It's almost never the author, which adds to the theatricality (it's a very different skillset than writing a compelling novel). In fact, I cannot think of any narrated by the author. Most of the time, it's a male narrator who can also do female voices, but on occasion, I've run into a female narrator who can do male voices - such as Never by Ken Follett. I like novels where I travel in time, as well as geographically, especially if there is a military aspect involved. I'm a sucker for a medieval shield wall. The whole Pillars of the Earth series from Ken Follett was mesmerizing. A fifth novel is coming out in September btw. I enjoyed The Winter King (on the legend of Arthur) and the others that came afterward, by Bernard Cornwell, as well as the first two from Last Kingdom (Uhtred, the foundation of the Netflix series). I tend to look for websites that recommend novels with a historical backdrop. I'm gearing up for Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian (well reviewed & I liked the movie), as soon as I finish Agincourt by Cornwell.