Recommend historical fiction

[Anonymous]

I'm about 100 pages from the end of The Sunne in Splendour (Sharon Kay Penman), and trying to draw it out because it's so good. I'll explore her other books, but does anyone have recommendations for similarly well-researched and well-written historical fiction? I never got into Hilary Mantel despite several attempts. I thought Patrick O'Brien's seafaring books were okay -- readable but not really memorable, for me. But I've really been enjoying Sunne; have devoured it in about 5 days. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Ken Follett - The War of the Worlds or Pillars of the Earth trillogies

[Anonymous]

If you want more Richard III, try The Daughter of Time. It's a novel about rehabilitating Richard's reputation.

[Anonymous]

Ken Follett and Josephine Tey are pretty good. The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis is very good (as are lots of her other books although I never finished blackout/all clear).

IMO the best historical fiction is the Lymond Chronicles, but they can be a little dense (still not as hard to get into as Hilary Mantel though). Dorothy Dunnett wrote another series too but I don't think it's quite as good.

[Anonymous]

I loved Philippa Gregory

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ken Follett - The War of the Worlds or Pillars of the Earth trillogies

I agree that these are both good reads but I don't think they're anywhere near as well-researched/historically accurate as the Sharon Kay Penman books.

[Anonymous]

The Pearl Diver
http://www.amazon.com/Pearl-Diver-Jeff-Talarigo/dp/1400034914/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412370681&sr=1-1&keywords=pearl+diver

The Birth of Venus:
http://www.amazon.com/Birth-Venus-Novel-Readers-Circle/dp/0812968972/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412370708&sr=1-5&keywords=sarah+dunant

It’s a kid’s book, but Catherine Called Birdy:
http://www.amazon.com/Catherine-Called-Birdy-Karen-Cushman/dp/0547722184/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412370831&sr=1-1&keywords=catherine+called+birdy+by+karen+cushman

[Anonymous]

The Autiobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George. I like her other books too.
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
The Far Pavilions by MM Kaye

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Autiobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George. I like her other books too.
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
The Far Pavilions by MM Kaye

Whoops - just saw you don't like Mantel - sorry! Try Margaret George

[Anonymous]

Ha. I saw the headline and came here to mention SKP "The Sunne in Splendour".

Do her King John series next, such as Here Be Dragons.

[Anonymous]

Sunne in Splendor is part of a series. Have your read the others? They are all amazing. Hard to go the Phillipa Gregory after reading Sharon Kay Penman.

Mildly obsessed with the black pLague right now. Forever Amber and The Doomsday Book are excellent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved Philippa Gregory

Not a good historian.

[Anonymous]

Check out works by Anya Seton. Especially Katherine. Reading Maurice Druon right now but not enough in to say yay or nay.

[Anonymous]

Victor Hugo.

[Anonymous]

Orphan Train