historical fiction

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For ancient Greek and Roman history (if that counts as "European"), you can't beat Mary Renault or Robert Graves.

Seconding the Mary Renault, over here.

accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Saturday, 20 August 2005 17:26 (eighteen years ago) link

Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth" is pretty entertaining.

Mark Klobas, Sunday, 21 August 2005 02:42 (eighteen years ago) link

I can't believe no one has mentioned Sigrid Undset's Kristin Lavransdatter. And while I'm here, let me recommend Nectar from a Stone by Jane Guill.

SRH (Skrik), Monday, 22 August 2005 11:50 (eighteen years ago) link

And don't forget Richie. L. Blackmore's Lorna Doone.

SRH (Skrik), Monday, 22 August 2005 11:51 (eighteen years ago) link

I Malavoglia (English translation: The House by the Medlar Tree) - a late 19th century Italian classic; I Promessi Sposi (English Translation: The Betrothed) - the classic of Italian literature bar none, written in the 19th Century about the 17th Century.

Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 22 August 2005 12:38 (eighteen years ago) link

I really enjoyed "The Quincunx" by Charles Palliser, which is set in Victorian London.

LadyLazarus, Wednesday, 31 August 2005 12:26 (eighteen years ago) link

Some people enjoy Rafael Sabatini's historical yarns rather more than I do. He wrote, most famously, Captain Blood and Scaramouche. I confess I've never quite cottoned to his books, but I can't put my finger on why this is so. He wasn't a bad writer (like Jean Auel, for instance).

Aimless (Aimless), Wednesday, 31 August 2005 16:40 (eighteen years ago) link

two years pass...

Rose Macaulay's 'They Were Defeated' - set a few years before the English Civil War with plenty of interesting characters popping up - John Milton, Henry More, John Cleveland, Andrew Marvell, Robert Herrick. Lots of 17th Century poetry in it, but still hugely readable.

stroker ace, Monday, 18 August 2008 09:56 (fifteen years ago) link

Some Canadian historical fiction I've enjoyed recently: Icefields by Thomas Wharton and The Outlander by Gil Adamson.

franny glass, Monday, 18 August 2008 15:09 (fifteen years ago) link

six years pass...

been on a kick lately: just finished nicola griffith's "hild" which i really loved.

also did luther blissett's Q (mostly very good) and its sequal "altai" (less good)

what should i do next, the dunnett series?

max, Sunday, 23 November 2014 23:31 (nine years ago) link


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