Best Historical Fantasy Books to Read This Year

I read a fair bit of historical fiction when I was younger, enjoying the glimpse into a different time long before I or anyone I know existed. Even though the people and events were fictional, a good historical fiction book will be well-researched and accurate to the times. The time period itself is one of the characters.

So it was only natural for me to gravitate toward the historical fantasy subgenre once I started reading fantasy books! These have all the carefully researched and time period-capturing vibes of its historical fiction cousins, but with a splash of magic and wonder that makes it all the more exciting to read.

And so if you’re interested in adding such books to your TBR, I have compiled a list of the best historical fantasy books according to me!

Disclaimer: There are affiliate links below, which means if you make a purchase after clicking on one, I may earn a commission. Full disclaimer here.

Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Huang

One of my favorite books of all time, Babel is a historical fantasy featuring an alternate history in 1830s England. In this universe, blocks of silver can be infused with magical powers through the strategic application of “match pair” words, which consist of two words of similar meaning in different languages. These magically imbued blocks are then used to power everything from carriages and lighting to healing injuries and creating explosives.

The story follows a boy named Robin Swift who attends Oxford to study the powerful skill of language and translation and the imbuing of these powerful silver blocks. Swift, who is an orphan of Chinese descent, soon learns the true nature of the power they wield and its influence on both the world and his home country.

This dark academia, whose alternate title is The Necessity of Violence delivers on its promise to explore exactly that, as Robin struggles to do what is right and suffers the consequences of his actions.

Although the book takes place in an alternate timeline, much of the Victorian era is accurately depicted, particularly the depiction of racism, colonialism, sexism, and classism. And the world building and magic system are among the most impressive I’ve ever seen.

Heartbreaking and poignant in a way few books achieve, this book will make you stop and ask yourself the hard questions.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue V.E. Schwab

V.E. Schwab is one of my favorite writers of all time, and I was tempted to list the A Darker Shade of Magic series here as a historical fantasy. But although those books technically take place in the 1800s, so much of it happens in Red London – a completely alternate version of London with a completely different culture – that it reads almost like a high fantasy.

And so I will instead recommend another of her masterpieces, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. This sweeping historical fantasy begins in 1714 and spans centuries as we follow a young woman who makes a bargain with a dark spirit – maybe Death himself – that makes her immortal.

The catch? No one can remember her, no matter how much time she spends with them. The moment she is out of their sight, they forget she ever existed.

And so she lives out the centuries, never being able to get close to anyone – until one day, she meets am an in a bookstore who does remember her.

It’s an easy five-star read, but be forewarned – if you are looking for a fantasy romance, this is not what you will expect it to be. For that reason, some people don’t like it. But embrace it for what it is, and you’ll appreciate the genius of it!

The Warm Hands of Ghosts of Katherin Arden

If you’re looking to dip your toe into historical fantasy, The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a good place to start. At under 300 pages and low fantasy (taking place in the real world, but with magical elements), this World War I story is an unimposing read for fantasy newbies.

Really, it’s more of a ghost story than anything else, with historical depth and magical writing that will keep you gripped from page one.

The story follows two POVs – Laura, a combat nurse who was discharged from the army to recover from her leg injury, and Freddie, her soldier brother. Fearing her brother dead, Laura leaves Halifax and returns to the front lines to find out his fate. Freddie’s POV takes place a few months before, depicting the events leading up to his disappearance, beginning with an explosion that traps him in a pillbox with a Germain soldier.

Soon, their fates are all entwined with Faland, a mysterious wandering violinist with dubious intentions and things take a turn for the weird.

The story has a beautiful haunting writing style and Arden does a great job capturing the devastating effects of the war without glamourizing it.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Another series set in Victorian London, Clockwork Angel is the book for you if you’re looking for historical fantasy with a strong helping of romance. The first book in the series follows Tessa Gray, a teenage girl who is sent a ticket to London by her brother after the passing of her Aunt.

But instead of meeting her brother in London, Tessa is kidnapped by a nasty duo of warlocks, who train her through torture to shapeshift – an ability she didn’t know she possessed before this time. She is soon rescued by the Shadowhunters and taken into their underground organization.

What follows is a journey to discover what happened to her brother and how he got wrapped up with the Warlocks and the lord they work for, known only as the Magister.

Not only does this book have strong Victorian vibes, but it also has a steampunk flare to it with automatons, clockwork pendants, and absent-minded inventors. (I love steampunk and don’t understand why it’s not more popular in the fantasy genre! I’m hoping it will be the next big thing once we get over our obsessions with dragons.)

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

This masterpiece by Susanna Clarke is one of the most unique books you’ll ever read. Spanning a thousand pages and chock full of textbook-like footnotes, it is daunting for many readers, but once you get into it, it’s not a difficult read at all.

Set in an alternate version of 1800s England, the story is about Mr Norrell England’s seemingly only “practicing” magician. He has lofty goals of supporting the British in their efforts against the French. The only thing is, he’s not much of a people person.

He takes on an apprentice, one Jonathan Strange, but he is Norrell’s opposite in nearly every way with his bold approach to life and a penchant for wild, dangerous types of magic.

Truthfully, I’m not finished reading this one yet, but every chapter is alive with colorful characters, delightfully tangent subplots, and wry, pithy humor as only the British can deliver.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

If you prefer books that are on the lighter, cozier side, look no further than Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. The story takes place in 1909 and is told through the protagonist’s journal. Our neurodivergent hero, Emily Wilde, is a woman on a mission – to create a complete Encyclopaedia of Faeries to win herself acclaim.

She travels to a village in remote North Norway to study the elusive “Hidden Ones.” The villagers don’t take to her too well initially, and a wrench is further thrown into her plans when her friend and scholarly rival from Cambridge, Wendell Brambleby – who may or may not be a faerie himself – shows up unannounced.

What follows is a charming, witty story full of folklore, faeries, winter vibes, mysterious disappearances, and the finest smattering of romance.

I love this book so much and I have its sequel, Emily Wilde’s Map to the Otherlands checked out of the library to read as we speak! If you like fairy tales and witty writing this is the book for you.

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo 

I confess, The Familiar is the first book I’ve read by Leigh Bardugo. But colour me impressed, because this author knows how to spin a gripping story.

Set in late 16th-century Madrid city during the height of the Spanish Inquisition, the story follows Luzia, a poor scullion sleeping in the larder of her barely-noble employers’ household. But plain and unassuming as Luzia may seem, she has a secret: she sings refranes that have special powers that can unburn bread, multiple objects, and cause seeds to grow and bloom at exceptional speed.

Of course, it doesn’t stay secret long, and soon she has attracted the interest of Antonio Pérez, the former secretary to the king, who intends to use her “milagritos” as an inn to recapture the king’s favour. For the first time in her life, Luzia sees a path to a better life for herself.

But being brought into the spotlight brings its own danger, namely, the Inquisition, to mercilessly torture and execute those accused of witchcraft. Her Jewish blood also makes her a target, and so she has work cut out for her if she’s going to survive.

Her only ally is Pérez’s familiar, Santángel, a bitter immortal with his own secret agenda.

Full of magical competitions, betrayal, and swoon-worthy romance, I enjoyed The Familiar from start to finish and finished reading it in three days flat.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

I can’t very well write a blog post about historical fantasy without mentioning the Outlander series. Even though this borders on being straight-up historical fiction – since it’s not an alternative history, nor are there any special powers or magical beings – since time travel and magical stones are involved, we can consider this to be a historical fantasy.

Since time travel is a big feature in the book, this 9-book series (planned to be 10 books total) spans several time periods, including the 1940s, 1960s, and late 1700s.

This book features a lot of historical Jacobite Scotland and the conflicts that were going on in that time period. It also features an epic romance between Claire Beauchamp and Jamie Fraser.

This wildly popular series was published in 1991 and has stood the test of time, having been turned into a Musical, graphic novel, and T.V. series over the years.

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed this list of the best historical fantasy books I’ve ever read. These novels will not only transport you to a different time but a different reality, where fantastical elements and history intertwine in the most compelling way.

I can almost guarantee you won’t be sorry you added these to your TBR.

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