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    I'm looking primarily for a strong plot and story, not a history textbook. Could be something similar to the North Waters by Ian McGuire.

    by spitfire-haga

    13 Comments

    1. ChubbyGreyCat on

      The Wager is technically non-fiction but it’s still super interesting and an easy read! 

    2. Sea of Glory by Nathaniel Philbrick

      Technically another non-fiction, but lots of drama and amazing discoveries.

    3. The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson has plenty of sailing and themes of war, as well as economics, politics, science, with a huge cast of characters, some real, some fiction. Rated R historical fiction taking place between 1640-1715.

      Tai Pan by James Clavell was another banger I recently finished and was just so fucking good imho. Takes place in Hong Kong around 1840s, lots of boats and adventure.

    4. Good-Variation-6588 on

      16th century and relatively recently published: Isola by Allegra Goodman. The sailing part is about 1/3 of the way into the novel

    5. Critical_Gas_2590 on

      I really liked these historical novels by David Liss:

      *A Conspiracy of Paper*

      *The Coffee Trader*

    6. Overall-Tailor8949 on

      The *Horatio Hornblower* series by C. S. Forester

      *Captains Courageous* by Rudyard Kipling was first published in 1896 so it may be a little later than what you’re looking for.

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