Three Must Read Timeless Classic Historical Fiction Books

Today, we will be traveling back in time to look at some classic works of literature. To be more specific, we will be looking at classic historical fiction books. The oldies tend to be overlooked but they are still as good as many of the newer novel. Keep reading to find out the three must read timeless classic historical fiction books everyone needs to read!

Here at Books of Brilliance, we tend to cover a lot of newer releases. It is hard not to when these are the novels everyone is talking about. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t love the classic novels that feel timeless.

Which is why we decided to list our three favorite classic historical fiction books to read. With so many great choices, it was not easy making this list. But the three we chose have resonated strongly with us.

Some people will disagree and that is welcomed. Everyone’s list of favorite books is different and there is no single right answer. These three novels are the ones we would recommend to book lovers and fans of historical fiction novels as well as classics. You can see the full list below!

Three Must Read Timeless Classic Historical Fiction Books

• The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
• A Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 

The Count of Monte Cristo

When I think about the best classic historical fiction books to read, I always think of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. This adventure novel was written in the mid 1800s and has aged like fine wine since it was first written by the French author.

The novel tells the story of Edmond Dantès who has just been named the captain of the ship Pharaon. He plans to propose to his girlfriend but never happens as Edmond is accused of treason and locked up in an island fortress.

After years of imprisonment, Edmond escapes the prison and searches for the hidden treasure that his cellmate hid before getting arrested. Now, with newfound wealth and fame, Dantès seeks to get revenge on the people who falsely accused him and ruined his life.

What I love about The Count of Monte Cristo is that it reads like a soap opera. The drama and plot twists as well as the long plans for revenge would make a few good seasons for any TV show. maybe that is why it is still popular to this day. And who doesn’t love a good revenge story?

One Hundred Years of Solitude

There are some novel that I took my time to finally get around to reading. I am still angry at myself for not reading them sooner. One of those books was One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez. I was hooked on page one and loved this wonderful magical world that Márquez created.

After killing Prudencio Aguilar because of an argument, José Arcadio Buendía and his wife Úrsula Iguarán leave town to search for another place to live. Eventually, they settle near a riverbank and call their new home Macondo.

What follows is the story of seven generations of the Buendía family and the rise and fall of Macondo. The stories of the family go from happy to sad and happy again as the town they live in goes through changes, sweeping the family along as a result.

Every single page of this novel was perfect and I am glad that I did read this. It is easily one of the best books I read in 2025 and one I will revisit next year. in 1982, Gabriel García Márquez won the Nobel Prize for Literature because of this novel.

Pride and Prejudice

Another classic novel that I took a while to read was Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I enjoyed the novel a lot more than I thought I would and can see why Austen is as popular as she is today. 

Elizabeth Bennett is one of five daughters and the novel follows her and Mr. Darcy, who moves near the Bennetts. Elizabeth’s older sister Jane falls in love with Bingley who is a close friends with Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth interact at a party and while Mr. Darcy falls for Elizabeth, she insults him after he is rude to her. Jane and Bingley seem like they are made for each other but suddenly, things go awry. Elizabeth guesses that somebody doesn’t want them to get married.

A turn of events scares the Bennett family and Elizabeth turns to Mr. Darcy to help. Will Jane and Bingley get married? And how does Elizabeth feel about Mr. Darcy? Jane Austen spins a tale like no other that has remained relevant centuries later and is considered one of the best historical fiction books ever written.

Conclusion

These are the three must read timeless classic historical fiction books that you need to read. We chose three famous works of literature that is also a great reading experience. Not every classic novel is easy to read or ages well.

But these three novels are ones that feel timeless and are well written. If I had to choose three historical fiction books to take to an island with me, these three would definitely make the list.

We know there are so many other amazing historical fiction books out there. No list is going to be perfect. But this one comes very close in our opinion. Until next time, happy reading!

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