All the light we cannot see, by anthony doerr a young bli. See more ideas about historical fiction, fiction and good books. The alternate history list is a bibliography of over 3400 novels, stories, essays, collections, and other printed material involving the what ifs of history. Alternate history at its most mindblowingfrom the national bestselling author of flood and ark. Luckily for you, there are a ton of allohistories that pick more obscure and interesting points of.
Alternate history or alternative history is a genre of fiction consisting of stories in which one or more historical events occur differently. Ten thousand years ago, a vast and fertile plain exists linking the british isles to europe. Thanks for introducing us to some good examples of historical fiction i think its a great way to learn a bit of history and period details too apart from the rip roaring adventure and thrills. There are just so many to choose from that it is hard to pick just one. Best historical fiction books with action and adventure.
Aug 22, 20 i love the sharpe books as well as some of the tv episodes ive got a simon scarrow on the to read list. Alternate history science fiction 112 of over 30,000 results for books. The best reads in fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels and audio books. Heres your allaccess pass into the ultimate historical fiction guide. Best alternate history novels and stories 610 books. These are the kinds of tantalizing questions that alternate history books explore.
The hardsf book won a sidewise award for alternate history, and. Such writings express ideas of what the world would be like had the axis powers of germany, italy, and japan won world war ii. Book club books, the book, books to read, childrens books, book lists, kid books, book clubs, newberry award books, historical fiction books for kids blood on the river. It starts with the age of colonization, but the east coast of north america was separated from the rest before the europeans discovered it. Mar 21, 2016 you will have to decide what is best for you and your family. The undisputed king of alternative histories is the prolific harry turtledove, who has helped guide the genre into mainstream reading. The wild cards story collections were created by a group of new mexico science fiction authors, pulled together and edited by game of thrones author george r. It gets lumped in with run of the mill historical fiction, or it gets shelved in the scifi section. According to their uk site george rr martins books about westeros now rate as historical fiction. But its their power to reimagine history that makes novels like these so truly extraordinary.
The 100 best nonfiction books of all time image by john overholt cc bysa 2. Jan, 2014 you may want to post in the science fiction group as well alternative history is technically a subgenre of sf. Popular historical nonfiction books showing 150 of 12,485 the devil in the white city. Five great historical fiction series posted on 16th march 2016 by asa wheatley with the release of bloodline, the third book in the brilliant war of the roses series by conn iggulden, this month i thought what better time than to take a look at some other fantastic historical fiction for those looking to delve into the past. I have always been uncomfortable giving my opinion because it would be based solely on the books i have read or that i heard are good. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for the historical novel, it can also be applied to other types of narrative, including theatre, opera, cinema and television, as well as video games and graphic novels.
Speculative fiction that delves into alternate time streams or alternate histories can take many forms. The man in the high castle is one of the classic ones and a personal favorite. Numerous examples exist in several languages worldwide. After the terrible battle between the men of the destroyer uss walker and their lemurian allies against the savage grik, lieutenant commander matthew. The genre has a variety of names, but it is best known as alternate history.
Once upon a time a boy from a noble family fell in love with a girl from the gutter. Based in the uk, in the south east of england, we publish titles in english in print and electronic editions. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Magic of history is a website to help you learn more about history and historical fiction in books. As a big alternate history fan, i get asked often to recommend a good alternate history books, but that is like asking me what my favorite film is.
In contemporary alternate history literature, undoubtedly the most frequently explored premise is the whatifthenazishadwon postulation. Whether or not you consider yourself a fan of historical fiction, youve heard the names hilary mantel, eleanor catton, anthony doerr and kristin hannah repeatedly over recent years. Alternate history lists books most often tabbed as alternate history. Top 100 nonfiction list is a concise selection of books that provides the reader with an understanding of the social and natural world. Time travel, espionage, war, alternate history series. The inheritors by william golding quite simply the most astonishing piece of historical ventriloquism ever. And some introduce a fantasy element and consider how history would be different if those fantasies were real. The alternative history of the origins of black people is a classic blend of science, scriptures and secular history, which addresses questions relating to the origins of the black race, their skin colour, present experience, pressing controversies and future possibilities in. Alternate history is a subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction and historical fiction that is set in a world in which history has diverged from the actual history of the world. She takes a badly needed job working for exmaster of. It is similar to mark twains a connecticut yankee in king arthurs court. Alternate history fiction is a style of fictional narrative where the author changes one key element or elements about established history and then concocts a story that results from this change. Discover the best historical fiction in best sellers.
The book and book series listed below are just a few examples of the many creative explorations of history that are out there. Whether its a farmers daughter growing up in 14thcentury norway or a jesuit missionary enduring persecution in feudal japan, the charactersand authorsof historical fiction books make sure we see history in fascinating new ways. Best alternate history novels and stories 610 books goodreads. Some veers off into the paranormal, some follows the what if the other side won theme, some just imagines a new world that sits parallel to our own world. I have an 11 year old and i would allow him to read all of these historical fiction books with the caveat that he discuss any difficult topics with me. None other than phillip k provided the world with one of the most famous science fiction alternate history novels, winning a hugo award in 1963 and being.
Widely regarded as two of the greatest works of historical fiction, hilary mantels peerless, booker prizewinning novels wolf hall and bring up the bodies have dazzlingly charted the rising arc of mercurial tudor plotter, politician and power broker thomas cromwell. Stories set in the historical southern past are full of romance, adventure, and daring characters. It gets lumped in with run of the mill historical fiction, or it gets. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Pages in category alternate history novels set in ancient rome the following 17 pages are in this category, out of 17 total. Alternate history, alternate realities fiction, books.
Alternate history fiction ahf exists to promote and to provide a guide. Ever since i started blogging about alternate history, i have been asked which alternate history books i think are the best. Murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed america hardcover. This is a list of alternate history fiction, sorted by type. I found this quite amusing it seems amazon has embraced the idea of alternate history completely. Stay uptodate on the latest news, special events and new arrivals. These stories usually contain what if scenarios at crucial points in history and present outcomes other than those in the historical record. Alternate history is one of those subgenres that tends to fly a bit under the radar. American civil war alternate histories are alternate history fiction that focuses on the civil war or a lack thereof ending differently. Free audio books in genre historical fiction that you can download in mp3, ipod and itunes format for your portable audio player. The american civil war is a popular point of divergence in englishlanguage alternate history fiction. The books are opening atlantisdiscovery, colonization, and alternate version of frenchindian war, the united states of atlantis revolutionary war, and liberating atlantis civil war.
Dick, his majestys dragon by naomi novik, leviathan by scott westerfeld, jon. Historical fiction may include fictional characters, wellknown historical figures or a. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Snodgrass, also a contributor to the series there is a secret history of the worlda history in which an alien virus struck the earth in the aftermath of world war ii, endowing a handful of. James town, 1607paperback 4th grade books, 4th grade reading, jamestown 1607, veritas press, 5th grade social studies, beginning of the school year, teaching history, reading. They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose. Historical fiction presents a story set in the past, often during a significant time period. If the csa won world war i by jordan alternate history is a genre of speculative fiction which alters historical events and sets stories within the worlds created by those changes. For the sake of all the current and future alternate historians. Pittsburgh, pa about blog a place to learn about history and historical fiction, including period pieces in books, films,movies videos, tv, and on the web. Its the query at the center of one of literatures most fascinating and occasionally terrifying. The years of rice and salt by kim stanley robinson. Alternate history fiction books, listed by author, with links to the authors own pages upon ahf where you can find further information on the book, its genesis and artwork and links to where to purchase the books. Dick you cant discuss alternate history without bringing up the man in the high castle.
Alternate history fiction is a popular and exciting subgenre of speculative fiction. Alt hist readers might be interested in a new anthology containing 28 science fiction and fantasy stories based on an extraordinary secret history vatican vaults is a captivating collection of original science fiction and fantasy stories based on the same alternate world premise. We promote books in the genre, the artwork used for them, and the authors and artists who produce them. Dick, watchmen by alan moore, fatherland by robert harris, the. Jul 12, 2017 heres your allaccess pass into the ultimate historical fiction guide. Alternate history fiction books to read now the question of what if is a jumping off point for many authors. Hypothetical axis victory in world war ii wikipedia. Its the deceptively simple engine driving a wealth of great fiction. Whichever way you like your alternative history, we have a great selection of titles. Thomas diana thomas diana is a french selftaught authorillustrator interested in alternate history among other things and tries to publish plausible, enjoyable and unique alternate history books. Today, one of the links that came through was to a list of the 100 all time best historical fiction books. Set in the nineteenth century, they had an ensemble of characters whose lives were intertwined with one another. Alternate history novels craft a fictional narrative with a mixture. Here, alternate history crosses paths with time travel.
Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Lest darkness fall is possibly the earliest and best example of the alternate history genre. American archaeologist martin padway is visiting the pantheon in rome in 1938. What are the best historical fiction books you have ever read. The title of this listopia says best alternate history novels and stories, yet oryx and crake, the year of the flood, the handmaids tale and 1984, which was written in 1949, are all set in the future due to this, and as earlier comments agree with me, ive removed these titles from this list. One of the best selling fiction books of 2019 bridget collins. His days of infamy books have japan occupying hawaii. The genre which is sometimes referred to as alternative history fiction is popular among contemporary readers, with many alternate history novels charting on the new york times.
Set in our world, but not quite, these books give us a way to look at our pastand sometimes our presentwith fresh eyes. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading if the north had won the civil war. William gibsons latest book agency is about a world where hillary clinton is president and. These books are made freely available by their respective authors and publishers. Dicks brainwarping story is set in a world where the axis powers won world war ii, and america has. We provide a guide to where books and ebooks can be bought, to websites dedicated to alternate history, and to blogs on writing and worldcreation. The black plague devastated the population of europe. Louisa clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary lifesteady boyfriend, close familywho has barely been farther afield than their tiny village.
Online shopping for alternate history science fiction books in the books store. Now, then, and everywhen chronos origins book 1 rysa walker. Historical fiction is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting located in the past. Home to a tribe of simple huntergatherers, northland teems with. Alternate history or alternative history ah is a genre of speculative fiction consisting of stories in which one or more historical events occur differently. It differs from historical fiction, which mostly sticks to real history. The most unusual alternate history novels ever published.
The stories are conjectural but are sometimes based on fact. Theyre stories of both tragedy and courage, of settlers trying to survive on the southern frontier, of fighting for their rights and freedoms and standing boldly for the people and land they love. Herman wouks the caine mutiny is set in our own historical timeline for world war ii and is thus historical fiction. Discover the best alternate history science fiction in best sellers. Historical fiction books for kids scholastic teacher store. The land that time forgot is an edgar rice burroughs science fiction novel that starts out as a nervewracking wartime naval adventure but develops into the story of a unique and mysterious prehistoric lost world, as a submarine enters a subterranean passage under the sea and emerges into a tropical world sustained by volcanic heat. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. At the edge of the abyss cycle 1 features an alternate pacific war where pacifists try to change the course of the war. In historical fiction, the time period is an important part of the setting and often of the story itself. Tired of alternate history books where the axis won world war ii, or the south won the civil war. The skies explode in this thrilling alternate history novel in taylor andersons new york times bestselling destroyermen series. This is a forum for finished, complete alternate history timelines and scenarios.
As for turtledove it depends on which of his books you had read. Agent of byzantium has the byzantine empire surviving. A hypothetical axis victory in world war ii has become a common concept of alternative history and counterfactual history. His southern victory or timeline191 series has the confederates beating the union. Alternate history fiction books to read now penguin. We love books, so we pride ourselves on the quality of our own books, not only in terms of the content which is down to the authors of course, although our. This seemed to spark a brand new revolution of alternate history. Perhaps one of the first real science fiction alternate history books we come across is h. Alternate history literature asks the question, what if history had developed differently.
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