Historical Fictionistas discussion

As stated on another thread, for fall we are having two challenges. One is a bit more flexible and one is a bit more geared towards history and historical fiction. This is our historical challenge focused around no longer existing countries and empires, or "fallen" empires.

This challenge will run from September 1st to November 30th and you are welcome to join at any time. This challenge will have three levels, beginner, intermediate, or advanced. You can choose to do one level, all three, or a combination. It is up to you. This is a completion challenge and you will be responsible for your own reporting.

RULES:
1) Books must be at least 200 pages long. Eligibility for this is determined by the most popular edition on Goodreads. If the most popular edition is 197 pages, it will not count, even if the edition read is 215 pages.

2) The first book used for the challenge should be started on or after September 1st. Exception: Each person will be allowed 1 exception for a book that is longer than 500 pages, as long as they are not more than 1/2 way through the book on September 1. You must be using the "progress update" feature of GoodReads to claim this.

3) Audiobooks are accepted. Page numbers are determined by most popular edition on GoodReads.

4) Rereads are permitted for this.

5) Books should be historical fiction or nonfiction. The exception exists for the kingdoms that ended in modern times. For those you may use a book that does not fall into these two genres. The book must be set in the kingdom and during the time period that kingdom existed. For example, if I'm doing The Russian Empire I can't read a book set in Russia during 1942 as the Russian Empire had already fallen by then.

6) You may always use these books for other challenges in the group as well.

SCORING / HOW IT WORKS:
1) Choose your list from those mentioned and post it. As you read a book for each kingdom you will add it to that place. The goal is to complete at least one level of your choosing.

2) Edit your list as you go! Please do not make separate posts for each book.

QUESTIONS/BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

I will leave this open for questions. There will be a separate thread for book recommendations where participants can ask for books that fit into a category they may be having trouble finding.

LEVELS
Beginner
1. Roman Empire (27 BC to 476 AD)
2. The Ottoman Empire (1299 to 1922 CE)
3. Confederate States of America (1861-1865 CE)
4. Republic of Venice (697 to 1797 CE)
5. Zulu Empire (1816 to 1897 CE)
6. Mongol Empire (1206 to 1368 CE)
7. Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE)
8. Empire of Japan (1868 to 1947 CE)
9. Aztec Empire (1428 to 1521 CE)

Intermediate
1. Austria-Hungary Empire (1867-1918 CE)
2. Russian Empire (1721-1917 CE)
3. Kingdom of Sikkim (1642 to 1975 CE)
4. Holy Roman Empire (800-1806 CE)
5. Kingdom of Hawaii (1795-1893 CE)
6. Ashanti Empire (1701-1957 CE)
7. Mughul empire (1526-1857 CE)
8. Han Dynasty (202 BCE to 220 CE)
9. Mayan Empire (900 BCE to

Advanced
1. Prussia (1701-1918 CE)
2. Yugoslovia (1918-1992 CE)
3. The Mali Empire (1235-1670 CE)
4. Merina Kingdom (1540-1897 CE)
5. Rattanakosin Kingdom (1782–1932)
6. Kingdom of Bohemia (1198-1918 CE)
7. Inca Empire (1438-1533 CE)
8. United Arab Republic (1958-1971 CE)
9. Czechoslovakia (1918-1993 CE)

Tracking will look like this:

Intermediate
. Austria-Hungary Empire -The Accidental Empress
2. Russian Empire - The Romanov Bride
3. Kingdom of Sikkim (1642 to 1975 CE)
4. Holy Roman Empire (800-1806 CE)
5. Kingdom of Hawaii (1795-1893 CE)
6. Ashanti Empire (1701-1957 CE)
7. Mughul empire (1526-1857 CE)
8. Han Dynasty (202 BCE to 220 CE)
9. Mayan Empire (900 BCE to

Beginner
1. Roman Empire (27 BC to 476 AD)-The Death of Kings by Conn Iggulden Read Sept. 2021
2. The Ottoman Empire (1299 to 1922 CE)-
3. Confederate States of America (1861-1865 CE)-Sister Séance
4. Republic of Venice (697 to 1797 CE)
5. Zulu Empire (1816 to 1897 CE)
6. Mongol Empire (1206 to 1368 CE)
7. Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE)2]
8. Empire of Japan (1868 to 1947 CE)
9. Aztec Empire (1428 to 1521 CE)

Beginner
1. Roman Empire (27 BC to 476 AD) Tabula Rasa by Ruth Downie (10/3)
2. The Ottoman Empire (1299 to 1922 CE) The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian (10/30)
3. Confederate States of America (1861-1865 CE) The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier (10/14)
4. Republic of Venice (697 to 1797 CE) In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant (11/11)
5. Zulu Empire (1816 to 1897 CE)
6. Mongol Empire (1206 to 1368 CE)
7. Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE)
8. Empire of Japan (1868 to 1947 CE)
9. Aztec Empire (1428 to 1521 CE)

Beginner
1. Roman Empire (27 BC to 476 AD)
2. The Ottoman Empire (1299 to 1922 CE)
3. Confederate States of America (1861-1865 CE)
4. Republic of Venice (697 to 1797 CE)
5. Zulu Empire (1816 to 1897 CE)
6. Mongol Empire (1206 to 1368 CE)
7. Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE)
8. Empire of Japan (1868 to 1947 CE)
9. Aztec Empire (1428 to 1521 CE)

Why no Byzantine Empire? It lasted for 1,100 years.

Beginner
✅ 1. Roman Empire (27 BC to 476 AD)
Under the Eagle by Simon Scarrow 9/20/21
✅ 2. The Ottoman Empire (1299 to 1922 CE)
Tears of Pearl by Tasha Alexander 9/9/21
✅ 3. Confederate States of America (1861-1865 CE)
High Tide at Gettysburg by Glenn Tucker 9/17/21
✅4. Republic of Venice (697 to 1797 CE)
The Painter's Apprentice: A Novel of 16th-Century Venice by Laura Morelli 9/24/21
✅ 5. Zulu Empire (1816 to 1897 CE)
Great Elephant by Alan Scholefield 10/2/21
✅ 6. Mongol Empire (1206 to 1368 CE)
Until the Sun Falls by Cecelia Holland 9/27/21
✅ 7. Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE)
Green Mountain, White Cloud: A Novel of Love in the Ming Dynasty by François Cheng 10/4/21
✅ 8. Empire of Japan (1868 to 1947 CE)
The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama 9/20/21
✅9. Aztec Empire (1428 to 1521 CE)
Aztec Autumn by Gary Jennings 10/12/21

Eileen wrote: "Why no Byzantine Empire? It lasted for 1,100 years."

Honestly there were a ton of options. I just was trying to hop around the globe and also give some that were easy and others that were more difficult.

Diane wrote: "Beginner
✅ 1. Roman Empire (27 BC to 476 AD)
Under the Eagle by Simon Scarrow 9/20/21
✅ 2. The Ottoman Empire (1299 to 1922 CE)
Tears of Pearl by [author..."

Great job!