Fantisoricals II- fantasy and sci-fi in historical settings
Discover the best fantasy and sci-fi books set in historical worlds. Explore curated picks like Naomi Novik's His Majesty's Dragon and Sara Douglass's Darkwitch Rising—perfect for fans of imaginative historical fiction.
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Darkwitch Rising
by Sara Douglass
Darkwitch Rising is the third title in Sara Douglass's compelling Troy Game series, a riveting historical fantasy series of love and revenge set against the very fabric of time itself. Britian. An ancient land. Most think they know its history. But few suspect and fewer still know the truth. For back in the mists of time came Brutus, last of the Trojan kings, who was armed with the knowledge of how to construct a magical Labyrinth that could rival the might of the gods. He was drawn to this place by the alluring sorceress Genvissa and together they almost succeeded in creating the Labyrinth. But in the end they were thwarted by Brutus's wife Cornelia, who understood the danger to the land. Her actions however trapped them all into a endless cycle of death and rebirth until the magic of the Labyrinth is completed. Ages pass. Time and again the players have come close to victory but each time there is a new wrinkle to stay the fulfillment of power. The Now that these soul travelers arrive in is a most unique one. The English are at war, not with a foreign power but amongst themselves; a mighty Civil War that threatens to destroy a nation. A great pestilence is upon the land and the newly restored Charles II sits upon the throne trying to hold chaos at bay...and he is one of the major players in this drama. And he is not alone.
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The Witches of Eileanan
by Kate Forsyth
Named Best First Novel by Locus 'Twas a time when dragons left their lair and evil shadowed the land.... On the Day of Reckoning, the witches of Eileanan were outlawed--and violations of the new order were punishable by death. Eileanan's Great Towers, once meccas of magic and learning, were left in ruins. And now, the entire land trembles in fear.... Yet deep in the mountains, in the shadow of Dragonclaw, a young girl is being tutored in the old ways. Ignorant of her past, uncertain of her future, the foundling Isabeau will soon be forced down a dangerous path of prophesy, conspiracy, and magic. It is a world where dragons possess the key to ancient mysteries...where a lost prince will discover a strange and wondrous destiny...and where the ultimate battle between good and evil will be waged.... A new Day of Reckoning is at hand....
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Sirena
by Donna Jo Napoli
The gods grant immortality to the mermaid Sirena when she rescues a human man from the sea and they fall in love, but his mortality creates great conflict between love and honor when he is called to defend Greece in the Trojan War.
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His Majesty's Dragon
by Naomi Novik
"Just when you think you've seen every variation possible on the dragon story, along comes Naomi Novik. . . . Her wonderful Temeraire is a dragon for the ages."--Terry Brooks Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain's defense by taking to the skies . . . not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons. When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future-and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France's own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte's boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire. "Terrifically entertaining."--Stephen King
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The Three Sisters
by Rebecca Locksley
This enchanting story from a talented new voice in fantasy features three magical sisters and their mystical destiny that's sure to appeal to fans of sweeping, romantic fantasy. Original.
