Historical Fictionistas discussion

I know this is silly since I've written an entire series of HF novels, but I didn't set out to! It just ended up that way because I love the bohemian art era, wrote about a fictional artist and did a heck of a lot of research.

Now here I am, an HF author who knows very few HF books and I would love to read some. BUT it is a huge category and I don't know where to start. I don't like stuffy or formal books. I am looking for recommendations on HF that is FULL of drama, sex, angst, betrayal. Graphic sex and violence are fine as long as it isn't gratuitous.

I don't care for books that are heavy on scene description. I'm more interested in dialog and character development, even to the point of a literary fiction feel.

Any suggestions?

If you enjoy art, I found The Painted Kiss and Arrogance excellent.

The Crimson Petal and the White

Thanks, Ladies! I have started a list and will work my way down. Ordering The Painted Kiss now! (Excited- art AND HF!)

Outlander series
Mistress of Rome
The Tea Rose series- very low on sex, but HIGH on drama :)

Caddy wrote: "I am looking for recommendations on HF that is FULL of drama, sex, angst, betrayal."

I know this is fantasy, not strictly HF, but A Game of Thrones is like the king of all this and is enjoyed by a lot of HF fans.

Did you ever read Forever Amber? No graphic sex since it was written in the 40s but LOTS of drama and betrayal.

I see you liked J.R. Tomlin, you might also like N. Gemini Sasson.

Jackie wrote: "Outlander series
Mistress of Rome
The Tea Rose series- very low on sex, but HIGH on drama :)"

I agree with Jackie,
Mistress of Rome.
I LOVE that book, one of my all time favorites. I think it has pretty much everything what you're requesting Caddy. Hope you'll check it out.

Will do! I plan on checking out each of the recommendations I get and then reading the samples at the very least...eventually I will get the majority of them read! Looks like a good summer of lazy reading i the pool.

How about Bernard Cornwell's Saxon series with Uhtred of Bebbenberg? He doesn't do sex, but the opening scene in was about as violent as anything I will ever read.

And there is plenty of drama, angst, and betrayal to satisfy anyone's appetite!

I'm storming in with my usual Colleen McCullough, with her The First Man in Rome and the rest of these series.
Drama, sex, angst, betrayal - they are all there, in force :D

You guys are great! I knew I could count on HF readers to recommend some reads.

Totally agree about The Crimson Petal and the White. Faber also wrote a sort of prequel to it of short stories: The Apple: New Crimson Petal Stories which I fully enjoyed.

Somewhat along the same vein is Arthur Phillips' intriguing Angelica--which features not only great historical detail, sex and violence but also Victorian emancipation activists and poltergeists. They're making a movie about it now :)

For the art angle, you may enjoy The Birth of Venus and The Art Forger. Very different in approach, time period, setting, and pretty much everything, but they are both great reads.

And if you can get past the absurdity of people knowing that Dracula only messes with you if you mess with him, then messing with him anyway, you may like The Historian. It's HF, really!

There are also the Russell/Holmes books, which start with The Beekeeper's Apprentice. No lack of action there. And if you don't want to commit to all twelve, Garment of Shadows, the latest, includes a kind of cheat sheet for the series. You can start there and see if you want to go back.

I could go on (endlessly), but that's enough for one post.

Except that I do have to mention Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody novels. Those are a rollicking good read. The first is Crocodile on the Sandbank, but they really pick up with The Curse of the Pharaohs.

SOme of today's suggestions look REALLY good. I hope no one minds if I post about these when finished...I imagine it will be old news to you but I do like to share my excitement after a good read. :)

i would suggest Michelle Moran's Nefertiti:)

Caddy wrote: "SOme of today's suggestions look REALLY good. I hope no one minds if I post about these when finished...I imagine it will be old news to you but I do like to share my excitement after a good read. :)"

Personally, I hope you not only post but let us know when you post!

hmm, I always enjoy a good Sharon Penman book. Jeffrey Archer's As the Crow Flies or Taylor Caldwell's Captains and the Kings

I will make sure I report in!

I'm a bit late to this thread, but I do recommend Robert Low's Oathsworn series. Really excellent. It starts with The Whale Road.

Thanks, J.R. I will put it in my to-reads. :)

Honour and the sword, by A.L Berridge. Please don't be put off by the swashbuckling cover and a cover review "Bernard Cornwell crossed with the three musketeers, IGNORE, the book is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It is written in the form of diary extracts/ interview extracts of several different characters and the author uses mordern everyday language! However, it works and is very very clever.

I was so enthralled by the book that I decided to do some research, to my delight I found the extracts were genuine and the events to be true albeit bits and pieces tweaked and the language (originally French) translated for their fern reader!

Pure genius! Plus, it's only the first book, u wait till the 2nd!

Must must read!

Thank you! Adding to my list! :)

Ha. Speaking of French, a French reader just pointed out that I have a very basic error in a French obscenity in one of my novels. Just shows that I didn't learn enough cursing in my French classes.

Sorry. Off topic, but I couldn't help it. LOL

Well, at least you took French! Most of the French I know IS obscene, due to Gastien. Shame on him, anyway.

Caddy, if you haven't read The Swan Thieves, it might be worthy of an add.

by Elizabeth Kostova

It was a lush period novel, mixed in with contemporary characters. I really enjoyed that dichotomy.

Caddy wrote: "You guys are great! I knew I could count on HF readers to recommend some reads."

I'm going to have to check out The Crimson Petal and the White now. Glad to find a book I'd not heard of.

THank you, Andra! I'll check it out.

Caddy wrote: "I know this is silly since I've written an entire series of HF novels, but I didn't set out to! It just ended up that way because I love the bohemian art era, wrote about a fictional artist and did..."

Caddy, I just read and loved The Snow Child. Very literary and character-orientated. Oh yes, I see someone has recommended The Crimson Petal and the White That too, was fabulous!

J.R. wrote: "Ha. Speaking of French, a French reader just pointed out that I have a very basic error in a French obscenity in one of my novels. Just shows that I didn't learn enough cursing in my French classes..."

Oh yes, speaking of French. I have lived in France for 20 years, and my day job is French-English medical translator, but STILL I ask my (French) husband to check any French words in my novels... there are invariably mistakes!

THank you LIza

One thing that I can say is that I have learned almost as much from the badly written historical fiction I've read as I have from well-written books. Maybe more. Like, what not to do. You can pick up free historical fiction on a kindle from Amazon, and from what I can tell, most of it is not too good. Not that it couldn't be good, but I guess some people aren't willing to put in the time to get the writing done well. Or maybe they don't recognize good from bad.

I've read fiction that covers the period that I am interested in, of which there isn't a lot, and tried to learn from other's mistakes. And from what they've done right.

There are a lot of well written books out there, as the earlier commenters have attested, and plenty to learn from all of them.

Liza wrote: "Caddy wrote: "I know this is silly since I've written an entire series of HF novels, but I didn't set out to! It just ended up that way because I love the bohemian art era, wrote about a fictional ..."

I have been reading H.F. obsessively after reading Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" 6-book series, 7th book "In My Own Hearts Blood," coming out soon. I would recommend that or Dorothy Dunnett's, "The Lymond Chronicles. What is the Name of the H.F. book you wrote. Is it for sale on Amazon? Always love to get a new H.F. recommendation, thanks and happy reading

Julie: Thanks for the recommendations. Several have recommended the Outlander series so I will eventually get to that one for sure!

The name of the H.F. books I wrote? I have a 5 book series called The Gastien Series. Yes, they are available on Amazon for kindle or paperback, kobo, nook and i-tunes. Thank you for asking. Here is the cover of the first in the series:

Sharon wrote: "The Crimson Petal and the White"

Absolutely. One of my all-time favourite books.

Julie wrote: "Liza wrote: "Caddy wrote: "I know this is silly since I've written an entire series of HF novels, but I didn't set out to! It just ended up that way because I love the bohemian art era, wrote about..."

I'd recommend the Outlander series as well, though after the fifth I did start to tire a little of it.

I recommend Small Wars by Sadie Jones; takes place on Cyprus when it was a British colony. Small Wars

Thanks!

Sandra Gulland's Josephine trilogy. Un-put-downable.

I'm with Jennifer on the Josephine B series.

Caddy wrote: "Julie: Thanks for the recommendations. Several have recommended the Outlander series so I will eventually get to that one for sure!

The name of the H.F. books I wrote? I have a 5 book series calle..."

Hi Caddy, I just purchased the first book in your series! I'm looking forward to reading it. I read quite a few reviews before purchasing. I already liked the description of your book, but always read reviews before I delve into a book or Author I'm unfamiliar with.
I'll give you my "personal" :)review after I read the first book in The Gastien Series! :) postscript- I would HIGHLY recommend, "The Lymond Chronicles," by Dorothy Dunnett. It's on par with the "Oulander" series as far as a page turning, enthralling novel, happy reading and writing!

Thanks for the recommendations, Julie, and for the support by reading at least the first book in my series! I hope you enjoy it. :) I will add the recommendations that have been given the past couple of days to my growing pile to read eventually. I wish I could read more, but then would get nothing written!

Jennifer wrote: "Sandra Gulland's Josephine trilogy. Un-put-downable."

I just had to say that "un-put-downable" has become my instant new favourite neologism.

Christine wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Sandra Gulland's Josephine trilogy. Un-put-downable."

I just had to say that "un-put-downable" has become my instant new favourite neologism."

:-)