Looking for some historical fiction recommendations!
Oh! You know I really enjoyed the Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett. (I’ve read the first two)
Any particular period or subject matter you’re interested in? Historical fiction is a wide genre, from romance (not my cup of tea) to Patrick O’Brien and Cornwell’s Sharpe novels (much more my speed).
Strong rec for the Aubrey Maturin series https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey–Maturin_series They’re the basis for the Master and Commander movie and they are way better than they have any right to be Also Cryptonomicon is like half historical fiction and it’s excellent
Some variety here; I prefer longer, classic books and I don't like fantasy much: Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset (medieval Norway) Sword of Honor trilogy by Evelyn Waugh (British WWII) A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (Soviet Russia) Musashi (haven't read yet but it's on my list, Samurai)
City of Thieves Someone recommended it here. Loved it. Short but great.
This is also sci fi but 11/22/63 by steven king is my fav book of all time Basically about an American schoolteacher who goes back in time and tries to stop the assassination of jfk
Maybe take a look at The Great Passion https://a.co/d/6z5z2GC
Also this was fantastic — Hamnet https://a.co/d/iSI6kQX
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, Pachinko, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
Not fiction but written so well it might be is Tom Holland's series on the Roman empire, starting with Rubicon, about the end of the Roman Republic. Very focused on characters like Cesar, Crassus, Sulla, etc.
Lonesome Dove, Gentleman in Moscow, I Cladius
I'm a fan of Bernard Cornwell's work. The Saxon Saga was turned into Netflix's hit series The Last Kingdom (which I highly recommend and I was pleasantly surprised to see that Elon does too) https://www.bernardcornwell.net/books/
Underworld USA trilogy by James Ellroy is awesome, though pretty bleak
The Baroque Cycle by N. Stephenson If you like science, crypto, money (minting), and pirates and stuff It’s exploring the founders of the modern age focusing a lot on Newton and the Royal Society, and some fictional characters he inserts into his overall universe
Bernard Cornwell always gets my vote. His historical worlds always feel very lived-in.
Trust by Hernan Diaz is excellent
Books