Defining historical fiction is simple enough: We’re talking about fictional stories that take place in a real, recognizable period sometime in the past. Beyond definitions, however, it’s difficult to pin down what it is that makes a historical fiction book truly legendary. It can be the accuracy of its recreation of the period it’s set in, the story itself being emotionally compelling, or a balance between rigorously realistic worldbuilding and entertainment value. When all of those elements interact, you get a generation-defining masterpiece.

There have been many great historical fiction books through the years, but masterful ones? The sort that revolutionize the genre and go down in history as groundbreaking works of literature? Those are but a precious few. From foundational classics like War and Peace to modern masterpieces of the genre like The Nightingale, the best works of historical fiction should all be considered essential reading.

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‘War and Peace’ (1869)

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It’s always a daunting task to pick up a literary behemoth that’s well over 1,200 pages long, but War and Peace is such a foundational classic that virtually anyone and everyone should read it at least once in their lives. Penned by Russian author Leo Tolstoy, one of the greatest and most influential novelists in human history, it’s a riveting epic set during the Napoleonic Wars. In the eyes of many, it may very well be the greatest novel ever written.

Rather than feeling like a dry history lesson (a pitfall that many historical fiction novels end up trapped in), War and Peace injects its wonderfully-paced narrative with melodramatic moments of romance, heroism, and battle. For that alone, it’s one of the best epic books of all time. Add to that the fact that Tolstoy’s descriptive, almost cinematic prose has aged like truly fine wine, and there should be no room for surprise that this classic is still as praised as it often is.

9

‘Memoirs of a Geisha’ (1997)

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Although Arthur Golden‘s Memoirs of a Geisha has historically been scrutinized for perpetuating Orientalist stereotypes (a very valid piece of criticism), it’s still one of the best books of the 1990s. After all, in spite of all its issues, it’s still one of the most acclaimed historical fiction novels written in modern times, very effectively transporting readers into an absorbing world set in 1930s Kyoto.

Those looking for an actually accurate insight into geishas’ life and cultural significance are better off looking elsewhere, but those looking for a ravishingly entertaining and moving historical fiction novel ought to add Memoirs of a Geisha to their to-read list. Atmospheric, romantic, and greatly elevated by Golden’s meticulously detailed writing, it’s a captivating story whose pages pretty much turn themselves.

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‘The Name of the Rose’ (1980)

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The Name of the Rose was the debut novel of Italian novelist, philosopher, and cultural critic Umberto Eco, and it’s every bit as great a book as one would expect from the work of such a talented multi-hyphenate. Set in an Italian monastery in the early 14th century, this murder mystery blends several elements from disciplines that fascinated Eco throughout his lifetime, from semiotics to Medievalism to literary theory.

But far from being purely intellectual or in any way pretentious, The Name of the Rose is irresistibly entertaining from start to finish, one of the best mystery books of all time. The winner of several awards and one of the highest-selling fiction books ever written, it’s a work of art as philosophically profound as it is immensely thrilling. Brilliantly meta and powerfully symbolic, it’s an engrossing whodunnit exploring the fiction between faith and reason.

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‘Shōgun’ (1975)

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Before it served as the basis for one of the best TV dramas of the last decade, Shōgun was an exceptional novel written by British-American author James Clavell. It chronicles the end of Japan’s Azuchi-Momoyama period and the dawn of the Edo period in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Though it’s loosely based on real events and characters, it’s ultimately a made-up story—and what a fascinating piece of fiction it is.

Through and through, it’s one of the best books of the 1970s, an enrapturing and almost perfectly researched story that should be able to get anyone interested in Japanese culture and history. As epic and ambitious as it is deeply immersive, Shōgun is built on intricate political mystery, profoundly immersive worldbuilding, and culturally nuanced writing.

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‘The Nightingale’ (2015)

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Though many of the historical fiction novels that deserve to be called nearly-perfect masterpieces come from the 19th and 20th centuries, the genre has also seen several great outings throughout the 21st century. Most notably among those, perhaps, is Kristin Hannah‘s The Nightingale, one of the best World War II books ever written. With a film adaptation starring Dakota and Elle Fanning set to release in 2027, it’s about as perfect a time as any to read this masterpiece, one of the best novels of the 2010s.

The book was inspired by the accounts of the Belgian Resistance member Andrée de Jongh, who helped downed Allied pilots escape Nazi-occupied territory. It’s a wonderfully sentimental page-turner, focusing on something that World War II books all too rarely turn the spotlight on: the course of female war heroes. It’s a deeply moving work of historical fiction that makes it obligatory to keep a box of tissues by one’s side when reading, lest the inevitable flow of tears ruin the pages of the book.

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‘The Hunchback of Notre-Dame’ (1831)

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At this point, there’s pretty much no need to introduce either The Hunchback of Notre-Dame or Victor Hugo himself. It’s nothing short of one of the best books of all time, and the fact that it isn’t even Victor Hugo’s best historical fiction book speaks volumes about the quality of the French Romantic author. Set in Paris in the late 15th century, this French Gothic masterpiece is one of the defining paragons of Romanticism, and a must-read for anyone and everyone.

Victor Hugo wrote The Hunchback during a time of cultural conflict, when urban development was being championed over cultural preservation. Paris’ Notre-Dame cathedral would have very likely been demolished at some point had Victor Hugo not written this love letter to the depth and value of Gothic art. A tragic love story, a fierce political critique, a psychologically deep character study, and a quintessential cornerstone in the history of literature, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is historical fiction at its best.

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‘I, Claudius’ (1934)

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Written by English novelist, poet, and critic Robert Graves, I, Claudius is written as though it’s the autobiography of the Roman Emperor Claudius, who ruled during the mid-1st century. Though it’s mostly fiction, the book is inspired by accounts by the Roman historians Suetonius and Tacitus, making it a novel that Roman Empire history buffs are virtually guaranteed to enjoy from start to finish.

This is a pioneering masterpiece of 20th-century historical fiction, a masterclass in how to make history feel like the perfect foundation for an urgent, refreshingly modern political thriller. Narrated by one of the most fascinating unreliable narrators in the history of literature and fueled by delectably sky-high stakes, I, Claudius presents a flawless balance between psychological realism and period-specific drama.

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‘The Pillars of the Earth’ (1989)

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Written by Welsh author Ken Follett and set in 12th-century England, The Pillars of the Earth surprisingly became Follett’s best-selling work, despite the fact that he’s mostly known for his work in the thriller genre. This gripping epic interweaves equally enthralling plot lines together in a vibrant, character-driven, historically accurate tapestry of pure historical fiction bliss.

Board game, video game, and television adaptations of The Pillars of the Earth have existed through the years, but nothing has ever been able to match the level of scale and meticulous historical detail of the original. Follett crafts this Medieval world in such a detailed, profoundly immersive way that throughout the decades that the novel’s story spans, never does the story grow any less absorbing.

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‘Les Misérables’ (1862)

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As exceptional as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is, there’s simply no denying that Victor Hugo’s magnum opus is the literary behemoth Les Misérables, whose nearly 1,500-page count is as daunting as it is hugely rewarding. It’s one of the most ambitious books of all time, a source of endless adaptations and a pillar of pop culture, widely regarded as one of the greatest novels ever written—regardless of genre.

This French masterpiece follows the lives of several characters throughout the early and mid-19th century, diving deep into the history of France, Parisian culture and art, moral philosophy, and the many dimensions of love. In other words, it’s one of the most complete and well-rounded works of historical fiction ever written. Transcending the boundaries of the printed page, Les Misérables has endured the test of time as one of the most timeless stories the human imagination has ever concocted.

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‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ (1846)

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Few authors from his generation were ever as important as French novelist and playwright Alexandre Dumas, whose adventure novel The Count of Monte Cristo is arguably the greatest historical fiction book ever written. Serialized from 1844 to 1846 and then published in book form in 1846, the novel takes place throughout Europe between 1815 and 1839. At the time of the book’s publication, it was only recent history, but enough to allow it to qualify as historical fiction. Today, that genre label is a defining dimension of the book rather than just a technicality.

Expanded from plot outlines suggested by Dumas’ frequent collaborating ghostwriter, Auguste Maquet, The Count of Monte Cristo still works as a wonderfully entertaining character piece nearly two centuries after its publication, surprisingly so considering its age. Exploring timeless themes of hope, justice, and revenge, it’s one of those classic adventure books that are still a must-read in 2026. It’s thrilling, well-paced, psychologically complex, and impossible to put down.

Christopher Nolan‘s “The Odyssey” has become one of the year’s most talked-about releases, earning praise from audiences and some critics. However, not everyone has been impressed. After watching the film, classicist Emily Wilson wrote a lengthy review and delved into the different aspects of the movie, sharing why she thinks the elements that made Homer’s poem great were absent.

Emily Wilson is a classicist and translator who became the first woman to publish a complete English translation of “The Odyssey” in 2017. More than a week after the release of Christopher Nolan’s film, Wilson is sharing her blunt assessment of the movie that is currently dominating the box office.

The Oscar-winning filmmaker has said Wilson’s translation was one of the inspirations behind his decision to move forward with the project. “I think it’s the Emily Wilson translation that begins, ‘Tell me about a complicated man.’ The genius of the character, the cleverness, the inventiveness of him, that was a huge part of what interested me,” Nolan said, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

Wilson wrote a 4,200-word review of “The Odyssey” for the London Review of Books, and as a whole, the classicist said, “Its narrative structure is gimmicky. The writing is abysmal. None of the characters has convincing motivation for their actions or words.” Moreover, Wilson criticized the missing sex scenes and the food, which in her opinion, looked “horrible.”

The Translator Said The Filmmaker Had ‘No Restraint’

The translator is admittedly a fan of Nolan’s, sharing that she enjoyed his early movies, citing “Following” and “Memento.” Wilson saw “The Odyssey” with her teen children and described it as a “big spectacle” and a “fun summer action movie.”

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However, she also thinks the director is a “very good short story writer who’s always writing a 400-page novel,” citing the budget of his films, as she told Derek Thompson in an interview.

In her review of “The Odyssey,” Wilson noted that adaptations don’t need to strictly follow the original source. Nevertheless, she thought Nolan’s version had “no restraint.” “Every second is jam-packed with incident, lights and noise, and nothing is ever at a human scale,” she said, adding that the visual feast eclipsed the storyline.

Emily Wilson Said There Was ‘Nothing Progressive’ About The Film’s Casting

Beyond its ambitious scope, the movie’s casting was one of the online talking points months before “The Odyssey” premiere. Elon Musk was one of the most vocal critics, who said Nolan “lost his integrity” after learning that he cast Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy.

Wilson said there was “nothing progressive” about the “race-neutral casting” of “The Odyssey” and pointed out that the non-white actors and actresses were given roles that were only there to “provide aid to the white protagonist.”

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She also discussed the number of female characters in the movie, saying that while there were more women in “The Odyssey” than in other Nolan films, they were not highlighted as much as they were in Homer’s poem.

The Translator Defended ‘The Odyssey’s Use Of American Speech

When the film’s trailer was released, many commented on the speech used in the movie. Nolan defended his choice, saying that he wanted to prioritize “language that has emotional, not intellectual meaning” to the audience.

On that aspect, Wilson agreed with the filmmaker, explaining that Homeric Greek wasn’t really a language that was spoken. Rather, it was mostly utilized for writing epic poems. “Despite the manufactured online outrage, there is nothing inherently wrong with the movie’s attempt to approximate contemporary American speech,” she wrote.

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She did, however, have an issue with the dialogue, which she described as “humourless and flat.”

Emily Wilson Still Thinks Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Should Be Celebrated

Despite her brutally honest remarks, the classicist said Nolan’s film is “still an event to celebrate,” as it helped bring people back to watching movies in theaters. Moreover, copies of “The Odyssey” are selling out due to the renewed interest in the 2,800-year-old epic poem, thanks to Nolan’s adaptation.

Several editions of “The Odyssey” sold rapidly leading up to and after the release of the movie. According to Publishers Weekly, sales have gone up 76 percent. Moreover, Spotify audiobooks for “The Odyssey” have increased more than 300 percent.

“Nolan, who studied English at University College London – where students still study ‘The Odyssey’ as a first year ‘foundational text’ – is doing his best to get the general public reading again, and I am grateful,” Wilson concluded.

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Related: 17 Chic Amazon Dresses Fashion Girls Are Wearing in 2026

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Fashion girls have officially convinced me to rethink my summer dress collection in 2026. Instead of reaching for plain sundresses, I’m shopping elevated silhouettes, pretty pleated picks and polished shirtdresses that look expensive (even if they aren’t). Amazon has surprisingly become one of my favorite places to find these styles. I rounded up 17 dresses […]