Literary theme analysis, by a book like {foo}
Books about Medieval History
The Name of the Rose
by Umberto Eco
A Franciscan friar investigates a series of murders in a medieval monastery, uncovering a sinister plot.
In 1327, Franciscan friar William of Baskerville and Adso of Melk , a Benedictine novice travelling under his protection, arrive at a Benedictine monastery in Northern Italy to attend a theological ... (Wikipedia)
Crusade in Jeans
by Thea Beckman
A teenage boy's quest to fight for justice in 15th-century Europe.
Rudolf "Dolf" Wega is a fifteen-year-old who volunteers for an experiment with a time machine . The experiment goes well, but accidentally Dolf is stranded in the 13th century. He saves the life of ... (Wikipedia)
The Mists of Avalon
by Marion Zimmer Bradley
An immersive retelling of the Arthurian legend from a female perspective.
The Mists of Avalon is a generations-spanning retelling of the Arthurian legend that brings it back to its Brythonic Celtic roots (see Matter of Britain ). The plot tells the story of the women who ... (Wikipedia)
The Once and Future King
by T.H. White
Epic chronicle of King Arthur, exploring themes of morality, justice, and power.
The story starts in the final years of the rule of King Uther Pendragon . The first part, "The Sword in the Stone", chronicles Arthur's upbringing by his foster father Sir Ector , his rivalry and ... (Wikipedia)
When Christ and His Saints Slept
by Sharon Kay Penman
Epic tale of medieval England, exploring the power struggles of the Plantagenet dynasty.
A.D. 1135. As church bells tolled for the death of England's King Henry I, his barons faced the unwelcome prospect of being ruled by a woman: Henry's beautiful daughter Maude, Countess of Anjou. But ... (Goodreads)
The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century
by Ian Mortimer
Exploring the history and culture of Medieval England.
Imagine you could get into a time machine and travel back to the 14th century. This text sets out to explain what life was like in the most immediate way, through taking the reader to the Middle ... (Goodreads)
Here Be Dragons
by Sharon Kay Penman
Epic story of love, war and betrayal set against the backdrop of 13th century England.
Here Be Dragons is the first of Penman's trilogy about the medieval princes of Gwynedd and the monarchs of England. , England's King John uses his out-of-wedlock daughter Joanna as a negotiating tool ... (Wikipedia)
A Murderous Procession
by Ariana Franklin
Adelia Aguilar investigates a series of murders during the 1176 coronation procession of King Henry II's mistress.
Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE], ACE #1, In 1176, King Henry II sends his daughter Joanna to Palermo to marry his cousin, the king of Sicily. Henry chooses Adelia Aguilar, his ... (Goodreads)
The Sunne in Splendour
by Sharon Kay Penman
Historical fiction about the life of King Richard III, from his childhood to his death on the battlefield.
The story begins in 1459 with Richard as a young boy, and ends in 1485 with his defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field . When their father is killed, Richard's older brother Edward leads the House of ... (Wikipedia)
The Song of Roland
by Unknown
Epic poem of a knight's heroic battle against a powerful enemy.
On 15 August 778, Charlemagne’s army was returning from a successful expedition against Saracen Spain when its rearguard was ambushed in a remote Pyrenean pass. Out of this skirmish arose a stirring ... (Goodreads)
Castles
by Julie Garwood
A passionate romance between a medieval knight and a beautiful young woman.
Orphaned and besieged Princess Alesandra knew that only hasty marriage to an Englishman could protect her from the turmoil in her own land. To the amusement of her makeshift guardian, Colin, younger ... (Goodreads)
The Reckoning
by Sharon Kay Penman
A historical fiction novel set in 14th century Wales, following the lives of a noble family and their struggles for power and survival.
Here, alive from the pages of history, is the compelling tale of a Celtic society ruled by Llewelyn, Prince of Wales, on a collison course with a feudal realm of Edward I. WIth this last book in the ... (Goodreads)
The Wars of the Roses
by Alison Weir
A detailed account of the dynastic conflict between the houses of Lancaster and York in medieval England.
Lancaster and York. For much of the fifteenth century, these two families were locked in battle for control of the English throne. Kings were murdered and deposed. Armies marched on London. Old noble ... (Goodreads)
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
by George R.R. Martin
A gritty fantasy tale of knights and dragons, set in a time of chaos and war.
A century before A GAME OF THRONES, two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros… A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS compiles the first three official prequel novellas to George R.R. Martin’s ongoing ... (Goodreads)
Devil's Brood
by Sharon Kay Penman
The story of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine's tumultuous relationship and their children's struggle for power.
Devil's Brood continues the story of King Henry II and his Queen Eleanor that began in, When Christ and His Saints Slept, and continued in, Time and Chance, . Devil's Brood opens with the conflict ... (Wikipedia)
The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog
by Adam Gidwitz
A medieval adventure across France, featuring three miracle-working children and their loyal dog.
The novel is told by multiple narrators, all travelers at the Holy Cross-Roads Inn near Paris, set in early March 1242. Marie, a brewer from the town of Saint-Geneviève, starts the story of Jeanne ... (Wikipedia)
Hild
by Nicola Griffith
A young girl's rise from obscurity to power, as she navigates a medieval world of danger and intrigue.
Hild is born into a world in transition. In seventh-century Britain, small kingdoms are merging, usually violently. A new religion is coming ashore; the old gods’ priests are worrying. Edwin of ... (Goodreads)
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village
by Laura Amy Schlitz
A collection of monologues and dialogues from various characters in a medieval village, providing insight into their daily lives and struggles.
Step back to medieval 1255 England and meet 22 villagers, illustrated in pen and ink, inspired by the Munich-Nuremberg manuscript, an illuminated poem from thirteenth-century Germany. Hugo, the ... (Goodreads)
The Serpent's Tale
by Ariana Franklin
A medieval mystery novel following Adelia Aguilar, a female doctor, as she investigates a series of murders in a convent.
Ariana Franklin combines the best of modern forensic thrillers with the drama of historical fiction in the enthralling second novel in the Mistress of the Art of Death series, featuring medieval ... (Goodreads)
The Nonexistent Knight
by Italo Calvino
A knight's surreal quest to find an elusive castle, full of mysterious characters and adventures.
The protagonists of this novel are two paladins of Charlemagne: the non-existent knight, named Agilulf (he is in fact a lucid empty armor) and an inexperienced and passionate young man, Rambaldo. The ... (Wikipedia)
The Iron King
by Maurice Druon
Epic historical fiction of the Middle Ages, as dynasties pay the price of ambition.
Set in the 14th century during the reigns of the last five kings of the direct Capetian dynasty and the first two kings of the House of Valois , the series begins as the French King Philip the Fair , ... (Wikipedia)
King Arthur and His Knights: Selected Tales
by Thomas Malory
A collection of stories of the legendary King Arthur and his heroic knights.
Thomas Malory, knight, adventurer, and soldier, was born in the early years of the fifteenth century and died on March 14, 1471, having spent much of the last twenty years of his life in prison. It ... (Goodreads)
The Lady of the Rivers
by Philippa Gregory
A sweeping historical novel about a powerful female's journey of self-discovery.
Fourteen-year-old Jacquetta, whose noble family claims descendance from the water goddess Melusine , learns the secrets of her inherited powers from her great-aunt Jehanne , the Demoiselle of ... (Wikipedia)
The Archer's Tale
by Bernard Cornwell
A young archer's quest to avenge his family, while also finding his place in a turbulent world.
The narrative begins in the village of Hookton, where Thomas is growing up under his once mad father, who is also the village priest. Thomas has been training secretly with a bow, despite the fact ... (Wikipedia)
The Icebound Land
by John Flanagan
A young knight's quest to save the kingdom from an ancient evil force.
Will, the main character and a Ranger's apprentice, is captured by the Skandians along with his friend, Evanlyn (Araluen's Crown Princess Cassandra in disguise), in a big war in the previous book,, ... (Wikipedia)
The Siege of Macindaw
by John Flanagan
Will and his friends defend a castle against a traitor and his army.
With the overthrow of Castle Macindaw by Keren, Orman's traitorous cousin, series protagonist Will Treaty needs to find men to help win back the crucial northern stronghold. Will seeks out a group of ... (Wikipedia)
Queen's Own
by Mercedes Lackey
Talia, a young girl with a gift for mind-speaking, joins the Queen's Own Herald and embarks on a journey of self-discovery and adventure.
Having completed her year and a half interning in the field, Talia returns to Haven as Queen's Own Herald in right. In her absence, the Council of Valdemar has been considering an offer of an ... (Wikipedia)
Baudolino
by Umberto Eco
A medieval tale of adventure, deception and the search for truth.
In the year of 1204, Baudolino of Alessandria enters Constantinople , unaware of the Fourth Crusade that has thrown the city into chaos. In the confusion, he meets Niketas Choniates and saves his ... (Wikipedia)
Monk's Hood
by Ellis Peters
A medieval murder mystery set in a Benedictine Abbey.
In early December 1138, Abbot Heribert of Shrewsbury Abbey is summoned to a Legatine council in London and his authority is suspended. The Abbey's business is also postponed, with one exception: ... (Wikipedia)
The Sanctuary Sparrow
by Ellis Peters
A medieval murder mystery set in a monastery, where a wandering musician is accused of killing a young man.
The story takes place over 7 days in May 1140. At the midnight services of Matins on a lovely May night, a boy speeds into the Abbey church just ahead of mob after him for theft and murder. Abbot ... (Wikipedia)
The Healer's Apprentice
by Melanie Dickerson
A young healer's apprentice falls in love with a nobleman's son, but their love is forbidden. They must overcome obstacles to be together.
Two Hearts. One Hope. Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter's daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of ... (Goodreads)
The Fall of Arthur
by J.R.R. Tolkien
A narrative poem about the fall of King Arthur and his kingdom, written by the beloved author of "The Lord of the Rings."
New York Times bestseller “An incomplete but highly compelling retelling . . . An action-packed, doom-haunted saga, full of vivid natural description.”— New York Times Book Review The Fall of Arthur ... (Barnes & Noble)
Ivanhoe
by Walter Scott
An epic tale of chivalry, heroism and romance set in 12th century England.
For this novel, Scott moved far away from the setting of his own turbulent time. He went back to the late 12th century, and to England rather than the Scottish settings of all his previous novels. He ... (Goodreads)
Raymond E. Feist's Magician Master
by Bryan J.L. Glass
Young magician Pug is taken captive by the Tsurani Empire, where he must use his powers to survive and protect his people.
Collects Magician Master #1-5. A comic adaptation of the original book by Raymond E. Feist. It has been three years since the siege of Crydee. The three boys who once were the closest of friends are ... (Goodreads)
The King's Traitor
by Jeff Wheeler
A loyal knight is accused of treason and must clear his name by uncovering a conspiracy that threatens the kingdom.
A, Wall Street Journal, bestseller., Against all odds, Owen Kiskaddon grew from frightened boy to confident youth to trusted officer in the court of Kingfountain—and watched its regent, Severn ... (Barnes & Noble)
A Time of Exile
by Katharine Kerr
The second book in the Deverry series, following the lives of reincarnated souls in a Celtic-inspired world of magic and politics.
The world of Deverry: an intricate tapestry of fate, past lives, and unfathomable magic. With A Time Of Exile , Katharine Kerr opens new territory in The Deverry Saga , exploring the history of the ... (Goodreads)
Honor's Splendour
by Julie Garwood
A medieval romance between a fierce warrior and a headstrong lady, set against the backdrop of political intrigue and danger.
This classic medieval romance from New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood is a fan favorite—a beautiful lady needs rescue from a knight in shining armor, and gets an alpha warrior instead. ... (Goodreads)
The Adventures of Robin Hood
by Roger Lancelyn Green
A heroic outlaw who steals from the rich to give to the poor in a thrilling medieval adventure.
Robin Hood is champion of the poor and oppressed by 12th-century England against the cruel power of Prince John and the brutal Sheriff of Nottingham. He takes refuge with his Merrie Men in the vast ... (Goodreads)
A Rare Benedictine: The Advent of Brother Cadfael
by Ellis Peters
A collection of short stories featuring Brother Cadfael, a medieval monk and amateur detective, solving mysteries in his abbey and beyond.
Peters has gained worldwide praise for her meticulous re-creations of 12th-century monastic life. Here, her chronicles continue with a Christmas story, a tale of robbery and attempted murder, and a ... (Goodreads)
If you enjoyed this, try uploading your goodreads reviews and seeing what recommendations we can come up with for you.