Speaking of historical fiction, I'm reading Ruled Britannia. It's an alternate history story that takes place in 17th century England. The twist is that in the story, Spain has taken over England and has instituted the Inquisition there. Remember that at this time period, most of England was Protestant while the rest of Europe was Catholic, so there are tons of heresy trials, executions, and general chaos. Oh, and Shakespeare is the main character. Good stuff.