My favorite historical fiction books
Discover the best historical fiction books, from Conn Iggulden's *Emperor* and Marion Zimmer Bradley's *The Mists of Avalon* to Gillian Bradshaw's gripping Rome tales. Explore curated favorites, ancient epics, and timeless adventures in this must-read list for lovers of immersive, richly detailed historical novels.
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The Beacon at Alexandria
by Gillian Bradshaw
In the Fourth Century A.D., independent and determined young Charis is forbidden to become a doctor because she is a woman. Disguising herself as a eunuch she flees Ephesus for Alexandria, then the center of learning. There she apprentices to a Jewish doctor but eventually becomes drawn into Church politics and is forced once again to flee. She serves as an army doctor at a Roman outpost in Thrace until, kidnapped by barbarian Visigoths, she finds her destiny to heal and also to be a woman and a wife.
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Island of Ghosts
by Gillian Bradshaw
Ariantes is a Sarmatian, a barbarian warrior-prince, uprooted from his home and customs and thrust into the honorless lands of the Romans. The victims of a wartime pact struck with the emperor Marcus Aurelius to ensure the future of Sarmatia, Ariantes and his troop of accomplished horsemen are sent to Hadrian's Wall. Unsurprisingly, the Sarmatians hate Britain--an Island of Ghosts, filled with pale faces, stone walls, and an uneasy past. Struggling to command his own people to defend a land they despise, Ariantes is accepted by all, but trusted by none. The Romans fear his barbarian background, and his own men fear his gradual Roman assimilation. When Ariantes uncovers a conspiracy sure to damage both his Roman benefactors and his beloved countrymen, as well as put him and the woman he loves in grave danger, he must make a difficult decision--one that will change his own life forever.
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Cleopatra's Heir
by Gillian Bradshaw
Caesar and Cleopatra--together they could have forged an empire the likes of which had never been seen before. Tragically, it was not meant to be ... but what of the son that came of their passion? Bradshaw gives readers an answer in "Cleopatra's Heir." The power and might of Rome in all her glory meets the splendor of ancient Egypt with the story of Caesarion, the son of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra.
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Queen of Swords
by Judith Tarr
Melisende, princess of the Franks, is heir to the Crusader Kingdom since she has no brothers. The crown would go to the man who married her, and after to her son. But in this "richly textured tapestry steeped in history" ("Booklist"), she proves to be a strong woman who would not submit easily to a husband's rule, nor for long.
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The Mists of Avalon
by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The magical saga of the women behind King Arthur's throne. “A monumental reimagining of the Arthurian legends . . . reading it is a deeply moving and at times uncanny experience. . . . An impressive achievement.”—The New York Times Book Review In Marion Zimmer Bradley's masterpiece, we see the tumult and adventures of Camelot's court through the eyes of the women who bolstered the king's rise and schemed for his fall. From their childhoods through the ultimate fulfillment of their destinies, we follow these women and the diverse cast of characters that surrounds them as the great Arthurian epic unfolds stunningly before us. As Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar struggle for control over the fate of Arthur's kingdom, as the Knights of the Round Table take on their infamous quest, as Merlin and Viviane wield their magics for the future of Old Britain, the Isle of Avalon slips further into the impenetrable mists of memory, until the fissure between old and new worlds' and old and new religions' claims its most famous victim.
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Emperor
by Conn Iggulden
This critically acclaimed novel takes the reader on a breathtaking journey from the grandeur of Rome to the savagery of its most far-flung provinces, as one of history's greatest narratives unfolds.
