Perhaps you'll find these more to your taste:
The Winter King, by Bernard Cornwell - the first in his
Warlord Chronicles trilogy. A realistic portrayal of King Arthur as a warlord circa 500AD.
Under Heaven, by Guy Gavriel Kay. Based on 8th century Tang Dynasty (China) and the events leading up to the An Shi Rebellion.
Sailing to Sarantium, by Guy Gavriel Kay - the first of his
Sarantine Mosaic duology. Based on Constantinople under Justinian I.
The Lost City of Z by David Grann. Although a non-fiction book, I found this as entertaining as any fiction thriller I've read. A look at the life, mysterious disappearance of, and search for the legendary explorer Percy Harrison Fawcett.