Do You Read Novels Set In Your Historical Era?

I don't always read novels, but when I do, they're historical. #most-interesting-woman-in-the-world

I don't have a lot of time to devote to reading (my eyesight also hinders me from reading for extended periods sometimes). So I end up reading nonfiction more than fiction, because I need to read the nonfiction for my writing. Sometimes I break it up with a novel (I just read The Last Runaway). When I do, it's about 99% historical fiction.

Do I nitpick about historical content? Not usually. I get all sniffy and uppity about poor writing more than about poor history.

There aren't many from my period in the region of which my own book is set that are good. There are some Vlad the Impaler books out there, but many aren't written well. I did read Vlad: The Last Confession and it was a pretty good book, and although a few things irked me, they weren't enough to put me off from finishing it. There needs to be one on the King of Hungary, Matyas Corvin. I'd read that. Or maybe I should write it?

I have long ago in the past, but now most of my reading is for research. The few novels I read are usually as favors for friends.

When I can find novels from my period or about my subject matter I try to read them. I'm an avid book-worm.

I do. I only nitpick if the book doesn't get the tone of the period right.

I'm not against reading novels set in a time period I'm writing in, but I guess I don't really do it that often either. This is mainly because of the absence of good novels and because the primary sources themselves are often more interesting and help define the atmosphere of the era much better, imo.

Rain Gnome said:

I'm not against reading novels set in a time period I'm writing in, but I guess I don't really do it that often either. This is mainly because of the absence of good novels and because the primary sources themselves are often more interesting and help define the atmosphere of the era much better, imo.

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That's how I feel too. When I was writing my medieval novel I much preferred reading my research material. So many of my scenes arose from what I read there.
Right now I'm writing about ancient Babylon. Not much fiction available and once again, the research material is fascinating.

I definitely do. I like seeing how other writers use and incorporate historical events, people, and details. Even if I don't like the book or nitpick it, I still read it. I consider it research. I need to know what's out there, especially when it comes to querying. But I write in the Early Middle Ages and there aren't a lot of books.

Everyone who writes in or near my period seems to want to write about or from the Roman point of view, so though there are works out there in Late Antiquity, there's very little that feels like it has a lot in common with my own work. And absolutely nothing on my subject.

I'm REALLY eclectic in my reading, though, so if it were there I probably would.

gothicangel said:

A bit of a twist on the Do You Read Novels?

Okay, so I'm desperate to find a cracking novel written about the Roman Empire. But every time I find myself nit-picking about the history, and it ruins the enjoyment. The only authors of Roman historicals I can say I love is Rosemary Sutcliff and Robert Graves. Now, I don't have this problem with medieval, Victorian or even HF set in prehistory. It's just Roman (I love Ancient Greek HF too.)

Anyone else suffer from this?

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I think Rome is hard to write about. My current work is set in a period (around 1800 -- Western Europe) that is not nearly as hard to visualize plus -- of course -- people were very busy writing novels in the period itself. Of course, current novels set in that period are a mixed bag, but I've been enjoying sampling a few of them -- and its never the historical items that get me down, it's the plots and characters and of course (of Course!) nobody writes as well as Jane Austen or Patrick o'Brian or Lefebre (to slip into history) or Richard Holmes (to slide on into biography) or Martin Rudwick (to continue in a history of Science mode). There's a luxurious amount of good writing in, around and about things around 1800 AD in Western Europe.

I feel like I'm the odd man out here, but I got into the Angevins and Platagenets because Sharon Kay Penman is so freakin' awesome.

I do feel very wary cracking a fiction book set in that period that is not either by her or by someone she's recommended, however. Now that I've verified her version with nonfiction texts and found it scrupulously accurate, I can't handle less.

I definitely have this problem with all film and television and pulp crap Tudor historicals that are proliferating at present, given that I started my nerdery at a stick-up-butt-for-accuracy Renn Faire. That faire is no longer accurate and I've relaxed along with it, but I still need to see a good theatrical reason for deviation from fact, rather than laziness and lack of reading up on such a well-documented subject.

I'm pretty varied in my fiction reading and go from Margaret Atwood and Catherynne Valente to Pauline Gedge and Colleen McCullough. I tend to go for historicals set in Imperial Rome too but will settle on pretty much anything before the Middle Ages. After that, something else has to draw me in other than mere time period.

Like you, I really love ancient Rome. I'm not that into the "war/battle/army" or mystery sub-genres that seem to characterize a lot of fiction set in the period, but when I do settle into a Roman historical, I like to focus on the story as much as historical accuracy. After finishing one though, most of the time, while the story may be decent, I find the historical details not very well integrated or just plain lacking or false.

A good long Roman historical about Boudicca, Caradoc and the Romans: Pauline Gedge's The Eagle and the Raven. She usually writes about ancient Egypt but stepped out of her element for this one. In my opinion, she's top-notch, and so is this book.

I have to admit I loved Pauline Gedge growing up (only read her Egyptian novels). Few other writers manage to convey the way a historical culture means a completely different mindset in such a coherent and consistent way (like the Twelfth Transformation, which while contradicting a lot of facts of the period--aka not accurate--is awesome in making people really, really different from us modern people feel three dimensional and alive). For that alone I would recommend her for both writers of hist fic and fantasy writers.

I read novels set in "my" period, but I find I'm super-picky. There are a lot of DNF among them (and wallbangers too) and a lot of "finished but while making outraged comments". It's not facts per se. I can manage a bit of factual mistakes or changes, but I'm super-sensitive to changes in personality of historical persons, importing modern attitudes and, worst of all, rehashing of old prejudices that have been done a thousand times.

For my current period (British Civil Wars and 17th century) for example I go bonkers if you claim that the Royalists were all noble and romantic or the Roundheads were modern and wanted tolerance and social equality for all. Not a book, but The Devil's Whore was one long groan fest for me since it kinda hit all my pet peeves (but was really pretty so I had to finish it). On the other hand, I would recommend Iain Pears' An Instance of the Fingerpost to anyone because it really makes the 17th century come alive. However, I learn even from the bad examples because it makes me aware of things to avoid.

Just about to attack Jeanette Wintersons' "The Daylight Gate" about the Pendle witches so I'm definitely mixing my non-fiction with fiction.

I particularly read books set in my era and I don't exactly nitpick, but because my academic training involved constantly looking at how eras have imagined other eras (classical reception, the history of museums) I always find myself analysing them with a view to where the author is coming from and what kind of research they will have done and why they took the angle they did.
When something is 'wrong' I don't think 'Bad author!' but it raises the question - did they simply not know? And if not, why not? And if they changed it deliberately what were the artistic reasons behind that choice?

OP: yep, I know what you mean. I tend to avoid early medieval history. It's not necessarily factual things I'm unhappy about, rather the feeling the story gives out. Like I know how most people love Penman, but I couldn't finish any of her books. For some reason the atmosphere she created was annoying. Like her constant use of 'Jesu' and 'mayhap'... it felt so forced and fake. But that's just me.

Tepelus said:

There needs to be one on the King of Hungary, Matyas Corvin. I'd read that. Or maybe I should write it?

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Yes please, one copy ordered.

Hmmm well I read a lot of historical romances but they are usually focused on the Regency era and while I know some about that period I don't know a ton like I do with the Tudor era. When I read just straight out historical novels they are usually set in the Tudor era.

I used to be really nitpicky about details but I decided to dump that view and just enjoy the story. Now if it's way out there then I'll probably complain but if the story is interesting I usually don't make a fuss.

No because I don't want my impressions of the era being formed by some other writer's ideas. I'd rather take my ideas straight from primary sources.

I seem to have difficulties to find novels about the particular time I am writing about, however there are lots of non-fiction works that depict the era which leaves me with them as a primary source of inspiration. I would like though, to be able to speak with people that lived through the period and place but unfortunately it is becoming difficult works against me and majority these people are now dead.

Yes, definitely. I like to see how other people cover things I write about. I'm just reading a novel that features the rather wonderful Fanny Parks, a character I came across in my own research (but didn't use) and it's like meeting an old friend.

Of course. One of my favourite books as a young child was 'At the Sign of the Sugared Plum' by Mary Hooper, which is set in 17th century London. Loved that book. Still do, actually, and not just because the main character shares my first name....