Advanced Search

Search

Advanced Search

Tūranga is open 10am-5pm, but all other libraries are closed Monday 5 June 2023 for the King's Birthday holiday

Jacket cover images copied to clipboard.

Genre Guide

Historical Fantasy - Christchurch City Libraries

By:

ChristchurchLib

Christchurch City Libraries Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi

Staff-created list

Expect vivid settings, interesting and diverse characters, and options ranging from alternate histories, and fantasy themes ranging from mild to epic. Stories set in history and embellished with the author’s own imagination Historical Fantasy Fiction delivers historical realities, complex plots, and some level of magical or other-worldly content. Myths and legends become historical figures, and the balance of what really happened vs. what could have happened is constantly challenged. A Christchurch City Libraries list.

By:

ChristchurchLib

Christchurch City Libraries Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi

16 items

16 items

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

by Clarke, Susanna, 1959-

Book - 2004

Brilliantly written with great humour, loads of action, and a page-turning plot that will keep you in suspense. A rich and reclusive theoretical magician ...Show more Brilliantly written with great humour, loads of action, and a page-turning plot that will keep you in suspense. A rich and reclusive theoretical magician fights to reinstate magic back to polite society in an old London. With his vast resources and his newfound friendship with a more practical magician, success seems guaranteed. But one mistake brings a powerful supernatural being who seeks to end humanity into the equation. Can they work together to defeat this evil in a most proper fashion? Show less

Brilliantly written with great humour, loads of action, and a page-turning plot that will keep you in suspense. A rich and reclusive theoretical magician ...Show more Brilliantly written with great humour, loads of action, and a page-turning plot that will keep you in suspense. A rich and reclusive theoretical magician fights to reinstate magic back to polite society in an old London. With his vast resources and his newfound friendship with a more practical magician, success seems guaranteed. But one mistake brings a powerful supernatural being who seeks to end humanity into the equation. Can they work together to defeat this evil in a most proper fashion? Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

The Wolf

The Wolf

by Carew, Leo

Book - 2018

A fantastic and epically scoped historical fantasy, replete with fully charged battle adventure and dangerously intricate political intrigue. Two warring ...Show more A fantastic and epically scoped historical fantasy, replete with fully charged battle adventure and dangerously intricate political intrigue. Two warring races are at an impasse and have taken up the sword against one another to be rid of their old enemies for good, or die trying. In this first book of a series we'll see both race's leaders (and their formidable armies) go head-to-head in a fight for honour, but what will survival cost? Show less

A fantastic and epically scoped historical fantasy, replete with fully charged battle adventure and dangerously intricate political intrigue. Two warring ...Show more A fantastic and epically scoped historical fantasy, replete with fully charged battle adventure and dangerously intricate political intrigue. Two warring races are at an impasse and have taken up the sword against one another to be rid of their old enemies for good, or die trying. In this first book of a series we'll see both race's leaders (and their formidable armies) go head-to-head in a fight for honour, but what will survival cost? Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

Emperor of the Eight Islands

Emperor of the Eight Islands

by Hearn, Lian, pseud., 1942-

Book - 2016

A brilliant read full of the magic of possibility, a young man survives an assassination attempt only to be changed by the very forests into a creature of...Show more A brilliant read full of the magic of possibility, a young man survives an assassination attempt only to be changed by the very forests into a creature of legend, a mythic figure called 'Shikanoko'. Set in Edo-era Japan this amazing story traverses the brutality of courtly intrigues, the magic that lives in the forests, the ambitions of mortal men and mysterious women, and is full of page turning "what next?" moments. Show less

A brilliant read full of the magic of possibility, a young man survives an assassination attempt only to be changed by the very forests into a creature of...Show more A brilliant read full of the magic of possibility, a young man survives an assassination attempt only to be changed by the very forests into a creature of legend, a mythic figure called 'Shikanoko'. Set in Edo-era Japan this amazing story traverses the brutality of courtly intrigues, the magic that lives in the forests, the ambitions of mortal men and mysterious women, and is full of page turning "what next?" moments. Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

The Bird King

The Bird King

by Wilson, G. Willow, 1982-

Book - 2019

A gripping and fast paced exploration of fifteenth-century Spain. The Inquisition is at its peak, causing untold terror and suspicion. The Muslim and chri...Show more A gripping and fast paced exploration of fifteenth-century Spain. The Inquisition is at its peak, causing untold terror and suspicion. The Muslim and christian worlds are not yet separated, and amidst it all is palace concubine Fatima, and her friend Hassan, a map maker with a magical secret... An adventure novel that looks at love, power, religion, and freedom, and their impacts of humanity and our capacity for kindness. A great read from an exciting new Muslim-American author. Show less

A gripping and fast paced exploration of fifteenth-century Spain. The Inquisition is at its peak, causing untold terror and suspicion. The Muslim and chri...Show more A gripping and fast paced exploration of fifteenth-century Spain. The Inquisition is at its peak, causing untold terror and suspicion. The Muslim and christian worlds are not yet separated, and amidst it all is palace concubine Fatima, and her friend Hassan, a map maker with a magical secret... An adventure novel that looks at love, power, religion, and freedom, and their impacts of humanity and our capacity for kindness. A great read from an exciting new Muslim-American author. Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

The Mists of Avalon

The Mists of Avalon

by Bradley, Marion Zimmer, 1930-1999

Book - 1982

A fast paced character driven exploration of conflicting beliefs, cloudy judgement, relationships and betrayal, all in beautiful, descriptive, and elegant...Show more A fast paced character driven exploration of conflicting beliefs, cloudy judgement, relationships and betrayal, all in beautiful, descriptive, and elegant language. The all-familiar tale of King Arthur and his court with a twist— it's told through the eyes of the women that held sway in his court. Show less

A fast paced character driven exploration of conflicting beliefs, cloudy judgement, relationships and betrayal, all in beautiful, descriptive, and elegant...Show more A fast paced character driven exploration of conflicting beliefs, cloudy judgement, relationships and betrayal, all in beautiful, descriptive, and elegant language. The all-familiar tale of King Arthur and his court with a twist— it's told through the eyes of the women that held sway in his court. Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

The Night Circus

The Night Circus

A Novel

by Morgenstern, Erin, 1978-

Book - 2011

Highly readable and a well-paced mix of fantasy and romance set in the 19th century. Magic is real and powerful, and 'The Night Circus' is humming with it...Show more Highly readable and a well-paced mix of fantasy and romance set in the 19th century. Magic is real and powerful, and 'The Night Circus' is humming with it. It ties and binds a number of characters to it— its enchantments obsess some and sustain others. In this setting two magicians play a deadly game, each using a child as their pawn. As they grown older, Celia and Marco slowly learn where they are being led, but are their fates sealed? Or do they themselves hold the power to break free and change the Night Circus forever? Show less

Highly readable and a well-paced mix of fantasy and romance set in the 19th century. Magic is real and powerful, and 'The Night Circus' is humming with it...Show more Highly readable and a well-paced mix of fantasy and romance set in the 19th century. Magic is real and powerful, and 'The Night Circus' is humming with it. It ties and binds a number of characters to it— its enchantments obsess some and sustain others. In this setting two magicians play a deadly game, each using a child as their pawn. As they grown older, Celia and Marco slowly learn where they are being led, but are their fates sealed? Or do they themselves hold the power to break free and change the Night Circus forever? Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

The Tower of Fools

The Tower of Fools

by Sapkowski, Andrzej, 1948-

Book - 2020

A new historical fantasy from 'The Witcher' author Sapkowski, this series is set in a version of fifteenth-century Europe that's also home to nymphs, witc...Show more A new historical fantasy from 'The Witcher' author Sapkowski, this series is set in a version of fifteenth-century Europe that's also home to nymphs, witches, and other fantasy creatures. Forced from his homeland, Reinmar of Bielawa must navigate a dangerous web of political and magical intrigues. If you're a fan of authors like Patrick Rothfuss, and enjoy your historical fantasy with a good dollop of political tensions, this could be your next read. Show less

A new historical fantasy from 'The Witcher' author Sapkowski, this series is set in a version of fifteenth-century Europe that's also home to nymphs, witc...Show more A new historical fantasy from 'The Witcher' author Sapkowski, this series is set in a version of fifteenth-century Europe that's also home to nymphs, witches, and other fantasy creatures. Forced from his homeland, Reinmar of Bielawa must navigate a dangerous web of political and magical intrigues. If you're a fan of authors like Patrick Rothfuss, and enjoy your historical fantasy with a good dollop of political tensions, this could be your next read. Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

The Ten Thousand Doors of January

The Ten Thousand Doors of January

by Harrow, Alix E.

Book - 2019

A truly 'un-put-down-able' feminist historical fantasy, ex-historian Alix E. Harrow weaves a beautiful tale set in the early 1900s. Living life in a world...Show more A truly 'un-put-down-able' feminist historical fantasy, ex-historian Alix E. Harrow weaves a beautiful tale set in the early 1900s. Living life in a world where she feels like she doesn't belong, young January Scaller is plunged into an adventure of self-discovery, love, and magic when she discovers the existence of Doors– passages that link our world to others and are always accompanied by changes in both worlds. A great read about love, family and freedom that reads a bit like 'Inkheart' meets 'Neverwhere' with a dash of 'Locke and Key'. Show less

A truly 'un-put-down-able' feminist historical fantasy, ex-historian Alix E. Harrow weaves a beautiful tale set in the early 1900s. Living life in a world...Show more A truly 'un-put-down-able' feminist historical fantasy, ex-historian Alix E. Harrow weaves a beautiful tale set in the early 1900s. Living life in a world where she feels like she doesn't belong, young January Scaller is plunged into an adventure of self-discovery, love, and magic when she discovers the existence of Doors– passages that link our world to others and are always accompanied by changes in both worlds. A great read about love, family and freedom that reads a bit like 'Inkheart' meets 'Neverwhere' with a dash of 'Locke and Key'. Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

Witchmark

Witchmark

by Polk, C. L.

Book - 2018

Witchmark is an Edwardian paranormal murder mystery, set in a magical version of our own world that is still recovering from a war with fae kind. It is al...Show more Witchmark is an Edwardian paranormal murder mystery, set in a magical version of our own world that is still recovering from a war with fae kind. It is also an incredibly sweet gay romance between the secretly magical doctor and one of the fae. This is a novel about the consequences of war, an exploration of class privilege, a magical adventure and a romance with just a hint of steampunk. What more could you need? Show less

Witchmark is an Edwardian paranormal murder mystery, set in a magical version of our own world that is still recovering from a war with fae kind. It is al...Show more Witchmark is an Edwardian paranormal murder mystery, set in a magical version of our own world that is still recovering from a war with fae kind. It is also an incredibly sweet gay romance between the secretly magical doctor and one of the fae. This is a novel about the consequences of war, an exploration of class privilege, a magical adventure and a romance with just a hint of steampunk. What more could you need? Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

Wild and Wicked Things

Wild and Wicked Things

by May, Francesca

Book - 2022

This unique story will hook you right in! Inspired by the Great Gastby with atmospheric settings and spellbinding queer characters. Francesca May is well ...Show more This unique story will hook you right in! Inspired by the Great Gastby with atmospheric settings and spellbinding queer characters. Francesca May is well known for her alluring vivid characters and thoughtful settings buried deep into the plot. If you like slow buring stories laced with poetic words and Sapphic building romance this read is for you. Show less

This unique story will hook you right in! Inspired by the Great Gastby with atmospheric settings and spellbinding queer characters. Francesca May is well ...Show more This unique story will hook you right in! Inspired by the Great Gastby with atmospheric settings and spellbinding queer characters. Francesca May is well known for her alluring vivid characters and thoughtful settings buried deep into the plot. If you like slow buring stories laced with poetic words and Sapphic building romance this read is for you. Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

The House With the Golden Door

The House With the Golden Door

by Harper, Elodie

Book - 2022

A story so vivid you can taste, smell, hear and see it long after you've finished reading. The first in the Wolf Den trilogy this is a story set in Pompei...Show more A story so vivid you can taste, smell, hear and see it long after you've finished reading. The first in the Wolf Den trilogy this is a story set in Pompeii about a woman who is sold to a brothel and her experience surviving, fighting and finding herself. Elodie Harpers writing is an immersive thrilling experience, filled with facts, and complex characters this is a delightfuly brutal read. Show less

A story so vivid you can taste, smell, hear and see it long after you've finished reading. The first in the Wolf Den trilogy this is a story set in Pompei...Show more A story so vivid you can taste, smell, hear and see it long after you've finished reading. The first in the Wolf Den trilogy this is a story set in Pompeii about a woman who is sold to a brothel and her experience surviving, fighting and finding herself. Elodie Harpers writing is an immersive thrilling experience, filled with facts, and complex characters this is a delightfuly brutal read. Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

The Golem and the Jinni

The Golem and the Jinni

A Novel

by Wecker, Helene

Book - 2014

Fantasy, mythology, history and strands of Jewish and Arabian folklore blend seamlessly in this mystical tale which opens at the close of nineteenth-centu...Show more Fantasy, mythology, history and strands of Jewish and Arabian folklore blend seamlessly in this mystical tale which opens at the close of nineteenth-century New York. To boil it down, this is the tale of two characters from different backgrounds coming together and trying to make it in a new land. It is at once philosophical, romantic and full of adventure. Show less

Fantasy, mythology, history and strands of Jewish and Arabian folklore blend seamlessly in this mystical tale which opens at the close of nineteenth-centu...Show more Fantasy, mythology, history and strands of Jewish and Arabian folklore blend seamlessly in this mystical tale which opens at the close of nineteenth-century New York. To boil it down, this is the tale of two characters from different backgrounds coming together and trying to make it in a new land. It is at once philosophical, romantic and full of adventure. Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

Ring Shout, Or, Hunting Ku Kluxes in the End Times

Ring Shout, Or, Hunting Ku Kluxes in the End Times

by Clark, P. Djèlí

Book - 2020

A contemporary alternate history, this story adds supernatural elements to the KKK's history. When the Klan cast a spell across America to spread their vi...Show more A contemporary alternate history, this story adds supernatural elements to the KKK's history. When the Klan cast a spell across America to spread their violent dogma (and some demons from Hell for good measure), Maryse and a local resistance group, the Harlem Hellfighters, are set on ending the spell on the nation and dispatching the demons. A fantastic blend of horror, fantasy, and history, with badass female protagonists who are waging a literal war on racism. Disclaimer for racism and gore. Show less

A contemporary alternate history, this story adds supernatural elements to the KKK's history. When the Klan cast a spell across America to spread their vi...Show more A contemporary alternate history, this story adds supernatural elements to the KKK's history. When the Klan cast a spell across America to spread their violent dogma (and some demons from Hell for good measure), Maryse and a local resistance group, the Harlem Hellfighters, are set on ending the spell on the nation and dispatching the demons. A fantastic blend of horror, fantasy, and history, with badass female protagonists who are waging a literal war on racism. Disclaimer for racism and gore. Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

Babel

Babel

Or the Necessity of Violence : An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution

by Kuang, R. F.

Book - 2022

After dazzling readers with the epic 'Poppy War' trilogy, R. F. Kuang returns with this blend of historical fantasy and dark academia. Robin, orphaned as ...Show more After dazzling readers with the epic 'Poppy War' trilogy, R. F. Kuang returns with this blend of historical fantasy and dark academia. Robin, orphaned as a child by a plague in China, is brought to England in the 1830s by his new guardian Professor Lovell, where he prepares for enrollment at Oxford's Royal Institute of Translation, also known as Babel. In a world where magic is generated in the subtle differences between translated words, and this magic is harnessed into great power for the British empire, Robin faces a battle between his studies and his identity. Show less

After dazzling readers with the epic 'Poppy War' trilogy, R. F. Kuang returns with this blend of historical fantasy and dark academia. Robin, orphaned as ...Show more After dazzling readers with the epic 'Poppy War' trilogy, R. F. Kuang returns with this blend of historical fantasy and dark academia. Robin, orphaned as a child by a plague in China, is brought to England in the 1830s by his new guardian Professor Lovell, where he prepares for enrollment at Oxford's Royal Institute of Translation, also known as Babel. In a world where magic is generated in the subtle differences between translated words, and this magic is harnessed into great power for the British empire, Robin faces a battle between his studies and his identity. Show less

All copies in use. Availability details Holds: 1 on 7 copies

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

by Schwab, Victoria, 1987-

Book - 2020

In provincial France, 1719, a young women named Addie escapes an unwanted marriage by making a deal with the devil for eternal life—but is unknowingly cur...Show more In provincial France, 1719, a young women named Addie escapes an unwanted marriage by making a deal with the devil for eternal life—but is unknowingly cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. This leads her on a centuries-long, cross-continent journey, never leaving an impression anywhere she goes, until one day, 300 years later, a boy in a bookstore remembers her face. Schwab's lyrical writing will completely sweep you up in this mystical, romantic tale. Show less

In provincial France, 1719, a young women named Addie escapes an unwanted marriage by making a deal with the devil for eternal life—but is unknowingly cur...Show more In provincial France, 1719, a young women named Addie escapes an unwanted marriage by making a deal with the devil for eternal life—but is unknowingly cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. This leads her on a centuries-long, cross-continent journey, never leaving an impression anywhere she goes, until one day, 300 years later, a boy in a bookstore remembers her face. Schwab's lyrical writing will completely sweep you up in this mystical, romantic tale. Show less

All copies in use. Availability details Holds: 1 on 10 copies

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

Ordinary Monsters

Ordinary Monsters

by Miro, J. M.

Book - 2022

The first book of J. M. Miro's Talents trilogy has something for everyone—atmospheric worldbuilding, intriguing characters and stunning prose. It follows ...Show more The first book of J. M. Miro's Talents trilogy has something for everyone—atmospheric worldbuilding, intriguing characters and stunning prose. It follows Charlie, one of many children of the world who are imbued with an extraordinary "talent"; in Charlie's case, the ability to heal from any wound without a scratch. Along with other children like himself, Charlie is escorted by two weathered detectives to the Cairndale Institution, a school offering refuge to those lonely and broken Talents struggling to fit into the world. But beneath this quest for sanctuary, figures lurk in the darkness, hunting them every step of the way... Show less

The first book of J. M. Miro's Talents trilogy has something for everyone—atmospheric worldbuilding, intriguing characters and stunning prose. It follows ...Show more The first book of J. M. Miro's Talents trilogy has something for everyone—atmospheric worldbuilding, intriguing characters and stunning prose. It follows Charlie, one of many children of the world who are imbued with an extraordinary "talent"; in Charlie's case, the ability to heal from any wound without a scratch. Along with other children like himself, Charlie is escorted by two weathered detectives to the Cairndale Institution, a school offering refuge to those lonely and broken Talents struggling to fit into the world. But beneath this quest for sanctuary, figures lurk in the darkness, hunting them every step of the way... Show less

Available in some locations

Place hold

Add to My For Later Shelf On my shelf

Powered by BiblioCommons.

BiblioCore: app09 Version 9.14.1 Last updated 2023/05/01 09:42

[]

[]

To Top