In 17th-century Iran, the course of a 14-year-old girl's life is changed forever when her father dies unexpectedly. Without a dowry for a future husband, the nameless girl and her distraught mother have no choice but to move from their village to the city of Isfahan, where they become servants to her wealthy Uncle Gostaham, a carpet designer for Shah Abbas the Great. Under her uncle's tutelage, the girl shows promise as a carpet maker and soon catches the eye of a rich merchant, whose attentions prove to be both a blessing and a curse. Vivid descriptions of the sights and sounds of Iran make The Blood of Flowers a rich and evocative tale.

Set in the mountains of western North Carolina, this debut novel follows four generations of the Banks, Carter, and Wright families from the Civil War to the 1920s. Beginning with Ezra Banks, who leaves home at the age of 14 to join the Confederate army, numerous family members are born, experience triumphs, and suffer tragedies, none greater than when the U.S. government attempts to appropriate their lands for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Publishers Weekly says this folksy, sprawling saga will appeal to readers who liked Charles Frazier's Thirteen Moons.

In 1939 Moscow, former literature professor Pavel Dubrov has been tasked with destroying books by writers who are not approved of by the government. When an unsigned story is discovered at the infamous Lubyanka prison, Pavel must authenticate its author, who is believed to be the imprisoned writer Isaac Babel. A meeting between the two men pushes Pavel to the breaking point and he sets out to save the last of Babel's stories from incineration. This debut novel is for anyone who appreciates the importance of the written word.

You may recognize Conn Iggulden as one of the authors of the bestselling The Dangerous Book for Boys, but he's also the man behind the Emperor series, which depicts the life and times of Julius Caesar. Now Iggulden is back with a new historical series, this time focusing on 12th-century ruler Genghis Khan and his descendants. Genghis chronicles the leader's childhood on the Mongolian plains, his rise to power, and his efforts to unite the Mongol tribes. Publishers Weekly says this 1st epic tale in the Conqueror series is "brilliantly imagined and addictive."

Thinking she has met the famed poet Lord Byron, passionate and bookish young Eliza Esmond falls deeply in love with her new acquaintance. But what Eliza doesn't know is that the man who has captured her heart isn't Byron at all, but his former personal physician, Dr. John Polidori, who has his own designs on literary greatness. As Eliza and Polidori's relationship grows, so too does the tangle of deceit and lies. Set in 19th-century London, this is a "masterful...impressive novel" (Publishers Weekly).

In Ice Age Europe, a five-year-old girl watches in terror as her mother is killed by an earthquake. Alone in the wilderness, she struggles to survive before being taken in by a group of Neanderthals--beings who look and act quite differently than her own Cro-Magnon self. Renamed Ayla, the brave girl attempts to make a life for herself within the confines of her new clan. Originally published in 1980, The Clan of the Cave Bear is the 1st book in author Jean Auel's Earth's Children series; the 2nd is The Valley of Horses.

In 12th-century England, the late King Henry I's daughter Maud and his illegitimate son Stephen are waging a fierce battle for the throne. During these unsettled times, a master mason and the prior of a monastery unite to rebuild a cathedral that was destroyed by fire. Over the course of the next four decades, the surrounding community helps but also hinders their efforts. First published in 1989 and full of fascinating information about architecture and construction, Pillars of the Earth has been capturing the hearts of readers for close to two decades.

Published to much acclaim in 1986, Through a Glass Darkly was author Karleen Koen's debut novel. In early 18th-century England, 16-year-old Barbara Alderly's impending marriage to the handsome, much-older Roger Montgeoffrey seems like a dream come true. But after their nuptials take place, Roger's self-serving motives become clear and Barbara's world is turned on end. At once a coming-of-age story and an atmospheric portrait of an opulent and glittering era, this saga is "suspenseful, romantic and vividly believable" (Kirkus Reviews).

Originally published in 1987, this expansive epic unfolds 10,000 years of British history through the lives of five families residing near Salisbury, England. Among the centuries of historical events that multiple successive generations witness are the erection of Stonehenge, the carnage of the Black Death, the Industrial Revolution, and the First and Second World Wars. Panoramic in scope, Sarum is for readers who like to fully immerse themselves in the history and civilization of one place.

Author Anya Seton was one of the leading historical fiction writers of the mid-20th century, and Katherine, which was first published in 1954, is often considered to be her best work. Set in 14th-century England, this moving novel tells the story of Katherine Swynford, a convent girl who marries a country squire at the age of 15, and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, with whom she develops a passionate and long-lived affair. With its expert portrayal of the medieval era, this novel is sure to enchant a new generation of readers.

Featuring a strong-willed heroine and blatant sexual references, Forever Amber caused outrage when it was first published in 1944. Since then, this novel has gone on to sell more than three million copies, and it's no wonder: the tale of pregnant, 16-year-old Amber St. Clare's bold and determined climb from penniless orphan to mistress of King Charles II vividly captures the events and atmosphere of Restoration England, from the plague epidemic to the fashions of the time. Check this one out and discover a modern classic.