Recommendations based on The Reckoningby Sharon Kay Penman

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Here Be Dragons

    by Sharon Kay Penman
    Epic story of love, war and betrayal set against the backdrop of 13th century England.

    Here Be Dragons is the first of Penman's trilogy about the medieval princes of Gwynedd and the monarchs of England. , England's King John uses his out-of-wedlock daughter Joanna as a negotiating tool ... (Wikipedia)

  2. The Sunne in Splendour

    by Sharon Kay Penman
    Historical fiction about the life of King Richard III, from his childhood to his death on the battlefield.

    The story begins in 1459 with Richard as a young boy, and ends in 1485 with his defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field . When their father is killed, Richard's older brother Edward leads the House of ... (Wikipedia)

  3. When Christ and His Saints Slept

    by Sharon Kay Penman
    Epic tale of medieval England, exploring the power struggles of the Plantagenet dynasty.

    A.D. 1135. As church bells tolled for the death of England's King Henry I, his barons faced the unwelcome prospect of being ruled by a woman: Henry's beautiful daughter Maude, Countess of Anjou. But ... (Goodreads)

  4. The Far Pavilions

    by M.M. Kaye
    Epic adventure story set in 19th century India, exploring the clash of East and West.

    Ashton Pelham-Martyn (Ash) is the son of a British botanist travelling through India; he is born on the road shortly before the Sepoy uprising of 1857 . His mother dies from childbed fever shortly ... (Wikipedia)

  5. Sarum: The Novel of England

    by Edward Rutherfurd
    Epic saga tracing the history of an English landscape from prehistoric times to the present day.

    Sarum: The Novel of England - a novel that traces the entire turbulent course of English history. This rich tapestry weaves a compelling saga of five families—the Wilsons, the Masons, the family of ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Winter King

    by Bernard Cornwell
    Epic saga of Arthurian legend, weaving together the tales of a warrior-king's rise to power.

    The story is narrated by its main protagonist, Derfel Cadarn , an elderly monk who has converted to Christianity late in life after spending many years as a warrior in the service of Arthur , a ... (Wikipedia)

  7. Centennial

    by James A. Michener
    Epic journey through the history of the American West, painting a vivid picture of its people and culture.

    Written to commemorate the Bicentennial in 1976, James A. Michener’s magnificent saga of the West is an enthralling celebration of the frontier. Brimming with the glory of America’s past, the story ... (Goodreads)

  8. The Memoirs of Cleopatra

    by Margaret George
    A historical narrative of Egypt's last queen, recounting her fascinating life story.

    The story follows Cleopatra VII , from her early life under the rule of her father Ptolemy XII Auletes , to her eventual suicide. When Cleopatra is a young girl, Ptolemy is overthrown by his two ... (Wikipedia)

  9. Dissolution

    by C.J. Sansom
    A lawyer in Tudor England investigates a suspicious death, uncovering a vast conspiracy.

    Henry VIII has ordered the dissolution of the monasteries and England is full of informers. At the monastery of Scarnsea, events have spiralled out of control with the murder of Commissioner Robin ... (Goodreads)

  10. The Iron King

    by Maurice Druon
    Epic historical fiction of the Middle Ages, as dynasties pay the price of ambition.

    Set in the 14th century during the reigns of the last five kings of the direct Capetian dynasty and the first two kings of the House of Valois , the series begins as the French King Philip the Fair , ... (Wikipedia)

  11. Gods and Generals

    by Jeff Shaara
    Epic saga of the American Civil War, recounting the experiences of its heroes and leaders.

    Copying his father's approach of focusing on the most important officers of the two armies ( General Robert E. Lee , Major General Winfield Scott Hancock , Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson , ... (Wikipedia)

  12. Katherine

    by Anya Seton
    A historical romance novel set in 14th century England, following the life of Katherine Swynford and her love affair with John of Gaunt.

    Katherine tells the true story of Katherine de Roet, born the daughter of a minor Flemish herald , later knight . Katherine has no obvious prospects, except that her sister is a waiting-woman to ... (Wikipedia)

  13. Revelation

    by C.J. Sansom
    A gripping tale of betrayal and conspiracy set in Tudor England.

    The plot centres around the challenges of Reformation England , and draws on the prophesies of the Book of Revelation and features Archbishop Cranmer . , Revelation was short listed for the Books ... (Wikipedia)

  14. The Burning Land

    by Bernard Cornwell
    A Saxon warrior's struggle to reclaim his homeland from Viking invaders.

    892 – 893: Uhtred of Bebbanburg is now the preeminent warlord of Wessex, Alfred the Great 's kingdom. Always in poor health, Alfred urges him to swear an oath to Alfred's son and presumptive heir, ... (Wikipedia)

  15. Innocent Traitor

    by Alison Weir
    A historical novel about Lady Jane Grey, her tumultuous reign as Queen of England, and her tragic fate.

    The story starts with her birth in 1537. The daughter of Lady Frances Brandon and Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk , Jane is seen as a burden by her parents, both of whom resent her for being a girl ... (Wikipedia)

  16. The Mists of Avalon

    by Marion Zimmer Bradley
    An immersive retelling of the Arthurian legend from a female perspective.

    The Mists of Avalon is a generations-spanning retelling of the Arthurian legend that brings it back to its Brythonic Celtic roots (see Matter of Britain ). The plot tells the story of the women who ... (Wikipedia)

  17. A Town Like Alice

    by Nevil Shute
    A young woman's courageous journey from a Japanese war camp to a new life in Australia.

    The story falls broadly into three parts. In post-World War II London, Jean Paget, a secretary in a leather goods factory, is informed by solicitor Noel Strachan that she has inherited a considerable ... (Wikipedia)

  18. The Thirteenth Tale

    by Diane Setterfield
    A mysterious storyteller reveals a dark family secret, transforming the lives of those around her.

    Vida Winter, a famous novelist in England, has evaded journalists' questions about her past, refusing to answer their inquiries and spinning elaborate tales that they later discover to be false. Her ... (Wikipedia)

  19. Enemy of God

    by Bernard Cornwell
    Historical fiction set in 5th century Britain, chronicling Arthur's quest to save his people.

    Arthur's unexpected victory over the combined armies of Powys and Siluria at Lugg Vale has brought peace and unity to the British kingdoms. Both Gorfyddyd, King of Powys, and Gundleus, King of ... (Wikipedia)

  20. The Scottish Prisoner

    by Diana Gabaldon
    Jamie Fraser, a Scottish prisoner, is asked by the British to help prevent a rebellion in the American colonies. He forms an unlikely friendship with Lord John Grey.

    A captivating return to the world Diana Gabaldon created in her Outlander and Lord John series, The Scottish Prisoner is a masterpiece of epic history, wicked deceit, and scores that can only be ... (Goodreads)

  21. Heaven and Hell

    by John Jakes
    A family saga set in late 19th century America, confronting the consequences of ambition and greed.

    The last days of the Civil War bring no peace for the Main and Hazard families. As the Mains’ South smolders in the ruins of defeat, the Hazards’ North pushes blindly for relentless industrial ... (Goodreads)

  22. Love and War

    by John Jakes
    Epic saga of a family divided by the American Civil War.

    The Hazards and the Mains – the first fatal shot fired at Fort Sumter divided them irrevocably with loyalties more powerful than family ties. The young would clash on the bloody battlefields of Bull ... (Goodreads)

  23. London

    by Edward Rutherfurd
    Historical novel tracing the 2000-year history of the English capital.

    Here is Edward Rutherfurd's classic novel of London, a glorious pageant spanning 2,000 years. He brings this vibrant city's long and noble history alive through the ever-shifting fortunes, fates, and ... (Goodreads)

  24. Fortune's Rocks

    by Anita Shreve
    A forbidden summer romance between a married woman and a young man.

    In the summer of 1899, Olympia Biddeford, a privileged, intelligent 15-year-old, and her parents have retired from the heat of Boston to the coastal resort of Fortune's Rocks. When the celebrated ... (Wikipedia)

  25. Half the World

    by Joe Abercrombie
    Epic fantasy tale of a young girl's quest to become a warrior and avenge her murdered family.

    The story follows the exploits of Yarvi, a young prince of Gettland with a disabled hand. When his father dies Yarvi is elevated to the throne but faces a struggle to keep it as others conspire to ... (Wikipedia)

  26. Claudius the God and His Wife Messalina

    by Robert Graves
    A historical account of the reign of the Roman emperor Claudius and his controversial wife Messalina.

    With the same brilliance that characterized his classic I, Claudius , Robert Graves continues the tumultuous life of the Roman who became emperor in spite of himself and his handicaps. Claudius the ... (Goodreads)

  27. Drums of Autumn

    by Diana Gabaldon
    A romantic family saga set in 18th century America, of the struggles of an immigrant family.

    The heroine of the bestselling, Outlander, , Claire, returns in Drums of Autumn , reunited with her husband Jamie Fraser and facing a new life in the American colonies . As the preceding novel, ... (Wikipedia)

  28. The Distant Hours

    by Kate Morton
    A woman unravels the secrets of a distant castle, uncovering a family mystery.

    A long lost letter arrives in the post and Edie Burchill finds herself on a journey to Milderhurst Castle, a great but moldering old house, where the Blythe spinsters live and where her mother was ... (Goodreads)

  29. World Without End

    by Ken Follett
    Epic tale of love and war, tracing the lives of two families over centuries.

    The novel begins in the fictional city of Kingsbridge, England in the year 1327 . Four children - Merthin, Caris, Gwenda, and Merthin's brother Ralph - head into the woods on All Hallows Day . ... (Wikipedia)

  30. The Lake House

    by Kate Morton
    A woman's search for answers to the mystery of her mother's disappearance, uncovering secrets of a long-lost family.

    An abandoned house... June 1933, and sixteen-year-old Alice Edevane is preparing for her family's Midsummer Eve party at their country home, Loeanneth. But by the time midnight strikes and fireworks ... (Goodreads)