On this blog I’ve written a lot about
different periods of history, archaeological sites, historical people, and my
own journey in writing historical fiction. I’m a writer and historian, after
all. This is my virtual crate of amphora on which to stand.
But I’m also a reader who loves the genre
(and variations on it), and I’m a Taurus, which I’ve been told makes me very
stubborn and opinionated. Perhaps just a little.
And why not? I read what I like and make my
reading decisions carefully. I don’t have the extra dosh to burn and more
importantly, time is precious.
In writing my own books, I’ve discovered what
I really like in historical fiction. ‘Write what you know and love,’ as the
saying goes. Ok, so I’ve tweaked that saying a little.
I’ve been reading historical
fiction/fantasy for a long time now. Writing it too.
So, here are the things that I (Adam) am
looking and hoping for when I pick up a new work of historical fiction:
I –
Historical Period
We all have our favourite historical period(s).
I’m not going to pick up a novel set in any historical age.
I like ancient
Greece and Rome (obviously!) and the early Middle Ages, in Britain and Europe
in particular. I love the Arthurian period, or rather the ‘Dark Ages’, that
bridge period between the classical and medieval worlds. If a book takes place
in this broad span of time, I’m interested.
That’s not to say I don’t have any interest
in the Renaissance or Victorian ages, for instance. There is much to be learned
from all history. It just means that as far as reading, I prefer those
mentioned above.
II –
Voice and Writing Style
This applies to all reading, but it’s so
very important that I thought I should include it here. Before buying
something, I’m going to download a sample or read a few pages to make sure I
like how the author is saying what he or she has to say. I need to ‘click’ with
the author and their style, and this could vary from series to series by the
same author.
For example, I loved the Dream of Eagles series by Jack Whyte (Camulod Chronicles in the US). It remains
one of the best series I’ve ever read. However, when it came to Mr. Whyte’s
Templar series, I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t go beyond book one. It’s very
subjective, but I have to love an author’s voice and style.
III –
Battles and One-on-one Combat
My main area of interest and study for
ancient and medieval history has always been warfare. I was never overly
interested in the codes governing the Benedictine order of monks, for instance.
Therefore, one thing I do enjoy reading about is battle on a large or small
scale.
Not only do battles add some nice action to
a novel, they can also be turning points in stories (in history!) that have
far-reaching consequences for the characters, and sometimes the world. I love
the upheaval a battle causes in a story and, well, they are just plain cool!
IV –
Heroes and Heroines
I want a hero or heroine that I can relate
to. They have to be someone that I want to root for, someone for whom I will be
utterly sad when they experience tragedy. This may seem obvious – after all,
this is at the heart of good storytelling – but there have been many instances
in which I didn’t care about the hero one way or the other.
My preferred heroes and heroines must go on
some kind of journey. They must learn and achieve something, and in so doing,
inspire me, the reader. If you want to read more about this, check out my
previous post The Hero’s Journey.
V –
Romance
Hey, it’s not all about blood and guts.
Some of the greatest stories in history have to do with great love affairs.
Love is a goddess that has governed the hearts and minds of people for ages and
cannot be ignored.
If I read a book that is all action, and
blood, and tragedy, I don’t feel fulfilled. I won’t be satisfied with my read.
And don’t think that having your main grunt head down to the local brothel to
make googoo eyes at his favourite whore is sufficient. That’s not romance,
that’s lust and a bit of titillation. Some sex is good by me. Why not? Let’s
have fun! But I prefer that a writer leaves the cubiculum door closed most of
the time. Let the reader’s imagination fill in the blanks. There is a time and
place. There is erotica and there is historical fiction.
I’ve touched on this in an older post, Oh,Behave! Read that to find out about an embarrassing episode of mine in a
writing workshop. Ouch!
In all seriousness, I’m talking about a
true connection between a man and a woman, the real deal for which one would
willingly die. I’d say all the great stories have Love at the heart of them.
If a book doesn’t have this element, at
least in some measure, then I’m likely to leave disappointed.
VI –
Pacing
There has been a lot of talk about
action-packed page-turners lately, that this is the way to captivate an audience and garner readers. I agree to an extent, but when a book is just page
after page of action, slaughter and mayhem, I find it exhausting.
I don’t want to be exhausted. I read
fiction for relaxation.
By all means get in some good action
sequences. Stir things up. But, as a reader, I want things balanced out with
something soothing, or scary etc. In my opinion, if the words and setting are
well-chosen, it’s ok to be still. Balance is everything.
VII –
Research
This is what sets historical fiction apart
from other genres. It usually requires more research than other genres because
the writer needs to transport the reader to another age.
To me, the books I pick up are time
machines. I want to escape. I want to live in another period of history, and
for that to happen the research needs to be meticulous.
But here’s the rub: the historical details
of the time and place have to take a back seat to the story itself. This is
tricky.
When I first started writing, the historian
in me was front and centre. My brain wanted to purge every single historical
detail onto the page. I was beating my readers over the head with history
lessons disguised as fiction.
Then I toned it down only to be told that I
needed more description. It’s a sharp sword edge to walk along. I’ve found that
it helps, before writing, to immerse myself in the history of a period and
become familiar with everyday details and objects. Then, when I begin writing,
I focus on story and the history (and archaeology) adds texture to the story.
I was reminded of this recently by Stephen
King. I’ve been reading his fabulous book On
Writing and in it he says this:
“When you step away from the ‘write what
you know’ rule, research becomes inevitable, and it can add a lot to your
story. Just don’t end up with the tail wagging the dog; remember that you are
writing a novel, not a research paper. The story always comes first.”
That’s great advice and it took me a long
while to get that as a writer. Lately, a reader e-mailed me to say that she had
read Children of Apollo and learned a
lot about the history and world of ancient Rome without even noticing. I was
really happy about that e-mail. It took me a while (and many drafts) to get
there, but it was certainly worth the struggle. As a reader, I want exactly
that too.
VIII
– Description
A lot of readers and writers are down on
description and think that it’s boring.
I love description in a novel and I don’t
mind it being lengthy if it is beautiful and really does transport me. If
someone is writing a story set one or two thousand years ago, you need
description to transport the reader. Otherwise, why read historical fiction?
I started reading a book about Hannibal a
few years ago. It had sounded amazing to me and I couldn’t wait to get into it.
But, I was very disappointed when it became obvious that the story could have
been taking place in any century. Sure, perhaps the writer developed the character
of Hannibal psychologically, but what about Hannibal’s world? I got tired of
the book and didn’t even finish it – a rare occurrence indeed.
For me, description adds beauty and gives
the reader a richer sense if his or her surroundings. A couple of examples of
wonderful description that spring to mind are John Cowper Powys’ descriptions
of Wales in his massive book Porius,
and the brilliant, dreamlike descriptions of the Underworld, or Hades, in Alice
Borchardt’s The Silver Wolf. There was
a lot of description in these novels and I loved every word.
Description, to me, is especially important
when taking a reader to a period, and place, with which they are not altogether
familiar.
IX –
Religion
When it comes to religion, especially pre-Christian
religion, many writers steer clear and play it safe. Perhaps this is because
it’s unfamiliar, controversial, or even uncomfortable.
I feel very strongly about this because in
the ancient and medieval worlds, Faith was often foremost in people’s minds.
I’ve covered this before in the post Writing Ancient Religion.
If a writer tells a story set in ancient
Egypt, Greece or Rome, for instance, and then leaves out religious beliefs and
practices or even the smallest of what we might call ‘superstitions’, it does a
great disservice to the reader.
A writer owes it to a reader to give them
the full picture, or as close to it as possible. There is a lot that we don’t
know about ancient religious practices, but that can be a good thing. Where
there are gaps, we can approximate, make an educated guess. You can even make
it up and then say so in the historical note at the end.
The ancients believed that the Gods were
involved in, or affected, all aspects of their everyday lives. As a result,
people were constantly ‘interacting’ with their deities whether by making
offerings, erecting statues, or praying etc. etc.
In his book, Latro in the Mist, author Gene Wolfe has gods, goddesses, nymphs
and other such beings coming in and out of the story, interacting with Latro. Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin, The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer
Bradley, and The Adventures of Oddyseus
series by Glyn Iliffe are all great examples of historical fiction/fantasy that
let the Gods in through the front door. As a result, I found reading those
books to be a wonderfully rich experience.
The majority of people today may not be
very religious or faith-driven, but in the ancient or medieval worlds, most
were. I really believe that should be reflected in historical fiction.
I could probably add a few more points to
my list above, but in truth that would be overdoing it. It is rare that I find
a book that has every one of the nine elements that I’ve noted.
However, when I do find a book that does
have all of those things, it certainly is one that I shall never forget.
But this is just my personal list of what I
look for in historical fiction as a reader.
If you have something different to add, I’d
love to hear about it.
What is the makeup of your ideal work of historical fiction?
