Historical Fiction

[Teresa Edgerton]

Not strictly within our genre, true, but surely a great influence on Fantasy and SF writers?

I myself grew up on Thomas B. Costain plus all of those historical novels written for girls by the likes of Margaret Campbell Barnes, Margaret Irwin, et al.

Lately, I've been reading a little Joan Wolf, and my husband has discovered Bernard Cornwell. I still have a soft spot for Rafael Sabatini.

So who are your favorite historical novelists? Parke Godwin? Morgan Llewellyn? Or do you prefer older books by Dumas, Sabatini, Shellabarger, et al?

[Rane Longfox]

Steven Pressfield is one of my favorite authors in any genre.
He books, "Gates of Fire" and "Tides of War" are brilliant, both about ancient Sparta, which is my particular interest anyway, but also written in a style that could interest readers completely unfamiliar with the time and culture.

His more recent book, "Last of the Amazons", wasn't as good as the first two, although still packed with information and intruiging snippets about that ancient world.


I haven't read his newest, "Alexander", yet, though I've heard its more like "Amazons" than the first two

[Leto]

Umberto Eco ?
Dumas of course, although he's not always accurate. But I grew up with his musketeers.And several others as Paul Féval (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/au...Paul_Feval.htm), Sir Walter Scott or Maurice Druon.
In another kind, here one editor (10/18) has a collection of historical and/or geographical detective stories, such as Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael. Authors come from all around the world and detective are from modern days Botswana private eye to a gallo-roman lawyer, with Cadfael or a mandarin in the Chinese empire (roughtly 16th century).

[LadyFel]

I like the old stuff, from the likes of Dumas and Scott, but my first meeting with historical fiction was in the novels of Jean Plaidy...My mum's hooked on them and collected about 70-odd while in England...I have a problem, though, that Plaidy didn't really even try to discriminate a bit in finding sources, so most of the characters, while they do come to life, are still the history book versions where I would have preferred those about whom less is known to have been given a fairer treatment...

I haven't read any Cadfael but I'd love to, having seen the series on TV and enjoyed it...absolutely love Bernard Cornwell's Arthur books, haven't gone on to any of the rest...

And I like Sharon Penman, although so far I've read only two of her books...They seem to be well researched, and she doesn't shy away from portraying people in a completely different light to the historical view...Richard III, for example...I can only recommend her work heartily...

[Jay]

I like Ecco as well, but not to name a whole bunch of past works, but one I read in teh last couple of years that I thought was excellent was by Ian Pears entitled An Instance of the Fingerpost, really pleasant surprised out how well written it was.

[willb]

Neal Stephenson's Quicksilver was great. As far as I can tell it's pretty thoroughly rigorous while keeping a modern feel to the novel. To make it attractive to me as a reader, however, like using a modern style of writing and including a modern approach to psychology, sex and philosophy, the actual story does not feel like it is fully authentic.

Though perhaps not quite historical fiction, 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and The History of Danish Dreams by Peter Hoeg, are both great novels ranging over several generations of the same families, including a large quasi-historical component.

[dwndrgn]

I'll have to disagree with the post that Iain Pears' An Instance of the Fingerpost is a great book. Maybe well researched but I found it to be tedious reading with so much information that was both inconsistent and inconsequential it bogged down the story.

Thoroughly enjoy Neal Stephenson, Ellis Peters, Sharon Pennman and Bernard Cornwell as mentioned above.

I seem to favor the historical mystery as outlined below:

Will add Diana Gabaldon with her Outlander series depicting both postwar Scotland 1945 and 1745 Scotland both with accuracy and enough wit and story to keep it fun and informative at the same time.

Anne Perry has two series' set in two different times but both very entertaining as well as informative.

Peter Tremayne's Sister Fidelma mysteries take us to ancient Ireland with jaunts up and down the British Isles. They are painstakingly researched and the author gives us information in his forwards that give us an even better look at this period in history.

Suzanne Frank's ancient Egypt stories are much more fantastical but her attention to detail with depicting the people and the times makes them that much more entertaining.

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's vampire tales take on many differing periods of history and span a great deal of Europe's regions.

Lindsay Davis' ancient Roman mysteries are fun but also well detailed and researched. I enjoy Steven Saylor's Roman mysteries as well.

Judith Merkle Riley has several books, unrelated, but all residing in a portion of our past that have a few fantastical elements added. All are great reads: The Serpent Garden, In Pursuit of the Green Lion, The Oracle Glass, Vision of Light, The Master of all Desires.

There is another author that only wrote a couple of books about a rich nobleman who spent his free time investigating murders. I want to say that the author's name is Rice but I'm not sure. I stumbled upon the books by accident at the library many years ago and since there weren't any other books available by the author I must have just put the name out of my mind. Anyone know the author I'm talking about? I remembered enjoying them but for some reason cannot remember any other details.

Other fun and interesting historical (mostly mystery) authors that I enjoy are: Candace Robb, Michael Jecks and Bruce Alexander.

[Teresa Edgerton]

Did anyone else love Mary Renault's The King Must Die and The Bull from the Sea?

They're both fairly old books. I wonder if more recent archeological/anthropological scholarship supports or refutes some of her conjectures about Minoan Crete?

[dwndrgn]

Got it! The author I was talking about was Kate Ross and the books involved Julien Kestrel. Whew! I feel better now. Thank the book fairies for Amazon!

Kelpie - I haven't heard of those, sorry.

[Jay]

I'll have to disagree with the post that Iain Pears' An Instance of the Fingerpost is a great book. Maybe well researched but I found it to be tedious reading with so much information that was both inconsistent and inconsequential it bogged down the story.

I didn't realize this was a what you didn't agree with the poster ahead of you thread but I guess t depends on tastes, I like a lot of information and found none of it inconsequential, and really liked the unsuspected POV changes. Kind of like I always thougth Cornwell (not his Sharpe series which I have read a couple of but not in any viable sequence to make an opinion I'd feel is fair, and I have heard good things ), but Heretic, Gallow's Thief (or Thief of Gallows?), Vagabond, and The Tale of the Archer and have come away never understanding Cornwell's popularity *shrugs*. I find them largely simple (particularly the Grail Quest work sticks out in my mind) and hard to maintain more than mild interest. In many ways (not concerning the research) but in terms of plotting and prose I felt it read like particulary bad fantasy but in our real world setting. The Terry Brooks of Alternative History perhaps? I don't know I generally don't buy things by genre, but by what sounds interesting.

I think it's hard to differentiate Alternative history from a lot of fantasy, although I see the reasoning I never classify Stephenson's work as alternative history, but if I did I would call it damn good as the Baroque Cycle is fabulous. If that qualifies however there is a myraid of others titles that could as well however. Ian R. Macleod's The Light Ages is good and than I'd would suppose Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell was the greatest example of one in a very long time if we are using a loose interpitations.

In the same sense some of the best books I have ever read is Michael Moorcock's Cornelius Quartet.

To bring it back more into line of historical fiction, I always enjoyed the story behind James Clavell's Shogun, although it is very Loosely based on history, it's a good story and I consider Mariko one of the better female characters I have read. I also like Oliver Statler's work particulary Japanese Inn. I really L. Sprague de Camp's Lest Darkness Fall. and one can defintely say Philip K. Dick's masterpeice Man in the High Castle is alternative history. Also steampunk legends William Gibson and Bruce Sterling's Difference Engine work. Also perhaps Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong. Harry Turtledove has written some works I mildy enjoy as well, but nothing that sticks out in my mind. There are really tons of work, a lot of which (like Dick) that are classics of speculative fiction.

One of the masters has to be Jorge Luis Borges.

It depends on where one wants to draw the line of categorization

[Teresa Edgerton]

When I started this topic, I suppose I thought of it as a Mention a Few of Your Favorite Authors and Then We'll (Ideally) Discuss Some of Them thread.

Just listing what we like with no discussion (pro and/or con) makes for a fairly brief conversation.

Not that starting the thread puts me in charge of what should of should not be said here -- but just to clear up any confusion.

dwndrgn, the Renault books are classics. So much so, that I'd bet you could find them in your library (though I know you've had problems finding books there in the past). I think you would like them.

I, too, started the Pear's book, but couldn't make much headway. Strange, because that's one of my favorite periods of history. Could be that I just wasn't in the right state of mind to read it at the time; I've often thought about giving it another try.

[dwndrgn]

Originally Posted by Kelpie

dwndrgn, the Renault books are classics. So much so, that I'd bet you could find them in your library (though I know you've had problems finding books there in the past). I think you would like them.

I just checked and they do have The King Must Die. I now have it on hold

Originally Posted by Kelpie

I, too, started the Pear's book, but couldn't make much headway. Strange, because that's one of my favorite periods of history. Could be that I just wasn't in the right state of mind to read it at the time; I've often thought about giving it another try.

I thought it strange that I couldn't get through it either. Several of my favorite authors raved about this book which is why I picked it up. I then forced myself three different times to try and read it but could never get through. I don't think it was the change in POV that bothered me as several of my favorites do this as well.

I think that the historical fiction I tend to gravitate to is the kind that integrates the culture and style of a period into a good story so well that it becomes real. Diana Gabaldon does this so well that I feel I've visited the timeperiods she's visiting and met the people she meets. Her characters are not only well rounded but perfectly fit into their little time niches.

Ainulindale - This certainly isn't a 'what you disagree with the posters ahead of you thread', it is a discussion thread. Which means that we discuss our likes and dislikes and agree to disagree - we all have different tastes after all. I apologize if I sounded as if I was disparaging your opinions - definitely not my intent.

A lot of people consider Bernard Cornwell to be 'popular' fiction. Which means that he writes fun little stories that capture the imagination. He doesn't preach or philosophize or lecture. What he does is entertain. What is even better is that his form of entertainment comes wrapped in a very well-researched historical package (including afterwords that explain where he changed the true facts of certain situations to fit his story and what the actual facts are). I'm not a historian and definitely not picky about historical accuracy (if I even notice it) but I can recognize someone who truely enjoys the historical periods he writes about and the research he goes through to write his books.

Some historical fiction is so accurate that it becomes dry. Laundry lists of who's who and what goes on where isn't fun reading IMO. Stories are what make novels readable and there are many authors out there who do this well. Some, like Cornwell, tend to bend facts to fit their stories but most will warn you of this or at least give you hints. Suzanne Frank is an author that does this. You can tell that she has done as much research as you could expect about a time period we have very little record of. But, what she does well is to blend her imagination with the facts we know into a believable historical period populated by real people.

I liken good historical fiction to a travel guide. If we read the entire book and then feel we could visit the timeperiod and not get lynched in the first hour, it is a success. If we enjoy the read at the same time, it is a success as a novel as well.

[littlemissattitude]

It's been ages since I've read any proper historical fiction. Used to read it all the time. It's interesting that someone mentioned Jean Plaidy, who also wrote under the name Victoria Holt. I don't know how historically accurate it was, but she wrote a novel about Marie Antoinette (the name of it is escaping me at the moment) which I read several times in junior high and high school and liked a lot.

And I guess Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With The Wind" qualifies as historical fiction, which I've also read several times. I've been wanting to read it again, but my copy has been gone with the wind or something else for years and I can't seem to find a copy in the local library system - I suspect that it's been withdrawn from a lot of libraries because it isn't exactly politically correct, which bugs the crap out of me.

I love Elizabeth Peters's Amelia Peabody books, which I think also probably qualify, as they take place around the turn of the 20th century. If any of you don't know her books, she writes about married couple who are Egyptologists working just before and during World War I. As she is a trained Egyptologist herself (she's a Ph.D., University of Chicago, if I remember correctly), Peters (who also writes under a couple of other names, including some non-fiction books about Egyptology) probably does pretty credible research.

I would also second dwndrgn's endorsement of Chelsea Quinn Yarbro.

And I'm glad that I'm not alone in not being able to get through that "Fingerpost" thing. *shudder* I really wanted to like it, but I just couldn't get past about page 100.

I wish I could remember some of the other historical fiction that I've read and liked. I guess my brain just isn't quite in gear this evening. I'll have to think about it some more, I suppose.

[Mark Robson]

Anyone here read 'Lady of Hay' by Barbara Erskine? I was given this by my mother, who thought it was a fantasy. She wasn't far wrong. It had a similar theme to 'Daggerspell'. A group of characters are reborn over and over again, seemingly doomed to live out the same tragedy. The story is mainly split between the present (1980s I think) and 14th century middle England.


It's been a while since I read it, but I remember that I found it a fascinating read. The historical sections are all seen through the medium of a hypnotic technique called regression, which allows the character to explore her past lives. As she does so, the reader learns more of the repetitive tragedy that always ends with a murder. Her murder. The question is, can she stop history from repeating itself this time?

Barbara Erskine did a pretty good job of making this a sort of mixture of modern thriller and medieval historical fiction.

[Alexa]

My favorite presetly is Diana Gabaldon with her series Outlander. I loved them a lot, till I read the volume 5. I really don't know what to expect from the next volume. I hope Diana still has some surprises hidden in her pockets.

The other fav's were already mentioned : Alexandre Dumas ( I read at least 20 of his books, but long time ago), Paul Feval, Margaret Mitchell. Maurice Druon was interesting, too.

I don't know if any of you read The fallen of Constantinople by Vintila Corbul. I have to check in which language was translated and I'll get back to you. I planned to re-read the book soon. I prefer to write a resumé after, if you don't mind.

There maybe be others, but my memory fails me with them.