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Fiction » Historical Fiction

Most Recommended Books

War and Peace (Book) by Leo Tolstoy

“Classics of literature often seem intimidating, especially when they’re long. What’s interesting about them is that often they’re very easy reads, especially once you adjust to the language, which normally takes a few chapters. For me, War and Peace was, literally, a beach read. I read it on holiday the year I turned 19. I spent the days on the beach clutching it in the sand. At night, I stayed awake in the hut where we were staying to find out what happened next by the light of a small lamp, long after everyone else had gone to sleep and trying my best not to disturb anyone.”

Five Books,

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Browse book recommendations:

Historical Fiction

  • Historical Fiction Recommended by Historians
  • New Historical Fiction
  • WW2 Historical Fiction

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Here is our collection of expert book recommendations of the best historical fiction: engaging reading lists for fans of historical novels seeking to be immersed in times past.

If you're looking for the best new books in this genre, a great place to start is the annual Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. Our deputy editor Cal Flyn speaks to the chair of the judges every year – they read dozens of submissions so as to compile a shortlist of the best new historical novels every year.

If you're looking for classic works of historical fiction, we have recommendations from bestselling novelist, Vanora Bennett, who chose the the best historical novels ever published. Zimbabwean novelist Tendai Huchu chose his top hf books, including three set in Africa.

In terms of specific time periods, it came up so often that we have a list of highly recommended novels set in the Second World War.

Many of the world's leading historians have made reading lists for Five Books, and here are some historical fiction recommendations by historians. These are good books if you enjoy historically accurate fiction.

Probably our most-recommended author in this genre is Hilary Mantel, who has twice triumphed at the Booker Prize with the first two instalments of her Thomas Cromwell trilogy, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. The third book in the trilogy, The Mirror and the Light, which charts Cromwell’s inevitable demise, was included in Cal Flyn's selection of the favourite novels of 2020. Another popular author is Robert Harris, whose novels set in Republican Rome or about the Dreyfus affair in 19th century France read almost like history.

Historical fiction is great for any reader who enjoys both history – and a good, atmospheric story to pull you along too.

    The Best Historical Fiction: The 2020 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist, recommended by Katharine Grant

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    The Best Historical Fiction: The 2020 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist - The Narrow Land by Christine Dwyer Hickey

    1

    The Narrow Land
    by Christine Dwyer Hickey

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    The Best Historical Fiction: The 2020 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist - The Parisian by Isabella Hammad

    2

    The Parisian
    by Isabella Hammad

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    The Best Historical Fiction: The 2020 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist - To Calais, In Ordinary Time by James Meek

    3

    To Calais, In Ordinary Time
    by James Meek

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    The Best Historical Fiction: The 2020 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist - Shadowplay by Joseph O'Conner

    4

    Shadowplay
    by Joseph O'Conner

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    The Best Historical Fiction: The 2020 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist - The Redeemed by Tim Pears

    5

    The Redeemed
    by Tim Pears

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    The Best Historical Fiction: The 2020 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist - A Sin of Omission by Marguerite Poland

    6

    A Sin of Omission
    by Marguerite Poland

The Best Historical Fiction: The 2020 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist, recommended by Katharine Grant

Historical fiction is experiencing something of a golden age at present: there’s never been a better time to immerse oneself in the past. The acclaimed novelist Katharine Grant—chair of the judges for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction—talks us through their 2020 shortlist.

    The Best Historical Novels, recommended by Alison Weir

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    The Best Historical Novels - The Town House by Norah Lofts

    1

    The Town House
    by Norah Lofts

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    The Best Historical Novels - Katherine by Anya Seton

    2

    Katherine
    by Anya Seton

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    The Best Historical Novels - A Mortal Malice by Hilda Lewis

    3

    A Mortal Malice
    by Hilda Lewis

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    The Best Historical Novels - Green Darkness by Anya Seton

    4

    Green Darkness
    by Anya Seton

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    The Best Historical Novels - Avalon by Anya Seton

    5

    Avalon
    by Anya Seton

The Best Historical Novels, recommended by Alison Weir

Bestselling British historian and author Alison Weir plunges us deep into the world of walled-up skeletons, Vikings, poisoning, intrigue, witchcraft and rebellion. This is the best of historical novels – books that never compromise on painstaking research.

    The Best of Historical Fiction: The 2019 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist, recommended by Katharine Grant

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    The Best of Historical Fiction: The 2019 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist - The Long Take by Robin Robertson

    1

    The Long Take
    by Robin Robertson

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    The Best of Historical Fiction: The 2019 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist - A Long Way from Home: A novel by Peter Carey

    2

    A Long Way from Home: A novel
    by Peter Carey

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    The Best of Historical Fiction: The 2019 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist - After the Party by Cressida Connolly

    3

    After the Party
    by Cressida Connolly

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    The Best of Historical Fiction: The 2019 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist - The Western Wind: A Novel by Samantha Harvey

    4

    The Western Wind: A Novel
    by Samantha Harvey

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    The Best of Historical Fiction: The 2019 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist - Now We Shall Be Entirely Free by Andrew Miller

    5

    Now We Shall Be Entirely Free
    by Andrew Miller

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    The Best of Historical Fiction: The 2019 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist - Warlight by Michael Ondaatje

    6

    Warlight
    by Michael Ondaatje

The Best of Historical Fiction: The 2019 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist, recommended by Katharine Grant

The best historical novels are those so immersive and natural in tone that their period setting is a ‘by-the-way,’ says Katharine Grant, the novelist and judge for the Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction. Here she discusses the six brilliant books that made the 2019 shortlist.

    Vanora Bennett recommends the best Historical Fiction

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    Vanora Bennett recommends the best Historical Fiction - War and Peace (Book) by Leo Tolstoy

    1

    War and Peace (Book)
    by Leo Tolstoy

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    Vanora Bennett recommends the best Historical Fiction - The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco

    2

    The Name of the Rose
    by Umberto Eco

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    Vanora Bennett recommends the best Historical Fiction - An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears

    3

    An Instance of the Fingerpost
    by Iain Pears

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    Vanora Bennett recommends the best Historical Fiction - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

    4

    Wolf Hall
    by Hilary Mantel

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    Vanora Bennett recommends the best Historical Fiction - Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

    5

    Tipping the Velvet
    by Sarah Waters

Vanora Bennett recommends the best Historical Fiction

Which are the best historical novels? Bestselling author Vanora Bennett recommends.

    The Best Historical Fiction for Teens, recommended by KJ Whittaker

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    The Best Historical Fiction for Teens - Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve

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    Here Lies Arthur
    by Philip Reeve

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    The Best Historical Fiction for Teens - Secrets and Sapphires by Leila Rasheed

    2

    Secrets and Sapphires
    by Leila Rasheed

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    The Best Historical Fiction for Teens - The Sterkarm Handshake by Susan Price

    3

    The Sterkarm Handshake
    by Susan Price

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    The Best Historical Fiction for Teens - Hell and Highwater by Tanya Landman

    4

    Hell and Highwater
    by Tanya Landman

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    The Best Historical Fiction for Teens - The Curious Tale of the Lady Caraboo by Catherine Johnson

    5

    The Curious Tale of the Lady Caraboo
    by Catherine Johnson

The Best Historical Fiction for Teens, recommended by KJ Whittaker

Historical novelist K J Whittaker takes us on a time-travelling adventure as she selects five brilliant historical novels for teens.

    Tendai Huchu recommends the best Historical Fiction

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    Tendai Huchu recommends the best Historical Fiction - War and Peace (Book) by Leo Tolstoy

    1

    War and Peace (Book)
    by Leo Tolstoy

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    Tendai Huchu recommends the best Historical Fiction - Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

    2

    Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
    by Susanna Clarke

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    Tendai Huchu recommends the best Historical Fiction - Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

    3

    Things Fall Apart
    by Chinua Achebe

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    Tendai Huchu recommends the best Historical Fiction - This September Sun by Bryony Rheam

    4

    This September Sun
    by Bryony Rheam

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    Tendai Huchu recommends the best Historical Fiction - Kintu by Jennifer Makumbi

    5

    Kintu
    by Jennifer Makumbi

Tendai Huchu recommends the best Historical Fiction

What is historical fiction? Does it have to be historically accurate? Zimbabwean novelist Tendai Huchu talks us through five important examples of historical novels, including three set in Africa.

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We ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview.

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