The best books that immerse you in a story so compelling that you don’t even realize you’re learning about history

I have read everything James Clavell has written.

This book is a story about a British pilot landing in Japan with the intention of breaking up the Portuguese monopoly on trade. He becomes quickly entangled in the country's internal politics and becomes immersed in Japanese culture.

A new film version of the saga is currently on Apple TV and is exceptional. I highly recommend both the book and the mini-series.

I read this book by James Clavell when I was just out of high school. And while I had always been interested in history and biographies, I'd never really read historical fiction. It blew me away. I became lost in the book. 

The heart of the story lies in the intense rivalry between two opium traders, Dirk Straun and Tyler Brock, who come to dominate Britain’s newfound control over Hong Kong in the early nineteenth century. Their shared history as powder monkeys on a British ship during the battle of Trafalgar,  where a seven-year-old Dirk Straun was mercilessly whipped by the older Tyler Brock, sets the stage for a lifelong conflict that shapes the course of the narrative. 

While the rivalry between Straun and Brock is the driving force of the plot, the true essence of the story lies in the exploration of the integration of Chinese and British culture in Hong Kong. Straun, a character who embodies the best of both worlds, challenges Brock with his unique perspective, leading to a fascinating clash of cultures. This aspect of the story not only entertained me but also left me with a deeper understanding of the complexities of cultural integration.  

The story is an epic saga with countless ups and downs, surprise turns, and a fantastic ending. I remember thinking then, “This is how a book should end!”  

My introduction to Bernard Cornwell's work was a series of audiobooks that chronicled the journey of a British Rifleman who fought in every battle against Napoleon’s army, from the ports of Portugal to Waterloo. 

This book is the first novel in a new series by Cornwall called The Saxon Series, which begins the tale of Britain. It is told through the eyes of a Saxon noble (Utred of Bebbanburg) who is captured and raised by invading Danish Vikings. He is assimilated into their warrior culture before events lead him into service to King Alfred of Wessex. His knowledge of Viking battle tactics and his ruthless approach to war make him invaluable in a number of battles.

The story immerses you in the history of Britain, following a compelling protagonist whose story weaves you into the politics of Britain’s early days. I walked away thoroughly entertained and informed. This series was also made into a mini-series that is quite entertaining.

Gabaldon is a master at blending mysticism and history. She uses Stonehenge-like stones as a time-traveling device to send a British WWII nurse (Claire Randall)  back in time to Scotland in 1743, where she falls in love with a Highland warrior named Jamie Fraser and becomes involved in a doomed Jacobite uprising.

While it is a love story, it's also a very compelling epic drama that transports the reader (like Claire) to a different time and culture. Her struggle for survival and love, coupled seamlessly with Jamie’s clan’s struggle for freedom, keeps the plot engrossing and always entertaining. This, too, has been translated into film in a compelling mini-series.

Despite his success as a spy/thriller novelist, Ken Follett had trouble finding a publisher when he tried his hand at historical fiction. Fortunately, he persisted and published this book, which outsold every novel he'd ever written.

When it was first released, my wife refused to let me read it as I was in the midst of writing my own book. “It’s too similar to your story,” she said. It may throw you off.” Although set several centuries after my book's story, the world had changed little and featured similar conflicts between pagans and the church. Where my book tells the story of what happens to Charles Martel's family upon his death, Pillars tells the story of Britain after the loss of a host of nobles, including the heir to the British throne, on a boat that sank in the English Channel. 

It's a great book, a fun read, and it spawned several sequels.