Historical fiction recomendations?

vuther316 · 12-18-2025, 11:16 PM

Hi,
Anyone have any recommendations for good historical fiction?
I'm primarily interested in Medieval period and prior periods.

BelleZora · Yesterday, 12:38 AM

I enjoyed Pillars of the Earth, a book by Ken Follett set in the 12th century. It is about the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England.

I also recommend Sharon Kay Penman's Welsh Princes trilogy set in medieval England, Wales and France. It features the Plantagenet kings. The books are Here be Dragons, Falls the Shadow, and The Reckoning. The King's Man, also by Penman, is a medieval mystery.

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco is also very good.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre. You will find much to enjoy.

drofgnal · Yesterday, 06:30 AM

These are all good. The Pillars of the Earth series in general is good. The sequel world without end is also good. The third I didn't enjoy as much, but the fourth was a prequel starting with a viking raid about 800-900, which I really enjoyed. They fifth was fine but gets out of medieval to around 1700.

Some others:

Bernard Cromwell Saxon Series is good. There are several books there, and I haven't read them all.

Hamnet by O'Farrel - fictional account of Shakespeare's son.

The Physician by Noah Gordan - Young man travels to Persia to become a physician.

The Once and Future King TS White - King Arthur

Ivanhoe Walter Scott

Year of Wonders Geraldine Brooks - a plaque novel of the 1600s.

I had to check my goodreads list. Also my favorite genre, not just medieval though.

svenlind · Yesterday, 07:49 AM

I will recommend The Warlord Chronicles, also by Bernard Cornwell. It is actually a trilogy. I bought it many years ago as an omnibus.
A link to Wikipidia

WillAdams · Yesterday, 08:40 AM

_The White Company_ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/903

Martinoptic · Yesterday, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillAdams

_The White Company_ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/903

Also available with Sir Nigel on mobileread as lrf or mobi.

John F · Yesterday, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vuther316

Hi,
Anyone have any recommendations for good historical fiction?
I'm primarily interested in Medieval period and prior periods.

Does time travel to those periods interest you?

ucfgrad93 · Yesterday, 05:55 PM

The Eagles of the Empire series by Simon Scarrow is very good. Set in ancient Rome in the first century.

rkomar · Yesterday, 07:17 PM

If you are okay with YA books, I remember really liking Rosemary Sutcliffe's Eagle trilogy (The Eagle of the Ninth, The Silver Branch, The Lantern Bearers) set in the time of the Roman colonization of Britain. It looks like she wrote many other historical novels in various periods, but I haven't read any of them myself.

I will second The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco if you want something more for adults.

church mouse · Today, 05:06 AM

I would classify Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose as "historical mystery" i.e. a murder mystery set in a period context, but it is so damn good I agree with those who have already recommended it.

Some books I have read which I thought were ok or pretty good are:

Lady of the English - Elizabeth Chadwick's take on Queen Matilda of England. 12th century.
A Matter of Interpretation - Elizabeth MacDonald's telling of the life of the 13th century monk and mathematician Robert Scot.
The Siege - Ismail Kadare's story regarding a late-medieval Ottoman siege in Albania.
The Sword at Sunset - Rosemary Sutcliffe's version of the tale of King Arthur.
Pompeii - Robert Harris's gripping (in my opinion) telling of the great Mount Vesuvius
eruption.

A couple of tales of Norsemen derring-do which I gave 3/5 are:
Vinland - George Mackay Brown
The Long Ships - Frans Bengtsson

A couple of books which I struggled with but are very well regarded are:
The Company Of Liars - Karen Maitland. The Black Death arrives in 14th century England.

I, Claudius - Robert Graves.
(In the same time period there is the Robert Harris "Cicero" trilogy).

Martinoptic · Today, 07:13 AM

Seconding Sword at sunset and Pompeii.

JSWolf · Today, 09:13 AM

The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.

12-18-2025, 11:16 PM	#1
vuther316 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2025 Device: Kindle App (Mostly on a Samsung Galaxy Smartphone)	Historical fiction recomendations? Hi, Anyone have any recommendations for good historical fiction? I'm primarily interested in Medieval period and prior periods.

Yesterday, 06:30 AM	#3
drofgnal Wizard Posts: 1,444 Karma: 10519918 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Ipad Pro/Kindle Oasis 3/iPhone 13 Pro Max	These are all good. The Pillars of the Earth series in general is good. The sequel world without end is also good. The third I didn't enjoy as much, but the fourth was a prequel starting with a viking raid about 800-900, which I really enjoyed. They fifth was fine but gets out of medieval to around 1700. Some others: Bernard Cromwell Saxon Series is good. There are several books there, and I haven't read them all. Hamnet by O'Farrel - fictional account of Shakespeare's son. The Physician by Noah Gordan - Young man travels to Persia to become a physician. The Once and Future King TS White - King Arthur Ivanhoe Walter Scott Year of Wonders Geraldine Brooks - a plaque novel of the 1600s. I had to check my goodreads list. Also my favorite genre, not just medieval though. Last edited by drofgnal; Yesterday at 06:55 AM.

Yesterday, 07:17 PM	#9
rkomar Wizard Posts: 3,080 Karma: 18821071 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sudbury, ON, Canada Device: PRS-505, PB 902, PRS-T1, PB 623, PB 840, PB 633	If you are okay with YA books, I remember really liking Rosemary Sutcliffe's Eagle trilogy (The Eagle of the Ninth, The Silver Branch, The Lantern Bearers) set in the time of the Roman colonization of Britain. It looks like she wrote many other historical novels in various periods, but I haven't read any of them myself. I will second The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco if you want something more for adults. Last edited by rkomar; Yesterday at 07:20 PM.

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Yesterday, 12:38 AM	#2
BelleZora Wizard Posts: 1,446 Karma: 26333088 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Seattle, USA Device: Kindle Colorsoft, Kobo Libra Colour	I enjoyed Pillars of the Earth, a book by Ken Follett set in the 12th century. It is about the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England. I also recommend Sharon Kay Penman's Welsh Princes trilogy set in medieval England, Wales and France. It features the Plantagenet kings. The books are Here be Dragons, Falls the Shadow, and The Reckoning. The King's Man, also by Penman, is a medieval mystery. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco is also very good. Historical fiction is my favorite genre. You will find much to enjoy.

Yesterday, 07:49 AM	#4
svenlind Fanatic Posts: 542 Karma: 10491221 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Denmark Device: Kobo: Clara BW, Libra 2,Sage. Kindle Oasis 3, Ipad Mini	I will recommend The Warlord Chronicles, also by Bernard Cornwell. It is actually a trilogy. I bought it many years ago as an omnibus. A link to Wikipidia

Yesterday, 08:40 AM	#5
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,264 Karma: 3571298 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	_The White Company_ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/903

Yesterday, 05:55 PM	#8
ucfgrad93 Wizard Posts: 2,374 Karma: 9026681 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Colorado Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2nd Gen	The Eagles of the Empire series by Simon Scarrow is very good. Set in ancient Rome in the first century.

Today, 05:06 AM	#10
church mouse Evangelist Posts: 496 Karma: 5277078 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo Clara HD, Boox Poke 2, PocketBook Verse Pro (634)	I would classify Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose as "historical mystery" i.e. a murder mystery set in a period context, but it is so damn good I agree with those who have already recommended it. Some books I have read which I thought were ok or pretty good are: Lady of the English - Elizabeth Chadwick's take on Queen Matilda of England. 12th century. A Matter of Interpretation - Elizabeth MacDonald's telling of the life of the 13th century monk and mathematician Robert Scot. The Siege - Ismail Kadare's story regarding a late-medieval Ottoman siege in Albania. The Sword at Sunset - Rosemary Sutcliffe's version of the tale of King Arthur. Pompeii - Robert Harris's gripping (in my opinion) telling of the great Mount Vesuvius eruption. A couple of tales of Norsemen derring-do which I gave 3/5 are: Vinland - George Mackay Brown The Long Ships - Frans Bengtsson A couple of books which I struggled with but are very well regarded are: The Company Of Liars - Karen Maitland. The Black Death arrives in 14th century England. I, Claudius - Robert Graves. (In the same time period there is the Robert Harris "Cicero" trilogy).

Today, 07:13 AM	#11
Martinoptic Bibliophist Posts: 7,784 Karma: 7318592 Join Date: Dec 2021 Location: England Device: none	Seconding Sword at sunset and Pompeii.

Today, 09:13 AM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 81,252 Karma: 150263711 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.