Fantasy has always had very close ties with history, to the point that it is often the favorite genre of historical research enthusiasts. Today, we are looking at the historical fantasy subgenre, with seven masterpieces.
#1 The Lions of Al-Rassan, by Guy Gavriel Kay (1995)
Guy Gavriel Kay is one of the greatest authors of English-language fantasy. After assisting Christopher Tolkien in the publication of J.R.R. Tolkien's novel The Silmarillion, the Canadian author began publishing novels under his own name. While his first cycle, The Fionavar Tapestry, was influenced by Tolkien, Guy Gavriel Kay later specialized in historical fantasy. He is responsible for many classics of the genre, including La Chanson d'Arbonne and La Mosaïque de Sarance.
In The Lions of Al-Rassan, Guy Gavriel Kay draws inspiration from the Spain of El Cid and the Reconquista, after the fall of the Caliphate of Cordoba in the 11th century; he immerses us in the fictional empire of Al-Rassan and develops an epic and political fantasy story. The Lions of Al-Rassan is undoubtedly a masterpiece of historical fantasy, from which one does not emerge entirely unscathed. A must-read!
#2 Princess Mononoke, by Hayao Miyazaki (1997)
With the manga Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1982-1994) and its film adaptation (1984), the legendary Hayao Miyazaki had already shown his love for great epic frescoes; an appetite that was confirmed with The Journey of Shuna (1983), published for the first time in French a few months ago. This dimension of Miyazaki's art reached its highest peak with Princess Mononoke, often considered (rightly) as the greatest masterpiece of the absolute master of Japanese animation.
Telling the adventures of Prince Ashitaka, forced to leave his village to find a way to get rid of his curse, Princess Mononoke is at once an ecological fable, a pacifist manifesto and a reflection on the Shinto identity of Japan. Ultimately, Princess Mononoke is an epic and poetic masterpiece, enhanced by the symphonic music of Joe Hisaishi.
#3 Pirates of the Caribbean, by Gore Verbinski (2003-...)
Launched in 2003 with The Curse of the Black Pearl, the Pirates of the Caribbean saga offers much more than adventure cinema. By setting their story at the end of the golden age of piracy and the era of the East India Company while invoking the wonders of maritime imagination and folklore, screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio have developed the Disney group's first true historical fantasy saga. (When you know the difficulties the big-eared group has always had producing fantasy, you can only admire them!)
The first three films in the saga, directed by Gore Verbinski, are among the biggest blockbusters of the 2000s. Packed with adventure and humor, they benefit from the immense directorial talent of the director of Rango and Lone Ranger. Let's also not forget the casting, with Johnny Depp in the role of Jack Sparrow, and the compositions of Hans Zimmer. It's a shame that the next two films didn't manage to duplicate the recipe as effectively.
#4 Kaamelott, by Alexandre Astier (2005-...)
Launched on M6 in 2005, the series Kaamelott is undoubtedly one of the jewels of French fantasy. The adventures of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table seen by Alexandre Astier continue to make us laugh out loud, and many of us are eagerly awaiting the sequel to the trilogy at the cinema. See you on October 22 for Kaamelott: Second Part (First Part).
While Alexandre Astier draws inspiration from the Matter of Brittany, he consolidates his universe with a true historical context. Thus, the threat comes as much from Lancelot and Méléagant as from the barbarian invasions. Certain historical figures, such as the Saxon leader Horsa or Attila, the ruler of the Huns, appear in the saga. As such, Kaamelott deserves to be included in our selection of the best historical fantasy works.
#5 Les Lames du Cardinal, by Pierre Pevel (2007-2010)
One of the great names in French fantasy, Pierre Pevel is one of the great specialists in historical fantasy. He is responsible for many very popular novel cycles, including Le Paris des Merveilles and the Trilogie de Wielstadt, in which he mixes the marvelous with precise historical settings. Like many readers, we have a particular affection for The Cardinal's Blades, which plunges us into the France of Louis XIII and Richelieu, but with dragons. The cycle tends towards alternate history: indeed, the royal camp lost during the Siege of La Rochelle.
In The Cardinal's Blades, Pierre Pevel brings together several historical figures, such as Louis XIII, Richelieu, Anne of Austria, and Marie de Rohan, as well as several characters from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. A tribute to swashbuckling novels, this thrilling cycle will fascinate fans of D'Artagnan's adventures. We are also delighted that Pierre Pevel has rediscovered the France of Louis XIII in the comic book Gueule d'Argile, the second volume of which has just been published.
#6 Rois du Monde, by Jean-Philippe Jaworski (2013-...)
With his Cycle du Vieux Royaume, Jean-Philippe Jaworski has become the spearhead of French fantasy. Acclaimed for his prose as much as for his sense of adventure and novelistic composition, the writer has never hidden his appetite for History, from which he draws considerable inspiration for his fiction. In his second cycle, The Kings of the World, Jean-Philippe Jaworski tells the story of the semi-legendary biturige king Bellovèse, mentioned with his brother Segovèse and his uncle Ambigate by Livy in his Roman History.
Divided into three branches, Not Even Dead (Imaginales Prize for Best Novel 2014), Royal Hunt and The Great Mare, the Cycle of the Kings of the World plunges us into Celtic times, several centuries before the War of the Gaul led by Julius Caesar. In addition to managing to recreate a world that has now disappeared, by reversing the archaeological method, the author of Winning the War and Knight of Thorns amazes us with his writing. Kings of the World is a historical, epic and poetic fantasy fresco, where the Celtic Gods interfere in the destiny of the Warriors. Jean-Philippe Jaworski is currently working on the Third Branch, The Great Mare, the first volume of which is expected by Denoël in 2026 or 2027. We can't wait! #7 The Bastard of Kosigan, by Fabien Cerutti (2014-2018) Shortly before the Hundred Years' War, in a France governed by Philip VI, the assassin knight Pierre Cordwain de Kosigan puts his gifts supernatural beings at the service of the highest bidder. His presence in Champagne, the last stronghold of the elven princesses of Aëlenwil, is intriguing. Who is he trying to assassinate? What plans does the one everyone calls the Bastard serve? Over four volumes, Fabien Cerutti develops the story of this knight like no other and one of his 19th-century descendants. The great originality of The Bastard of Kosigan lies in Fabien Cerutti's ability to blend historical and fantasy inspirations (one thinks in particular of David Gemmel) with the adventures of James Bond. With his dynamic style, which oscillates between humor and panache, and his sense of the right retort, the author offers us one of the most exciting French historical fantasy frescoes. To discover!
And you, what are your favorite historical fantasy works? Don't hesitate to tell us in the comments section. And to find our selection of the best dark fantasy works, it's here.
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