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)
699

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3.77 avg rating — 338 ratings
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699

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4.31 avg rating — 334 ratings
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699

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4.18 avg rating — 11 ratings
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699

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3.83 avg rating — 185 ratings
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699

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3.85 avg rating — 20 ratings
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699

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 22 ratings
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699

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4.16 avg rating — 145 ratings
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699

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4.30 avg rating — 602 ratings
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699

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3.90 avg rating — 223 ratings
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699

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3.81 avg rating — 1,652 ratings
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699

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3.82 avg rating — 782 ratings
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699

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4.26 avg rating — 32,286 ratings
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699

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4.39 avg rating — 129,893 ratings
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714

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4.06 avg rating — 54 ratings
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714

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3.55 avg rating — 547 ratings
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714

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3.63 avg rating — 1,292 ratings
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714

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3.82 avg rating — 114 ratings
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714

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4.19 avg rating — 77 ratings
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714

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4.21 avg rating — 71 ratings
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714

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4 ratings
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714

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3.91 avg rating — 67 ratings
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714

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3.79 avg rating — 1,214 ratings
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714

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4.51 avg rating — 392 ratings
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714

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3.38 avg rating — 402 ratings
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714

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3.54 avg rating — 26 ratings
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714

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4.05 avg rating — 88 ratings
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714

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3.63 avg rating — 2,119 ratings
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714

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4.14 avg rating — 555 ratings
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714

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4.08 avg rating — 749 ratings
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714

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4.69 avg rating — 16 ratings
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714

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4.22 avg rating — 783 ratings
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714

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4.21 avg rating — 10,307 ratings
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714

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3.59 avg rating — 118,829 ratings
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714

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4.30 avg rating — 31,958 ratings
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714

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4.14 avg rating — 389,665 ratings
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736

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4.06 avg rating — 136 ratings
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736

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3.81 avg rating — 37 ratings
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736

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4.19 avg rating — 1,128 ratings
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736

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3.53 avg rating — 92 ratings
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736

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4.08 avg rating — 22,611 ratings
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736

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3.83 avg rating — 8,324 ratings
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736

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4.10 avg rating — 31 ratings
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736

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4.12 avg rating — 8 ratings
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736

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3.98 avg rating — 986 ratings
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736

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4.16 avg rating — 19 ratings
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736

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liked it 3.00 avg rating — 4 ratings
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736

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3.39 avg rating — 46 ratings
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736

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3.80 avg rating — 1,595 ratings
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736

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4.10 avg rating — 914 ratings
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736

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4.05 avg rating — 5,455 ratings
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736

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3.18 avg rating — 317 ratings
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736

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4.40 avg rating — 1,240 ratings
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736

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3.78 avg rating — 157 ratings
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736

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4.12 avg rating — 8,561 ratings
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736

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3.80 avg rating — 50 ratings
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736

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4.28 avg rating — 9,104 ratings
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736

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4.06 avg rating — 31,846 ratings
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736

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4.07 avg rating — 60,534 ratings
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759

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4.25 avg rating — 442 ratings
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759

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4.16 avg rating — 256 ratings
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759

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4.42 avg rating — 12 ratings
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759

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4.29 avg rating — 14 ratings
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759

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4.24 avg rating — 21 ratings
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759

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4.18 avg rating — 11 ratings
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759

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3.93 avg rating — 23,206 ratings
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759

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3.70 avg rating — 23 ratings
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759

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4.44 avg rating — 102 ratings
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759

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3.74 avg rating — 3,815 ratings
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759

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3.64 avg rating — 139 ratings
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759

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3.55 avg rating — 47 ratings
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759

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3.36 avg rating — 26,651 ratings
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772

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4.05 avg rating — 22 ratings
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772

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4.13 avg rating — 15 ratings
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772

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4.36 avg rating — 11 ratings
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772

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3.79 avg rating — 864 ratings
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772

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4.53 avg rating — 76 ratings
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772

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3.45 avg rating — 6,087 ratings
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772

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4.03 avg rating — 109 ratings
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772

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 416 ratings
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772

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3.79 avg rating — 43 ratings
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772

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3.45 avg rating — 89 ratings
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772

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3.30 avg rating — 126 ratings
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772

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3.82 avg rating — 390 ratings
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772

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4.34 avg rating — 1,885 ratings
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772

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4.39 avg rating — 129,893 ratings
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772

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3.85 avg rating — 16,597 ratings
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787

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 37 ratings
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787

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3.39 avg rating — 249 ratings
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787

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3.97 avg rating — 270 ratings
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787

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4.12 avg rating — 6,574 ratings
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787

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4.78 avg rating — 9 ratings
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787

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4.66 avg rating — 65 ratings
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787

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4.27 avg rating — 458 ratings
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787

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4.34 avg rating — 73 ratings
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787

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4.75 avg rating — 4 ratings
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787

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3.66 avg rating — 8,448 ratings
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787

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4.15 avg rating — 210 ratings
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787

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3.79 avg rating — 945 ratings
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787

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4.44 avg rating — 1,124 ratings
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787

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4.17 avg rating — 103 ratings
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1,220 books · 1,680 voters · list created July 16th, 2008 by Steven Harbin (votes) .
625 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Steven 4280 books
2495 friends
Laura 13040 books
316 friends
Dave 799 books
62 friends
Gina 2 books
0 friends
Roberta 1548 books
154 friends
Susanna - Censored by GoodReads 3384 books
853 friends
Wealhtheow 4761 books
693 friends
Karen 2648 books
114 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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