Step into the past with historical fiction. It’s a genre that blends imagination with real events. For writers, it’s a chance to tell forgotten stories. Dive into our list of 55 top historical fiction books. Each one transports you to different times and places.
From ancient civilizations to world wars, these novels are captivating. They’re more than just tales, they’re glimpses into humanity.
Get ready to be inspired to craft your own timeless stories.
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What Are Fiction Books:
Fiction books are imaginative tales crafted by authors. They aren’t based on real events. Instead, they invent characters, settings, and plots. These stories can be about anything, fantasy worlds, love stories, mysteries, or adventures.
Fiction books entertain readers with their creativity and imagination. They offer an escape from reality into the realms of the author’s invention. Whether it’s a thrilling thriller or a heartwarming romance, fiction books have something for everyone.
Criteria of a Best Fiction Book:
Here are a few important points you need to check while selecting whether fiction books are perfect or not.
- Compelling characters with depth and development.
- Engaging and well-paced plot.
- Immersive and vivid setting.
- Thought-provoking themes or messages.
- Skillful use of language and storytelling techniques.
- Emotional resonance with readers.
55 Historical Fiction Books For Writers:
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant:
Anita Diamant weaves a rich tapestry of ancient womanhood, breathing life into the biblical character of Dinah and her unheard voice amidst the patriarchal landscape.
Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin:
Ursula K. Le Guin masterfully reimagines Virgil’s Aeneid through the eyes of Lavinia, offering a lyrical exploration of love, destiny, and the power of storytelling.
I, Claudius by Robert Graves:
Robert Graves’s compelling narrative delves into the intricate web of Roman politics and intrigue, as witnessed through the eyes of the stuttering emperor Claudius.
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd:
Sue Monk Kidd presents an audacious reimagining of history, envisioning a bold and courageous wife of Jesus who dares to challenge the conventions of her time.
The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffmann:
Alice Hoffmann transports readers to ancient Judea, where four remarkable women’s lives intertwine amidst the siege of Masada, blending history with myth in a tale of resilience and survival.
The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell:
Bernard Cornwell’s Arthurian saga captivates with its gritty realism, offering a fresh perspective on the legendary King Arthur and the tumultuous birth of a nation.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett:
Ken Follett constructs a monumental medieval epic, where the construction of a cathedral becomes a backdrop for ambition, love, and intrigue in 12th-century England.
The Wreath by Sigrid Undset:
Sigrid Undset’s Nobel Prize-winning masterpiece delves into the complex world of medieval Norway, exploring themes of love, honor, and the clash between paganism and Christianity.
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco:
Umberto Eco’s labyrinthine mystery unfolds within the walls of a medieval monastery, blending intellectual intrigue with historical suspense in a gripping tale of murder and heresy.
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel:
Hilary Mantel’s immersive narrative offers a fresh perspective on the Tudor court, focusing on the enigmatic Thomas Cromwell’s rise to power amidst the tumult of Henry VIII’s reign.
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory:
Philippa Gregory breathes life into the scandalous court of Henry VIII through the eyes of Mary Boleyn, offering a gripping tale of ambition, betrayal, and sisterly rivalry.
As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann:
Maria McCann’s visceral exploration of love and obsession unfolds against the backdrop of the English Civil War, immersing readers in a turbulent era of passion and upheaval.
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier:
Tracy Chevalier’s luminous novel imagines the life of Griet, the muse behind Vermeer’s masterpiece, offering a captivating glimpse into the artistry and intrigue of 17th-century Delft.
Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund:
Sena Jeter Naslund’s sweeping saga traces the extraordinary life of Marie Antoinette, from her opulent youth in Austria to her tragic fate amidst the tumult of the French Revolution.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens:
Charles Dickens’s timeless classic unfolds against the backdrop of the French Revolution, weaving together themes of sacrifice, redemption, and the power of love in the face of tyranny.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon:
Diana Gabaldon’s epic romance transcends time and space, whisking readers from the Scottish Highlands of the 18th century to the turmoil of World War II, in a tale of love, adventure, and destiny.
Perfume by Patrick Süskind:
Patrick Süskind’s intoxicating narrative follows the odyssey of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a gifted but twisted perfumer whose obsession with scent leads him on a dark and macabre journey through 18th-century France.
Silence by Shusaku Endo:
Shusaku Endo’s haunting novel explores faith and persecution in 17th-century Japan, as a Jesuit missionary confronts the silence of God amidst the brutality of the Tokugawa shogunate.
The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan:
Indu Sundaresan’s lush historical saga traces the life of Mehrunnisa, the powerful Empress Nur Jahan, whose indomitable spirit and cunning intellect shape the fate of the Mughal Empire.
Alex and Eliza by Melissa De La Cruz:
Melissa De La Cruz’s enchanting romance offers a fictionalized account of the courtship between Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler, blending history with passion in the dawn of the American Revolution.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See:
Lisa See’s poignant tale explores the lifelong bond between two women in 19th-century China, revealing the intricacies of female friendship amidst the constraints of tradition and societal expectations.
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi:
Yaa Gyasi’s epic debut spans continents and generations, tracing the legacy of slavery through the intertwined stories of two half-sisters and their descendants, in a powerful exploration of identity, history, and humanity.
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy:
Leo Tolstoy’s monumental masterpiece immerses readers in the tumultuous sweep of Russian history, blending epic scope with intimate human drama in a profound meditation on love, war, and destiny.
How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C. Pam Zhang:
C. Pam Zhang’s lyrical debut offers a bold reimagining of the American West, exploring themes of identity, belonging, and the immigrant experience through the eyes of two orphaned siblings on a quest for redemption.
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood:
Margaret Atwood’s mesmerizing novel unravels the mystery surrounding Grace Marks, a notorious Canadian murderess, through a hypnotic blend of fact and fiction, raising provocative questions about truth, memory, and justice.
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton:
Eleanor Catton’s intricate narrative unfolds amidst the gold rush of 19th-century New Zealand, weaving together a mesmerizing tapestry of love, betrayal, and ambition in a literary feat of dazzling complexity.
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead:
Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel reimagines the Underground Railroad as a literal network of tunnels and tracks, offering a searing indictment of America’s legacy of slavery and racial injustice.
The Twelve Rooms of the Nile by Enid Shomer:
Enid Shomer’s evocative novel imagines a chance encounter between Florence Nightingale and Gustave Flaubert along the banks of the Nile, exploring themes of friendship, ambition, and the transformative power of travel.
Measuring the World by Daniel Kehlmann:
Daniel Kehlmann’s playful and inventive novel chronicles the parallel lives of two 19th-century visionaries, Carl Friedrich Gauss and Alexander von Humboldt—as they embark on quests to measure and map the world around them.
The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffmann:
Alice Hoffmann’s lush historical novel transports readers to the vibrant world of 19th-century St. Thomas, where the unconventional love affair between Rachel Pissarro and her cousin’s husband sets off a chain of events that will reverberate across generations.
The Master by Colm Tóibín:
Colm Tóibín’s exquisite novel delves into the life and psyche of Henry James, offering a nuanced portrait of the acclaimed author as he grapples with desire, creativity, and the burdens of literary success.
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders:
George Saunders’s inventive and haunting novel unfolds in the liminal realm of the bardo, where the spirits of the dead—including Abraham Lincoln’s beloved son—converge in a poignant meditation on grief, loss, and the enduring power of love.
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell:
Margaret Mitchell’s sweeping epic follows the tempestuous romance between Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler against the backdrop of the Civil War and Reconstruction-era South, capturing the tumultuous spirit of a nation in transition.
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier:
Charles Frazier’s lyrical novel traces the odyssey of a wounded Confederate soldier as he embarks on a perilous journey home to the woman he loves, amidst the ravages of the Civil War and the wilderness of the Appalachian mountains.
March by Geraldine Brooks:
Geraldine Brooks’s imaginative retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel Little Women offers a fresh perspective on the Civil War era, exploring the challenges and sacrifices faced by the March family as they navigate love, loss, and the quest for freedom.
Arthur and George by Julian Barnes:
Julian Barnes’s gripping novel intertwines the lives of Arthur Conan Doyle and George Edalji, exploring themes of justice, prejudice, and the complexities of friendship in turn-of-the-century Britain.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee:
Min Jin Lee’s sweeping family saga follows four generations of a Korean immigrant family in Japan, spanning the tumultuous events of the 20th century and exploring themes of identity, belonging, and the home search.
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro:
Kazuo Ishiguro’s haunting novel unfolds through the memories of Stevens, a loyal butler reflecting on a lifetime in service to an aristocratic household, offering a poignant meditation on duty, regret, and the passage of time.
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters:
Sarah Waters’s mesmerizing tale of deception and desire unfolds in Victorian England, where a young orphan is ensnared in a web of intrigue and betrayal, in a twisty and suspenseful narrative that keeps readers guessing until the very end.
The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka:
Julie Otsuka’s lyrical novel traces the lives of Japanese picture brides in early 20th-century America, offering a haunting meditation on identity, assimilation, and the elusive promise of the American dream.
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles:
Amor Towles’s enchanting novel follows the fortunes of Count Alexander Rostov, who is sentenced to house arrest in a grand hotel in Moscow during the tumult of the Russian Revolution, offering a charming and insightful exploration of resilience, friendship, and the power of literature to transcend time and circumstance.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova:
Elizabeth Kostova’s gripping novel follows a young woman’s quest to uncover the truth behind her father’s obsession with Dracula, leading her on a journey across Europe and into the dark heart of vampire lore, in a suspenseful and atmospheric tale that blends history, myth, and mystery.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr:
Anthony Doerr’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel unfolds against the backdrop of World War II, tracing the intersecting lives of a blind French girl and a German soldier as they navigate love, loss, and the power of human resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity.
Atonement by Ian McEwan:
Ian McEwan’s haunting novel explores the consequences of a young girl’s fateful accusation, unfolding across the decades as it examines the nature of memory, guilt, and the elusive search for redemption.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak:
Markus Zusak’s powerful novel follows a young girl living in Nazi Germany, whose love of books and storytelling becomes a means of resistance and survival amidst the horrors of war, offering a poignant meditation on the power of words to shape our lives and our destinies.
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje:
Michael Ondaatje’s lyrical novel traces the intersecting lives of four individuals in an Italian villa at the end of World War II, weaving together themes of love, loss, and the redemptive power of storytelling in a mesmerizing tapestry of memory and desire.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Maria Ann Schaffre and Annie Barrows:
Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows’s delightful novel unfolds through a series of letters exchanged between a London writer and the eccentric residents of Guernsey Island in the aftermath of World War II, capturing the enduring bonds of friendship and the transformative power of literature in the face of adversity.
Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan:
Esi Edugyan’s evocative novel follows a group of jazz musicians in Nazi-occupied Europe as they navigate love, betrayal, and the search for redemption amidst the tumult of war and the shadow of prejudice.
Human Voices by Penelope Fitzgerald:
Penelope Fitzgerald’s witty and insightful novel offers a behind-the-scenes look at the BBC during World War II, exploring themes of resilience, camaraderie, and the power of storytelling in the face of adversity.
The Night Watch by Sarah Waters:
Sarah Waters’s haunting novel unfolds in reverse chronological order, tracing the lives of four individuals in wartime London as they navigate love, loss, and the aftermath of conflict in a mesmerizing exploration of memory and desire.
Sophie’s Choice by William Styron:
William Styron’s devastating novel follows the intertwined lives of a young writer, a Holocaust survivor, and a troubled Polish immigrant as they grapple with the legacy of trauma and the nature of guilt, in a powerful meditation on love, loss, and the human capacity for cruelty and compassion.
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante:
Elena Ferrante’s gripping novel follows the lifelong friendship between two women in postwar Naples as they navigate the complexities of family, ambition, and the shifting dynamics of power and identity in a rapidly changing society.
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich:
Louise Erdrich’s powerful novel draws inspiration from her grandfather’s life as a Native American activist, weaving together a tapestry of interconnected lives in 1950s North Dakota as they confront the forces of change and resistance in the face of government intrusion and cultural erasure.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver:
Barbara Kingsolver’s sweeping novel follows the Price family’s ill-fated mission to the Belgian Congo in the 1960s, exploring themes of colonialism, cultural clash, and the enduring legacy of guilt and redemption in a mesmerizing tale of loss and survival.
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen:
Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel offers a fresh perspective on the Vietnam War through the eyes of a conflicted Vietnamese spy, exploring themes of identity, loyalty, and the complexities of allegiance in a gripping tale of espionage and betrayal.
Conclusion: Historical Fiction Books
In conclusion, historical fiction books serve as a gateway to the past, offering readers and writers alike an immersive experience that brings history to life through the lens of imagination. Through compelling characters, vivid settings, and gripping narratives, these novels not only entertain but also educate, shedding light on forgotten stories and untold perspectives.
With its ability to transport us across time and space, historical fiction continues to captivate our imaginations and inspire us to explore the rich tapestry of human history.
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FAQs: Historical Fiction Books
What makes historical fiction different from other genres?
Historical fiction blends real historical events with fictional characters and narratives, offering readers a unique window into the past.
How accurate are historical fiction books?
While authors strive for historical accuracy, creative liberties are often taken for the sake of storytelling, so it’s essential to approach these books as imaginative interpretations rather than strict historical accounts.
Why is historical fiction books popular among readers?
Historical fiction allows readers to explore different eras and cultures, providing both entertainment and education while fostering empathy and understanding of the complexities of history.
Are there any benefits for writers in exploring historical fiction?
Writing historical fiction challenges writers to conduct thorough research, hone their storytelling skills, and creatively blend fact with fiction, offering a rewarding opportunity for personal growth and exploration.
How can readers find the best historical fiction books for their interests?
Readers can discover compelling historical fiction through recommendations from bookstores, online reviews, literary awards, and curated lists like this one, tailored to specific periods or themes.