Historical fiction is one of the most beloved and enduring literary genres, transporting readers to different times and places while weaving compelling narratives around real historical events, figures, and settings. But what exactly defines historical fiction, and what makes it such a powerful form of storytelling?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about historical fiction from its core definition to the different types, famous examples, and why this genre continues to captivate readers worldwide.
Historical Fiction Definition
Historical fiction is a literary genre that takes place in the past and incorporates real historical settings, events, or figures into its narrative. The stories are fictional—meaning the plot and often the main characters are invented—but they unfold against an authentic historical backdrop that’s been carefully researched and reconstructed.
For a novel to be considered historical fiction, it typically must be set at least 50 years before the time it was written. This temporal distance enables authors to research and recreate a period distinct from contemporary life, offering readers a window into how people lived, thought, and experienced the world in a different era.
Key Elements of Historical Fiction
What separates historical fiction from other genres? Several defining characteristics:
Authentic Historical Setting: The time and place must be real and recognizable. Whether it’s Ancient Rome, Tudor England, or World War II France, the setting isn’t just a backdrop; it’s integral to the story.
Research-Based Accuracy: Authors invest significant time researching the period, from major events to everyday details, such as clothing, food, language, and social customs. This research creates an immersive, believable world.
Fictional Narrative: While the setting and sometimes supporting characters are real, the main plot and protagonist are typically fictional. This gives authors creative freedom while maintaining historical authenticity.
Period-Appropriate Language and Dialogue: Characters speak and think in ways that reflect their time period, though authors balance authenticity with readability for modern audiences.
Historical Events or Figures: The story often intersects with real events, and real historical figures may appear as secondary characters or influences on the plot.
How Historical Fiction Differs From Other Genres
Understanding what historical fiction is becomes clearer when we compare it to related but distinct genres.
Historical Fiction vs. Historical Nonfiction
Historical nonfiction (biographies, history books, memoirs) presents factual accounts of real events and people. The author’s goal is accuracy and truth.
Historical fiction uses real historical settings but creates fictional characters and plots within that framework. The author’s primary goal is storytelling, although historical accuracy remains a key concern.
Example: A biography of Julius Caesar is a historical nonfiction work. A novel about a fictional Roman soldier serving under Caesar is historical fiction.
Historical Fiction vs. Alternate History
Alternate history asks “what if?” and changes historical outcomes. What if the Nazis won World War II? What if the Roman Empire never fell?
Historical fiction remains faithful to historical events, even when fictional characters are involved.
Example: Philip K. Dick’s “The Man in the High Castle” (in which the Axis powers win World War II) is an alternate history. Anthony Doerr’s “All the Light We Cannot See” (set during World War II) is historical fiction.
Historical Fiction vs. Fantasy
Fantasy creates entirely fictional worlds with magic, mythical creatures, or supernatural elements as core components.
Historical fiction is grounded in real history without magical or supernatural elements (though historical fantasy blends both genres).
Example: George R.R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones” is fantasy with medieval-inspired elements. Bernard Cornwell’s “The Last Kingdom” is a historical fiction novel set in 9th-century England.
Types of Historical Fiction
Historical fiction is a broad genre with many subgenres and approaches. Here are the main categories:
Traditional Historical Fiction
These novels primarily focus on recreating a historical period, with careful attention to detail and authenticity. The historical setting is the star, and the fictional plot serves to illuminate that time and place.
Examples: Hilary Mantel’s “Wolf Hall,” Ken Follett’s “The Pillars of the Earth”
Historical Romance
Romance set in a historical period, where the love story is central but unfolds against an authentic historical backdrop. Popular time periods include Regency England, the Victorian era, and the Middle Ages.
Examples: Diana Gabaldon’s “Outlander,” Philippa Gregory’s Tudor novels
Historical Mystery/Thriller
Mystery or thriller plots set in the past often feature amateur detectives or investigators solving crimes in historical settings.
Examples: C.J. Sansom’s “Shardlake” series, Anne Perry’s Victorian mysteries
War and Military Historical Fiction
Stories centered on warfare, battles, and military life throughout history. These often follow soldiers, commanders, or civilians affected by war.
Examples: Bernard Cornwell’s “Sharpe” series, Patrick O’Brian’s “Master and Commander”
Biographical Historical Fiction
Fictionalized accounts of real historical figures, filling in the gaps of known history with imagined dialogue, thoughts, and scenes.
Examples: Margaret George’s novels about Henry VIII and Cleopatra, Colm Tóibín’s “The Master” (about Henry James)
Multi-Period/Generational Sagas
Stories that span multiple time periods or generations of a family, showing how history affects characters across decades or centuries.
Examples: Ken Follett’s “Century Trilogy,” Edward Rutherfurd’s place-based sagas
Popular Historical Fiction Time Periods
Certain historical eras consistently attract both authors and readers. Here are the most popular time periods in historical fiction:
Ancient World (Before 500 CE)
Ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt, and other classical civilizations fascinate readers with their dramatic politics, warfare, and cultural achievements.
Why it’s popular: Epic battles, legendary figures like Caesar and Cleopatra, and the foundations of Western civilization.
Medieval Period (500-1500 CE)
The Middle Ages are characterized by knights, castles, crusades, and a complex feudal system. This era spans from the fall of Rome through the Viking Age to the late medieval period.
Why it’s popular: Knights and chivalry, religious conflict, dramatic power struggles, Viking raids, and exploration.
Tudor England (1485-1603)
The Tudor dynasty, particularly during the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, is perhaps the most extensively written about period in historical fiction.
Why it’s popular: Larger-than-life figures, court intrigue, religious upheaval, the English Reformation, strong female characters like Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I.
Napoleonic Era (1799-1815)
Napoleon’s rise and fall provide a backdrop for military adventures, political intrigue, and social change across Europe.
Why it’s popular: Epic battles, naval warfare, the clash between old and new orders, and romantic adventure.
Victorian Era (1837-1901)
Victorian England’s industrial revolution, rigid social hierarchy, and cultural contradictions create rich material for fiction.
Why it’s popular: Class conflict, industrialization, crime and mystery, the contrast between propriety and poverty.
World War I (1914-1918)
The “war to end all wars” marked the end of the old world order and the beginning of modern warfare.
Why it’s popular: Tragic loss, the end of innocence, technological change, and impact on an entire generation.
World War II (1939-1945)
WWII is probably the single most popular time period for historical fiction, with countless novels exploring every aspect of the conflict.
Why it’s popular: Clear moral stakes, diverse settings worldwide, resistance and courage stories, the Holocaust, and home front experiences.
What Makes Great Historical Fiction?
Not all historical fiction is created equal. The best novels in this genre achieve a careful balance:
Thorough Research Without Info-Dumping
Great historical fiction wears its research lightly. Authors must know far more than they include, weaving historical details naturally into the narrative rather than lecturing readers.
Compelling Characters
Historical accuracy means nothing if readers don’t care about the characters. The best historical fiction creates protagonists who feel both authentically of their time and emotionally relatable to modern readers.
Bringing History to Life
Exceptional historical fiction doesn’t just tell you what happened—it makes you feel what it was like to live through those times. The sights, sounds, smells, fears, and hopes of the period should leap off the page.
Balancing Fact and Fiction
While historical fiction is fundamentally about storytelling, the best authors maintain respect for historical truth. They might invent characters and plot points, but they don’t contradict known facts or distort historical events for convenience.
Exploring Universal Themes
Historical fiction works best when it illuminates something timeless about human nature, even as it depicts a very specific time and place. Love, ambition, survival, justice—these themes resonate across centuries.
Why Do People Love Historical Fiction?
Historical fiction remains one of the most popular genres for several compelling reasons:
Educational Entertainment: Readers learn about history while being entertained. It’s a painless way to absorb information about different time periods, cultures, and events.
Escapism: Historical fiction offers an escape to different worlds that actually existed, providing both the comfort of reality and the excitement of the unfamiliar.
Understanding Context: These novels help readers understand how we arrived at our current state. They illuminate the roots of modern conflicts, institutions, and cultural attitudes.
Human Stories: History books tell us what happened. Historical fiction tells us what it felt like. It puts a human face on historical events.
Perspective: Reading about people who faced challenges in the past can provide a valuable perspective on contemporary problems. It reminds us that humanity has survived and overcome tremendous difficulties in the past.
Famous Historical Fiction Examples
To understand the genre’s range and appeal, here are some landmark works across different time periods:
- Ancient Rome: “I, Claudius” by Robert Graves, “Pompeii” by Robert Harris
- Medieval Period: “The Name of the Rose” by Umberto Eco, “The Last Kingdom” by Bernard Cornwell
- Tudor England: “Wolf Hall” by Hilary Mantel, “The Other Boleyn Girl” by Philippa Gregory
- 19th Century: “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy, “Gone with the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell
- World War II: “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr, “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak
How Accurate Should Historical Fiction Be?
This question sparks endless debate among readers and authors. The consensus among most historical fiction writers and readers is:
Major historical events and timelines should be accurate and reliable. If your novel is set during the Battle of Waterloo, that battle should happen when, where, and how it actually occurred.
Historical figures should be portrayed accurately and believably. While you can imagine their private thoughts and conversations, their actions and character should align with historical records.
Cultural and social details should reflect the period. Attitudes, technology, language, and customs should be appropriate for the time.
Small creative liberties are acceptable for the sake of the story. Compressing timelines, creating fictional characters in real settings, or imagining unknown details (like private conversations) are generally accepted.
The key is respecting the spirit and truth of the historical period while acknowledging that fiction requires some creative freedom.
Getting Started with Historical Fiction
If you’re new to historical fiction and want to explore the genre, here are some tips:
Start with a period that interests you. Fascinated by Ancient Rome? Medieval battles? World War II? Begin with what naturally appeals to you.
Try different types. The genre is vast. If you don’t enjoy military historical fiction, you might love historical mystery or romance.
Don’t worry about being an expert in history. Good historical fiction teaches you what you need to know. Authors build context into the story.
Series can be rewarding. Many historical fiction series follow characters across multiple books, allowing readers to become deeply immersed in a specific time period.
Mix fiction with nonfiction. Some readers enjoy pairing historical novels with history books about the same period for a deeper understanding.
Conclusion: The Enduring Appeal of Historical Fiction
Historical fiction offers something truly unique: the chance to live in another time while never leaving your chair. It satisfies our curiosity about the past, our love of good storytelling, and our desire to understand the human experience across different eras.
Whether you’re drawn to ancient civilizations, medieval adventures, Tudor intrigue, or twentieth-century conflicts, there’s a historical novel waiting to transport you. The genre’s combination of factual grounding and creative storytelling creates an immersive reading experience unlike any other.
As you explore historical fiction, you’ll discover not just stories about the past, but timeless truths about humanity—our courage and cruelty, our capacity for both great love and terrible violence, our resilience in the face of impossible odds. These are the qualities that make historical fiction not just entertaining but truly unforgettable.
Ready to dive deeper into historical fiction? Explore our comprehensive guides to the best historical fiction series, top authors across different time periods, and reading order guides for popular historical fiction series.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifies as historical fiction?
A novel qualifies as historical fiction when it’s set at least 50 years in the past (before it was written), incorporates authentic historical settings and events, and features a fictional narrative within that real historical framework.
Is historical fiction based on true stories?
Historical fiction uses real historical settings, events, and sometimes real people as a backdrop, but the main plot and often the protagonist are fictional. It’s a blend of fact (the historical context) and fiction (the story and main characters).
What is the most popular time period for historical fiction?
World War II is consistently the most popular time period for historical fiction, though Tudor England, Ancient Rome, the Medieval period, and the Victorian era are also extremely popular with both readers and writers.
How is historical fiction different from historical romance?
Historical romance is a subgenre of historical fiction where the romantic relationship is the central plot element, while historical fiction as a broader genre may or may not include romance as a primary focus. Historical romance follows romance genre conventions while being set in the past.
Do I need to know history to enjoy historical fiction?
No. Good historical fiction provides all the necessary context to understand and enjoy the story. Many readers actually learn history through historical fiction rather than the other way around.
Can historical fiction change real historical events?
Traditional historical fiction stays true to real historical events and timelines, though it may imagine details that aren’t recorded (like private conversations). If a novel changes what actually happened in history, it’s typically classified as alternate history rather than historical fiction.
