1-1500 AD Books

[Allison (The Allure of Books)]

What are your favorites?

[April]

I think Arthurian literature occurs during this time period. I'm really, really, reallyx3 into Arthurian sagas, so if you all can recommend something I'd definately be willing to take a look.

I enjoyed Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley and OMG, The Once and Future King by TH White.

[Allison (The Allure of Books)]

I want to try Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy.

[Allison (The Allure of Books)]

The Crystal Cave is #1 in that Merlin trilogy I mentioned! We should read that together.

I think I have Guenevere too.

[April]

I have Guenevere! It's got such a pretty cover. I also want to read The Crystal Cave :-)

[Allison (The Allure of Books)]

next time I place an order online I'm going to get the omnibus of the first 3 books in that series I think. I love how its called The Merlin Trilogy and there are way more then 3 of them.

[Donna]

I can highly recommend Pope Joan A Novel for an interesting look at the Middle Ages and Genghis Birth of an Empire for 12th century central Asia

[Allison (The Allure of Books)]

I think I have Pope Joan.

[Allison (The Allure of Books)]

woooohoooooo I found all 4 books of the Merlin trilogy at my used bookstore today :D they were all between $1-2 too, which is AWESOME, because usually they automatically mark everything exactly half price.

[Becky, Moddess]

Not long ago, I listened to the audio of Labyrinth by Kate Mosse, which was pretty good. It was a slow building story, but I really liked it once it got going.

It's a grail quest story, and flips between present day (or 2005) and the Middle Ages and between two characters Alice from 2005 and Alais from the 1200's. I enjoyed learning about some of the history of what is now France, and it was a really interesting reading about the Crusades and about that Cathars, etc.

If anyone would like to give this story a try, I'd be willing to pass along my my audiobook CDs as a swap. :)

[Allison (The Allure of Books)]

I have that HB on my bookshelf, haven't gotten around to it yet.

[JG (Introverted Reader)]

I can't believe we haven't mentioned The Pillars of the Earth in here yet. It's huge, and a few parts were almost too brutal for me, but overall it's a really, really good book.

[Becky, Moddess]

I want to read that one very badly... but I'm resisting the urge to buy it! Bookmooch on the other hand... Hmmm....

[Kimberly]

Has anyone read Queen of Camelot by Nancy McKenzie? It is amazing! One of my favorite books ever :)

[Lindz]

I have heard T H White and Queen of Camelot crop up a few times now, i will have to read them. But love Pillars, and When Christ and his Saints Slept by Penman soooooo goooooooooodddddddddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kimberly]

Lindsay wrote: "I have heard T H White and Queen of Camelot crop up a few times now, i will have to read them. But love Pillars, and When Christ and his Saints Slept by Penman soooooo goooooooooodddddddddddd!!!!!..."

Ooooh, those both sound good! I'm added them to my TBR list. I have to finish the Outlander series first :)

[Lindz]

With another Outlander book coming out next month you are going to be busy :). Ok going out to book store now and will have to look for T H White, mists of avalon. Though just looked it up and Queen of Camelot out of print in Australia, so sucks, will have Amazon that one. Thank god for Amazon, or I would never get to read anything!!!

[Jon]

Allison wrote: "I think I have Pope Joan."

me too

[Shomeret]

Speaking of Arthurian novels, there's a new one calledGwenhwyfar The White Spiritby the fantasy writer Mercedes Lackey. I'm definitely looking forward to it.

Shomeret

[Jayme]

I have it. I plan on reading it. I bought it because it was about Arthurian legend.

[Kimberly]

Has anyone read much Elizabeth Chadwick? She has a lot of novels set during this time period that look really good, but I don't know which one to start with.

[Allison (The Allure of Books)]

I've read The Champion and The Falcons of Montabard. Montabard was definitely my favorite of the two. It was good.

I own her Shadows and Strongholds: A Novel, but haven't read it yet.

[Kimberly]

Thanks! That gives me something to go off. I'll probably start with Montabard. I've just been wanting to try out one of her books.

[Kimberly]

Guess I can't say away from this thread, LOL!...I watched the movie Tristan and Isolde last night and was curious if anyone has any book recommendations for that story. I've read Prince of Dreams: A Tale of Tristan and Essylte which was really good; I'm just curious if there are any other versions of this legend worth reading.

[Patrik]

Does someone have other recommendation(s) for other regions of the world (Asia/South America) ?

[Shomeret]

Re Asia in 1 AD-1500-- I just read the 12th century Japanese historical fantasy Heart of the Ronin. You do have to like fantasy elements. It contains creatures from Japanese legends such as a tengu and a kapa.

[Lindz]

There is the Otori Trilogy. Starting with Across the Nightingale Floor. It is half Japanese History, half mythology. But it is really good!!!

[Allison (The Allure of Books)]

Lindz wrote: "There is the Otori Trilogy. Starting with Across the Nightingale Floor. It is half Japanese History, half mythology. But it is really good!!!

"

love the Otori books!

[Lyn (Readinghearts)]

The Otori books are really great!!

[Patrik]

Thanks a lot. I just ordered the 1st otori book.

[Lindz]

Hope you enjoy it :)

[Lyn (Readinghearts)]

Ya - Enjoy Patrik.

[Laura]

I'm reading The Eagle and the Raven now and I'm looking for more historical fiction between the years 100 - 800 AD, (since I only have Pope Joan: A Novel next on my HF list). Any suggestions?

[Lindz]

You can try some Bernard Cornwell I know he has some Arthurian novels set in that time. And possibly a Gengis Khan though not sure on the dates of Khan.

Mary Stuart and the Crystal Cave is meant to be really good as well. There is also Count Belisarius by Robert Graves.

[Aly]

One of my favorites is The Sunne in Splendour by Penman. As with a lot of HF, I knew how this one was gunna end and I cried anyway.

[Jon]

im half way through Pope Joan, its pretty good! i love stuff thats based loosely on fact..esp if i dont actually know enough about the real facts to know how much liscense has been taken. Thats why i cant read Tudor fiction, ive read too much non-fiction on the period to know whats what and it spoils it for me - i keep getting annoyed with the author. Plunge me in the dark ages and you could tell me anything you want to though lol

[Donna]

I really enjoyed Pope Joan too. Didn't matter to me either how much was absolutely true I found the description of the time and place facinating.

[Jeffrey]

Laura wrote: "I'm reading The Eagle and the Raven now and I'm looking for more historical fiction between the years 100 - 800 AD, (since I only have Pope Joan: A Novel next on my HF ..."

Laura wrote: "I'm reading The Eagle and the Raven now and I'm looking for more historical fiction between the years 100 - 800 AD, (since I only have Pope Joan: A Novel next on my HF ..."

I too have Bernard Cornwell's The Pale Horseman on my TBR list. Have to admit, it's been there awhile though.

[Kiri]

some of you might like this Green Darkness by Anya Seton It comes across as a Historical romance (and there is romance) but it is a good historical fiction novel aside from that. (I'm not fond of pure romance novels in general - just a personal opinion)

[Gabriel]

Jack WhyteCamulod Chronicles about the legend of arthur after the Roman empire fell. The Skystone He also has a series called templar novel Knights of the Black and White. Robyn Younghas her own Crusade series that takes place in Europe and then travels to the Holy Lands. Brethren: An Epic Adventure of the Knights Templar. Guy Gavriel Kay has his own Viking tale in The Last Light of the Sun. One last one The Lions of al-Rassan

[Gabriel]

I found more from Stephen R. Lawhead Hood The Iron Lance Patrick: Son of Ireland Byzantium

[Rosemary]

Recently read Ken Follett's - Pillars of the Earth and World Without End excellent.

[Maggie]

As it happens, all my novels take place during this time frame. If you're interested in Jewish heroines, check out my Rashi's Daughters: Joheved trilogy, set in 11th-century France. And for something completely different, Rav Hisda's Daughter, Book I: Apprentice: A Novel of Love, the Talmud, and Sorcery is set in 3rd-century Babylonia.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

Kimberly wrote: "Has anyone read much Elizabeth Chadwick? She has a lot of novels set during this time period that look really good, but I don't know which one to start with."

I've only read one, but really enjoyed it - The Greatest Knight. It has two sequels, which I intend to get to.

[LemonLinda]

Actually there are 3 more in the William Marshall series after The Greatest Knight and all are quite good - The Scarlet Lion, The Time of Singing and To Defy a King.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

Let me think...

I, Claudius, by Robert Graves, and its sequel, Claudius the God and His Wife Messalina
The Course of Honor, by Lindsey Davis
The Silver Pigs and sequels, by Lindsey Davis
Company Of Liars, by Karen Maitland
Katherine, by Anya Seton

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

LemonLinda wrote: "Actually there are 3 more in the William Marshall series after The Greatest Knight and all are quite good - The Scarlet Lion, The Time of Singing and To Defy a King."

Great; I didn't know about the third sequel.

[Garth]

Europe
900s: The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson
1000s: The Physician by Noah Gordon
1100s: When Christ and His Saints Slept by Sharon Kay Penman
1100s: Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
1300s: World Without End by Ken Follett
1400s: The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone


Outside Europe
1000s: The Tale of Murasaki by Liza Dalby
1100s: Memoirs of the Warrior Kumagai by Donald Richie
1200s: The Conqueror series by Conn Iggulden (Mongol Empire, first book is Genghis: Birth of an Empire)
1400s: Aztec by Gary Jennings

[Zoe]

Curiously, I enjoyed The Mists of Avalon most of the way, but then didn't manage to finish it.
The premise of this novel is great, original, and the writing is good too. It's only that in the end it began dragging on and on, somehow losing my interest... :-/

[J.S.]

Congrats to EROMENOS, ,

winner of a ForeWord Book Of The Year honorable mention (literary). This novel takes the form of a memoir by Antinous of his relationship with emperor Hadrian; by author Melanie McDonald.