I'd recommend 'Cleopatra's Daughter' by Michelle Moran. It focuses on the life of Cleopatra Selene, the daughter of Cleopatra. It shows her struggles after the fall of her mother's kingdom and how she tries to survive in a new world while still holding on to her Egyptian heritage.
There's also 'The Red Pyramid' by Rick Riordan. Although it's more of a young adult fiction, it still offers a great exploration of ancient Egyptian mythology. The story involves the Kane siblings who discover their connection to the Egyptian gods and have to go on a dangerous adventure to save the world, with a lot of elements of ancient Egyptian magic and culture.
One great fictional book about ancient Rome is 'I, Claudius' by Robert Graves. It offers a vivid portrayal of the Roman imperial family, filled with political intrigue, power struggles, and complex characters. It's like a window into the world of ancient Rome's elite.
There were many science fiction novels in ancient China. The following are some of the famous works:
1 Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio: Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio is a collection of ancient novels, which contains many fantasy stories and ghost legends. Some of the chapters described aliens and supernatural phenomena, such as the love story between the White Snake and Xu Xian in the Legend of the White Snake.
"Dream of the Red Chamber":"Dream of the Red Chamber" is a famous novel in ancient China, which described the rise and fall of a feudal family. Some of the plots in the novel involved aliens and supernatural phenomena, such as "The Love Story of Jia Baoyu and Dai Yu", which involved aliens.
3 Journey to the West: Journey to the West is a famous ancient Chinese demon novel, which tells the story of Sun Wukong and others protecting Tang Sanzang. In the novel, there were some scenes that involved the relationship between aliens and immortals, such as "Sun Wukong and the Monster Fighting Aliens", which involved the help of aliens.
4. Records of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty: Records of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty is a famous supernatural novel in ancient China. It describes the history and stories of various vassal states. There were some chapters in the novel that described aliens and supernatural phenomena, such as "The Alien Incident in the Spring and Autumn Period", which involved the appearance of aliens.
These are some famous science fiction novels from ancient China. They not only reflect the thoughts and imagination of the ancient Chinese, but also have an important impact on today's science fiction literature.
The 'Masters of Rome' series by Colleen McCullough is quite good. It's a multi - volume work that delves deep into the political and social fabric of ancient Rome. It shows how different leaders rose to power and the machinations involved.
Ancient science fiction books often had a mix of myth and early scientific ideas. For example, they might include tales of flying machines inspired by the idea of birds flying, but also mixed with the magic and superstition of the time.
Ancient Egyptian fiction books often had strong elements of the supernatural. Gods, demons, and magical creatures were frequently part of the stories. For example, in 'The Tale of Sinuhe', the power of the pharaoh was almost god - like.
You can also check out 'River God' by Wilbur Smith. It's set in ancient Egypt and follows the adventures of a slave. The story is full of action, from battles to political upheavals, and it does a great job of painting a picture of the culture, religion, and daily life in ancient Egypt.
One characteristic is the use of historical settings. For example, ancient historical fiction books often take place in specific time periods like ancient Rome or Greece. Another is the inclusion of real historical figures. These figures add authenticity. For instance, in books about Cleopatra, she is a real person from history. Also, they usually have detailed descriptions of the culture of that time, like the clothing, food, and social hierarchies.
Ancient China fiction books often have rich cultural connotations. For example, they may reflect the values, moral concepts and social hierarchies of that time. They usually have vivid characterizations. Just like in 'Journey to the West', the Monkey King is a very distinct character.