He has been prolific historical novelist since then having published more than 50 novels.
Both a historian and a historical novelist have to know that, in order to know what they're up against.
History, it turns out, can be the historical novelist's worst enemy.
He has also been called "one of today's most gifted historical novelists."
But what about the historical novelist, the wide-eyed tourist of the past?
He is cited as one of the best historical novelists in Japan.
For several decades he was acclaimed as England's greatest living historical novelist.
"He probably took the liberties a historical novelist takes, rather than writing strictly as a historian," she said.
She is an historical novelist who, since 1990, has published seven books.
A historical novelist must do more than list which generals fought where and when.