Regency novel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Regency novels can refer to two different subsets of literature, both of which tend to be set in Regency England, although the settings can sometimes be extended to the European continent or to the various British colonies of the same time period.
The first subset of Regency novels consists of fiction actually written during the Regency era. The works of Jane Austen, Sir Walter Scott, Susan Ferrier, and Maria Edgeworth would fall into this category.
The second subset of Regency novels is made up fiction written well after the Regency, but set within the Regency era. These include romance novels, detective fiction, and military fiction.
Some notable modern authors of Regency Romances are Georgette Heyer, Barbara Metzger, Joan Smith, Marion Chesney, Mary Balogh, Jo Beverley, Nancy Butler, and Amanda McCabe.
Modern authors of Regency Mysteries include Kate Ross, Ashley Gardner, Carrie Bebris, Rosemary Stevens, and Stephanie Barron.
Modern authors of Regency Military Fiction include Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell, and C.S. Forester.
The Regency period grew in popularity during the late 20th century, leading to an increased number of novels in all of the above categories. In addition, there has also been some Regency-set science fiction and fantasy, such as Naomi Novik's Temeraire books.
Some traits which are often found in Regency novels are:
- A highly developed sense of social standing between the characters.
- Emphasis on 'manners' and class issues.
- The emergence of modern social thought amongst the upper classes of England.
Many readers and writers of Regency Romance spend a great deal of time debating the precise difference between a "Traditional Regency Romance" (also known as "Regency Romance," "Traditional Regency," and "Trad") and a "Regency Historical." This debate may be fun or painful, friendly or violent, as the participants vary. Most, however, agree that the Regency-set books published by the erstwhile Fawcett Coventry line are all Trads, and the Regency-set books written by authors such as Amanda Quick and Christina Dodd are Historicals.
Making this debate more difficult is the fact that many authors have written both Trads and Historicals, including Barbara Metzger, Jo Beverley, Mary Balogh, Edith Layton, Mary Jo Putney, Susan Carroll, and Loretta Chase.
