Ranked · Culture
Best historical novels of all time
The ten best historical novels to read in 2026, from Wolf Hall and The Name of the Rose to Shōgun and Hamnet, with setting, author and who each suits.
Bitezine Editorial TeamRankings, reviews & guides 9 min read
AI generatedThe best historical novels bring the past to life through people who feel real, while staying true to the world they lived in. The ten below are the best historical fiction books according to prize juries, critics and readers, and they cover ancient Rome, medieval Europe, Tudor England, feudal Japan, 19th-century America and the Second World War.
We compared prize lists, including the Booker and the Pulitzer, along with critics' rankings and reader polls, and selected historical novels of all time that keep coming up. We looked for a spread of periods and styles, from literary historical fiction to page-turning epics, and for each book we list the author, year and setting.
At a glance
#1 · Best for Literary fiction readers
Wolf Hall
Tudor England from the inside
Hilary Mantel follows Thomas Cromwell, a blacksmith's son who rises to become Henry VIII's most powerful adviser. Told in a close, present-tense voice, the novel makes court politics feel tense and immediate. It won the Booker Prize, as did its sequel Bring Up the Bodies.
- Booker Prize winner
- First of a trilogy
- Tudor court politics
- Distinctive narrative voice
- Author
- Hilary Mantel
- Published
- 2009
- Setting
- Tudor England, 1500s
#2 · Best for Mystery lovers
The Name of the Rose
A medieval murder mystery with depth
In 1327, the Franciscan friar William of Baskerville and his young companion Adso investigate a series of deaths in an Italian abbey. Umberto Eco combines a detective plot with debates about faith, power and books. It is a clever puzzle and a rich portrait of medieval thought.
- Monastery murder mystery
- Philosophical and witty
- Famous hidden library
- Adapted for film and TV
- Author
- Umberto Eco
- Published
- 1980
- Setting
- Italy, 1327
#3 · Best for Fans of ancient history
I, Claudius
Rome's scandals told by an insider
Robert Graves writes as the emperor Claudius, looking back on the plotting, poisonings and madness of the early Roman imperial family. The narrator is dry, sharp and unexpectedly funny. The story continues in Claudius the God, and both books inspired a celebrated BBC series.
- First-person imperial memoir
- Palace intrigue
- Sequel: Claudius the God
- Classic BBC adaptation
- Author
- Robert Graves
- Published
- 1934
- Setting
- Ancient Rome
#4 · Best for Readers who want an epic
The Pillars of the Earth
A cathedral-sized page-turner
Ken Follett builds a sweeping story around the construction of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge during a civil war in 12th-century England. Builders, monks, nobles and outlaws all fight for survival and power. It is long but moves fast, and it begins the Kingsbridge series.
- Epic multi-generation plot
- Medieval building and politics
- First Kingsbridge novel
- Very easy to read
- Author
- Ken Follett
- Published
- 1989
- Setting
- England, 12th century
#5 · Best for Book clubs
All the Light We Cannot See
Two lives in the Second World War
A blind French girl and a German orphan with a talent for radios move towards each other as the war reaches the coastal town of Saint-Malo. Anthony Doerr uses short chapters and vivid detail to build real tension. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
- Pulitzer Prize winner
- Short, gripping chapters
- WWII France and Germany
- Adapted as a TV series
- Author
- Anthony Doerr
- Published
- 2014
- Setting
- France and Germany, 1930s–1940s
#6 · Best for Serious literary readers
Beloved
A haunting reckoning with slavery
In Ohio after the American Civil War, Sethe, who escaped slavery, lives in a house haunted by the ghost of her daughter. Toni Morrison draws on a real case to explore memory, trauma and love. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize and is central to Morrison's Nobel-winning body of work.
- Pulitzer Prize winner
- Inspired by a real case
- Poetic, demanding prose
- Blends history and the supernatural
- Author
- Toni Morrison
- Published
- 1987
- Setting
- Ohio, 1870s
#7 · Best for Western fans
Lonesome Dove
The great American western
Retired Texas Rangers Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call drive a herd of cattle from Texas to Montana in the 1870s. Larry McMurtry balances humour and tragedy across a long, character-rich journey. It won the Pulitzer Prize and became a popular TV miniseries.
- Pulitzer Prize winner
- Epic cattle drive
- Memorable friendship
- Funny and tragic
- Author
- Larry McMurtry
- Published
- 1985
- Setting
- American West, 1870s
#8 · Best for Readers who want a shorter book
Hamnet
Shakespeare's family, reimagined
Maggie O'Farrell tells the story of the playwright's wife, Agnes, and the death of their young son Hamnet in Stratford. Shakespeare himself is never named, which keeps the focus on grief, marriage and home. The novel won the Women's Prize for Fiction and was adapted for film.
- Women's Prize for Fiction winner
- Focus on Shakespeare's wife
- Short and lyrical
- Adapted as a feature film
- Author
- Maggie O'Farrell
- Published
- 2020
- Setting
- England, 1580s–1590s
#9 · Best for Readers who like classics
The Leopard
A prince watches his world end
Don Fabrizio, Prince of Salina, sees the old Sicilian aristocracy give way during Italy's unification in the 1860s. Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's only novel was published after his death and is famous for its elegant, ironic reflections on change. Luchino Visconti turned it into a celebrated film.
- Published after the author's death
- Italian unification backdrop
- Elegant, reflective prose
- Classic Visconti film
- Author
- Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
- Published
- 1958
- Setting
- Sicily, 1860s
#10 · Best for Readers who love big adventures
Shōgun
Feudal Japan on a grand scale
English navigator John Blackthorne is shipwrecked in Japan in 1600 and pulled into a power struggle among warlords. James Clavell packs the long novel with politics, culture clashes and action. It inspired a 1980 miniseries and an award-winning 2024 TV adaptation.
- Inspired by navigator William Adams
- Feudal Japanese politics
- Long, gripping epic
- Emmy-winning 2024 series
- Author
- James Clavell
- Published
- 1975
- Setting
- Japan, 1600
How to choose
Pick a period you are already curious about. Fans of Tudor novels should start with Wolf Hall, readers drawn to best medieval novels will enjoy The Pillars of the Earth or The Name of the Rose, and anyone interested in the war years can turn to All the Light We Cannot See, one of the best World War II novels of recent decades.
Then consider the style. The Pillars of the Earth, Shōgun and Lonesome Dove are long, gripping stories that work well as historical fiction for beginners. Wolf Hall, Beloved and The Leopard are more literary and reward slower reading, which makes them strong historical fiction book club picks. Several of these books also begin a historical fiction series, so a good first read can keep you busy for months.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best historical fiction book of all time?
+
Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall is often named the finest historical novel of recent decades and won the Booker Prize. Older classics such as War and Peace, I, Claudius and The Leopard are also frequently ranked at the very top.
What is a good historical fiction book for beginners?
+
The Pillars of the Earth and All the Light We Cannot See are easy to get into, with clear plots and strong characters. Hamnet is shorter and very readable too.
Is Wolf Hall hard to read?
+
It can take a few chapters to settle in, mainly because Mantel often refers to Thomas Cromwell simply as "he". Once you adjust to the style, most readers find it absorbing, and it continues in Bring Up the Bodies and The Mirror and the Light.
What are the best historical novels set in the Middle Ages?
+
The Pillars of the Earth, set in 12th-century England, and The Name of the Rose, set in a 14th-century Italian abbey, are the best-known medieval novels. Follett's Kingsbridge series continues in World Without End.
Which historical novels have won the Pulitzer Prize?
+
Beloved, Lonesome Dove and All the Light We Cannot See all won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Many other winners, such as Gone with the Wind, are also historical novels.
Is Shōgun based on a true story?
+
Shōgun is fiction, but its hero John Blackthorne is inspired by William Adams, an English navigator who reached Japan in 1600 and became an adviser to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Many characters are loosely based on real historical figures.
What is the difference between historical fiction and a history book?
+
A history book aims to report what happened based on evidence. Historical fiction invents characters, dialogue or events within a real historical setting, so it should be enjoyed as a story rather than relied on as a source.
Wolf Hall is our top pick for its voice and ambition, but every book here offers a vivid way into another time. Choose the period that interests you most, and let the best historical fiction do what history lessons often cannot: make the past feel lived in.
How we research: We compare each product on the same criteria, using makers’ documentation, independent reviews and owner feedback, and re-check the list when products change.
Written by
Bitezine Editorial Team
Rankings, reviews & guides
Our editors research every piece from makers’ documentation, independent tests and owner reports, and update it when products change.
