Authors of Historical Novels

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Click on the author's name to go to the author's website or a fan website for the author, if there is one.

Rafael Sabatini wrote primarily historical adventure novels set in various periods of European history; his best-known works are Scaramouche and Captain Blood; he died in 1950.

Ernesto Sabato is an Argentine author of contemporary and historical literary novels.

Barry Sadler wrote the Casca series of novels about a Roman soldier condemned to live eternally for his role in the crucifixion; he died in 1989, but the series has been continued by authors Paul Dengelegi and Tony Roberts.

Fay Sampson has written a novel set in early medieval England.

C.J. Sansom has written a series of mystery novels set in Tudor England, as well as a stand-alone novel about an Englishman in Spain in the 1940s.

William Sarabande is the pen name of Joan Hamilton Cline, author of the First North Americans series about North America during the Ice Age.

Steven Saylor writes the well-researched Gordianus the Finder series of mystery novels set in ancient Rome, and has also written Roma a stand-alone novel about the first thousand years of Rome's history.

Simon Scarrow writes novels about ancient warfare.

Lawrence Schoonover wrote historical novels set in late medieval and Renaissance Europe; he died in 1980.

Manda Scott wrote contemporary thrillers before turning to historical fiction with her series of four novels about the British warrior queen Boudica.

Paul Scott wrote The Raj Quartet.

Susan Holloway Scott is the author of novels set in Restoration England.

Sir Walter Scott was an early nineteenth century author who wrote romantic adventure novels set in various periods of European history.

Lisa See writes nonfiction and contemporary and historical fiction set in China and the U.S.

Kate Sedley is the pen name of Brenda Margaret Lilian Honeyman Clarke, who writes a mystery series set in medieval England.

Anya Seton was the author of bestselling novels set in England and America in various historical periods; while romantic in flavor, her novels are known for their historical authenticity; she died in 1990.

Mary Lee Settle is the author of the Beulah Quartet, about the history of Appalachian Virginia, as well as stand-alone historical novels; she died in 2005.

Tim Severin is an explorer who recreates ancient journeys and has written both nonfiction and a series of novels about eleventh century Vikings.

Miranda Seymour is the author of novels set in various times and places, from ancient Greece to Renaissance Italy.

Michael Shaara wrote science fiction and a contemporary novel about the Korean War before publishing The Killer Angels, his meticulously researched and critically acclaimed novel about the Battle of Gettysburg.

Jeff Shaara is the son of Michael Shaara and writes literary historical fiction about U.S. wars, from the Mexican War and the Civil War to World War II.

Juliette Shapiro is the author of a sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Graham Shelby is a British historical novelist who writes primarily about the twelfth century.

Samuel Shellabarger wrote mysteries and light romances as well as scholarly biographies before turning to historical fiction in 1945; he died in 1954.

Frances Sherwood is the author of a novel set in seventeenth century Prague and a biographical novel about Mary Wollstonecraft.

George Shipway wrote historical novels set in various times and places, as well as a contemporary science fiction novel; he died in 1982.

Linda Shuler writes novels set in the prehistoric American Southwest.

Henryk K. Sienkiewicz was a Polish writer most famous for his novel Quo Vadis, set in ancient Rome; he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1905; he died in 1916.

Javier Sierra is a Spanish author of historical mystery novels involving the Roman Catholic Church.

Eve Silver writes dark gothic romance novels set in 1820s Britain.

Richard Skinner is a British author whose debut novel is about the World War I spy Mata Hari.

Jane Smiley writes primarily contemporary literary novels, but has also written historical novels set in Viking Greenland and in the Civil War-era U.S.

Anne Easter Smith writes historical novels set in medieval England.

Joann Smith has written Boudicca, a novel in e-book form about the British warrior queen.

Wilbur Smith writes popular historical adventure novels set in Egypt and Africa.

John Speed writes novels set in seventeenth century India.

Norman Spinrad writes novels in various genres, including historical fiction.

Carol Spradling writes historical romance novels set in eighteenth century America.

Duncan Sprott writes historical fiction, primarily set in ancient Egypt.

David Stacton wrote historical novels set in a variety of periods; he died in 1968.

Tom Standage is a literary novelist whose debut novel about a chess-playing machine is set in eighteenth century Europe and America.

Thorvald Steen is a Norwegian literary author.

Wallace Stegner wrote primarily contemporary and semi-autobiographical novels; his Pulitzer Prize-winning Angle of Repose is about a historian researching his grandparents’ lives in late nineteenth century California; he died in 1993.

Martin Stephen writes two mystery series, one beginning in seventeenth century England, the other set during the reign of James I.

Jane Stevenson is the author of a trilogy set in seventeenth century Holland and contemporary England.

Robert Louis Stevenson was a nineteenth century British author who wrote historical adventure novels.

Mary Street is the author of a novel retelling Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice from Mr. Darcy’s viewpoint.

V.A. Stuart was a decorated British military officer who wrote series novels of warfare set during the Crimean War and the Sepoy Mutiny in India; she died in 1986.

Neal Stephenson wrote cyberpunk novels before turning to intellectually challenging historical fiction about code-breaking and the scientific revolution.

Mary Stewart is a British author who wrote primarily contemporary romantic suspense before turning to historical fiction; her series of novels about Merlin incorporate some fantasy elements within a realistic portrayal of post-Roman Britain.

Irving Stone wrote biographical novels set in various periods of American and European history; he died in 1989.

William Styron wrote two literary historical novels, one a controversial novel about the Nat Turner slave rebellion, the other about the Holocaust; he died in 2006.

Indu Sundaresan is an Indian-born author who has written novels set in seventeenth century and World War II India.

Patrick Suskind is a German literary writer whose best-known book is the historical novel Perfume, set in eighteenth century France.

Rosemary Sutcliff was a critically acclaimed author of historical novels for adults and children; she died in 1992.

Beverly Swerling writes a series of novels about the early history of New York.

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