Historical Fiction Books discussion

I love history. I love to read. I love to read historical fiction. Historical fiction differs in how they present and represent peoples and times of the past. Diana Gabaldon, Paullina Simons, Alexander Kent, Leon Uris, Wilbur Smith and Ken Follett tend to write books of certain eras without introducing historical figures or actual specific historical events and depend solely on characters of their own making. All of these authors write memorable characters and amazingly beautiful stories. Other authors take another route to develop their stories. John Jakes, James Michener and Edward Rutherfurd mingle fact with fiction and develop their stories around actual events and people. Some prefer one over the other but I enjoy them both. If I would have to state one I would vote for the mingle method as it brings events and its participants closer to the reading public. What do you prefer and why?

I enjoy both at different times. I'm currently reading The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory which helps me to understand history in the 1400s and the period of Henry Tudor. Having said that, I also enjoy reading about a stonemason family in one of Ken Follett's epic dramas.

Both historical fiction styles offer the reader a glimpse back in time, an opportunity to see what it was like to live in another era, whether as a member of a royal family, a famous person, a servant or a stonemason. I want to know about them all.

Louis L'Amour. Real Men. Real West. He is my idol. I like to take men like his and throw some women into their lives. That's the only thing missing from his books - a little romance. All those "manly" men but seldom a woman to appreciate them. Ha! If there is a love interest involved she usually gets killed. I think you'd like Jake Harkner in my novel OUTLAW HEARTS. Rosanne Bittner

Edward Rutherfurd is a genius, the way he intermingles his worlds. Diana Gabaldon is also another old favourite. A new historical fiction author who does great work is Deborah Harkness. She started life as an historian, so her novels have such amazing detail woven through them.

I love the way authors like Sharon Penman and Helen Hollick (her early books) write about real people and real events but in historical fiction rather than just history. They bring history to life by allowing us a glimpse into the characters who played their parts. I would like to be able to do the same but, alas, I am no historian, so I contented myself, in my time-travel novel, by allowing a couple of actual historical figures into an entirely fictitious story. I must admit, the scenes with them in remain my favourite scenes in the book. And yes, I agree with Kirsten, Edward Rutherford also has his place on my bookshelves.
Later in history, I also have every regency romance Georgette Heyer ever wrote. I am not a particular fan of romantic fiction (although some romance is always nice, just not as a genre), but hers are so sparkling that I made an exception. Like Thom, I do enjoy a bit of mingling, and as my favourite period is 11th to 14th century, I constantly await Sharon Penman's new books. She is my all-time favourite.