Historical fiction recommendations?

[MissHoneyBee]

Ebook, real, whatever.

The last three I've read have been 'a thousand splendid suns', 'the kite runner', and 'white dog feel from the sky'. Basically, all (recent) historical fiction, all brilliant.

Any recommendation for the next? Literally no clue where to start.


TIA

[reallybadidea]

Would second Hilary Mantel and CJ Sansome. Robert Harris has written a number of historical novels which are quite readable. I've just enjoyed The Miniaturist too, although it took a bit of time to get in to.

I'm afraid I loathed Pillars of the Earth, sorry to those who loved it...

[AnneEtAramis]

Louis de Bernieres writes brilliantly researched historic fiction.

The Ayse Kulin recommended below - The Last Train to Istanbul was a good read.

The English German Girl was great.

Captains of the Sands by Jorge Amado set in 1930s Brazil was beyond brilliant but quite emotionally taxing.

Amitav Ghosh - The Glass Palace.

[mimbleandlittlemy]

Artus is right about Dorothy Dunnet - they are fantastic and are out of print but you can get them on Kindle. Not cheap but SO worth it.

Music and Silence - another Rose Tremain (and also The Colour which is about gold hunting in New Zealand and is a lot shorter and more readable than The Luminaries).

The Name of the Rose - an historical fiction classic

Gillespie & I (second time I've suggested that today but I've just remembered how much I loved it so flogging it round!)

The Regeneration Trilogy by Pat Barker

[JRsandCoffee]

The Book of Fires by Jane Borodale is a standalone and I really enjoyed it!

[MissHoneyBee]

Thanks everyone for response! Book hunting tomorrow with this list so shall see if I spot any. :D

[WillowinGloves]

Diana Norman wrote some good ones - my favourite is The Vizard Mask. You'd need a second-hand copy - don't think it would be in the library.

[Lunaballoon]

Another vote for Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth and World without End. I listened to them as audiobooks as they're massive epics. The Last English King by Julian Rathbone is another good read about King Harold and the Norman Conquest.

[SenecaFalls]

Restoration by Rose Tremain

[Flingingmelon]

I know every one knows all about Hillary Mantel but her French Revolution novel; 'a place of greater safety' is a total masterpiece, much superior to wolf hall.

[cosytoaster]

I loved Norah Lofts' Suffolk House Trilogy, they follow the history of a house via the lives of the people who lived in it and is very readable. Also enjoyed the Ken Follet books recommended above and some of Philippa Gregory's books - I enjoyed the Kingmaker's Daughter the most.

[Bunbaker]

I particularly enjoyed Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, both set in medieval England.

[Efferlunt]

The Luminaries is ace set during the NZ gold rush. All 800 pages of it.

[Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies]

The Starbridge novels by Susan Howatch - basically the history of the Church of England in the twentieth century. But you don't have to be remotely religious to enjoy them.

[CoteDAzur]

I'm not sure this is up your street if you are looking for books similar to 1000 Splendid Suns, but these are fantastic historical fiction novels:

This Thing Of Darkness
The Luminaries
Heart Of Darkness
Measuring The World

[Helenluvsrob]

If you want to go ancient history, the Falco books by Lindsay Davis.

[Helenluvsrob]

All the shardlake series by c j Samson. Brilliant books.

[Artus]

The Lymond books by Dorothy Dunnet. Out of print now but you should find the in the library. The best fictional hero ever IMHO!

[Bunbaker]

Philippa Gregory has also written historical fiction. The Wideacre Trilogy had me hooked. I really enjoyed Fingersmith and Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters as well.

[Petradreaming]

Philippa Gregory. Not entirely fiction but quite a lot of artistic license used. Very readable.

[Khara]

I'm reading Half the world in winter by Maggie joel - set in Victorian England with lots of historical detail.

[MissHoneyBee]

Thanks for all suggestions guys. Hopefully I'll see some in the library. :D

[IDoAllMyOwnStunts]

Have you tried any Tracey Chevalier? The Lady and the Unicorn is good, Girl With a Pearl Earring and also The Runaway by her.
Also Burial Rites by Hannah Kent is excellent.

[thunderbird69]

Also - The Cellist of Sarajevo is very good

[ginmakesitallok]

The last train to Istanbul was pretty good.

[horseygeorgie]

Does it have to be recent? One of my favourites is 'here be dragons' by Sharon Penman, set in medieval times. Very readable! Also 'Katherine' by Anya Seaton about Katherine Swynford.