Historical fiction please!

Any of Maria McCann’s three novels. Sublime.

Anything by Alison Weir - I love her fiction books. The proper history books are really good too.

Is Philippa Gregory a good writer?

That's subjective - in my opinion, no, but other people love her.

Sarah Walters has done other books set in various periods - off the top of my head Nightwatch was very good (second world war) and The Little Friend.

I really like Sarah Dunant, who writes Italian historical fiction and Mantell's Wolf Hall. I also liked the Alison Weir one up until Anne of Cleves and was put off by the speculation there.

One last mention and that's the Poldark series. Don't be put off by the TV adaptations, they do cover historical events and people pertinent to Cornish history. Unfortunately, the stories have been reduced to just light romance by TV companies.

🤣

That's me told then
Can you tell I'm not a historian? ?

She's never been an historian, she's always been a writer.

There was a long period where she kept being promoted as an historian, popping up in history documentaries as Professor Gregory - she's a professor of English, not history.

From a historical perspective, her books lack objectivity and historical rigour...It's a bug bear of mine and other historians in case you hadn't guessed 😄

Read her because she's a good author, not for history. For history, read others.

Also, Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth Trilogy. I didn't think I'd like them but was very pleasantly surprised.

I loved this trilogy.

Phillipa Gregory is a good writer & great storyteller but her history is dreadful.

@DdyDaisyDaresYou I thought she was a historian who had turned to writing. Her books have been well researched. I failed history O level so what do I know? However, I do enjoy reading her books.

Yy to Forever Amber & Elizabeth Chadwick

Just about to come on here and mention these. Brilliant series

CJ Sansom's Shardlake series set in the time of Henry VIII are excellent. Great murder mysteries and very evocative descriptions.

I like the six queens series by Alison Weir. There is a prequel from the point of view of Henry 8th mother, then a book told by each of his wives. I am on the Catherine Howard book now, but do need to take breaks as they lived at the same time, so there is repetition.

Also like the Last Kingdom books by Bernard Cornwell and the Century trilogy by Ken Follett.

Elizabeth Chadwick is good for easy reading medieval fiction

Forever Amber

You won't be disappointed but my god. The ending . THE ENDING! Unbearable! It so so good

You want gripping historical fiction? This is the one

Definitely Philippa Gregory if you're into the Tudors and don't mind giving her some artistic license to bend the truth. I really enjoy her books.

Also, Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth Trilogy.
I didn't think I'd like them but was very pleasantly surprised.

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters.
Frog Music by Emma Donoghue

I loved Crimson Petal and Fingersmith. It sounds like you have similar tastes to me.

Slammerkin by Emma Donohue
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

In Memoriam by Alice Winn - WW1, just beautiful.
The Children’s Book by AS Byatt follows one family from the Victorian era to post-WW1. Fantastic book.

"My favourite Mantel though, and one of my favourite books of all time is A Place of Greater Safety - French Revolution. Fabulous."

Have to agree with this @BlindurErBóklausMaður Might have to reread it - will take a while though 😆

”i abandoned Hamnet”

me too

Robert Harris - superb author

Phillipa Gregory is a good writer & great storyteller but her history is dreadful.

Conn igulldons Gates of Rome series is fantastic.

Good version of Anna Seytons Katherine on audible if you like to listen - well read.

Alison Weir great for historical fiction

Sharon Penman and Alison Weir if you're after Kings and Queens and historical accuracy.

Hilary Mantel obviously for Wolf Hall (make a diagram though of everyone called Thomas before you start- first time around I abandoned it for that reason)

My favourite Mantel though, and one of my favourite books of all time is A Place of Greater Safety - French Revolution. Fabulous.

Ken Follett for cathedrals and breasts. (not a typo, he's got a fetish)

Philippa Gregory is a bit history by numbers (think Jean Plaidy but slightly better) not bad for quick reads to get to grips with periods of history.

I quite like Tracy Chevalier for cosier more modern history. Easy to read rather than asking much of the reader.

I abandoned Hamnet.

Some if the Edward Rutherford books are good - they follow the history of a city/region and the families who live there.
London was my favourite. Paris was a good read as was Russia (but that took me a bit longer to get into).

Alison Weirs historical fiction is good. I enjoyed her series on the sux queens if Henry VIII.

Another good trilogy was by Tracy Borman set in the court of Kings James I - The King's Witch trilogy- made a change from the tudor court!

Nor did I 😁But I assumed I was in a minority. I've found another! I Am x3 is, however, very good. I loved it.

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks . Not a new title but a brilliant read.
It's based on a true story set in the village of Eyam in Derbyshire ( it's known as the plague village.
It's about how the village shut themselves off from the area due to an outbreak .