This booklist focuses on novels whose plots are set during the era known as The Middle Ages or The Medieval Period. The Middle Ages in Europe are considered to be the years from about the 400s (following the collapse of the Roman Empire) through the 1400s (the beginning of The Renaissance). This period in history saw massive changes in governance, with different systems coming into and going out of power. The earliest period of the Middle Ages featured the arrival of Germanic peoples from northern Europe and Scandinavia into the area considered the Western Roman Empire, and the gradual dissolution of the Roman territories. This period saw the rise in importance throughout Europe of Christianity, and the birth and rapid growth of Islam in the Middle East. Following the rise and fall of the Carolingian Empire (Pepin the Short and his son Charlemagne in France), Europe entered a period of feudalism, which lasted for over 400 years. The period from the 1000s to the 1200s is known as the High Middle Ages, and stands as the point of greatest achievement for the civilized peoples of Europe. Government efficiency and economic conditions improved dramatically during these years, leading to more cultural growth and rising quality of life, although most arts and education were solely provided for the purposes of strengthening the influence of the church.
The late Middle Ages (1300s to the 1500s) featured the first transitions to what would eventually become Modern Europe — improved agricultural methods, an increase in Royal influence vs. the influence of the Church, the appearance and growth of a humanism movement, and multiple wars. This period was also the setting in 1347 for an outbreak of the plague, later to be called the Black Death, which wiped out nearly 1/4 of the European population — the results of which led to many class revolts.
This time period has proven to be fertile ground for recent authors, with numerous best-selling single novels and popular series coming into print in recent years. The following list focuses primarily on recent novels (most published within in the past 10 years, though a few classics have been thrown in for good measure) that are currently in the Lincoln City Libraries’ collection. All titles owned by the libraries are hotlinked to their entries in our on-line catalog, so that you can check on the books’ current availability. Titles not hotlinked here are provided in case you which to request them through out Interlibrary Loan Department.
For additional novels set during the Medieval Period, we suggested checking our on-line catalog under such subject headings as: Middle Ages — Fiction ; Mysteries — Historical — Middle Ages ; Plagues — Fiction ; Knights and Knighthood — Fiction ; Romances — Historical — Middle Ages ; Great Britain — History — 1066-1154 (Norman Period) — Fiction ; Great Britain — History — 1154-1399 (Plantagenets) — Fiction or Historical Fiction.
Ann Benson
Burning Road (1999)
Plague Tales (1997)
Julia Blackburn
The Leper’s Companions (1999)
Gillian Bradshaw
Wolf Hunt (2001)
Melvyn Bragg
The Sword and the Miracle (a.k.a. Credo) (1996)
Geraldine Brooks
Year of Wonders (2001)
Elizabeth Chadwick
The Champion (1998)
Lords of the White Castle (2000)
The Love Knot (1999)
The Marsh King’s Daughter (1999)
Alys Clare
Ashes of the Elements (2000)
Fortune Like the Moon (1999)
Tavern in the Morning (2000)
Linda Cook
Twilight Clear (2002)
Bernard Cornwell
The Archer’s Tale (2001)
Vagabond (2002)
Heretic (2003)
Gordon R. Dickson
The Dragon and the Fair Maid of Kent (2000)
The Dragon in Lyonesse (1998)
Paul (P.C.) Doherty
The Canterbury mystery series (1994-2012, 7 vol.)
The Hugh Corbett mystery series (1996-present, 18 vol.)
Paul Doherty writing as Paul Harding
The Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan (1991-present, 17 vol.)
Ken Follett
Pillars of the Earth (1989)
Margaret Frazer
The Sister Frevisse mystery series (1992-2008, 17 vol.)
Rodrigo Garcia y Robertson
Knight Errant (2001)
Alan Gordon
The Fools Guild series (1999-present, 8 vol.)
Susanna Gregory
The Matthew Bartholomew Chronicles (1996-present, 22 vol.)
Hella S. Haasse
In a Dark Wood Wandering (1989)
Denise Hampton
Warrior’s Damsel (2000)
Virginia Henley
The Marriage Prize (2000)
Michael Jecks
The Medieval West Country mystery series (1995-2013, 32 vol.)
Ellen Jones
Beloved Enemy: The Passions of Eleanor of Aquitaine (1994)
Pamela Kaufman
The Book of Eleanor (2002)
Bernard Knight
Grim Reaper (2002)
Tinner’s Corpse (2001)
Lynn Kurland
From This Moment On (2003)
Stephen R. Lawhead
Byzantium (1996)
Margo Maguire
Celtic Bride (2001)
Edward Marston
The Domesday Books (1993-2000, 11 vol.)
The Nicholas Bracewell series (1988-2006, 16 vol.)
Isolde Martyn
The Knight and the Rose (1999)
Connie Mason
Dragon Lord (2001)
Mary Reed McCall
Crimson Lady (2003)
Suzanne McMinn
My Lady Runaway (2001)
Glenna McReynolds
The Chalice and the Blade (1997)
Dream Stone (1998)
Paul L. Moorcraft
The Anchoress of Shere (2002)
Sharan Newman
The Catherine LeVendeur Series (1993-2004, 10 vol. to date)
James Patterson
The Jester (2003)
Sharon Key Penman
The Justin de Quincy medieval mysteries (1996-2005, 4 vol.)
Time and Chance (2002)
When Christ and his Saints Slept (1995)
Ellis Peters
The Brother Cadfael Series (1977-1995, 22 vol.)
Candace Robb
The Owen Archer mystery series (1993-2008, 10 vol.)
Lael St. James
My Lady Beloved (2001)
Kate Sedley
The “Roger the Chapman” mystery series (1992-present, 22 vol.)
Judith Tarr
Kingdom of the Grail (2000)
The Pride of Kings (2001)
Queen of Swords (1997)
Timothy Taylor
Elaine the Fair (1991)
Peter Tremayne
The Sister Fidelma mystery series (1994-present, 27 vol.)
Barry Unsworth
Morality Play (1995)
Connie Willis
The Doomsday Book (1992)
Joan Wolf
No Dark Place (1999)
— indicates mystery title
— indicates science fiction or fantasy title
Printed List April/May 2004 gb | Updated and expanded for the Web June 2004 sdc / last updated October 2016 sdc