The 2013 Historical Fiction Challenge at Historical Tapestry isn’t officially over until December 31, but since I know I won’t be reading any more historical fiction this year, I’m doing my wrap-up post a little early.
I chose to complete the Ancient History level of this challenge, which required me to read 25 or more books of historical fiction. Any subgenre of HF was welcome, including YA, fantasy, mystery, and romance. Here’s what I read:
- Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus
- Larry McMurtry, Lonesome Dove
- Phillip Rock, The Passing Bells
- Anne Fortier, Juliet
- Gail Carriger, Etiquette & Espionage
- Kathryn Miller Haines, The Winter of Her Discontent
- Hilary Reyl, Lessons in French
- Rainbow Rowell, Eleanor & Park
- J.J. Murphy, Murder Your Darlings
- Patrick deWitt, The Sisters Brothers
- Peter Ho Davies, The Welsh Girl
- Jude Morgan, A Little Folly
- Mary Stewart, The Crystal Cave
- Robin LaFevers, Grave Mercy
- Sharon Kay Penman, Time and Chance
- Marie Brennan, A Natural History of Dragons
- Patricia Wynn, The Birth of Blue Satan
- Lauren Willig, The Ashford Affair
- Dorothy Dunnett, Niccolò Rising
- Robin LaFevers, Dark Triumph
- Samuel Park, This Burns My Heart
- Charles Finch, A Death in the Small Hours
- Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers
- Stefanie Pintoff, In the Shadow of Gotham
- Charles Portis, True Grit
- Poul Anderson, A Midsummer Tempest
- Lauren Willig, The Passion of the Purple Plumeria
- Sharon Kay Penman, Devil’s Brood
- Rhys Bowen, Royal Blood
- Mary Stewart, The Hollow Hills
- Amy Patricia Meade, Million Dollar Baby
- Dai Sijie, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
- Mary Doria Russell, Doc
- Mary Stewart, The Last Enchantment
- Gail Carriger, Curtsies & Conspiracies
- Mary Doria Russell, Dreamers of the Day
- Ellis Peters, An Excellent Mystery
- Charles Finch, An Old Betrayal
- Kate Ross, Whom the Gods Love
Since historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, it was easy for me to complete this challenge. I read books whose settings ranged from the 12th century to the 1980s, and I really enjoyed most of them! Perhaps next year I’ll aim for 40 works of historical fiction. 🙂
You Book Me All Night Long 
Congratulations on completing the challenge with an outstanding number of books read and reviewed. I love historical fiction too, and recognize a few favorites among your titles. The Crystal Cave is my favorite of the Mary Stewart Merlin books, and I read Penman’s Sunne in Splendour this year and plan to read more of her next year. I can’t decide whether to read The Sisters Brothers or not–I’ve read such mixed reviews, so I guess I should read yours and then decide!
Happy New Year and Happy Reading…
I still have to read The Sunne in Splendour, but I love Penman’s other books! Her Welsh trilogy is my favorite so far. I also quite liked The Sisters Brothers, for what it’s worth, and I don’t read many Westerns.
That is some list! The Night Circus is one of my all-time favourite reads and I recently did a re-read and loved it just as much, if not more! Love the blog name btw! 🙂
Haha, thanks! I really loved the descriptions and setting of The Night Circus. I would love to see a film version, assuming they do it right!
Yes, I am quite nervous about the film version. If it’s done well, it’ll be amazing! If not…
I had to come say hi as I just went to my LibraryThing home page and saw that you are the LT user with a library most similar to mine and yet it does not appear that we have ever “met”! Obviously, I had to remedy that 🙂
Congrats on finishing this challenge! I am horrible at completing reading challenges. It must be my contrary nature 🙂
I’m glad you said hi! We’ll have to be LT friends now. 🙂