Lacking Natural Simplicity

Wildtrack, by Bernard Cornwell. One of his modern period nautical adventure novels, written early in his career. Enjoyable.

Quicksilver, by Neal Stephenson. Quirky and interesting historical exploring seventeenth century scientific thought and political intrigue; rather prolix, as one would expect from the ground it tries to cover. Enjoyable to those who don't mind a big book.

The Shadow of the Lion, by Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint, and Dave Freer. A very good, though demanding, historical fantasy of magic, religion, politics, and romance in a richly imagined Venice of an alternate 16th century. While I am reminded to a certain degree of the Merovingian Nights shared-world anthologies (there were some close but not exact parallels) this is ultimately a very different story.