Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the main characters tend to be fictional. Writers of stories in this genre, while penning fiction, attempt to capture the manners and social conditions of the persons or time(s) presented in the story, with due attention paid to period detail and fidelity.^[1] Historical fiction is found in books, magazines,^[2] art, television programming, film, theater, video games and other media.

Look up historical fiction in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Definition[link]

A story (can be: book, play, TV show, film and so on) with a historical setting.

Historical fiction presents readers with a story that takes place during a notable period in history, and usually during a significant event in that period. Historical fiction often presents actual events from the point of view of fictional people living in that time period.

In some historical fiction, famous events appear from points of view not recorded in history, with fictional characters either observing or actively participating in these actual events. Historical figures are also often shown dealing with these events while depicting them in a way that has not been previously recorded. Other times, a historical event is used to complement a story's narrative, occurring in the background while characters deal with situations (personal or otherwise) wholly unrelated to that historical event. Sometimes, the names of people and places have been in some way altered.

As this is fiction, artistic license is permitted in regard to presentation and subject matter, so long as it does not deviate in significant ways from established history. If events should deviate significantly, the story may then fall under the genre of alternate history, which is known for speculating on what could have happened if a significant historical event had occurred differently. On a similar note, events occurring in historical fiction must adhere to the laws

Literature[link]

Historical literature includes the works of authors that epitomize a specific period in history. Historical literature has been written since at least the 20th century BC:

• Ancient Egyptian Story of Sinuhe (20th century BC)
• Ancient Egyptian Story of Wenamun (11th century BC)
• Chariton's Callirhoe (mid-1st century AD; set 500 years earlier)
• Augustan History (4th century AD)
• The Waverley Novels, by Sir Walter Scott (over 40 distinct books)
• Pharaoh, by Bolesław Prus
• Mr. Tucket, by Gary Paulsen
• I, Claudius, by Robert Graves
• The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck
• Eric Ambler a series of spy novels set in Europe before World War II, starting with The Dark Frontier.
• Borislav Pekic: most of his books are historical fiction, including Time of Miracles, How to quite a Vampire and his masterpiece The Golden Fleece.
• Ars Magica, by Nerea Riesco
• Margaret Atwood: Penelopiad
• Jean M. Auel: The Earth's Children - Series set in pre-historic Europe
• Julian Barnes: Arthur & George
• Caleb Carr: The Alienist and The Angel of Darkness
• Willa Cather: Death Comes for the Archbishop, Shadows on the Rock, My Antonia
• James Clavell: The Asian Saga
• Frans G. Bengtsson: The Long Ships Viking saga
• Bernard Cornwell: Sharpe series set in 19th century Europe and India, the Starbuck Chronicles, set during the American Civil War, the Saxon Stories set in Alfred the Great's pre-England, the Grail Quest Novels set in mid-14th century England/Normandy, and The Warlord Chronicles, set in Arthurian Britain.
• Stephen Crane: The Red Badge of Courage
• Kurt Vonnegut: "Slaughterhouse-Five" real life World War II events, written from the perspective of characters. Considered Vonnegut's autobiography.
• Charles Dickens: Barnaby Rudge and A Tale of Two Cities
• E. L. Doctorow: Ragtime
• Maurice Druon: The Accursed Kings series
• Alexandre Dumas: The Three Musketeers and sequels in the d'Artagnan series.
• Dorothy Dunnett: The Lymond Chronicles, The House of Niccolo series, King Hereafter
• Umberto Eco: The Name of the Rose (Il nome della rosa, 1980)
• Shusaku Endo: Silence
• J. G. Farrell: Troubles, The Siege of Krishnapur (1973 Booker Prize Winner) and The Singapore Grip
• Ken Follett: most of his books are historical fiction, including his bestseller The Pillars of the Earth.
• Ford Madox Ford: The Fifth Queen, a trilogy about Katherine Howard in the court of King Henry VIII.
• C. S. Forester: Horatio Hornblower series and others
• George Macdonald Fraser: The Flashman Series
• Alan Furst: a series of spy novels set in Europe before World War II, starting with Night Soldiers.
• Michael Cawood Green: For the Sake of Silence
• Patricia Reilly Giff: Nory Ryan's Song
• Noah Gordon: The Physician, The Shaman
• Philippa Gregory: The Other Boleyn Girl, The Constant Princess set in the Tudor era; Earthly Joys set in 17th century England, and other works.
• W.E.B. Griffin: The Corps Series - Historical fiction series taking place shortly before WWII, through to Korea.
• Cynthia Harrod-Eagles: The Morland Dynasty - Historical fiction series from the War of the Roses currently to World War I
• Angela Elwell Hunt: Legacies of the Ancient River series, The Keepers of the Ring series, The Heirs of Cahira O'Connor series, Magdalene
• Conn Iggulden: Emperor series; Conqueror series; The Dangerous Books for Boys series and Blackwater.
• Gary Jennings: Aztec, The Journeyer
• Jonathan Littell: The Kindly Ones
• Morgan Llywelyn: author of books set mostly in Ireland
• Frederick Marryat: Children of the New Forest
• Colleen McCullough: Masters of Rome series—novels about the last years of the Roman Republic
• Carolyn Meyer: Young Royals series and others
• James Michener: 40+ epic novels, including Tales of the South Pacific.
• Anchee Min: Chinese-themed sagas Empress Orchid, The Last Emperor
• William Napier: Attila trilogy
• Mary Novik: Conceit, a novel about the family of John Donne, set in 17th century London
• Patrick O'Brian: Series of novels featuring Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin in the British Navy set in the Napoleonic Wars
• Charles Whistler: Historic fiction between 600 and 1100 AD, of English/Saxon chronicles involving the Norse or Danish and archeological discoveries
• Orhan Pamuk: My Name is Red
• Arturo Pérez-Reverte: Spanish author of a number of historical novels, including the Captain Alatriste series. His books are written in Spanish, but a number have been translated into English.
• Jean Plaidy: several books, mostly about European queens and princesses
• H. F. M. Prescott: The Man on a Donkey - set during the dissolution of the monasteries
• Linda Proud: The Botticelli Trilogy - set in Renaissance Florence.
• Mary Renault: The Bull from the Sea and other novels set in ancient Greece
• Ann Rinaldi: 40+ young adult historical fiction novels, primarily set in the United States.
• Laura Joh Rowland mystery novels set in feudal Japan.
• Edward Rutherfurd: several epic novels including Sarum, Russka, and London
• Steven Saylor: Roma Sub Rosa series set in ancient Rome.
• Simon Scarrow: Eagle series of Roman military fiction
• Henryk Sienkiewicz: Quo Vadis
• Anne Easter Smith: Wars of the Roses series
• Wilbur Smith: The Courtney and Ballentyne series and independent adventure novels set in Africa in between the 17th and 20th centuries and the Ancient Egypt series
• Indu Sundaresan: The Twentieth Wife and sequel The Feast of Roses, fictionalized story of the Mughal empress Noor Jehan, set in 16th and 17th century Mughal Empire, India.
• Beverly Swerling: City of Dreams, City of Glory, Shadowbrook, and City of God - novels set in early days of the Mid-Atlantic States.
• Leo Tolstoy: War and Peace
• Mark Turnbull: Decision Most Deadly, a novel set in London during 1641, as England plunged into civil war.
• Harry Turtledove: Alternate history fiction
• Mark Twain: various works of historical fiction about the American South.
• Mika Waltari: numerous works of historical fiction, best known for his magnum opus The Egyptian (Finnish: Sinuhe egyptiläinen)
• Jack Whyte: Camulod Chronicles, A Dream of Eagles, set in early fifth century Britain; also Templar Trilogy.
• Lauren Willig: Pink Carnation series about spies during the Napoleonic wars
• Marguerite Yourcenar: Memoirs of Hadrian
• Julian Stockwin, Thomas Kydd series set in the Age of Fighting Sail
• Alan Fenton, The Return of Arthur Series set in Modern day
• Bevis Longstreth, Spindle and Bow and Return of the Shade, set in Ancient Persia.
• Louisa May Alcott, Little Women, set in 1863 during the American Civil War.
• Christopher Paul Curtis, The Watsons go to Birmingham-1963, set in 1963 during civil rights movement.
• Walter Dean Myers, Sunrise over Fallujah, set in the 2003 Iraqi War. Follows Civil Workings company.
• Phil War, Raiding Forces Series, set during World War II in France. Follows the British Commandos.
• A.F. Eleazar, Kalangitan, set during 1400 A.D in the Classical Epoch Era of the Philippines.
• Richard Zimler, The Warsaw Anagrams, The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon, The Seventh Gate, Guardian of the Dawn and Hunting Midnight
• Tong Hua, Bu Bu Jing Xin, set in 18th century Qing Dynasty China, within Kangxi Emperor's later reign and Yongzheng Emperor's ascension.

Media and culture[link]

Works of historical fiction are not reserved exclusively to literature. Many films have been created which attempt to use a historic event or setting as a backdrop and actors portray fictional or historical figures set in these events. Below are a few notable examples in the chronological order that the events took place.

Film and television[link]

They are expensive and lavish to produce, because they require elaborate and panoramic settings, on-location filming, authentic period costumes, inflated action on a massive scale and large casts of characters. Biographical films are often less lavish versions than this genre. They are often called costume dramas, since they emphasise the world of a period setting: historical pageantry, costuming and wardrobes, locale, spectacle, decor and a sweeping visual style. They often transport viewers to other worlds or eras: ancient times, biblical times, the Middle Ages, the Victorian era, or turn-of-the-century America.^[3]

• Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. (1951)
• Spartacus (1960)
• Cleopatra (1963)
• Braveheart (1995)
• Hercules (1997)
• Titanic (1997)
• Hornblower (TV series) (1998-2003)
• The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999)
• The 13th Warrior (1999)
• Gladiator (2000)
• Attila (2001)
• Asoka (2001)
• Alexander (2004)
• King Arthur (2004)
• Spartacus (TV miniseries) (2004)
• Troy (2004)
• Deadwood (2004-2006)
• Rome (2005-2007)
• The New World (2005)
• Tristan + Isolde (2006)
• Apocalypto (2006)
• The Tudors (2007 - 2010) (TV)
• Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
• 300 (2007)
• Agora (2009)
• Spartacus: Blood and Sand (2010) (TV)
• Centurion (2010)
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
• The Eagle of the Ninth (2011)
• Amaya (TV series) - (2011)
• The Borgias (2011) (TV)
• A Weaver on the Horizon (2010) (TV)
• Hugo (2011)

See also[link]

• Alternate history
• Historical fantasy
• Historical novel
• Historical romance
• Sword and sandal
• Historical whodunnit
• Category:Historical fiction awards

References[link]

1. ^ Search Results for historical fiction - Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia
2. ^ See, e.g., Paradox Magazine stories in the historical fiction sub-genre.
3. ^ http://www.filmsite.org/epicsfilms.html

External links[link]

• Period Dramas.com – a costume-drama movie database based around a historical timeline.
• Historical Fiction recommended reading
• Historical Fiction database, divided by time period.
• Audio Archives from "Historical Fiction and The Search for Truth"- 2009 Key West Literary Seminar