Historical fiction covers time periods from ancient civilizations to modern ones. Writers such as Charles Dickens, Willa Cather, Isabel Allende, James Michener, and others have used historical events as a backdrop for fiction. Joyce Saricks, writing for Booklist, underlines the importance of the genre by saying that "Historical fiction makes a point of conveying a serious respect for historical accuracy and detail, and its intention, beyond providing reading pleasure, is to enhance the reader's knowledge of past events, lives and customs." Saricks says there are four basic elements in historical fiction: accurate historical data, authenticity when portraying characters, the importance of the characters as opposed to the importance of the events, and the pacing of the story, allowing it to unfold slowly while keeping the interest of the reader.

Charles Dickens's novels set in Victorian England have been likened to history books.

In British Writers, Barbara...