The Pillars of the Earth
Ken Follett
Cathedral-building, civil war, and intertwined lives in twelfth-century England.
Medieval · Adventure & epic · Family saga
Medieval · Adventure & epic · ~500–1500
Medieval adventure & epic historical fiction books
Looking for historical fiction in the adventure & epic lane set during the Medieval (~500–1500)? Medieval adventure & epic historical fiction books collects historical novels that match both filters—Knights, plague, faith, early nations. Sweeping quests, voyages, and large-canvas history HisFic is a free historical fiction discovery app: open a full reading journey with the same era and story-type filters, then add region, themes, or audience. Shelves mix curated historical fiction picks with Open Library titles so even thin combinations still have books to explore.
Shelf · 5 titles
Curated HisFic picks first, plus Open Library fills for this era + story type.
The Last Kingdom
Bernard Cornwell
Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a Saxon earl’s son raised by Danes, is pulled between a pagan war-band and Alfred’s Wessex as ninth-century England is carved up. Cornwell’s opening Saxon novel is medieval military historical fiction: shield walls, divided loyalty, and the making of England.
Medieval · Military & war · Adventure & epic
Ivanhoe
Walter Scott
In 1194, disinherited knight Wilfred of Ivanhoe returns from the Crusades to an England split among Saxons, Normans, and the absent King Richard, with Rebecca of York and Rowena caught in the same violent pageant. Scott’s romance of tournament, outlaw woods, and Templar menace is the template later historical novels still copy.
Medieval · Adventure & epic · Romance
Novels (Congo / Eaters of the Dead / Sphere)
Michael Crichton
adaptations · fiction · vikings · historical fiction
Medieval · Ancient world · Mystery · Adventure & epic · Open Library
The Inquisitor's Tale
Adam Gidwitz
Adventure stories · Adventure and adventurers · Quests (Expeditions) · Fiction
Medieval · Military & war · Adventure & epic · Open Library
Other story types in Medieval
Looking for a broader list? See Medieval historical fiction or adventure & epic historical fiction.