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Does inaccurate historical facts affect your enjoyment of historical fiction?

As a historical author I know how hard it can be sometimes to get it all correct, however, that said, I do an enormous amount of research because I like researching. :eek:)

My books are set either in England or Australia and I try very hard to keep to the period (victorian). I read a lot of primary documents, diaries, etc, to help give me the flavour of those times.

I agree that 'some' of the modern historical romance fiction takes liberties, but that is usually because the readers demand it and the publishers listen to that. I think that is why I prefer UK historical authors to USA historical authors and I prefer BBC historical dramas to Hollywood historical dramas.
We all have our own likes and dislikes.
 
Yes it definitely does! It is a major pet peeve of mine when a supposed historical movie or novel is inaccurate. The movie 300 was like that and I really was dissappointed!
 
I must say I've a soft spot for Historical Fiction, not those who play fast and loose with historic FACTS mind, but those that do stick with "just the facts ma'am" one such person is the wonderful Michael Jecks the wonderful world of 14th Century Blighty with Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace and his long time friend, Simon Puttock, Bailiff of Lydford Castle.
(check out wwwmichaeljecks.co.uk, I've left out the http:/ bit, as of this writing, I've not enough postings, :eek: well, knowing me, as I do :eek: that'll change) he writes similar stuff, but not QUITE the same as "Ellis Peters" Cadfael. There's others too another I think, is a fellow Brit, and he is C J Sansom and his excellent Shardlake series, and another Brit is James McGee (Glen Moy) and his equally brilliant series Matthew Hawkwood this one set around the the Napoleonic era check out wwwfantasticfiction.co.uk for the latter two, or even Michael Jecks for that matter :eek:

Damn, I nearly forgot, an American chap, Robert McCammon used to write horror stories, took a break (quite a long one in fact, about 10 years) then came back with a BANG with "Speaks the Nightbird (set in 1699) "A Matthew Corbett Mystery" and later with (kind of a follow-upper with "The Queen Of Bedlam" both are set in and around Colonial America the latter one set set in 1702 Manhattan. Check out this site wwwrobertmccammon.com The Robert McCammon Web Site fascinating place that. From what fellow Sladist told me (no, not that Slade fans, but another KIND of Slade see this site site of the special X, wwwspecialx.net (Sladists as we're called by others) Robert Mc Comman has got 10 books planed, following Matthew Corbett's adventures in early-1700s America :) very nice indeed.
 
I really enjoy reading about history, both fiction and nonfiction, so historical inaccuracies do bother me. I know it's sometimes necessary to the plot of a novel, but if it's just a case of ignorance or sloppiness on the part of the author, it detracts from the enjoyment of the book. If an author is going to set a book, and especially a series, in a particular historical era, it wouldn't hurt to do some research first.

I totally agree about the frustration of reading historical novels where the characters are basically modern Americans in a historical setting. It's also a bit annoying to come across terms like "electrifying" in books set in the 14th century.
 
I openly declare my love for all well-told stories regardless of their inaccuracy of historical facts. Deep down, I probably get irritated. But I won't openly express my irritation until I've got enough bottled up inside.
 
Libra said:
I have pondered over this a long time. Not knowing history very well I enjoy the book as a story. It takes me back to places that I wonder how it would be to live at that time and I wouldn't mind some time travel every now and then:)
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I guess you must be considering this after Elizabeth: The Golden Age released. :)

Personally I think as long as the fiction is engaging, it doesnt matter if the historical facts are inaccurate (although if they are blatantly neglected I might disagree).

The Da Vinci Code is a good example of this.
 
Tintin, I was very naive about historical fiction.
I have posted with Elizabeth Chadwick and she made me realize how important it is. After reading her books The Greatest Knight and the sequel The Scarlet Lion I went and did a search and her books are very accurate . It made me feel that she did what she was supposed to do as a historical fiction writer. Now do I search all the books , no.
 
Libra said:
Tintin, I was very naive about historical fiction.
I have posted with Elizabeth Chadwick and she made me realize how important it is. After reading her books The Greatest Knight and the sequel The Scarlet Lion I went and did a search and her books are very accurate . It made me feel that she did what she was supposed to do as a historical fiction writer. Now do I search all the books , no.
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Accurate facts are fine, as long as the book is enjoyable, that's what matters for me.

Unless of course an author claims a book is representative of true history and then turns out it isnt.
 
As a history major and a history teacher, I generally find the mispresentation of historic facts to be unacceptable. To me, it takes away from the story when I know that the facts (such as timeline or people) have been modified to fit the plot. Why can't the plot be modified to fit the facts? Since I realize that not everyone is a history buff, I can see why it wouldn't bother everyone.

Within the facts, I don't mind speculation. I encourage that in my own classroom.
 
True enough,... sort ofish Libra, but the point I think KingFish says
Why can't the plot be modified to fit the facts? Since I realize that not everyone is a history buff, I can see why it wouldn't bother everyone.
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is quite valid, it also makes the past truly come alive whereas in a sense
the story when I know that the facts (such as timeline or people) have been modified to fit the plot.
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is a lazy writers way of, sometimes, a complex plot, and does a Godawful bastardised, and worse oversimplified and barely explaining "who, What, Where, When, How". Real life back then, was, ehhh interesting...VERY.

Sorry for speaking for you KF, please correct me if I've picked you up wrongly.

S


Check out C J Sansom and his excellent Shardlake series he's very accessible, Libra, or back in time with : Michael Jecks - Master of the Medieval Murder Mystery both writers don't play really fast & loose with the facts .
 
Sometimes the author just needs a good editor. When you have an American author writing about medieval London and coming up with something like "Thames River," it just makes my teeth ache, in the same way, probably, that an American would react to a British writer referring to the River Mississippi. It's a sign that the author hasn't really taken a lot of care over factual information, and that starts making me wonder what else they've been sloppy about.

Historical novels are very likely to be read by people with some knowledge of the historical period in question as well as by people without that knowledge, so I think it's always worth the author taking the trouble to get as much of the factual information correct as possible. It can really spoil the story if the factual basis hasn't been respected.
 
I'm personally veeeeerrry into history, and although I may very well still enjoy the book; historical inaccuracies tend to upset me just a bit. I mean the majority of the time authors do very well with the researching for their books. As for the others, if you really wish to write a great book; you should take the time to do it right. Check your facts!
 
When I did search the Chadwick books afterwards, I loved the books even more for being so accurate.

Seeing William Marshall's castles and learning about his life was amazing.
 
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