Terrible True Tales Series 6 Books Collection Set by Terry Deary (Egyptians, Tudors, Vikings, Romans, The Stone Age, Greeks)

Terrible True Tales Series is a six-book collection by Terry Deary, bringing together humorous tales drawn from true stories for readers aged 7+. Written by the author of Horrible Histories, the set spans major periods and civilisations, from the Roman Empire and ancient Egypt to the Tudors, Vikings, ancient Greece and the Stone Age.

Each volume is presented as “4 Books in 1” and explores its setting through the eyes of children who could have lived at the time. The stories feature real people and are accompanied by illustrations, with artwork by Helen Flook across the Romans, Egyptians, Greeks, Tudors and Vikings volumes, and illustrations by Tambe in the Stone Age collection.

Included titles

• Terrible True Tales: Romans (4 Books in 1)
• Terrible True Tales: Egyptians (4 Books in 1)
• Terrible True Tales: Greeks (4 Books in 1)
• Terrible True Tales: The Stone Age (4 Books in 1)
• Terrible True Tales: Tudors (4 Books in 1)
• Terrible True Tales: Vikings (4 Books in 1)

Key details

• Six-book collection set by Terry Deary
• Recommended age: 7+
• Each book is a “4 Books in 1” volume
• Illustrations by Helen Flook (Romans, Egyptians, Greeks, Tudors, Vikings)
• Illustrations by Tambe (The Stone Age)

Synopses

Terrible True Tales: Romans (4 Books in 1)

Stories set in the Roman Empire, told through the perspectives of children who might have lived then. The collection features real people and takes place during significant moments in Roman history.

Terrible True Tales: Egyptians (4 Books in 1)

Tales set in ancient Egypt, following children in recognisable settings. The stories include real people and range from a planned tomb robbery to mysteries involving mummification, pyramid workers and a supposed phantom.

Terrible True Tales: Greeks (4 Books in 1)

Four stories set in ancient Greece, featuring children caught up in events linked to well-known places and moments. The collection includes an inventor under pressure, a race in an Olympic stadium, suspicion over a wooden horse at Troy, and a search for a cure after illness strikes.

Terrible True Tales: The Stone Age (4 Books in 1)

Prehistoric stories told through children’s experiences in recognisable Stone Age settings. The collection includes rising floodwaters and conflict, a theft that threatens winter survival on Skara Brae, a storyteller in trouble when his tale ends, and a clever child navigating a change in tribal leadership.

Terrible True Tales: Tudors (4 Books in 1)

Four Tudor-era tales featuring real people and familiar settings. The stories include a boy who lays claim to the throne under Henry VII, a family’s schemes during Henry VIII’s reign, fear in the presence of “Bloody Mary” Tudor, and a plot involving the Globe Theatre during Elizabeth I’s rule.

Terrible True Tales: Vikings (4 Books in 1)

Viking stories set across Norway, Northern England, Wessex and North America, each anchored to a specific time and place. The collection follows children facing capture, invasion and shifting power, and ends with Vikings attempting to establish a home while learning to live alongside native people.