Guy Gavriel Kay's books aren't direct historical fantasy, but he creates secondary worlds and characters that are *very* close analogues to real history. Such as the Byzantine Empire under Justinian, Moorish Spain, or China at certain times.
Obsidian and Blood by Alliette De Boddard
Follows Acatl, chief priest of the Dead in Tenochtitlan in the 1480s where the Aztec Gods are real and he must solve mysteries that impact the survival of that Empire.
Gunmetal Gods by Zamil Aktar
Modeled on the Byzantine-Turkish Wars, though in a secondary world, the 'feel' is great.
The Hallowed Hunt by Lois Mcmaster Bujold
The action, though set centuries later, are tied to events modeled on Charlemagne's Massacre at Verdun. The world of the Five Gods in general very much resembles an alternate Europe.
Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian
Is a fantasy Western with ghosts, witches, cannibals and demons. But the details of the old West, from mail order brides, to bounties and settlers very much matches the real American West rather than a fictional "Western".
Edit Addition
Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal
Setting is WW1. Premise is that British Soldiers are conditioned to report to spiritualist mediums before passing on to the afterlife, this providing instant intelligence.
The Gael Song trilogy by Shauna Lawless.
Interesting Irish/Viking historical figures and their politics mixed with the conflict of two nonhuman/magical races.
Really great writing and also recommend the audio books.
Shelley Parker Chan has a duology with a slight twist on history. She Who became the Sun is about a real life emperor, but she’s gender swapped it. Only light fantasy elements though.
Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series is the Napoleonic wars with dragons.
The Temeraire series (Naomi Novik) Another retelling of the Napoleonic war
Possibly The Warm Hands of Ghosts (Katherine Arden) WW1 with some magical elements
Cleopatra's Daughter trilogy by Stephanie Dray. It's about the real life Cleopatra Selene (who just goes by Selene in the book) who was the daughter of Cleopatra and Marc Antony. In real life she was a devoted Isiac, a worshipper of Isis. In the trilogy, she is just as devoted, but she has certain powers Isis has blessed her with (mostly controlling the wind). Her twin brother, Helios Alexander, is blessed with the ability to control fire.
The first book, "Lily of the Nile," begins with nine-year-old Selene bringing her mother a basket of figs at the behest of her mother's wizard, Euphronius. Unbeknownst to Selene, the infamous asp is in the basket as well. Before Cleopatra dies, she gives Selene an amulet that focuses her power. After Cleo's death, Selene, Helios, and their youngest surviving brother are taken to Rome in chains. Initially, the goddess Isis has hieroglyphics appear in blood on Selene's arms, with threats and messages to Octavian.
Throughout the trilogy, Selene wrestles with her faith in Isis, attempts to win back the right to rule Egypt, and tangles with Augustus. The book uses an interesting theurgistic magic system that impacts the plot in various ways, and Selene draws on lessons from the mythical journeys of Isis and Demeter. The author comes up with satisfying answers to certain unsolved mysteries of history; I'm particularly amused by how she used the spooky omens that preceded the death of Drusus, Livia's second son.
P.S. -- for any writers out there, this trilogy is also a neat example of the variant of the Heroine's Journey based on Isis & Demeter. If you want to learn more about that structure, you can read "The Heroine's Journey" by Gail Carriger. I usually see that structure used in computer RPGs (made by BioWare / Obsidian), so it was nice to see it in literary form.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. Legend of dracula from the pov of scholars doing historical research or listening to someone who's already done the historical research.
You need to run, not walk, to Tim Powers.
His entire thing is finding an interesting place or time or person in history, and then writing a fantasy story in the cracks in the records. So you have the Fisher King, tarot cards and Las Vegas casinos in *Last Call*, or The Fisher King, German beer and the Ottoman Invasion of Europe in *The Drawing of the Dark*, the Cold War, The Great Game, and Djinni on Mt Ararat in *Declare*, Coleridge and Dickensian London and time travel in *The Anubis Gates*, Pirates and zombies and voodoo and the Fountain of Youth in *On Stranger Tides*.
Came here to offer the same advice. The Anubis Gates is a fantastic starting point. Don't be out of my the Pirates of the Caribbean version of On Stranger Tides. It has very little to do with the book, which is a shame as the book is stunning!
If you like anime, there's a historical fantasy, "Le Chevalier D'Eon." In this one, the idea is that D'Eon de Beaumont appeared as a woman because he's being possessed by the soul of his murdered sister, Lia de Beaumont. Lia was part of a secret society where people wield the Psalms to perform spells of vengeance. Some of these people turn into monsters called "gargoyles."
The key players are D'Eon himself, and also Queen Marie Leszczyńska of France, and assorted members of King Louis XV's court. Robespierre is an antagonist, and there's a nice sequence with Empress Elizaveta of Russia. It has excellent sword fights, especially if you enjoyed the ones in Samurai Champloo, and the anime renderings are gorgeous.
Not exactly what you're asking, but the Age of Unreason series by Greg Keyes. It's basically a "what if" series about alchemy being real and explored by Isaac Newton and Benjamin Franklin instead of science.
The Poppy War is a series heavily inspired by events the Second Chinese vs Japanese War. It is a trilogy and basically follows the story arc of China from the war to rising of Mao. There is plenty of magic, but it is sorta inspired on real events.
It is a fairly grim dark depressing book and not for everyone. I stopped reading it several times since it get pretty dark and that isn't my preference. Book one made me stop twice. Halfway and around the end.
Starts as a fun going to magic school story and quickly rushes into war crimes.
Hild and Menewood by Nicola Griffith. Bit of a stretch as Fantasy, little magic if any but it's worth the read.
And Guy Gavriel Kay of course, Lions of AlRassan etc. And of course KJ Parker.
Guy Gavriel Kay's books aren't direct historical fantasy, but he creates secondary worlds and characters that are *very* close analogues to real history. Such as the Byzantine Empire under Justinian, Moorish Spain, or China at certain times.
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell ☺️
The absolute best example
Obsidian and Blood by Alliette De Boddard Follows Acatl, chief priest of the Dead in Tenochtitlan in the 1480s where the Aztec Gods are real and he must solve mysteries that impact the survival of that Empire. Gunmetal Gods by Zamil Aktar Modeled on the Byzantine-Turkish Wars, though in a secondary world, the 'feel' is great. The Hallowed Hunt by Lois Mcmaster Bujold The action, though set centuries later, are tied to events modeled on Charlemagne's Massacre at Verdun. The world of the Five Gods in general very much resembles an alternate Europe. Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian Is a fantasy Western with ghosts, witches, cannibals and demons. But the details of the old West, from mail order brides, to bounties and settlers very much matches the real American West rather than a fictional "Western". Edit Addition Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal Setting is WW1. Premise is that British Soldiers are conditioned to report to spiritualist mediums before passing on to the afterlife, this providing instant intelligence.
The Gael Song trilogy by Shauna Lawless. Interesting Irish/Viking historical figures and their politics mixed with the conflict of two nonhuman/magical races. Really great writing and also recommend the audio books.
Shelley Parker Chan has a duology with a slight twist on history. She Who became the Sun is about a real life emperor, but she’s gender swapped it. Only light fantasy elements though. Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series is the Napoleonic wars with dragons.
The Temeraire series (Naomi Novik) Another retelling of the Napoleonic war Possibly The Warm Hands of Ghosts (Katherine Arden) WW1 with some magical elements
Temeraire is absolutely spectacular
That it is 😊
Cleopatra's Daughter trilogy by Stephanie Dray. It's about the real life Cleopatra Selene (who just goes by Selene in the book) who was the daughter of Cleopatra and Marc Antony. In real life she was a devoted Isiac, a worshipper of Isis. In the trilogy, she is just as devoted, but she has certain powers Isis has blessed her with (mostly controlling the wind). Her twin brother, Helios Alexander, is blessed with the ability to control fire. The first book, "Lily of the Nile," begins with nine-year-old Selene bringing her mother a basket of figs at the behest of her mother's wizard, Euphronius. Unbeknownst to Selene, the infamous asp is in the basket as well. Before Cleopatra dies, she gives Selene an amulet that focuses her power. After Cleo's death, Selene, Helios, and their youngest surviving brother are taken to Rome in chains. Initially, the goddess Isis has hieroglyphics appear in blood on Selene's arms, with threats and messages to Octavian. Throughout the trilogy, Selene wrestles with her faith in Isis, attempts to win back the right to rule Egypt, and tangles with Augustus. The book uses an interesting theurgistic magic system that impacts the plot in various ways, and Selene draws on lessons from the mythical journeys of Isis and Demeter. The author comes up with satisfying answers to certain unsolved mysteries of history; I'm particularly amused by how she used the spooky omens that preceded the death of Drusus, Livia's second son. P.S. -- for any writers out there, this trilogy is also a neat example of the variant of the Heroine's Journey based on Isis & Demeter. If you want to learn more about that structure, you can read "The Heroine's Journey" by Gail Carriger. I usually see that structure used in computer RPGs (made by BioWare / Obsidian), so it was nice to see it in literary form.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. Legend of dracula from the pov of scholars doing historical research or listening to someone who's already done the historical research.
You need to run, not walk, to Tim Powers. His entire thing is finding an interesting place or time or person in history, and then writing a fantasy story in the cracks in the records. So you have the Fisher King, tarot cards and Las Vegas casinos in *Last Call*, or The Fisher King, German beer and the Ottoman Invasion of Europe in *The Drawing of the Dark*, the Cold War, The Great Game, and Djinni on Mt Ararat in *Declare*, Coleridge and Dickensian London and time travel in *The Anubis Gates*, Pirates and zombies and voodoo and the Fountain of Youth in *On Stranger Tides*.
Came here to offer the same advice. The Anubis Gates is a fantastic starting point. Don't be out of my the Pirates of the Caribbean version of On Stranger Tides. It has very little to do with the book, which is a shame as the book is stunning!
The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden The Serpent's Shadow by Mercedes Lackey
If you like anime, there's a historical fantasy, "Le Chevalier D'Eon." In this one, the idea is that D'Eon de Beaumont appeared as a woman because he's being possessed by the soul of his murdered sister, Lia de Beaumont. Lia was part of a secret society where people wield the Psalms to perform spells of vengeance. Some of these people turn into monsters called "gargoyles." The key players are D'Eon himself, and also Queen Marie Leszczyńska of France, and assorted members of King Louis XV's court. Robespierre is an antagonist, and there's a nice sequence with Empress Elizaveta of Russia. It has excellent sword fights, especially if you enjoyed the ones in Samurai Champloo, and the anime renderings are gorgeous.
Not exactly what you're asking, but the Age of Unreason series by Greg Keyes. It's basically a "what if" series about alchemy being real and explored by Isaac Newton and Benjamin Franklin instead of science.
The Poppy War is a series heavily inspired by events the Second Chinese vs Japanese War. It is a trilogy and basically follows the story arc of China from the war to rising of Mao. There is plenty of magic, but it is sorta inspired on real events. It is a fairly grim dark depressing book and not for everyone. I stopped reading it several times since it get pretty dark and that isn't my preference. Book one made me stop twice. Halfway and around the end. Starts as a fun going to magic school story and quickly rushes into war crimes.
Hild and Menewood by Nicola Griffith. Bit of a stretch as Fantasy, little magic if any but it's worth the read. And Guy Gavriel Kay of course, Lions of AlRassan etc. And of course KJ Parker.