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]
P.C. Doherty	The Canterbury mystery series [1994-present, 4 vol.]  The Hugh Corbett mystery series [1996-present, 11 vol.]
Ken Follett	Pillars of the Earth [1989]
Margaret Frazer	The Sister Frevisse mystery series [1994-present, 13 vol.]
Rodrigo Garcia y Robertson	Knight Errant [2001]

Alan Gordon	The Medieval Mysteries series [1999-present, 2 vol.]
Susanna Gregory	The Matthew Bartholomew Chronicles [1996-present, 9 vol.]
Hella S. Haasse	In a Dark Wood Wandering [1989]
Denise Hampton	Warrior's Damsel [2000]
Paul Harding	The Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan [1991-1994, 2 vol.]
Virginia Henley	The Marriage Prize [2000]
Michael Jecks	The Medieval West Country mystery series [DATE]
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 [1993-1998, 8 vol.]  The Nicholas Bracewell series [1988-present, 12 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]
Moorcraft, Paul L.	The Anchoress of Shere [2002]
Sharan Newman	The Catherine LeVendeur Series [1993-present, 9 vol. to date]
James Patterson	The Jester [2003]
Sharon Key Penman	The Justin de Quincy medieval mysteries [1996-present, 3 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-present, 8 vol.]
Lael St. James	My Lady Beloved [2001]
Kate Sedley	The "Roger the Chapman" mystery series [1992-present, 9 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, 10+ vol.]
Barry Unsworth	Morality Play [1995]
Connie Willis
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 March 2008 sdc