Best Middle Ages Books

The best books that are about, set in, or written in the Middle Ages time period. (The 5th century to the 15th century)
1

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4.34 avg rating — 800,883 ratings
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2

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4.14 avg rating — 383,137 ratings
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3

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3.52 avg rating — 233,087 ratings
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4

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4.32 avg rating — 265,749 ratings
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5

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3.49 avg rating — 334,608 ratings
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6

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4.06 avg rating — 42,738 ratings
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7

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4.40 avg rating — 22,369 ratings
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8

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4.07 avg rating — 115,700 ratings
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9

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4.03 avg rating — 197,470 ratings
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10

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3.89 avg rating — 977,261 ratings
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11

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4.27 avg rating — 107,574 ratings
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12

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3.74 avg rating — 70,604 ratings
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13

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3.76 avg rating — 97,393 ratings
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14

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3.92 avg rating — 38,767 ratings
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15

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3.88 avg rating — 42,244 ratings
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16

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4.08 avg rating — 164,623 ratings
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17

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4.29 avg rating — 24,597 ratings
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18

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4.03 avg rating — 62,781 ratings
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19

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4.21 avg rating — 34,783 ratings
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20

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4.02 avg rating — 1,009,343 ratings
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21

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4.26 avg rating — 17,082 ratings
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22

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3.51 avg rating — 18,491 ratings
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23

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3.93 avg rating — 40,512 ratings
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24

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4.40 avg rating — 10,496 ratings
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25

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4.13 avg rating — 210,291 ratings
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26

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4.45 avg rating — 9,582 ratings
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27

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4.01 avg rating — 25,625 ratings
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28

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3.81 avg rating — 46,142 ratings
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29

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4.17 avg rating — 60,656 ratings
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30

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4.02 avg rating — 210,954 ratings
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31

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3.74 avg rating — 42,812 ratings
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32

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3.80 avg rating — 24,646 ratings
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33

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3.93 avg rating — 16,443 ratings
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34

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3.87 avg rating — 212,920 ratings
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35

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4.30 avg rating — 9,236 ratings
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36

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4.41 avg rating — 57,681 ratings
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37

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4.15 avg rating — 15,011 ratings
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38

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4.16 avg rating — 30,993 ratings
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39

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4.31 avg rating — 59,311 ratings
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40

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3.91 avg rating — 73,103 ratings
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41

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3.77 avg rating — 106,183 ratings
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42

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3.93 avg rating — 8,330 ratings
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43

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3.96 avg rating — 43,260 ratings
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44

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3.73 avg rating — 43,081 ratings
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45

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3.72 avg rating — 6,733 ratings
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46

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3.83 avg rating — 12,606 ratings
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47

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3.68 avg rating — 5,534 ratings
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48

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3.83 avg rating — 4,721 ratings
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49

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3.81 avg rating — 8,598 ratings
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50

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3.51 avg rating — 14,176 ratings
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51

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3.90 avg rating — 36,583 ratings
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52

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4.03 avg rating — 1,154 ratings
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53

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4.36 avg rating — 50,937 ratings
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54

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3.86 avg rating — 16,178 ratings
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55

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4.38 avg rating — 8,045 ratings
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56

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4.14 avg rating — 9,646 ratings
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57

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4.27 avg rating — 2,374 ratings
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58

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4.54 avg rating — 2,725 ratings
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59

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4.03 avg rating — 4,209 ratings
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60

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3.91 avg rating — 56,719 ratings
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61

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3.96 avg rating — 179,754 ratings
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62

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3.87 avg rating — 5,789 ratings
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63

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4.33 avg rating — 6,402 ratings
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64

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4.15 avg rating — 32,664 ratings
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65

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4.07 avg rating — 17,369 ratings
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66

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4.05 avg rating — 89,813 ratings
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67

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3.96 avg rating — 13,607 ratings
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68

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4.09 avg rating — 2,549 ratings
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69

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3.95 avg rating — 8,986 ratings
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70

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4.11 avg rating — 7,656 ratings
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71

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3.94 avg rating — 5,299 ratings
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72

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4.22 avg rating — 4,150 ratings
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73

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4.32 avg rating — 43,720 ratings
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74

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4.26 avg rating — 52,538 ratings
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75

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4.09 avg rating — 73,372 ratings
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76

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3.96 avg rating — 2,694 ratings
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77

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3.82 avg rating — 76,282 ratings
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78

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3.84 avg rating — 9,529 ratings
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79

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3.58 avg rating — 7,744 ratings
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80

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4.06 avg rating — 4,492 ratings
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81

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 6,814 ratings
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82

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4.44 avg rating — 29,733 ratings
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83

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3.91 avg rating — 230,138 ratings
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84

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3.71 avg rating — 44,975 ratings
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85

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4.13 avg rating — 20,185 ratings
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86

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4.07 avg rating — 65,885 ratings
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87

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4.28 avg rating — 3,095 ratings
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88

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4.01 avg rating — 3,143 ratings
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89

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3.76 avg rating — 490 ratings
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90

by
3.59 avg rating — 399 ratings
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91

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4.27 avg rating — 11,943 ratings
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92

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3.75 avg rating — 7,021 ratings
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93

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3.41 avg rating — 5,373 ratings
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94

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4.14 avg rating — 1,265 ratings
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95

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4.26 avg rating — 11,597 ratings
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96

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3.84 avg rating — 3,807 ratings
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97

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3.44 avg rating — 3,073 ratings
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98

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3.76 avg rating — 5,070 ratings
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99

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3.87 avg rating — 1,546 ratings
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99

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3.30 avg rating — 4,765 ratings
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1,205 books · 1,665 voters · list created July 16th, 2008 by Steven Harbin (votes) .
617 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Steven 4280 books
2499 friends
Laura 13006 books
316 friends
Dave 797 books
63 friends
Gina 2 books
0 friends
Roberta 1544 books
152 friends
Susanna - Censored by GoodReads 3382 books
854 friends
Wealhtheow 4761 books
696 friends
Karen 2608 books
113 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-19 of 19 (19 new)

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message 1: by Brett (new)

Brett Sorge If you are talking about middle ages historical fiction how come Bernard Cornwall is not one of the mentioned books/author??? He is definitely the champ of writing on this period!


message 2: by IWB (new)

IWB The list is ABOUT the Middle Ages (i.e., secondary sources), not books FROM the middle-Ages (i.e., primary sources). Thus, the Mabinogion, Bede, Beowulf,Boccaccio, Chaucer, Marie de France, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight ought not to be on the list.


message 3: by Steven (new)

Steven Harbin Brett,
Which particular titles of Bernard Cornwell 's would you suggest? I've never read any of his works, but I've had friends suggest him.
Also, you know you can add books to the list and vote for them, right?



message 4: by Steven (new)

Steven Harbin IW,
I'm of a like mind, I only voted (initially) for secondary works and historical novels but I could see a case for including works from the MA as well...but you're correct than in that case the list title probably should be slightly changed...


message 5: by Brett (last edited Dec 11, 2009 02:39PM) (new)

Brett brett,
I couldn't agree more! I clicked on this list expecting to see loads of bernard cornwell! He is really an awesome writer. I really think his books define the genre.

Steve,

I would suggest Vagabond, The Archer's Tale, and Heretic. I believe these three books comprise The Grail Quest series?? They are so amazing! Well, I am being a bit partial with these suggestions; they are the only Cornwell I've read. I'm sure there are other great titles as well..

...o yea and IWB...you're a dipshit. This is a list ok, "books that are about, set in, or written in the Middle Ages," therefore the list should include books FROM the Middle Ages..moron..






Susanna - Censored by GoodReads It's easy enough to add books to the list - the form is over at the right-hand side of the page ("find/add books to list")


message 7: by Chipchick (new)

Chipchick I loved the Grail Series by Cornwell. As well as Azincourt.


Barbara Gem(ini) "The Marlowe Conspiracy" is set in 16th century - it's hardly middle ages.


message 9: by AndrewJL (new)

AndrewJL Foucault's Pendulum seems like a stretch to me. The novel is set in the 20th century, and though the characters spend a lot of time discussing the Templars, the book is still not medieval.


message 10: by Michael (new)

Michael "Agricola and the Germania" by Tacitus should be deleted as it was written in the 1st century CE, and "A Canticle for Leibowitz" is set in the future after a nuclear war, so again not really MA and should be deleted from the list.


message 11: by Beatriz (new)

Beatriz Lara silva Andrew wrote: "Foucault's Pendulum seems like a stretch to me. The novel is set in the 20th century, and though the characters spend a lot of time discussing the Templars, the book is still not medieval."


message 12: by Beatriz (new)

Beatriz Lara silva I agree insted the name of the rose should be right in the middle age


message 13: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Aug 30, 2015 08:11AM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) The term 'Middle Ages' is only used for a Western European phenomena, as far as I know. Yet there are books on this list which are not set in during the Middle Ages of Western Europe, like The Tale of Genji (#149), for instance. A great book, but I very much doubt whether it should be on this list? Same goes for The Pillow Book (#297).

Andrew wrote: "Foucault's Pendulum seems like a stretch to me. The novel is set in the 20th century, and though the characters spend a lot of time discussing the Templars, the book is still not medieval."
I've read the book and agree, which is why I haven't voted for it.
Beatriz wrote: "I agree insted the name of the rose should be right in the middle age". The Name of the Rose (#484) is indeed set in the Middle Ages.

IWB wrote: "The list is ABOUT the Middle Ages (i.e., secondary sources), not books FROM the middle-Ages (i.e., primary sources).
Seems the description of the Listopia has been adapted since your comment, as it now also includes "written in the Middle Ages time period" (which is why I voted for some written during that period).


message 14: by Elyse✨ (new)

Elyse✨ I removed A Canticle for Leibowitz. It is a post apocalyptic science fiction book. Its plot involves a time way in the future that includes monasteries similar to those from the actual Middle Ages. I can understand where some readers might think this book should be included because of this.


message 15: by Kathy KS (new)

Kathy KS Ken Follett's Fall of Giants doesn't seem to fit this list. (#301 today)


message 16: by Kathy KS (new)

Kathy KS #509, How to Beg for Cigarettes. It doesn't appear to fit this topic, but maybe I'm missing something here...


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads I'd say both should be removed from this list.


message 18: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Apr 17, 2019 11:23PM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) I don't think Wolf Hall (#109) should be here, and neither should Bring Up the Bodies (#173), its sequel, as they are not set in the Middle Ages (5th to 15th century). Nor should L'Œuvre au noir (#400) as it is set in the 16th century.

Does The Last Battle (#597) count?

It is too long ago since I've read it but I seem to remember Foucault's Pendulum (#38) was set outside the Middle Ages as well. But like I said, it's too long ago to be sure (see also my earlier message).


message 19: by Zak (new)

Zak The Return of Martin Guerre should not be on here, as it is Early Modern history.


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