Medieval fiction that's not fantasy? (great, plot, series, review)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
^THIS, TracySam. One of the best, well-researched historical fiction writers there is. I thought she was a Brit.
She lives in New Jersey, in Cape May County.
I was in London for the first time in November, and I was just enthralled, not only because of its age and history but because I "know" so many of the people buried there! My daughter didn't quite get it as I stood at the side-by-side tombs of Elizabeth of York and Henry VII and said "this marriage ended the Wars of the Roses!" (The Sunny in Splendour is about that). My sister is another Penman fan. She would have appreciated the moment.
Also, someone else mentioned Brother Cadfael. Forget him--the author, "Ellis Peters", wrote The Best Medieval Historical Fiction Ever under her real name, Edith Pargeter. The book is The Heaven Tree, and it was published in the early 60's. Best death scene I've ever read, too. It was originally a trilogy but is now in one volume.
Roberta Gellis's novels--she has several series set in medieval England--
Not really "romance" novels although there is a relationship as central to story but excellent history...some not in e-book format...
Lady of Hay Can't remember author-- I read decades ago set in King John's England with him as one of main characters
Norah Lofts novels about Eleanor of Aquitane and her son Richard Lionhearted
Pamela Kauffman's 3 novels about Richard Plantagenant and woman he loved...
Christian Cameron has several series about Ancient Greece and about Medieval era
Just discovered him and enjoyed all of them very much
I will add my two cents here although on a bit of a stretch. Have you heard about Tim Willocks? I would recommend his "The Religion". It is first part of a trilogy BUT it's a closed story and there is really no need to read on if it doesn't flow your boat.
Here is an article about it from New York Times to give you an idea of what you might be getting yourself into by reaching for this book
Just wanted to add to my own thread, in case anyone else is taking the suggestions included here.
I just read The Illuminator by Brenda Rickman Vantrease. It takes place in England in the late 1300s, during the time of John Wycliffe, the Lollards, John Ball, and Julian of Norwich, a time period and collection of events I've been very interested in. It's the author's first novel, and to me, the writing is comparable to Follett's Pillars of the Earth. I complained a little earlier about Follett's writing. However, I was starving for fiction taking place in the late middle ages, and I'm fascinated by the early Protestant movements, and the underground "heretical" transcribing of the Bible into peoples' everyday language, so I read it. If you like these topics, you can probably tolerate the not-so-great character development and storytelling (like with Follett). There were a couple of little details that I thought were historical inaccuracies (I felt validated by a reviewer on Amazon who noticed some of the same things, but only a Medieval nerd would really notice).
Now I found that the book has a sequel, The Mercy Seller, so I just started reading that. It takes place about 15-20 years later, with some of the same characters, now in Prague with the Hussites, the heirs of Wycliffe's earlier Protestant ideas.
Thanks, Tracy Sam, for starting this thread which I just discovered. There are enough possibilities suggested here to keep me occupied for the rest of my life!
I agree with Follett's writing style. I try to just look past the style and technical issues and enjoy the meat of his books. I can't remember if it was in Pillarsor in World Without End when he used a fairly current rejoinder, specifically "that was rich!", which is so totally out of alignment with the time period that I was stunned. How does that sort of thing get past the editor? At least be true to the era. OK, rant over.
This thread is a treasure trove! Now to make a consolidated list to keep with me. I find all sorts of interesting books at estate sales, so now I have more excuses to go on the hunt.
Just wanted to add to my own thread, in case anyone else is taking the suggestions included here.
I just read The Illuminator by Brenda Rickman Vantrease. It takes place in England in the late 1300s, during the time of John Wycliffe, the Lollards, John Ball, and Julian of Norwich, a time period and collection of events I've been very interested in. It's the author's first novel, and to me, the writing is comparable to Follett's Pillars of the Earth. I complained a little earlier about Follett's writing. However, I was starving for fiction taking place in the late middle ages, and I'm fascinated by the early Protestant movements, and the underground "heretical" transcribing of the Bible into peoples' everyday language, so I read it. If you like these topics, you can probably tolerate the not-so-great character development and storytelling (like with Follett). There were a couple of little details that I thought were historical inaccuracies (I felt validated by a reviewer on Amazon who noticed some of the same things, but only a Medieval nerd would really notice).
Now I found that the book has a sequel, The Mercy Seller, so I just started reading that. It takes place about 15-20 years later, with some of the same characters, now in Prague with the Hussites, the heirs of Wycliffe's earlier Protestant ideas.
Just to update the above, the second book is written much better than the first. The characters are more 3-dimensional, and their dialogue is more believable. The story is much more engaging too. The main characters are the granddaughter of the illuminator in the first book, and a friar whose job is to sell indulgences, and his personal crisis and transformation when he encounters heretical protestant beliefs.
Just to update the above, the second book is written much better than the first. The characters are more 3-dimensional, and their dialogue is more believable. The story is much more engaging too. The main characters are the granddaughter of the illuminator in the first book, and a friar whose job is to sell indulgences, and his personal crisis and transformation when he encounters heretical protestant beliefs.
Do you have to read the first book in order for the sequel to make sense?
Do you have to read the first book in order for the sequel to make sense?
You could probably get by without it, if you really wanted to skip it. But you would want to know the circumstances of the young woman's birth, and the relationship 20 years ago between her grandfather and someone who's an old woman in the second book. Knowing about the early rise and persecution of Lollards in the first book puts the historical events in the second book in perspective.
The first book, though not great, only took 3-4 nights to read, so it wasn't a burdensome "prerequisite."
If you want me to just summarize it for you, I can do that in a direct message.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
