What Story is Missing?

[Adrian]

Is there a story you'd love to read that no-one's written yet? (As far as you know...)

What epoch?

What particular question would you like to see explored and/or resolved? Maybe it already has and others can alert you to a perticular book...

There's millions I'd like to read but one that springs to mind immediately is a deep psychological investigation of Henry V, or Richard II and Wat Tyler.

[V.M.]

Henry V would be interesting. I also would be interested in Henry VII. Many years ago (by that I mean decades) there was a TV series (dramatised) about him. He sounded a fascinating and complex character. Much more interesting than his som, who is done to death.

[Fiona]

Oh so many I'd like to read about:

- The Minoan civilization at the time of the Santorini eruption

- The court of Restoration London from the viewpoint of Charles II's wife, Caterina of Braganza (the mistresses have had their time in the sun long enough)

- The life of Nzinga Mbande, Angolan queen: https://www.rejectedprincesses.com/pr...

[Ashley Marie]

I would love more German history, 19th century and earlier, as the 20th century and both world wars have been overdone. The Ludwig Conspiracy got me interested in Ludwig II and now I want more!

[Gretchen, Keep your head up or the crown slips]

Fiona wrote: "Oh so many I'd like to read about:

- The Minoan civilization at the time of the Santorini eruption

- The court of Restoration London from the viewpoint of Charles II's wife, Caterina of Braganza ..."

Jean Plaidy has a book from Catherine's perspective. It's a bit dated but I still found it to be an enjoyable read.

The Merry Monarch's Wife

[Abigail]

My bent is toward more personal histories instead of the histories of rulers and other famous people--what some people call "period fiction" instead of "historical fiction," though I think of it more as a subset (guided in that view by one of the nice moderators here). If one thinks of the lives of ordinary people in a particular historical period, the possibilities are endless.

[Tania]

V.M. wrote: "Henry V would be interesting. I also would be interested in Henry VII. Many years ago (by that I mean decades) there was a TV series (dramatised) about him. He sounded a fascinating and complex cha..."

I read a book which I enjoyed called The Lady of the Ravens set i Henry VII's court; I wouldn't like to say it's acurate, as I know little of the period, but I liked it.

[Adrian]

Abigail wrote: "My bent is toward more personal histories instead of the histories of rulers and other famous people--what some people call "period fiction" instead of "historical fiction," though I think of it mo..."

It strikes me that unless you're paying due attention to this - regardless of your subject - then you haven't put in the research to do justice to your story, whatever the epoch.

As I've said before, for me the great joy of HF is perceiving the alien minds of the past.

[Adrian]

Which is why I think Hilary Mantel is such a genius.

[Abigail]

Sounds like an interesting character, Tim! Sounds like he had a lot to overcome.

[Tim]

Absolutely!

[William]

An alternative history that assumes the JFK assassination never took place.

[Fiona]

William wrote: "An alternative history that assumes the JFK assassination never took place."

There are so many possibilities for alternative history:
- What if Elizabeth I married and had children?
- What if the Chinese discovered America before the Europeans?
- What if India had never been conquered by Britain?

[Gretchen, Keep your head up or the crown slips]

Fiona wrote: "William wrote: "An alternative history that assumes the JFK assassination never took place."

There are so many possibilities for alternative history:
- What if Elizabeth I married and had children..."

There is actually a series that follows an alternate Tudor timeline. It starts with The Boleyn King

[Fiona]

Gretchen wrote: "There is actually a series that follows an alternate Tudor timeline. It starts with The Boleyn King"

Thanks Gretchen. I must look into that series.

[Kathryn]

Fiona wrote: "William wrote: "An alternative history that assumes the JFK assassination never took place."

There are so many possibilities for alternative history:
- What if Elizabeth I married and had children..."
What if the American Civil War had never been fought? Or if a peace had been reached short of unconditional surrender?

[Gin]

William wrote: "An alternative history that assumes the JFK assassination never took place."

I think Stephen King did a fabulous job with this in his book 11-22-63. Have you read it? Loved it!

[Kathryn]

Gin wrote: "William wrote: "An alternative history that assumes the JFK assassination never took place."

I think Stephen King did a fabulous job with this in his book 11-22-63. Have you read it? Loved it!"
I loved that book! I don't usually read Stephen King, but a friend urged me to read it and lent it to me and I couldn't put it down. I was on a business trip while I was reading it and I sneaked away from a fancy party early just to finish reading that book!

[William]

Gin wrote: "William wrote: "An alternative history that assumes the JFK assassination never took place."

I think Stephen King did a fabulous job with this in his book 11-22-63. Have you read it? Loved it!"

It's been a while, but I do remember enjoying it. For some reason, however, for me, it is not as memorable a book as some of his earlier works. Not sure why that is. But I have pretty clear recollections of The Stand, It, Insomnia, and Salem's Lot. 11/22/63, not as much. Maybe that's one I'll put on my re-read list.

[Jasmine, Gatekeeper of Giveaways.]

The story of Nakano Takeko and her female unit.

I also want a HF on the White Rose resistance during WWII.

[Simon]

Jasmine wrote: "The story of Nakano Takeko and her female unit.

I also want a HF on the White Rose resistance during WWII."

I haven't read it, but have heard V.S. Alexander's The Traitor has to do with the White Rose resistance during WWII.

[Herman]

Jasmine wrote: "The story of Nakano Takeko and her female unit.

I also want a HF on the White Rose resistance during WWII."

ahhh the white rose I remember them and the Red Orchestra in Berlin, one of them was a lady from Wisconsin she was the only american killed by the Gestapo during WWII remember some right wing religious group was asking for hero submissions and I'm sure I pissed them off by nominating a dedicated communist. Do not have a good historical fiction account about the the White Rose to recommend but I strongly recommend this book Alone in Berlin very well written by someone who lived through that and died shortly after the war.

[Ashley Marie]

Kathryn wrote: "What if the American Civil War had never been fought? Or if a peace had been reached short of unconditional surrender?"

It's a bit of dark urban fantasy, but I deeply loved Justina Ireland's Dread Nation duology - what if the dead had risen up from Gettysburg?

[Cheryl A]

Jasmine wrote: "The story of Nakano Takeko and her female unit.

I also want a HF on the White Rose resistance during WWII."

There is a great YA novel - White Rose by Kip Wilson - beautifully told in verse. This was that made the short list for my library's Mock Printz committee. Just thinking about it make me want to cry - very powerful.

[Jasmine, Gatekeeper of Giveaways.]

Herman wrote: "Jasmine wrote: "The story of Nakano Takeko and her female unit.

I also want a HF on the White Rose resistance during WWII."

ahhh the white rose I remember them and the Red Orchestra in Berlin, o..."
Thanks for the recommendation!

[Jasmine, Gatekeeper of Giveaways.]

Cheryl A wrote: "Jasmine wrote: "The story of Nakano Takeko and her female unit.

I also want a HF on the White Rose resistance during WWII."

There is a great YA novel - White Rose by [author:Kip ..."

I love a novel in verse. Thanks!

[Jasmine, Gatekeeper of Giveaways.]

Simon wrote: "Jasmine wrote: "The story of Nakano Takeko and her female unit.

I also want a HF on the White Rose resistance during WWII."

I haven't read it, but have heard V.S. Alexander's [book:The Traitor|5..."

Thanks. I haven't heard of this one.

[Adrian]

Has anyone ever dared to write a serious dramatisation of the life of JC?

That's a fairly obvious one but nothing springs to mind, although The Final Testament was interesting (set in modern times).The Final Testament of the Holy Bible

[Jasmine, Gatekeeper of Giveaways.]

Adrian wrote: "Has anyone ever dared to write a serious dramatisation of the life of JC?

That's a fairly obvious one but nothing springs to mind, although The Final Testament was interesting (set in modern times..."

Not totally about Jesus, but there is the new book about his "wife" by Sue Monk Kidd called The Book of Longings.

[Simon]

Jasmine wrote: "Adrian wrote: "Has anyone ever dared to write a serious dramatisation of the life of JC?

That's a fairly obvious one but nothing springs to mind, although The Final Testament was interesting (set ..."

I did come across one that someone else mentioned somewhere else, called Mary, Called Magdalene.

[Cynthia]

V.M. wrote: "Henry V would be interesting. I also would be interested in Henry VII. Many years ago (by that I mean decades) there was a TV series (dramatised) about him. He sounded a fascinating and complex cha..."

I agree. Henry VII was NOT a pleasant person, known for being extremely penny-pinching as well as the first monarch to use fines rather than grisly executions as punishment. But when you realize that he spent the first 28 years of his life in exile in various places, always unwelcome, always having to move around, always chronically short of cash, you can understand why he was like that.