Koncocoo

Best Historical Fiction Short Stories & Anthologies

Seven Stones to Stand or Fall: A Collection of Outlander Fiction
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A magnificent collection of Outlander short fiction—including two never-before-published novellas—featuring Jamie Fraser, Lord John Grey, Master Raymond, and many more, from Diana Gabaldon “The Custom of the Army” begins with Lord John Grey being shocked by an electric eel and ends at the Battle of Quebec. Then comes “The Space Between,” where it is revealed that the Comte St. Germain is not dead, Master Raymond appears, and a widowed young wine dealer escorts a would-be novice to a convent in Paris. Lord John Grey dipped a finger gingerly into the little stone pot, withdrew it, glistening, and sniffed cautiously. That’s what I said.” His valet, Tom Byrd, face carefully averted, put the lid back on the pot. “Well, in justice,” Grey said dubiously, “I suppose the whale is long dead.” He looked at the far wall of his office. There were a number of flies resting along the wainscoting, as usual, fat and black as currants against the white plaster. “Where did you get that stuff?”. “The owner of the Moor’s Head keeps a keg of it; he burns it in his lamps—cheaper nor even tallow candles, he says, let alone proper wax ones.”. I daresay.” Given the usual smell of the Moor’s Head on a busy night, nobody would notice the stink of whale oil above the symphony of other reeks. “Easier to come by on Jamaica than bear grease, I reckon,” Tom remarked, picking up the pot. Tom had automatically picked up the oily rag that lived on the corner of Grey’s desk and, with a dexterous flick, snapped a fat fly out of the air and into oblivion. That should cause my blood to be especially attractive to the more discriminating biting insects in Charles Town—to say nothing of Canada.” Jamaican flies were a nuisance but seldom carnivorous, and the sea breeze and muslin window screening kept most mosquitoes at bay. “No,” Grey said reluctantly, scratching his neck at the mere thought of Canadian deer flies. Lord John and his valet shuddered simultaneously, recollecting last week’s experience with a banana spider—a creature with a leg span the size of a child’s hand—that had burst unexpectedly out of a ripe banana, followed by what appeared at the time to be several hundred small offspring, at a garden party given by Grey to mark his departure from the island and to welcome the Honorable Mr. Houghton Braythwaite, his successor as governor. “Oh, God, is that him now?” Grey glanced guiltily round at the disarray of his office: A gaping half-packed portmanteau lolled in the corner, and the desk was strewn with scattered documents and the remnants of lunch, in no condition to be viewed by the man who would inherit it tomorrow. Grey picked up the oiled rag and disposed of an unwary fly, then seized a plate scattered with bread crusts, blobs of custard, and fruit peelings and decanted this out of the window into the garden beneath. Thrusting the empty plate out of sight under the desk, he began hurriedly to gather papers into piles but was interrupted almost at once by the reappearance of Tom, looking excited. Why didn’t you say so?” John hastily grabbed his coat from its hook and shrugged into it, brushing crumbs off his waistcoat as he did so. John in fact liked his mother’s third husband—she having been twice widowed when she acquired the general four years before—though any military intrusion at this point was something to be regarded warily. The General Stanley who eventually appeared was not the bluff, jaunty, self-confident man last seen in his mother’s company. This General Stanley was hobbling with a stick, his right foot bound up in an immense bandage, and his face gray with pain, effort . “General!” John seized him by the arm before he could fall over and guided him to the nearest chair, hastily removing a pile of maps from it. ?”. “Just here, me lord.” Tom had dug Grey’s flask out of the open traveling bag with commendable promptitude and now thrust it into General Stanley’s hand. “The doctor says I mustn’t drink wine—apparently it’s bad for the gout—but I don’t recall his mentioning brandy.”. “Bring the cask.” The general was beginning to show a tinge of color and, at this point, began to be cognizant of his surroundings. “I am packing to leave, yes,” John said, the feeling of wariness developing small, prickling feet inside his stomach. And what in God’s name is she up to now?” Grey spoke with more heat than filial respect, but panic made him edgy. “Fine.” Tom had come back with the brandy bottle, and John poured himself a small glass. “I trust she’s enjoying the weather.” He raised an eyebrow at his stepfather, who sighed deeply and put his hands on his knees. The problem, my boy, is that the British Navy is on its way to lay siege to the city of Havana, and I really think it would be a good idea if your mother wasn’t in the city when they get there.”. For a moment, John stood frozen, glass in hand, mouth open, and his brain so congested with questions that he was unable to articulate any of them. Grey reached for the brandy bottle, but Tom was already pouring a fresh glass, which he thrust into his employer’s hand. take it that he’s quite recovered, then?” On one level, this was good news; Malcolm Stubbs had lost a foot and part of the adjoining leg to a cannonball at the Battle of Quebec, more than two years before. By good luck, Grey had fallen over him on the field and had the presence of mind to use his belt as a tourniquet, thus preventing Stubbs from bleeding to death. He vividly recalled the splintered bone protruding from the remnants of Malcolm’s shin, and the hot, wet smell of blood and shit, steaming in the cold air. “Two, now—Olivia gave birth to a daughter two years ago; lovely child called Charlotte.”. “You see, I was meant to be sailing to Savannah in the spring—now, I mean—to advise a Colonel Folliott, who’s raising a local militia to assist the governor, and your mother was going to come with me. In his desire to keep his guests—all recently arrived from London, and all lamenting the dearth of roast beef and potatoes in the Indies—from sharing his realization, he had called for lavish and repeated applications of a native palm liquor. This had been very effective; by the second glass, they wouldn’t have known they were eating whale turds, should his adventurous cook have taken it into his head to serve that as a second course. “Or possibly you do, sir?” He turned politely to General Stanley, who was beginning to look better, under the influence of relief and brandy. “I wouldn’t,” he admitted frankly, “save that I shared Albemarle’s table aboard his flagship for six weeks. The general had learned of Albemarle’s expedition only the night before the fleet sailed, when a message from the War Office had reached him, ordering him aboard. “At that point, of course, the ship would reach Cuba long before any message I could send to your mother, so I went aboard at once—this”— he glowered at his bandaged foot—“ notwithstanding.”. “Tom,—run—and I do mean run —to Admiral Holmes’s residence and ask him to call upon me as soon as is convenient. If the British Navy showed up in Havana Harbor and started shelling the place, it wasn’t merely physical danger threatening the Stubbs family and Lady Stanley, also known as the Dowager Duchess of Pardloe. and I bloody don’t care if they do.” He sat upright, gray-stubbled chin outthrust and a glint in his eye.
Reviews
"Update: Diana said today that the two new novellas will eventually be sold as stand alone books."
"Written in the same prose as her other works these stories hold your attention and are easy to read."
"I have been reading Diana's work for over 20 years, and I was so excited to hear that her collection of short stories would be available in print, and in the same book."
"Very nice collection of side stories to the Outlander series."
"What a delight to have this book to re-emerge me back into Outlander."
"I am only giving this four stars because the last story ended so abruptly!"
"All of these stories are classic Gabaldon."
"I loved the character development of minor characters from the Outlander books."
Find Best Price at Amazon
Seven Stones to Stand or Fall: A Collection of Outlander Fiction
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A magnificent collection of Outlander short fiction—including two never-before-published novellas—featuring Jamie Fraser, Lord John Grey, Master Raymond, and many more, from Diana Gabaldon “The Custom of the Army” begins with Lord John Grey being shocked by an electric eel and ends at the Battle of Quebec. Then comes “The Space Between,” where it is revealed that the Comte St. Germain is not dead, Master Raymond appears, and a widowed young wine dealer escorts a would-be novice to a convent in Paris. Jamaica. Lord John Grey dipped a finger gingerly into the little stone pot, withdrew it, glistening, and sniffed cautiously. That’s what I said.” His valet, Tom Byrd, face carefully averted, put the lid back on the pot. “Well, in justice,” Grey said dubiously, “I suppose the whale is long dead.” He looked at the far wall of his office. There were a number of flies resting along the wainscoting, as usual, fat and black as currants against the white plaster. “Where did you get that stuff?”. “The owner of the Moor’s Head keeps a keg of it; he burns it in his lamps—cheaper nor even tallow candles, he says, let alone proper wax ones.”. I daresay.” Given the usual smell of the Moor’s Head on a busy night, nobody would notice the stink of whale oil above the symphony of other reeks. “Easier to come by on Jamaica than bear grease, I reckon,” Tom remarked, picking up the pot. Tom had automatically picked up the oily rag that lived on the corner of Grey’s desk and, with a dexterous flick, snapped a fat fly out of the air and into oblivion. That should cause my blood to be especially attractive to the more discriminating biting insects in Charles Town—to say nothing of Canada.” Jamaican flies were a nuisance but seldom carnivorous, and the sea breeze and muslin window screening kept most mosquitoes at bay. “No,” Grey said reluctantly, scratching his neck at the mere thought of Canadian deer flies. Lord John and his valet shuddered simultaneously, recollecting last week’s experience with a banana spider—a creature with a leg span the size of a child’s hand—that had burst unexpectedly out of a ripe banana, followed by what appeared at the time to be several hundred small offspring, at a garden party given by Grey to mark his departure from the island and to welcome the Honorable Mr. Houghton Braythwaite, his successor as governor. “Oh, God, is that him now?” Grey glanced guiltily round at the disarray of his office: A gaping half-packed portmanteau lolled in the corner, and the desk was strewn with scattered documents and the remnants of lunch, in no condition to be viewed by the man who would inherit it tomorrow. Grey picked up the oiled rag and disposed of an unwary fly, then seized a plate scattered with bread crusts, blobs of custard, and fruit peelings and decanted this out of the window into the garden beneath. Thrusting the empty plate out of sight under the desk, he began hurriedly to gather papers into piles but was interrupted almost at once by the reappearance of Tom, looking excited. Why didn’t you say so?” John hastily grabbed his coat from its hook and shrugged into it, brushing crumbs off his waistcoat as he did so. John in fact liked his mother’s third husband—she having been twice widowed when she acquired the general four years before—though any military intrusion at this point was something to be regarded warily. The General Stanley who eventually appeared was not the bluff, jaunty, self-confident man last seen in his mother’s company. This General Stanley was hobbling with a stick, his right foot bound up in an immense bandage, and his face gray with pain, effort . “General!” John seized him by the arm before he could fall over and guided him to the nearest chair, hastily removing a pile of maps from it. ?”. “Just here, me lord.” Tom had dug Grey’s flask out of the open traveling bag with commendable promptitude and now thrust it into General Stanley’s hand. “Bring the cask.” The general was beginning to show a tinge of color and, at this point, began to be cognizant of his surroundings. “I am packing to leave, yes,” John said, the feeling of wariness developing small, prickling feet inside his stomach. And what in God’s name is she up to now?” Grey spoke with more heat than filial respect, but panic made him edgy. “Fine.” Tom had come back with the brandy bottle, and John poured himself a small glass. “I trust she’s enjoying the weather.” He raised an eyebrow at his stepfather, who sighed deeply and put his hands on his knees. The problem, my boy, is that the British Navy is on its way to lay siege to the city of Havana, and I really think it would be a good idea if your mother wasn’t in the city when they get there.”. For a moment, John stood frozen, glass in hand, mouth open, and his brain so congested with questions that he was unable to articulate any of them. Grey reached for the brandy bottle, but Tom was already pouring a fresh glass, which he thrust into his employer’s hand. take it that he’s quite recovered, then?” On one level, this was good news; Malcolm Stubbs had lost a foot and part of the adjoining leg to a cannonball at the Battle of Quebec, more than two years before. By good luck, Grey had fallen over him on the field and had the presence of mind to use his belt as a tourniquet, thus preventing Stubbs from bleeding to death. He vividly recalled the splintered bone protruding from the remnants of Malcolm’s shin, and the hot, wet smell of blood and shit, steaming in the cold air. “Two, now—Olivia gave birth to a daughter two years ago; lovely child called Charlotte.”. “You see, I was meant to be sailing to Savannah in the spring—now, I mean—to advise a Colonel Folliott, who’s raising a local militia to assist the governor, and your mother was going to come with me. In his desire to keep his guests—all recently arrived from London, and all lamenting the dearth of roast beef and potatoes in the Indies—from sharing his realization, he had called for lavish and repeated applications of a native palm liquor. This had been very effective; by the second glass, they wouldn’t have known they were eating whale turds, should his adventurous cook have taken it into his head to serve that as a second course. “Or possibly you do, sir?” He turned politely to General Stanley, who was beginning to look better, under the influence of relief and brandy. “I wouldn’t,” he admitted frankly, “save that I shared Albemarle’s table aboard his flagship for six weeks. The general had learned of Albemarle’s expedition only the night before the fleet sailed, when a message from the War Office had reached him, ordering him aboard. “At that point, of course, the ship would reach Cuba long before any message I could send to your mother, so I went aboard at once—this”— he glowered at his bandaged foot—“ notwithstanding.”. “Tom,—run—and I do mean run —to Admiral Holmes’s residence and ask him to call upon me as soon as is convenient. If the British Navy showed up in Havana Harbor and started shelling the place, it wasn’t merely physical danger threatening the Stubbs family and Lady Stanley, also known as the Dowager Duchess of Pardloe. and I bloody don’t care if they do.” He sat upright, gray-stubbled chin outthrust and a glint in his eye. Diana Gabaldon is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the wildly popular Outlander novels— Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes (for which she won a Quill Award and the Corine International Book Prize), An Echo in the Bone, and Written in My Own Heart’s Blood —as well as the related Lord John Grey books Lord John and the Private Matter, Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, Lord John and the Hand of Devils, and The Scottish Prisoner; two works of nonfiction, The Outlandish Companion, Volumes 1 and 2; and the Outlander graphic novel, The Exile .
Reviews
"Update: Diana said today that the two new novellas will eventually be sold as stand alone books."
"Written in the same prose as her other works these stories hold your attention and are easy to read."
"I have been reading Diana's work for over 20 years, and I was so excited to hear that her collection of short stories would be available in print, and in the same book."
"Very nice collection of side stories to the Outlander series."
"What a delight to have this book to re-emerge me back into Outlander."
"I am only giving this four stars because the last story ended so abruptly!"
"All of these stories are classic Gabaldon."
"I loved the character development of minor characters from the Outlander books."
Find Best Price at Amazon
The Collected Short Stories of Louis L'Amour, Volume 1: The Frontier Stories (Random House Large Print)
This volume kicks off a series that will, when complete, anthologize all of L'Amour’ s short fiction, volume by handsome volume. The spate of previously uncollected L'Amour short stories that have surfaced recently reveal L'Amour's broad talent and ability to master every genre from mystery to sports to mainstream fiction.
Reviews
"No surprises in a L’Amour story."
"Maybe I've outgrown Mr. L'Amour or maybe I just like longer tales."
"I think I have read all of his work."
"I've never been much for reading novels or lengthy stories and books."
"My father read Louis L'Amour when I was a kid."
"I have only read some of the stories and, so far, I've found many of the characters to be one-dimensional."
"Large print is nice, but book is HEAVY."
"While he doesn't shy away from portraying the violence that was common in those days, he utilizes it to emphasize the eternal conflict of good and evil."
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Best Historical Fiction Anthologies

The Canterbury Tales (original-spelling Middle English edition) (Penguin Classics)
One of the greatest and most ambitious works in English literature, in the original Middle English The Canterbury Tales depicts a storytelling competition between pilgrims drawn from all ranks of society. It Features an introduction by Jill Mann, a chronology of Chaucer's life and works, detailed explanatory notes, suggestions for further reading, a full glossary, and a bibliography. Chaucer's wife Philippa, whom he married c. 1365, was the sister of Katherine Swynford, the mistress (c. 1370) and third wife (1396) of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, whose first wife Blanche (d. 1368) is commemorated in Chaucer's ealrist major poem, The Book of the Duchess .From 1374 Chaucer worked as controller of customs on wool in the port of London, but between 1366 and 1378 he made a number of trips abroad on official business, including two trips to Italy in 1372-3 and 1378.
Reviews
"If you are going to read The Canterbury Tales, this is the way to go."
"Can't go wrong with Chaucer."
"However, I will warn that this version/copy of the book doesn't contain the prologues or epilogues for the short stories within it."
"The simultaneous printing of the original Middle English along with modern English was exactly what I was looking for."
"This book arrived quickly and its in current English."
"A must read for those who enjoy the classics!"
"In the Nun's Priease Tale, Chaucer utters the most startingly 4 words constructed: Beware of the sycophant!"
"Nice to listen to every month!"
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Best Historical Fiction Short Stories

Seven Stones to Stand or Fall: A Collection of Outlander Fiction
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A magnificent collection of Outlander short fiction—including two never-before-published novellas—featuring Jamie Fraser, Lord John Grey, Master Raymond, and many more, from Diana Gabaldon “The Custom of the Army” begins with Lord John Grey being shocked by an electric eel and ends at the Battle of Quebec. Then comes “The Space Between,” where it is revealed that the Comte St. Germain is not dead, Master Raymond appears, and a widowed young wine dealer escorts a would-be novice to a convent in Paris. Lord John Grey dipped a finger gingerly into the little stone pot, withdrew it, glistening, and sniffed cautiously. That’s what I said.” His valet, Tom Byrd, face carefully averted, put the lid back on the pot. “Well, in justice,” Grey said dubiously, “I suppose the whale is long dead.” He looked at the far wall of his office. There were a number of flies resting along the wainscoting, as usual, fat and black as currants against the white plaster. “Where did you get that stuff?”. “The owner of the Moor’s Head keeps a keg of it; he burns it in his lamps—cheaper nor even tallow candles, he says, let alone proper wax ones.”. I daresay.” Given the usual smell of the Moor’s Head on a busy night, nobody would notice the stink of whale oil above the symphony of other reeks. “Easier to come by on Jamaica than bear grease, I reckon,” Tom remarked, picking up the pot. Tom had automatically picked up the oily rag that lived on the corner of Grey’s desk and, with a dexterous flick, snapped a fat fly out of the air and into oblivion. That should cause my blood to be especially attractive to the more discriminating biting insects in Charles Town—to say nothing of Canada.” Jamaican flies were a nuisance but seldom carnivorous, and the sea breeze and muslin window screening kept most mosquitoes at bay. “No,” Grey said reluctantly, scratching his neck at the mere thought of Canadian deer flies. Lord John and his valet shuddered simultaneously, recollecting last week’s experience with a banana spider—a creature with a leg span the size of a child’s hand—that had burst unexpectedly out of a ripe banana, followed by what appeared at the time to be several hundred small offspring, at a garden party given by Grey to mark his departure from the island and to welcome the Honorable Mr. Houghton Braythwaite, his successor as governor. “Oh, God, is that him now?” Grey glanced guiltily round at the disarray of his office: A gaping half-packed portmanteau lolled in the corner, and the desk was strewn with scattered documents and the remnants of lunch, in no condition to be viewed by the man who would inherit it tomorrow. Grey picked up the oiled rag and disposed of an unwary fly, then seized a plate scattered with bread crusts, blobs of custard, and fruit peelings and decanted this out of the window into the garden beneath. Thrusting the empty plate out of sight under the desk, he began hurriedly to gather papers into piles but was interrupted almost at once by the reappearance of Tom, looking excited. Why didn’t you say so?” John hastily grabbed his coat from its hook and shrugged into it, brushing crumbs off his waistcoat as he did so. John in fact liked his mother’s third husband—she having been twice widowed when she acquired the general four years before—though any military intrusion at this point was something to be regarded warily. The General Stanley who eventually appeared was not the bluff, jaunty, self-confident man last seen in his mother’s company. This General Stanley was hobbling with a stick, his right foot bound up in an immense bandage, and his face gray with pain, effort . “General!” John seized him by the arm before he could fall over and guided him to the nearest chair, hastily removing a pile of maps from it. ?”. “Just here, me lord.” Tom had dug Grey’s flask out of the open traveling bag with commendable promptitude and now thrust it into General Stanley’s hand. “The doctor says I mustn’t drink wine—apparently it’s bad for the gout—but I don’t recall his mentioning brandy.”. “Bring the cask.” The general was beginning to show a tinge of color and, at this point, began to be cognizant of his surroundings. “I am packing to leave, yes,” John said, the feeling of wariness developing small, prickling feet inside his stomach. And what in God’s name is she up to now?” Grey spoke with more heat than filial respect, but panic made him edgy. “Fine.” Tom had come back with the brandy bottle, and John poured himself a small glass. “I trust she’s enjoying the weather.” He raised an eyebrow at his stepfather, who sighed deeply and put his hands on his knees. The problem, my boy, is that the British Navy is on its way to lay siege to the city of Havana, and I really think it would be a good idea if your mother wasn’t in the city when they get there.”. For a moment, John stood frozen, glass in hand, mouth open, and his brain so congested with questions that he was unable to articulate any of them. Grey reached for the brandy bottle, but Tom was already pouring a fresh glass, which he thrust into his employer’s hand. take it that he’s quite recovered, then?” On one level, this was good news; Malcolm Stubbs had lost a foot and part of the adjoining leg to a cannonball at the Battle of Quebec, more than two years before. By good luck, Grey had fallen over him on the field and had the presence of mind to use his belt as a tourniquet, thus preventing Stubbs from bleeding to death. He vividly recalled the splintered bone protruding from the remnants of Malcolm’s shin, and the hot, wet smell of blood and shit, steaming in the cold air. “Two, now—Olivia gave birth to a daughter two years ago; lovely child called Charlotte.”. “You see, I was meant to be sailing to Savannah in the spring—now, I mean—to advise a Colonel Folliott, who’s raising a local militia to assist the governor, and your mother was going to come with me. In his desire to keep his guests—all recently arrived from London, and all lamenting the dearth of roast beef and potatoes in the Indies—from sharing his realization, he had called for lavish and repeated applications of a native palm liquor. This had been very effective; by the second glass, they wouldn’t have known they were eating whale turds, should his adventurous cook have taken it into his head to serve that as a second course. “Or possibly you do, sir?” He turned politely to General Stanley, who was beginning to look better, under the influence of relief and brandy. “I wouldn’t,” he admitted frankly, “save that I shared Albemarle’s table aboard his flagship for six weeks. The general had learned of Albemarle’s expedition only the night before the fleet sailed, when a message from the War Office had reached him, ordering him aboard. “At that point, of course, the ship would reach Cuba long before any message I could send to your mother, so I went aboard at once—this”— he glowered at his bandaged foot—“ notwithstanding.”. “Tom,—run—and I do mean run —to Admiral Holmes’s residence and ask him to call upon me as soon as is convenient. If the British Navy showed up in Havana Harbor and started shelling the place, it wasn’t merely physical danger threatening the Stubbs family and Lady Stanley, also known as the Dowager Duchess of Pardloe. and I bloody don’t care if they do.” He sat upright, gray-stubbled chin outthrust and a glint in his eye.
Reviews
"Update: Diana said today that the two new novellas will eventually be sold as stand alone books."
"Written in the same prose as her other works these stories hold your attention and are easy to read."
"What a delight to have this book to re-emerge me back into Outlander."
"I am only giving this four stars because the last story ended so abruptly!"
"All of these stories are classic Gabaldon."
"I loved the character development of minor characters from the Outlander books."
"I'll read anything Ms. Gabaldon writes."
"I was not aware that this book contained stories that I had previously purchased separately."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Military Historical Fiction

All the Light We Cannot See: A Novel
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, a New York Times Book Review Top Ten Book, National Book Award finalist, more than two and a half years on the New York Times bestseller list From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, the stunningly beautiful instant New York Times bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. He is also the author of two story collections Memory Wall and The Shell Collector , the novel About Grace , and the memoir Four Seasons in Rome .
Reviews
"It has been a while since I have found a book that I wanted to read slowly so that I could soak in every detail in hopes that the last page seems to never come. When reading the synopsis of this novel, I never imagined that I would feel so connected to a book where one of the main characters is blind and the other a brilliant young German orphan who was chosen to attend a brutal military academy under Hitler's power using his innate engineering skills. I was invited into the pages and could not only imagine the atmosphere, but all of my senses were collectively enticed from the very first page until the last. In most well-written books you get of a sense of what the characters look like and follow them throughout the book almost as if you are on a voyage, but with this novel, I could imagine what it was like to be in Marie-Laure's shoes."
"On the other hand, as the author describes it, “It’s also a metaphorical suggestion that there are countless invisible stories still buried within World War II.” Add in a newly blinded French girl who is forced to leave her familiar surroundings, and you’ll soon find yourself in literary heaven. There are lessons about the brain, sitting inside the darkness of our skull, interpreting light; there are lessons about coal having been plants living millions of years ago, absorbing light, now buried in darkness; lessons about light waves that we cannot see—all applicable as the story unfolds. The author also includes connections to the song Clair de Lune, the book 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, and a fictional story about a priceless diamond called the Sea of Flames, whose owner “so long as he keeps it, the keeper of the stone will live forever.”. I cannot proclaim loud enough how much this book means to me; I have been left awe-inspired."
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Best Jewish Historical Fiction

We Were the Lucky Ones
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Inspired by the incredible true story of one Jewish family separated at the start of World War II, determined to survive—and to reunite— We Were the Lucky Ones is a tribute to the triumph of hope and love against all odds “Love in the face of global adversity? Hunter sidesteps hollow sentimentality and nihilism, revealing instead the beautiful complexity and ambiguity of life in this extraordinarily moving tale.” — Publishers Weekly. But the true wonder of the book is how convincingly Hunter inhabits these characters, each modeled after her own family members. A brave and mesmerizing debut, and a truly tremendous accomplishment.” — Paula McLain , author of The Paris Wife and Circling the Sun. Georgia Hunter pulled me into another world, vivid, horrifying, astonishing, and heartbreaking.” — Lauren Belfer , New York Times bestselling author of And After the Fire , A Fierce Radiance , and City of Light . “ We Were the Lucky Ones is a skillfully woven reimagining of [Hunter’s] own family’s struggle for survival during World War II . This emotionally resonant, gripping portrait of the war is filled with beautifully drawn and wonderfully heroic characters I won’t soon forget.” — Jillian Cantor , author of Margot and The Hours Count. “Georgia Hunter has crafted her own family history into a sprawling, yet still intimate portrait of those swept up in the devastation of war and scattered to the winds. We Were the Lucky Ones is a compelling read, notable for Hunter’s clear portraits of her plucky, resilient family, and for her ability to build suspense and investment without emotional manipulation.” — Courtney Naliboff, ReformJudaism.org.
Reviews
"As a third-generation immigrant, like Hunter, my grandparents came from Poland, and while they were in America before the war, nothing has impacted my heart more than reading this book. Surely my grandparents left behind friends and family and felt similar heartache as the Kurcs did with their beloved country. She has not only written a remarkable piece of literature but the effort that she put forth to gather her family’s history seems to have been no small feat, as you will learn."
"400+ pages read in just 3 days.... yes it is that good."
"I've read a lot of books about WWII, both fiction and non-fiction, but until this point, I don't think I've read one based upon the perspective of Jewish people living in Poland."
"The most amazing thing is that this is, for all intends and purposes, a true story."
"One really feels the fear and horror which the individual characters had to cope with, It opened up a new window for me as far as the fate of Polish Jews in WWII."
"First off, thank you Penguin-Viking for allowing me to read this beautiful ARC. I will start with the dislikes, move on to the likes, and my own personal thoughts. Even though I know it's based on a true story, I enjoyed the characters. Finding out more about what the Jewish community really went through in order to survive. Not many writers want to talk about their family's history. For the first time, I feel completely satisfied and that's hard to achieve. We cannot deny the painful part of our prior history. It made my stomach churn and drop. Yeah, maybe some parts were dramatized but Mrs. Hunter took me there. I plan on buying this book on hardcover and it will remain a treasure for the rest of my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your story."
"Beautifully written story that I couldn't stop thinking about."
"Amazing that a true story could be told in such a way that character and personality come through and one cares about the individuals and family."
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Best Biographical Historical Fiction

Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel
Now, with the opportunity to spy for the Allies inside the German High Command, Pino endures the horrors of the war and the Nazi occupation by fighting in secret, his courage bolstered by his love for Anna and for the life he dreams they will one day share. “Sprawling, stirring, like the richest of stories, and played out on a canvas of heroism and tragedy, Beneath a Scarlet Sky is like one of those iconic World War II black and white photos: a face of hope and tears, the story of a small life that ended up mattering in a big way.” —Andrew Gross, New York Times bestselling author of The One Man. Sullivan shows us war as it really is, with all its complexities, conflicting loyalties, and unresolved questions, but most of all, he brings us the extraordinary figure of Pino Lella, whose determination to live con smania —with passion—saved him.” —Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of Suspicion and The Switch.
Reviews
"It is a gripping story of resilience, the indomitable spirit of a young man that knew no boundaries and courage that sustained him during dark hours. The action intensified throughout the remainder of the book, and one is allowed a rare glimpse into the mind of Il Duce - Benito Mussolini - plus the inner workings of the German High Command. Pino Lello witnesses atrocities he wishes he could forget but keeps soldiering on...wisely... Just a gripping and harrowing Kindle First selection which I feel is the best one I have read."
"He takes us deep inside the love story of his discovery, the unknown hero, Pino Lella, and he crafts an epic tale set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied Milan and the Italian Alps during World War II that is as intimate and tragic as it is thought-provoking and triumphant."
"Set in Italy during the last two years of the second World War, this story follows the life of a remarkable young man, Pino Lella, who finds himself assigned as the driver of one of the most powerful Nazi officials in Italy. He accompanies this General throughout northern Italy as the war deteriorates and comes to a violent and tragic end. A very worthwhile story that author Mark Sullivan was lucky enough to learn of, then putting several years of research into piecing together as many of the details as he could."
"I cannot add more to the excellent reviews previously posted other than to say I read this book in one sitting not being able to put it down until 4:00 AM!"
"Rich Milanese family bribes local politicians to secure a position for their oldest son to be a driver for the top local general in Organisation Todt. Here are the believable bits: Watching his cousin assassinated while he stood there in fear—watching his girlfriend die in front of a firing squad while he watched like a coward."
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Best Historical Fantasy

Dawn of Wonder (The Wakening Book 1)
Winner 2016 Readers' Favourite Award for Epic Fantasy. Winner 2015 LYRA Award for Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Winner 2015 CIPA EVVY Award for Fiction/Fantasy. Winner 2015 Beverly Hills Book Award for Fantasy. Winner 2016 Audible Best Fantasy Audiobook. Runner-up 2016 IPPY Awards and 2015 Great Midwest Book Festival for Sci-Fi/Fantasy. #1 Bestseller in Epic, Historical and Coming of Age Fantasy. The plot is dynamic and there are many highs and lows for Aedan and his companions, which keep it from getting boring with its length. "Renshaw's talent for building unique worlds and characters, and simply letting them loose to face their circumstances, is on full display. It's the kind of story where you say "I think I'll give this a try for three paragraphs and then move on if it doesn't work out" only to find yourself unable to put it down even for your doctor's appointment. His elegant, poetic prose turned a very good story with themes that touched my heart into one that is wondrous. One of the finest fantasy novels I've read in the past few years, period." "Dawn of Wonder foregoes 'quick and saccharine' for the satisfying choice of 'long and compelling', building the details of a vast production. If this first story is any indicator, it will be along the lines of a Robert Jordan 'Wheel of Time' epic series."
Reviews
"For those of you who wish to know how it's possible that one book can forever change the lens through which you view the genre of fantasy and the metric and standard through which you measure it, read on. Renshaw explores some of the most difficult subjects I've ever seen an author attempt to address in the fantasy genre. Were a boy gifted Renshaw's incredible ability to convey emotion and thought, I imagine the result would be strikingly similar to the almost impossibly accurate articulations found in "Dawn of Wonder." Just as our fears were made exponentially more terrifying and just as our losses and failures were so keenly exacerbated by our lack of maturity, so too were our feelings of triumph, simple joy and wonder made boundless and larger than life by the creativity and impossible (yet no less real in our thoughts) beliefs we allowed our minds to indulge in. The experiences we're privileged to witness through the lens of Aedan's young mind allow our own minds to harken back to those days where it was possible to find a pirate's treasure in your own backyard, and when our worlds were so black and white that we believed our feelings on certain subjects would forever be set in stone. Despite this lengthy (and frankly somewhat pretentious) review, I have only addressed the skill and care through which the story is told and not the story itself. But these petty sentiments only led me to respect the nearly flawless and never lazy way in which Renshaw crafted a mind, a world and a story in perfect synchronicity. The wonderful world and colorful characters that inhabit "Dawn of Wonder", and Aedan's interactions with both, challenge the notions of what it means to be family and what it means to find love and friendship. I doubt I will find a more compelling and poignant mixture of storytelling and character development in my reading adventures, and in that sense by the end of "Dawn of Wonder" I found myself saddened, when I would ordinarily be excited, at the prospect of searching for another book to read."
"In order to get the most from this review, you need a base of what kinds of books I enjoy. I love Brandon Sanderson (The Stormlight Archive is my favorite series currently), The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss, and The Gentleman Bastards by Scott Lynch to name a few. Within 50 pages, the author has the character besting 5 other trained individuals and by the end of the series, they might as well be facing the army by themselves. I believe the author said it took 10 years to write this book (with a job on the side) and you can tell he put it to good use."
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Best Historical Thrillers

The Dead Key
Twenty years before, amid strange staff disappearances and allegations of fraud, panicked investors sold Cleveland’s largest bank in the middle of the night, locking out customers and employees, and thwarting a looming federal investigation. Iris, a young engineer working her first job out of the office, finds herself assigned to map out a floor plan for the bank building which has been empty for two decades. Just as Beatrice did 20 years before her, Iris quickly recognizes that there’s something not quite right at the bank and she soon learns that the building is not as empty as everyone thinks.
Reviews
"When I was a regular shopper at my local bookstores, my initial selection was based off thickness (how I discovered Robert Jordon and Terry Goodkind and others of that epic length writing). THE DEAD KEY, however, is largely one single, long wind-up, the pacing not really picking up till well past the last quarter. moments rolling, the suspense tight with wonderment and discovery, simply an exquisite plotline that has made the game a cult classic. And the ending... well, a completion within the same emotional level as Arturo Pérez-Reverte's 1993 novel, THE CLUB DUMAS had concluded with (the novel may be recognized by more as the later movie, THE NINTH GATE). All in all, enjoyable, yet I do have to wonder how even more fantastic these elements would be if the book was the same 477 pages but made tauter in pacing, richer in action, and, yes, even more deeply layered."
"I left off one star because the main characters are too much alike, in fact all the women especially but the men as well seemed like slight variations of the same personality."
"Several low-level female employees at the bank discover that something is awry (in both time periods), and their attempts to solve the mystery puts them in serious danger."
"The story concept is interesting: an important bank mysteriously closes overnight. When I was about 1/3 into the story it seemed that n.o.t.h.i.n.g. Reading the early reviews, I was sure I was reading a different book. For example, in most instances, we don't read about the secretary's workday, we read about her thinking about her workday or thinking about the personalities of the people she works with, or wondering where her friend is, or wondering about the significance of papers she sees. For example, the engineer meets her boss at the building and explains to him some of the work she has done, but (from the reader perspective) this is merely retelling what the engineer already mused about in the previous pages: she went to the eighth floor, to the room on the left; it was dusty; she made some measurements; she went to the next room; she saw papers on the floor; she wondered why the papers were left behind; she made some measurements; she looked at some of the papers; she wondered what the papers meant; she decided to take some of the papers with her to look at later; she went to the next room; she made some measurements. I second that thought."
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Best Historical Mystery

The Dead Key
Twenty years before, amid strange staff disappearances and allegations of fraud, panicked investors sold Cleveland’s largest bank in the middle of the night, locking out customers and employees, and thwarting a looming federal investigation. Iris, a young engineer working her first job out of the office, finds herself assigned to map out a floor plan for the bank building which has been empty for two decades. Just as Beatrice did 20 years before her, Iris quickly recognizes that there’s something not quite right at the bank and she soon learns that the building is not as empty as everyone thinks.
Reviews
"When I was a regular shopper at my local bookstores, my initial selection was based off thickness (how I discovered Robert Jordon and Terry Goodkind and others of that epic length writing). THE DEAD KEY, however, is largely one single, long wind-up, the pacing not really picking up till well past the last quarter. moments rolling, the suspense tight with wonderment and discovery, simply an exquisite plotline that has made the game a cult classic. And the ending... well, a completion within the same emotional level as Arturo Pérez-Reverte's 1993 novel, THE CLUB DUMAS had concluded with (the novel may be recognized by more as the later movie, THE NINTH GATE). All in all, enjoyable, yet I do have to wonder how even more fantastic these elements would be if the book was the same 477 pages but made tauter in pacing, richer in action, and, yes, even more deeply layered."
"I left off one star because the main characters are too much alike, in fact all the women especially but the men as well seemed like slight variations of the same personality."
"Several low-level female employees at the bank discover that something is awry (in both time periods), and their attempts to solve the mystery puts them in serious danger."
"The story concept is interesting: an important bank mysteriously closes overnight. When I was about 1/3 into the story it seemed that n.o.t.h.i.n.g. Reading the early reviews, I was sure I was reading a different book. For example, in most instances, we don't read about the secretary's workday, we read about her thinking about her workday or thinking about the personalities of the people she works with, or wondering where her friend is, or wondering about the significance of papers she sees. For example, the engineer meets her boss at the building and explains to him some of the work she has done, but (from the reader perspective) this is merely retelling what the engineer already mused about in the previous pages: she went to the eighth floor, to the room on the left; it was dusty; she made some measurements; she went to the next room; she saw papers on the floor; she wondered why the papers were left behind; she made some measurements; she looked at some of the papers; she wondered what the papers meant; she decided to take some of the papers with her to look at later; she went to the next room; she made some measurements. I second that thought."
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Best Alternate History Science Fiction

11/22/63: A Novel
WINNER OF THE 2012 LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE. Jake is blown away...but an even more bizarre secret comes to light when Jake’s friend Al, owner of the local diner, enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination. On Monday, March 25, Lee came walking up Neely Street carrying a long package wrapped in brown paper. Peering through a tiny crack in the curtains, I could see the words REGISTERED and INSURED stamped on it in big red letters. For the first time I thought he seemed furtive and nervous, actually looking around at his exterior surroundings instead of at the spooky furniture deep in his head. I knew what was in the package: a 6.5mm Carcano rifle—also known as a Mannlicher-Carcano—complete with scope, purchased from Klein’s Sporting Goods in Chicago. Five minutes after he climbed the outside stairs to the second floor, the gun Lee would use to change history was in a closet above my head. Marina took the famous pictures of him holding it just outside my living room window six days later, but I didn’t see it. As the tenth grew closer, those weekends with Sadie had become the most important, the dearest, things in my life. I came awake with a jerk, hearing someone mutter “Still not too late” under his breath. Sadie murmured some thick protest and turned over in bed. The familiar squeak of the springs locked me in place and time: the Candlewood Bungalows, April 5, 1963. I fumbled my watch from the nightstand and peered at the luminous numbers. It was quarter past two in the morning, which meant it was actually the sixth of April. Oswald was going to relocate to New Orleans for awhile after the attempt on the general’s life—another shitty apartment, one I’d already visited—but not for two weeks. The best one was beside me in this bed: long, lovely, and smoothly naked. Maybe she was just another trap laid by the obdurate past, but that didn’t matter, because I loved her. Hoping I could stay ahead of the cops just long enough to get to the rabbit-hole and escape into a future where Sadie Dunhill would be . There was a mud- or manure-splattered pickup truck with a trailer full of what looked like farm implements behind it. The moon was sliding in and out of thin clouds and it wasn’t possible to make out the color of the car’s lower half by that stuttery light, but I was pretty sure I knew what it was, anyway. The chilly air bit at my bed-warm skin, but I barely felt it. Yes, the car was a Fury, and yes, it was white over red, but this one wasn’t from Maine or Arkansas; the plate was Oklahoma, and the decal in the rear window read GO, SOONERS. Some student, maybe headed south to visit his folks on spring break. Or a couple of horny teachers taking advantage of the Candlewood’s liberal guest policy. I touched the trunk, as I had back in Lisbon Falls, then returned to the bungalow. Sadie had pushed the sheet down to her waist, and when I came in, the draft of cool air woke her up. “ My mother used to say if you kiss your honey, they won’t come true.”. I lay watching the smoke drift up and turn blue in the occasional moonlight coming through the half-drawn curtains. I’d never leave the curtains that way at Neely Street, I thought. At Neely Street, in my other life, I’m always alone but still careful to close them all the way. She inhaled deeply, enjoying her cigarette guiltlessly, as people do in the Land of Ago. “I suppose I am, but not with an angel.” Although Lee Oswald didn’t make much of a devil, either. I liked George de Mohren--schildt better for the devil role. In the Bible, Satan’s a tempter who makes the offer and then stands aside.
Reviews
"Yes, it is built around a well-used SF trope, time travel, but really, the portal to the past that Jake Epping is shown in the back of an aluminum diner is only the launch mechanism for this fantastic journey. Even SK's other "straight" fiction, "Misery", "Dolores Claiborne" and "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" come to mind, had elements of the supernatural and/or flat-out horror. I have read every novel and anthology that King has published, plus a large number of single short stories, starting with "Carrie" in a borrowed paperback back in the late 1970s. The lead-up to the day of the assassination is described in great detail, along with Oswald's relationship to his family and associates, all matters of historical record (at least according to the sources cited by SK, with which most of the readers who did not like the novel disagreed emphatically). The world of 1958-1963 is described in wonderful detail, through the eyes of Jake as he gradually sheds his early 21st century armored shell and falls in love with a small Texas town and Sadie, its new young librarian. I'm old enough to have experienced lots of the stuff that Jake encounters in 1958 (albeit as a child) and it jives with and jogs my recollections and induces a feeling of longing for older, simpler times."
"My biggest complaint with King is that many times he leaves his endings open and vague. If you're watching the miniseries on TV, just know the book is 10 times better. My history buff husband and son both read it after I told them how good it was and no one was disappointed."
"I read this book as part of a book club challenge and we were supposed to read three chapters a month and finish by October."
"After a period of withdrawal from my computer, I’d gained perspective to realize just how addicted to that f**cking thing I’d become, spending hours reading stupid email attachments and visiting websites for the same reason mountaineers hiked Everest—because it was there.”. Of course, that era wasn’t all roses, as the segregation of toilets and water fountains attests. “The Butterfly Effect,” which is talked about in Ray Bradbury’s short story The Sound of Thunder (also mentioned in this novel) is about how changing one small thing in the past can have a profound difference on the future."
"My one and only complaint was the fact that in the Kindle version, Mr. King had to supply his theory as to what happened on that day."
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Best Cultural Heritage Fiction

From Sand and Ash
With the Gestapo closing in, Angelo hides Eva within the walls of a convent, where Eva discovers she is just one of many Jews being sheltered by the Catholic Church. I marvel at her ability to weave together a story that grips hold of my heart and my imagination.” —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author. A Panzer tank through your heart, leaving dirt and rubble through which poppies bloom.” —Suanne Laqueur, author of An Exaltation of Larks. Amy Harmon is a New York Times , Wall Street Journal , and USA Today bestselling author of ten novels, including the Whitney Award–winning The Law of Moses . Her historical novels, inspirational romances, and young adult books are now being published in twelve countries around the globe.
Reviews
"Amy Harmon brings together the best and the worst of humanity on these pages, paving this journey with violence and bravery, horror and love. It's a ruthless barrage of emotions, this story, a relentless war between life and death, between good and evil, illustrated exquisitely by an author whose writing prowess knows no bounds. I've read many books of the true accounts of holocaust survivors, seen the movies and documentaries, taken classes concentrating on this area of study. To feel as though you know their strength, to get to know their life up until the moment it is stolen away, to know their helplessness in the face of something so unjust and so terrifying, it changes the way you look at the world, to see such atrocities through their eyes. This may be a fictionalized account inspired by true events, but you won't convince my heart Eva and Angelo aren't real. This story weaves it's way under your skin and into your soul so you feel every step of their journey, of their fight, of this miracle. Our world would be such a beautiful, peaceful, harmonious one if we sought to understand each other instead of judging each other for the ways we are different, for the God we pray to, for where each of our trees first took root. From Sand and Ash is a rich work of art, a stunning masterpiece that has moved me, altered me, captivated me. These characters, this fictionalized truth swathed in Harmon's unparalleled storytelling and her breathtaking writing style make for an epic story of bravery, love, resilience and loss that is both haunting and heartwarming all at once."
"But the mark of a great Amy Harmon book is her expertly crafted story that builds so very slowly - she builds you up and up and before you know it you’ve fallen for her characters and then it happens - the downfall that completely shatters you. The common theme within all of her books is that love and faith conquers all, and how hope and resilience can help you rise above even the most difficult of situations. I really hope that people give this book a chance. And strangely enough, I find myself convinced that God loves his children – all his children – that he loves me, and that he provides moments of light and transcendence amid the constant trial.”. “Many will seek to tell me what God’s will is. He is quiet, and my anguish is so intense, so incredibly loud, that right now I can only do my will and hope that somehow, it aligns with his.”. "Our immortality comes through our children and their children."
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