Historic fiction has a unique angle, it makes the past feel close. It puts you in the shoes of somebody entirely different to you, living in a different time or place, and lets you walk through their world. A good historical fiction story can completely transport you through time.
But why does historic fiction stand out? And why do readers keep returning to it? There are plenty of reasons why readers are drawn to the genre. Read on for a deep dive on why we love historical fiction…
What Is Historical Fiction?
Historical fiction is fiction set in a historic time period. It might use real events, places, social settings, or people as a part of its narrative, whilst creating new characters, events, and circumstances to drive plot.
The genre covers an enormous range of times, settings, and styles. Historical fiction can take place in any time further back than a few decades. It can incorporate other genres, like romance, thriller, comedy, or mystery. There’s no one formula for historical fiction, making its appeal large.
Some historic fiction is deeply grounded in research, taking meticulous pains to get even the smallest details as historically accurate as possible. Other stories may take a looser approach.
The broadness of historical fiction may very well be a large part of the answer to…
Why Is Historical Fiction So Popular?
There’s a variety of reasons that historical fiction remains popular, including…
1. Historical Fiction Brings the Past to Life
History can feel distant. It can be hard to imagine the world as it was as a real world. Major events, dates, names, and records can show us what happened, but narratives like those found in historic fiction can place a reader in the moment, immersing them in history. Plus, a novel can take readers beyond the major events of history and into everyday life. It offers a connection to the past that can’t always be easily accessed.
2. Historical Fiction Offers an Escape Into Another Time
When modern life gets overwhelming, reading can always offer escape. However, historical fiction offers escapism in a way not all genres can. By reading stories set in distant times and/or locations, the world is unfamiliar. Customs, communication, transportation, and society as a whole can be completely different. At the same time, people have always been people. There are elements that are immediately recognisable: family, love, ambition, grief, and the whole spectrum of emotion. A different world with strong characters can provide an opportunity for escapism that can’t be matched by stories set in the modern day.
3. Historical Fiction Helps Us Connect With the Past
Historical fiction can make history personal for the reader. It can help us empathise or connect with history in a way that non-fiction and research cannot always. Whilst a documentary can explore the events of a major war, connecting to a character who is personally affected by it allows us to explore what that event meant to people instead of a country. It gives perspective, which isn’t always the easiest to discover in historical records. Not only that, it can provide perspective from those whose voices weren’t always heard in history due to their identity, community, or class. This can make history feel more personal and more pertinent to everybody.
4. Historical Fiction Combines History With Compelling Stories
There’s so many ways to learn about history. Whilst there’s museum visits and archives, non-fiction books and documentaries and those are valuable resources, historical fiction can provide an easier-to-access, entertaining method to immerse yourself in history. It offers something different: it combines historical settings with the momentum of a story.
Instead of simply learning what happened, you’re following characters who have something to lose. The historical setting provides context, while the fictional story gives readers a reason to keep turning the pages. It can be an alluring combination.
5. There Is a Historical Fiction Book for Every Reader
With historical fiction being so expansive in terms of setting and time period, it truly means there’s a historical fiction book for every reader. Whether you’re interested in real historic figures being given an imagined new life, in stories that dedicate themselves to being extremely well-based in research, or in stories that have a bit more imaginative fun and looser rules with their historic depictions, there’s something out there for you. Comedy, mystery, thriller, romance, all of these and more find themselves represented in historic fiction. On top of that, there’s time period and setting. Do you want to step into Regency England? Or into Ancient Rome? All of these are only as far away as turning to the first page.
Why Do Readers Keep Returning to Historical Fiction?
With historical fiction, readers can often find themselves going from one book to the next. They may continue with the same author, or the same time period. So what keeps bringing readers back?
It could be exploring a favourite time period, discovering new aspects and stories from it through fiction. It could be human connection, exploring the full emotions and impact of history on an individual’s fictionalised account of it. Perhaps for many it’s revisiting these characters who often become beloved. It could be the vastness of the genre, giving so much uniqueness to every account and allowing a reader to discover angles and history they never connected with beforehand. It also could be the opportunity to reread and discover more details and richness in the historical setting.
Exploring Historical Fiction Through the Ages
One of the joys of historical fiction is the opportunity to travel through different periods without ever leaving your reading chair.
Here are some Sapere Books recommendations for novels from our historical fiction catalogue in each of these time periods…
Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome
If you’re interested in Ancient Egypt, try Death of a Poet by Keith Moray.
If you’re interested in Ancient Rome, explore Fortress of Steel by Jeff Jones, The Sons of Carthage by Alistair Tosh, Legionary by Neil Denby, The Eagle and the Serpent by Daniel Colter, The Governor’s Man by Jacquie Rogers, and Sea of Flames by Alistair Forrest.
Medieval Europe
If historical fiction set in Medieval Europe interests you, try Mistress of the Manor by Cara Clayton, Omens of Death by Richard Kurti, The Battle for England by Austin Hernon, The Royal Hammer by David Field, Wheel of Fortune by C. F Dunn, The Road to Murder by C. P. Giuliani, and The Lady’s Keeper by Coirle Mooney.
The Georgian World
If the Georgian era is for you, try The Intrepid Miss Haydon by Alice Chetwynd Ley, The Great Corinthian by Doris Leslie, The Secrets of Elloughton Park by Stephen Taylor, The Blooding of Jack Absolute by C. C. Humphreys, and The Baron Returns by Graham Ley.
Try Georgian and Regency romances including An Angel’s Touch by Elizabeth Bailey, In Sickness and in Health by Valerie Holmes, and The Belle of Bath by Dorothy Mack.
Victorian England
To further explore Victorian England, discover Talleyman by John James, Snap Shot by Marilyn Todd, The Montgomery Murder by Cora Harrison, The Murder of Patience Brooke by J. C. Briggs, A Theatrical Ambition by Raymond Wemmlinger, and Sherlock Holmes and the Rosetta Stone Mystery by Linda Stratmann.
The First and Second World Wars
For historical fiction set during World War One, explore Secrets in the Sky by Suzanne Parsons.
For historical fiction set during World War Two, try Silver’s Phoney War by Carlo Gibbs, Flight To Freedom by Anthony Palmiotti, Dawn of Hope by D. R. Bailey, For Those In Peril by David Clensy, Die for the Queen by Douglas Scott, The Lightning and the Few by Patrick Larsimont.
Discover Historical Fiction from Sapere Books
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Why do you think readers return to historical fiction? Leave a comment and let us know!
