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Historical fantasy and alternate history fantasy form a large sub-category of fantasy fiction, and we thought we'd do a thread on it, like we have for contemporary fantasy. These stories are about Earth's past or the past of an alternate version of Earth. They are not alternate world stories about a world that is Earth-like. For the purposes of this thread, though, we will include stories which may take place partly in the present day of Earth or an alternate version of Earth and have multiple plotlines, some of which take place in the past; or where characters travel back in time.
I'm just going to list some titles and it's just to get things started. People can chime in with titles, give their opinions of titles brought up, and so on. Many of these have been brought up in the forum before and some may have their own discussion threads in the archives.
Susannah Clarke – Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell – Clarke’s multi-market success with this fantasy tribute to 19th century fiction shown a spotlight on historical fantasy when it came out in 2004. Clarke uses an alternate version of Earth/Britain where magic used to be more common, but has seemed to disappear from the world. The novel concerns two real sorcerers in the 1800’s, who have very different views on magic, and a magical force that effects their and many others’ lives. For me, the novel does a beautiful job with Victorian characters and structure, including humorous footnotes, and adds a very dark aspect to its fairytale elements. If you’re not wild about writers like Trollope and Dickens, though, you may find the large work too meandering for your liking.
Tim Powers – Powers has been writing contemporary and historical fantasy for decades and is one of the leading names in the field. His first novel, The Drawing of the Dark, concerns an Irish mercenary hired to guard a brewery in Vienna right before it is besieged by the Turks. His most famous novel, The Anubis Gates, involves time travel, 1800’s London, ancient Egyptian gods, modern day millionaires, and well, a lot of stuff in one of the most complex plots you’re likely to find. The Stress of Her Regard is a horror fantasy that concerns the English Romantic writers and politics in Central Europe, in which a race of protean vampire-like creatures have manipulated many events in history as sort of muses. On Stranger Tides is set in the pirate era of the Caribbean, and involves voodoo and the like. Declare is a spy thriller that runs from World War II through the Cold War era, and one of his best, I think. Three Days to Never takes place mostly in the present, but also involves time travel and past plotlines concerning Einstein, the atomic bomb and many other historical figures and events.
Jonathan Barnes – The Somnambulist – Barnes made a splash with this detective tale set in Victorian England, about a magician and his strange sidekick. Some people found it too quirky or didn’t like the first person, Victorian approach, others loved it. His The Domino Men takes place in the same world setting, but is contemporary fantasy.
Dan Simmons – Drood – Yet another Victorian, the Hugo-winning SF and horror writer tackles the last days of Charles Dickens, and the book has been getting accolades and a lot of media attention. (Suciul feels that this is more historical fiction than historical fantasy. I haven't read it, so I'm not going to disagree, but everything else I've read says that it is fantasy.) Before that, Simmons wowed with best-selling horror story The Terror, about the 1840’s polar expedition that runs into trouble. (Many feel that this is horror SF instead of horror fantasy, and again, haven't had the pleasure of reading it yet, though I'm a Simmons fan. We'll allow some definitions debates.)
Mary Gentle, who does both SF and fantasy has done several historical fantasies. The most well known is perhaps Ash: A Secret History, which is sometimes broken up into two parts, about a young woman who becomes the head of a mercenary group of soldiers in medieval Europe. A Sundial in the Grave: 1610 takes minor characters from The Three Musketeers and tells a story of court intrigue and alchemy. There is also her Ilario series set in an alternative version of the Renaissance – The Lion’s Eye and The Stone Golem – about a hermaphroditic painter, which has been getting attention.
J. Gregory Keyes did his well received series The Age of Unreason about an alternative version of the 1700’s with Ben Franklin and Isaac Newton as major characters, where alchemy has a big impact on science. The titles are Newton’s Cannon, A Calculus of Angels, Empire of Unreason, and The Shadows of God.
C.C. Finlay (Charles Coleman Finlay of Prodigal Troll fame,) has made a splash with a new series: Traitor to the Crown, in which witchcraft plays a role in the American Revolution. Titles are Patriot Witch, A Spell for Revolution, and Demon Redcoat.
We’ve got hundreds more. Dig in if you care to.
I'm just going to list some titles and it's just to get things started. People can chime in with titles, give their opinions of titles brought up, and so on. Many of these have been brought up in the forum before and some may have their own discussion threads in the archives.
Susannah Clarke – Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell – Clarke’s multi-market success with this fantasy tribute to 19th century fiction shown a spotlight on historical fantasy when it came out in 2004. Clarke uses an alternate version of Earth/Britain where magic used to be more common, but has seemed to disappear from the world. The novel concerns two real sorcerers in the 1800’s, who have very different views on magic, and a magical force that effects their and many others’ lives. For me, the novel does a beautiful job with Victorian characters and structure, including humorous footnotes, and adds a very dark aspect to its fairytale elements. If you’re not wild about writers like Trollope and Dickens, though, you may find the large work too meandering for your liking.
Tim Powers – Powers has been writing contemporary and historical fantasy for decades and is one of the leading names in the field. His first novel, The Drawing of the Dark, concerns an Irish mercenary hired to guard a brewery in Vienna right before it is besieged by the Turks. His most famous novel, The Anubis Gates, involves time travel, 1800’s London, ancient Egyptian gods, modern day millionaires, and well, a lot of stuff in one of the most complex plots you’re likely to find. The Stress of Her Regard is a horror fantasy that concerns the English Romantic writers and politics in Central Europe, in which a race of protean vampire-like creatures have manipulated many events in history as sort of muses. On Stranger Tides is set in the pirate era of the Caribbean, and involves voodoo and the like. Declare is a spy thriller that runs from World War II through the Cold War era, and one of his best, I think. Three Days to Never takes place mostly in the present, but also involves time travel and past plotlines concerning Einstein, the atomic bomb and many other historical figures and events.
Jonathan Barnes – The Somnambulist – Barnes made a splash with this detective tale set in Victorian England, about a magician and his strange sidekick. Some people found it too quirky or didn’t like the first person, Victorian approach, others loved it. His The Domino Men takes place in the same world setting, but is contemporary fantasy.
Dan Simmons – Drood – Yet another Victorian, the Hugo-winning SF and horror writer tackles the last days of Charles Dickens, and the book has been getting accolades and a lot of media attention. (Suciul feels that this is more historical fiction than historical fantasy. I haven't read it, so I'm not going to disagree, but everything else I've read says that it is fantasy.) Before that, Simmons wowed with best-selling horror story The Terror, about the 1840’s polar expedition that runs into trouble. (Many feel that this is horror SF instead of horror fantasy, and again, haven't had the pleasure of reading it yet, though I'm a Simmons fan. We'll allow some definitions debates.)
Mary Gentle, who does both SF and fantasy has done several historical fantasies. The most well known is perhaps Ash: A Secret History, which is sometimes broken up into two parts, about a young woman who becomes the head of a mercenary group of soldiers in medieval Europe. A Sundial in the Grave: 1610 takes minor characters from The Three Musketeers and tells a story of court intrigue and alchemy. There is also her Ilario series set in an alternative version of the Renaissance – The Lion’s Eye and The Stone Golem – about a hermaphroditic painter, which has been getting attention.
J. Gregory Keyes did his well received series The Age of Unreason about an alternative version of the 1700’s with Ben Franklin and Isaac Newton as major characters, where alchemy has a big impact on science. The titles are Newton’s Cannon, A Calculus of Angels, Empire of Unreason, and The Shadows of God.
C.C. Finlay (Charles Coleman Finlay of Prodigal Troll fame,) has made a splash with a new series: Traitor to the Crown, in which witchcraft plays a role in the American Revolution. Titles are Patriot Witch, A Spell for Revolution, and Demon Redcoat.
We’ve got hundreds more. Dig in if you care to.
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