Top 10 Historical Fiction Books
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 มิ.ย. 2024
- My Top 10 works of Historical Fiction! Based on these 10, which book series do you recommend that would potentially crack this list?
00:00 Intro
00:58 No. 10
01:45 No. 9
02:52 No. 8
03:43 No. 7
04:46 No. 6
05:43 No. 5
06:43 No. 4
07:54 No. 3
09:26 No. 2
10:45 No. 1
12:15 Outro
Videos mentioned:
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You might want to try James Michener, have not read all of his but really enjoyed Tales of the South Pacific, Hawaii and The Source
Michener is definitely on the list. Since I live in Texas, I'll probably start with that one. But I've heard good things - I know Brian Lee Durfee raves about him.
Michener is fantastic! I've only read a handful myself, but I loved each one -- Texas, Chesapeake, Centennial and The Novel
I loved your list. 7 were on my list of all time. I am going to download The Terror today.
I hope you enjoy The Terror!
Wow! I’ve only read Shogun, Lonesome Dove and Grapes of Wrath on your list! Thanks for sharing ! I’ll read (the rest of) your list this year !
Awesome! I hope you enjoy them all as much as I have!
What a fantastic list, I love how you present each book. Great summaries, and vivid explanations!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
You’re fast becoming one of my favorite channels, along with Mikes Book Reviews. Thanks for the great videos!!
Thanks so much - this made my day!
You are preaching to the converted as many of these are my favourites as well. Bernard Cornwell appears in my list for the Sharpe series. Love those. I have never heard of the Maurice Druon books so thanks for mentioning them. I'll be on the lookout for this series.
Awesome! I hope you enjoy the Druon books.
Such a good list.
The Accursed Kings is my absolutely favourite
Yes! It's a far underrated book series.
I feel that the Horacio Hornblower novels should be included -- they are one of my favorite series, and one I can read over and over again, as well as watch in movies. The best version of the British navy in the Age of Sail that I know.
I'll have to check those out!
One summer I started tbe Hornblower series. From page one I couldn't put them down and searched for more. I was going to to exit my entry to include them but found you instead. Much better than Master and Commander, couldn't get into that
Great picks !
Thanks!
Jerusalem by Cecelia Holland is one of my favorites, along with Aztec by Gary Jennings. I’m just finishing The Warlord Chronicles, and i highly recommend the audiobooks. The narration is amazing. I also totally agree about Pillars of the Earth.
I second AZTEC!!!! That book was sooo good and really made an impression on me. Pillars is one of the best!! It has been so hard to find something that I can get into and could even come close to these two books. My amazing father, who is now in heaven, recommended these two books to me 15 years ago. Boy, did he know a good book!!
Pillar of the Heart is as my favorite work of historical fiction too! I just watched about 5 other video on best historical fiction books and you were the only one to mention it! I want everyone to know about this book.
It's a fantastic book! Glad you love it too!
What an awesome list!! I've read a few of those, own a few others and now have a few others to add to my list.
I'll be rereading Gone with the Wind in July and I'm so excited to reread it! I last read it as a young teenager.
I don't have any others to rec to you yet. I did buy another if Umberto's books to try also.
Someone else had mentioned another Eco book - Foucalt's Pendulum I think. I hope you love the reread of Gone with the Wind. I found it such an immersive read.
I enjoyed The Name of the Rose a long time ago when I read it for a class. Oddly enough, I've read a ton of non-fiction history but no historical fiction so this is a good list for me to delve into that genre. Thanks!
Glad to help! I feel like I've only scratched the surface with this genre, but have read some really great ones.
I love your list - several books I treasure there and wonderful to see the great Maurice Druon included.
My favourite historical fiction writer is Dorothy Dunnett. She has two great series - The Lymond Chronicles and The House of Niccolo. The Lymond series has six books set at the time of Henry 8 and moving on to when Elizabeth takes the throne. They follow years in the life of Lymond in Scotland, France, Malta, Turkey Russia and England. The characters are wonderful and the settings drawn so well you feel you are there. The Niccolo series again follows a man from being a humble apprentice to a great merchant. Again the settings cover many countries and the historical research is impeccable.
Happy reading!
I've heard good things about Dorothy Dunnett - I may have to check her out soon. Thanks!
I have 5 of the 6 books in the Lymond Chronicles…missing the 3rd. I’m looking forward to starting it soon.
Winds of War and War and Remembrance
Both on the to be read list!
Love to see a video on these two books.
Incredible list here, Josh! Lots here I adore, also lots that I haven't read yet! This is just more motivation to read some Ken Follett.
Ed
Thanks, Ed! Definitely read some Follett!
Josh, Great list. Having read many of the books on your list, I concur with your selection. If you want another take on the Legend of King Arthur, I would recommend Lancelot by Giles Kristian. I am currently reading The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker; a book that will challenge your views of the heroic warrior and war in general. Love your channel and the way you talk about books 🙏
I did enjoy the silence of the girls
Thank you! Lancelot is definitely on my radar - I do love Arthur retellings. I'm adding The Silence of the Girls to the TBR - thanks for the recommendation and glad you enjoyed the video!
Thank you for an entertaining and informative video. I've been looking for historical fiction that doesn't focus on romance, and you've provided just what I needed.Liked, subscribed, and followed on Goodreads!
Awesome - glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for hanging out!
Great List! A couple of these i havent read are going on my TBR, The Name of the Rose and Killer Angels. You may want to try the Boudica novels by Manda Scott based on your love for The Winter King. They are great. I loved The Winter King!
I hope you love them! I'm definitely interested in the Boudica novels after hearing Ed Gwynne rave about them.
Considering I’ve absolutely loved the two on here I’ve read (Killer Angels and Warlord) I really need to try some more of them-loved the vid!
Thanks, my friend, I hope if you pick some up you love them as I do!
Wow what a list 💪
I am fast growing to love this genre above all else. I am loving Tai-Pan currently.
The book I would recommend everyone in this genre is War and Peace 👌 but for you Josh I would have to say Sharpe’s Tiger as I think you’d love reading Sharpe.
Glad you're loving Tai-Pan! I'll be on Allen's channel in a couple of weeks talking about that one. I did enjoy War and Peace - not as much as Anna Karenina, but did like it.
Yea, this really is a fantastic list! I loved The Terror, as Dan Simmons is one of my top 3 favorite writers. Pillars of the Earth is THE DEFINITION of the word 'epic', and I gotta say that World Without End (for me) followed closely behind. I enjoyed each book in the Kingsbridge series, even the prequel was good, and I cannot wait to read the new one coming out in September!
Killer Angels was fantastic, and kicked off my love for the rest of the Shaara trilogy. I live about 2hr from Gettysburg and go there about once a year. I've started to build a collection of Jeff Shaara's other works, and can't wait to read them. I got his newest book, Old Lion (came out last week, and I got autographed 😀) and planning that as my next read.
I loved all the Kingsbridge novels - Pillars at the top but World Without End and the prequel honestly not that far off. I'm definitely excited for the new one! I'll definitely be picking up Jeff Shaara's works too; if he's anything like his father, I'll definitely enjoy them.
Great list! While probably not marketed as historical fiction, I loved Small Mercies, the new book out by Dennis Lehane. It's a crime mystery/thriller that takes place in the 70s in south Boston when public school busing started. I also love The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay, which is not actually historical fiction but rather a low fantasy taking place in place intended to be very reminiscent of medieval Spain. And of course there is War and Peace, which was historical fiction even when originally published.
Good to know about Small Mercies! I love Lehane and look forward to getting to that one. I'll also be reading The Lions of al-Rassan this year - probably this summer. I've been itching to start GGK.
wow, I loved the Accursed Kings (all 7 books), so glad someone is talking about them. Warlord chronicles for me is the best story about king Arthur and his times, loved it so much too!! Also loved Cornwell's Saxon Stories, they are so funny to read. And I'm definitely reading Terror after this video
I hope you enjoy The Terror! And always glad to meet another fan of The Accursed Kings. That series flies under the radar.
Watching your countdown go past Lonesome Dove, Shogun, Warlord Chronicles... I couldn't think what could top those.
Think I'll have to dive into The Pillars of the Earth soon then!
It's fantastic - I hope you love it as much as I did!
Great books! I'd read most of them (except Winter king and the accursed Kings). After i read the killer Angels, i bought a blaze of Glory and a chain of thunder, i can't wait to read them. These next books are ones of my favorites. 1) Gates of fire by Steven Pressfield (a tale of Battle of Thermopylae). 2) The war of the end the world Mario Vargas Llosa (a fictional tale of war of Canudos in the 19th Century Brazil). 3) i already mention it (but i think you would like it) Top of the world by Hans Ruesch (about the ways of live of North people). As always great video❤
Gates of Fire is already a "hopefully soon" book as I've heard tremendous things about it. I'm writing down the other two as well - thanks!
Great list really need to get around to reading some follet I also was obsessed with the warlord chronicles everytime I can't think of what to read I almost restart the series 😂 really interested in the accursed kings still on my tbr from the last time you mentioned it
Awesome! If you get to The Accursed Kings, I hope you enjoy it!
I just finished pillars of the earth early this month. I agree with you 100%. I’ve been reading historical fiction for years and that book jumped to my favorite of all time. Still thinking about it!
It's so good! The sequels and prequel are worth your time too.
I've considered reading it but heard there is quite a bit of crude sex , and I don't like reading that so I've put off reading it
@@wbl5649 "Quite a bit of crude sex"? Really? It's been 7 or 8 years since I read Pillars of the Earth, but I don't remember any sex scenes at all, much less anything crude. If there were, they didn't register in my memory. I really don't think there is "quite a bit of crude sex" in the book. It's just not that kind of book.
Pillars is great, but the series is formulaic.
Historical fiction is my favorite genre and your taste in this wonderful genre matches mine. GWTW is my second favorite book of all time, and Grapes of Wrath is my third (To Kill a Mockingbird is first). I recommend the Outlander series to HF lovers (I understand your reticence to continue on with that series lol), but I also really like Margaret George’s Henry VIII Biography As Told By His Fool, Will Summers, her Mary Queen of Scots, s as bd also her Elizabeth I. Ms. George has written several historical fiction books that are very well researched and very well written. Because of the time she puts into a novel, she only publishes one approximately every 5 years. Also, Sharon Kay Penman’s The Sunne in Splendor (about Richard III) is very good. Hilary Mantel’s books are excellent as well. (Whew, that was a lot). Great video, Josh!
Thanks, Debbie! The Sunne in Splendor is one that's already on the TBR but I'm writing down Hilary Mantel as well as I've heard good things. Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for the recommendations!
One of my favorite authors is Sharon Kaye Penman. My recommendations would “When Christ and his Saints Slept” set during The Anarchy period in England and the Welsh trilogy starting with “Here Be Dragons”. Now I’m off to check out “The Accursed Kings”.
I already had the welsh trilogy on my TBR, but I'll add the other - thank you!
So many on here that I need to get to. I’m having a great time with Warlord Chronicles! 😊
Awesome! That's such a remarkable series.
great list. Ill have to find some of these. For me Id have to include Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy (rip), The Thin Red Line by James Jones and also For Whom The Bell Tolls by Hemingway.
I hope you enjoy them. RIP Cormac McCarthy indeed. I definitely need to get to Blood Meridian.
Macdonald Fraser's Flashman series, particularly 'Flashman at the Charge' and 'Flashman in the Great Game', outshine most of those listed here, so does Alfred Duggan's 'Conscience of the King'.
Thank you for the video Josh!
I have read:
- The Pillars of the Earth (1989) by Ken Follett
- The Name of the Rose (1980) by Umberto Eco
[original title in Italian: Il nome della rosa]
and I already had my eyes on:
- The Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell
- Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
but, now you have definitely got me interested about: The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
Glad I could add The Killer Angels to your TBR! It's fantastic.
Check out Owen Wister's _The Virginian_
Perhaps not historical fiction , but a series of loosely related stories stitched into a sprawling account of life in the Medicine Bow area of Wyoming in the late 1800s, many of the stories critiqued by Wister's friend, Theodore Roosevelt.
I have also recently gotten into Louis L'Amour's "Sackett" novels.
Agree with Lonesome Dove. Didn't care for Pillars. Hmmm. I recommend Katherine by Anya Seaton. Katherine is the sister-in-law of Chaucer, the lover of John of Gaunt and the ancestress of the Tudors. Absolutely agree about Shogun. Also recommend The Haj by Leon Uris. Complete and fair immersion into the Jewish Arab conflict set during the ' 48 war
Great list, Josh! It includes many of my favorites. If I can suggest a few more authors, I think you might enjoy Patrick O’Brian, C.S. Forester, Steven Pressfield, and Alexandre Dumas. Also, C.J. Samson, Lindsay Davis and Ellis Peters do historical mysteries very well. And great historical fiction with a tinge of SFF includes Neal Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle, S.M. Stirling’s Nantucket trilogy, and Connie Willis’ Oxford time travel series.
Thank you, Bridger! Jotting down all these author names to explore - thanks!
@@RedFuryBooks I just noticed that my phone's autocorrect messed up one of the author names. It should be C.J. Sansom. Also, be sure to read modern translations of Dumas (after ~1940). They're a lot better than the earlier translations in the public domain now (which are what many of the low-cost editions sold today use).
C.J. Sansom is a good one, I read Dissolution recently, and loved it. It's set in a time period I never really knew much about, prior -- Henry VIII and Cromwell
@@thelibraryladder Got it! I do have The Three Musketeers on the shelf - not sure the translation, but it IS an Easton Press edition, so I would hope it's a good translation!
@@RedFuryBooks The Easton Press edition sounds promising. My favorite Dumas is The Count of Monte Cristo, and nearly all of his works are highly readable with a good translator. (The same goes for authors such as Dostoevsky and Jules Verne.) Penguin Classics editions are among the best because they enlist the services of very good translators for foreign works. In contrast, avoid the Barnes & Noble Classics editions of translated works because they frequently use the oldest translations available (which are often in the public domain and bowdlerized if they date back to the 1800s).
Hey, I didn't know Bill Burr had a Booktube channel. (I'm guessing you've heard that one before.) Thanks very much for this list and your thoughts. I am trying to read more historical fiction, so your input helps. I loved Pillars of the Earth and was happy to see it was your #1 pick. I haven't read any other Follett besides that, but I probably should. I loved Lonesome Dove, too. Thanks again for the suggestions.
Glad to help with the recommendations! Follett's World Without End is the follow up to Pillars and is pretty great too.
One of my all-time favorites that I haven't seen mentioned on booktube is "The Long Ships" by Frans G. Bengtsson.
Fantastic list! I’m excited for the next book in The Kingsbridge series. 😊 Have you read Fall of the Giants?
Not yet! I do want to read those books though.
Great list. Shogun, Lonesome Dove, and Pillars of the Earth are all on my TBR. My favorites are The Alienist and The Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr. Much better than the tv show, they are psychological crime novels set in late 19th century New York. Gripping and really cool how they piece together the psychological profiles. Since I know you enjoy crime fiction I’ll also make that my recommendation for you.
I love historical crime thrillers especially set in middle ages up to 18 century!
I tried The Alienist on audio and it didn't work for me, but I'll have to try it physically. Those style of books definitely appeal to me. Thanks!
Thank you for this awesome list. I’m curious to know if you have read anything by Edward Rutherfurd? I read The Forest and loved it. He has also written London and Sarum.
Glad you enjoyed the list. I have not heard of Edward Rutherfurd!
Cornwall’s series on the development of England
Yes! The Saxon Stories! That’s what I’m talking about…
My top recommendation in historical fiction is always the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian. I read them out of order initially depending on which volume I could get at the time; am currently rereading the series in order of publication and appreciating how much development we see in these two main characters. Very enjoyable series on many levels.
Someone else in comments said that the Hornblower series was the best depiction of the Napoleonic wars and the early 19th century British navy. I would call and raise that assertion with the O'Brian series.
I definitely need to get to those books- so much universal praise!
Great list and almost identical to my favorites. I read Killer Angel's and Lonesome Dove when they were first released and have been hooked on HF since. I distinctly remember putting Lonesome Dove in my drawer at work and opening my drawer to read during down times. Of course if someone walked in I'd look l Iike I was looking for a paperclip! LOL! What we do! I'll have to check out Terror by Dan Simmons. I consider that Historical Fantasy and see more and more books written around that genre.
Haha - I need to try that desk drawer trick! The Terror is great - it's kind of a genre-bender, but I do feel like it's more historical fiction than anything else. It being Dan Simmons, it's extremely well told.
@@RedFuryBooks I'm definitely going to read it. I love your channel. And not only because our reading tastes are near identical but because your vids are so professionally down. Your use of background music is perfect, loud enough for emphasis but it in no way competes with your voice. That's rare on TH-cam.
@@ttowntrekker5174 thanks so much! I find music distracting in videos (as I tend listen to the music more than the voice) so I'm pretty sensitive to that. Thanks for noticing! :)
I absolutely enjoyed pillars of the earth I have also read the sequel and prequel lonesome dove was also good
Great recommendations! Thanks. Now I have to check them all. I could also recommend Cathedral of the Sea by Ildefonso Falcones and the Boudica Warrior Queen series by Manda Scott.
Thanks! I really want to read Boudica as I've heard the Brothers Gwynne rave about that series!
Never read a bad historical fiction book by Manda Scott, always very good.
Picked up Pillars of the Earth on a whim, seems like I've made a great choice.
The Conquerer series by Conn Iggulden is my current favourite historical fiction. Genghis Khan (Temujin) had a difficult life, the series reads like a fast paced thriller, especially book 1.
Oh, I hope you love Pillars! I read the first of the Genghis Khan books a long time ago and didn't know at the time it was a series. I'll definitely be reading those at some point.
Great list! I added Druon to the TBR. Have you read The Crusades Trilogy by Jan Guillou? It takes on the crusades from a Swedish perspective and while it's been a good few minutes since I read it, I remember really enjoying the series. /Minna
Minna, I'm writing those ones down! Thanks!
My favorite historical novel is "The land beyond the sea" by Sharon Kay Penman. It's set during the 12th century in the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem during the reign of the boy King Baldwin IV who suffered from leprosy which caused a factional dispute surrounding his inevitable succession during the raise of the Muslim Ayyubid Dynasty under Saladin. I won't spoil anything, but I will say that it ends roughly where another great book of hers starts called Lionheart, about King Richard of England. The Land Beyond The Sea covers the lead up to the third Crusade and Lionheart is set in the Third Crusade.
The Land Beyond the Sea was the final book she wrote before she died, and I think it's her best work. So I really hope some of you decide to give it a read, she was a very special lady and put a great deal of effort into historical research for her books and it really shows.
Penman has been on my radar for some time, due to some viewer comments. Hopefully soon as the settings sound right up my alley!
My recs: 'Vanity Fair', 'Forsyte Saga', anything by Henryk Sienkiewicz, 'Baroque Cycle' by Neal Stephenson, 'Ben Hur' and "The Prince of India' by Lew Wallace. 'I Claudius'. And for long satisfying reading, both of the series by Dorothy Dunnett.
Baroque Cycle is on the shelf to start later this year!
Thank you for the recommendations. I've read a few of them, and there are some others that I must read. Read Lonesome Dove last year and would put it above Pillars of the Earth, which is also great, but top of my list would be Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset. It may not be up your street as the plot is more romance/family saga, but for transporting you to another time and place it has no equal. Plenty of reviews of it on TH-cam and elsewhere. Must check out Maurice Druon, who I'd not heard of before.
I hope you love Maurice Druon!
Would highly recommend Blood Meridian if you enjoy dark westerns. It’s not for the faint of heart but it is absolutely phenomenal.
McCarthy has been hit and miss for me, but Blood Meridian is definitely one I want to read.
Brilliant list. Read several on the list, awesome books. Recommendations?
Recently read and enjoyed Joan by Katherine Chen, brilliant. CJ Sansom's Dissolution was great. Currently reading Blood & Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinson. On page 160, and so far I would classify it as a great read. Oh, and this year read Essex Dogs by Dan Jones. Oh my, what an excellent trip to France in 1300 that was, highly recommended.
Historical fiction is my favourite genre by far.
Thanks for the recommendations! Essex Dogs is high on the list already.
I will be starting Pillars of the Earth tomorrow and I recommend A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini(Its my favorite historical fiction book).
Oh I hope you love Pillars!
Pillars of the EARTH!! I whole-heartedly agree. I've just started a book called Pachinko right now. Have you heard of it? Seems like it will be good.
I've heard of Pachinko - somewhat new I think? - but haven't heard anyone talk about it. Let me know if its something you think I'll enjoy!
Great list, thank you! I read the first book in Droun's series (was able to take all 7 books from the locals library's surplus), and it was excellent! I plan to read all 7 this year (but noted your warning about the 7th one, thanks :-)). I read "Pillars of the earth" many years ago and loved it, Ken Follett is a great writer. I read is newest novel this year, and found it to be as gripping as usual. The premise is very different, it's about the possibility of the world today to go into a nuclear war, and I have to admit, I was SCARED! I assume you will be reading all of Clavell's Asia saga, so no need to recommend "King Rat" to you, but it is very different from the other books and I love it. I have 2 recommendations for historical fiction: 1. The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman. This is about Richard III, and I was shocked to learn that what was done to him in history, partly by Shakespeare, and to stand corrected. 2. I, Claudius by Robert Graves. Best book about Ancient Rome I ever read.
Oh great, I hope you enjoy The Accursed Kings! Follett is fantastic - such a great plotter that all his works are just so gripping. I'm definitely looking forward to King Rat. As for The Sunne in Splendor and I, Claudius, I just had two other commentors recommend those too! I'll definitely need to pick those up!
This video makes me want to read the warlord chronicles. Thanks for the video.🎉🎉🎉 I would recommend East of Eden by John Steinbeck. So good.
East of Eden is a favorite! It will definitely be on another top 10 video... or two... stay tuned! :)
@@RedFuryBooks I love East of Eden
Paul Fraser Collard - The Scarlet Thief. Great series
Thank you!
upon reflection, I would still throw GWTW out and substitute Flashman by George MacDonald Fraser. The Flashman series stands in contrast to the Sharpe series by Cornwell series (which I love) and I've always wondered how a meeting of those 2 characters would have went.
Aside from the accursed kings, all these are books I have read and enjoyed, or own and plan to read soon. I'd suggest gods and generals and the last full measure, both of which I enjoyed a lot. Gods and generals especially has some great character work, the conflicted feelings on display as the war slowly becomes real was well done.
I'll definitely be reading Jeff Shaara's books as well. Thanks!
My personal favorite is True Grit by Charles Portis. Quite a tale of revenge with a 14 year old girl as the heroine.
Yes, I really need to read that one!
The Citadel of God by Louis de Wohl and The White stag by Kate Seredy
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, also about the building of a cathedral in the 12th Century. Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier, extraordinary tale of a soldier’s perilous journey back to his beloved at the end of the Civil War . The Power of One, Bryce Courtenay, set 1939 South Africa. The Book Thief, set in 1939 Nazi Germany. And Lonesome Dove… my top 5 historical fiction.
Great list! I overlooked The Book Thief - that's a great one I haven't thought of in awhile.
I *LOVE* The Terror!!! Such an amazing book, one I couldn't put down! And The Accursed Kings--such a great series! I had to check, but it looks like I read all of those first six. I'll follow your tip and not read the seventh!
One recommendation: you might enjoy "The Warwolf: A Peasant Chronicle of the Thirty Years War" by Hermann Lons. It's the story of a German farmer and his community facing the brutality and awfulness of the Thirty Years War, and how they learn to take up arms and defend themselves in a rugged wilderness environment. Very short, compulsively readable, probably something you could finish in a night or two.
I'm writing down The Warwolf - that sounds amazing. Thank you!
@@RedFuryBooks absolutely, my friend, hope you enjoy it!
My favorite historical fiction book is also my favorite book: Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen. It's my pick for the Great American Novel.
I have never heard of that one, but I'm writing it down now. Thanks!
It may be a little obvious and someone may have already mentioned them below, but the CJ Samsum Matthew Shardlake books are probably the finest of the Tudor/Elizabethan historical mystery series that are out there. Shardlake is a well written character, a junior lawyer and hunchback, which gives the character some additional obstacles to negotiate, the period is brought to life well and the weave of fiction and history is superb. The last couple of books feel a little stretched out, which some people quite like, but the earlier ones are very well balanced and tautly written.
Yes - those ones are on the radar as I've heard many good things. Thanks for chiming in!
You would probably enjoy The Camulod Chronicles by Jack Whyte (A Dream of Eagles in Canada). He also tells the tale of Camelot told in a historical sense, as if King Author had actually existed. It is told on a background of historical events, actual locations and historical characters. The story begins with The Skystone about 4 or 5 generations before the birth of Author who doesn't appear until the fourth book as a baby. Only the main characters are fictional and used to tell the story. Ironically I only found this series after recently discovering fantasy. I had no idea Roman history in Britain and Britain's entry into the dark ages could be this interesting.
It is now my favourite historical fiction book/series bumping Fall of Giants (The Century Trilogy) by Ken Follett to second place, Pillars of the Earth (The Kingsbridge Novels) to third and Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel to fourth.
Of course there is also War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky which is in a class of its own. **Just happens that this edition is on a Kindle sale today for $1.99. Just bought it although I have the book 🙂
Several people have told me about the Jack Whyte books, so they are firmly on the TBR to read at some point. I'm also a HUGE fan of Pavear and Volokhonsky translations- they are my go-to for everything Russian. I read War and Peace about year and a half ago - their translation of course!
Hi great list! Have you ever read the flashman series by George Macdonald Fraser?
Thanks! I have not read those!
omg....love your books!!!!!! and u...lol😊
Haha thank you! :)
Anything by Rafael Sabatini, with the exceptions of "The Gamester" and "The Life of Cesare Borgia."
How could you have overlooked Robert Graves and his _I, Claudius_ and _Claudius the God_ ?
Claudius was the most unlikely emperor in European history, considered to be an imbecile for much of his life, but he survived the terrors of the reigns of Tiberius and Caligula, the assassinations of most of his family and friends (many dispatched on orders from his grandmother Livia --- "It is said she was once bitten by a snake, and the snake died"---)
_I, Claudius_ chronicles the life of this interesting character up 'til the death of Caligula, and _Claudius the God_ documents his achievements and failures as Emperor.
If you have not read these, find a copy of each and spend some quality time.
The 13-part BBC video adaptation is also available on TH-cam, with Derek Jacobi as the stammering and crippled Claudius, Brian Blessed as Augustus, and young Patrick Stewart as a thoroughly despicable Sejanus, no shortage of talent through the entire series!
Adding them to the list - thanks! And that miniseries looks great too, I'll have to remember to watch that afterward!
Oh my yes! My girlfriend and I read them at the same time and we would dream about Claudius and the next day discuss the book and our dream series
As an avid reader of westerns I never warmed to Lonesome Dove. Perhaps because it is historical fiction rather than genre western. Maybe it's because I saw the tv series first and thought that was better. My favorite historical fiction western is The Bloody Season by Loren Estleman. His telling of the Earp saga. Another I cannot recommend highly enough is The Last Viking trilogy by Poul Anderson. The story of Harald Hardrada. From Norway to Kiev to Constantinople and finally to his death in England.
That's an interesting take. Lonesome Dove probably does transcend genre quite a bit, but as a reader that hasn't read much in that genre, I obviously really loved it. Thanks for the other recommendations, going to Google them now....:)
Shardlake series, set in Tudor times and follows the cases of a solicitor and the intrigues of the court of Henry V111.
Sounds awesome - I'm writing it down.
Definitely on my list. Great series. C.J. Sansom died last month so there will be no more.
The name of the rose was one of first books i read in the genre along with Mary Stuart's Arthur trilogy, so long ago they should be up for a re-read. Pillars has had the re-read and it is good. My favourite author in the genre is Patrick O'Brian but of course you can't just pick one of the Aubrey Maturin books from amongst them, they need to all be read with the aforementioned feeling of sadness when you get to the twentieth one.
The length of the Patrick O'Brian series is my biggest deterrent at the moment, but I'm sure I will read those at some point. I've heard such great things.
@@RedFuryBooks The first book can be a deterrent as it explains a lot about the navy and ships of the time and can be a little dry for those not interested in that. The prose has been described as Jane Austin pour homme, top rate. There were times in the middle of the series I found myself thinking " the guys just flexing" he's that good. The only real downside is other authors of the Napoleonic era navy like CS Forester are viewed as not so good after reading O'Brian.
W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear have written a series of historical (prehistorical?) novels set in pre-Columbian North America with titles such as _People of the Lightning_ and _People of the Lakes_ and _People of the Fire_ and so forth. These novels generally start with an archaeological team finding some strange artifact, fossil, carving, or such, one asks "What could this mean?" and the rest of the book would be a detailed account of the circumstances by which the owl amulet or the canoe carving with one of the four occupants clearly paddling backward, or the dwarf skeleton with amputated fingers or...
See also _The Anasazi Murders_
Those sound fascinating - I'll add them to the (exponentially growing) TBR!
Great reviews I have u read flashman by George macdolad frasier or Roger brook series by dennis wheatley
Thanks! I haven't read any of those.
Please just try flashman look it up he anyhow 12 books in total
Hello, can you do a review on The Forbidden Man by Gerald R. Knight
Josh, I don't think I know the full tale of the Arthurian legend. Would you recommend me to read it prior to the Warlord Chronicles or am I lucky to dive in Cornwell's work knowing little?
I would honestly say to watch the movie Excalibur. You could get a decent basic background of the Arthur tale in about 2 and a half hours time (especially some of the magical elements).
@@RedFuryBooks thank you!
If you like Dan Simmons, I recommend DROOD. It involves the friendship of Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins. I was fascinated through the entire book. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
I enjoyed Drood! I plan on a reread after I read Dickens' The Mystery of Edwin Drood one day!
i'm with you on all of your books except GWTW which i read over 50 years ago and i literally hated most of the characters except for the sickly sweet melanie who always triggered my desire to throw up and the Killer Angels which was a great first read and ,upon a reread, realized that the sympathy of the reader was directed towards the Confederate side (George Meade who won the battle is only mentioned in a slanderous and inaccurate reference as wanting to retreat but was voted down by his generals- thus becoming the victor by default?). the novel is well done but really,,,
Loved GWTW. 2nd most important novel in American history.
wanted to always read sho gun.
It's fantastic!
I’m in the middle The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell. While I do want to read the series about King Arthur, it’s kind of hard for me to imagine it being a better series than The Saxon Stories.
I haven't read the Saxon Stories yet, but definitely will. But of the people I know that have read both, all of them prefer the Warlord Chronicles, so I hope you enjoy that series as well!
What do you think of Colleen McCullough's "Masters of Rome" series ? :)
Definitely on the TBR! I've heard great things.
@@RedFuryBooks nice! :)
Best history books ever.
Great list indeed,but i am a bit surprised excluding works like ivonhoe,or a reprentative novel by afican american authors!
Do you have any suggestions?
Eco: Foucalt's Pendulum; Follet: Fall of Giants trilogy. The Rose Code, Kate Quinn. Dead Wake, Erik Carlson. Great top 10 list.
Thanks! I definitely need to read Follett's other trilogy.
You can recomend books/e-book for learning england (british or scotland i mean)? I'am from Poland and now i really start learn this Language but i don't where and how book start. I like fantasy, historal etc. Book for kid maybe can do but u undarstand i think
Maybe try The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander. It is a "middle grade" work in the fantasy genre that I love. Best of luck with your language learning journey and you're off to a great start it seems!
@@RedFuryBooksokey I got this
If you haven't read Gone With The Wind then do yourself a favour. It is spectacular and easily with the top 20 books ever written.
Edit: I wrote this comment before i saw No.1 on this list. I wholeheartedly agree with the No.1. I've read it at least 3 times and it is legendary.
100% yes! A must read.
Pillars of the Earth... totally agree! If you are looking for a little-known masterpiece you can't stop reading: Q, by Luther Blisset
Never heard of that one, so thanks!
@@RedFuryBooks Cheers!
My Top 15 Historical Fiction
1. The Winds of War (2)
2. Lonesome Dove
3. Shogun
4. Centennial
5. Exodus
6. The Caine Mutiny
7. The First Man in Rome (7)
8. The Journeyer
9. The Source
10. Musashi
11. Hawaii
12. East of Eden
13. The Killer Angels
14. The Year of the French
15. Gone With the Wind
16. Lincoln (Vidal)
Most of these are on my to be read list, but I'll be looking up the others - thanks!
I know this video is a year old, but I can't help but comment. If you ever feel like another INCREDIBLE "western" check out the obscure "Heart of the Country" by Greg Matthews. It is an all-encompassing story about Joe Cobden and his crazy life in the wild west in the later 1800s. The writing in this book is superb and one can't help but be caught up in Joe's story. This is close to being as good as the iconic "Lonesome Dove" - not quite there, but close!
I'm writing this one down - thanks for the recommendation!
Hi do you review all kinds of books inckuding short stories ?
Yes, although it honestly depends on the genre and if it's something I'm interested in reading.
@@RedFuryBooks I'm really excited to share something special with you - my new book, 'Zhengyi: The Chinese Sultan and the War Against Song.' 📚it's a passion project, and I'd love for you to check it out if you're into historical adventures. it's on a mazon
No pressure, of course! Your thoughts would mean a lot to me. Let me know what you think or if you're interested in diving into the story. Thanks a bunch!
The first 9 or so chapters of The Grapes of Wrath are actually very funny.
Steinbeck actually does humor very well! I loved his characters in Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday.
Read several of your pics. Here a few of mine.
Texas by Michener
Hawaii by Michener
The Man Who Would Be King: by Rudyard Kipling
Aztec by Gary Jennings
Arundel by Kenneth Roberts. first in a series.
Samurai !: The Personal Story of Japan's Greatest Living Fighter Pilot
by Saburo Sakai. Not fiction but an amazing tale that sounds like fiction.
Thanks for the list! Michener is definitely an author I want to explore.
Robert Van Gulik stories are very fun to read : they are set in Tang Dynasty China and are based on the historical caracter of Juge Dee. The writer was a specialist on Ancient China so the books are very accurate
Of course Alexande Dumas is pretty much the one who invented the genre so, don’t skip it : the count of montecrito - the queen Margot …. And the trilogy about the 3 musketeers… will keep you entertained for a while.
Adrian Goldworthy wrote a trilogy called Vinlandia. It’s set in England during the Roman conquest an it has absolutely breathtaking battle scenes ! The writer teaches Warfare History.
C.J .Samson wrote a series of book set in Henry the 8th England…. All are excellent.
Marguerite Yourcenar wrote 2 marvelous historical book : one about the Roman emperor Hadrian (Memories of Hadrian ?) and one about an alchemist during the Middle Ages (The Black Work ?). Not sure of the titles in English since I read them in French : Les mémoires d’Hadrien et L’oeuvre au noir.
Hilary Mantell trilogy about Thomas Cromwell are to be read… Excellent !
Iain Pears wrote 2 masterpiece historical novel : An Instance of Fingerpost - and - The Dream of Scipio …. both would definitely be in my top 5!
That’s just what comes to my mind in the first 5 minutes… but I have been enjoying this genre (among others) for the last 50 years, so I am sure I can find a « couple » more of excellent books.
THANK YOU - this list is amazing!
name of the rose as everyone probably knows is a really good movie starring Christian Slater. Also, I wouldn’t miss the movie either...
I haven't seen it! I'll have to check it out.
Very true to the book if memory serves, very good movie, very young
Christian Slater.@@RedFuryBooks
I might check out the name of the rose 🤔
I loved Lonesome Dove, but I didn't like how it ended with Streets of Laredo. I feel that there was so much inconsistency with the character of Joey Garza. It was disappointing for me.
I haven't gotten to that one yet, but will probably do so at some point.
Lit
Bro you look so much like Bill Burr I couldn't unsee it.
Haha separated at birth 🤣