading and sometimes so dense that I must skip a few pages at a time. And I don't think I am nearly as obsessed with her as some of her readership is. But I really enjoy her books! So far, I prefer Niccolo to Lymond, but I still have three books in the Niccolo series to go. I have heard a lot about King Hereafter as well, and have the book, but haven't read it yet. It's very long ;-)
I think Dunnett is great at creating intriguing and exciting male characters, but as far as creating a really likeable female character who lasts for more than a book or two ... she didn't seem to get very good at that, IMHO.

None of my touchstones seem to be working- so this will be a very black post :-)

a211423

I haven't read Ovid or Nero yet, unfortunately.

John

Thanks for the recommendation of "A Conspiracy of Paper". I read you message Wednesday Sept. 6, went to the library that night and I'm half way through it.

Hi kwintesenc,
I have just added my two novels.
if you like British history, you may like my first novel: Matthew and the Highland Rescue, this is set in Scotland, partly in the 11th century.
Please visit my website on www.freewebs.com/sabinemuir/
The second novel is about Mozart.

Hi to the group!

I just wanted to recommend one of favorite (and least known) historical fiction authors - John Biggins.

His protangonist is Ottokar Prohaska, a sailor, submariner, and aviator for the Austrio-Hungarian Empire in WWI and just before....

His 4 books are :

The Emperor's Coloured Coat
A Sailor Austria
The Two-Headed Eagle

and Tomorrow the World (which I couldn't add as a touchstone - so that's why there is no link...)

Sadly, his books didn't sell well, but they are combination Bernard Cornwell, George MacDonald Fraser, with a dose of Joseph Heller's Catch-22 Schadenfreude thrown in for good measure.

McBooks Press (with which I have no affiliation) is reprinting his books in Paperback - the 1st two - The Emperor's Coloured Coat and A Sailor Austria - are in print with The Two-Headed Eagle due out in November.

His last book, Tomorrow the World, was never published in the US, and used hard cover copies are expensive to say the least! McBooks looks to publish it next year in paperback.

You can pick up copies of his book hardcover using www.bookfinder.com.
(Wait until you see the prices for Tomorrow the World.)

Sadly the author stopped writing, due to poor book sales.

Last I'd heard, he was teaching Medical English in Poland.

Perhaps, if we can talk him up, he'll start writing again.

It would be a shame to let this great historical fiction author fade away.

Regardless, if you're looking for a great read from not the typical narrator, John Biggins' books should prove worth your time. (and no, I'm not just saying that...)

Cheers! And Rock On LibraryThing!

I just ordered the first one on your recommendation. If it's good we'll get 'em all.

( This is not about historical fiction, but I hope this group can give me some opinions.) I am a new member and am still entering my books slowly. My question is about how to handle books you have read but do not own, and books you have read and loaned to people and they never returned them. Thank you in advance for any ideas.

This is something of a hot topic on LT with no clear answer. Some people add them and havea tag indicator, others don't. You can read some of the discussion in various threads under the Standing Group "BookTalk", in the group Recommended Site Improvements, and in the old Google Group. There is talk of a new feature at some point to deal with the issue.

I'm definitely a 19c girl. Jane Austen, Patrick O'Brien,
Wilkie Collins, Mrs Gaskell. I've just read 'I, Victoria' by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, which I loved and have now started 'The Last Tsar' by Edvard Radzinsky.
I'm a new member, by the way, so Hi! to everyone. I think I've found my idea of heaven!
Jaysee

I'm currently reading "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield, about the Battle of Thermopyle. I was wondering, has anyone else has read it? What did you think? So far (I'm about three-fourths done), I'm really enjoying it, especially the way the author has written the book, from the perspective of a dying Spartite soldier, telling the story of the battle and the events leading up to it to the conquering Persian emperor.

I'm kinda trying to re-ignite my historical fiction habit, and was wondering if anyone has some reccomendations. Previous favourites have been James Clavell (Shogun, Tai-Pan), Patrick O'Brian (Master and Commander), Robert Graves (I, Caludius, etc.).

I loved Gates of Fire. After reading it, I felt I owed a debt to those brave men for thier sacrifice, but even more for my way of life. Someday I hope to stand before the monument in Greece and pay my respects in person. That kind of bravery doesn't come to us often.

Catharsis

If you like weighty ancient world historicla fiction, Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series is hard to beat. Allan Massie's series on Caesar, Antony and so on is also worth reading. If you are into wodunnits/mysteries, I recommend Steven Saylor in particular.

John

I don't generally read military books, but I thought Gates of Fire was absolutely amazing. I ran out and got more Pressfield books immediately upon finishing this book last week. Next up, Tides of War, then Last of the Amazons.

Gates of Fire was great. I cant vouch for it's accurateness in describing Spartan society or the event leading to the battle, but as far as pure reading pleasure goes it's one of the best.

Hello bibliophiles, I am new to site. My favorite period of historical fiction is 18 and 19th century French, particularly around Napoleonic period. My favorite book, and in my opinion possibly the best ever written, is Les Miserables by Hugo, with The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas in second. Also Hugo's The Toilers of the sea would fall between the first two mentioned. I am also a sucker for historical romance stories, like the three mentioned above. Also I collect anything written by Hugo. Any other Hugoists?

Gates of Fire and Tides of War are fantastic books.

As an Audio bibliophile as well, I'd suggest tracking down and listening to the recorded versions as well.

Derek Jacobi, of Brother Cadfael fame and million other things besides, is the narrator.

It's performance art, and not merely a book on tape.

Thanks for that, mbahawk. I'm going to look for those! I, Claudius is a big favorite of mine, I think Derek Jacobi's voice would be uniquely suited to these readings!

The BBC production of I, Claudius was and remains an amazing television program some 30 years later.

I hope that you've read the books as well, I, Claudius and Claudius the God.

The only book I enjoyed by Dorothy Dunnett was King Hereafter, which I thought was a masterpiece.

I also enjoyed The Bone Pedlar, The Pendragon Banner and Gleemaiden. Have any of you read these?

My other favourite author is Judith Merkle Riley. I especially loved A Vision of Light and In Pursuit of the Green Lion. I only wish that the third in this series was available in English. Although I read German, I would prefer to read it in its original English.

Historical fiction is my first love. I like the medieval period, and ancient history in particular.

I loved Aztec by Gary Jennings. It was extensively researched, and accurate at the time (there may have been changes since its writing). It was not exploitive, or excessively violent, but portrayed how their culture worked. It certainly presented their actions as driven by their religion, which nobody in the field denies. There is no 'other side' to human sacrifice, and cannibalism. Because the work is fiction there are parts that have to be imagined. I would call the inclusion of sex and violence to be normal and not lurid.

There is something called Revisionism, which attempts to change the past because modern people find it uncomfortable. The story was told from their POV and didn't take any viewpoint about right or wrong. There are 2 others in the series (Aztec Autumn and Aztec Blood), the last published and finished posthumously. Those books look at the damage the Spanish did, so he also doesn't portray them as being in need of Spanish civilization. Rather horribly, there is another that has recently been published in the series Aztec Rage written by 2 others. Oddly, Booklist in their summary doesn't seem to realize that he is dead. That one I will forgo. I have also read his book Raptor about a wandering Goth, which was very interesting.

I also love Colleen McCullough's Masters' of Rome series, and Mary Renault's books set in ancient Greece. Robert Graves is also great (agree about the TV series) , and so is Anya Seton. and Sharon Kay Penman. I love the ancient Egyptian books of Pauline Gedge, and the Celtic books of Morgan Llywelyn.

Others: Gillian Bradshaw, James Clavell, M.M. Kaye, Ann Chamberlin, Cecelia Holland, Tom Holt, Margaret George, Stephan Grundy, John Masters, Diana Gabaldon, Robin Maxwell, Edith Pargeter, Iain Pears, Dov Silverman, Sigrid Undset, Mika Waltari

Anne Rice has 2 that are good A Cry to Heaven and The Feast of All Saints. Georgette Heyer has a wonderful book about William the Conqueror, The Conqueror. Naguib Mahfouz has 3 books set in ancient Egypt, Paul Scott and The Raj Quartet, Wilbur Smith has about 4 books that deal with ancient history, Duncan Sprott has 2 books out in a proposed quartet, set in Egypt.Gore Vidal has 2 set in ancient Greece, Norman Mailer has one in ancient Egypt: Ancient Evenings, Allen Drury has a double set in Ancient Egypt about Akhenaten, A God Against the Gods/Return to Thebes,

Historical Mysteries:

Lindsey Davis, Lynda Robinson, Barbara Hambly, Steven Saylor, John Maddox Roberts, Sharan Newman, Lauren Haney, Albert Noyer, I.J. Parker, P.C. Doherty also known as Paul Doherty, Laura Joh Rowland, Peter Tremayne.

I read the mysteries more for the historical setting than the actual mystery.

I don't know why the editor doesn't always work right. It gets spastic, the text seems to disappear. The touchstones don't always hold the books or authors you pick when you have to click on 'others', and then it will go off and say loading ... and nothing happens. It added Raptor Red, and Hellboy from my post, when I actually chose other books. Oh well.

There are also several historical fiction books written in other languages and translated into English:

Christian Jacq, Valerio Massimo Manfredi,
A.B. Daniel.

Some enjoy them and some don't -- I think it is more a function of the translation than the writer.

I have the Nicolo series to read by Dorothy Dunnett

Tom Holt is good. I read only Alexander at World's End and the book was very different from what I expected it to be. A very refreshing style.

a211423

I have now read Nero by David Wishart. It was not a mystery, but a straight and very good historical novel, by turns funny and horrible. I certainly recommend it.

ficusfan,
Is it possible you mistyped the title of Raptor Red? I found the title Raptor in one of your posts but nothing else except the touchstone on the right side of the page and your reference saying that the touchstones weren't working properly. I've noticed the touchstone feature is very picky about capitalization in some cases and not in others. It depends on what is in the catalog. It appears that it gets the touchstones from the communal LT collection first, because I was adding the book list for the Giller prize long list and there were lots of books that it just couldn't give me touchstones for. So I went to Amazon and LofC and they were listed in either/both of those so as a workaround, I added them to my personal library tagged as "want to buy" (which I hadn't planned to do - I wanted my library to be just books that I own or had owned and read) Once I did that, the touchstones worked on some, but still not on others. It's very flakey and I'm sure there are some major issues in searching such a large number of huge databases from inside an editor. I was, and my son in law still is a programmer and I know how complex some of these seemingly simple features can be and the more layers of programs they are inside, the harder it is to get them to work properly on external databases. I'm guessing that sometimes the search just times out before the book is found and it reports it as not found.

Ficus Fan
I respect your opinion about Gary Jennings, but I did find his writing exploitive in some areas. Please know I say exploitive because he didn't give me enough information to be able to connect the characters' actions with some kind of motivation or historical basis. Alas, we are all different in our tastes in books; therefore, I am glad this venue gives us a chance to see the differences but also our similarities. I do take exception to your statement there is no "other side" to cannibalism. I had my questions about this answered in Jared Diamond's books Guns, Germs, and Steel and Collapse. There are anthropological reasons for some civilizations resorting to cannibalism that are not derived from religion. They might use religion as a framework for the the practices, but minimal survival in lands bereft of adequate protein was a driving force as well.
Thank you for your post and discussing this topic further.

John257
Thank you for the recommendation. Nero was a pathetic man, so funny and horrible is appropriate. ( I need fininsh these Lindsey Davis books before I buy anymore) I will let you know how I like it.
( I wrote this post about 15 mins ago, but it didnt show up, so if it appears more than once--something is wrong with this page.)

berthirsch, if you've enjoyed The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon by Richard Zimler (which is still in my TBR pile), I recommend you read Hunting Midnight by the same author. I just finished reading it and it was a great surprise, I'll certainly want to read more by Richard Zimler.

To John257 re Message 163 ~ Thanks for the recommendation. I haven't read David Wishart before and thought I'd start with one of his earlier books. What did you think of Germanicus, if you've happened to read it?

Cinnamon-girl wrote:
Katherine is sitting on my bookshelf, as yet unread.

Pull it down and read it! By far her best book, IMO.

I couldn't agree more about Katherine. It is one of my favourite books and has been re-read so many times that I had to buy another copy. I do not care for the rest of her books though. My other favourite authers are Mary Renault and Colleen McCullough as I love ancient history ( Medieval comes second).

Hi! I picked up Germanicus from the library yesterday and just began it this morning. I'm not sure about it ~ David Wishart's characters from ancient Rome use modern slang in a way that seems a bit jarring to me, but otherwise I like it so far. Has anyone read any of Wishart's ancient Roman mysteries? If so, what did you think of them?

I also got the latest SPQR novel by John Maddox Roberts, SPQR X: A Point of Law, which I've been eagerly awaiting for a month, so I'm also reading that. So far, I'm liking it a lot.

(edited for clarity)

storeelltr

I have read David Wishart's Sejanus (a mystery) and Nero (a straight historical novel). The sleuth and other characters in the former made no great impression on me. I prefer straight historical novels generally anyway and reading about Nero is always horrible and fascinating at the same time. I have Germanicus and Ovid waiting to be read.

For Roman mysteries, I much prefer Steven Saylor.

John

Hi, John ~ Yes, I've read all of Saylor's stuff and enjoyed them a lot. I also enjoyed Germanicus, though not quite as much as Saylor's, Lindsay Davis', and John Maddox Roberts' Roman mystery series. Have you read A Course of Honor by Davis? It's straight history ~ no mystery ~ about the life of Vespasian's mistress. It was pretty good, though I don't know enough about that period of Roman history to know if it's historically accurate, although Davis does a pretty good job with historical details in her Falco mysteries.

Storeetllr

No, I haven't read that, I didn't know she had written any non-whodunnits. I will give it a whirl.

John

john
I just finished Saylor's Rubicon. What a difference from Lindsey Davis. I much prefer Saylor's more formal political approach versus Davis' casual, familiar style of writing. I hope to read more of Saylor. I just started Germanicus and was hopeful it was like Saylor, but he seems to lean toward the chatty dialogue like Davis which to me is not a true representation of Latin speakers. I will finish Germanicus but I dont think I am going to like him as much as Saylor. Thank you for recommending him.

Rubicon is one of the later books in Saylor's Gordianus series. Chronologically, they start off in 80BC with Roman Blood, so you may want to read that next.

John

Thank you John. Yes, I was looking to see when the first one was written. I was doing a little searching about Roman History and found a website where people ask questions and classical scholars would answer. One of the questions was recommendations for books on Roman history aside from the most popular. Two were recommended, and I am going to see if I can find them for a reasonable price. The first one is "History of Rome." This was written in 1904 by Greenridge, not the one by Livy. The second one which was highly recommended is "Classical World" by Robin Lane Fox. Apparently these tomes are wonderful in detail and thoroughness, but will take a while to read and digest the amount of information.

Hello everyone...My first historical fiction book was Gone with the Wind, which I read for the first time 10 years ago, and have re-read many times since. That being said, I didn't find myself itching to find out more about the time period in that book as I did after I read The Other Boleyn Girl. After I read the rest of Philippa Gregory's books about the Tudor queens, I kept seeing Anya Seton's Katherine recommended by other historical fiction fans on Amazon.com. I think this book is a must read for any fans of English history and the monarchy, as the two main characters in the book- Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt- are the ancestors to many of the characters that we meet in the books of Gregory, Robin Maxwell, etc. I found myself needing to consult a family tree to keep all the Dukes and Ladies straight!
(To answer the question, I am most enthusiastic about Tudor England, though I am always exploring- just read Helen of Troy by Margaret George so I might be searching for some more on Ancient Greece, who knows.)

Am reading The Innocent by Posie Graeme-Evans which is set in the middle ages. She seems to have done a lot of research as it is quite accurate. The characters just come alive when you read it.
It's quite nice to " loose yourself " in a book like this. I just have to remember to come back to reality sometimes.

Mishelle wrote: Am reading The Innocent by Posie Graeme-Evans

Now I didn't much care for this book, I slogged through it to finish it and went "eh?" at the end. However, I picked up the second in this trilogy (The Exiled) and liked it much better. I am anxiously awaiting a copy of the final book (The Uncrowned Queen or The Beloved depending on which country you're in) to show up on BookMooch or Paperbackswap. I'm anxious to finish Anne's tale!

John: I don't care for David Wishart. The dialogue was contrived and begging to be modern, which put me off from his writing. I can't buy anymore books right now, so I have wait to buy more of Stephen Saylor whom I liked very much. I had a book called Skystone by Jack Whyte, and its going to have to due for now and the Lindsey Davis books. Have you heard of the Roman History Reading Group on Yahoo? I found it a few days ago and am considering joining. They have a well rounded reading list with times for discussion, and even author's visits to the reading group. They are reading Gibbon interspersed with novels and Roman authors. I like the idea of mixing Roman fiction with non-fiction which is what I have been attempting to do on my own to give breadth and scope to my reading.

Warbrideslass, No I didn't type Rapter Red by mistake, the Rapter in my post was the title of a book (by Gary Jennings). At one point the touchstones allowed me to select Rapter, but when I added other books to the post it seemed to lose the hold on that book, and became Rapter Red, just as something else that was once correct became Hellboy - not sure which book it is trying to match that with.

I also program and understand that behind the scenes items can be more complex than they seem. But there are problems with this editor and the touchstones, which are not minor functions, and if they say its a better form than the message board - they should fix it.

I am now reading Year of the Hyenas by Brad Geagley which is a mystery set in ancient Egypt at the time of Ramses III. I am just a short way into it, so far and it is interesting.

I found it by accident when browsing on Amazon. It was published in 2005 and there is a second book by him called Day of the False King also a mystery, but set in Babylon.

I thought I would read one and see if I liked him before ordering the other. For some reason neither book is available in paper. I hate hardcovers, but I broke down and bought this one, and will probably order the 2nd too.

I read Day of the False King and liked it, though it took awhile for me to "get into it." After about the first third, though, it got much better.

My favorite novel as a girl was Constance: A Story of Early Plymouth by Patricia Clapp. Since then, I've been seeking historical fiction wherever I can find it.

I'm pretty surprised that no one has mentioned Cold Mountain yet. Perhaps it's not cool to like it anymore since it's so commercial now, but I thought it was a beautifully written book. I recently finished Enemy Women, which was quite similar.

I'm also surprised that no one has yet mentioned The Crimson Petal and the White, which was a fantasic, sweeping novel of the late 19th century.

British history, anything from William the Conqueror through Victoria.

French history, anything from Eleanor of Aquitaine through Marie Antoinette.

European history, anything that involves the medieval/Renaissance period, or scandal or hot gossip (like, say, Harriette Wilson's Memoirs. Not the Lesley Blanch, but the actual book Harriette wrote.

Also anything about courtesans, for some reason.

Oh yeah, and the Flashman series truly rocks.

MFB, I just finished The Crimson Petal and the White! I really liked it.

I'm new to LibraryThing, so I'm not sure how to send private messages . . . do you know how? I have a question about TCPATW.

Also I forgot to mention the David Liss works, and Iain Pears' An Instance of the Fingerpost.

Xenalyte, go to the profile page of the person you want to contact. You can leave a private comment there if you designate that it is private. (Check box, bottom right of comment field.)

Thank you much! I'll give it a try!

OK, I can't resist passing this note on regarding the erroneous link from Raptor to Raptor Red above. I heard an author claim that "Raptor Red" was really a regency romance...just with dinosaurs!

I second the Zimmler recommendation. A nice companion to his Hunting Midnight is The Coffee Trader by David Liss. Same time period and some tie-ins to Portugal (although set primarily in the Netherlands). And if you are looking for historic adventure á la Dumas, try Jean Christophe Rufin's novels The Abyssinian or Brazil Red.

Ohmigosh, I could *not* stand The Crimson Petal and the White. I got halfway through and then had to put it down. I thought it was really dull, myself. Which surprised me as it sounded right up my alley!

But that's what happens when I go Victorian era, I guess, since I am a fan of the eras directly preceding it.

I loved The Crimson Petal and the White. I absolutely couldn't put it down, which just goes to show the way readers and novels interact -- I suppose even readers who love the same book (or hate it) may have very different reasons for loving (or hating) it.

Faber did an interesting thing with the beginning of that book, which was to speak directly to the reader and draw the setting for a page or two before introducing us to any characters. It was a nervy choice which could have flopped miserably, but it worked -- at least for me.

Another book I don't recall anyone recommending is Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue.

I have to say, I think prostitutes are overglamorized in literature (more so in film than in books), but Donoghue doesn't overglamorize her protagonist -- just draws her with such sympathetic depth and detail that I felt I was practically inside her skin while I was reading.

margad wrote: Faber did an interesting thing with the beginning of that book, which was to speak directly to the reader and draw the setting for a page or two before introducing us to any characters. It was a nervy choice which could have flopped miserably, but it worked -- at least for me.

Aha! That was the one thing that annoyed me most about that book! I read it through, but the "you are following..." narration really bugged me, especially when it changed later in the book. Glad it worked for you though! (I think you're one of the first people I know who read it and said that about it!)

aarti - Im glad Im not the only one who disliked The Crimson Petal and the White. So many people liked it, I was beginning to think I was the only one! I was disappointed that it wasnt better, the premise of the book was interesting.

I also didn't enjoy the narrative at the beginning of Crimson Petal and the White. For me- it *did* fail miserably! LOL. And seemed totally in contrast with the rest of the book. I think I just thought all the characters in the book were thoroughly annoying, and so I didn't care much about the wife's beautiful voice or the prostitute's scaly hands or the husband's somewhat rotund figure. Or about anyone at all, really. They all bored me to tears. Go figure . I agree- it would be interesting to see how people read the same passages differently, and how that affects their enjoyment of reading.

I also really enjoyed Slammerkin. I really liked Emma Donoghue's other novel, Life Mask as well. It takes place in the Georgian era, like Slammerkin, and that is my favorite historical era, so I felt right at home! I hope Donoghue has more novels in that setting in the works. I like how she takes tiny asides in history and then composes entire novels out of those gossip-y columns.

Haven't read any Chadwick (yet! I have 'Conquest' in my bookshelves) but I can recommend a couple of other books about William Marshall. Juliet Dymokes's "Pride of Kings" is a statndout. I have another called 'Kings Champion' but can't remember the authors's name. I did enjoy it when I read it years ago.

Cheers

Is that Champion by L. Christian Balling?

Boswell Baxter wrote

"Is that Champion by L. Christian Balling?"

That rings a bell. I will try to remember to check tonight. It rolled Marshall's time in the Holy Land (skipped over by Juliet Dymoke ) in with some of Templar Grand master Gerard DeRidfort's worst excesses.

cheers

I'm quite enjoying The Meaning of Night; A Confession by Michael Cox. It is chock full of historical tidbits and references, many of which are handily highlighted & explained in the text in hundreds of footnotes.

Hello from a newbie here...

I am a Scottish author, with five novels published in the States and three more coming in 2007/8, all in the independent fantasy and horror press, all set in different historical time periods in Scotttish History.

The Watchers Series is my retelling of the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion in Britain. Bonnie Prince Charlie, and all his highland army, are Vampires and are heading south to claim the British throne. The "Watchers" of the title are the guards of the old Roman wall built by Hadrian, now reinforced to keep the vamps out. It is constantly patrolled by officers of the Watch, two of whom become the main protagonists of the series.

I got the idea on a walk along what is left of the wall, and by the time I'd had finished my walk and had a few beers the first part of the trilogy was fully formed in my head. Think "ZULU" or "Last of the Mohicans" with vamps and you'll get a feel of what it's all about.

Watchers: The Coming of the King
Watchers: The Battle for the Throne
Watchers: Culloden!

Boswell Baxter -

the book I have King's Champion is credited to Christian Ballen but inside the book it says he also writes as L. Christian Balling

Cheers

Thanks! The copy I have has the "L. Christian Balling" name on it.

Bookmarque, The Meaning of Night: A Confession has been on my wishlist for a while. Glad to know you enjoyed it! I think there are a lot of quasi-gothic Victorian novels being written now.

williemeikle

I just ordered your 3 Watchers books from my local Borders. Sounds interesting, vamps and history.

Ficusfan, I knew you wouldn't be able to resist the vampires....

Ficusfan

Hope you enjoy them.... remember to come back and give me some feedback....

And if you'd like a signed bookplate to stick inside, drop me a line at willie.meikle@btinternet.com with your mail address and I'll send 3 on to you....

Willie

Ava,

Too true, I am a sucker for vampires ... ha, ha, ha - bad pun.

Willie,

Thank you , I will report back. I will keep your signed bookplate offer in mind.

I love reading about ancient religion and the Middle Ages. I have gone back to college so I can receive a Masters in History, Humanities or comparative religion. I am still not sure which or why I can't teach all three LOL I have books shelves devoted to all three subjects. Right now my favorite non-fiction author isKaren Armstrong.
I am reading two books right now on the Middle Ages. One is a general book on the subject the other is about life in a Medieval City.

I'm a new member, and this long thread has been interesting. Here's my two cents on some of it:

I liked Anya Seton very much as a teenager, but now, at 62, I find she lacks staying power for me.

The historical novel that has never failed for me (and hasn't yet been mentioned) is Sigrid Undset's Nobel Prize winner, Kristin Lavransdatter. The old translation (Archer) put many, many people off, but the new one (Nunnally) is very accessible and, apparently much truer to the originial Norwegian. A powerful book.

I also recommend all the historical works by Bryher, mostly written in the 1950s and 60s. Short, spare and always ringing true.

For those who like prehistory, try Reindeer Moon by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, an anthropologist. She knows the world of hunters and gatherers intimately. Forget that Clan of the Cave Bear garbage. This is the real thing.

How about the revisionist history of Isabel, ("She-wolf of France) wife of Edward ll ?
Read anything? Have opinions on the subject?

Re: Dorothy Dunnett---Plodded thru the Lymond and Nicolo books---very informative as to background history, but otherwise ultimately repetitious and the protaginists are "supermen who never learn.
On the other hand, if she had never written anything but "King Hereafter" she would still have earned a place as one of the best historical novelists ever! I read it twice so far.

I'm not sure I am using this site correctly and you will receive this message, but I agree with you.

To LeeBlack re: message 210: Do you have any particular book about Isabella in mind?

Hi,
I've read several, one that incorporates her in its text is an oldie "the Iron King" by Druon. It sensationalizes her and I happen to believe she was much more than an emotional nitwit.
The term "She Wolf" is useful to some entrepreneur who has evidently made a horror show of her and implies her only claim to historical notice is that so-called torture and murder of her husband.
Puhleeze!
If you are also interested in this woman, let me know.

Margad,
Waaay back up the line (#40) you mentioned that McCullough over simplified Julius Casear...that is exactly my take on her books. I like her writing...to a point, but when I got to Casear...I just was so surprised...he was such a layered, complex guy that I couldn't finish her books I was so irritated.
/sigh/ I should go back and finish I know. I hate to have unfinished books lying about.

Some above mentioned I, Claudius and Claudius the God...two of my favorites.

I don't know if James Michener would really fit in this thread, but I feel he does, some of his books...Hawaii, Centennial, tell such detailed histories of specific areas of the world.

Cateline, Margad,

my take on McCullough was more that she took Julius Ceasar's own writings at face value. His commentaries were self aggrandizment for the furthering of his political career - and should be judged as such.

In her books it is no more apparrent than when Pompey has Ceasar beseiged and seems to be saying - "I have him surrounded, cut off and starving - he has me right where he wants me, we have to withdraw"

Still - I loved her books, particularly the earlier ones except where she skips over the Mithradatic wars. Its a far better treatment of the topic than Conn Iggulden. If you get the chance to read his four novels on Julius Ceasar - pass it up.

Cheers

I'm a big fan of Simon Scarrow - his Eagles series, beginning during the 43AD Roman invasion of Britain and charting the lives of two legionaries as they are posted all over the Roman Empire, are magnificent. He's also started a new series set during the Napoleonic era, but I've not started those just yet.

I also enjoy fiction set during Tudor and Elizabethan England, so I've enjoyed several novels by Philippa Gregory.

More recently, I've started reading books set during WWII as well, which is an era that previously never interested me, but having read several very good novels (by the likes of David Baddiel and Sandi Toksvig to name but two), I'm starting to widen my field a little.

Kell,
have you seen on the WWII section of the historical fiction we have compiled a list of recommended books by members on the list. Each time a member mentioned a WWII book, it got added to the list and I did research to make sure we had all the details such as full authors name, correct title etc. as people sometimes just give an approximate name and title. If you want a copy just post the request and I'll send you a copy asap. It's a great list and I"m about half way through it now. There have been some real gems in there.

# 218 warbrideslass - Yes, thanks, I've been having a look and getting all caught up. Such a wealth of recommendations on here! I'll never get through all the ones I like the look of - LOL!

#68 sloopnjob, it's not heresy! I, too, prefer Horatio Hornblower to Jack Aubrey.

Nobody's mentioned Louis L'Amour yet. In addition to the rare historical fiction he wrote (The Walking Drum), if you look over his Westerns, you can follow a few families he revisits time and time again (e.g., The Sacketts).

So Selkins - did Louis L'Amour ever write any follow ups to The Walking Drum

I remember buying a copy up in Noosa Heads (Queensland) way back in the 80s to read on the coach back to Canberra.

It certainly hinted that there would be future adventures but I never saw another.

For Roman Era adventure I have to reccomend Simon Scarrow and his Eagle series. He also writes some Napoleonic stories.

cheers

Alas Macbeth, he did not. Declining health, perhaps.

I'll add the first Simon Scarrow, Under the Eagle to my list of books to buy (since the library doesn't have a copy).

If you like Roman Era military adventure, I highly recommend Gillian Bradshaw's Island of Ghosts (about Sarmatians sent to Britain).

If you're willing to stretch to alternate history, I enjoyed Eric Flint and David Drake's Belisarius series -- the first is An Oblique Approach

This spring, I read an Ellis Peters novel about a group of people who stand to inherit the possessions of a rich woman. They end up on an airplane which crash lands in a mountainous area, maybe Switzerland. The hero is a piano player, the heroine an administrative assistant to the deceased. Other characters include an opera singer and the pianist's controlling mother.

I forgot the name of the book. Does anybody know the title?

The only books i have read of the Napoleonic period are those of Naomi Novik "Temeraire" series which visualises a Napoleonic war fought out not only on land and sea as per history, but also in the air with dragons.

I do not have a favourite period. I enjoy Ireland in the 5th century with Sister Fidelma, Vespasian Rome with Marcus Falco, Egypt with "Rameses" by Christian Jacq.

Wow! Great discussion. I just skimmed all 224 posts. ("Thank you!" to aarti, bettyjo, sarahjanesandra.)

I've read some fantastic historical fiction this year. I'll list just a few:

The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea;

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen;

Imposture by Benjamin Markovits;

Coal Black Horse by Robert Olmstead.

Awesome, IMO, every single one.

No time no time, it's nearly midnight here and I have work tomorrow, but this looks like my sort of discussion, favourite author has got to be Patrick O'Brian, also Bernard Cornwell, I love the whole Napoleonic era. Just discovered Simon Scarrows books about Napoleon and Wellington, set in a different era I've just read C J Sansom's Tudor books with great pleasure,
Deni

I started into reading historical fiction with Conn Iggulden and his emperor series. I was hooked immediately. I really loved the characters of Gaius Marius and Sulla. I have since started reading Colleen McCullough and am currently on The Grass Crown. After the shock on realising that Conn's series is actually not that accurate, i'm beginning to enjoy Marius and Sulla even more and would love to see something on tv centred on these two characters. Maybe HBO would be good enough to resurrect it's Rome series starting in this time period?
Anyway, if anyone knows anymore books with these two men in them, please let me know

I am so glad to have found this group, I'm always on the look-out for new historical fiction!

Most recently have read The Pillars of the Earth which I loved, and have now bought his sequel to it, World Without End which I am looking forward to as well. I will admit to being dubious about some of the 'accuracy' within it but found the story so fascinating that I couldn't put it down. Its a kind of 'soap opera' version of historical fiction.......but then, isn't that what all historical fiction is as opposed to reading non-fiction about the era?

Still one of my favourites has to The Other Boleyn Girl, my copy is very battered! I have read all of Philippa Gregory's other books but find myself sometimes not enjoying her most recent writing style......The Other Boleyn Girl was, for me, her best.

This year have also read:

River God which I gulped down, and its sequels The Seventh Scroll (ok) and Warlock (I found myself getting bored at that point)

The Clan of the Cave Bear - initially enjoyed but didn't finish it

Outlander which I LOVED. Also read up to date with the series but haven't enjoyed them as much since Claire and Jamie went to America.

Two young adult books that I continue to go back to in adulthood are

Johnny Tremain which is about the american revolution and that I started reading when I was 13 and in America.......brilliant book, very evocative

and

The Green Bronze Mirror - fantastic book written by a teenager about a girl who goes back to Roman times and ends up a slave......hard to get hold of I believe but I can re-read it again and again.

I'm sure I'll come back to this thread with more historical fiction!!!

Oh........and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - I never think of it as historical fiction but it definitely is, and it is possibly my favourite book ever!!

This thread did go dormant for a while, but I'm still reading historical fiction on and off. Right now I'm just into The Given Day by Dennis Lehane. I get the feeling from the story so far that this was a labor of love for Lehane and meticulously researched.

Recently I read the latest in Colleen McCullough's series Antony and Cleopatra. The series is still going strong, but the tone changed quite a bit in this one. Enjoyable, but less battle/specs focused than previous novels.

Liked Pillars of the Earth very much, but could not finish World Without End due to the fact that he really put the hammer down on this one and it was too depressing.

To PDeebs, I have read The Black Flower and it is lovely -- Bahr's prose I believe surpasses Faulkner's, to whom he has been compared. His subsequent books -- The Year of Jubilo and The Judas Field I also enjoyed mightily.
I have recently been interested in British "Dark Ages" fiction (5th and 6th centuries) dealing with the warrior or "King" Arthur. I am about to begin The Eagles' Brood by Jack Whyte. I would like to read more historically based Arthurian fiction.
Several years ago I read Francine River's "Mark of the Lion" trilogy and enjoyed it very much. These three books -- A Voice in the Wind, An Echo in the Darkness, and As Sure as the Dawn -- are set in ancient Rome.

To BriarRose 72 - you will enjoy Jack Whyte's Eagles Brood, but read The Singing Sword first. It is the first book in the series. I loved the whole series and it gives a different perspective on the Authur story.

For all of you fans of historical fiction, consider attending the bi-annual meeting of The Historical Novel Society, in June of 2009 in Schaumburg, IL. It's a great opportunity to mingle with published authors, wannabes, agents and publishers. At the 2007 meeting I had the privledge of serving on a panel with Bernard Cornwell and meeting and chatting with Diana Gabaldon. It's a very welcoming organization and you will meet some fascinating people.

Douglas W Jacobson
Author,
Night of Flames

Oh, Douglas, how can you come in here, tell me about a meeting I would love to go to that is probably less than 10 miles from my house, in a month that is going to make it almost impossible to attend? By any chance is the meeting always in Schaumburg, or does it travel?

Devourer,
I'm sorry you won't be able to attend, its a great time. The meeting is held every year. On alternate years it is held in the UK and USA. The 2007 meeting in the USA was in Albany, NY. You could also consider joiningh the society. They have fantastic publications and a quarterly Historical Novels Review.
Doug

Greetings to lovers of historical fiction. I'm currently participating in the Library Thing "Author Chat" and it would be great to chat with any of you about my experiences in writing Night of Flames. I've been a lover of historical fiction for many years and "Flames" is my debut novel, set in Europe in WW2.

Douglas W Jacobson
http://douglaswjacobson.blogspot.com

I read When Christ and His Saints Slept many years ago. I remembered I liked it a lot. I'll have to read it again. Thanks for helping me remember.

Have to agree with the other comments and say that I really enjoyed Geraldine Brooks book Year of Wonders too. My ancestors came from Middleton by Wirksworth not far from Eyam in Derbyshire England, where for centuries they were lead miners. This story was a perfect balance between fiction and fact the author getting a blend of fact and fiction which held me enthralled. I read this novel in two days - a record for me! I don't though feel that the end was implausible, rather I think that the central character had been developed towards such an end. Don't let this put you off - it is a great book from cove to cover.

I have just come upon this group - which I hope will help me to find more wonderful histroical novels to read. Although I don't just read historical novels, I have recently been enjoying some Philippa Gregory, and an Alison Weir novel. I have some Jean Plaidy novels on my to be read mountain too. In the past I have enjoyed such things as Pillars of the Earth, The Crimson Petal and the White, Years of Wonder, and Knowledge of Angels, and look forward to discovering new authors. I am fascinated by the Tudors - and I am currently enjoying The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory.

Please note that this book The Green Bronze Mirror by Lynne Ellison is being reprinted and may be pre-ordered from http://www.cnposnerbooks.co.uk

I just picked up Mistress of the Sun--also by Gulland--have you had a chance to read that one yet?

I noticed in the bookstore that Georgette Heyer's delightful books are being reissued. I've read most of them..."Cotillion" is one of my favorites, particularly for its wonderfully against-type hero, Freddy.

I also have read and very much enjoyed Colleen McCullough's series about Rome. What a researcher that lady is, and what fully fleshed characters she creates from her research! I found it all fascinating, but I was a bit disappointed that she ended the series, IMHO, one book early. I think she should have finished when Octavian declared himself the first emperor of Rome, Augustus Caesar.

By the way, if you like stories about imperial Rome, I highly recommend the Masterpiece Theater series, I, Claudius. Check with your local library; they may have it on video.

Jan Alyce Avery
Author, Shadowed Knight

Did you know that Andre Norton, the fantastic 1960's science fiction writer, wrote a terrific novel set in ancient Egypt at the time when Egypt was ruled by the Hyskos invaders? It's called Shadow Hawk and I highly recommend it.

Jan Alyce Avery
Author, Shadowed Knight

(BTW,I just started with LibraryThing, so please let me know if it's not kosher to include this kind of sig.)

I think Ellis Peters wrote wonderful books, and I'm a bit surprised you don't count them as either serious or historical enough. They are meticulously researched and give a terrifc picture of the particular era she has chosen to set them in.

Welcome, JanAlyceAvery! I don't know about anyone else, but I don't mind your signature. I think what no one wants is an author hawking their own work on a thread, but you have posted about other historical novels.

I'm just getting into Heyer and enjoyed the one of hers I read immensely. Also loved I Claudius and Claudius the God, and the Ellis Peters Cadfael mysteries, if those are the ones to which you're referring. I'm sure the Ellis Peters' mysteries are discussed on LT in the Historical Mystery Group. I wasn't aware of Andre Norton's historical novel, though. Is it YA?

BTW, have you become an LT Author yet? Not sure how, but I believe you can find out by checking the main page.

I've recently completed reading three different books for an Historical Fiction discussion class/group: "The Clan of the Cave Bear", The Birth of Venius" and "The Boleyn Inheritance". The place of women in a society/group is a theme common to the three novels, although each takes place in a different time/era and place. The first two have strong, independent women as central characters, while the last tells of historical events from the viewpoints of three women whosestories are interwoven.

I have just joined Library Thing and this group. My interest in particular is in Rosemary Sutcliff .... see why at www.rosemarysutcliff.wordpress.com ... I was a close relative. If any Rosemary Sutcliff fans want to help gather useful references and items, re-post reviews from here, help with my Library Thing library of her works...I wouild welcome it. My surge of energy is in part prompted by a forthcoming film of The Eagle of the Ninth.

PS I hope this is an appropriate post for a message board ....

Very cool. Who doesn't remember Lantern Bearers and Tristan and Iseult?

Went to the library to pick up a couple of books they were holding for me, and like a bee is drawn to flowers I wandered into the Popular section just to see what was there. Haha. Not many minutes later, I wandered out with an armful of books that looked too good to pass up. They now join the stack of library books I already have.

Anyway, point is, I found on the shelf a new historical novel Rebels and Traitors by Lindsey Davis (yes, THAT Lindsey Davis, of Falco fame) It's about the English Civil War and is set in the 17th century. I read the first couple of pages while standing in the library and, from how good the beginning is, I think it's going to be a treat!