[D. S. Smith]

Hello all, I would love to hear recommendations for fantasy novels and historical medieval fiction.

I've read pretty much everything by Terry Brooks, and of course have read some Tolkien, David Eddings, Robert Jordan, and some newer authors like Joseph Lallo. Most of my medieval type reading, however, has been fantasy oriented. I'm curious if there are good authors doing more along the lines of historical novels, I'd especially be interested in the Germany/ Austria regions in the medieval era. I'm not so interested in non-fiction, as I think sometimes those books can get a bit dry.

Thanks in advance.

[Chad Arnow]

Bernard Cornwell's Agincourt and his Grail Quest Series are a great place to start.

[Marik C.S.]

I can't recommend Andrzej Sapkowski highly enough.
The Witcher Series - both in Books and games - is just amazing and are best combined.
The games work as an extension of the story and do that job quite well (given the fact that they obviously work in a different medium than a book does) while the games are much more enjoyable with all the background knowledge from the book.

Now that is pure fantasy. It is what I would call realistic-ish fantasy and pretty oriented towards the late medieval period in Europe.

Now this is tricky.
The Author also has a very nice series of fantasy books set in 15th century Bohemia (for the most part, as well as Silesia and Poland) during the Hussite crusades, these are more along the lines of.. well the closest thing would be fairy tales or old legends in terms of their level of fantasy content - not in the style of writing though - by which I mean few battle-mages and firebreathing dragons but quite a lot of herbal women, soothsayers and Merlinesque Mages who are prone to boasting their powers.
This series I'd also recommend whole heartedly - if you don't mind lots of names all of which sound somewhat similar and are almost impossible to remember - even though the historical influences must be taken with a lot of artistic licence in mind (well it is a fantasy book after all). Problem is, from what I can see on Amazon these are only available in Polish and German, so if you read neither you're out of luck I'm afraid.

[Joar Grahn]

[Gordon Alexander]

I am ignorant of medieval history myself, however many have enjoyed reading Umberto Eco's works.

[Jeff Kaisla]

[Roger Hooper]

They don't set their books in Germany/Austria, but I do have some recommendations.

Cecelia Holland sets most of her novels in Medieval Europe - Viking, Norman Conquest, Crusades, 12th century England, 100 Years War. A great author with an almost Hemingway-like prose style.

Alfred Duggan wrote some medieval novels, also very good, but maybe a little dry for some tastes.

[Matthew G.M. Korenkiewicz]

Fantasy / sword and sorcery Authors I'd recommend :

Fritz Leiber's books on the adventures of Fafhrd and The Gray Mouser ...

Michael Moorcock has done several such novels, the series featuring Elric Of
Melnibone being my favorite ...

Richard Monaco did a trilogy inspired by the Aruthurian legend, I seem to recall
finding them unusual and interesting ...

I always thought Karl Edward Wagner's Kane books are pretty exceptional too ...

What about Robert E. Howard's Conan books ...

Maybe even look into Henryk Sienkiewicz's With Fire And Sword trilogy of books ...
more historical than fantasy, I BELIEVE. I haven't read them, but own the movies
based on them ...

B-)

[D. S. Smith]

Thanks Gents, I appreciate the responses. That should keep me in good supply for a while.

Marik and Joar, thanks as well for the head's up on the Witcher games. I've been a PC gamer for many years, and I never tried the Witcher series....I might have to give them a shot.

[Steven Janus]

[Lee O'Hagan]

Pretty much anything from David Gemmell,
Legend, Waylander, The King beyond the gate, White Wolf

M D Lachlan wolf series wasn't bad, old Norse Fenrir etc,

Peter V Brett,
The Painted man trilogy, ( The Warded Man)
Brilliant set of books

Brent Weeks
Lightbringer series,
The Shadow series,

[Mikko Kuusirati]

Del Rey has an anthology of Robert E. Howard's historical stories, titled Sword Woman and Other Historical Adventures. Among others, it contains "The Shadow of the Vulture", an amazing tale set in and around the Siege of Vienna, 1529, starring the one and only Red Sonya of Rogatino. Also the less firmly rooted in history but nonetheless impressive "Road of Azrael".

Their other REH anthologies are also excellent. King Kull and Conan are, of course, pretty much mandatory if you're into sword & sorcery, Bran Mak Morn and Solomon Kane bring the genre from pure fantasy into historical times, el Borak compiles most of his historical (or contemporary at the time of their writing) Asian stories... the whole series is laudable work across the board, with lavish illustrations (Gary Gianni's work in The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane is my personal favorite) and great care taken to restore Howard's original work.

[Raymond Deancona]

Look for Alfred Duggan. He wrote historic novels. Excellent. You will enjoy pretty much any of his works.

[Gordon Alexander]

Ken Folletts Pillars of the Earth is also a reasonably historical depiction according to many critics.

You could also go straight to Chaucer, The Pearl Poet, and Langland. They should know what they are writing about.

There is also a guy named Bill Shakespeare. He was just a bit after the medieval period but it's often said he is good enough to read anyway. His material is closer to the medieval period than any of the stuff you listed that you had already read.

*I just realized the none of the authors I mention after Follett write novels - all poems and plays. Oops, I misfired there.

[Mikko Kuusirati]

Oh, hey, how about The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay? A wonderfully compelling not-historical story of the struggles of not-Jews, not-Christians and not-Muslims in freshly post-Caliphate not-Al-Andalus...

In a similar vein, Michael Chabon's Gentlemen of the Road (working title "Jews with Swords"), a historical picaresque or road novel of the misadventures of not-Fafhrd and not-Grey-Mouser getting entangled in political intrigue in the Khazar Kaganate.

[Jason Daub]

Christian Cameron, he is better known for his historical fiction set in ancient Greece, but his new series, started with "The Ill-Made Knight" is probably his best work to date. I greatly prefer it to Cornwall. He also has "Tom Swan", as a serial it is short little episodes packed with action (for next to nothing). For 'historical fantasy' you could try his "cousin" Miles Cameron and "The Red Knight". What I find most appealing about Mr. Cameron's work, besides the feeling of reality it has, is the fact that his characters never seem as if they were 21st century people in the past.

[Baard H]

As a couple of others has done already; I would recommend Bernard Cornwell's "Azincourt" and the "Grail Series".

One of the best writers out there is probably Conn Iggulden with his epic series "Emperor" (detailing the life of Julius Caesar and the rise of Emperor Augustus) and "Conquest" (the mongols rise from a band of warring tribes to a continent spanning empire under the rule of Ghenghis and Kublai Khan).

Another excellent historical fiction author is Robyn Young with her trilogies "Brethren" (the Knights Templar) and "Insurrection" (Robert Bruce and his bid for the Scottish throne in the age of William Wallace).


And of course a must in these days if you like fantasy (and love to hate an author...) "A Song of Ice and Fire".

[Roger Hooper]

On the fantasy side I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Game Of Thrones series by George R. R. Martin. The first three books are quite good, but there is a decline in books 4 and 5.

[Baard H]

[D. S. Smith]