Amazing Historical Fiction
Discover the best historical fiction books with our curated list of amazing reads. Immerse yourself in captivating stories set in the past, perfect for history lovers and book enthusiasts alike.


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Here Be Dragons
by Sharon Kay Penman
King John arranges a marriage between his youngest daughter, Joanna, and his rival, Llewelyn the Great, the young leader who intends to unite all of Wales

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Falls the Shadow
by Sharon Kay Penman
" A marvelous literary and historical achievement...Impossible to put down." THE BOSTON HERALDThis is Simon de Montfort's story--and the story of King Henry III, as weak and changeable as Montfort was brash and unbending. It is a saga of two opposing wills that would later clash in a storm of violence and betrayal, a story straight from the pages of history that brings the world of the thirteenth century comletely, provocatively, and magnificently alive. Above all, this is a story of conflict and treachery, of human frailty and broken legends, a tale of pageantry and grandeur that is as unforgettable as it is real....

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The Reckoning
by Sharon Kay Penman
"Penman's characters are so shrewdly imagined, so full of resonant human feeling that they seem to be on the page....Most compelling is the portrait of the Welsh as wild and rugged as their landscape." SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE Here, alive from the pages of history, is the compelling tale of a Celtic society ruled by Llewelyn, Prince of Wales, on a collison course with a feudal realm of Edward I. WIth this last book in the extraordinary trilogy that began with HERE BE DRAGONS and continued in FALLS THE SHADOW, Sharon Kay Penman has written a beautiful and moving conclusion to her medieval saga. For everyone who has read the earlier books in this incomparable series or ever wanted to experience the rich tapestry of British history and lore, this bold and romantic adventure must be read.

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When Christ and His Saints Slept
by Sharon Kay Penman
The acclaimed author of The Sunne in Splendor and Falls the Shadow now begins a new trilogy, set in medieval England, during a time of royal turmoil and intrigue, and following the lives and passions of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. 2 maps; genealogy. Gilded top stain cover; ribbon marker.

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Katherine
by Anya Seton
A biographical novel concerning the love affair between Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster, in fourteenth-century England.

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The Winthrop Woman
by Anya Seton
A biographical novel of Elizabeth Winthrop, a courageous woman who defied Puritan conventions and beliefs.


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Avalon
by Anya Seton
This saga of yearning and mystery travels across oceans and continents to Iceland, Greenland, and North America during the time in history when Anglo-Saxons battled Vikings and the Norsemen discovered America. The marked contrasts between powerful royalty, landless peasants, Viking warriors and noble knights are expertly brought to life in this gripping tale of the French prince named Rumon. Shipwrecked off the Cornish coast on his quest to find King Arthur's legendary Avalon, Rumon meets a lonely girl named Merewyn and their lives soon become intertwined. Rumon brings Merewyn to England, but once there he is so dazzled by Queen Alrida's beauty that it makes him a virtual prisoner to her will. In this riveting romance, Anya Seton once again proves her mastery of historical detail and ability to craft a compelling tale that includes real and colorful personalities such as St. Dunstan and Eric the Red.



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Shield of Three Lions
by Pamela Kaufman
The first novel in the Alix of Wanthwaite series, by bestselling author Pamela Kaufman. Eleven-year-old Alix is the daughter of the baron of Wanthwaite, whose lands along the Scottish border are among the best in England. But when her family is killed and her lands seized, Alix is forced to flee from the only home she’s ever known. Her one hope of restoring her inheritance is to plead her case to King Richard the Lion Heart, who is far away in France, preparing to go on his Crusade. Alix resolves to follow him. She cuts her hair, dresses as a boy, and takes the road south to London. Disguised as a beautiful young boy, Alix is more than befriended by the handsome and mysterious King Richard, even becoming his favorite page. Their relationship sets tongues wagging and places Alix in considerable danger as the battle for Jerusalem unfolds. “Richly rewarding, superbly written... The richness of the characters, the historical details, and the story as a whole make this novel a memorable reading experience.”—Chicago Sun-Times


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La Magdalena
by William M. Valtos
Vacationing in historic Valencia, Spain, detective Theo Nikonos visits the Chapel of the Holy Grail. Inside a seemingly innocent young nun enlists his help to deliver a letter. However, Theo's hackles rise when the priest to whom he was to deliver the letter is killed in an ambush.


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The Conquest
by Elizabeth Chadwick
Grieving over the deaths of her husband and infant son, Saxon widow Ailith finds solace with Norman warrior Rolf de Brize, but her new happiness is threatened by the arrival of Rolf's Norman wife and daughter and the knowledge that Rolf had been responsible for the deaths of her beloved brothers at the Battle of Hastings.

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The Road to Avalon
by Joan Wolf
In post-Roman Britain, Arthur, only heir to the throne, falls madly in love with his half-aunt Morgan and is confronted with a torturous decision--choosing between a kingdom and his only love.


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The Edge of Light
by Joan Wolf
Following Born of the Sun and The Road to Avalon, this final novel in Wolf's moving Arthurian trilogy is full of exquisitely drawn characters set in the magical realm of Camelot. "Wolf's descriptions of a long-ago, mostly rural England are colorful, her portrait of what life was like in those days convincing".--Washington Post.