How Far Is Too Far?

I had another one of those discussions about historical accuracy in historical fiction with Jim Tedford the other day. He is on the side of remembering that a novel is fiction and if people choose to believe everything you wrote is fact then they are the fools, not the author. He concedes that it is nice if the author includes an author's note that says which bits were true, but he does not even require that. And he is making more and more sense.

If you asked him, he would tell you what he thinks. He would say fiction is fiction. What is different about historical fiction? Why does Braveheart get your knickers into such a twist?" I sputter this reason and that and ultimately find myself expressing my personal druthers rather than any sound and definitive argument.

So here are some examples of making free with history that I want you to look at and choose any that you think go too far. Let us know in the comments section below. Tell us why that one is not OK but the others are. There is no foregone conclusion. We want to hear what you have to say. These are, by the way, all real books.

Specimen 1 - The author changes an events sequence in history to make the story flow better. She has a relatively minor event occur earlier than it really did.

Specimen 2 - The author sets the novel in a real time with some authentic historical figures as minor characters, but the kingdom the story takes place in is fictional and the main characters fictional.

Specimen 3 - The author uses real historical figures but has two who never could have met do so and fall in love and have a child whom history records as the woman's husband's chi9ld.

Specimen 4 - The author embellishes on a real relationship that we do not however know much about, making an ambiguous one into a great romance.

Specimen 5 - In a series, the author puts his hero into numerous historical events and makes him responsible for all the pivbotsl deeds that were done by real people.

Specimen 6 - An author brings technologies into a story that did not exist in that time and place.

Specimen 7 - An author applies quite modern behavior to a character living in the 12th century.

Feel free to mention books you think have these characteristics or to mention more.