Historical Fiction

The genre of historical fiction stretches back to the dawn of recorded history. Even Homer's Odyssey and Iliad fall into this category, though they both weave in a healthy dose of folklore and mythology. But the first historical novel came much later, with Sir Walter Scott's Waverley. Published anonymously in 1814, the novel recounts tales from eighteenth-century Scottish history. Though others had written works of similar scope, Scott was unique in his desire for historical accuracy.