Over at the medieval forum is a discussion raging about Dan Brown and his omnipresent “Da Vinci Code”. My opinions on Dan Brown sorry efforts are excellently expressed by Vagabond’s contribution. I haven’t actually read “Da Vinci Code” ( am I alone in the universe ?), but I’ve tried “Illuminati” and found it so badly written and researched, that I had to give up after 50 pages and swore never to try another again.

Anyway, who do you think is the best writer of historical fiction?

My personal favourite is Umberto Eco, whose books (especially Foucault’s Pendulum and Baudolino) are everything that  Dan Brown’s aren’t: Thoroughly researched, highly readable and  genuine works of literature as opposed to Dan Brown’s pulp fiction.

Any other suggestions? Answers on a postcard, please!

I too read DaVinci Code and would not recommend it to anyone.  Its just not very well written.  A friend of mine gave me a copy of the book which is the only reason I read it.

I enjoy Eco, Dumas, Graves, McCollough among many others.

I kinda enjoyed The Da Vinci Code, mostly due to its cinematographic writing, which made me read it in one day (I just couldn't stop). Sure, it's no masterpiece, but I would certainy recomend it as a nice light reading. If Ron Howard is on a good day, it might turn out a good blockbuster.

Of course it's still a bad copy of Umberto Eco's "Foucault's Pendulum", that one being a truly astonishing book, although not quite an Historical Fiction.

As for my favorites, I'd have to choose Eco, João Aguiar, Alexandre Herculano, Count Alexis Tolstoi and Walter Scott. Also, I enjoyed Valerio Massimo Manfredi's Alexander The Great triology.

I'm also looking forward to reading Bernard Cornwell's triology on the 100 Years War. Anyone tried that one yet?

Luo Guanzhong on his works with Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Outlaws of the Marsh.I find his works very compelling and a very interesting read if you're into war,diplomacy,and relationships between enemies.

Also,Taiko by Eiji Yoshikawa.It has bits of fiction,but is mostly historical in every way,and so is his book Musashi.Taiko has to do with the warring states of Medieval Japan in the 16 century.

The Black Flower by Howard Bahr.

I'm a huge fan of the Steven Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series. Its portrait of Ancient Rome everyday life and intrigue, giving life to both historical and common characters alike, is fascinating.

And one's got to love Gordianus, the Finder! 

I have met Stephen Saylor - a very nice man and have several of his books autographed and spent last Halloween night on Bourbon Street - in Roman costume with Mr. Saylor and friends. 

Sorry....its just about the only name dropping I can do.  LOL  Gordianus the Finder ROCKS

Call me "Old School", but I've always been a fan of Sir Walter Scott--Ivanhoe was awesome, and The Talisman was even better (despite Scott's penchant for portraying the Templars as sinister).

Originally posted by Infidel Gordianus rules, indeed! I must say I admire the man

Actually from "Gordianus" series i find only first book to be average. Every next book is worse than previous. Characters are not realistic and i think the whole story is not well written. For me Stephen Saylor is a second or even third sort writter who cannot be campared to - for example Colleen McCullough. Her roman books are much better.

I just finished Imprimatur by Rita Monaldi and Francesco Sorti. The story is set in Rome in 1683, during the siege of Vienna. After the mysterious death of a guest, a small group of people have to stay in quarantaine in a Roman inn. The writer of a journal and a secret agent from the court of Louis XIV try to find the murderer.

Imprimatur is Latin for "let it be printed." When a Roman Catholic bishop grants his imprimatur to a printed work, he assures the reader that nothing therein is contrary to Catholic faith or morals. Actually the book was  the victim of a boycott campaign orchestrated by the Vatican. The authors depicted an image of Pope Innocent XI as a selfish politician, betraying the Roman Catholic churchs interests in the hope of recovering a personal debt from William of Orange by financing his invasion of England (Glorious Revolution). The book is based on historical research by the authors and contains an appendix of forty pages with notes and sources.