Pseudo-Historical SFF (or maybe 'pseudo-real world'?)

[Kyndylan]

Over the past year or so I've read:

Ash: A Secret History (Mary Gentle)
The Kushiel Trilogy (Jacqueline Carey)
Temeraire et al (Naomi Novik)
The Lions of Al-Rasan (Guy Gavriel Kay)
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (Susanna Clarke)

and possibly some others, all of which set science fiction (Ash) or fantasy (the rest) in a pseudo-historical context. Can anyone suggest any more?

For those who haven't read any of the above, they all take place in a medieval or renaissance Europe that clings to reality with varying degrees of tenacity. For example, Carey and Kay merely have a European-looking map, and some racial archetypes, whereas the other three feature real places, people and events.

I know there are a few Viking/Norse ones around, but those don't hold so much appeal for me.

Oh, and I can heartily recommend any of the ones in my list - if anyone wants some more detail about which ones I particularly enjoyed, and why, and how they're 'pseudo'-historical (do people agree with me on that one?), then do get in touch.

Thanks!

 

[iansales]

Gentle's White Crow novels probably also could be described as pseudo-historical.

 

[Phillips101]

David Gemmell's Ravenheart series?

I don't know enough about Scottish history to say if it's at all historical, but it's certainly about scotland, and Canada and American make an appearance at the end.

 

[iansales]

Wyvern, AA Attanasio

 

[rol7805]

Check out the rest of Kay's works such as Last Light of the Sun (Celtic based). He enjoys taking a historical setting as his inspiration for fantasy works.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Dare I say Iggulden's Caesar novels?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

For those who haven't read any of the above, they all take place in a medieval or renaissance Europe that clings to reality with varying degrees of tenacity.

Temeraire and Jonathan Strange are set in the Napoleonic era, early 19th century.

So as you're allowing books that are neither Medieval nor Renaissance, there's:

On Stranger Tides and The Stress of Her Regard by Tim Powers
Homunculus by James Blaylock
Infernal Devices by K. W. Jeter
and I should imagine most of the rest of Steampunk.


But to return to medieval or earlier:

The Once and Future King by T. H. White
The Crystal Cave and sequels by Mary Stewart
and all the other Arthurian retellings that admit an element of magic or the supernatural.

The Serpent's Tooth by Diana L. Paxon
The Dark Twin by Marion Campbell

 

[chrispenycate]

I'd like to suggest Judith Tarr. 'The hound and the falcon' trilogy, 'A wind in Cairo', 'Lord of the two lands', 'Ars Magica'; all full of historical details which show every evidence of being correct. I didn't think much of 'Household Gods', her collaboration with Harry Turtledove, which is strange, because I very much liked his 'Agent of Byzantium', and I've just noticed she has several more books that I haven't yet obtained…

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

(hitting hand to forehead)

I was thinking of Judith Tarr at one point and then forgot while I was trying to come up with some other names. I'd add to your list Alamut and The Dagger and the Cross. And I think most of hers are historical with fantasy elements.

 

[K. Riehl]

The Book of Kells by R A MacAvoy-world fantasy award winner
Chalion series by Lois Bujold- the second book, Paladin of Souls, won the Hugo. Two more books in the series coming!
And I will second the recommendations of The Hound and the Falcon, and the Mary Stewart Arthur books

 

[Kyndylan]

Wow!

Thank you one and all for so many suggestions; I think my reading list for the summer is now replete! Not to say that I want suggestions to stop, quite the contrary. Be assured that I will carry on reading long past this summer! I just won't have as much time, alas.

And many thanks for pointing out my error, Teresa. I can but blame haste and muddled thinking for quite such an obvious mistake, and hope you'll forgive me. I will endeavour not to let it happen again!

Again, many thanks for your time.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Don't mention it, Kyndylan. Or I suppose, as this is a British site, I should say: No worries.

Chalion series by Lois Bujold- the second book, Paladin of Souls, won the Hugo.

These are excellent books, K. Riehl, with a well-realized setting, but surely not set in any version of our world?

 

[Mark Robson]

Mary Hoffman's fantastic Stravaganza series fits this bill - with more than half of the action taking place in a parallel world's medieval Italy. Although it is nominally YA, it more than satisfies as an adult read.

 

[Anthony G Williams]

Don't mention it, Kyndylan. Or I suppose, as this is a British site, I should say: No worries.

That's not British - that's Australian!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Then I'll amend that to: "Considering the international make-up of this site ... (etc.)"

 

[The Procrastinator]

Normally Aussies get the hackles up at being confused with those whinging Poms. But in this case I will simply say, no worries.

Those after pseudo-historical stuff shouldn't go past Lian Hearn's excellent Tales of the Otori series, set in a pseudo-medieval Japan. Quite marvellous.

I'll also recommend Juliet Marillier's Wolfskin, set in northern Britain and Scandinavia - a memorable depiction of the blending of cultures on the northern isles, with a nicely done touch of magic. I believe Juliet Marillier has written other "old Celtic" stuff, but I have only read one other and was not overly taken with it.

 

[Rosemary]

Normally Aussies get the hackles up at being confused with those whinging Poms. But in this case I will simply say, no worries.

Those after pseudo-historical stuff shouldn't go past Lian Hearn's excellent Tales of the Otori series, set in a pseudo-medieval Japan. Quite marvellous.

I'll also recommend Juliet Marillier's Wolfskin, set in northern Britain and Scandinavia - a memorable depiction of the blending of cultures on the northern isles, with a nicely done touch of magic. I believe Juliet Marillier has written other "old Celtic" stuff, but I have only read one other and was not overly taken with it.

Good onya mate! I'm glad I don't have to talk like that all of the time though

I've read the Wolfskin trilogy by Juliet Marillier, care of my friend Precioussss... She writes a good story and there are many references to real life and Norse mythology - at least I think it was 'Norse'

 

[nomadman]

-Peregrine: Primus et Secundus, Doctor Eszterhazy & Virgil Magus stories by Avram Davidson.
-Latro in the Mist by Gene Wolfe
-Dictionary of the Khazars by Milorad Pavic
-The Maggot by John Fowles

 

[Werthead]

Paul Kearney's new novel, The Ten Thousand, out next month, is well worth a look. It's based on the Anubasis by Xenophon, telling the story of 10,000 Greek mercenaries who got embroiled in a civil war in Persia and then had to flee home when their employer was killed. A superb novel, really well-written and characterised.

David Gemmell's Troy Trilogy is also superb.

 

[nj1]

Bernard Cornwell's War Lord Trilogy is worth a mention, based on the King Arthur legend and also his Saxon chronicles based around Alfred the Great