I'm just nearing the end of the first volume of a four-volume set of Romance of the Three Kingdoms ( 三國演義 Sān Gúo Yăn Yì) by Luo Guanzhong. This 14th century novel covers the period 220-280 A.D known as the Three Kingdoms (三國 Sānguó). While it may be "seven parts of fact, and three parts of fiction" when it comes to actual events and people, it does offer a great overview of this turbulent period following the fall of the Han dynasty, and it’s a great epic read too. If Big Books don’t daunt you (the whole thing comes in at just under 2,000 pages…) I can recommend it!