Historical fiction readers come to the genre to immerse themselves in the past. They don’t want to read a textbook. Instead, they want to experience what it was like to live in a certain era and location. They want to smell it, touch it, see it, taste it.
I believe that writing historical fiction is not so different from writing science fiction; as historical novelists, we create worlds. The reader steps inside the story and feels transported to another place and time. Some of the most immersive historical novels transport readers not only into the past but around the world. I’ve collected some of my favorite of these historical reads — books that transport readers beyond the borders of a single location.
More than ever, right now we need stories to help us escape to a different time and location. Put these books at the top of your TBR list to travel the world from home.