# HistoricalShelf

> HistoricalShelf.com is an independent guide to historical fiction: reading orders for long-running series, author guides with full bibliographies, curated best-of lists, and time period hubs from the ancient world to the Second World War, plus a dedicated alternate history section.

Every series page lists the books in publication and chronological order where they differ, with the historical setting of each book. Author pages cover the full body of work, series and standalones. Best-of lists are curated by hand and limited to historical fiction (no nonfiction). Some links to books are Amazon affiliate links (Amazon Associates).

## Start here

- [What is Historical Fiction?](https://historicalshelf.com/blog/what-is-historical-fiction/): Definition of the genre, its history, subgenres and the books that shaped it
- [Historical Fiction for Beginners](https://historicalshelf.com/blog/historical-fiction-for-beginners/): Where to start if you are new to the genre
- [Best Historical Fiction of All Time](https://historicalshelf.com/blog/best-historical-fiction-of-all-time/): The essential historical novels across every era
- [Most Popular Historical Fiction Time Periods](https://historicalshelf.com/blog/most-popular-historical-fiction-time-periods/): The eras readers return to most, with books for each
- [What Makes Historical Fiction Accurate](https://historicalshelf.com/blog/what-makes-historical-fiction-accurate/): How to judge historical accuracy in a novel
- [Historical Fiction vs Alternate History](https://historicalshelf.com/blog/historical-fiction-vs-alternate-history/): How the two genres differ

## Time periods

- [Time Periods hub](https://historicalshelf.com/time-periods/): Index of all eras covered on the site
- [Ancient World](https://historicalshelf.com/time-periods/ancient-world/): Historical fiction set in Greece, Rome, Egypt and the wider ancient world
- [Medieval Europe](https://historicalshelf.com/time-periods/medieval-europe/): Historical fiction set in medieval Europe
- [Tudor England](https://historicalshelf.com/time-periods/tudor-england/): Historical fiction set in Tudor England
- [Victorian Era](https://historicalshelf.com/time-periods/victorian-era/): Historical fiction set in the Victorian era
- [World War I](https://historicalshelf.com/time-periods/ww1/): Historical fiction set during the First World War
- [World War II](https://historicalshelf.com/time-periods/ww2/): Historical fiction set during the Second World War

## Best-of lists

- [Best WWII Historical Fiction](https://historicalshelf.com/best-of/ww2-historical-fiction/): The best novels set during the Second World War
- [Best Medieval Historical Fiction](https://historicalshelf.com/best-of/medieval-historical-fiction/): The best novels set in the Middle Ages
- [Best Ancient Rome Historical Fiction](https://historicalshelf.com/best-of/ancient-rome-historical-fiction/): The best novels set in ancient Rome
- [Best Ancient Middle East Historical Fiction](https://historicalshelf.com/best-of/ancient-middle-east-historical-fiction/): Novels set in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia and the Levant
- [Best Viking Historical Fiction](https://historicalshelf.com/best-of/viking-historical-fiction/): The best novels set in the Viking age
- [Best Arthurian Historical Fiction](https://historicalshelf.com/best-of/arthurian-historical-fiction/): Historical retellings of the Arthurian legend
- [Best Historical Fiction Series](https://historicalshelf.com/best-of/best-historical-fiction-series/): The best long-running historical fiction series
- [Best Female Lead Historical Fiction](https://historicalshelf.com/best-of/female-lead-historical-fiction/): Historical fiction with women at the centre

## Series reading orders

- [Sharpe Series Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/sharpe-series-reading-order/): Bernard Cornwell, Napoleonic Wars
- [The Last Kingdom Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/the-last-kingdom-reading-order/): Bernard Cornwell, Anglo-Saxon England
- [Warlord Chronicles Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/warlord-chronicles-reading-order/): Bernard Cornwell, Arthurian Britain
- [Grail Quest Series Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/grail-quest-series-reading-order/): Bernard Cornwell, Hundred Years' War
- [Kingsbridge Series Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/kingsbridge-series-reading-order/): Ken Follett, medieval and early modern England
- [Century Trilogy Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/century-trilogy-reading-order/): Ken Follett, the twentieth century
- [Wolf Hall Trilogy Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/wolf-hall-trilogy-reading-order/): Hilary Mantel, Thomas Cromwell and Tudor England
- [Shardlake Series Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/shardlake-series-reading-order/): C.J. Sansom, Tudor England
- [Giordano Bruno Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/giordano-bruno-reading-order/): S.J. Parris, Elizabethan England
- [Six Tudor Queens Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/six-tudor-queens-reading-order/): Alison Weir, the wives of Henry VIII
- [Plantagenet & Tudor Series Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/plantagenet-tudor-series-reading-order/): Philippa Gregory
- [William Marshal Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/william-marshal-reading-order/): Elizabeth Chadwick, William Marshal and Angevin England
- [Brother Cadfael Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/brother-cadfael-reading-order/): Ellis Peters, medieval Shrewsbury
- [Bernie Gunther Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/bernie-gunther-reading-order/): Philip Kerr, a Berlin detective in Nazi Germany and after
- [Outlander Series Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/outlander-series-reading-order/): Diana Gabaldon
- [Masters of Rome Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/masters-of-rome-reading-order/): Colleen McCullough, the late Roman Republic
- [Emperor Series Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/emperor-series-reading-order/): Conn Iggulden, Julius Caesar
- [Conqueror Series Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/conqueror-series-reading-order/): Conn Iggulden, Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire
- [Cicero Trilogy Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/cicero-trilogy-reading-order/): Robert Harris, the late Roman Republic
- [Marcus Didius Falco Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/marcus-didius-falco-reading-order/): Lindsey Davis, Vespasian's Rome
- [Flavia Albia Series Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/flavia-albia-series-reading-order/): Lindsey Davis, Domitian's Rome
- [Eagles of the Empire Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/eagles-of-the-empire/): Simon Scarrow, the Roman army
- [Raven Series Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/raven-series-reading-order/): Giles Kristian, the Viking age
- [Aubrey-Maturin Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/aubrey-maturin-reading-order/): Patrick O'Brian, the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic Wars
- [Flashman Papers Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/flashman-papers-reading-order/): George MacDonald Fraser, the Victorian era
- [William Monk Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/william-monk-reading-order/): Anne Perry, Victorian London
- [Charlotte & Thomas Pitt Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/charlotte-thomas-pitt-reading-order/): Anne Perry, Victorian London
- [Asian Saga Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/series/asian-saga-reading-order/): James Clavell, Japan, Hong Kong and the Far East

## Author guides

- [Bernard Cornwell](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/bernard-cornwell/)
- [Ken Follett](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/ken-follett/)
- [Hilary Mantel](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/hilary-mantel/)
- [Conn Iggulden](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/conn-iggulden/)
- [Lindsey Davis](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/lindsey-davis/)
- [Simon Scarrow](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/simon-scarrow/)
- [Ben Kane](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/ben-kane/)
- [Robert Harris](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/robert-harris/)
- [Steven Saylor](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/steven-saylor/)
- [Steven Pressfield](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/steven-pressfield/)
- [Madeline Miller](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/madeline-miller/)
- [Kate Quinn](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/kate-quinn/)
- [Wilbur Smith](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/wilbur-smith/)
- [Philippa Gregory](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/philippa-gregory/)
- [Alison Weir](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/alison-weir/)
- [Sharon Kay Penman](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/sharon-kay-penman/)
- [Elizabeth Chadwick](https://historicalshelf.com/blog/elizabeth-chadwick/)
- [C.J. Sansom](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/cj-sansom/)
- [S.J. Parris](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/sj-parris/)
- [Ellis Peters](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/ellis-peters/)
- [Diana Gabaldon](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/diana-gabaldon/)
- [Giles Kristian](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/giles-kristian/)
- [Edward Rutherfurd](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/edward-rutherfurd/)
- [Daphne du Maurier](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/daphne-du-maurier/)
- [Anne Perry](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/anne-perry/)
- [Patrick O'Brian](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/patrick-obrian/)
- [George MacDonald Fraser](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/george-macdonald-fraser/)
- [James Clavell](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/james-clavell/)
- [Philip Kerr](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/philip-kerr/)
- [Sebastian Faulks](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/sebastian-faulks/)
- [Pat Barker](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/pat-barker/)
- [Alice Winn](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/alice-winn/)

## Alternate history

- [Alternate History hub](https://historicalshelf.com/alternate-history/): Index of the alternate history section
- [Best Alternate History Books](https://historicalshelf.com/alternate-history/best-alternate-history-books/): The essential alternate history novels
- [Best Alternate History WWII](https://historicalshelf.com/alternate-history/best-alternate-history-ww2/): Novels where the Second World War went differently
- [Best Alternate History Civil War](https://historicalshelf.com/alternate-history/best-alternate-history-civil-war/): Novels where the American Civil War went differently
- [Best Alternate History Series](https://historicalshelf.com/alternate-history/best-alternate-history-series/): The best multi-book alternate history series
- [Southern Victory Series Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/alternate-history/southern-victory-series-reading-order/): Harry Turtledove
- [Worldwar Series Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/alternate-history/worldwar-series-reading-order/): Harry Turtledove
- [Temeraire Series Reading Order](https://historicalshelf.com/alternate-history/temeraire-series-reading-order/): Naomi Novik
- [Harry Turtledove](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/harry-turtledove/): Author guide
- [Naomi Novik](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/naomi-novik/): Author guide
- [Len Deighton](https://historicalshelf.com/authors/len-deighton/): Author guide