Collection: Historical Fiction

Andrzej Sapkowski's New York Times bestselling Witcher series has inspired the hit Netflix show and multiple blockbuster video games, and has transported millions of fans around the globe to an epic, unforgettable world of magic and adventure.

For over a century, humans, dwarves, gnomes, and elves have lived together in relative peace. But that peace has now come to an end.

Geralt of Rivia, the hunter known as the Witcher, has been waiting for the birth of a prophesied child. The one who has the power to change the world for good--or for evil.

As the threat of war hangs over the land and the child is pursued for her extraordinary powers, it will become Geralt's responsibility to protect them all. And the Witcher never accepts defeat.

Join Geralt of Rivia; his beloved ward and the child of prophecy, Ciri; and his ally and love, the powerful sorceress Yennefer as they battle monsters, demons, and prejudices alike in Blood of Elves, the first novel of The Witcher Saga.

Witcher story collections
The Last Wish
Sword of Destiny

Witcher novels
Blood of Elves
The Time of Contempt
Baptism of Fire
The Tower of Swallows
Lady of the Lake
Season of Storms (stand alone)

Hussite Trilogy
The Tower of Fools
Warriors of God
Light Perpetual

Translated from original Polish by Danusia Stok

"Come, come! I'm sick to death of this particular self. I want another."

As his tale begins, Orlando is a passionate sixteen-year-old nobleman whose days are spent in rowdy revelry, filled with the colorful delights of Queen Elizabeth I's court. By the close, three centuries have passed, and he will have transformed into a thirty-six-year-old woman in the year 1928. Orlando's journey is also an internal one--he is an impulsive poet who learns patience in matter of the heart, and a woman who knows what it is to be a man.

Virginia Woolf's most unusual creation, Orlando is a fantastical biography as well as a funny, exuberant romp through history that examines the true nature of sexuality.

Featuring a gorgeous new cover, spray-painted and stenciled edges, metallic foil designs on the jacket and case, detailed map endpapers, "Riden's chapter" and a ribbon, this special edition of Tricia Levenseller's bestselling debut about a pirate captain who deliberately allows herself to get captured by the enemy, is a must have for any fan of fierce heroines and swoon-worthy romance.

There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I've gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map--the key to a legendary treasure trove--seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

In Daughter of the Pirate King, author Tricia Levenseller blends action, adventure, romance, and a little bit of magic into a thrilling pirate tale.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - The first book in Diana Gabaldon's acclaimed Outlander saga, the basis for the Starz original series.

One of the top ten best-loved novels in America, as seen on PBS's The Great American Read!

Unrivaled storytelling. Unforgettable characters. Rich historical detail. These are the hallmarks of Diana Gabaldon's work. Her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels have earned the praise of critics and captured the hearts of millions of fans. Here is the story that started it all, introducing two remarkable characters, Claire Beauchamp Randall and Jamie Fraser, in a spellbinding novel of passion and history that combines exhilarating adventure with a love story for the ages.

Scottish Highlands, 1945. Claire Randall, a former British combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach--an "outlander"--in a Scotland torn by war and raiding clans in the year of Our Lord . . . 1743.

Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of a world that threatens her life, and may shatter her heart. Marooned amid danger, passion, and violence, Claire learns her only chance of safety lies in Jamie Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior. What begins in compulsion becomes urgent need, and Claire finds herself torn between two very different men, in two irreconcilable lives.

Three volumes in one! A prestige treatment of Inoue's epic samurai series with bonus content, color pages, storyboard samples and more!

Real-life figure Miyamoto Musashi was the most celebrated samurai of all time. The quintessential warrior-philosopher, Musashi authored A Book of Five Rings, a classic treatise in the canon of world philosophy and military strategy. But the path to enlightenment is an endless journey, and to get there through violent means--by way of the sword--makes mere survival an even greater challenge.

Musashi endeavors to take on sword master Yagyū Sekishūsai, a man recognized by many to be the greatest swordsman of his time. But with Sekishūsai far past his prime, does Musashi truly believe that killing a seemingly helpless old man in his sleep will take him further along the path?

Winner of the Yomiuri Prize and recipient of the 2022-23 William F. Sibley Memorial Subvention Award for Japanese Translation.

Introducing Tatsuhiko Shibusawa--Japan's Italo Calvino--in this fantastical tale of a Japanese prince who encounters both beauty and danger on a pilgrimage to India.

A fantasy set in the ninth century, Takaoka's Travels recounts the adventures of a Japanese prince-turned-monk on a pilgrimage to India. As Prince Takaoka and his companions pass through faraway lands, the rules of the ordinary world are upended, and they find curiosities and miracles wherever they go. The travelers encounter strange creatures--a white ape who guards a harem of bird-women, beasts who feed on dreams, a dog-headed man who can see hundreds of years into the future. On the high seas, their ship is boarded by ghostly pirates and driven back by supernatural winds, and still they push on. At every turn, Prince Takaoka is drawn to the beauty around him, whether it takes the form of a perfectly shaped pearl or a giant blood-red flower, but such beauty proves to be extremely dangerous. Seductive and mysterious, offering high adventure yet deeply human, this is a novel that transcends all expectations.

With an afterword by translator David Boyd.

A duchess determined to love...

Evie Montgomery, the Duchess of Somerset, has promised her grandfather she will marry for love, and she is determined to keep said promise. Only the man she loves is the most notorious rake in the country. And he hasn't spared her a glance in the seven years since she's known him. Winning his hand in marriage isn't hard, winning his heart, however, is another matter entirely.

The rake she cannot forget...

The last thing Gabriel, the Viscount St. Clare, wants in this life is marriage. However, when Evie appears on his doorstep, she proposes a bargain, he can't refuse. Marrying the duchess to gain her fortune is tempting, but not as tempting as the duchess herself.

When the past comes a knocking, they realize that to keep love in their lives, they have to give up much more than either of them has bargained for.

In war-torn medieval Japan, a young samurai lord struggles to retake his throne, but not by fighting. Hojo Tokiyuki will reclaim his birthright by running away!

In medieval Japan, eight-year-old Hojo Tokiyuki is the heir to the Kamakura shogunate. But the Hojo clan is in decline, and Tokiyuki's peaceful days of playing hide-and-seek with his teachers come to an abrupt end when his clan is betrayed from within. The lone survivor of his family, Tokiyuki is the rightful heir to the throne, but to take it back, he'll have to do what he does best--run away!

After years of training and deadly battles, the combined Hojo and Suwa army, with Tokiyuki at its head, has defeated Ashikaga Takauji's forces and retaken the city of Kamakura! After celebrating his return, Tokiyuki and his retainers seek the services of the legendary swordsmith Masamune. Meanwhile, Emperor Go-Daigo, shocked and confused by the defeat, orders Takauji himself to ride forth at the head of his army to attack and destroy Tokiyuki once and for all!

Nice Victorian ladies don't run off to find legendary lost cities.

One trifling little arrest shouldn't have cost Ellie Mallory her job, but it's only the latest in a line of injustices facing any educated woman with archaeological ambitions.

When Ellie stumbles across the map to a mysterious ancient city, she knows she's holding her chance to revolutionize Pre-Colombian history. There's just one teensy complication. A ruthless villain wants it, and Ellie is all that stands in his way.

To race him to the ruins-and avoid being violently disposed of-she needs the help of maverick surveyor Adam Bates, a snake-wrangling rogue who can't seem to keep his dratted shirt on.

But there's more than Ellie's scholarly reputation (and life) on the line. Her enemies aren't just looters. They're after an arcane secret rumored to lie in the heart of the ruins, a mythical artifact with a power that could shake the world.

Between stealing trousers, plummeting over waterfalls, and trying not to fall in love with her machete-wielding partner, will Ellie be able to stop the oracle of a lost empire from falling into the wrong hands?

Empire of Shadows is the first book in Jacquelyn Benson's smart, swashbuckling Raiders of the Arcana series. Read it now and dive into a rip-roaring historical fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Romancing the Stone and The Mummy.

Frightened that the grippe will steal away the life of her beloved cousin Marija, the only family she has in New York, Karolina steps out into the cold and unforgiving city streets to buy chamomile flowers, a tried-and-true remedy from her old life in Lithuania. Meanwhile, her children struggle to navigate through Cossack-occupied Europe to reach the port of Hamburg and sail to America for a desperately sought reunion.

Set in 1901, Paul Jaskunas's multi-generational immigrant saga-in-miniature nimbly blends historical realism with a more feverish, dreamlike aesthetic to create a unique and arresting portrait of one family fervently hoping that America will make good on its eternal promise.

"Moving and emotional." --Victoria Ying, Harvey Award-winning author of Hungry Ghost

"Crucial."--Deb JJ Lee, creator of In Limbo

"Beautiful"--Fiona Smyth, illustrator of Sex Is a Funny Word

A powerful coming-of-age graphic novel about how mothers and daughters pass down--and rebel against--standards of size, gender, race, beauty, and worth.

Guandong, 1954 Sixteen-year-old Mei Laan longs for a future of freedom, and her beauty may be the key to getting it. Can an arranged marriage in Hong Kong be the answer to all her problems?

Hong Kong, 1972 Sixteen-year-old Lydia wants nothing more than to dance and to gain approval from her mother, who is largely absent and sharply critical, especially about the way she looks. Maybe her way to happiness is starting over in Toronto?

Toronto, 2000 Sixteen-year-old Roz is grappling with who she wants to be in the world. The only thing she is certain of is that if she were thinner, things would be better. How can she start living her life, instead of just photographing it?

When Roz's estranged por por abruptly arrives for a seemingly indefinite visit, three generations are now under one roof. Delicate relationships are suddenly upended, and long suppressed family secrets begin to surface.

Award-winning creator of Living with Viola Rosena Fung pulls from her own family history in her YA debut to give us an emotional and poignant story about how every generation is affected by those that came before, and affect those that come after.

Content Warning: body image, disordered eating.

Based on true events, Tomorrow Is for the Brave is a gripping World War II page-turner about a courageous woman who risks it all for what is right--perfect for fans of Natasha Lester and Kristen Harmel.

1939, France: Lavish parties, fast cars, and a closet full of the latest fashion--to the average eye, socialite Violet St. Croix seemingly has it all. But what she truly wants is a life full of meaning and purpose. So when France falls to Germany, Violet defies her parents' wishes and joins the war effort. With her impeccable skill for driving under pressure, she is soon sent to North Africa to shepherd French Foreign Legion officers carrying valuable intelligence through dangerous territory.

But as the Allies encounter one mishap after another, Violet becomes convinced there is a spy in their ranks. And when her commanding officer is murdered, Violet realizes she might be the only one who can uncover the traitor and save the lives of countless soldiers on the front lines. Convincing others to believe her is difficult enough. Finding someone she can trust just might be impossible.

In this twisting, page-turning read, shipwrecked teen girls from opposing sides of a long war must find common ground in order to survive.

When the Burying Ground goes down in neutral waters, it sends the delegations from two warring nations--and the peace treaty they were about to sign--to the bottom of the ocean. The only survivors are a pair of teen girls: Cora, daughter of a Duran newspaper man, and Vivienne, lady's maid to an Ariminthian princess. Neither has known a time when war between their two countries did not rage, but now they must learn to trust each other if they are to find sustenance, avoid dangerous pirates, and have any hope of rescue from the remote island they washed up on. However, in the midst of a conflict steeped in fierce national identity, propaganda, disinformation, and radicalization, finding a common path forward seems nearly impossible, for both Cora and Vivienne and their respective countries. But when the teens' politically charged rescue seems likely to extend the war, Cora and Vivienne realize they do have a shared purpose: peace. If only it isn't too late.

Journey through time to witness Earth's evolution and marvel at the interconnectedness of all living things.

Kûn likes to imagine life on Earth millions of years ago when the sky boomed with the wild beat of pterosaur wings. Thousands of miles away, Solveig gazes at the sky as she admires the beauty of the northern lights. Learn how these children are connected in this spellbinding journey through the evolution of Earth's surface from water world to ice age to the familiar landscape we know today. Follow the poetic account of Earth's lifespan by Kate Greenaway Award-winning illustrator Grahame Baker-Smith.

The night of London's grandest ball, a bold group of women downstairs plot a daring revenge heist against Mayfair society in this dazzling historical novel about power, gender, and class

Named a Best Book of Summer by The Washington Post * Good Housekeeping * Harper's Bazaar * Reader's Digest

"Rollicking fun and entirely original... Anyone who relishes a good party gone wrong will devour this."
--Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary

Mrs. King is no ordinary housekeeper. Born into a world of con artists and thieves, she's made herself respectable, running the grandest home in Mayfair. The place is packed with treasures, a glittering symbol of wealth and power, but dark secrets lurk in the shadows.

When Mrs. King is suddenly dismissed from her position, she recruits an eclectic group of women to join her in revenge: A black market queen out to settle her scores. An actress desperate for a magnificent part. A seamstress dreaming of a better life. And Mrs. King's predecessor, with her own desire for vengeance.

Their plan? On the night of the house's highly anticipated costume ball--set to be the most illustrious of the year--they will rob it of its every possession, right under the noses of the distinguished guests and their elusive heiress host. But there's one thing Mrs. King wants even more than money: the truth. And she'll run any risk to get it...

After all, one should never underestimate the women downstairs.

"A deliciously clever novel... You'll never have so much fun cheering on grand larceny."
--Nina de Gramont, New York Times bestselling author of The Christie Affair, a Reese's Book Club Pick