The 52 Book Club: 2025 / 2026 Challenge discussion

1 -- Set In An Ancient Civilization

According to Britannica Kids, “Ancient civilization refers specifically to the first settled and stable communities that became the basis for later states, nations, and empires.” Examples of prominent ancient civilizations include Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, the Indus Valley Civilization, Ancient China, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, etc.

For this prompt, choose a book that is either fully or partially set within any ancient civilization. This may also be a non-fiction read about an ancient civilization or an individual who lived in one.

You may also choose a book set in an ancient civilization from another world or an alternate universe.



Here is our Goodreads List for this prompt

Nefertiti Nefertiti by Michelle Moran is a wonderful book :)

A few I recommend:
The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
The Valley of Horses by Jean M. Auel
To the Ends of the Earth by T. Davis Bunn

On my TBR:
Song of Abraham by Ellen Gunderson Traylor

Mistress of Rome

Death Comes as the End by Agatha Christie

Circe

The Golden Hairpin by Ce Ce Qing Han takes place in ancient China.

Going with a nonfiction for this prompt which discusses the Golden Age of Rome.

Pax: War and Peace in Rome's Golden Age

The Source by James Michener

Anything set in Biblical times , The Red Tent , historical fiction sounds really good !

I’m using The Song of Achilles

Vicki Taylor wrote: "Anything set in Biblical times , The Red Tent , historical fiction sounds really good !"
The Red Tent is one of my all time favorites .

The Song of Achilles

The Dovekeepers

I'm planning on Voice of the Ancient, which is set in Old Testament Biblical times.