Ooops, I forgot your rec question. I could probably write you a list as long as my arm, but let's start with just a few: "The Lions of al-Rassan" and "Tigana" by Guy Gavriel Kay straddle the line between fantasy and historical fiction, and do it beautifully. You've probably already noticed bottle_of_shine gushing over Naomi Novik's Temeraire series; it deserves every bit it, and I provide an enthusiastic second. And if you're up for doorstop fantasy, the first three books of "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin are splendid; the fourth drags a bit, but I have every hope that it will pick up as the series continues.