Historical Fiction

sun-star · 06-26-2004, 06:34 AM

What are your favourite historical novels?

Grey_Wolf · 06-26-2004, 06:54 AM

James A Michener's Centennial

Walter Scott's Ivanhoe

Hawklan · 06-26-2004, 05:55 PM

I enjoy the Arthurian legends - Susan Cooper and Alan Garner in particular ( The dark is rising series and the weirstone of brisingamen )

***azalea*** · 06-26-2004, 10:12 PM

I just have to point out (it's the teacher in me) that historical fiction is specifically a fictional story set in the historical past, but otherwise is realistic (ie, Gone with the Wind -- one of the best, BTW!). Otherwise it would be automatically labeled fantasy (ie, The Once and Future King) or sci-fi (ie, The Time Machine). Just to clarify that for everyone for discussion purposes.

Historical fiction is realistic fiction (realistic fiction = Get Shorty, for ex.) that is set in the past (but note that it means fiction set in the past in relation to when it was written -- a book like David Copperfield is not historical fiction, because it was set in about the same time period as it was being written.)
Don't mean to sound prissy about it -- I just love discussing genres!

(Ask me about any book, I'll name the genre!

)

One historical fiction book I liked when I was young was one called Voices in the Night, about a girl who goes to stay at a farm that turns out to be a stop on the Underground Railroad. As I said above, GWTW is one of my favorites.

Grey_Wolf · 06-27-2004, 03:16 AM

Then I could add...

Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Books

Colleen McCullough's Rome-series

Frances H Burnett's A Little Princess and The Secret Garden

Frans G Bengtsson's The Long Ships (A viking story)

James Clavell's Shogun

Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers

Edward Rutherfurd's Sarum, London and The Forest

Mercutio · 06-28-2004, 05:54 PM

A Tale of Two Cities (by Charles Dickens)

O! Pioneers (by Willa Cather)

Horatio Hornblower (series by C.S. Forester)--Thanks Val!

but I really really really like Patrick O'Brian's books. I've just discovered them!

***Valandil*** · 06-28-2004, 06:17 PM

Horatio Hornblower series by CS Forester

cee2lee2 · 06-28-2004, 09:58 PM

I've been reading some of the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian and have started on the Sharple (I mean Sharpe) series by Bernard Cornwell.

Elanor the Fair · 08-12-2004, 07:22 AM

Books by Sharon Penman are good. I also love "The Scarlett Pimpernel" by Baroness Orzcy. For a really light read, I enjoy books by Georgette Heyer - so does my father, suprisingly enough!!

cee2lee2 · 08-12-2004, 11:11 PM

I think Georgette Heyer's books are fun, too!

06-26-2004, 06:34 AM	#1
sun-star Lady of Letters Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Either Oxford or Kent, England Posts: 2,476	Historical Fiction What are your favourite historical novels? __________________ And all the time the waves, the waves, the waves Chase, intersect and flatten on the sand As they have done for centuries, as they will For centuries to come, when not a soul Is left to picnic on the blazing rocks, When England is not England, when mankind Has blown himself to pieces. Still the sea, Consolingly disastrous, will return While the strange starfish, hugely magnified, Waits in the jewelled basin of a pool.

06-26-2004, 05:55 PM	#3
Hawklan Enting Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: wirral - The Shire of the North Posts: 72	I enjoy the Arthurian legends - Susan Cooper and Alan Garner in particular ( The dark is rising series and the weirstone of brisingamen ) __________________ . We know where the music's playing, let's go out and feel the night. Because I'm still in love with you, I want to see you dance again, because I'm still in love with you on this harvest moon.Well the sun is surely sinking down But the moon is slowly rising So this old world must still be spinning 'round And I still love you NIL SATIS NISI OPTIMUM

06-28-2004, 05:54 PM	#6
Mercutio Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Narnia Posts: 1,656	A Tale of Two Cities (by Charles Dickens) O! Pioneers (by Willa Cather) Horatio Hornblower (series by C.S. Forester)--Thanks Val! but I really really really like Patrick O'Brian's books. I've just discovered them! __________________ Mike nodded. A sombre nod. The nod Napoleon might have given if somebody had met him in 1812 and said, "So, you're back from Moscow, eh?". Interested in C.S. Lewis? Visit the forum dedicated to one of Tolkien's greatest contemporaries. Last edited by Mercutio : 07-24-2005 at 05:14 PM. Reason: remembered another, later misspelled it...!

06-28-2004, 06:17 PM	#7
*Valandil* High King at Annuminas Administrator Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Wyoming - USA Posts: 10,752	Horatio Hornblower series by CS Forester __________________ My Fanfic: Letters of Firiel Tales of Nolduryon Visitors Come to Court Ñ á ë ?* ó ú é ä ï ö Ö ñ É Þ ð ß ® ™ [Xurl=Xhttp://entmoot.tolkientrail.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=ABCXYZ#postABCXYZ]text[/Xurl] Splitting Threads is SUCH Hard Work!!

08-12-2004, 07:22 AM	#9
Elanor the Fair Elven Warrior Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: In the kitchen ...... still! Posts: 228	Books by Sharon Penman are good. I also love "The Scarlett Pimpernel" by Baroness Orzcy. For a really light read, I enjoy books by Georgette Heyer - so does my father, suprisingly enough!! __________________ Life's too short to eat bad chocolate

06-26-2004, 06:54 AM	#2
Grey_Wolf Elf Lord Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mirkwood, well actually I live in North-west Scania, Sweden Posts: 9,481	James A Michener's Centennial Walter Scott's Ivanhoe

06-26-2004, 10:12 PM	#4
*azalea* Long lost mooter Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 3,342	I just have to point out (it's the teacher in me) that historical fiction is specifically a fictional story set in the historical past, but otherwise is realistic (ie, Gone with the Wind -- one of the best, BTW!). Otherwise it would be automatically labeled fantasy (ie, The Once and Future King) or sci-fi (ie, The Time Machine). Just to clarify that for everyone for discussion purposes. Historical fiction is realistic fiction (realistic fiction = Get Shorty, for ex.) that is set in the past (but note that it means fiction set in the past in relation to when it was written -- a book like David Copperfield is not historical fiction, because it was set in about the same time period as it was being written.) Don't mean to sound prissy about it -- I just love discussing genres! (Ask me about any book, I'll name the genre! ) One historical fiction book I liked when I was young was one called Voices in the Night, about a girl who goes to stay at a farm that turns out to be a stop on the Underground Railroad. As I said above, GWTW is one of my favorites.

06-27-2004, 03:16 AM	#5
Grey_Wolf Elf Lord Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mirkwood, well actually I live in North-west Scania, Sweden Posts: 9,481	Then I could add... Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Books Colleen McCullough's Rome-series Frances H Burnett's A Little Princess and The Secret Garden Frans G Bengtsson's The Long Ships (A viking story) James Clavell's Shogun Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers Edward Rutherfurd's Sarum, London and The Forest

06-28-2004, 09:58 PM	#8
cee2lee2 Elf Lord Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: 2nd star to the left..... Posts: 566	I've been reading some of the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian and have started on the Sharple (I mean Sharpe) series by Bernard Cornwell.

08-12-2004, 11:11 PM	#10
cee2lee2 Elf Lord Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: 2nd star to the left..... Posts: 566	I think Georgette Heyer's books are fun, too!

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