This list is for historical fiction focusing on ancient history that are published in 2021.

Examples:
Mesopotamia, Sumer, Babylon, Egypt, Hittites, Anatolia, Persia, Biblical
Minoan, Greece, Rome, Etruscans, Celts
Indus Valley, Vedic period

Ancient history covers all continents inhabited by humans in the 3000 BC – AD 500 period.

Please no Middle Ages, Medieval, Viking age, etc

Note:
Please make sure that:
1. The book is published in 2021 (not a reprint)
2. Set during ancient times

! This list is NOT for books you have read or want to read in 2021 (no adding 2018/19/1998/etc books because you read or want to read them in 2021). If a book is not published in 2021, it doesn't belong here.

Any books that do not fit the list will be removed!

2020 LIST: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
2022 LIST: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
1

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3.78 avg rating — 144,690 ratings
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4.03 avg rating — 46,016 ratings
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3

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3.83 avg rating — 28,430 ratings
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3.86 avg rating — 16,450 ratings
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5

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4.10 avg rating — 1,292 ratings
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6

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3.80 avg rating — 9,339 ratings
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7

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4.13 avg rating — 982 ratings
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8

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4.13 avg rating — 1,828 ratings
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9

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it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating
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10

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 3,329 ratings
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11

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4.47 avg rating — 119 ratings
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12

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4.33 avg rating — 686 ratings
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13

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4.13 avg rating — 384 ratings
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14

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4.40 avg rating — 189 ratings
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15

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4.42 avg rating — 62 ratings
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16

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3.80 avg rating — 133 ratings
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17

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4.10 avg rating — 20 ratings
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18

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4.14 avg rating — 1,597 ratings
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19

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4.13 avg rating — 659 ratings
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20

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4.58 avg rating — 69 ratings
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21

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3.98 avg rating — 4,963 ratings
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22

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4.12 avg rating — 4,371 ratings
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23

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4.44 avg rating — 853 ratings
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24

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4.51 avg rating — 35 ratings
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25

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4.53 avg rating — 852 ratings
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26

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4.55 avg rating — 1,997 ratings
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27

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4.13 avg rating — 45 ratings
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28

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4.75 avg rating — 4 ratings
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29

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3.95 avg rating — 97 ratings
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30

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4.07 avg rating — 70 ratings
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30

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4.11 avg rating — 209 ratings
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30

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4.58 avg rating — 19 ratings
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33

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3.92 avg rating — 5,332 ratings
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34

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4.42 avg rating — 26 ratings
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35

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4.18 avg rating — 452 ratings
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36

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4.36 avg rating — 560 ratings
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36

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4.40 avg rating — 25 ratings
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38

by
4.11 avg rating — 845 ratings
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38

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating
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40

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4.08 avg rating — 133 ratings
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40

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4.18 avg rating — 39 ratings
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40

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3.83 avg rating — 6 ratings
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43

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4.50 avg rating — 32 ratings
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44

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4.18 avg rating — 1,330 ratings
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45

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 68 ratings
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46

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4.43 avg rating — 30 ratings
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47

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4.39 avg rating — 3,993 ratings
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47

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4.32 avg rating — 19 ratings
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49

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4.23 avg rating — 13 ratings
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50

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4.67 avg rating — 9 ratings
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51

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4.18 avg rating — 11 ratings
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52

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4.30 avg rating — 20 ratings
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53

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4.59 avg rating — 92 ratings
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53

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4.05 avg rating — 40 ratings
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55

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4.38 avg rating — 136 ratings
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56

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4.33 avg rating — 2,100 ratings
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56

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4.42 avg rating — 99 ratings
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58

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4.02 avg rating — 1,732 ratings
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58

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4.53 avg rating — 100 ratings
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60

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4.50 avg rating — 8 ratings
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61

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4.38 avg rating — 4,271 ratings
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61

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it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating
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63

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4.49 avg rating — 655 ratings
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64

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4.47 avg rating — 62 ratings
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65

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4.45 avg rating — 816 ratings
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66

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4.39 avg rating — 497 ratings
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67

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4.33 avg rating — 595 ratings
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68

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4.46 avg rating — 269 ratings
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69

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4.11 avg rating — 56 ratings
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70

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3.87 avg rating — 229 ratings
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71

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4.31 avg rating — 187 ratings
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72

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3.58 avg rating — 60 ratings
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73

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4.40 avg rating — 181 ratings
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74

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4.61 avg rating — 1,828 ratings
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75

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4.44 avg rating — 16 ratings
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76

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4.20 avg rating — 35 ratings
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77

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3.76 avg rating — 38 ratings
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78

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4.45 avg rating — 189 ratings
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79

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4.67 avg rating — 3 ratings
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80

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4.67 avg rating — 3 ratings
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81

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3.33 avg rating — 3 ratings
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82

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4.83 avg rating — 6 ratings
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83

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4.50 avg rating — 153 ratings
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84

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4.09 avg rating — 397 ratings
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85

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4.32 avg rating — 311 ratings
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86

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4.43 avg rating — 596 ratings
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87

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3.67 avg rating — 15 ratings
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88

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3.41 avg rating — 446 ratings
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89

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4.31 avg rating — 88 ratings
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90

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4.20 avg rating — 20 ratings
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91

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4.44 avg rating — 220 ratings
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92

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4.65 avg rating — 201 ratings
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93

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4.44 avg rating — 484 ratings
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94

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4.63 avg rating — 454 ratings
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95

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3.88 avg rating — 34 ratings
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96

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 13 ratings
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97

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3.86 avg rating — 22 ratings
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98

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4.61 avg rating — 90 ratings
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99

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4.41 avg rating — 221 ratings
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100

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4.54 avg rating — 149 ratings
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126 books · 57 voters · list created August 10th, 2020 by Asterope (votes) .
35 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Asterope 18921 books
42 friends
Erin (Historical Fiction Reader) 7592 books
2564 friends
Claire 5442 books
991 friends
Margot 264 books
1 friend
Nancy 124 books
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Brittany 212 books
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Amara 131 books
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CarmenEtError 216 books
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Comments Showing 1-8 of 8 (8 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Asterope (new)

Asterope Removed:
Death of the Cosset
Published: Troubador Publishing Ltd (November 3, 2020)


message 2: by Asterope (last edited Apr 14, 2021 04:48PM) (new)

Asterope Removed:
Zoroastrians' Fight for Survival
Reason: It is set in 988, which is AFTER what is considered "ancient" times. It belongs on a Middle Ages or Medieval list, not this one.

Females of Valor
Reason: It is set in 1003, which is AFTER what is considered "ancient" times. It belongs on a Middle Ages or Medieval list, not this one.

Roots of To-Be Templars
Reason: It is set in 1003-1011, which is AFTER what is considered "ancient" times. It belongs on a Middle Ages or Medieval list, not this one.

From list info up top:
"Ancient history covers all continents inhabited by humans in the 3000 BC – AD 500 period. Please no Middle Ages, Medieval, Viking age, etc"

These are well past 500 AD


message 3: by CarmenEtError (new)

CarmenEtError Asteropê wrote: "Removed:
Zoroastrians' Fight for Survival
Reason: It is set in 988, which is AFTER what is considered "ancient" times. It belongs on a Middle Ages or Medieval list, not this one.
..."


How hard of a limit is 500 AD? Is there some give if it's only by a few years? Or is 500 the absolute upper-limit for you? I'm asking because a book just came out that takes place in 512 AD, but I'm obviously uncertain about adding it to the list.


message 4: by Asterope (new)

Asterope CarmenEtError wrote: "Asteropê wrote: "Removed:
Zoroastrians' Fight for Survival
Reason: It is set in 988, which is AFTER what is considered "ancient" times. It belongs on a Middle Ages or Medieval list..."


I think no more than 20 after years (so 520) would be okay? (So someone could have been born in what was the ancient times say 499, then aged to adulthood when the story takes place). There isn't a super solid, date for the end of the ancient and start of the middle ages, though 500 is listed in most places. And I thought it was best to go with that for simplicity.

What is the context of the novel though? Does it have middle ages themes, vikings, etc? If so, than I'd say it'd be best for another list. If it still features say, a Roman soldier but set in 512, then it'd be okay. :-)

Thanks for asking!


message 5: by CarmenEtError (new)

CarmenEtError Asteropê wrote: "CarmenEtError wrote: "Asteropê wrote: "Removed:
Zoroastrians' Fight for Survival
Reason: It is set in 988, which is AFTER what is considered "ancient" times. It belongs on a Middle..."


520 makes sense. And yeah; the work is a Roman-based mystery. I'll add it and you can see for yourself whether it fits the list or not :).


message 6: by Asterope (new)

Asterope Looks good to me! It seems more ancient Rome themed as well, rather than middle ages stuff. So, all good :-)


message 7: by B.K. (new)

B.K. Greenwood Hello!

As the author of one book on the list (The Last Roman: Exile), I wanted to clarify. My novel is not 100% set in ancient times. The main character is a Roman soldier, and a decent portion of the book is ancient times. But it spans history (maybe think Outlander or Highlander). I'd obviously love to stay on the list, but wanted to be open and honest. :)


message 8: by Asterope (new)

Asterope B.K. wrote: "Hello!

As the author of one book on the list (The Last Roman: Exile), I wanted to clarify. My novel is not 100% set in ancient times. The main character is a Roman soldier, and a decent portion o..."


Thanks for sharing. :-)
Is at least 1/2 the book set in ancient times? Or just a small portion? If it's only a small portion, then it might not be the best fit for this list. If at least 1/2 is in ancient times, it should be okay (though the next books might not be, if they are going forward in time).

Books that are dual timeline (two story lines, one in past, one in present - or another time in the past) could fit on this list too. So it doesn't have to be 100% in ancient times in all cases, but it should be there for a good portion of the time, not just 50 pages or a prologue or whatever. At least with dual-time line books, both timelines and settings are important and a focus.


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