Historic Fiction

[pfitz]

Does Lawhead write some books that don't suck? I read Byzantium by him and was really turned off by the irrational actions of shallow anachronistic characters. This one book seemed to try to be a fantasy touching on many cultures with a very implausible huge adventure. It was a book but really turned me off to the author.

I havent read Byzantium but Lawhead does introduce some interesting and unique elements into some of his books such as linking the Atlantis myth to the Arthurian saga or setting his Robin Hood series in Wales during the invasion of Henry I rather than around Nottingham during Richards reign. That said although his books I have read were "somewhat entertaining" I did struggle to get through them.

:pimp:

[Erendis]

I don't think anyone's mentioned her so I guess I will. I'd recommend books by Anya Seton, especially Katherine and Avalon, only if you don't mind romance though. The two take place in the Middle Ages though.

Katherine is about Katherine de Roet, who lived in the late 14th century and was first the mistress and later wife of John of Gaunt, the patriarch and founder of the House of Lancaster. She was the ancestress of the Tudors and all the kings and queens of England, and later Britain since Henry VII. Also, this is a classic in the historical fiction genre, if you haven't read this already.

Avalon is set in the early to mid 11th century, and is about the life of a girl named Merewyn as she discovers love, her past, and the Americas. Don't be deceived by the title; the book's not about King Arthur or any other Arthurian figures. There is a reason, of course, for the title of the book though.

[wolverine]

I haven’t read Byzantium but Lawhead does introduce some interesting and unique elements into some of his books such as linking the Atlantis myth to the Arthurian saga or setting his Robin Hood series in Wales during the invasion of Henry I rather than around Nottingham during Richard’s reign. That said although his books I have read were "somewhat entertaining" I did struggle to get through them.

:pimp:

...so the ones you read were not good, but had interesting ideas?

Byzantium was easy enough to get through it was just unbelievable and irrational.

[wolverine]

Anyone read any Cecilia Holland? G-Mart suggests trying her but she seems a little sketchy by the amazon reviews.

How about David W. Ball?

[Nearly Headless Ned]

Ross Leckie did a couple of good books on The 2nd Punic Wars. Hannibal and Scipio respectively.

Also Robert Nye has written about Falstaff and Gilles De Rais.

[Original Ned's Bones]

Second David Ball. "Ironfire" is a fantastic book that takes place in the 16th century during the siege of Malta, one of the last vicious battles of the crusades. Awesome characterization that is Martin-esque. A very epic book. Spanning years, it follows the fates of Nico and Maria, two children who are on the island digging for treasure when an Ottoman corsair appears.

Another great one is David Benioff's "City of Thieves" which takes place in WWII during the siege of Lenningrad. A Russian boy and a soldier get arrested for looting a german corpse after curfiew and the general agrees to pardon the death sentence if they sneak across enemy lines and procure a dozen eggs for his daughter's wedding cake. Amazing dialogue.

[Returned]

You might want to try Sam Barone, written the recent Eskkar saga, tells about mankinds struggle in creating and maintaining the world's first walled city.

[lynxx]

Recommend anything by Judith Merkle Riley, especially "A vision of Light", and its sequels "In Pursuit of the Green Lion" and "The Water Devil".

Enjoy the middle ages and early Renaissance from a feminine point of view. Not much battle and sword work. I suppose the plots might be considered romance with humor, but the historic settings are spot-on accurate because the author is a professor of History.

[Liadin]

I've been thinking about starting a thread on this, and maybe I will later, but how about some more recommendations for historical fiction that doesn't take place in the British Isles (or, to a lesser extent, ancient Greece/Rome)? The HF market in English is heavily weighted toward those countries, but my interest is limited (especially once I've already read a couple books set in the same time period).

[wolverine]

I've been thinking about starting a thread on this, and maybe I will later, but how about some more recommendations for historical fiction that doesn't take place in the British Isles (or, to a lesser extent, ancient Greece/Rome)? The HF market in English is heavily weighted toward those countries, but my interest is limited (especially once I've already read a couple books set in the same time period).

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/42381-asian-historical-fiction/page__p__2078369#entry2078369

How about the above thread on Asian Historical Fiction?

[Guinevere Seaworth]

I've been thinking about starting a thread on this, and maybe I will later, but how about some more recommendations for historical fiction that doesn't take place in the British Isles (or, to a lesser extent, ancient Greece/Rome)? The HF market in English is heavily weighted toward those countries, but my interest is limited (especially once I've already read a couple books set in the same time period).

David Ball might be what you are looking for. He has written 2 historical fiction that I really enjoyed. Ironfire takes place in Malta during the seige of Malta by the muslims. Empires of Sand takes place in France and Algeria during the Franco-Prussian wars.

James Clavell's Shogun is excellent as well.

[Liadin]

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/42381-asian-historical-fiction/page__p__2078369#entry2078369

How about the above thread on Asian Historical Fiction?

Thanks, I missed that one. :)

I'd like to see more quality English-language historical fiction set in Latin America, Africa, North America, Australia, continental Europe and the Pacific, too.

David Ball might be what you are looking for. He has written 2 historical fiction that I really enjoyed. Ironfire takes place in Malta during the seige of Malta by the muslims. Empires of Sand takes place in France and Algeria during the Franco-Prussian wars.

James Clavell's Shogun is excellent as well.

Thanks! I don't think Clavell is for me but I'll check out the others.

[Alexia]

I'd like to see more quality English-language historical fiction set in Latin America, Africa, North America, Australia, continental Europe and the Pacific, too.

Hmm...have you tried reading Isabel Allende? She's has several books send in 19th century Latin America (and even in California). Gabriel Garcia Marquez also has written historical fiction. Unfortunately, I looked at the rows of books by Latin American authors that I have and realized the overwhelming majority are contemporary, but I'd start with those two.

I'll also put in a plug for The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman. Not historical fiction but very funny, nonetheless.

[Galactus]

I haven’t read Byzantium but Lawhead does introduce some interesting and unique elements into some of his books such as linking the Atlantis myth to the Arthurian saga

Didn't Zimmer-Bradley do that too though?

[Liadin]

Hmm...have you tried reading Isabel Allende? She's has several books send in 19th century Latin America (and even in California). Gabriel Garcia Marquez also has written historical fiction. Unfortunately, I looked at the rows of books by Latin American authors that I have and realized the overwhelming majority are contemporary, but I'd start with those two.

I'll also put in a plug for The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman. Not historical fiction but very funny, nonetheless.

I love, love, love Allende's work. :D I've enjoyed some Garcia Marquez, and I quite liked Rosario Ferre's La casa de la laguna (about Puerto Rico). (One of these days I'm going to get around to reading Como agua para chocolate, which has been sitting on my shelf for ages.) Tomas Eloy Martinez and Mario Vargas Llosa are good too. I would like to see more written along those lines--or more quality stuff in English (Frances de Pontes Peebles's The Seamstress, about early-20th-century Brazil, is excellent, but that's the only one I can think of at the moment.)

At a certain point, it just seems like I've already read all the good stuff and all the recs on the boards that I haven't already read are set in England or Scotland. Or, occasionally, ancient Rome. :(

[Alexia]

I've never read Rosario Ferre or Tomas Eloy Martinez; I'm going to look out for those books! Its set in the 1970s but you might like it nonetheless, The Inhabited Woman by Giaconda Belli. Julia Alvarez has some work set in the 60s. I'm pretty hesitant to call those historical fiction since it wasn't all that long ago but it still might fall under your interests.

It does look like you've found the good stuff but there's plenty of good contemporary Latin American novels out there if you're interested. :)

[corbon]

If you are comfortable indulging slightly sideways into fantasy that has a strong and recognisable historical base (and even less 'magic' than ASOIAF), Guy Gavriel Kay is as good as it gets.

The Fionavar series is quite 'fantastical' (celtic mythology?), but the rest...

Tigana (recognizable as Italian peninsular, roughly middle ages)

A Song for Arbonne (recognizably High Medieval western europe)

The Lions of Al-Rassan (recognizably Spain around reconquista period)

The Sarantine Mosaic duology (recognizably Byzantium dark ages or early medieval)

The Last Light of the Sun (recognizably british isles, dark ages)

Ysabel (southern France IIRC, mostly modern though the story is from prehistory through the ages)

Under Heaven (recognizably China during the Khitan period).

GRRMs one vast story of ASOIAF is possibly as good or better (as much for the story and interweaving as the writing), but otherwise GGK is unmatched as a writer IMO.

[Liadin]

I've never read Rosario Ferre or Tomas Eloy Martinez; I'm going to look out for those books! Its set in the 1970s but you might like it nonetheless, The Inhabited Woman by Giaconda Belli. Julia Alvarez has some work set in the 60s. I'm pretty hesitant to call those historical fiction since it wasn't all that long ago but it still might fall under your interests.

I've read a couple of Belli's books (her autobiography, and El pergamino de la seduccion), but I have kind of a weird feeling about them. I guess I have a hard time with some of the really bizarre sexual relationships that were a focal point of the stories. The Inhabited Woman sounds interesting though.

Recent historical fiction is fine. I like Khaled Hosseini's work a lot, especially A Thousand Splendid Suns, and it ended in what, 2003? If historical events are crucial to the story, it counts. :) What do you recommend from Alvarez? I've read and liked In the Time of the Butterflies but haven't tried any of her other stuff.

It does look like you've found the good stuff but there's plenty of good contemporary Latin American novels out there if you're interested. :)

Definitely interested. :D Who else is good?

If you are comfortable indulging slightly sideways into fantasy that has a strong and recognisable historical base (and even less 'magic' than ASOIAF), Guy Gavriel Kay is as good as it gets.

Read 3.5 of his books now. I liked three of them, two very much. ;)

[Galactus]

I love, love, love Allende's work. :D I've enjoyed some Garcia Marquez, and I quite liked Rosario Ferre's La casa de la laguna (about Puerto Rico). (One of these days I'm going to get around to reading Como agua para chocolate, which has been sitting on my shelf for ages.) Tomas Eloy Martinez and Mario Vargas Llosa are good too. I would like to see more written along those lines--or more quality stuff in English (Frances de Pontes Peebles's The Seamstress, about early-20th-century Brazil, is excellent, but that's the only one I can think of at the moment.)

At a certain point, it just seems like I've already read all the good stuff and all the recs on the boards that I haven't already read are set in England or Scotland. Or, occasionally, ancient Rome. :(

Have you tried Waltari? :P

[Vethnar]

Three pages of discussion, and nobody has even mentioned Mary Renault? What has the world come to? "The Last of the Wine" and the Theseus duology are my favorites, but all her historical fiction is great.