In any genre, whether its fantasy, science fiction, horror, thriller, romance, or even non-ficiton, a story should have some sense of realism. While some are grounded in scientific knowledge, others include historical knowledge. My greatest influence for historical figures would be two book series from my youth, Magic Tree House, and Time Warp Trio. While they are both history themes, there is much fantasy involved in them.
Magic Tree House
Written by Mary Pope Osborn, the Magic Tree House books revolves around two siblings, Jack and Annie, who travel through time in a tree house. They go through arcs of four books looking for clues, items, or a hidden wisdom for quests given to them by Morgan La Fey, who created the tree house. Every so often, they do come across mythical creatures, depending the country they are in. Although I have stopped keeping up with the book series, I do often reflect on time periods and historical figures the characters encounter, especially since the means the time travel originate from the age of Camelot. Aspects like they makes me think: what time periods should have influence on time travel or just current times? Why would they have influence on any period time and how? Would the story include any of their myths and monsters?
Time Warp Trio
While Time Warp Trio was more light hearted, the Time Warp Trio was a series that had a darker perspective of history. Written by Jon Scieszka, The series revolves around three boys, Joe, Sam, and Fred, who received a magic book from Joe’s magican uncle. The book abruptly takes them to different time periods and they are usually the most dangerous as they meet BlackBeard, samurais, gladiators, Vikings, etc. In each book, they almost die from being at the wrong place at the wrong time, upsetting someone of high importance, or are in the path of someone’s scheme. Looking back on the series, I see the books as a dark reflection of what the time periods were like. When writing a book involving a time period or figure, or maybe resembling them, a writer should ask: What aspects of the time periods I should involve and why? Would it makes sense for the story I am trying to tell? How can I weave it into my story that makes sense? What figures should I reference? Do they have characteristics, or philosophies that will fit well with the themes and settings of my story?
Although, there are other time travel books, or history based fantasies, Magic Tree House and Time Warp Trio are two series were the series that inspired a desire to research history. The best kind of stories are ones from the past. The past involves periods that are their own worlds, cultures, and philosophies. If one takes the time to study them, they may discover something that would inspire books of the future, even for fantasy and fiction.