What is an Historical Novel, to you?

I'm somewhat surprised that no one has mentioned Clive Cussler's Novels. Whether it be the missing Amelia Earhart or one of the ironclad ships of the civil war or the Titanic just about all of his novels include something from the pages of history as background if not part of the fictional story itself.

His novels are action packed and global in scope. One even ventures out into space. His blockbuster "Sahara" was made into a major motion picture with Mathew McConnehey and William H. Macy. Good stories on the page or on the big screen.
 
A very good series by Bernard Knight about a coroner in the 12th century

Crowner John Mysteries

start with Crowner's Crusade (2012) - actually a prequel to the series, taking place chronologically before The Sanctuary Seeker
 
Actually the way Cussler incorporates these little tidbits of history into his action packed stories make them fun and interesting to read. When I first read one of his books it caught me by surprise and the way he does it is very smooth. Not like he is trying to rip off history or anything. it added greatly to my enjoyment of the stories.
 
As a foreman with a copper mining company in Bisbee, Arizona in the early part of the 20th Century, my grandfather was involved with the Bisbee Deportation in 1917 (Look it up - it was a milestone event). I have researched that event carefully, even obtaining photos of depositions made by Sheriff Wheeler and others as charges were brought.

But what brought the whole deal to life for me was an historical novel, Bisbee '17, which injected some fictional characters into the actual story as witnesses. They rub elbows with actual people - Sheriff Harry Wheeler, Walter Douglas, John Greenway, Mother Jones and many others. I was spellbound by the way the author, Robert Houston, gave the whole story from beginning to end in such detail, almost hour by hour.

I think I learned more about the Deportation from that book than any other reference. I could see it all unfold in my mind's eye as I read it. I think it's classic historical fiction, and if any of you have any interest at all in that event, I recommend it highly.

John
 
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My thoughts are that an historical novel is a book written about a period of time many years previous to the time of writing with characters placed in a significant event of the time period portrayed. Doyles stories of Sherlock Holmes could be thought historical except they were written at the time portrayed. The Augry/Matchurin series, the Hornblower series, L'Amours books, the Richard Sharpe series, these are all historical novels. My two cents worth.

I also don't think there is nothing wrong with combining a novel with history as long as it's understood the be fiction. Unfortunately Hollywood likes to present fiction as history all too often.
 
I have always wanted to write something and have a few ideas. The biggest thing that stops me is thinking about where to start? Think about it. Most movies and book plots just cover maybe a few days or just a month of the subjects life. Its hard to cover much more than that in a readable book on someones life. Westerns are a popular interest but really that era isnt a short eye blink of history relatively speaking.
To most people "westerns" are the short time span of the colt single action army, 1872 to about the late 1880`s. To me it would be more like the 1820`s (mountain man era up to past the civil war). I would like to see a TV series about LEO centered around the late 1920`s to world war two. Thats the era that has my favorite guns, cars, airplanes and motorcycles. If I was a producer I would scour museums etc to try and make everything very authentic. Okay, the hero would have been raised in the west, been a pilot in world war one, got out and got elected a sheriff somewhere in alaska, fly his area, come back to the western lower and etc. I got to think about this.
 
I'd nominate Something of Value. A drama wrapped around the Mau Mau uprising. I think Ruark was a genius.
 
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Based on real events.....

Based on real events and people only filling in conversation, feelings, thoughts, etc. by the author.

My wife reads historical novels (that I don't) like, that are based on a real event, like the Revolutionary War, but the characters and situations are all made up, with maybe a reference a famous person or place.
One thing that I will give historical fiction authors is that they can elucidate an obscure event to where I want to learn more about it.

Louis L'Amore was a fiction writer, albeit a great one.:)
 
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E.L. Doctorow incorporated many real people--Houdini, among others--in novels like Ragtime. Kantor's Andersonville portrays Henry Wirz but has other characters based on real individuals.

One of my personal favorites is Monsarrat's The Cruel Sea, a novel about Atlantic convoy escorts in WWII by a man who actually served in those forces, rising to command a Royal Navy frigate. Grimly realistic, often touching, and rich with memorable characters.
 
P.G. Wodehouse is one of my favorites I never get tired of re reading his stories. But, I don't think his settings were real accurate, not even for the teens and twenties. I mean how many Brits do you really think lived like Bertie?
 
Louis L'Amore "Walking Drum" read back in my 20's gave me a perspective I hadn't realized about trade politics and the rise of the merchant class. Entertaining to boot.
Wilbur Smith and Ken Follett.
 
The Horatio Hornblower series by C.S. Forester followed the real history of the Royal Navy throughout the Napoleonic era. Very interesting if you want to learn about life aboard a naval vessel in the age of sail.

Though known by most people for the Conan stories, Robert E. Howard wrote many historical fiction pieces set in the Middle Ages. The character Red Sonya (that Hollywood turned into a sword & sorcery character) is actually from a story called "The Shadow of the Vulture" set in the Christian defense of Vienna against the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century.
 
therevjay said:
P.G. Wodehouse is one of my favorites I never get tired of re reading his stories. But, I don't think his settings were real accurate, not even for the teens and twenties. I mean how many Brits do you really think lived like Bertie?
Click to expand...

They all would, if they had a Jeeves.
 
timjake said:
The Horatio Hornblower series by C.S. Forester followed the real history of the Royal Navy throughout the Napoleonic era. Very interesting if you want to learn about life aboard a naval vessel in the age of sail.

Though known by most people for the Conan stories, Robert E. Howard wrote many historical fiction pieces set in the Middle Ages. The character Red Sonya (that Hollywood turned into a sword & sorcery character) is actually from a story called "The Shadow of the Vulture" set in the Christian defense of Vienna against the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century.
Click to expand...

I've read a couple of the Hornblower books. None of the Conan or other Howard books. Saw the movies and like the impressive music, among other things. Good to know that about Red Sonja, although the actress didn't appeal to me, especially. But the idea of the character did.

Wilbur Smith took some liberties in his sense of Egyptian history and some details in other times. But his books are entertaining, if you overlook that. I've learned a lot about early Saxon Britain in Bernard Cornwell's books, too. Haven't read his Sharpe series.
 
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