Picked by The Poldark Saga fans

Here are 16 books that The Poldark Saga fans have personally recommended once you finish the The Poldark Saga series. Book DNA is a community of authors and super-readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

Book cover of Dolley

Sherrie DeMorrow Author Of The Elder Rose

From my list on fiction connected to the American Revolution.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have had an interest in history for over 30 years. My main interest was the American Revolutionary and the Federalist/War of 1812 eras. I like these periods because they were intriguing, fun, and informative as to what happened before and how a nation grew and developed. I found this more engaging when I visited the various locations of battlefields, houses, and legal buildings (all of Washington DC is an example). It helped me to understand the mammoth task of the individuals trying to make something out of a fledging former British colony, into one of the more formidable powerhouses in modern society. It's a wonder that I now live in the mother country!

Sherrie's book list on fiction connected to the American Revolution

Sherrie DeMorrow Why Sherrie loves this book

This novel reads as a diary of Dolley Madison from 1813-14, signing her entries as 'D.P.M.'. It concerns the War of 1812, and describes Mrs. Madison's wartime experiences. She comes across as a strong woman and if she had the chance, could have led American troops to victory. She stays on the sidelines though, and makes intelligent observations, as imagined by the author. A bibliography is provided at the end, showing dedicative research, and for anyone who wishes to look further into the War of 1812 and its respective era.

By Rita Mae Brown ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dolley as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

She had the president’s ear and the nation’s heart.

She’s the wife of the fourth president of the United States; a spirited charmer who adores parties, the latest French fashions, and the tender, brilliant man who is her husband. But while many love her, few suspect how complex Dolley Madison really is.

Only in the pages of her diary—as imagined by novelist Rita Mae Brown—can Dolley fully reveal herself. And there we discover the real first lady—impulsive, courageous, and wise—as she faces her harshest trial: in 1814, the United States is once more at war with mighty Britain, and her…


Book cover of The Mischianza

Sherrie DeMorrow Author Of The Elder Rose

From my list on fiction connected to the American Revolution.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have had an interest in history for over 30 years. My main interest was the American Revolutionary and the Federalist/War of 1812 eras. I like these periods because they were intriguing, fun, and informative as to what happened before and how a nation grew and developed. I found this more engaging when I visited the various locations of battlefields, houses, and legal buildings (all of Washington DC is an example). It helped me to understand the mammoth task of the individuals trying to make something out of a fledging former British colony, into one of the more formidable powerhouses in modern society. It's a wonder that I now live in the mother country!

Sherrie's book list on fiction connected to the American Revolution

Sherrie DeMorrow Why Sherrie loves this book

This story concerns a family from the Revolutionary period, going to a re-enactment ball of the Mischianza. This was originally a party given by the British troops in Philadelphia for General Howe. It turns out this family, the Nelsons, are navigating through the modern day, as though they really were from the 18th century (and are playfully shocked at the modern conveniences), but are themselves re-enactors. The narrative has the quirk of being written in the style of the period. Good book, because it is like Back to the Future, with the Future already in situ.

By Henry Misrock ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Mischianza as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A family of Revolutionary War patriots recently uprooted from their eighteenth century graves mix with modern Americans to the merry confoundment of both! A hilarious, unique sci-fi fantasy


Book cover of Redcoat

Sherrie DeMorrow Author Of The Elder Rose

From my list on fiction connected to the American Revolution.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have had an interest in history for over 30 years. My main interest was the American Revolutionary and the Federalist/War of 1812 eras. I like these periods because they were intriguing, fun, and informative as to what happened before and how a nation grew and developed. I found this more engaging when I visited the various locations of battlefields, houses, and legal buildings (all of Washington DC is an example). It helped me to understand the mammoth task of the individuals trying to make something out of a fledging former British colony, into one of the more formidable powerhouses in modern society. It's a wonder that I now live in the mother country!

Sherrie's book list on fiction connected to the American Revolution

Sherrie DeMorrow Why Sherrie loves this book

The story is like the book, Valley Forge, but in the British point of view of a soldier under General Sir William Howe. The British took over Philadelphia, spending a lavish winter there, whilst the American army freezes in Valley Forge. There are rebels and loyalists everywhere, but who is who? Well placed on the list because of attention to detail.

By Bernard Cornwell ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Redcoat as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From THE BESTSELLING author Bernard Cornwell comes Redcoat . . .

Philadelphia in 1777 is a city at war - not just between American troops and the British army, but within itself. For an occupied city throws together loyalist and patriot, soldier and civilian, man and woman; divides families and breeds treachery.

Here ruthless Captain Kit Vane and beautiful Martha Crowl, passionate patriot Caroline and her idealist young lover Jonathon, unscrupulous Ezra Woollard and the brutal Sergeant Scammell, forge and break shifting allegiances that drive them to dangerous lengths. And caught between them Private Sam Gilpin, seduced into war by…


Book cover of Valley Forge

Sherrie DeMorrow Author Of The Elder Rose

From my list on fiction connected to the American Revolution.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have had an interest in history for over 30 years. My main interest was the American Revolutionary and the Federalist/War of 1812 eras. I like these periods because they were intriguing, fun, and informative as to what happened before and how a nation grew and developed. I found this more engaging when I visited the various locations of battlefields, houses, and legal buildings (all of Washington DC is an example). It helped me to understand the mammoth task of the individuals trying to make something out of a fledging former British colony, into one of the more formidable powerhouses in modern society. It's a wonder that I now live in the mother country!

Sherrie's book list on fiction connected to the American Revolution

Sherrie DeMorrow Why Sherrie loves this book

It is a gripping story set in the winter of 1777, when the American Army, under General George Washington, had camped in the cold plateau of Valley Forge. No supplies and stuck 'out there,' the Army had to battle the freezing temperatures and themselves to survive. Told plainly in the first person narrative, it flows well with prose and bits of poetry. A likable book, set in a sinister time.

By Mackinlay Kantor ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Valley Forge as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

MACKINLAY KANTOR
Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Andersonville

VALLEY FORGE

Poignant, tender, and powerful, VALLEY FORGE brings into sharp new focus one of the most tensely dramatic episodes of the American Revolution.

With warmth and wit, compassion and sensitivity, MacKinlay Kantor evokes the flavor, pulse and texture of the last quarter of the eighteenth century, transporting the reader into the houses and workshops, kitchens and stables, parlors and bedrooms of ordinary citizens. Here are not only the soldiers of Valley Forge, but the panorama of the Revolution itself. George Washington, lamenting the remoteness and lack of valor in the Congress, anticipating…


Book cover of Sisters of Arden

Thorne Moore Author Of Long Shadows

From my list on lives, perception, and beliefs of ordinary people.

Why am I passionate about this?

I studied history at school and university, always with a leaning towards social, economic, and religious history, rather than political and military. I do appreciate well-researched biographical detail, but I prefer fiction that depicts ordinary life convincingly and gets inside the heads of ordinary people, understanding their world through their eyes, their needs, and most importantly their beliefs. I grew up in England, but I live now in West Wales, where history runs very close to the surface. My books are frequently ranked as Crime, but rather than being detective fiction, they explore the deep roots of crimes and their far-reaching consequences, through decades or even generations.

Thorne's book list on lives, perception, and beliefs of ordinary people

Thorne Moore Why Thorne loves this book

Judith Arnopp has written many excellent and well-researched books about the kings and queens of Medieval and early Tudor England, but I particularly like the ones that deal with ordinary people caught up in events, rather than the movers and shakers. This one deals with a group of nuns struggling to deal with the confusion, distress, and violence of Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries and the Pilgrimage of Grace.

By Judith Arnopp ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sisters of Arden as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Far from the concourse of men..."

Arden Priory has remained unchanged for almost four hundred years when a nameless child is abandoned at the gatehouse door.

As Henry VIII’s second queen dies on the scaffold, the embittered King strikes out, and unprecedented change sweeps across the country.
The bells of the great abbeys fall silent, the church and the very foundation of the realm begins to crack.

Determined to preserve their way of life, novitiate nuns Margery and Grace join a pilgrimage thirty thousand strong to lead the king back to grace.

Sisters of Arden is a story of valour,…


Book cover of The Children's Crusade

Thorne Moore Author Of Long Shadows

From my list on lives, perception, and beliefs of ordinary people.

Why am I passionate about this?

I studied history at school and university, always with a leaning towards social, economic, and religious history, rather than political and military. I do appreciate well-researched biographical detail, but I prefer fiction that depicts ordinary life convincingly and gets inside the heads of ordinary people, understanding their world through their eyes, their needs, and most importantly their beliefs. I grew up in England, but I live now in West Wales, where history runs very close to the surface. My books are frequently ranked as Crime, but rather than being detective fiction, they explore the deep roots of crimes and their far-reaching consequences, through decades or even generations.

Thorne's book list on lives, perception, and beliefs of ordinary people

Thorne Moore Why Thorne loves this book

I chose this because it was probably the first historical novel I read, aged 11 or 12. It deals with real events – sort of. Whether the Children’s Crusades of the early 13th century really involved children or merely the dispossessed poor, this book did bring to life the driving force of the religious fanaticism of the time. And whipping up young people to leave their homes and head for a war zone in the hope of dying or killing for God is a horribly contemporary theme, though it was written in the 1950s. An excellent introduction to historical fiction for young people, but also thought-provoking for adults.

By Henry Treece ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Children's Crusade as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THEY BOTH BECAME SLAVES TO THE GOVERNOR OF EGYPT AND HOW THEY EVENTUALLY MADE THEIR WAY HOME IS TOLD IN THIS EXCITING BOOK. FOR INTELLIGENT READERS OF TEN UPWARDS.


Book cover of Deryni Rising

Eressë Belley Author Of Sacred Fate

From my list on realistic and compelling world-building.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a lover of fantasy stories, mythology, and folklore for a long time, mostly because fully realized fictional settings beyond our world enthralled me. My first forays into writing dwelt on fantasy with a strong historical slant, even when I dabbled in romance. It was also then that I realized my male characters had more chemistry with each other than with the females I’d paired them with. This is how I wound up in fan fiction, where virtually anything goes. During those years, I honed my writing, deepened my fascination with world-building, and crafted stories that would feed the wellspring of my first historical fantasy novel.

Eressë's book list on realistic and compelling world-building

Eressë Belley Why Eressë loves this book

It was this book that disabused me of the notion that fantasy had to be written in a specific way, often in highfalutin or profound language. It encouraged me to put my own stories into writing.

Though very much a historical fantasy novel, this book was easy to understand despite the unfamiliar terms and background details of a fantastical universe. I think it’s due to Katheryn Kurtz’s initial use of simple, down-to-earth language and a fairly straightforward story, which, looking back now, was probably aimed at teenagers or young adults. I was sometimes reminded of the first volume of JRR Tolkien’s epic novel, especially because the succeeding books got progressively darker and more complex.

In this introductory book, the world of the Deryni, a race of mortals with magical powers, is fleshed out so well that the kingdom of Gwynedd, its people, and its neighboring realms feel so real that…

By Katherine Kurtz ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Deryni Rising as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the kingdom of Gwynedd, the mysterious forces of magic and the superior power of the Church combine to challenge the rule of young Kelson. Now the fate of the Deryni -- a quasi-mortal race of sorcerers -- and, indeed, the fate of all the Eleven Kingdoms, rests on Kelson's ability to quash the rebellion by any means necessary . . . including the proscribed use of magic!


Book cover of The Shell Seekers

Patti Callahan Henry Author Of The Secret Book of Flora Lea

From my list on transporting you to another land.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an author because I was a reader who loved to be transported to a world and land outside my own. My favorite books are the ones that introduce me to a place and time I’ve never been, an immersive read that brings me somewhere new. I believe in the power of story and the magic of its transport. Come along with me and discover a few books that do this very thing. 

Patti's book list on transporting you to another land

Patti Callahan Henry Why Patti loves this book

This novel was an immersive journey through the English countryside, from Cornwall to the Cotswolds. I was so deep into this setting and story that I was always stunned to look up and see that I was at home in my own living room. Rosamunde Pilcher is from Scotland, and she knows this landscape so well. She takes us there with deft prose and page-turning skill. 

The story is about a woman named Penelope Keeling and her extended family. It is a novel of connections—mothers, daughters, husbands, and lovers—all revolving around a famous painting called The Shell Seekers. Through a bohemian childhood and a wartime romance, we come to love the complicated Keeling family. 

By Rosamunde Pilcher ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Shell Seekers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Artist's daughter Penelope Keeling can look back on a full and varied life: a Bohemian childhood in London and Cornwall, an unhappy wartime marriage, and the one man she truly loved. She has brought up three children - and learned to accept them as they are.

Yet she is far too energetic and independent to settle sweetly into pensioned-off old-age. And when she discovers that her most treasured possession, her father's painting, The Shell Seekers, is now worth a small fortune, it is Penelope who must make the decisions that will determine whether her family can continue to survive as…


Book cover of Frenchman's Creek

Bronwyn Scott Author Of Cinderella at the Duke's Ball

From my list on Regency Romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have loved the Regency for decades. I cut my teeth on it as a young reader, and it’s been exciting to see the genre expand to include all types of stories from manner-driven drawing room dramas that highlight the nuances of the era to seductive, sexy stories that simply take place during those years, to stories that draw heavily on the events of the era to design unique and exciting historical plots. The diversity within the genre reflects the diversity of life and experience during the Regency. I have tried to capture a little of each across the 70+ books I’ve written for Harlequin, Mills, and Boon and in my own reading.

Bronwyn's book list on Regency Romance

Bronwyn Scott Why Bronwyn loves this book

Alright, this one isn’t a Regency, and it’s not technically a romance, but it is a love story. It’s set during the Restoration period, so it’s much earlier, but it showcases how a love story can also be an adventure story and a journey of self-discovery.

The heroine, Lady Dona St. Columb, retreats to her estate in Cornwall only to find that a pirate is using her cove as a secret hideaway and her house as his own retreat. They set out on a madcap adventure and fall in love until her husband arrives and attempts to capture her lover, forcing Dona to choose between the life she has and the life she wants.

This is one of my favorite stories because the themes in it are timeless—who among us has not grappled with the same dilemma in the 21st century? I think that makes a book strong—regardless of time…

By Daphne du Maurier ,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Frenchman's Creek as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the author of Rebecca comes the story of a woman who craves love, freedom, and adventure-but it might cost her everything.
"Highly personalized adventure, ultra-romantic mood, and skillful storytelling." -New York Times
A lost classic from master of gothic romance and author of Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier, Frenchman's Creek is an electrifying tale of love and scandal on the high seas.
Jaded by the numbing politeness of London in the late 1600s, Lady Dona St. Columb revolts against high society. She rides into the countryside, guided only by her restlessness and her longing to escape.
But when chance leads…


Book cover of Avalon

Nicola Pryce Author Of The Cornish Dressmaker

From my list on historical books set in Cornwall.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was in my thirties when I finally visited Cornwall, though I’d long lost my heart to Cornwall through reading. A city girl, I ached to climb the cliff paths and breathe the salt-laden air. My head was full of folklore and history, rugged cliffs, secret coves, and desolate moors. For the last twenty-five years, we’ve been lucky enough to sail our boat along the south coast, anchoring in the timeless harbours and rowing up the creeks. My stories come while we watch the birds scuttle across the riverbanks. A product of my early reading, I’m a romantic dreamer and invite you to join me in my fictional world. 

Nicola's book list on historical books set in Cornwall

Nicola Pryce Why Nicola loves this book

I was at a strict boarding school and read this book long into the night by torch under the bedclothes. It is 973 and King Edgar is on the throne. The story takes us from Cornwall, but it starts in Cornwall and has a Cornish heroine at its heart. I felt her pride in tracing her family back to King Arthur and followed her adventure with bated breath. All of Anya Seton’s books captivate me, but this one drew me completely. It’s in the placenames, the descriptions, the myths, and folklore. Celtic Cornwall is more than a setting; the desolate moors and wonderfully described scenery weave a mystical power of their own. 

By Anya Seton ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Avalon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Princes, Vikings, and the history of tenth-century England come together in this saga of exploration and unrequited love.

Prince Rumon of France, descendant of Charlemagne and King Alfred, is a searcher. He has visions of the Islands of the Blessed, perhaps King Arthur’s Avalon, “where falls not hail, or rain, or any snow.” Merewyn grows up in savage Cornwall—a lonely girl, sustained by her stubborn courage and belief that she is descended from the great King Arthur. Chance—or fate—in the form of a shipwreck off the Cornish coast brings Rumon and Merewyn together, and from that hour their lives are…