Historical fiction?

Wingless Flyer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2001
Messages
292
Hello ladies and gentlemen, long time no see.

Anyway, I am here to ask if any of you know any good authors that write historical fiction. I have recently become interested in reading such a genre, but I am weary of adding history and fiction together, but I am still interested enough to read one. Does anyone have any recommendations? I am mostly interested in reading on Ancient or classical history, I have read plently of WW2 stories and I am quite tired of them, lol (anything from Egypt to Rome or even Greece would be great)

I eagerly await your recommendations.

Thanks!
 
It depends upon what you want.

For some intrigueing medeival detective mysteries, try the Cadfael series by Peter Ellis. http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/026-9830532-4653201
Cadfael is a monk in Shrewsbury Abbey, and plays detective- sort of Agatha Christy/Conan Doyle in habits. But quite good

Slightly more modern, there is Bernard Cornwell and Alexander Kent for the Napoleonic Wars.

For a more gentle adventure try the Wool Pack http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...2358/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_18_1/026-9830532-4653201
 
Hi Wingless

Right now I am reading "The Killer Angels", by Michael Shaara. It is a historical fiction set around Gettysburg & the US Civil War. Apparently it was a big influence on Joss Whedon when he was conceiving "Firefly". I haven't gotten far through it, but it is very good, and according to the cover is a pulitzer-winning novel.

And, well, I don't think this really counts, but I really enjoyed the scope of Anne Rice's Vampire novels - she jams in quite vivid images from the Ancient World, and also of the European Dark and Middle ages quite handily, I can't say it would be described as 'historical' fiction per se, as I don't know how accurate her depictions are.
 
They sound quite interesting, thanks I think I'll take a trip up to my local library on Monday, cheers!
 
Originally posted by Tabitha
And, well, I don't think this really counts, but I really enjoyed the scope of Anne Rice's Vampire novels - she jams in quite vivid images from the Ancient World
She also wrote one about Ancient Egypt, which I liked. Don't know how realistic is was though!
 
im not sure if this is exactley what u are looking for Wingless Flyer, but u might try Harry Turtledove;):rolly2:
 
Flashman

Has anyone read the 'Flashman' series by George MacDonald Fraser?

It is rather like the 'Young Indiana Jones Chronicles' only done much, much better. Sir Harry Flashman V.C. was the school bully from 'Tom Brown's Schooldays' (by Thomas Hughes), so he is quite a coward and an anti-hero, and it works very well. The novels are his experiences after he leaves school, and set in Victorian times in every part of the world. I think that he must have been at any major event or war that happened during that time period and met every famous person and statesman.

The historical parts are very accurate and well researched, but some artistic license is necessary to shoe-horn Flashman into them. George MacDonald Fraser is an excellent author. He has also written screenplays for 'Three Musketeers' films and James Bond: 'Octopussy'.

Here there is a Flashman Chronology
 
Ones I can personally recommend are:

Byzantium - Stephen Lawhead

Set in the 9th century AD, following a Irish Monk to Scandanavia, Constantinople, and across Arabia. Great read.


I, Claudius - Robert Graves

A great pseudo-autobiographical account of Claudius before he becomes Emperor.
 
I haven't read I, Claudius or the sequel Claudius the God but they were made into an excellent 1970's BBC TV series.

No one mentioned Urmberto Eco's The Name of the Rose which was also a film, or Michael Crichton's Eaters of the Dead filmed as The 13th Warrior.

I'm currently reading Neal Stephenson's Quicksilver, set in the 1600's and 1700's, the first of his Baroque Cycle trilogy, and itself a kind of prequel to Cryptonomicon. You have to include this within this genre.

I've only just begun (you need to put aside a large part of your life to read these huge books) but already have found it populated with many scientists, royals and public figures and covered many historical events (much along the same lines as I described for Flashman).

Characters include Isaac Newton, Samuel Pepys, William of Orange, Benjamin Franklin and Robert Hooke.

So far, it has covered the plague, the Great Fire of London, the origin of the MIT, and the discovery of Phosphorus.
 
Re: Flashman

Originally posted by Dave Has anyone read the 'Flashman' series by George MacDonald Fraser?
*Waves hand.* Me! Well, I tried one of the Flashman books.
Originally posted by Dave Sir Harry Flashman V.C. was the school bully from 'Tom Brown's Schooldays' (by Thomas Hughes), so he is quite a coward and an anti-hero...
I couldn't stand Flashman, but then I tried him after having read a lot of the Richard Sharpe books and he reminded me of some of the complete rotters I hated in Sharpe. However, mentioning Flashman reminds me that I did enjoy Fraser's The Pyrates, and that I enjoyed C.S. Forrester's Hornblower books when I went looking for more Napoleonic historical fiction.
Originally posted by Tabitha
And, well, I don't think this really counts, but I really enjoyed the scope of Anne Rice's Vampire novels - she jams in quite vivid images from the Ancient World

I don't know how much historical research Anne Rice did for her Vampire Chronicles, but I do know that Chelsea Quinn Yarbro does a good deal of historical research for her Saint Germain novels. The novel "Blood Games" is set in Rome from 65-71 A.D. My favorite novel in the series is the one entitled "Out of the House of Life" which covers Saint Germain's years in Egypt from 1495-523 B.C.
 

Back
Top