Looks like we picked "Historically inspired fantasy" for our theme in February. Now, we need book suggestions then a book from that list. So, list your suggestions below. I'll give until Monday to start the final poll!

Once again, List them like this, please,for the love of God :-p

The Stand by Stephen King

If they are buried in a paragraph like this, The Stand by Stephen King, I won't include it. Be clear!

The Fox By Arlene Radasky

Would it help if we linked them like:
Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny?

This is my suggestion, BTW.

Tigana: 10th Anniversary Edition by Guy Gavriel Kay

The Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay

I guess I should at least offer up my book it fits the bill and is a new release.

The Mark of a Druid By Rhonda R Carpenter

As long as they are in that format, it will work! It helps when making the poll and ensures myself or a mod don't miss them.

How about:

The History Of Our World Beyond The Wave by R.E.KleinThe History Of Our World Beyond The Wave: A Fantasy

First, about format: why not make use of 'add book/author' and use Goodreads formatting to make title of book (and perhaps also author) into hyperlink to Goodreads description of the book? This way just like I did below...

Second, what does it mean "Historically inspired fantasy"? Does it mean book with plot inspired by historical events or character inspired by historical figure (like in "The General" series by S.M. Stirling, starting with The Forge, Raj Whitehall is inspired a bit on Belisarius; but those series are more of military scnece-fiction than fantasy)? Do the Alternate History books like His Majesty's Dragon or An Oblique Approach count?

Watchmen by Alan Moore

Also works well with the "about to become a movie" theme.

Conquistador by S.M. Sterling
Sailing to Sarantium by Guy Gavriel Kay

The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling

Thank you!
Nick Queen wrote: "As long as they are in that format, it will work! It helps when making the poll and ensures myself or a mod don't miss them."

Jakub, I'm not sure what criteria other people are using, but the author I nominated, Guy Gavriel Kay, uses actual historical locations/events/people and crafts them into a fantasy story.

http://www.brightweavings.com/reviews/hi... is a background on some of his historically-inspired fantasy novels, which might give you an idea on the theme.

Skystone Camulod Book 1 by Jack White
Lions of Al Rassan, by Guy Gavriel Kay
Romanitas, by Sophia McDougall

GHOSTS/ALIENS by Trey Hamburger (Sci-Fi Satire)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnM1G8S2u...

"Are you freaked out by the mere thought of a bird winking at you? Or do you panic when you hear an unexplained gurgling sound?

Well, listen to this. On Saturday, March 8, at 7:12 p.m., Trey Hamburger heard a second hand account of a teleporting Hot Pocket and started wiggin' out bad. So he and his amigo Mike Stevens basically went into combat mode and ended up encountering some of the most seriously messed-up shit ever. And they're STILL FREAKED OUT ABOUT IT. Now, even though these guys aren't scientists, it's pretty for sure that they might have extrapolated something HUGE, which will have the intellectual community going nuts for weeks.

This is their story.

Ghost/Aliens is probably the first time ever a regular person has investigated this sort of thing. So now the people of planet Earth will finally know the truth about all those levitating towels and dead grandpas popping up all over the place."

I nominated Lord of Light because it is about a religious war, set in the far future on a distant planet with Hindu gods, a man who becomes the Buddha in protest & an 'evil' zombie master. It's one of my favorite books & I'd love to discuss it with others. I think it has a lot of possibilities in it.

Hades' Daughter by Sara Douglass

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

And I'm already reading Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell for another book club so I could kill two birds with one stone there. :)

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

or any of the Sevenwaters Trilogy (although it is not a trilogy anymore) she just published a fourth Sevenwaters book in Nov 08 that unfortunately I have yet to read. Oh, so little time!

Ooo good series once you get used to her voice. I really enjoyed all of them.

Suzanne wrote: "Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

or any of the Sevenwaters Trilogy (although it is not a trilogy anymore) she just published a fourth Sevenwaters book in Nov 08 that unfortunately I ha..."

Kushiel's Dary by Jacqueline Carey

(Unless this has been done? I'm new =)

Fudoki by Kij Johnson

or

The Fox Woman by Kij Johnson

Dreaming the Eagle by Manda Scott

Robert wrote: "GHOSTS/ALIENS by Trey Hamburger (Sci-Fi Satire)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnM1G8S2u...

Robert, I can appreciate you want to hawk your own book, but can you please only do it in forums that apply to the topic?

This is clearly a thread looking for suggestions for FANTASY books, not for Science Fiction. Since you classify your book as SciFi Satire, get thee to another thread please, and stop mucking this one up.

Sheesh!

Time and Again - Jack Finney


Sarah Canary - Karen Joy Fowler

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Mark Twain

The Stress of Her Regard - Tim Powers

Seventh Son - Orson Scott Card

Illusion 0553560220 by Paula Volsky

Lots of parallels to the French Revolution, but in a world where aristocrats attained their power through possession of magical abilities - which are now waning.

I "think" this fits the bill - has fantasy (i.e magic) but is placed in England.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

Ink and Steel by Elizabeth Bear

His Majesty's Dragon -- Naomi Novik.

The Napoleonic wars told from the view of the dragon corps who serve as aerial support. A new look at dragons, and a well-written, well-researched story that takes us from England to China to Africa and back.

Megan wrote: "His Majesty's Dragon -- Naomi Novik.

Didn't the group just read this in December?

Maigan (Silverstein) wrote: "Megan wrote: "His Majesty's Dragon -- Naomi Novik.

Didn't the group just read this in December?

"

Yes

ArchMerc wrote: "The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling"

I second that.

The Sharing Knife by Lois McMaster Bujold

Firethorn by Sarah Micklem

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley

Goatsong by Tom Holt

The Once and Future King by T.H. White

I am new to the group so if you've read any of these before, sorry about that.

Newton's Cannon by J. Gregory Keyes (AKA Greg Keyes)

This is book one of the Age of Reason and a favorite of mine.

I don't think The Sharing Knife is historically inspired. I think its very good, but other than being set in a pre industrial agrarian economy I don't recall much in the way of parallels to any particular history.

Gilgamesh the king, by Robert Silverberg
Agent of Byzantium, by Harry Turtledove

MARCHING THROUGH PEACHTREE by Harry Turtledove

LEST DARKNESS FALL by L. Sprague De Camp

STARS & STRIPES FOREVER by Harry Harrison

(though this last one is better described as an "alternate history" than a fantasy inspired by history)

The Dragon Waiting: A Masque of History Paperback, John Ford - magic, vampires, lust, intrigue & a diabolically evil Byzantine Empire!

BunWat wrote: "I don't think The Sharing Knife is historically inspired. I think its very good, but other than being set in a pre industrial agrarian economy I don't recall much in the way of parallels to any pa..."

True...I wasn't sure whether it would count or not. Does it have to be about actual historical events? If so "Outlaws of Sherwood" which is about Robin Hood and "Once and Future King" which is about King Arthur & Merlin may not either. Goatsong & Outlander should work however.

Hmm MB, well I guess we can decide how we want to define it. My take is, I feel like there should be some recognizable parallels to a particular period of history - not just a generally medieval or iron age, or industrial age feel. But it doesn't have to be as specific as an alternate history, where there is some particular event that happened differently and spawned a different timeline than the one we live in.

Terence, your link is going to a different book than the one you described. Its going to a Loveswept romance.

I second (or third) the nomination of:

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna ClarkeJonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

or I am always game for a good Arthurian legend like

Mists of Avalon The Mists of Avalon
or
The Once and Future King The Once and Future King

or taking some of the history out of historical and into conspiracy with a good illuminati book such as

The Illuminatus Trilogy The Illuminatus! Trilogy: The Eye in the Pyramid, The Golden Apple, Leviathan

Are there any Stephen King books in this genre?

Black Ships by Jo Graham
Inspired by the fall of Troy.

The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker
Inspired by the crusades.


Soldier of the Mist by Gene Wolfe
Inspired by ancient Greece.

My suggestions:

The Proteus Operation by James Hogan

The Plot Against America by Philip Roth

The Difference Engine by Gibson and Sterling

Three Hearts and Three Lions by Poul Anderson

The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay

Celestial Matters by Richard Garfinkle

The Shadow of Albion by Andre Norton

The Egyptologist: A Novel by Arthur Phillips

Heaven's Net Is Wide by Lian Hearn

or

Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn

Both of these books are inspired by feudal Japan.

i think these two listed below fits the ticket;

Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
save the best for last by kim hanks [new release:]

they're both inspired by historical events.

I heart every single one of you who nominated Guy Gavriel Kay! I'm crossing all of my fingers!

Archangel by Sharon Shinn

Kushiel's Dart by Jaqueline Carey

Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny