Can anyone recommend any good historical novels?

Pasternak, Boris: Doctor Zhivago,
Fowles, John: The French Lieutenant's Woman,
Forester, C.S: Hornblower ("serie"),
Flanagan, Thomas: The Year of the French,
Dickens, Charles: A Tale of Two Cities,
George, Margaret: The Autobiography of Henry VIII,
Eco, Umberto: The Name of the Rose,
White, T.H.: The Once and Future King,
Cornwell, Barnard: The Winter King,
Gear, W. Michael and Kathleen: People of the Wolf.


And there certainly will be some extraordinary good one's, I don't know of as a non-native English speaker :wink:

There is a fascinating series of novels by Emile Zola in the Rougon-Macquart series, twenty in all, and which he described as: "the natural and social history of a family under the Second Empire." (The second empire was that of Louis Bonaparte, the son of Napoleon's brother--he helped to throw out King Louis Phillipe in one coup d'état, and then engineered another coup against the republic he had just helped to found, making himself the "Emperor Napoleon III.") Zola commented: "I want to portray, at the outset of a century of liberty and truth, a family that cannot restrain itself in its rush to possess all the good things that progress is making available and is derailed by its own momentum, the fatal convulsions that accompany the birth of a new world."

The first novel, la Fortune des Rougons, begins in that fatal December when Louis Bonapart overthrew the republic, and it revolves around an old woman, who had first married Rougon, and then Macquart--all of the characters of these novels are descended from her. She takes in a boy, her grandson, and he, as a teenager, takes part in the socialist resistance to Louis Bonapart. He and his teenaged girlfriend end up being executed in the bloody failure of the uprising in the south of France. All of the principal characters of each novel have initially appeared in another novel, but it is not necessarily a serial production. For example, in l'Assomoir, a son to the main character by her first marriage is briefly mentioned in the beginning, and her second husband gets rid of the boy by sending him off apprenticed to a blacksmith. In reading the novel, you'll forget all about him--but he appears a few novels later, as the principal character in Germinal. All of the novels have been translated into English, although i can't say how available they are. I've seen Germinal in English within the last ten years, but can't say how easy it would be to find them all.

They were not originally historical novels, Zola wrote about his own times. But they are a fascinating look into life in the 19th century in general (in "modern" Europe), and in France in particular. They are adult novels in that the themes are maintained, without lewd content, but not ignoring sex, lying, betrayal, drunkenness, and the host of other faults which beset people's lives everywhere and everywhen.

la Fortune des Rougons (The Fortune of the Rougons)
la Curée (The Rush for the Spoils)
le Ventre de Paris (The Belly of Paris)
la Conquête de Plassans (The Conquest of Plassans)
la Faute de l Abbé Mouret (The Error--or Sin--of the Abbot Mouret)
son Excellence Eugène Rougon (His Excellency Eugène Rougon)
l'Assommoir (The Dram Shop / The Gin Palace)
une Page d'amour
Nana
Pot-bouille (Restless House)
au Bonheur des dames (The Ladies' Paradise)
la Joie de vivre (The Joy of Living)
Germinal (The title refers to a month in springtime in the Revolutionary calendar)
l'Œuvre (The Masterpiece)
la Terre (The Soil)
le Rêve (The Dream)
la Bête humaine (The Human Animal)
l'Argent (Money)
la Débâcle (The Downfall)
le Docteur Pascal

They don't need to be read in any particular order, although it is a good idea to start with la Fortune des Rougons, because it sets the stage for the history of these two families. Each novel stands on its own. And, of course, you have the rest of your life to find them and read them, or to learn French, in which case, getting copies is relatively easy.

Thanks very much for your suggestions,

Quite a few of these sound interesting, and if I get a chance I will certainly try reading them, as historical novels are definitely my favorite genre.

Thanks again

If you liked the julius ceasar book I'm pretty sure you'll like the SPQR-series by John Maddox Roberts. They're witty, seemingly true to detail, and easy reads.

TH White is not really historical - it is a legendary romance - in the old sense of the word. Great book!

I love all of Robert Graves' historical novels - a few of these are "I, Claudius", "Claudius the God", "Wife to Mr Milton" - not sure of others.

I like some of Gore Vidal's - though they vary in quality - I especially like "Julian".

Thinking - be back.

You might take a look at Herman Wouk's work. Also some, but not all of Frank Yerby's

Lindsey Davis has written a dozen or so detictive novels set in ancient Rome. They're witty and quite good. BTW, I've also enjoyed the SPQR books BD67 mentioned.

You might also want to consider the Flashman books.

Ellis Peters wrote a series of books about a Welsh monk called Cadfael, at a monastery at Shrewsbury, who was a bit of a detective and healer in the 11c.

They are really enjoyable - lighter than Umberto Eco but a really good read and good research into the politics, daily life and ethics of the day.

The Leper of St Giles is one title.

a deeper brilliant read is Dorothy Dunnett - I keep singing her praises and NO ONE reads her and reports back - someone read her PLEASE she's utterly brilliant!

The Game of Kings - first in a series of 6 thick books set in the time when Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I were children - intrigue and politics and adventure and romance that travels through Scotland, England, France, Malta, the Mediterranean and East to Russia - you get this wonderful rich tapestry of life at one period of time in these different countries as a background to an incredibly rich and intricate adventure. Her research is incredible and impeccable. The books race along - but pay attention as she doesn't overexplain - a hint and you have to catch it.

also the House of Niccolo a series of 7 thick books travelling through Holland, Italy, Mediterranean, allsorts and ending in Scotland set before the Game of Kings in time.
also Macbeth, a more true account historically and fascinating.

Robert Graves wrote a novel "King Jesus" that I found absolutely fascinating. What with all the "DaVinci Code" hubbub(I didn't enjoy that one). You may want to read something of the period by a scholar.

Just adding that Graves reinterpreted the genealogy of Jesus, and rewrote the Gospels. In 'King Jesus', he presented Jesus as a sage and poet, and rejected the mystical Virgin Birth doctrine.

I've started reading Lempriere's Dictionary by Lawrence Norfolk. It's full of Classical references which do make it a bit hard going but - I'm sure - it will be rewardng.

I believe he has three historical novels.


Also, Umberto Eco. And, for a murder mystery, try Iain Pears' An Instance of the Fingerpost.

I'm also told that Pavic's Dictionary of the Khazars is worth a read.

Frank Yerby, yes!

I'd also recommend anything by Bernard Cornwell. He has a knack for putting the reader in the middle of the action like no other writer of historical fiction that I have ever read. I particularly recommend the Grail Quest trilogy (The Archer's Tale, Vagabond and Heretic). It'll make you experience some of the most famous battles of the Hundred Years' War like no other reading could.

london the novel is great
it talks about the history of the city and each chapter is about a certain period. All the characters are genealogically connected too. Amazing book.

For history with a twist (or a couple...), try The Master of Alternate History, Dr. Harry Turtledove. I like How Few Remain (post-Civil War, where the South won), The Guns Of The South (1864, Robert E. Lee gets some mysterious help), & the Worldwar series (1942, WW2 put on hold for another type of invesion).