About
- Established in 1997, the Historical Novel Society is an international literary society devoted to promotion and advocacy for the genre of historical fiction.
Membership
- Historical Novel Society members include authors, readers, librarians, editors and industry professionals – membership is entirely open, and anyone enthusiastic about the genre is welcome.
Events
- Our worldwide membership loves to meet. Many travel thousands of miles to attend our conferences in person; many more enjoy our virtual options from home. Others form member connections in their area through regular Local Chapter meet-ups. Discover what’s on with conferences, Local and Virtual Chapters, and more.
Book Reviews
- Our exclusive, members-only print magazine, the Historical Novels Review, publishes reviews of hundreds of historical fiction books each quarter, in addition to features and columns. Become a member to receive the magazine and enjoy all our other benefits.
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Articles
- We publish articles in our members-only print magazine, Historical Novels Review, as well as web features exclusive to this site. All are original pieces, commissioned by our Features Editors based on topics of interest to members – interviews with historical fiction authors, publishers, and agents; explorations of novels and subgenres; guides, and regular columns on historical fiction market news, debut authors, and more. Articles are written by vetted contributors, most of whom are Society members. If you’re a member interested in joining the team, Contact Us.
Awards
- HNS Awards have helped discover authors and launch their careers (e.g., Michel Faber, Ruth Downie, Nikki Marmery, Hilary Green, Elizabeth Macneal, and many more) and provided vital support for others. Our ARA Award is one of the most generous of all literary prizes. If you’d like to partner to sponsor an award, Contact Us.
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Reviews

Reviews of some 25,000+ historical fiction books

An Unconventional Lady: A Low-Spice Regency Romance

By Sarah E. Ladd - Published 2026

Genres:

In Regency England, Miss Eleanor Wilde faces two problems: first, the horror of learning her mother might be a murderer; and second, that ...Read Review

The Siren and the Star

By Colby Cedar Smith - Published 2025

Genres:

Children/Young Adult

This ambitious book is a novel in verse, envisioned in the form of a three-act opera. Weighing a pound and a half and ...Read Review

Exquisite Things

By Abdi Nazemian - Published 2025

Genres:

Children/Young Adult

An element of magical realism complicates the romance between Shahriar, a teen of Persian descent, and American musician Oliver. The two meet at ...Read Review

The Florentine Entanglement: A Novel of the Cold War

By Pamela Norsworthy - Published 2026

Genres:

For Eleanor Bentley, her fortieth birthday in 1960 marked a fundamental change in her life. The past years had been what many young women ...Read Review

Mule Boy

By Andrew Krivak - Published 2026

Genres:

Literary

East-central Pennsylvania, 1929: Ondro Prach is only thirteen years old when he is trapped in a pitch-black mine with four other mine workers after ...Read Review

Murder Made Her Wicked: A Marigold Manners Mystery

By Elizabeth Hobbs - Published 2025

Genres:

Mystery/Crime

This second Marigold Manners mystery opens in October 1894. Marigold has lost her parents and is penniless. Unable to pay the tuition, she dropped ...Read Review

Of Wind and Wolves (The Steppe Saga)

By J. M. Elliott - Published 2025

Genres:

Saga

This first book of The Steppe Saga takes place on the high plains north of the Black Sea sometime in the fifth century ...Read Review

Fire Must Burn (A Sparks and Bainbridge Mystery Book 8)

By Allison Montclair - Published 2026

Genres:

Mystery/Crime

In postwar London, the owners of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, Gwen Bainbridge and Iris Sparks, are very successful at matching single men ...Read Review