Time Travel in Yellowstone, Slave Revolts, and Buccaneers: A Free Historical Fiction Week Full of Frontiers and Grief

by D.A. Galloway

A grieving man in 1971 gets pulled back to 1871 and ends up with the Hayden Expedition, which is a great hook for anyone who likes time travel with real history underneath. It's sitting at 4.34 with over 1,600 readers, the top score of the week, though no written reviews have shown up yet. The Crow woman he bonds with is clearly the emotional center, so this is one for readers who want romance and grief woven into their frontier adventure.

by Peter Darman

Pacorus, a Parthian prince, gets dropped into Spartacus's slave uprising, and I love that it's told from outside the usual Roman viewpoint. The 4.26 rating from more than 1,300 readers is solid, but the reviews split hard. One reader appreciates indie authors taking on the genre, while another declared it abysmal and quit. Worth a free download if ancient history is your thing, just go in knowing it's divisive.

“Let me preface this by saying I'm all for seeing more indie authors taking up the historical fiction mantle--I love the genre, but it remains one still largely in the realm of the traditional publishers. That said, I was quite excited when I happened upon Darman's work, particularly for the...”

by Chris Bennett

Captain Nathaniel Chambers is a war-tested officer coming home to a country that's about to tear itself apart, and the book is the first in a Civil War saga about loyalty and betrayal. It holds a 4.22 from 1,000 readers, and the reviewers who wrote in sound like genuine converts to historical fiction. If you want a character-driven war story with friendships formed on the frontier, start here.

“I’ve developed a love for historical fiction over the last year or so. Road to Breaking by Chris Bennett is an excellent example of why. Honestly, this story is exceptional and deserves five stars. This is book one, so I’m excited to see what happens next. I loved the writing. I was drawn in...”

by Tonya Cam

This one surprised me. Mary is in Miami in 1933 tracking her baby's respiration rates in a scrapbook meant for milestones, and the premise is already heartbreaking. A 4.26 from 206 readers is strong for a quieter book, and it's about grief and the unlikely friendship with Elena, not plot fireworks. Have tissues nearby, and skip it if you want something light.

by L.L. Kirchner

Thelma Miles joins a war bond tour in 1944 St. Petersburg, thinking she has left her criminal past behind, until Florida's biggest crime boss makes her an offer. The setting is fresh and fun, but at 3.43 from 660 readers, it's the lowest-rated pick this week. One reviewer felt it fell apart toward the end and called out the editing, while another loved the suspense. Read it for the Florida atmosphere and forgive the rough patches.

“This book started off so well, but fell apart towards the end. A big part of that was the editing. Examples: 🌴not enough build up before certain characters took certain actions 🌴 Kathleen getting a monologue from her dead mother when up to that point it had been Thelma’s shtick 🌴 switching POVs...”

by Dudley Pope

Royalist Ned Yorke flees Barbados in 1655 and slides from smuggling into full-on buccaneering, with sea battles, treasure, and betrayal along the way. It's a 3.87 from just over 200 readers, so it's a respectable middle-of-the-pack. One reviewer enjoyed the context of how the pirate age got started, while another thought it didn't deliver as a novel. Best for fans of old-school swashbucklers who don't mind a dated feel.

“Neither the Golden Age of Piracy nor the pirates themselves sprang fully formed from dragon's teeth. It (and they) came about by a very singular and unlikely set of circumstances. First, it required the base material, the people. These were supplied by the rise of Cromwell in England and the death...”