top 100 historical fiction books

If you are a history enthusiast and love to immerse yourself into the fascinating world of the past through the power of literature, you are in for a treat! In this article, we will take a deep dive into the top 100 historical fiction books that will capture your imagination and transport you to different eras and cultures.

1. "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett: Set in 12th-century England, this epic novel follows the construction of a cathedral amidst political turmoil and personal struggles.

2. "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell: Step into the American South during the Civil War and Reconstruction period with this timeless tale of love and survival.

3. "The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Eco: Delve into a 14th-century Italian monastery plagued by a series of mysterious deaths in this intellectually rich and intricate novel.

4. "Wolf Hall" by Hilary Mantel: Dive into the court of Henry VIII with this Man Booker Prize-winning novel, offering a fresh perspective on Thomas Cromwell's rise to power.

5. "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak: Experience Nazi Germany through the eyes of a young girl who finds solace and escape in the world of books.

6. "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini: Explore the complexities of friendship and betrayal set against the backdrop of Afghanistan's tumultuous history.

7. "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden: Discover the secretive world of geishas in pre-World War II Japan through the captivating story of Sayuri.

8. "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr: Follow the parallel stories of a blind French girl and a German boy during World War II in this beautifully written and haunting novel.

9. "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafón: Lose yourself in the post-Spanish Civil War Barcelona and uncover the mysteries surrounding a forgotten book and its author.

10. "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett: Set in 1960s Mississippi, this novel gives voice to African American maids who work in white households during the era of civil rights unrest.

These are just a taste of the historical fiction gems waiting to be discovered. To explore the complete list of the top 100 historical fiction books, you can visit reputable book review websites like Goodreads or Book Riot. These platforms provide comprehensive lists accompanied by user reviews, ensuring a well-informed choice for your next captivating read.

Additionally, if you are interested in connecting with fellow historical fiction enthusiasts, you can join online communities such as the Historical Novel Society or the Reddit subreddit r/historicalfiction. These platforms offer discussions, recommendations, and a chance to engage with like-minded readers.

So, grab a cup of tea, cozy up in your favorite reading nook, and embark on a literary journey through time with these outstanding historical fiction novels. Let the stories weave their magic and transport you to different epochs, providing both entertainment and knowledge along the way. Happy reading!
The Last Imperial Scholar of the Ming Dynasty Fiction
The Last Imperial Scholar of the Ming Dynasty

What is culture? It is the foundation inherited by a nation, the lifeblood upon which a nation relies for survival. Born in turbulent times, facing foreign invasions, let's witness how the last Imperial Examination scholar of the Ming Dynasty strives to turn the tide and save the last remnants of Han Chinese heritage.

546.17 Million words | 2023-04-03 13:41Update

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Official Ascension Fiction
Official Ascension

The regret of Emperor Hongzhi was not being able to educate his son properly. Emperor Zhengde was burdened by the throne and had no time for leisure. The Tao of the knave prospers, while the Tao of the gentleman wanes. It was the regret of the loyal minister Li Dongyang to be associated with wolves as a courtier, witnessing the corruption of the beautiful land yet unable to do anything about it. The Ming Dynasty, which should have been the earliest budding capitalist powerhouse, was instead replaced by the Qing Dynasty. This is the regret of the Ming Dynasty. A modern traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, who has been repeatedly trampled upon on the path of employment, returns to the mid

67.45 Million words | 2021-08-25 02:06Update

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To cover the sky with one hand. Fiction
To cover the sky with one hand.

The severed arm unexpectedly regenerates, behold as my single hand covers the sky. The most explosive urban setting, the most badass cultivation.

138.87 Million words | 2021-09-22 17:46Update

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I am here, the king. Fiction
I am here, the king.

The moon has a secret, she carefully guards a world-shattering treasure without a "key". The regent has a doubt, he schemingly tries to exclude and mistreat the moon with all the women in his mansion, but she thrives and becomes more content day by day. She is an unlucky princess, he is the powerful regent who holds sway over the court. When she meets him, they initially dislike each other, but later on... "Why are you shouting? I am here!" "What are you afraid of? I am here!" "Why are you crying? I am here!"

184.17 Million words | 2022-01-27 04:10Update

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The Demon King's Descent at the End of the Han Dynasty. Fiction
The Demon King's Descent at the End of the Han Dynasty.

In the face of imminent defeat of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Zhang Jiao used the Blood Sacrifice Technique to open the gate to the Demon Realm and summon the demonic soul of Xiang Yu. However, little did he know that Liu Bang had secretly divided and buried the remains of the Hegemon-King in six secret locations in China, preventing Xiang Yu's immediate resurrection. Enraged, the demonic soul of Xiang Yu summoned the malevolent aura of the Nine Nether Abyss, infiltrating the land of China and allowing wicked demons from the Demon Realm to enter the mortal world. Chaos ensued, as zombies roamed and an ap

447.04 Million words | 2020-08-15 07:06Update

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Journey Through Tang Dynasty Fiction
Journey Through Tang Dynasty

Liang Xingfa, a young rookie in the workplace, time-traveled to the most perilous period of the Anshi Rebellion in the Tang Dynasty with the help of a folk inventor. After receiving guidance from a master and mastering martial arts, Liang Xingfa assisted the Tang army in quelling the Anshi Rebellion.

321.58 Million words | 2023-04-22 08:11Update

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Special Forces: Infinite Lottery System Fiction
Special Forces: Infinite Lottery System

Lin Mu traversed into the world of special forces and obtained a lottery system. Lottery: Obtained the perfect stealth skill. Lottery: Obtained the danger perception skill. Lottery: Obtained the hundred-percent accuracy skill. With the assistance of the system, Lin Mu gradually became an all-around soldier king.

134.10 Million words | 2020-08-05 19:06Update

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Tang Dynasty: Li Shimin Exiled to a Deserted Island at the Beginning Fiction
Tang Dynasty: Li Shimin Exiled to a Deserted Island at the Beginning

Researcher Jiang Feng accidentally stranded on a deserted island, cultivating crops while waiting for rescue. One year later, three men dressed in ancient attire broke into the island. Old Li: Let's be honest, I am the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty! Old Sun: Well, I'll be honest too, I'm not Old Sun, I am Zhang Sun Wuji! Old Du: I'll be honest as well, I am Du Ruhui! Jiang Feng: When in doubt, quantum mechanics, I also know it. So, here's the truth, I am...!

146.59 Million words | 2021-05-10 19:34Update

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Carpenter Fiction
Carpenter

He began his apprenticeship at the age of thirteen and became a master at sixteen, starting his decades-long career as a carpenter. He found brilliance in ordinary life. He persisted in delivering free couplets to his fellow villagers for decades. He saved Yu'er from near starvation and gave her a home. He promised and fulfilled his duty to take care of his master and mistress in their old age. He was once captured by the invaders and forced into labor. He successfully smuggled two North Korean workers to Northeast China. He organized the village youth to eliminate two invaders who entered the village. He established a voluntary literacy class in the village. In his later years, he passed on his craftsmanship to the younger generation. In the multitude of professions, excellence can be found in any. When we focus on those who accomplish extraordinary things, we must not overlook the achievements of ordinary people, for they too are indelible.

568.93 Million words | 2022-08-27 18:00Update

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The Biography of Wei Zeng Fiction
The Biography of Wei Zeng

In a chaotic world where everyone suffers, a young boy refuses to be at the mercy of fate and embarks on a path of pursuit. In his youth, he experiences true emotions, heartbreak, and relentless pursuit, only to gain and lose it all. Through bitter and sweet experiences, the boy matures into adulthood. He competes for the world, with boundless passion, sweeping away the formidable, singing proudly across the vast land, until he reaches the pinnacle of life. With the passage of time, as history changes and prosperity fades, only a mournful song remains. After experiencing the ups and downs of life, the boy is no longer young. It is at this moment that he finally understands that the true meaning of life lies in sincerity.

124.76 Million words | 2022-06-10 17:10Update

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The Terminator of Kingpins Fiction
The Terminator of Kingpins

It was a chaotic era of warlords, with fierce competition and brilliant heroes... Ling Feng, a famous playboy in Chuan Valley County, was unexpectedly drawn into this turmoil due to a sudden upheaval in his family. Let's see how his fate unfolds. They say extraordinary people do extraordinary things, and his father was one such exceptional individual. He came from another world, and Ling Feng inherited his father's dying wish, embarking on a journey with an unparalleled mission! They say conquerors are formidable and heroic figures, but he specialized in annihilating conquerors!

593.51 Million words | 2023-01-30 11:45Update

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General Fiction
General

For the fortune teller, serving the emperor above, comforting the people below. For the general, guarding against foreign enemies, ensuring domestic stability. They knew each other since they were young, accompanying each other through the years. Eventually, one became a general, the other a prime minister, assisting the monarch together. Originally, they were meant to complement each other, harmony between the battlefield and the court. Skillfully directing the nation's affairs, wielding power that influenced the world. However, a sudden incident resulted in one being gravely injured and losing their memory, while the other was humiliated and banished. Three years later: He emerged as the top scorer in the imperial examination, gaining fame throughout the land. Ascending the heights, he was appointed as the prime minister, standing above ten thousand people. Yet, in the end, it was all for one person.

291.97 Million words | 2021-12-27 15:09Update

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Rampant Fiction
Rampant

A former top-notch thief reigns in a parallel universe. Immersed in a completely unfamiliar world, he strives to forge a new era, though such a story may seem cliché. However, in this case, I hope to inject some fresh elements into the familiar narrative. The protagonist, a thief in his previous life, retains memories he shouldn't have acquired due to not drinking the Meng Po's footwashing water before being reincarnated. In this new world, what can he accomplish? The only viable option seems to be to continue his thieving ways, but on a grander scale – stealing the entire world. Of course, in a YY novel, failure is not an option. So, as long as the readers find it thrilling, it's all good. If they're not pleased, the author can indulge in some appropriate consequences. No need to hold back. Author's self-defined tags: passion, adventure.

101.25 Million words | 2022-01-10 23:46Update

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Taiping blood Fiction
Taiping blood

Four college students who were originally classmates are transported back to the Qing Dynasty due to a strange lightning incident. They each possess and inhabit the bodies of four different individuals with contrasting yet interconnected destinies. The change in their identities leads them to experience various different fates. Will they succumb to their own destinies? Will their arrival change the troubled era of the late Qing Dynasty? Not only do they have to combat their own fates, but they also bear the burden of struggling for the fate of the entire nation. All because of this time travel, they become a part of history! In this year, a colorful era begins. In this year, the young nobleman Ronglu, who is only sixteen years old, still mourns his father's death at the hands of the rebels in the Longlao Ridge Battle, while seeing off his beloved into the palace. In this year, the eighteen-year-old Yehenara Xingzhen is selected to enter the palace through the imperial selection. She will become the future Empress Dowager Cixi, with all the unknowns in the palace awaiting her. In this year, Hong Xuanjiao, the adopted sister of the Heavenly King, is leading an all-female army in Chenzhou. She finds herself caught in a dilemma due to secret orders from the Heavenly King.

410.67 Million words | 2020-09-29 23:21Update

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The Strongest Military Spirit Fiction
The Strongest Military Spirit

If I exist, the dignity of the nation cannot be humiliated. If I perish, the enemy invaders cannot survive. A haunting secret phrase, a mysterious beauty captured in a photograph. The retired soldier awakens, returning to the military camp, with a steel gun in hand, winning the admiration of a beautiful woman. From a tooth of the wolf to a fang of the dragon, he becomes the king of soldiers. From the snowy mountains to the grasslands, he is unstoppable. The squad he leads, known as "a gathering of madmen," ruthlessly tramples on incoming enemies. Though our country is vast, if we seek war, we will perish. The world can only be safe when we forget war, for forgetting it will bring danger.

450.41 Million words | 2022-03-18 11:08Update

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Nan Song does not cough. Fiction
Nan Song does not cough.

Background Song Dynasty was a unique period in history. It possessed three out of the four great inventions. It had significantly higher tax revenue compared to other dynasties. Its foreign trade and commercial scale were well-developed. It also had a high level of urbanization, poised for further transformation. Unfortunately, it encountered the Mongol Empire, a seemingly insurmountable historical challenge. Consequently, its process of development was abruptly interrupted, leading to the decline and eventual oblivion of the dynasty. The protagonist, Hong Tao, is a seasoned professional who has been reborn three

251.80 Million words | 2020-07-13 07:56Update

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Not as handsome as the emperor's uncle. Fiction
Not as handsome as the emperor's uncle.

"Less Handsome Than My Uncle" published as "Thoughts of the Pond Fish", copyright belongs to Ruochu Literature Website, no reprint without permission, otherwise legal responsibility will be pursued. Pre-order address: http://dwz.cn/DFcK A man I have loved for ten years, in order to marry someone else, wants to burn me to death! Before dying, someone descended from the sky and saved me from the flames. "What do you want to do, I'll help you with anything," said Shen Guyuan. "As long as your final marriage is successful." "I want revenge!" Chi Yu gritted her teeth. "I want to make that couple pay the bloody price!" However, despite seeking revenge, this vicious woman still couldn't find a suitable marriage. Shen Guyuan was troubled. He taught her how to seduce men, how to outshine all others, but he didn't expect that she would fall in love with him along the way. "Shen Guyuan, choose between dying and having me," she said. "I choose death," he replied. Chi Yu nodded, obediently putting on her wedding gown. I will use what you taught me to love someone else, so please, don't stand in my way.

49.19 Million words | 2022-12-05 10:56Update

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Chronicles of Chu Yi: The Peerless Fierce General Fiction
Chronicles of Chu Yi: The Peerless Fierce General

In front of the two armies, the valiant Xiang Yu swung his spear and countless soldiers were beheaded, turning into a mist of blood. Li Cunxiao's blood surged: "Lord, this subordinate is willing to go into battle!" Chu Yi shook his head: "Xiang Ji... let this king handle it personally!" In the vast land of the heavens, with its eighteen heavenly provinces, the imperial star dimmed and turmoil stirred in all directions, as an era of chaos and war began, with numerous warlords standing tall. Chu Yi crossed over from Earth, carrying a sense of duty in his heart, vowing to unify the world and bring an end to this turbulent and precarious era, where lives were as insignificant as grass and leaves.

151.81 Million words | 2022-11-21 09:58Update

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The Great Tang Dynasty said. Fiction
The Great Tang Dynasty said.

The lecturer, with his sharp tongue, traveled back in time to the Tang Dynasty, witnessing the power of language. A sharp tongue could withstand a million soldiers. With his sharp tongue, he altered the course of history and made Liu Ao, this unfortunate time traveler, live a rich and flavorful life. With a sharp tongue, the world changed, and peace prevailed. The sharp tongue said, "I just want to live a good life..."

98.48 Million words | 2021-04-16 06:37Update

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Take a plane to the Ming Dynasty. Fiction
Take a plane to the Ming Dynasty.

Queen's birthday is here, what to give without jewelry? Gift a photo... Huang Taiji's 100,000 cavalry troops pillage Liaodong, how to deal with it? Use excavators... Li Zicheng is about to reach Beijing, what to do? Bring Chen Yuanyuan back... The emperor has hanged himself on the coal mountain, what now? Let him die, I'll handle it... Chongzhen can die, but the Great Ming cannot perish. I am Prince Zhu Changyuan, and I speak for myself.

490.60 Million words | 2021-06-07 20:10Update

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