Historical Fiction

Denerick

Does anyone here read much historical fiction? I got into Patrick O'Briens Aubrey and Maturin series and really enjoyed Robert Harris' Imperium and Lustrum. And Umberto Eco's Baudalino and The Name of the Rose are amongst the most clever books I've ever read.

I don't really worry all that much if an historical book isn't historically accurate, though its nice when the author makes an effort to be authentic.

What do you think? Any recommendations?

lemon_sherbert

Have you tried Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel? It just won the Booker prize, its an account of the life of Thomas Cromwell, advisor to Henry VIII. I tired of it a little, but my Dad's reading it at the moment and is absolutely riveted.

EDIT: Though I have to say, historical inaccuracies ruin it for me!

Paddy Samurai

Yea i read a lot of historic fiction,my favourite genre after fantasy.

Some favourites that i would recommend are:

Azincourt by Bernard Corwell. (About the famous battle itself,Cornwell knows his history)

Eagle in the Snow by Wallace Breem. (About the decline of the Roman Empire....FANTASTIC BOOK!!!)

The Religion by Tim Willocks . (About the Ottoman siege of Malta IN 1565........GREAT READ!!!!)


Historic fiction authors that i have read in the past,Bernard Cornwell,Con Iggulden,Wilbur Smith.

Denerick

lemon_sherbert wrote: »

Have you tried Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel? It just won the Booker prize, its an account of the life of Thomas Cromwell, advisor to Henry VIII. I tired of it a little, but my Dad's reading it at the moment and is absolutely riveted.

EDIT: Though I have to say, historical inaccuracies ruin it for me!

I've heard good things about Wolf Hall and have always had a fascination about Thomas Cromwell... Reminds me of Cicero in a way, very complex. Its on my reading shortlist!

The thing about historical inaccuracies for me is that I'm already a history nerd so I don't like it when a novelist presumes to be 'accurate'. The reason for this is because the attempt to be accurate is very strained and artificial. I'd rather if he just imbibed the protagonist with a consistent and believable personality rather than try to pin him down into an historical context. After all, trying to rewrite say medieval history in a fiction context would be impossible if one tried to be too accurate - we simply don't know enough! It would take away from the fiction part as well...

lemon_sherbert

Denerick wrote: »

The thing about historical inaccuracies for me is that I'm already a history nerd so I don't like it when a novelist presumes to be 'accurate'. The reason for this is because the attempt to be accurate is very strained and artificial. I'd rather if he just imbibed the protagonist with a consistent and believable personality rather than try to pin him down into an historical context. After all, trying to rewrite say medieval history in a fiction context would be impossible if one tried to be too accurate - we simply don't know enough! It would take away from the fiction part as well...

Oh, I can totally understand, I'm just too pedantic for my own good.:) It's not that I think badly of the author, (and I'm no historical expert - far from it), and I don't mind little details altered or added to further the plot, it's just that I don't like when major details are altered or misunderstood, which undermines the believability of the story for me. I suppose it makes it seem as if the author could not understand the motivation for the true event and chose to avoid it, though I'm sure that's not what they are trying to do.

Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth is also excellent, it's the story of the building of a medieval cathedral, very enjoyable.

mikemac

Paddy Samurai wrote: »

Azincourt by Bernard Corwell. (About the famous battle itself,Cornwell knows his history)

+1
Great book, though fairly violent just to warn ya

I've read most of Bernard Cornwell's book, you may like the Sharpe series.
I enjoyed all of them
Though it has to be said, the plot of each book is pretty much the same.

Denerick

mikemac wrote: »

+1
Great book, though fairly violent just to warn ya

I've read most of Bernard Cornwell's book, you may like the Sharpe series.
I enjoyed all of them
Though it has to be said, the plot of each book is pretty much the same.

I read a couple of the Sharpe series when I was like 12 or 13 and didn't really think much of them. Maybe now I'm 21 I might appreciate them better.

Paddy Samurai

Denerick wrote: »

I read a couple of the Sharpe series when I was like 12 or 13 and didn't really think much of them. Maybe now I'm 21 I might appreciate them better.

Don't let the "sharpe series " put u off Azincourt.
I tried one of them ,but was'nt mad about it.(Although did see the series on tv.)
I have read all cornwells books with the exception of the Sharpe books.

mikemac

Paddy Samurai wrote: »

I have read all cornwells books with the exception of the Sharpe books.

Did you read the Starbuck series?
As the Sharpe series is far better imo
The TV show with Sean Bean wasn't great at all. Though Sean Bean was the perfect Richard Sharpe

OP, definitely check out Azincourt!

Sammy Jennings

Harlot's Ghost by Norman Mailer

There are dull stretches and Mailer can no more write female characters than I can play the spoons with my feet, but at least two thirds of it are damn good prose and I've yet to read a better treatment, fictional or factual, of the CIA.

The Sparrow

I liked Killer Angels by Michael Shaara and also Gods and Generals by his son Jeff. They are about the American Civil War and you follow the main protagonists such as General Lee and Stonewall Jackson.

Killer Angels won a Pulitzer Prize in 1975 but Gods and Generals is good too and as far as I know they are both very historically accurate.

Chumpski

Denerick wrote: »

Does anyone here read much historical fiction? I got into Patrick O'Briens Aubrey and Maturin series

You would enjoy This thing of Darkness by Harry Thompson.

Star of the Sea and Redemption Falls are two fantastic books by Joseph O Connor.

Morzadec

Chumpski wrote: »

You would enjoy This thing of Darkness by Harry Thompson.

Star of the Sea and Redemption Falls are two fantastic books by Joseph O Connor.

+1 on 'Star of the Sea', fantastic book, currently re-reading it at the moment, as I read it years ago when I was probably too young to fully appreciate it. It will give you more of an insight into the real devastation and tragedy of the famine than anything you were taught in school. Absolutely gripping story as well, you won't be disappointed. I haven't read 'Redemption Falls' but I hear it falls way short of 'Star of the Sea'.

'Fatherland' by Robert Harris is well worth a read. I'm not quite sure whether it can be classified as historical fiction as it's not set in any actual real historical world. It's set in a hypothetical 1960s Nazi Germany (a world in which the Nazi's were victorious in WW2). Really interesting premise and a brilliantly researched book, the story is really cleverly woven into this hypothetical world and the historical events that led up to it. The plot is absolutely gripping as well, and I would go as far as saying it is probably the best thriller I've ever read.

Chumpski

Morzadec wrote: »

I haven't read 'Redemption Falls' but I hear it falls way short of 'Star of the Sea'.

Not at all, Redemption Falls is great!

Livvie

lemon_sherbert wrote: »

Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth is also excellent, it's the story of the building of a medieval cathedral, very enjoyable.

And the follow up, World Without End. I couldn't wait to read it and bought the hardback - anyone who hasn't read it yet will be lucky enough to get it in paperback. I could have done with a lectern!

lemon_sherbert

Livvie wrote: »

And the follow up, World Without End. I couldn't wait to read it and bought the hardback - anyone who hasn't read it yet will be lucky enough to get it in paperback. I could have done with a lectern!

Yeah, I slightly preferred the first one, I think, but the sequel was excellent - I totally know what you mean with the size of the book, I ended up reading it at a desk :pac:

Livvie

lemon_sherbert wrote: »

Yeah, I slightly preferred the first one, I think, but the sequel was excellent - I totally know what you mean with the size of the book, I ended up reading it at a desk :pac:

That was the only thing wrong with it - you couldn't read it in comfort.

POTE is now a movie which I can't wait for - hope they don't change or omit too much.