Literary Historical Fiction set in the Medieval Era

Hi all, I'd love some suggestions for well-written novels set in the medieval era. I have a particular interest in Anglo-Saxon England but would love to hear about any novels you'd recommend. Thanks!

Bernard Cornwell is frequently cited for this, in books like The Archer's Tale and its sequels.

Pillars of the Earth is suitable for some tastes, or you might prefer / also like The Physician.

For one of the mildest fantasy takes on the subject, I recommend The Last Light of the Sun.

Thanks a mill! I read and enjoyed Pillars of the Earth. I will look up The Physician.

I think Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin is a medieval mystery set in England/Italy and is part of a series.

Kristin Lavransdatter might be worth a look. Or Hereward the Wake if you are more inclined to Evangelical than Roman piety.
Rosemary Sutcliff wrote quite a few books set in Roman and post-Roman Britain, but they are probably YA in modern terms.

Taking medieval a bit more broadly, you can't get much more "literary" than The name of the rose
Ivanhoe is well-written but not very attentive to historical accuracy.
Ellis Peters's Brother Cadfael stories are fun if you like medieval crime

Check out Oliver Potzsch, a series set in 17C Germany.

Bernard Cornwell's Last Kingdom series, starting with The Last Kingdom is good. As is the Northumbrian Kings series by Edoardo Albert, Edwin: High King of Britain, etc. and The Abbess of Whitby.
I also really enjoyed Elizabeth Chadwick's The Marshall Series about William Marshal, though those are set a bit later.

Georgette Heyer has one lovely book set in the Middle Ages: Simon the Coldheart. And I love Rosemary Sutcliff's Knight's fee which is YA, but still enjoyable for adults.
ETA: There is also Maurice Druon's series about the Accursed Kings which reads well in French. I don't know about the translations, though.

Thanks everyone, for all your helpful suggestions. I really appreciate it. Some of these books I have read but am looking forward to getting hold of the others.

>1 FionaTW: I really enjoyed Hild by Nicola Griffith

I recently read Plague Land: A Novel by S.D. Sykes, set in the immediate post-plague era.

I loved these YA novels by Karen Cushman, all award-winners -

Catherine, Called Birdy
Midwife's Apprentice
Matilda Bone

I enjoyed Hild too, though, I admit, I found all the characters, battles and place names a bit hard to keep up with. Interesting that there seem to be quite a few YA novels set in this era.

>13 FionaTW: If you are interested in an alternative to the Arthurian legend I recommend The Skystone by Jack Whyte.

I also second the Physician... two thumbs up

>1 FionaTW:
If you can get hold of it (long out of print), I suggest Poor Man's Tapestry by Oliver Onions. It appears to be set in the early 12th century, but the story can't be pinned down to exact dates because there are no noble characters or historical events, just common people.

If you are prepared to venture to France I heartily recommend The World is Not Enough by Zoe Oldenberg - the married life of a couple of members of the minor nobility at the time of the Crusades.

>14 Lynxear:
There is the slight problem with The Skystone that it's set in Roman Britain, rather a long time before the period Fiona TW is interested in.

>10 ScoLgo: >1 FionaTW: Ditto on Hild.

>13 FionaTW: Ah, so you've already read Hild. I admit that I share your quibble with the book. The other issue I had was the detail of daily life that Griffith kept expounding upon. At first, it really helped transport me into the era. After a while, I felt the technique wore a bit thin. It would have been a better book had she simply stopped world-building and gotten on with the story. But it was nevertheless a worthwhile read for me.

I understand Griffith is planning a trilogy with Hild covering the early years and subsequent volumes continuing her story into later life. If Griffith published more about St. Hilda, I am likely to read it.

>16 dajashby: true enough... but it is a good series of novels :)

Sharon Penman's books are also quite good, especially for Welsh history.

Thanks again for the suggestions. I am also looking forward to the next instalment of Hild, even if I expect it to be hard work. I am reading Hodd by Adam Thorpe at the moment and I strongly recommend it. It's an interesting take on the legend of Robin Hood, highly atmospheric, wonderful in its reimagining of a dark medieval world, particularly with regard to fear of women, the devil and hell.

The Knights of the Cross or The Teutonic Knights by Henryk Sienkiewicz.

I just finished reading the Matthew Shardlake Mysteries by C. J Sansom. They are each long but I could not put them down. There are 6 of them The order is
Dissolution
Dark Fire
Sovereign
Revelation
Heartstone
Lamentation They all take place during the reign of Henry VIII

I have that series and am getting ready to begin them,.

For a medieval book that will really stretch your head... "The Lady for Ransom" by Alfred Duggan, For one of his that is more conventional, "Leopards and Lillies" for a look at king John.

Shieldwall, by Justin Hill is set in Anglo Saxon England. It's about a Saxon thegn and his son grappling with the period around 1066. It has a couple of sequels that I haven't read.

King hereafter, by Dorothy Dunnett is about my favourite historical novel of all time. It's Ms Dunnett's take on the life of Macbeth. Not at all the story as told by Shakespeare.

Slightly later, The silver Leopard by F van Wyck Mason is about an 11th century Norman Englishman Edmund de Montgomerie who is exiled from England and joins the First Crusade.

Knight in anarchy, by George Shipway is 12th century and set in the Stephen and Matilda period. Gritty realism - the first scene where they are transporting King Henry's body for burial is great.

While in that period, I expect you've read Ellis Peters...

Anything at all by Cecelia Holland is worth a read (except the science fiction one...)

BTW, this is the real dajashby, not his wife.

It’s been awhile since I read them, but isn’t Edith Pargeter's The Heaven Tree trilogy in that timeframe?

Morality Play by Barry Unsworth was excellent.

>27 dkhiggin: yes

>28 laruebk: Oh I love that book! I first got into it because of the deaf character (and as a teacher of deaf kids, I thought the author did an outstanding job of getting it right) then I loved it for the mystery, the setting and time, and the theatre. Excellent writing (haven't read anything else by him, probably should correct that some time)

I'm very fond of Martin Jensen's series of historical mysteries set during the reign of King Cnute. The first one is The King's Hounds.

Just thought of Maurice Druon's The Iron King, the "original Game of Thrones".

>28 laruebk: Thanks for the suggestion. I think I'd really enjoy this. I'm putting this on my TBA (to be acquired) list.

>28 laruebk: Seconding the recommendation for Morality Play. It's a quick but intense little story. (And incidentally, made into a movie with Willem Dafoe and Paul Bettany called "The Reckoning" which I thought struggled in terms of the plot, but then watching Dafoe is almost always worth the effort).

>30 tealadytoo: I read this one last year, based on your recommendation, and really greatly enjoyed it. I think these would appeal to anyone who is a fan of Brother Cadfael.

>33 southernbooklady: Thanks for the endorsement. I'll look for it on Audible when I get home.

>33 southernbooklady:
I remember seeing The Reckoning and thinking it was absolutely beautifully shot, but that the climactic scenes were a huge muddle.