Historical fiction to check out, listed by region
Historical fiction doesn’t get as much love here as SFF which I get. Realism isn’t for everyone, and revisiting violent history isn’t exactly escapism. But please, give it another chance especially the amazing work from writers beyond the Anglo-Euro sphere.
And so, here’s my first set of recommendations for historical fiction. I say ‘first’ because if I included every book I like, this post would be way too long and some regions are lacking for that very reason! I promise that the next set of recommendations will cover other countries!
There’s no special formula behind these picks. The only real criterion is that I like them. That’s it. I did try to avoid super-popular authors, but as you’ll see, one or two still slipped in!
The Theocrat by Bensalem Himmich
When I first read The Theocrat by Bensalem Himmich, I had no idea it was one of the most popular Arab novels in the 20th century. It tells the story of a Fatimid caliph popularly known to some as the Nero of Egypt, tracing his rise to power, his ruthless rule exacerbated by his own mental illness, and his eventual downfall. It's a truly fascinating work because it doesn't really tell the story in a conventional, straightforward manner.
River Spirit by Leila Aboulela
Set in 1880s Sudan during the Mahdist War against Anglo-Turkish forces, the novel follows key figures in the fight for independence and the women who witnessed the turmoil. It’s surprisingly underrated, I spotted copies in a remainder bookshop.
I’ve raved about this book and yes, I cried over it but it still doesn’t get the love it deserves in my opinion, even after Scorsese made it a film. Silence follows a young Jesuit priest in 17th-century Japan, searching for his mentor while enduring brutal persecution and a crisis of faith.
Insurrecto by Gina Apostol
I was a bit hesitant to include Gina Apostol’s Insurrecto here because it’s technically about modern-day Filipino filmmakers trying to make a movie about the genocide Americans committed in the Philippines. But the story flashes back to those bloody events so often that I’m counting it as historical fiction and a very important one at that.
The Throne by Franco Bernini
The Throne, written by the screenwriter of The Grey Zone, has the rich, political vibe of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy but instead of Tudors, it explores the complicated relationship between Machiavelli and Borgia. It’s the first in a planned trilogy.
Like a Sword Wound by Ahmet Altan
Knowing that Ahmet Altan was imprisoned in Turkey for criticizing Erdogan, advocating for Kurdish rights, and memorializing the Armenian Genocide is reason enough for me to pick up this book. The first novel in Ahmet Altan’s Ottoman Quartet, this immersive epic is set in the final decades of the Ottoman Empire and follows an unforgettable cast of characters who not only witness but also help drive the empire’s unstoppable decline.
James by Percival Everett
This is one of those rare recent books that actually deserves the hype and the awards. It retells the Mississippi journey from Jim’s point of view. And yes, James is the same Jim from Huckleberry Finn, finally getting his own story.
Hilda Hurricane by Robert Drummond
I loved the telenovela, so I read the novel and it’s just as good as the famous TV adaptation. Told through the eyes of a communist narrator clearly modeled after the author, it follows his involvement with a popular sex worker who falls in love with his friar friend in the years leading up to Brazil’s 1964 coup d’état.
