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Journey Through the Ages with 48 New Historical Fiction Books

Posted by Sharon on June 26, 2024
 
Here at Goodreads World Headquarters, we like finding new and preferably weird ways to sort the vast herds of books that pass through the publishing industry ecosystem. Our crack editorial squad can really get into this kind of thing. We also enjoy awkward metaphors.
 
To wit: Today’s collection features new historical fiction titles published in the first six months of 2024, sorted by the year or era in which the action of the book takes place. Think of it as a chronological guide to recently published historical fiction. It’s an adventure! For the sensitive reader, this kind of approach can be useful, too. Sometimes you’re in a 15th-century mood, sometimes you’re in a 1980s mood. Yes, we regret to inform you that the 1980s are now firmly considered historical fiction. Time is a cruel mistress.
 
So far, these books have proved popular with Goodreads regulars, based on early ratings and members’ Want to Read shelves—in fact, each title below has an average star rating of 3.5 or above. So whether you start at the beginning and work your way forward, or find a specific period to dive into, or indulge in a split-timeline narrative, there's plenty here for the historical fiction fan to enjoy.
 
Click on the cover image for more information about each book, and if you find you’re hooked by a particular story—or era or year—click on the provided button to add to your Want to Read shelf.
 

412 BCE

1486

1519

1567



1655

1666

1704

1730



the late 1700s

1815

1836

1837


the 1840s

1840s–1850s

1851

1861


1864/2018

the late 1800s

1895/1964

1896


1901–1930

1906

1907

1909/1990


1918/1940

1920

1921

1921



1924/2015

1935–1945

1940

1948



1950

1950s

1951

1951/2022



1952

1953–2026

1954

1960s/1980s/present



1965

the late 1960s

1970s–1989

1980s


1984

1985/1998

1985/2007

1987

Which historical era is your favorite to read about? Let us know in the comments below!


Comments Showing 1-27 of 27 (27 new)

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message 1: by Law (last edited Jun 26, 2024 04:24AM) (new)

Law There are some familiar books. James and The Women seem the most intriguing. I'd read There, There first before I read Wandering Stars. The Great Divide touches upon a familiar subject. The rest I'm not sure about. I might read or skip them. Can you recommend me a book from this list?


message 2: by Susan (new)

Susan Law wrote: "There are some familiar books. James seems the most intriguing. I'd read There, There first before I read Wandering Stars. The Great Divide touches upon a familiar subject. The rest I'm not sure ab..."

The Women by Kristin Hannah is very good, quite gritty. It’s about the Vietnam War.


message 3: by Stacey (new)

Stacey Mckeogh Law wrote: "There are some familiar books. James seems the most intriguing. I'd read There, There first before I read Wandering Stars. The Great Divide touches upon a familiar subject. The rest I'm not sure ab..."

James is really good. Not as amazing as The Trees but still a good read.


message 4: by Jeanine (new)

Jeanine I love this list of historical fiction! I just retired from teaching World History. I added several books to my TBR list.
I’ve already read The Women. It was amazing!


message 5: by Jasmine (new)

Jasmine The 1980s is historical?! That makes me feel old.


message 6: by Rosalie (new)

Rosalie Absolutely love this concept and the list itself!! Thanks Goodreads!


message 7: by CR (last edited Jun 26, 2024 02:29PM) (new)

CR Williams The Bullet Swallower is a Top 5 of the year for me.
You Dreamed of Empires is also a fantastic, albeit challenging, read.


message 8: by CR (new)

CR Williams Jeanine wrote: "I love this list of historical fiction! I just retired from teaching World History. I added several books to my TBR list.
I’ve already read The Women. It was amazing!"


I'd love to see a list of YOUR historical fiction reads! What eras are your faves as a WORLD history teacher?


message 9: by Vikas (new)

Vikas Wow, I read 0 from this list, most of which I have heard for the first time. Well, that's why lists like these are needed to introduce us to more books and more authors.


message 10: by aasiyah (new)

aasiyah daughters of shandong!!! anyone know books similar to it?


message 11: by Law (new)

Law Vikas wrote: "Wow, I read 0 from this list, most of which I have heard for the first time. Well, that's why lists like these are needed to introduce us to more books and more authors."

Okay, why not read some?


message 12: by Betsy (new)

Betsy Law wrote: "There are some familiar books. James and The Women seem the most intriguing. I'd read There, There first before I read Wandering Stars. The Great Divide touches upon a familiar subject. The rest I'..."

"The Women" is badly overhyped and badly written (and edited). Don't waste your time.


message 13: by Law (new)

Law Betsy wrote: "Law wrote: "There are some familiar books. James and The Women seem the most intriguing. I'd read There, There first before I read Wandering Stars. The Great Divide touches upon a familiar subject...."

What about James or The Great Divide?


message 14: by Veronica (new)

Veronica I love books from Kate Quinn and Beatriz Williams. The Women by Kristin Hannah and James by Percival Everett is on my list to read this year. In fact one of Percival Everett's books won an Oscar - Erasure aka American Fiction.

Lastly, Xóchitl González is a new author which I really enjoy. Her latest book that is on this list Anita de Monte Laughs Last was amazing. It delves into being a person of color in Ivy League school. It also tackles the history of the art world by the standards of gender, ethnicity, and race.


message 15: by Nicholas (new)

Nicholas Foster 'The Judas Case' by Nicholas Graham is well worth a read if you like a strong sense of place and time and atmosphere, in this case 1st Century Judaea.

Graham has created a detective hero we can greet as an old friend. Solomon Eliades, Jewish wine-grower and former spymaster, strides across the stage of 1st century Judaea as if we’d known him for years. With his training in philosophy and rhetoric in Athens (so useful for inciting and calming riots) and with a lifetime’s career of espionage behind him, he brings a wealth of experience and talent to the task that calls him out of retirement, the urgent need to discover what happened to Judas Iscariot, one of his Service’s best agents.

Solomon Eliades, “the man who could find out the truth of things”, weaves his way through a tangled and at times murderous web of Jewish and Roman inter-Service rivalry to unlock the puzzle of Judas’s death and the disappearance of Jesus’s body from the tomb. Assisted by an enigmatic young Saul of Tarsus and with the help of sympathetically drawn and fully-rounded characters such as Nicanor, the Alexandrian doctor, Solomon Eliades, surviving beatings along the way, does get to the end of the road but at great personal cost. But then, as he says himself, “My vineyard is my own to give.”


message 16: by Law (new)

Law It's great to see some historical books from authors of colour here, too.


message 17: by Anne (new)

Anne Utter Shelterwood also great read! While reading, thought about Killers of the Flower Moon. Sure never knew about all these shenanigans, this one involving “elf children”


message 18: by Diana (new)

Diana Brookes The Daughters of Shandong was brilliant! A very well written and authentic but brutal account of a mother with 3 daughters escaping the communist Mao takeover of China endeavoring to reach Taiwan by way of Hong Kong to re unite with her family.


message 19: by Taylor (new)

Taylor Brown Thanks for including Rednecks -- such a great list! 😊


message 20: by Cathryn (new)

Cathryn Thank you for listing these books by year as it helps me to focus on what to read next in historical fiction.


message 21: by Linda (new)

Linda Sherman CR wrote: "Jeanine wrote: "I love this list of historical fiction! I just retired from teaching World History. I added several books to my TBR list.
I’ve already read The Women. It was amazing!"

I'd love to..."


You can follow her here https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1... though having taken a look a direct at her account the direct answer to your question would be most welcome.


message 22: by Linda (new)

Linda Sherman Thank you! I lead a Book Club and since I prefer books the reader can learn something from, almost all my picks are historical fiction. Many of our members are avid readers and insist on recently published picks so your list is much appreciated.

Here are some of our recent favorites in this genre in case fans here have missed any of them: The Women, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store (2023), Lady Tan's Circle of Women (2023), Frozen River (2023), Covenant of Water (2023), Before We Were Yours (2022), Pachinko (2022), West with Giraffes (2022), Horse (2022), The First Ladies (2019)


message 23: by Fiona (new)

Fiona Hurley Big jump from 412 BCC to 1486. Is nobody writing Medieval anymore?


message 24: by Fiona (new)

Fiona Hurley If you enjoyed The Women and would like to read more about the Vietnam War from a female perspective, I'd recommend The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai.


message 25: by Susan (new)

Susan Fiona wrote: "If you enjoyed The Women and would like to read more about the Vietnam War from a female perspective, I'd recommend The Mountains Sing by [author:Nguyễn Phan Quế Ma..."

Thanks Fiona. I did enjoy The Women, though it’s quite upsetting. I’ll definitely give The Mountains Sing a look at.


message 26: by Terrell (new)

Terrell Baldwin I love this discussion board! I recently read The Women. I Loved it. I appreciate the suggestions.


message 27: by Take2 (new)

Take2 Lastly, Xóchitl González is a new author which I really enjoy. Her latest book that is on this list Anita de Monte Laughs Last was amazing. It delves into being a person of color in Ivy League school. It also tackles the history of the art world by the standards of gender, ethnicity, and race.

Now I know what to put on hold at my library next!


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