Reddit mentions of The Last Kingdom (Saxon Tales Book 1)

I believe The Saxon Tales by Bernard Cornwell is historical fiction and it's one of my favorite series ever. The kindle version of the first book, The Last Kingdom, seems to only be two bucks right now on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Kingdom-Saxon-Tales-Book-ebook/dp/B000FC2RR2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1418010278&sr=8-2&keywords=the+saxon+tales

How about the first one in the series, The Last Kingdom. Be warned, though, there is a lot of graphic violence—which almost goes without saying given the time period, but it might take a bit of getting used to.

If you like historical fiction The Saxon Tales is some pretty good reading. https://www.amazon.com/Last-Kingdom-Saxon-Tales-Book-ebook/dp/B000FC2RR2#navbar

bonus the bbc is doing a series on them coming out soon. I find them compelling because I have dutch/wasp ancestry.

I also like nonfiction that reads like fiction. I highly recommend literally anything by Eric Larson. I'd start with Devil in the White City. Great true story about a serial killer operating during the Chicago World's Fair in the 1890s. https://www.amazon.com/Devil-White-City-Madness-Changed/dp/0375725601/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467895439&sr=8-1&keywords=the+white+city

You said no sci fi but The Expanse series is some of the best reading I've ever had.

https://www.amazon.com/Leviathan-Wakes-Expanse-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0047Y171G/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1467895699&sr=8-4&keywords=the+expanse#navbar