The best historical fiction books combine a novelist’s storytelling with a historian’s detail, and the right pick depends on the era you want. Start with medieval England, Tudor court drama or World War II, then match scale and tone to how you read.
This guide groups picks by period and says who each suits. For wider recommendations beyond this genre, browse our best books to read.
Why historical fiction works, and what that means for your pick
Historical fiction covers a wide range of books set in the past. According to Five Books, the strongest examples combine the imagination and storytelling skills of the novelist with the historian’s detail and accuracy. That pairing explains most of what separates a memorable historical novel from a forgettable one.
The practical consequence is that a book can fail in two different ways. A novel heavy on research but light on character can read like a lecture in costume. A page-turner with thin period detail can feel like a modern story with old furniture. When you compare candidates, ask which half matters more to you before you ask which title is most praised.
That question is easier to answer once you know where reliable recommendations come from, which is where awards help.
Using prizes and shortlists to narrow the field
Prizes are the quickest filter because someone else has already read widely. The annual Walter Scott Prize is named after the pioneering Scottish novelist, and Five Books describes it as a great place to start. Its judges make an annual shortlist of the best new historical novels published over the previous twelve months, so it works as a guide to what is current rather than to the classics.
The Booker Prize is a different kind of guide. Five Books surveys past Booker Prize-winning historical novels, among them Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, and says the list sweeps readers from Tudor England to 20th-century India by way of the 19th-century Australian outback. If you want variety of place as well as period, that list is a good place to browse.
A prize tells you a panel admired a book. It does not tell you whether the pace, length or setting suits you, so use the era groupings below to narrow the choice further.
Best historical fiction by era at a glance
The table groups well-regarded titles by setting and says what each grouping suits. Release years and average ratings come from Goodreads’ historical fiction shelf, and settings from a reader-curated list of highly rated titles.
| Era or setting | Titles | Released and rated | Planning use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medieval England | The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett | Published 1989; average rating 4.35 | Choose for a long, immersive epic you can live in for weeks. |
| Tudor England | Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel; The Other Boleyn Girl | Wolf Hall published 2009; average rating 3.92 | Choose for court politics, either as literary prize fiction or as a story from the edge of the throne. |
| World War II | The Bronze Horseman; Atonement | Set during World War II and, for Atonement, in the years before and after | Choose by whether you want a besieged city or a family drama. |
| Reader favourites on the shelf | The Book Thief by Markus Zusak; All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr; The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah | Published 2005, 2014 and 2015; average ratings 4.39, 4.30 and 4.65 | Read the blurb for each setting before you commit, then use as crowd-pleasing options. |
Figures are drawn from Goodreads’ historical fiction shelf and settings from Book Thoughts From Bed.
Medieval and early-period settings
Medieval England is the clearest case for readers who want to be absorbed. Book Thoughts From Bed calls The Pillars of the Earth Ken Follett’s epic historical fiction novel set in medieval England, and the word epic is the guide here: it suits readers who like to settle into one world for a long stretch and are happy to let the setting unfold slowly.
It is a poorer fit if you read in short bursts or want a quick, contained story. In that case a shorter novel from another era will give more satisfaction per session.
Readers who enjoy that sprawling, invented-feeling scale may also like the large casts and long arcs covered in The Best Fantasy Book Series For Adults In 2026: 6 Series Worth Your Time.
Tudor England and court fiction
Tudor England is the era most often linked with prize-winning historical fiction. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel appears among the Booker Prize-winning historical novels listed by Five Books, and Goodreads shows it as the first book in a Thomas Cromwell series. Choose it if you want literary ambition and are comfortable with a demanding, political story that rewards close attention.
If you would rather see the court from another angle, Book Thoughts From Bed notes that The Other Boleyn Girl imagines the life of Mary Boleyn at the Tudor court. That makes it a good companion for readers who prefer a personal story set against a famous period.
Best historical fiction for World War II
Wartime fiction is the most crowded corner of the genre, so pick by the kind of story you want rather than by the war alone. Two titles show how different the experience can be.
- The Bronze Horseman: Book Thoughts From Bed describes it as set against the backdrop of World War II and the siege of Leningrad. It suits readers who want a wartime setting at the centre of the story.
- Atonement: the same list says it centres on a British upper-class family in the days leading up to World War II. It suits readers who prefer a domestic, character-led story where the war shapes lives from the edges.
If you are new to the period, start with the one whose setting you find more compelling and read a few pages of each in a bookshop or sample before deciding.
How to choose a historical novel you will finish
Work through these steps in order; each narrows the choice a little further.
- Pick the period first. Medieval England, Tudor courts and World War II feel very different, and enthusiasm for the setting carries you through slow chapters.
- Decide on scale. A long epic and a compact domestic novel suit different reading routines. Be honest about your available time.
- Check where the strength lies. Because the genre combines a novelist’s storytelling with a historian’s accuracy, decide whether you want plot-led reading or detail-led reading, then pick accordingly.
- Use prize lists as a shortlist, not a verdict. Walter Scott and Booker lists are strong starting points, and your own taste decides the rest.
- Sample before you buy. Read the opening pages. If the voice does not draw you in, move to the next candidate.
Readers who like to study as they read can apply the same sample-first habit to non-fiction, for example with The 6 Best Chess Books for Beginners (2026): Learn Faster, Play Smarter.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find the newest strong historical novels?
The Walter Scott Prize shortlist is a good place to look. Five Books features judge Katharine Grant recommending the five books that made the 2026 shortlist.
Does a high Goodreads rating make a book better?
Not necessarily. On Goodreads, The Nightingale averages 4.65 while Wolf Hall averages 3.92 from 241,887 ratings, yet Wolf Hall is a Booker Prize-winning historical novel. Ratings reflect crowd enjoyment, and prizes reflect a judging panel’s view, so use both.
Where can I read about how Hilary Mantel handles history?
The Historical Novel Society published an article on Hilary Mantel’s compromise between Then and Now on May 30, 2013. Its 2013 Masterclass series on Walter Scott Prize shortlisted authors also covered her on June 8, 2013.
