Genre

Historical Fiction Books

Historical fiction brings real eras to life through invented (and sometimes real) characters. Our focus is on queer history and the 19th century, plus classics written in their own time.

This list collects 2,657 books tagged Historical Fiction by 1,470 authors, published between 1472 and 2026. 897 are free to read and 628 have a free audiobook. Books are ranked by how many readers have shelved, rated or downloaded them.

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Common tropes in Historical Fiction

From Wikipedia

Historical fiction is a literary genre in which a fictitious plot takes place in the setting of particular real historical events. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to other types of narrative, including theatre, opera, cinema, and television, as well as video games and graphic novels.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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Top Historical Fiction authors

Related genres

Frequently asked questions

What are the most popular Historical Fiction books?

By reader shelving on Open Library and downloads, the most popular include Pride and Prejudice (1813), Wuthering Heights (1846), The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890), Dracula (1897) and Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818).

Are there free Historical Fiction books?

Yes — 897 historical fiction titles are in the public domain and free to read, including Pride and Prejudice (1813), Wuthering Heights (1846) and The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890).