44 Best Historical Fiction Books
We analyzed 6+ expert sources, curated book lists, and recommendations from successful people to find the 44 best historical fiction books according to the internet — not just one person's opinion. Each book on this list was mentioned by at least two independent sources, and the ranking is based on how frequently each title appears across all sources studied. This consensus-based approach ensures you get recommendations backed by multiple experts, not a single reviewer's bias.
Goal: Find the best Historical Fiction books according to the internet (not just one person's opinion).
Method:
- Search for "best historical fiction books" and study the top 6+ pages.
- Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
- Rank the results neatly here.
44 Best Historical Fiction Books
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The Underground Railroad
A Novel
Also recommended by:
Oprah Winfrey, John Legend, Barack Obama, Sarah Jessica Parker
Things Fall Apart
African Trilogy, Book 1
Also recommended by:
Barack Obama, Jacqueline Novogratz, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Sarah Jessica Parker
Beloved
Also recommended by:
Pachinko
Also recommended by:
The Sympathizer
A Novel
Also recommended by:
Wolf Hall
Thomas Cromwell, Book 1
Also recommended by:
Homegoing
Also recommended by:
The Dovekeepers
A Novel
Also recommended by:
The God of Small Things
A Novel
Also recommended by:
Alias Grace
A Novel
Girl with a Pearl Earring
A Novel
The Four Winds
A Novel
The Name of the Rose
The Red Tent
A Novel
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Also recommended by:
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Neil Strauss, Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, Cal Fussman, Christopher Hitchens, Fred Wilson, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Shashi Tharoor
A Gentleman in Moscow
A Novel
Also recommended by:
Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Brian Koppelman, Melinda Gates, Sarah Jessica Parker
All the Light We Cannot See
A Novel
Also recommended by:
Lincoln in the Bardo
A Novel
Also recommended by:
The Poisonwood Bible
A Novel
Also recommended by:
Atonement
A Novel
Also recommended by:
Outlander
Outlander, Book 1
Also recommended by:
The Book Thief
Also recommended by:
The House of the Spirits
Also recommended by:
Abundance
A Novel of Marie Antoinette
Alex & Eliza
Arthur & George
As Meat Loves Salt
Cold Mountain
A Novel
Fingersmith
How Much of These Hills Is Gold
A Novel
Human Acts
A Novel
Lavinia
March
A Novel
My Brilliant Friend
Neapolitan, Book 1
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
A Novel
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
A Novel
The Book of Longings
A Novel
The Buddha in the Attic
The English Patient
The Marriage of Opposites
The Night Watch
The Night Watchman
A Novel
The Twelve Rooms of the Nile
The Twentieth Wife
A Novel
Sources
- 1
25 Best Historical Fiction Books - Novels Inspired By History
goodhousekeeping.com
- 2
50 Of The Best Historical Fiction Books You Must Read | Book Riot
bookriot.com
- 3
60 Best Historical Fiction Novels of All Time | Reedsy Discovery
reedsy.com
- 4
50 best historical fiction books of all time - Pan Macmillan
panmacmillan.com
- 5
Blog50 Best Works Revisionist History Speculative History Historical Fiction
barnesandnoble.com
- 6
21 Best Fiction Books of All Time (2022 Update)
fictionhorizon.com
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.
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