Favourite Historical Novels: Nominees

Which are the very best historical novels? Which are the classics of the genre? If you were marooned on a desert island, which one historical novel would you want to have with you?

If you love historical fiction, please JOIN the Society today.  You won't be sorry.

'I've just read Solander - it's a triumph!'  - Bernard Cornwell.

This page is a work in progress. Help us by contributing information on your favourite titles!

2/24/10:
Something Wonderful, by Judith McNaught
I love how the story was written, its characters, the twists and turns of the plot. It was well constructed, leaving nothing blank. This is my first historical novel read, and none has surpassed it yet ever since.
-- recommended by Kat

2/23/10:
Oliver Wiswell, by Kenneth Roberts
This novel tells the story of the American revolution from the Tory point of view. I read it first when I was 17. I was stunned to find out that there WAS a Tory point of view. I hadn't seen a copy of the book for years until a friend brought an old hardcover edition over in a box of other stuff. Rereading it has been like finding an old friend.  Roberts was--at one time--a popular historical novelist. his other big books were RABBLE IN ARMS and NORTHWEST PASSAGE.
-- recommended by Andrew Hartman

2/20/10:
The Afflicted Girls, by Suzy Witten
Even the official historian of Salem, Massachusetts, has recognized this superb novel's contribution not only to the literature of the infamous Salem Witchcraft Trials of the seventeenth century, but also to the understanding of the event. Witten clearly researched every aspect of the historical event and has offered readers a gripping and insightful novel that masterfully recaptures the feel of the language of the place and time. This is the best of what historical fiction is, a recreation of historical places, people and events that is both faithful and relevant to the modern reader. Witten's sensitivity with the possible influences on the adolescents who sparked the hysteria demonstrates her insights into how social pressures can make good kids dangerous to themselves and others. This was easily the best new novel I read in 2009 and very possibly the decade.
-- recommended by Nan Hawthorne

2/17/10:
A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens
It succeeds in doing exactly what a historical novel should do: it brings the period to life. Not only does one learn from it, but one never forgets it. The plot is complex, but a joy to follow; the characters are unforgettable, and the action is as violent, gripping, and memorable as the French Revolution was itself. Masterfully written, suffused with imagination, deep themes and inescapable Dickensian humor: this is a book for all times.
-- recommended by Anthony

Trumpets Sound No More, by F. Van Wyck Mason
Excellent story line; author did not waste words, yet presented an authentic presentation of life for southern soldiers following the Civil War; the story moves along briskly to an enjoyable conclusion.
-- recommended by Frederick Nehring

Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett
Fantastic! A real page turner. This is a book that you will read and want to re-read again, despite, due to the fantastic writing, being able to remember all events within vividly. Follett will become one of the 'canonical' writers of this century, even if only judged on this one novel and its recently published sequel.
-- recommended by Luke Telfer

1/3/10:
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, by Alan Bradley
Written by first-time novelist, Alan Bradley, "Sweetness..." is the story of an eleven year old English girl who happens to love chemistry. Her father is arrested for a murder which she solves. The novel takes place in 1950' England. The author states he never stepped foot in England. You can't tell. It's a delightful romp and suitable for all ages.
-- recommended by Sharon Bigsby

11/29/09:
The Hammer and the Cross, by Harry Harrison
This is my favorite historical novel because of its novel emphases in the way it is written. Set in the heart of the Viking Age, it is an alternate history of western Europe if western Christendom had faced a surge of heathen revival and later Europe had been of two religious traditions and not one. Most remarkable about this book is its emphasis on the economic and technological realities of the day, in a way that does not break the flow of a good story.
-- recommended by Meg Godbout

11/25/09:
Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett
This book changed everything I had ever imagined about the Middle Ages. Gripping from start to finish, it left me enriched yet still unable to explain why church building in the Middle Ages is so fascinating.
-- recommended by Gregg J. Flower

Girl in a Blue Dress, by Gaynor Arnold
Girl in a Blue Dress is one of those painfully beautiful novels. Chronicling the destruction of Charles Dickens' marriage and the aftermath with amazing sympathy and insight, I think that this wonderful novel should be required reading for everyone.
-- recommended by Heather McConnell

The Lymond Chronicles, by Dorothy Dunnett
The verisimilitude is quite remarkable, with complex multidimensional characters and plot and an ability to create a totally believable world which envelops you. Very few modern historical novelists seem capable of doing the painstaking research and then weaving it creatively into such a remarkable set of novels. Modern novelists like Kate Mosse should stand in front of DD and be dismayed.
-- recommended by Peter Russell

11/11/09:
Dromichet, by Aurel Petrescu
On Dromichaites [read 'ch' like a russian 'h' or 'ch' in 'loch'], leader of a Getae tribe living around 300 BC. With an English translation it would be a bestseller.
-- recommended by Matei Hutopila

11/4/09:
Here Be Dragons, by Sharon Kay Penman
I highly recommend any book by Sharon Kay Penman.
Her attention to historical detail is second to none whilst weaving credible story lines to enthrall the reader. Her ability to capture the Middle Ages leaves the reader with a real sense of the age without being subjected to a catalogue of facts and figures.
-- recommended by Helen

The Heaven Tree Trilogy, by Edith Pargeter
Absolutely riveting from start to finish, these three books (they belong together), set in 13th century England, tell the story of a gifted and large-hearted young artist entangled with a vengeful, unscrupulous nobleman, and the subsequent quest for revenge by the artist's son. Pargeter's skill in depicting character motivation is unequalled, in my opinion (and I have read most of the other books suggested for this list). The writing is of the highest literary excellence. Romance, tragedy, historical detail, redemption--Heaven Tree Trilogy has it all. It should be at the top of anyone's list, along with Pargeter's other historical novels, The Brothers of Gwynedd Quartet and A Bloody Field by Shrewsbury. (Pargeter is also the author of the Brother Cadfael series, which she writes as Ellis Peters. )
-- recommended by Sara Ciborski

10/22/09:
The Persian Boy, by Mary Renault
A brilliant and captivating read about a young Persian slave who became a favourite of Alexander the Great . Mary Renault brings the classical world to life as no one else can. Both scholar and creative writer she blends history and fiction magically.
-- recommended by Elizabeth Manson Bahr

10/10/09:
In the Company of Angels, by David Farland
Based on the true story of the Willie Handcart Company, In the Company of Angels is an emotional and intimate look into the lives of these brave pioneers. My favorite character, Baline, gives her all to get to her beloved Zion and take as many with her as possible along the way. Such a sweet, beautiful girl... Farland also includes a section of fact verses fiction at the end so the reader knows what's true and what's been embellished.
-- recommended by Robyn Heirtzler

10/3/09:
Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson

9/3/09:
The President's Lady, by Irving Stone
I am really getting into historical novels and The President's Lady and Lincoln have inspired me to continue reading them. I live near Nashville, TN, and find that The President's Lady is so interesting since Andrew Jackson built his home here.
-- recommended by Jean Stephens

8/31/09:
Mistress of the Revolution, by Catherine Delors
History and fiction blended perfectly; it was a true novel, where one follows the character from start to finish and at the same time one can see the character on an historical stage. You feel as though you are the character; you cry when she cries, laugh when she laughs and get butterflies when she is nervous. The character goes on a sort of rollercoaster and as I read the book I went on it with her. Even for an historical buff you continue to learn about the period and more importantly you can imagine yourself living in that period. I loved it and felt empty when I finished it!
-- recommended by Audree

8/8/09:
Pope Joan, by Donna Woolfolk Cross
The novel Pope Joan is a story about a girl who lived in the 9th century and who managed to pass as a man for a long time of her life in order to get the best education until she later became a pope. It is a fascinating, very well-written story which shows the bad treatment of women at the time.
-- recommended by Petra Keckesova

8/2/09:
Molokai, by Alan Brennert
This is my new favorite historical fiction book. I read HF books because I like to learn about a new era, country, or culture while I'm entertained. I knew very little about leprosy and was not aware of the famous leper colony in the Hawaiian islands in the early 1900s. The main character is a fascinating woman, and the detail of her daily life and medical challenges was totally engrossing. This is a book you won't be able to put down until the last page. Fantastic!
-- recommended by Amy Yoakum

7/27/09:
Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon
Everyone knows that a really good novel can transport you to another place and time. I imagine that is the goal of most good writers. I have read hundreds of historical novels, and to one degree or another, they do get me out of my own head and into another person's world.
However, Diana's books, and particularly Outlander took me so far out of my life, that I almost got into trouble!! While reading her books, I do not want to cook, clean, look after my kids or tend to my husband's needs, if you get my drift... (Unless of course it is right after reading one of Jamie and Claire's big love scenes--Diana, he does appreciate you for that.) I fell into another world so completely in reading her books that I would dream and daydream about them. I am not the only person even in my family to feel this way, either. My sister and my mother both feel this way about her novels.
Any writer who can make people feel as deeply as that is a true artist and that is why I make this nomination.
-- recommended by Janet Taylor

Ghostwalk, by Rebecca Stott
Well written concerning Isaac Newton and alchemy. It is well documented, though the end conclusions are just theories. Interesting take concerning all the mystery surrounding certain time periods of his life and what he may or may not have been experimenting with then. Overall, a great great book.
-- recommended by Diane Jennings

The First Man in Rome, by Colleen McCullough
A fascinating time period, this is the first of c.6 novels about the decline of the Roman Republic. This first installment focuses on the friends and eventual biter enemies, Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla. Later novels are less enthralling because of the author's semi-worship of Julius Caesar, but this novel is huge, magisterial with stunningly drawn characters, a magnificent sense of place, and manage somehow to make the long-dead politics of a long-dead world interesting. Go Marius!
-- recommended by Karen Kiddell

7/16/09:
The Lymond Chronicles, by Dorothy Dunnett
-- recommended by Michael Brillson
This is a series of novels that are beautifully written. The intricate details define their time and locale with reality and emotion. It is a series that is a mystery, a swashbuckler written with historical content, and a enduring love story. Dorothy Dunnett is considered one of the best writers in the field of historical novels.

7/15/09:
The Year of the Horsetails, by R. F. Tapsell
This is a novel about a man who escapes from and leads the resistance to the invasion of a Mongol or Mongol-like tribe set at an indeterminate date. The author is an English soldier and not well-known. It is even better than Until the Sun Falls by Cecelia Holland, as good as that novel also is. It is the only one which strikes me as comparable, however. The writing is spare and memorable.
I also say this despite being a 50-year huge fan of both Dorothy Dunnett and Rosemary Sutcliff. My second choice would be Dunnett's King Hereafter and third would be The Shield Ring by Sutcliff.
-- recommended by Constance M. McCay

7/3/09:
The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman
The detail, the story, the everything.
-- recommended by Lauren Carpenter

6/22/09:
Helen of Troy, by Margaret George
This is one of my first historical novels and one of my favourites too. George has a way of introducing ancient characters with a contemporary tone, making them a part of the reader's lives. I had only read a poem of Helen of Troy but enjoyed reading about this mythological character. Highly recommended.
-- recommended by Asha Krishna

6/8/09:
Lincoln, by Gore Vidal
The writing is pristine, and the characters (mostly people who actually lived) are vividly depicted in a rare way that makes them three-dimensional. From the great events of Lincoln's life...all the way to the most mundane of cabinet meetings...Vidal does a wonderful job of engaging the reader. This is perhaps the most heartfelt, eloquent and fascinating of the several hundred historical novels I've read.
-- recommended by William Innes

5/25/09:
Recollections of Joan of Arc, by Mark Twain
This book is basically a love letter from Mark Twain to Joan of Arc. Joan is depicted very realistically and is told from the point of view of a childhood friend of hers, who travels with her through thick and thin. Mr. Twain pulls no punches and extensively uses ancient court transcripts for both the heresy trial and the reclamation trial to make his point about Joan--that she was one of the most amazing human beings to ever live. By the end, you feel as if you've shared Joan's journey as she changed the course of European history in just a few short months. Research Joan of Arc and almost every site will tell you that this old book is the most accurate fictional portrayal available.
-- recommended by Thomas Morris

5/17/09:
Centurion, by Simon Scarrow
This novel captures the brutality of of Roman army life in the Legions and within the auxiliary units while allowing for a sense of fiction to take the reader right from the start. The opening chapter grabs the reader's attention and throughout the novel the differences between life in their army and the intrigues of Roman political life under the Emperor Claudius are apparent.
-- recommended by Callum Wallace

The Last Empress, by Anchee Min
An interesting account of the life of the last empress of China. It opened up an insatiable desire to learn more about the country's history and people. Very enjoyable, easy reading. A treasure indeed.
-- recommended by Martha Flores

5/11/09:
Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell
Agincourt is a fictional account of one of the greatest battles in history. It is an exclamation point of technological advancement shutting the door on an obsolete technology, i.e., the longbow and plate armor/cavalry. Cornwell's writing style is very detailed and fully graphic.
-- recommended by James Michael Pope

4/29/09:
The Lymond Chronicles, by Dorothy Dunnett
This is a series I can't forget. Confusing at times but Lymond, aka Francis Crawford, is incredibly intriguing and devilishly adorable. The 4th volume, Pawn in Frankincense, and the last, Checkmate, are superb.
Also recommended, King Hereafter by Dorothy Dunnett - only one volume, albeit ~900 pages!
-- recommended by Terri Knight

4/16/09:
Sarum, by Edward Rutherfurd
This book is so enthralling and well researched. I could not put it down and it has increased my interest in English history dramatically. This book is a definite must-read.
-- recommended by Laurie Evans

The Alienist, by Caleb Carr
This turn-of-the-century crime novel is set in New York and rich with detail. It is well researched and the collection of characters is unparalleled. The follow-up book, Angel of Darkness, is fair but not nearly as engrossing as The Alienist.
-- recommended by Marta

4/9/09:
The Name of the Rose, by Umberto Eco
It was a page turner, it kept my interest. It was accurate historically. It was an exciting thriller to read. Besides that, the dialogues were very well written. I learned much about the medieval church and its prosecution of heretics. Overall it was a great piece of work.
-- recommended by Daniel Chairez Jr.

4/6/09:
Good Night Sweet Prince, by Gene Fowler
What I seek in literature is the unintentionally written historical novel, wherein a slice of time in history becomes the locale and historical personalities who actually lived at that time and place mix freely with the story's characters. This may be the biographical effort gone astray or where an unusual mixing of historical personalities actually occurred and are being described, with a straight face, as fiction in a novel whose time frame intersects with that being read, requiring the reader to double check what had just been read. I cannot know if Mr. Fowler, an experienced news reporter, took any liberties in this biographic novel, but so many well-known personalities appeared on its pages that I would not be surprised ... still a very enjoyable read.
-- recommended by Thomas E. Shelton

4/5/09:
Byzantium by Stephen Lawhead
This is an incredible tale of one man's lifelong journey of hardship, so well written and so evocative of the time and place. Celtic Ireland, Vikings, Constantinople. A long saga about a Celtic monk's journey to bring the Book of Kells to the king of Constantinople and along the way gets kidnapped and enslaved by Vikings. The only book that I've read where I cried on the last page because I couldn't bear for the story to end and wanted it to go on and on.
-- recommended by Jeannie Mancini

3/13/09:
The Source, by James Michener
If I could have only one novel to read for the rest of my life, it would have to be Michener's The Source. I judge a novel's worth by its content and subject matter as much as by the quality of the author's writing. Michener hit a home run on all three counts with this book.
-- recommended by Barry Webb

The Winds of War, by Herman Wouk
Paints a wonderful picture of what it would have been like to participate in WWII.
-- recommended by Frank Quayle

3/4/09:
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas
This book has everything a person could ask for in a novel. It is well written, exciting, touching, a must for all good libraries.
-- recommended by Patti

2/7/09:
Here Be Dragons, by Sharon Kay Penman
Her book took me to another world, and I was able to learn about a country, Wales, that I had never heard about. Ms. Penman brought her characters to life in such a way - I could feel the pull in Joanna as being a devoted daughter to her father (King John), and loving wife to Llewelyn, her husband. Even the battle scenes were mesmerizing, and I could not put the book down. I have read it three times, and each time I find something more interesting. It's a fascinating novel.
-- recommended by Kristina Hooper

2/3/09:
Green Darkness, by Anya Seton
This novel (a best-seller when it was originally released in the 1960s) is an original and beautiful story, one of Anya Seton's finest. The strong theme of reincarnation works well on all levels and is something that separates it from other novels of its genre. I particularly like the love story - the characters of Celia and Stephen are visceral, and the story of their love is entirely convincing, made all the more tragic by the violence of the novel's ending and its bittersweet conclusion. I have enjoyed all of Anya Seton's novels (apart from 'Smouldering Fires'!), but to me this one really stands the test of time, and is a thoroughly intriguing and original story, that reflects on the human condition and its failings.
-- recommended by Sarah Bryant

1/13/09:
Shogun, by James Clavell
The author tantalizingly leads the reader into not only the intricacies of feudal Japanese politics but also into the minds of each player. He lays out a romantic tapestry of the machinations of aristocratic political manuevrings, lifting the veils of the facades painted of each character. A wonderful introduction to a rich culture and introduction to the historical influences on Japanese thought even today (granted Japan's culture is changing away from the influence of feudal Japan, with recession and changing populations, etc...).
-- recommended by Richard Steiner

12/24/08:
Morgan's Run by Colleen McCullough
This novel blew me away. I am not a great fan of history. I do read a lot and have a great used paperback book store nearby. I picked Morgan's Run up for a dollar. What a bargain! I could not put it down. The plight of convicts transported to Australia in the 1770s is made real. After reading it I spent several hours googling the history of Botany Bay, Sydney, and Norfolk Island. Colleen McCullough remained true to the history of the transport of convicts and the settlement, adding her own characters, making it all seem very real. As I read it seemed that it was only recently that it all took place. Her turn-of-phrase made me laugh out loud several times. A great book and one that I will not forget.
-- recommended by Jeremy DAnn

12/20/08:
Raintree County, by Ross Lockridge, Jr.
Very interesting account of an Everyman living before during and after the Civil War in rural Indiana.
-- recommended by Ed Tully

12/18/08:
The Far Pavilions, by M. M. Kaye
It is a fantastic book, so well written that you feel you are in India during the British Raj. There is suspense, romance, and adventure. Once you start, you cannot put it down. The descriptions are very vivid. I love this book.
-- recommended by Isabelle

11/25/08:
Katherine by Anya Seton
Although this is my favourite, all her novels are worth a read. The story which I have read numerous times over the years, endures time and is a classic in this genre. The author has many historical figures and brings them to life. If anyone is interested, it helped me and members of my family past High School History exams.
-- recommended by Valerie Pritchard

11/18/08:
The Scarlet Crescent by Rajeshwari Chauhan
It's an excellent and very unique novel narrating the love story of King Akbar and his Hindu queen Jodhabai.
-- recommended by Vijay Agrawal

11/5/08:
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
No novel comes close to immersing its reader physically and mentally into the story it tells. You cannot read this novel without feeling every emotion and every blow taken and given at the Battle of Thermopylae.
-- recommended by Eugene S Kraay

10/30/08:
World Without End by Ken Follett
As a followup to his Pillars of the Earth, which I also nominate, this novel is so masterfully constructed that I found myself on many nights walking through the ancient churches and buildings Follett eloquently describes in painstaking detail in this novel filled with unrequited love and horrific loss. It will make you love and loathe, admire and despise its characters as well as the true and fictitious elements of its historical setting.
-- recommended by Monyka

10/8/08:
The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Penman
A different take on a well known story, Richard III as a hero!
-- recommended by Gerard Guinan

9/28/08:
Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati
The characters and events are totally captivating; the writing flows and keeps you interested the whole time. I had not read many books before this and was quite overwhelmed by its size, but before I knew it I was hooked and not only on this book but on historical novels in general. I have since become a avid reader and in particular cannot wait for each of the series installments. Elizabeth is totally lovable and a inspiration to women. I fell in love with Nathaniel, Hawkeye, Hannah, and all of the people of Lake in the Clouds.
-- recommended by Cindy Hughes

9/21/08:
The Winter King, by Bernard Cornwell
A historical and captivating look at King Arthur. Set in the Dark Ages, this book enchants the reader until the very end of the trilogy. Many unforgettable moments and realistic characters. Probably the best historical fiction.
-- recommended by George McGee

9/12/08:
The French Lieutenant's Woman, by John Fowles
Like all of Fowles novels, The French Lieutenant's Woman can be read on different levels. The structure is post-modern, spanning two eras, with a narrator outside the action. At the same time a contemporary tale with a twist and a 19th century romance, the novel benefits from careful reading; or you can just enjoy the love story. If you know the story only from the film by the same name, get the book--and vice versa. Both are excellent.
-- recommended by Jeanne Greene

8/31/08:
Dream West, by David Niven
This is an incredible novel that spans American history in the 19th century, including the taming of the West, the rush for gold, and the Civil War--all through the eyes of John C. Fremont, the first governor of California. It combines history with romance and the life story of a very interesting person and his family.
-- recommended by Dianne Safford

8/18/08:
Outlander Series, by Diana Gabaldon
This series is the best I have found, so far, that includes the day to day life of the characters without being boring or too much. You become so caught up in the lives of these characters that you cannot wait to see what will happen to them next. I look forward to each and every one, reading and listening to them many times. I have done research into my own family and came to realize that while these people may be fictional, others have lived through these times and experienced some of these experiences. Being a lover of history I love any insight into the life and times of other time periods.
-- recommended by Aimee Williams

8/1/08:
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
Diamant gives the women of the Bible a long ignored voice. It is beautifully written, and enthralling from beginning to end. One of my all time favorites!
--recommended by Lesa A. Holley

7/23/08:
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas
Amazing book with a lot of adventure, romance, and powerful words by Dumas that play with our hearts.
--recommended by Hessamoddin Shafeian

Outlander Series, by Diana Gabaldon
Great character development, exciting, full of adventure, and historically accurate. Gabaldon is an expert storyteller.
-- recommended by Colette Cefalu

7/16/08:
The Eagle of the Ninth, by Rosemary Sutcliff  
This author is usually confined to the ghetto of "youth fiction," but her scholarship in this and a whole cycle of novels of Roman Britain is marked by serious scholarship, unflinching realism, and the high, bardic style of a harper telling old tales of ancient strife, sorrow, and bittersweet triumph. There is nothing here that needs excusing.
-- recommended by Nancy Pyle

7/11/08:
I, Claudius, by Robert Graves
This novel avoids ridiculous romanticism by realizing that, in ancient Rome, the truth was often more intriguing. Many novels and films depicting the period add too much unlikely romanticism and adventure. Graves keeps strictly faithful to the historical accounts while using his considerable gifts as a writer to bring long-dead characters to psychologically complex life.
-- recommended by Ken

7/7/08:
Kristin Lavransdatter, by Sigrid Undset
An epic novel of the life of a woman in medieval Norway. Sigrid Undset's Nobel Prize winning novel is completely relevant today. It explores so many aspects of life: childhood, relationships with parents, friends, lovers, children as well as politics and spirituality. All set against the panorama of the Middle Ages. I loved it so much I named my daughter Kristin!
-- recommended by Gail Lanpher