Run out of favourite authors - looking for some new historical fiction. Recommendations please.

All of the conn iggulden series' are a good read. If you fancy a bit of mystism you could try Bernard Cornwell's War lord series about King Arther. Iggulden is fast paced story telling whilst Cornwell spends a bit more time telling a good yarn.

No one has mentioned Robert Harris's Roman books, starting with "Imperium". [Disclosure: I have not read these myself, but had them highly praised by people who really know about the period, so they score on your 'historical accuracy' criterion]. This is Rome at the time of Cicero and Caesar, but politics as we know it. You should be able to find these very easily, and I believe number 3 is due out any time now. About "Pompeii", by the same author, I know nothing.

The Lindsey Davis Falco novels are a lot of fun. Not Sam Spade, but Philip Marlowe in the Rome of Vespasian. Easy reading, and moderately accurate, but entertainment always trumps history, except when it really can't be avoided. I only read them one at a time - two in a row is a bit of an overdose - but always look forward to a new one.

A writer you don't hear much of these days is Alfred Duggan. He writes about periods we know less about (like early Saxon England), and the history he does produce is probably outdated now, but he tells a good story. A favourite of mine is "The Conscience of the King", which is the first-person narrative of Cerdic, one of the earliest Saxon kings in England. It's got some splendidly tongue-in-cheek chapter titles, which I can't produce off the top of my head (my copy is in a box - grr), but are something like, "I return home, my father meets with an unfortunate accident," "I go on a hunting trip, my brother meets with an unfortunate accident," "I take ship for Britannia, my wife meets with an unfortunate accident." As you might imagine, Cerdic's conscience is pretty flexible! Many of his other books, like "Prince Bohemond" are set in the Crusader kingdoms, telling stories of the other Normans, the ones who went East. Again, easy reading, providing you have either (a) a good map or (b) the ability not to worry about precisely how you get from that bit of Greece to that bit of Syria.

You mention Georgette Heyer and Jean Plaidy in the same breath, probably because you, like me, first read them as teenagers. I had to take a good look at my collection of historical fiction a while back, and a little sampling put Georgette Heyer in the "keep on open shelves" category and the Jean Plaidy in the "where can I put these so they will do no damage" category. Plaidy's historical knowledge was of the "Ethelred the Unready was called the Unready because he was never ready when the Norsemen came," level. (I actually read that in one of her books!)

Heyer was, for the most part, very different. Her taste for historical accuracy in details was immense, though the world she built for her "Regencies" owed a certain amount to the restraints of a women who had been properly brought up in the early years of the twentieth century. Still her books, especially the later ones, are carefully written and filled with clever little touches. The early ones (including the much loved, "These Old Shades") have the taste for melodrama which belong to the period of the Scarlet Pimpernel, but the later ones contrive to send up that taste, whilst telling credible and entertaining stories of human relationships. For example, this couple, for whom a marriage of convenience has been suggested:

"Would you not feel sorry for a jeune fille, dressed all in white, alone in the tumbrel, a little pale, but quite unafraid?"

"I should be sorry for anyone going to the guillotine, whatever their age, sex - or apparel."

You can see that this relationship is NOT going anywhere - with one so dedicated to dramatisation, and the other so set on common sense. (This is from "The Talisman Ring," not a great favourite generally, but I find lots of it very funny.)

She tried to write "serious" historical fiction as well, and succeeded sometimes - I enjoy "The Conqueror" (though I think some of her historical detail about the 11th century is now thought inaccurate in some details), and many people praise "The Spanish Bride" (the Peninsula War), and "An Infamous Army" is Yet Another Waterloo novel.

End of defence of Georgette Heyer!

If you don't feel demeaned by reading "children's books" then Barbara Willard's Mantlemas (mostly 16th-17th century) books are well worth reading - if you can find them. Try taking them in order, starting perhaps with "The Sprig of Broom." Another book which I found in the children's section (again these days it would be YA) which I read and re-read, but no one else ever seems to have heard of is "The Leaping Song," by Stephanie Plowman. It's a story of the clash between the Greeks and the Persians which culminates in the Battle of Plataea.

Anyone who enjoyed "Ash" might also like to try Neal Stephenson's take an alternate seventeenth century (very fashionable in the last few years), start with "Quicksilver" - big, so if you like substance to your reading, then this has got it!

And moving still further into fantasy, anyone who enjoys Steven Erikson and GRR Thomas, should probably give Robin Hobb a go - start with "Assassin's Apprentice."

Enough to be going on with?

Lots of brilliant books mentioned so far but my most recent discovery is Tim Murgatroyd - just read Taming Poison Dragons on holiday - an historical adventure set in 12th century ancient china. Fabulous and vivid. I knew nothing about ancient china but now feel I've lived and breathed it.

You might like to try the Cynthia Harrod Eagles 'Dynasty' series, which follows a Yorkshire family right through from the early middle ages up to the present time. We are at book number 33 at the moment, which is at the First World War. It has been a fascinating journey, and I have kept all the books and am now re- reading them in between new books.
Diana Gabaldon's 'Cross stitch' is the first of her series and was the best, I can recommend that, but after that they become rather silly.

[Deleted by the author on 24 Jul 2010 08:46:13 BDT]

I've read almost all of those you say you like and am currently reading the Simon Scarrow ones on Napoleon and Wellington. I know you say you don't read much post 17th Century but if you like mystery try Anna Dean - written in style of Jane Austin - and Rose Melikan (set 1790's).

I can recommend The de Lacy Inheritance by Elizabeth Ashworth. Well worth reading. And I noticed that Elizabeth Chadwick has read it and given it 5 stars on Goodreads. You can't get a better recommendation than that!

I was just browsing and came across your post - thank you for reading my historical fiction novels, I hope you enjoyed them. Have you tried my Sea Witch Series? Although with a touch of fantasy, I still have quite a few historical elements. They are pirate-based adventure fantasy, a cross between Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe, Hornblowert and Indiana Jones :-) excerpts are on my web page if you would like an idea of what they are like. If it helps Elizabeth Chadwick loves them!

Who else to suggest? How about Jo Field's Rogues & Rebels? Set in Devon during the English Civil War. I'm trying to encourage Jo to write a second novel to follow this one, so maybe some extra interest in this, her first novel, might help.

Happy Reading
Helen

Helen - great to hear from you. I really enjoyed A Hollow Crown and Harold the King. If you're interested in how I got to hear about them - it was from a Sharon Penman recommendation. Will you be writing any more Saxon books or venturing into medieval times at all? I will probably try your Sea Witch books once I've got through my backlog of unread stuff.

This discussion has been great for throwing up recommendations - thanks to everyone who has made suggestions. I've just added A Thousand Oranges Trees to the to be read pile.

P V Sutton - thanks for your tremendous post! one to savour... And I have read Erikson, GRRM and Hobb and love them all (apart from Hobb's Soldier Son trilogy - don't quite know what happened there).

Sharon's been a good friend - and its great to know that her readers are also enjoying my books.
A Hollow Crown is about to be published in the US and re-published here in the UK under the new title of 'Forever Queen' - I've polished it up and cut it by 40,000 words, so hopefully a good book has now become a great book (fingers crossed). Harold the King is also soon to be published in the US titled as ' I Am The Chosen King.' I intend to start on a follow up to Harold early next year. Working title at the moment is 'The Lost Kingdom' and it will primarily be about Hereward & rebellion against William. Beyond that... another two in the Sea Witch series and maybe a spin-off series based on my Arthur books? Maybe something about Alfred's daughter, the Lady of Mercia?

www.helenhollick,net

i have just read Gates of Fire about the 300 spartans Fantastic
Also the 3 books sharpe in India Fantastic
shogun
the sword in splendour

R. F. Delderfield wrote wonderful, leisurely historical fiction; I would suggest first "To Serve Them All My Days" and then his "A Horseman Riding By" series, set in the West Country ca. 1890-1965.

Also, a YA writer of note (and, in her day job, a professor of Renaissance literature) is Elizabeth Marie Pope: try The Sherwood Ring (set in upstate New York, during the American Revolution) and The Perilous Gard (set in early Elizabethan England.)

A new US novel, "Deep Creek," by Dana Hand, is very striking as well: one man's struggle to find and convict the murderers of 30 Chinese gold miners in wild Hell's Canyon, ca. 1887. Nicely written, carefully researched.

Imogen Robertson - Insruments of Darkness and Anatomy of Murder.

Ariana Franklin who won the Ellis Peters Award for her 'Mistress of the Art of Death" series.

And, James Forrester's Sacred Treason - which is the first historical thriller from Ian Mortimer who wrote Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England

Good books all. But for anyone looking them up, I think you probably meant the excellent The SUNNE in Splendour (Penman). Or maybe The SUN in Splendour (Plaidy).

Wow your reading list is almost identical to mine (except I LOVE Diana Gabaldon!). Others that I would recommend are:

Jack Whyte - Camulod Chronicles - a lovely long series to get your teeth into.
Sara Donati - Wilderness series.
Ben Kane - Forgotten Legion series
Jules Watson - Dalriada Trilogy
Edward Rutherfurd
Michelle Moran
Melvin R Starr - fab medieval mysteries which are really well researched and fun

I am also very excited to hear that Helen Hollick is doing more Sea Witch stories! If you are still reading this thread Helen - any ideas when the next one will be out?

Just remembered some more!
Noah Gordon - Physician series - absolutely brilliant!
Stephen Lawhead - Celtic Crusades series and Patrick
Mary Stewart - Merlin trilogy

Yes I'm still here - Ripples In the Sand is to be Voyage 4, and I _hope_ to have it published next April (I'll try my best!) (Glad you like my Jesmiah's adventures!)
keep an eye on my website for up to date info www.helenhollick.net

If anyone would like postcards or signed bookplates (no charge) of the new editions with their lovely covers, please contact me via that website!

I love Jesmiah. They would make fantastic films.

Try Naomi Mitchison! I just read 'The Blood of the Martyrs'. Someone bought it for me as a present. I wasn't inspired by the title or cover, or the fact it was written in the 1930s. But it's BRILLIANT. See my review on Amazon. Also I would try Mary Renault - she's the best ever on the ancient world.

I would second Portrait of an Unknown woman by Vanora Bennett.

I'd like to recommend 'The Fan Tan Players' by Julian Lees.
Set in Macau, Hong Kong, Russia and Scotland, it is a thrilling read.

Morgan Llywellyn is one of my favorites, particularly The Wind from Hastings.

Parke Godwin's Lord of Sunset is another. Both of these books are set in the days of William the Conqueror.

Get started on Dorothy Dunnett, you won't look back. Even if you don't care a fig for naval stories, read Patrick O'Brian for the h istorical settings, one reviewer famously described his books as "Jane Austen sur mer"! Also Ellis Peters' Cadfael series set in the time of Stephen and Matilda, and - if this is not too late a period, the Flashman books by George McDonald Fraser.

Do you mind a gentle Christian bent but not 'in your face'? Go Softly All My Years is a historical romance set in the US, England, and Egypt during WWII.Go Softly All My Years