Historical Fantasy

Historical fantasy is a subgenre of historical fiction that incorporates fantastic elements (such as magic) into the narrative. There is much crossover with other subgenres of fantasy; those classes as Arthurian, Celtic, or Dark Ages could just as easily be placed in Historical Fantasy. Stories fitting this classification generally take place prior to the 20th century.

Lady Tremaine
This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (Maggie the Undying, #1)
Wolf Worm
Daughter of Egypt
Innamorata (The House of Teeth, #1)
The Fox and the Devil
The Geomagician
The Book of Fallen Leaves (The Autumn Empire, #1)
Aicha
The Beheading Game
The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru
Sweetbitter Song
A Widow's Charm
Entwined (The Entwined Duology, #1)
The Quarter Queen
Babel
The Everlasting
Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter
The Rose Bargain (The Rose Bargain, #1)
The Poet Empress
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde, #1)
The Thorn Queen (The Rose Bargain, #2)
The Sirens
The Devils (The Devils, #1)
Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery
Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wilde, #2)
The Amalfi Curse
The Familiar
Cleopatra
The Book of Lost Hours
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. MartinThe Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. TolkienThe Name of the Wind by Patrick RothfussThe Eye of the World by Robert JordanMistborn by Brandon Sanderson
Fantasy Books Written for Adults
1,324 books — 1,635 voters
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba BrayClockwork Angel by Cassandra ClareThe Book Thief by Markus ZusakWildwood Dancing by Juliet MarillierThe Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
YA Historical Fantasy
321 books — 432 voters

My Lady Jane by Cynthia HandWitchfall by Victoria LambMary, Bloody Mary by Carolyn MeyerBeware, Princess Elizabeth by Carolyn MeyerElizabeth I by Kathryn Lasky
YA & Middle Grade Tudor Fiction
131 books — 51 voters
Fourth Wing by Rebecca YarrosHell Bent by Leigh BardugoWitch King by Martha WellsThe Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon ChakrabortyTress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
Most Anticipated Adult Fantasy, 2023
425 books — 362 voters

Babel
His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire, #1)
The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
The Familiar
The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1)
The Night Circus
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor, #1)
The Golem and the Jinni (The Golem and the Jinni, #1)
Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales, #1)
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde, #1)
The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy, #1)
The Song of Achilles
Circe

Related News

Time travelers, gather ’round!   If you’re in the market for a temporary reprieve from our current era of history—perfectly...
Tricia Copeland
What I have in each moment is enough: breath, life, those I love… At least, most of them.” 

Tricia Copeland, To be a Fae Guardian

Jennifer Mugrage
Their daily concerns were his; he felt them deeply.
Jennifer Mugrage, The Strange Land

More quotes...
Ever felt that moment when you've just finished a book, but the characters are still inside your…more
1 member, last active 5 months ago
The 'Schrödinger's Cats' Ever felt that moment when you've just finished a book, but the characters are still inside your…more
3 members, last active 5 months ago
Book Squad Super Stars So far there are three Super Stars.
1 member, last active 10 years ago
The Children of Gods and Fighting Men - Forum I'm setting up a Goodreads group for anyone who is interested in The Children of Gods and Fighti…more
107 members, last active one year ago