Historical Fantasy

"Historical fantasy is a category of fantasy and genre of historical fiction that incorporates fantastic elements (such as magic) into the narrative." – Wikipedia

Dracula was inspired by the real life Vlad the Impaler

Historical Fantasy is a broad genre that includes everything from steampunk to a good old fashioned Arthurian legend. One of my favourite books,  Dracula is one example of historical fantasy, in which real historical facts are embellished with fantastical elements.

Certain dark vampiric elements are embellished in my historical fiction, The Viscount's Son
Image care of Peter Gundry

The Viscount's Son is a work of, what I would call, paranormal historical fantasy. It includes translations from a sixteenth century diary. Like Dracula, there are elements of historical truths, but as the author, I embellished certain dark, vampiric aspects of the history.

The tricky bit is capturing a 'real' historical voice
Image care of It's About Time 

What I loved most about writing The Viscount's Son, was the challenge of getting the right voice for the sixteenth century diary. Nathaniel, the author of the diary, was a Viscount's bastard and the captain of his father's war band. But achieving an authentic voice for the era was both the most difficult and rewarding aspect of writing the novella.

My own historical fantasy: The Viscount's Son

From the diary:

How far back do I dare take you?  

I recall the day the gypsies arrived. They came from the east. I was engaged in the instruction of a group of young squires, practising their footwork in swordplay, a most fundamental skill. I recall this day clearly; it was hot, the sun was a golden fury in a cloudless sky. Now that I remember it, the scent of sunshine lingers nostalgically before me. We tarried in the courtyard of my father's manor; we heard them before we saw them.