My suggestions are for anything by

Katherine Kurtz

If we haven't read any of hers then I suggest starting with

Deryni Rising by Katherine Kurtz

or

Camber of Culdi by Katherine Kurtz

No fantasy in Pillars of the Earth.

The Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Dragon Waiting by John M. Ford

Mary Stewart Crystal Cave the Legend of Merlyn.
I would love to read all this series again and this might give me the excuse to do it. Just re-read the once and future king so a different Arthurian one would be good.
And hear hear Julianna - not sure how "On the Beach" and some of the others fit the fantasy remit!

Ooh and just though of one not many people might have read but I thought it was really good -
The Book of Lost Things. Set in WW2 (or part of it is!)

I just want to thank the folks who are trying to keep the recommendations appropriate to the theme. While I didn't vote for this theme and I love science fiction, I think it is important to keep to the theme that was selected: historically-inspired fantasy.

I don't think there are any fantasy elements in Pillars of the Earth.

Eric wrote: "

In the Balance: An Alternate History of the Second World War by Harry Turtledove..." Those all sound like Historically inspired Sci-fi to me.

The Pillars of the Earth has been on my list for a while, but I thought it was straight up historical fiction. Are there fantasy elements involved?

Sons of Avalon: Merlin's Prophecy by Dee Marie

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

In the Balance: An Alternate History of the Second World War by Harry Turtledove

Aliens invade in the middle of WW2

The Cross-Time Engineer by Leo A. Frankowski

Modern engineer goes back in time to the dark ages in Poland and starts the industrial revolution to prepare for the impending mongol invaders. I must admit Conrad is a bit of a Mary Sue though.

On the Beach by Nevil Shute

The bombs have dropped and the whole planet is a radioactive wasteland. Except for a little patch of Australia where the fallout is slowly drifting in...

Blue Moon Rising by Simon R. Green

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/81088...

A lot of good suggestions up there, but the one for Romanitas, by Sophia McDougall caught my eye.

Historically based fantasy would be fantasy that has a basis in real, historical periods or events. A good example would be Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susannah Clarke or Little, Big by John Crowley or The Magicians and Mrs. Quent by Galen M. Beckett.

Historically inspired - containing or concerning characters, events, ideas or other elements from the past.

Fantasy - including elements and themes derived from myths, fairy tales, folklore such as; magic, gods or demigods, shapechanging, non-human people who are not from another planet etc.

Could you difine historically inspired fantasy.

No and no.
Hitchiker's Guide is set mostly in present day and is not fantasy.
Ender's Game is set in the future and is not fantasy.

Oh, o.k. how about:

Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

Schindler's List is a historical novel, not a historically inspired fantasy.

The Stand is a post-apocalyptic horror/science fiction novel, which is kind of the opposite of historically inspired fantasy.

The Stand by Stephen King

Schindler's List by Thomas Kennedy

Not sure if these are considered Historical fiction, but tell me if they are.

Me too, Laurel, he's the reason I voted for this theme! I wanted to nominate them all, but just picked my favorite and hoped someone else would chime in with others.

THE DIFFERENT ENGINE, William Gibson
LAST MAN OUT OF EUROPE, Roger Cottrell



Archangel by Sharon Shinn

[b:Kushiel's Dart|153008|Kushiel's Dart (Kushiel's L..."</i>

Zen wrote: "



Archangel by Sharon Shinn

[b:Kushiel's Dart|153008|Kushiel's Dart (Kushiel's L..."

Zen wrote: "



Archangel by Sharon Shinn

[b:Kushiel's Dart|153008|Kushiel's Dart (Kushiel's L..."

Nick Queen wrote: "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 ..."

The Difference Engine

Oh I thought of another one too ..

Sons of Avalon: Merlin's Prophecy

Its in the Arthurian line and is about Merlin.

I've thought of another one!

Pavane by Keith Roberts

Jim wrote: "Would it help if we linked them like:
Lord of Light by [a:Roger Zelazny|3619|Roger Zelazny|http:..."
Excellent suggestion, Jim! And here are five from me:

George Orwell 1984

Robert Silverberg Roma Eterna

Norman Spinrad Mexica

Vladimir Voinovich Moscow 2042

Roger Zelazny Lord of Light

The Once and Future King by T.H. White

Taliesin by Stephen Lawhead

Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny

Archangel by Sharon Shinn

Kushiel's Dart by Jaqueline Carey

Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny

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

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.

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.

The Egyptologist: A Novel by Arthur Phillips

The Shadow of Albion by Andre Norton

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

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.

Are there any Stephen King books in this genre?

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

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.

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.

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

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)

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

I second that.

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

Didn't the group just read this in December?

"

Yes

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

Didn't the group just read this in December?

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.

Ink and Steel by Elizabeth Bear

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

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

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.