I love how even when he gives time stamps + reveals the name of the books in the description box, I still want to watch the entire video to get his insight and just hear him speak (even if I'm not interested in the book) ✨
Ah thank you! You're too kind. Sometimes I'm afraid people won't want to watch after I included the timestamps and the name of the books in the description! 😂
What a beautiful commentary on Carlos Ruiz Zafón's books. As a spaniard I can say he was basically one of the most loved people in the country. Everyone's read something by him. I've never read this series but I did start reading his books in high school because of a teacher, in partricular a young adult fantasy series he's got which is absolutely magical: The Mist Trilogy. Fantastic.
Aww, that's so cool to hear that his books are loved! I love Zafon's books! I'm looking forward to reading Marina and City of Mist. After that, I'll probably read Mist trilogy, or maybe reread Cemetery of Forgotten Books! 😊
There's one thing you and I agree on: The amazing talent of late author Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I've only read the first two novels in the sequence. (I actually enjoyed The Angels Game more than The Shadow of the Wind) I own the other two novels and have the final story collection on pre-order. The only reason I haven't finished reading the books yet is because I read many different kinds of books and haven't made my way back to him yet. I intend to rectify this situation in the near future.
The Angels Game is so underrated, I was surprised by how many people felt disappointed by it. I thought it's truly as good as The Shadow of the Wind, just in a different way! I can't wait for you to read The Prisoner of Heaven and then The Labyrinth of the Spirits. The final book is so mindblowing! 😀 Hopefully the final story collection will be as good!
I'm so happy that The Cemetery of Forgotten Books is your number 1! I disagree, personally, about your ranking (mine is 1=2, 4, 3) but I love finding fellow Zafon fans. I was devastated when he passed. I didn't know about the City of Mist, so thank you for that info!
Hey PL. Really good Top 5 list video. A couple new series for my TBR. My Top 5 1. Emperor Series by Conn Iggulden 2. Saxon Tales by Bernard Cornwell 3. Chivalry Series by Christian Cameron 4. Conqueror series by Conn Iggulden 5. Kingsbridge by Ken Follett
I hadn't heard of no. 1 and 4, but they are going straight onto my TBR! I really need to read more historical fiction, because I always love it when I do, but then I get distracted by all the shiny, new SFF releases lol. Thank you so much for sharing, I can't wait to check all of these out! :)
The Cromwell books are high up on my TBR - but I’m adding ALL of the others Petrik - I want to read more historical fiction and these recommendations are fantastic for me to get moving on that goal.
THE ACCURSED KINGS by Maurice Druon. Petrick, whenever historical fiction is brought up, this is the first and sometimes only series that comes to mind. It's the telling of the events leading into the Hundred Years War between France and England, mostly from the perspective of the French. Book 1 is The Iron King, it's not that long and I'm sure it will hook you. Seriously, some of the best reads I've had. Thanks for all the great content!!
thank you. There are so few novels on this fascinating section of time. The Hundred years war, the Thirty years war, the Taiping rebellion. These are the most astonishing historical periods and I cannot get enough historical fiction through these periods.
I've been obsessed with the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. I also ranked "The Labyrinth of Spirits" as the best in the series, then the Angels Game. It's mesmerizing, I was carried away by the plot!!! Absolutely loved it! I was surprised that the majority of creators on CZcams ranked it as the least favourite. Overall, the rest of the books in the series are underestimated.
I totally agree. I feel like many stopped after reading The Shadow of the Wind, too. Unfortunate. The Labyrinth of the Spirits was on another level! Glad you agree, too! :)
I’m a fan of historical fiction, it’s great to get some new recs. Troy series sounds intriguing to me as does Lancelot and the winter king. Another awesome video, Petrik🥰
I have read The Angel's Game and the War Lord trilogy, good books all, and I recommend Bernard Cornwall's The Grail Trilogy and my favourite, Sharpe. You will enjoy them all
My fear on clicking on this video was well founded. I just swore yesterday that I was done purchasing for the year. It’s a standalone but Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain is my favorite novel of all time. On level with Ernest Hemingway minus the chauvinism. Thank you for the content.
I'm just finishing up Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles, but in audio, and the narration is so excellent! I highly recommend it. I'm going to check out the Troy series. I would like to recommend Cecelia Holland's books Great Maria and Jerusalem, two of my favorite historical novels.
Thank you so much, Phil! I know of Simon Scarrow and Robert Harris, but I don't think I've heard of Harry Sidebottom. Thanks for the recommendation! :)
Love that all of these are already on my tbr! This will push them all up! I have only started the Bernard cornwell series and really enjoyed the first book. So interested in David gemmell both his historical fiction and fantasy works❤️
Great list. I think that the duology about the Ancient Greece by Gemmel is even better than Troy (but maybe with more Fantasy elements). I have to read Zafon.
Great video! I just picked up Kristian's Lancelot and I am looking forward to reading that. One recommendation I have is the Kingsbridge series by Ken Follett, starting with The Pillars of the Earth.
Thank you so much! Lancelot is so good, and I have Kingsbridge series on my TBR already. I need to get to those books, they've been in my TBR pile for years. xD
All of these are on my list (Besides the Conquerer series, which I've read and loved!) so great recommendations! I've also heard amazing things about Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series, but I haven't started that due to every book being like a thousand pages haha! I'm glad that the Conqueror series gave you an appreciation for Subutai, like me! I had never heard of him prior to reading it and I am shocked. I consider him one of (I could argue the #1) the best generals of all time. Terrifying is the right word for him.
Masters of Rome is certainly on my radar, I've heard it's awesome plus it has astounding accuracy. But yeah, it's hard to find the time for a historical fiction as massive as this! Exactly. I never heard about Subutai before reading Conqueror. It's still crazy that no one talk about Subutai more often. He's as important as Genghis Khan during the Mongolian invasion. So terrifying and brilliant.
@@PetrikLeo i have previously read David G's troy series (my favourite) and Conn I's Mongol series (second fsvourite) and looking for books that live up to the same standards. would you say the other ones youre recommending live up to the same standard?
Hi there Petrik. How are you doing? Thanks for posting another video. I really enjoy your content, but it also it allows me to give you an update. I am now 17% into reading the kindle book while listening to the audio book of Daughter of the Empire. You were right, it is so immersive. I feel like I am being absorbed into a while new rich culture. Thank you for suggesting that one.
I'm doing well! Thank you for checking out the video. I'm glad to hear you're enjoying Daughter of the Empire. It's one of my favorites. Mara's narration is so engaging to follow! :)
I’m currently reading Conquer series, 100 pages into lords of the bow and OMG. Been reading lots of books I didn’t like recently but this has the potential to be my favourite historical fiction series, its utterly enthralling.
YESSSS! It's an amazing series, Stuart. The first and third book are my favorite of the series, but 2nd and 4th are awesome as well I'm not too much of a fan of the 5th though becase it felt like a spinoff. Enjoy! Utterly enthralling sounds so right! 😊
Finished and I think we mostly agree but I think our opinions of 4 and 5 are opposite 4 felt to short and jumped around too much focusing on new stuff. I loved book 5 a return to form for me, still a great series overall
There is a new Carlos Ruiz Zafón book?? You just made my day, I have not heard about it till now. Thank you thank you! He is one of my favourites too, and my next reread of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books I will start with the novellas :D
Yes! City of Mist will be his final work 😭 It's more like an epilogue to his career really, and I will read it for sure! I will reread The Cemetery of Forgotten Books in the future! 😄
Fantastic video, on one of my favorite genres 😀 I'll be honest, most of the series mentioned I've not yet read, but definitely intend to, down the road. I've started Bernard Cornwell's Saxon tales and Holy Grail series, but need to continue for sure. I've read Shadow of the Wind but I have the next couple books in the Cemetery series. On a side note, you mentioned John Gwynne-- he posted on Instagram about his daughter's passing 😔 I saw it this morning, and have been thinking of the family throughout the day.
Thank you, Anthony! It;s one of my favorite genre, too! The Saxon Tales are great, too, just not as good as Warlord Chronicles, imo! I hope you'll enjoy the next three books in The Cemetery of Forgotten Books! Regarding John Gwynne, yeah I've heard about it for months now, and it's still heartbreaking that this happened to them. :(
Great video Petrik, thanks for sharing your recommendations! Lancelot is on my shelves waiting to be read, you have bumped it up on the list 🤩 The Shadow of the Wind is the favorite book of a friend of mine so I just HAVE to read it soon. It's good to know you loved it as well.
Hey Petrik! I'm an avid follower of your channel, and seing your tastes and the fact that you mention mr. Gwynne's recommendations, I would suggest you to try Christian Cameron's Killer of Men (or The Long War) series. He writes battle scenes like none other, and even though it's been a while since reading it, it is still fresh in my mind. Oh, and the characters are superb.
Thank you for the kind words! I've read only Cameron's fantasy books, and I have to give his historical fiction series a read, especially Long War and Chivalry! 😀
@@PetrikLeo thank u, I’m going to stick w trying out his historical fiction series. I also picked up all the series u recommend here. I had Gemmell and Cornwell already. These other ones sound so good, I have to check them out.
Hi Petrik. I received my copy of THE CITY OF MIST by Carlos Ruiz Zafon on Tuesday. The first page of the first story looks so good I think I'm going to move these books to the front of my TBR list. Have a good weekend.
Ohh… I was thinking about adding more HF for next year and your video showed up. Thanks for doubling my inspiration. I will definitely checkout books by Gemmel and Cornwall. Have you heard of The Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett? This series was recommend to me recently.
Yeah! Check out Warlord Chronicles by Cornwell, it's soooo good! I did hear about Lymond Chronicles, just yesterday actually! I haven't looked into it further, though! 😂
Loved the Warlord Chronicles and the Conqueror series (which I picked up based on your Goodreads review). Shadow of the Wind has been pushed down my TBR so many times, I suppose I should stop doing that and read it.
Historical Fiction + Fantasy elements = Sign me in! Your top 4 is on my list now. I am so looking forward to read more from Zafon and I will probably read this series in Romanian ( Latin based language like Spanish and the covers are looking better). I realy enjoyed "Marina" even though it's target audience is YA, or 10+ (or 12+) children.
Nice! I have Marina on my TBR pile, I was going to get to it this year but seems like I have to skip it for now! Let me know your thoughts on The Cemetery of Forgotten Books! 😀
love your channel, petrik, thanks. you mention many have covered the Trojan war before. could you please recommend some novels that do this well? thanks!
I haven't seen your post before so I don't know what your choices are based on in therm of publication dates, etc. I recommend a much older series by Paul Scott called The Raj Quartet. It is 4 novels set in the last days of the British Raj in India, starting at the beginning of WW2 and ending at Independence. Each book tells part of a story from the POV of a few characters. They work very well. and there is a wonderfully made BBC adaptation in1984, done in 14 -arts. The title is The Jewel in the Crown. It holds together remarkably well in terms of acting, production, and more. Don't confuse it with a later BBC series
If you are interested in a standalone historic fiction novel I cannot recommend "Tyll" by Daniel Kehlmann enough. Its so well crafted. Its about the legend of a famous, medieval, german jester placed a bit later into the 30year war. Although I have to admit that a quick brushup on your knowledge about the times during the 30y war might help a bit before reading. The Extra Credits videos on youtube were great for that
I read the shadow of the wind some years ago and I immediately catapulted it as one the best books I have ever read. Didn’t continue with the others though. I will give them a try soon Thanks to your recommendation. I recommend the pillars of earth by Ken Follett, also one of my favorites.
You're so welcome! Once you've read the entire quartet in the series, I think The Labyrinth of the Spirits will end up becoming your favorite! I have Pillars of the Earth on my Kindle, I hope I can get to it sooner than later! 😀
Love the Conqueror series...amazing!! Did you know that Subutai is regarded as one of the greatest generals and strategist of all time. Many war experts and historians rate him as high as Alexander, Napoleon, Hannibal or Julius Caesar. The guy was a legend yet he was forgotten about due to Gengis Khan being the great force that he was. Unfortunately everyone else was simply over shadowed!
It's an amazing series, and that's one of the many reasons why I love this series. I can't believe I never heard of Tsubodai/Subutai before reading this series. His role in Genghis Khan's conquest was irreplacable, and as you said, he's regarded as one of the greatest tactician but almost never mentioned just because he served Genghis Khan (such overwhelming presence!)
Great video Petrik! I think I have The Shadow on the Wind in my Kindle I'll have to double check. Historical fiction is actually pretty fun to read at times. Some of it is close to the fantasy genres that we read. Anyways, I wonder if you have tried any of the more popular works. My favorite is Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth (Kingsbridge trilogy). It takes place in 12th century England and the building of a cathedral. It has a bit of everything. Also I was wondering if you were going to try to read Shogun. I think you were sick when you said you wanted to read it.
Thank you so much, Cynthia! I agree, there are some similarity in the storytelling style with fantasy. I have Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth, but haven't gotten around to reading it. Argh, I really should make some time for it! And yeah, I fell sick while I was reading Shogun. TWICE! That's why I haven't read it again hahaha.
First of all, love your videos. Secondly, can you please tell me which edition of the Shadow of the wind you are showing in this video? I need to order them asap.
Lovely list dude, my tbr is getting bigger by the day... Hahaha I'm not sure if it is of the same format, but I recently got back into this manga called Golden Kamuy, and in a sense it's like a bizarre spaghetti western set in a post Russo-japanese war around northern Japan. It's allot of fun and ridiculous in all the right ways. So I guess in some context it's considered 'historical fiction'. Nonetheless, Conqueror seems to be eyeing me from afar hahaha.
Thank you so much! Golden Kamuy is definitely historical fiction. I've read only 20 chapters in that manga series a long time ago. I should continue again, I really liked what I've read back then! 😄
AHHHH I have to read shadow of the wind soon! I love this video Petrik, it feels very fresh :) Also, thank you for following my bookstagram!! How did you find me :>
Nice work straight away with Gemmell. Incredible writer but he doesn't fit the mold of what most fantasy fans want in terms of series and book size. His Trojan Horse idea is way better than a giant wooden horse too.
I will not attemt GOT if the series has not ended, otherwise I will not read it. Not investing time in it if George can't finish the story. Also seems like he doesn't know how to write the ending to make fans happy. I will rather try Tad Williams and hesrd it was inspirstion for GOT! Ken Lui is on tbr. Agree 100% on stormlight, also Bradon's commitment to writing gives me confidence we will get a ending! Therfore i will read it as it comes out
I think you commented on the wrong video? But I understand your feeling. I hope you'll love Tad Williams' books and The Dandelion Dynasty. They are amazing! :)
"The Troy" trilogy sounds good! In fact all of these sound good! XD I can see my TBR grow once again. *lol* "The Cemetery of Forgotten Books" is so good! And I just realized that I never read book 3. Ooops. 😅 Guess I know what I will read in 2022. XD
Have you ever heard of Black Out/All Clear by Connie Willis? I never hear any booktubers talk about this author, but I really loved those books. It's a World War 2 historical fiction with scifi elements. She wrote other books in the same world but those 2 are the best.
Arghh, The Labyrinth of the Spirits is soooo good, Jashana! I think the series will be worth the reread, though, even if it's just for catching up and refreshing memories. I definitely look forward to reading the series again!
@@PetrikLeo Yeah it's been MANY years since I read the other 3 books in the series -- I definitely need a refresh! Also, I read them entirely out of order the first time - haha! I hear that there are two "generall approved of" ways of reading through it -- in publication order or in chronological story timeline order.. I accidentally did neither hahahah
@@JashanaC "i actually did neither" made me laugh. What a plot twist, I thought you're going to mention you read them chronologically! 🤣 Well, maybe now reading it in publication order will make your experience better. Zafon insisted that whichever book in the series you started with as the beginning will change your reading experience of the series, after all! 😁
I had read one of David Gemmell's book, Dark Moon. I don't care for it and I found it's very disappointing....I do love historical fiction like the The Book of Lost and Cuckoo Song. I even love Rice's Vampire Chronicles (We will miss you, Anne😔).
I have wanted to read Lancelot for a while now but can't find it in kindle for some reason. Going to have to buy a physical copy Shadow of the Wind was so good. Haven't read the rest but I will eventually. I am always looking to read more books in Spanish.
Really? That's odd! I think you'll love Lancelot. I have a feeling the prose will be suitable to your taste! And yes, this seems to be a common reaction. Many readers don't know that there's a continuation after The Shadow of the Wind! 😂
@@PetrikLeo Yeah it definitely starts a little slow but you’ve basically finished the slow part! We’re you reading it or listening to the audio book? I found that the audio book helped tremendously.
Sorry for the unrelated question, but how do you feel about the WoT tv series? Are you still hyped even though you DNF'd it? I still need to get to all these books, but I'm reading WoT right now.
Oh I'm still hyped for the TV show! The rating so far is mixed (as expected) but I look forward to watching the show regardless. I've DNFed the series for a almost 3 years now, but I think I'll continue again next year and see how I feel after taking a long break from it! 😄
@@PetrikLeo Cool! Time really flies doesn't it? I'm already seeing some flaws in book #1 but I'll see how farmer I'll get. I'm really hyped for the show, especially since a succes would open the door even more for fantasy adaptations with a serious budget. Anyway, I hope we'll both at least enjoy the show even if we never manage to power through the books :p
Please check out Sharon Kay Penman. She is one of my favorite authors and wrote my favorite book of all time, When Christ and His Saints Slept. I need to get to Kristian and Cornwell.
I never tried to read historical fiction. Knowing the plot on a first read usually makes me struggle through it. I fear that I'll anticipate the plot based on historical events. Would you say, for example, that Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles is predictable? I'm really curious about it but I'm afraid it will feel like just another version of the Arthurian legend.
If you're hugely familiar with Arthurian legend, some events in Warlord Chronicles will be predictable. that being said, the main character in the trilogy is a fictional character, and his narration is more than enough to keep the story refreshing and unpredictable at times. Give it a try! If not, try The Cemetery of Forgotten Books. I guarantee you there is more than enough suspense, heart, and unpredictability in the series to keep you turning the pages! :)
I love how even when he gives time stamps + reveals the name of the books in the description box, I still want to watch the entire video to get his insight and just hear him speak (even if I'm not interested in the book) ✨
Ah thank you! You're too kind. Sometimes I'm afraid people won't want to watch after I included the timestamps and the name of the books in the description! 😂
What a beautiful commentary on Carlos Ruiz Zafón's books. As a spaniard I can say he was basically one of the most loved people in the country. Everyone's read something by him. I've never read this series but I did start reading his books in high school because of a teacher, in partricular a young adult fantasy series he's got which is absolutely magical: The Mist Trilogy. Fantastic.
Aww, that's so cool to hear that his books are loved! I love Zafon's books! I'm looking forward to reading Marina and City of Mist. After that, I'll probably read Mist trilogy, or maybe reread Cemetery of Forgotten Books! 😊
Thanks for including the timestamps 😁
You're welcome! 😊
There's one thing you and I agree on: The amazing talent of late author Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I've only read the first two novels in the sequence. (I actually enjoyed The Angels Game more than The Shadow of the Wind) I own the other two novels and have the final story collection on pre-order. The only reason I haven't finished reading the books yet is because I read many different kinds of books and haven't made my way back to him yet. I intend to rectify this situation in the near future.
The Angels Game is so underrated, I was surprised by how many people felt disappointed by it. I thought it's truly as good as The Shadow of the Wind, just in a different way! I can't wait for you to read The Prisoner of Heaven and then The Labyrinth of the Spirits. The final book is so mindblowing! 😀 Hopefully the final story collection will be as good!
I'm so happy that The Cemetery of Forgotten Books is your number 1! I disagree, personally, about your ranking (mine is 1=2, 4, 3) but I love finding fellow Zafon fans. I was devastated when he passed. I didn't know about the City of Mist, so thank you for that info!
Yess! Glad you love this series, too. I'm still sad that he passed! :(
Hey PL. Really good Top 5 list video. A couple new series for my TBR. My Top 5
1. Emperor Series by Conn Iggulden
2. Saxon Tales by Bernard Cornwell
3. Chivalry Series by Christian Cameron
4. Conqueror series by Conn Iggulden
5. Kingsbridge by Ken Follett
I totally agree on the Chivalry series, Christian Cameron is great!
Oh yes! Chivalry! I have to get to that series. I think there's only one book left. Once it's out, I'll read it! Thanks for the reminder! 😄
Currently reading The Rigante series by Gemmell. Also a recommendation to you!
Definitely on my radar! 😁
This video came at the perfect time. I've been hoping to read more historical fiction. The Ghengis Kahn series sounds so good
That's great to hear! The Genghis Khan series is incredible. I think you'll enjoy it a lot! :)
"The Cemetery of Forgotten Books" is my favourite non-SFF series and it makes me so happy to see that you love it so much!
Glad we agree on this! The series is truly special and amazing! 😊
I hadn't heard of no. 1 and 4, but they are going straight onto my TBR! I really need to read more historical fiction, because I always love it when I do, but then I get distracted by all the shiny, new SFF releases lol. Thank you so much for sharing, I can't wait to check all of these out! :)
You're welcome! Hahaha, that's story of my life. Wanting to read other genre but also impossible to stay away from SFF! xD
The Cromwell books are high up on my TBR - but I’m adding ALL of the others Petrik - I want to read more historical fiction and these recommendations are fantastic for me to get moving on that goal.
I'm glad to hear this video is useful to you!! Also, I look forward to reading Nightmareland that you and Andrew love! :D
THE ACCURSED KINGS by Maurice Druon. Petrick, whenever historical fiction is brought up, this is the first and sometimes only series that comes to mind. It's the telling of the events leading into the Hundred Years War between France and England, mostly from the perspective of the French. Book 1 is The Iron King, it's not that long and I'm sure it will hook you. Seriously, some of the best reads I've had. Thanks for all the great content!!
Interestingly, George RR Martin said that the Accursed Kings was the "original Games of Thrones", an inspiration for him :)
Ah yes, I remember this series! I'm pretty sure everyone I know read it precisely because GRRM said that! 🤣 Good to hear you loved it, Joe!
thank you. There are so few novels on this fascinating section of time. The Hundred years war, the Thirty years war, the Taiping rebellion. These are the most astonishing historical periods and I cannot get enough historical fiction through these periods.
Like ur top 5 books on ur list.... happy reading to you!! 🍁🍂
Thanks! Happy reading to you, too! 😊
I've been obsessed with the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. I also ranked "The Labyrinth of Spirits" as the best in the series, then the Angels Game. It's mesmerizing, I was carried away by the plot!!! Absolutely loved it! I was surprised that the majority of creators on CZcams ranked it as the least favourite. Overall, the rest of the books in the series are underestimated.
I totally agree. I feel like many stopped after reading The Shadow of the Wind, too. Unfortunate. The Labyrinth of the Spirits was on another level! Glad you agree, too! :)
Just finished Warlord Chronicles, so sad it's over but what a wonderful series.
You did it! Glad you loved it. I miss the series, too! 😊
@@PetrikLeo The Saxon series is just as good. Also the Grail series and the Starbuck series. For such a prolific author, he is very good.
I’m a fan of historical fiction, it’s great to get some new recs. Troy series sounds intriguing to me as does Lancelot and the winter king.
Another awesome video, Petrik🥰
Thank you so much, Holly! I haven't read too many historical fiction series, but I'm pleased I can give some recommendations! :)
The ending of Lancelot is something else. "And I rise", that will stay with me forever, perfect imo.
It was absolutely amazing. What a closing line. I actually wouldnt mind it not having a spin-off sequel! 😂
I have read The Angel's Game and the War Lord trilogy, good books all, and I recommend Bernard Cornwall's The Grail Trilogy and my favourite, Sharpe. You will enjoy them all
I still have to read other books by Bernard Cornwell! Thanks for the recommendation! :)
You sold me four books out of five! Thanks for the great recommendations 😉😘
That's wonderful to hear! I hope you'll love them!! 😊
I love The Cemetery of Forgotten Books! I'm glad to hear the translation did it justice, Carlos Ruiz Zafón had a beautiful prose 😍
Did you read it in Spanish? I'm not able to speak Spanish, but this translation has really shown thay Zafon's prose is sooooo beautiful! 😍
@@PetrikLeo Yes, I'm from Spain 😄 Glad to hear that, I hope you enjoy The City of Mist!
I can’t wait to get to more Gemmell next year! I’m also really excited for Lancelot - you’ve given me high hopes. 🥰
Read Lancelot already! PLEASE!! 😀
My fear on clicking on this video was well founded. I just swore yesterday that I was done purchasing for the year. It’s a standalone but Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain is my favorite novel of all time. On level with Ernest Hemingway minus the chauvinism. Thank you for the content.
Nice! I haven't heard of this book. I'll check it out! 😄
I'm just finishing up Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles, but in audio, and the narration is so excellent! I highly recommend it. I'm going to check out the Troy series. I would like to recommend Cecelia Holland's books Great Maria and Jerusalem, two of my favorite historical novels.
Thanks for the recommendation! I'm glad you'll enjoy Warlord Chronicles. I hope you'll enjoy the Troy series, too.
C Iggulden's Conqueror Series (5 books) is at the top of my historical series list. Superb!!!
Yesss. I loved the heck out of this series. Especially the first four books! :)
I don't read much historical fiction, but I see that I definitely should
They're worth a read. Some of the historical fictions i've read, standalones included, are sooo good! :)
I’m sure you know about them already but I heartily recommend Simon Scarrow, Robert Harris and Harry Sidebottom ! Great video Petrik!
Thank you so much, Phil! I know of Simon Scarrow and Robert Harris, but I don't think I've heard of Harry Sidebottom. Thanks for the recommendation! :)
Love that all of these are already on my tbr! This will push them all up! I have only started the Bernard cornwell series and really enjoyed the first book. So interested in David gemmell both his historical fiction and fantasy works❤️
Awesome! The second and third book of Warlord Chronicles are even better than the first one! You and me both on David Gemmell!
Great list. I think that the duology about the Ancient Greece by Gemmel is even better than Troy (but maybe with more Fantasy elements). I have to read Zafon.
Thank you! I didn't even know he has a duology on Ancient Greece, I'll take a look! And yes, give Zafon's books a read! 😁
Agreed. But both are dope
yess I love the Troy series. Finally someone talking about it!
Great series, really! 😄
Great video! I just picked up Kristian's Lancelot and I am looking forward to reading that. One recommendation I have is the Kingsbridge series by Ken Follett, starting with The Pillars of the Earth.
Thank you so much! Lancelot is so good, and I have Kingsbridge series on my TBR already. I need to get to those books, they've been in my TBR pile for years. xD
All of these are on my list (Besides the Conquerer series, which I've read and loved!) so great recommendations! I've also heard amazing things about Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series, but I haven't started that due to every book being like a thousand pages haha! I'm glad that the Conqueror series gave you an appreciation for Subutai, like me! I had never heard of him prior to reading it and I am shocked. I consider him one of (I could argue the #1) the best generals of all time. Terrifying is the right word for him.
Masters of Rome is certainly on my radar, I've heard it's awesome plus it has astounding accuracy. But yeah, it's hard to find the time for a historical fiction as massive as this!
Exactly. I never heard about Subutai before reading Conqueror. It's still crazy that no one talk about Subutai more often. He's as important as Genghis Khan during the Mongolian invasion. So terrifying and brilliant.
I'm waiting for my copy of the Folio Society edition of Book of the New Sun to arrive, so your copy is giving me some shelf envy. 🌟🤤🌟
They're so gorgeous. Can't go wrong with getting them! 😍 At least that shelf envy won't last for a long time then! 😁
Troy is my favourite series of all time. I love everything about it.
High praise, Kevin! It's indeed a great series though!
Thank you. Keep it up with recommendations of historical fiction
You're welcome! I definitely need to read more his fic!
@@PetrikLeo i have previously read David G's troy series (my favourite) and Conn I's Mongol series (second fsvourite) and looking for books that live up to the same standards. would you say the other ones youre recommending live up to the same standard?
Hi there Petrik. How are you doing? Thanks for posting another video. I really enjoy your content, but it also it allows me to give you an update. I am now 17% into reading the kindle book while listening to the audio book of Daughter of the Empire. You were right, it is so immersive. I feel like I am being absorbed into a while new rich culture. Thank you for suggesting that one.
I'm doing well! Thank you for checking out the video. I'm glad to hear you're enjoying Daughter of the Empire. It's one of my favorites. Mara's narration is so engaging to follow! :)
Great video!
Thank you so much! 😄
I’m currently reading Conquer series, 100 pages into lords of the bow and OMG. Been reading lots of books I didn’t like recently but this has the potential to be my favourite historical fiction series, its utterly enthralling.
YESSSS! It's an amazing series, Stuart. The first and third book are my favorite of the series, but 2nd and 4th are awesome as well
I'm not too much of a fan of the 5th though becase it felt like a spinoff. Enjoy! Utterly enthralling sounds so right! 😊
@@PetrikLeo awesome I’ll put a comment here when I finish to see if we agree on each one 👍
Finished and I think we mostly agree but I think our opinions of 4 and 5 are opposite 4 felt to short and jumped around too much focusing on new stuff. I loved book 5 a return to form for me, still a great series overall
There is a new Carlos Ruiz Zafón book?? You just made my day, I have not heard about it till now. Thank you thank you! He is one of my favourites too, and my next reread of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books I will start with the novellas :D
Yes! City of Mist will be his final work 😭 It's more like an epilogue to his career really, and I will read it for sure! I will reread The Cemetery of Forgotten Books in the future! 😄
Fantastic video, on one of my favorite genres 😀
I'll be honest, most of the series mentioned I've not yet read, but definitely intend to, down the road. I've started Bernard Cornwell's Saxon tales and Holy Grail series, but need to continue for sure.
I've read Shadow of the Wind but I have the next couple books in the Cemetery series.
On a side note, you mentioned John Gwynne-- he posted on Instagram about his daughter's passing 😔 I saw it this morning, and have been thinking of the family throughout the day.
Thank you, Anthony! It;s one of my favorite genre, too! The Saxon Tales are great, too, just not as good as Warlord Chronicles, imo! I hope you'll enjoy the next three books in The Cemetery of Forgotten Books!
Regarding John Gwynne, yeah I've heard about it for months now, and it's still heartbreaking that this happened to them. :(
Great video Petrik, thanks for sharing your recommendations! Lancelot is on my shelves waiting to be read, you have bumped it up on the list 🤩
The Shadow of the Wind is the favorite book of a friend of mine so I just HAVE to read it soon. It's good to know you loved it as well.
Thank you so much, Jolien! Let me know your thoughts on Lancelot after you've read it! And the same goes for The Shadow of the Wind! 😁
Okay you've convinced me. When you mentioned Lancelot before I had just added it to my tbr but now I'm getting it!
I look forward to hearing your thoughts about it! I think it's utterly brilliant! 😊
I love the historical fiction content. Wonderful video today 🌞
Thank you so much, Scully! 😄
Hey Petrik! I'm an avid follower of your channel, and seing your tastes and the fact that you mention mr. Gwynne's recommendations, I would suggest you to try Christian Cameron's Killer of Men (or The Long War) series. He writes battle scenes like none other, and even though it's been a while since reading it, it is still fresh in my mind. Oh, and the characters are superb.
Thank you for the kind words! I've read only Cameron's fantasy books, and I have to give his historical fiction series a read, especially Long War and Chivalry! 😀
@@PetrikLeo Would u recommend his fantasy series? I purchased some of his historical fiction which I’ve heard great things about.
@@Roondawg_Valhalla unfortuntely, I can't. I'm not a fan of his Traitor Son cycle series. But his historical fiction seems amazing.
@@PetrikLeo thank u, I’m going to stick w trying out his historical fiction series. I also picked up all the series u recommend here. I had Gemmell and Cornwell already. These other ones sound so good, I have to check them out.
Hi Petrik. I received my copy of THE CITY OF MIST by Carlos Ruiz Zafon on Tuesday. The first page of the first story looks so good I think I'm going to move these books to the front of my TBR list. Have a good weekend.
Have a good weekend, too! I still haven't read City of Mists, but I shall try to make some time for it ASAP. I'm confident I'll love it! 😄
Ohh… I was thinking about adding more HF for next year and your video showed up. Thanks for doubling my inspiration. I will definitely checkout books by Gemmel and Cornwall.
Have you heard of The Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett? This series was recommend to me recently.
Yeah! Check out Warlord Chronicles by Cornwell, it's soooo good! I did hear about Lymond Chronicles, just yesterday actually! I haven't looked into it further, though! 😂
Loved the Warlord Chronicles and the Conqueror series (which I picked up based on your Goodreads review). Shadow of the Wind has been pushed down my TBR so many times, I suppose I should stop doing that and read it.
Woohoo! Glad to hear you picked Conqueror because of my review! And yeah, prioritize The Shadow of the Wind. The entire series is amazing! 😁
Historical Fiction + Fantasy elements = Sign me in! Your top 4 is on my list now. I am so looking forward to read more from Zafon and I will probably read this series in Romanian ( Latin based language like Spanish and the covers are looking better). I realy enjoyed "Marina" even though it's target audience is YA, or 10+ (or 12+) children.
Nice! I have Marina on my TBR pile, I was going to get to it this year but seems like I have to skip it for now! Let me know your thoughts on The Cemetery of Forgotten Books! 😀
love your channel, petrik, thanks. you mention many have covered the Trojan war before. could you please recommend some novels that do this well? thanks!
Thank you! Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is great. There are also Stephen Fry's Great Mythology books! :)
I haven't seen your post before so I don't know what your choices are based on in therm of publication dates, etc. I recommend a much older series by Paul Scott called The Raj Quartet. It is 4 novels set in the last days of the British Raj in India, starting at the beginning of WW2 and ending at Independence. Each book tells part of a story from the POV of a few characters. They work very well. and there is a wonderfully made BBC adaptation in1984, done in 14 -arts. The title is The Jewel in the Crown. It holds together remarkably well in terms of acting, production, and more. Don't confuse it with a later BBC series
I haven't heard about this series at all. Thank you for the recommendation. I will look into it! :)
Great video and a great background for finishing some fanart I did today (you might find yourself tagged in an Instagram story😘)
Thank you so much! I'll check out your IG story! :)
If you are interested in a standalone historic fiction novel I cannot recommend "Tyll" by Daniel Kehlmann enough. Its so well crafted. Its about the legend of a famous, medieval, german jester placed a bit later into the 30year war. Although I have to admit that a quick brushup on your knowledge about the times during the 30y war might help a bit before reading. The Extra Credits videos on youtube were great for that
Oh I've never heard of this book before. I'll check it out. I think i need to brush up my knowledge on this, too. I know so little about it! 😅
loved your video ! please do a bookshelf tour video again for 2021
Of course! Bookshelf tour will be once a year, so another one is coming next month! :)
@@PetrikLeo that's great news! Can't wait ...... You are really an inspiration In the realm of book reading 🤯
I read the shadow of the wind some years ago and I immediately catapulted it as one the best books I have ever read. Didn’t continue with the others though. I will give them a try soon Thanks to your recommendation. I recommend the pillars of earth by Ken Follett, also one of my favorites.
You're so welcome! Once you've read the entire quartet in the series, I think The Labyrinth of the Spirits will end up becoming your favorite! I have Pillars of the Earth on my Kindle, I hope I can get to it sooner than later! 😀
Knowing I hate historical ficition but watching video determine to have my mind changed 🤣 🤣
Did I succeed!? 🤣
@@PetrikLeo I will not deny my interest has been peaked! Lmao🤣😜
Thank you for the video I'm definitely gonna be checking some of these out.
Wow Petrik, thank you for this! All of these sound amazing!!
You're welcome, Chas! Glad you found it useful! 😊
Love the Conqueror series...amazing!! Did you know that Subutai is regarded as one of the greatest generals and strategist of all time. Many war experts and historians rate him as high as Alexander, Napoleon, Hannibal or Julius Caesar. The guy was a legend yet he was forgotten about due to Gengis Khan being the great force that he was. Unfortunately everyone else was simply over shadowed!
It's an amazing series, and that's one of the many reasons why I love this series. I can't believe I never heard of Tsubodai/Subutai before reading this series. His role in Genghis Khan's conquest was irreplacable, and as you said, he's regarded as one of the greatest tactician but almost never mentioned just because he served Genghis Khan (such overwhelming presence!)
@@PetrikLeo 👍
Great video Petrik! I think I have The Shadow on the Wind in my Kindle I'll have to double check. Historical fiction is actually pretty fun to read at times. Some of it is close to the fantasy genres that we read. Anyways, I wonder if you have tried any of the more popular works. My favorite is Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth (Kingsbridge trilogy). It takes place in 12th century England and the building of a cathedral. It has a bit of everything. Also I was wondering if you were going to try to read Shogun. I think you were sick when you said you wanted to read it.
Thank you so much, Cynthia! I agree, there are some similarity in the storytelling style with fantasy. I have Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth, but haven't gotten around to reading it. Argh, I really should make some time for it! And yeah, I fell sick while I was reading Shogun. TWICE! That's why I haven't read it again hahaha.
First of all, love your videos. Secondly, can you please tell me which edition of the Shadow of the wind you are showing in this video? I need to order them asap.
Thank you so much! This is the UK paperback edition published by W&N! You can get them all at Book Depository!
Lovely list dude, my tbr is getting bigger by the day... Hahaha
I'm not sure if it is of the same format, but I recently got back into this manga called Golden Kamuy, and in a sense it's like a bizarre spaghetti western set in a post Russo-japanese war around northern Japan. It's allot of fun and ridiculous in all the right ways. So I guess in some context it's considered 'historical fiction'. Nonetheless, Conqueror seems to be eyeing me from afar hahaha.
Thank you so much! Golden Kamuy is definitely historical fiction. I've read only 20 chapters in that manga series a long time ago. I should continue again, I really liked what I've read back then! 😄
AHHHH I have to read shadow of the wind soon! I love this video Petrik, it feels very fresh :)
Also, thank you for following my bookstagram!! How did you find me :>
Thank you so much! Your photo of Dreams of the Dying appeared on my feed, then I saw your name and I just followed you back! 😄
Nice work straight away with Gemmell. Incredible writer but he doesn't fit the mold of what most fantasy fans want in terms of series and book size. His Trojan Horse idea is way better than a giant wooden horse too.
Thank you, Dayle! I certainly have to read more books by Gemmell, and I plan to do it. I'll probably read Rigante first! :)
I will not attemt GOT if the series has not ended, otherwise I will not read it. Not investing time in it if George can't finish the story. Also seems like he doesn't know how to write the ending to make fans happy.
I will rather try Tad Williams and hesrd it was inspirstion for GOT! Ken Lui is on tbr.
Agree 100% on stormlight, also Bradon's commitment to writing gives me confidence we will get a ending! Therfore i will read it as it comes out
I think you commented on the wrong video? But I understand your feeling. I hope you'll love Tad Williams' books and The Dandelion Dynasty. They are amazing! :)
"The Troy" trilogy sounds good! In fact all of these sound good! XD I can see my TBR grow once again. *lol* "The Cemetery of Forgotten Books" is so good! And I just realized that I never read book 3. Ooops. 😅 Guess I know what I will read in 2022. XD
You have book 3 and book 4 to read in the series! I envy you for being able to read them for the first time! :)
@@PetrikLeo Thanks for making me aware of it! Otherwise I might have never known I didn't continue with the series. =)
the king maker by toby clements is pretty good also
Oh i heard good things about this, too!
Neal Stephenson. You're welcome
Which book is this? Snow Crash? I thought he's a sci-fi writer. Need to check out his historical fiction books, too.
@@PetrikLeo The Baroque Cycle.
Have you ever heard of Black Out/All Clear by Connie Willis? I never hear any booktubers talk about this author, but I really loved those books. It's a World War 2 historical fiction with scifi elements. She wrote other books in the same world but those 2 are the best.
I never heard of this series until you mentioned it! Sounds interesting. I'll check it out. Thanks for the recommendation! 😀
The Shadow of the Wind is in my December tbr! Waiting on a Kindle deal for Prisoner of Heaven and I'll have all 4.
Nice! I got the entire series on discount on Kindle, I think it will happen again so make sure to check those out occassionally! 😄
Still been meaning to check out some Cornwell, and I'm always down for some Arthurian retellings.
Can't go wrong with Warlord Chronicles trilogy or Lancelot by Giles Kristian!
Try reading Christian Cameron!
I've read only his fantasy books, I shall fix that in the future. I have Chivalry and his Alexander the Great on my TBR!
I want to re-read the first three Cemetery of Forgotten Books, so that I can FINALLY get to Labyrinth of the Spirits... ! Ah!
Arghh, The Labyrinth of the Spirits is soooo good, Jashana! I think the series will be worth the reread, though, even if it's just for catching up and refreshing memories. I definitely look forward to reading the series again!
@@PetrikLeo Yeah it's been MANY years since I read the other 3 books in the series -- I definitely need a refresh! Also, I read them entirely out of order the first time - haha! I hear that there are two "generall approved of" ways of reading through it -- in publication order or in chronological story timeline order.. I accidentally did neither hahahah
@@JashanaC "i actually did neither" made me laugh. What a plot twist, I thought you're going to mention you read them chronologically! 🤣 Well, maybe now reading it in publication order will make your experience better. Zafon insisted that whichever book in the series you started with as the beginning will change your reading experience of the series, after all! 😁
@@PetrikLeo Yes I definitely think it will make it better! :D haha
For me Tai-Pan and now Gai-Jin. I like them the same.
The Asian Saga by James Clavell it is! 😄
@@PetrikLeo yeah. I read Shogun about 5 years ago. It was great. I read the whole series. So much better than the tv show way back when.
I’m going to have to check these out! Cornwell’s Richard Sharpe is my go-to for the genre
Please do! They're awesome! :D
George Macdonald Fraser's 'Flashman' series surpass all these for style, authenticity and wit.
@@lawrencejames8011 never heard of the series. Will check it out!
Giles Kristian is an amazing author.
He truly is! 😊
I had read one of David Gemmell's book, Dark Moon. I don't care for it and I found it's very disappointing....I do love historical fiction like the The Book of Lost and Cuckoo Song. I even love Rice's Vampire Chronicles (We will miss you, Anne😔).
That's fair, at least you gave some of his books a try already! Rest in peace, Anne 😔
I have wanted to read Lancelot for a while now but can't find it in kindle for some reason. Going to have to buy a physical copy
Shadow of the Wind was so good. Haven't read the rest but I will eventually. I am always looking to read more books in Spanish.
Really? That's odd! I think you'll love Lancelot. I have a feeling the prose will be suitable to your taste!
And yes, this seems to be a common reaction. Many readers don't know that there's a continuation after The Shadow of the Wind! 😂
Is it dark or light hearted? The warlord chronicles I mean.
Definitely darker and serious in tone. Close to zero light hearted moment.
You gotta read Shogun. It's a great historical fiction set in fuedal Japan.
I tried! But I got ill at the 200 pages mark and had to take a break from it. Haven't started it again, unfortunately. 😅
@@PetrikLeo Yeah it definitely starts a little slow but you’ve basically finished the slow part! We’re you reading it or listening to the audio book? I found that the audio book helped tremendously.
@@BadTakeRisan reading it! Unfortunately, I can't do audiobook. But no worries, I'll read it again. It was just wrong timing for me back then! 😁
Vinland Saga is a great historical fiction manga. You should really read it!
I've read every available chapter twice already! 😁
Will you be reading The Lymond Chronicles?
Not anytime soon, but in the future! :)
I have waited a lot ..
Now it's here again hahaha!
Read ken Follett
Still on my list of books to read!
I'm reading the last book in the Warlord Chronicles right now and I've never read a series this fast.
Isn't it so brilliant!? Love that trilogy! 😄 Lancelot in that trilogy is so despicable!
@@PetrikLeo he truly is. Sansum too
Sorry for the unrelated question, but how do you feel about the WoT tv series? Are you still hyped even though you DNF'd it?
I still need to get to all these books, but I'm reading WoT right now.
Oh I'm still hyped for the TV show! The rating so far is mixed (as expected) but I look forward to watching the show regardless. I've DNFed the series for a almost 3 years now, but I think I'll continue again next year and see how I feel after taking a long break from it! 😄
@@PetrikLeo Cool! Time really flies doesn't it? I'm already seeing some flaws in book #1 but I'll see how farmer I'll get. I'm really hyped for the show, especially since a succes would open the door even more for fantasy adaptations with a serious budget. Anyway, I hope we'll both at least enjoy the show even if we never manage to power through the books :p
@@joeri7130 true that! I wish you best of luck with the books! 😄
Regards Petrik
Cheers, Ali!
Please check out Sharon Kay Penman. She is one of my favorite authors and wrote my favorite book of all time, When Christ and His Saints Slept.
I need to get to Kristian and Cornwell.
Woohoo! I have The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman on my TBR pile! If I end up loving that one, I'll check out more of her books! 😀
I never tried to read historical fiction. Knowing the plot on a first read usually makes me struggle through it. I fear that I'll anticipate the plot based on historical events. Would you say, for example, that Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles is predictable? I'm really curious about it but I'm afraid it will feel like just another version of the Arthurian legend.
If you're hugely familiar with Arthurian legend, some events in Warlord Chronicles will be predictable. that being said, the main character in the trilogy is a fictional character, and his narration is more than enough to keep the story refreshing and unpredictable at times. Give it a try! If not, try The Cemetery of Forgotten Books. I guarantee you there is more than enough suspense, heart, and unpredictability in the series to keep you turning the pages! :)
@@PetrikLeo I do have Shadow of the Wind in my radar.
I might give both a try. Thanks! 😊
Lancelot not available on audiobook? What…
Huh? It's there on Audible. Narrated by Philip Stevens.
@@PetrikLeo apparently it’s on audible for certain regions only. But not in the United States - so odd.
@@mbyte84 That is SO WEIRD. Arghh that sucks!
Thank you. Keep it up with recommendations of historical fiction