Open Books 2024: Books set in the Middle Ages

The Open Books Reading Challenge is a year-long reading challenge for people interested in pushing the boundaries of their reading. For full details of the program, please check-out our page at: https://www.rplmn.org/books-more/discover-more/open-books-reading-challenge

This list is to help you find books that fit the 2024 category of "Books set in the Middle Ages."

Happy Reading!

Updated December 18, 2023
RPL Staff
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Flame in the mist
Ahdieh, Rene?e
Paper Book
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn, comes a sweeping, action-packed YA adventure set against the backdrop of Feudal Japan where Mulan meets Throne of Glass.   "[A] fun feudal samurai drama. . .action...
The Canterbury tales
Chaucer, Geoffrey
Paper Book
During his life, Geoffrey Chaucer (bornc.1340) was courtier, diplomat, revenue collector, administrator, negotiator,overseer of building projects, landowner and knight of the shire.  He was servant, retainer, husband, friend andfather, but is now mainly known as a poet and 'the father of...
Manuscript found in Accra
Coelho, Paulo
Paper Book
A beautiful book of simple yet powerful wisdom for anyone who loved THE SECRET or THE CELESTINE PROPHECY the brilliant new novel from the #1 internationally best-selling author of the Alchemist. In Paulo Coelho's signature style, this short volume offers inspiration, solace,...
1356 : a novel
Cornwell, Bernard
Paper Book
Bernard Cornwell, the "master of martial fiction" (Booklist), brings Thomas of Hookton from the popular Grail Quest series into a new adventure in 1356, a thrilling stand-alone novel. On September 19, 1356, a heavily outnumbered English army faced off against the French in the historic Battle of...
The last kingdom
Cornwell, Bernard
Paper Book
The first book in the epic and bestselling series that has gripped millions. A hero will be forged from this broken land. As seen on Netflix and BBC around the world. In a land torn apart by conflict, an orphan boy has come of age....
The Beatryce prophecy
DiCamillo, Kate
Paper Book
The pillars of the Earth
Follett, Ken
Paper Book
A spellbinding epic tale of ambition, anarchy, and absolute power set against the sprawling medieval canvas of twelfth-century England, this is Ken Follett's classic historical masterpiece.The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven...
The Vatican princess : a novel of Lucrezia Borgia
Gortner, C. W.
Paper Book
For fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, bestselling author C. W. Gortner effortlessly weaves history and drama in this captivating novel about one of the world's most notorious families. Glamorous and predatory, the Borgias fascinated and terrorized fifteenth-century Renaissance Italy, and...
The king's curse [large print]
Gregory, Philippa.
Paper Book
A #1 New York Times Bestselling AuthorThe final novel in the Cousins' War seriesRegarded as yet another threat to the volatile King Henry VII's claim to the throne, Margaret is buried in marriage to a steady and kind Tudor supporter -- Sir Richard Pole, governor of Wales. But her quiet life is...
The buried giant
Ishiguro, Kazuo
Paper Book
From the author of Never Let Me Go and the Booker Prize-winning The Remains of the Day   The Romans have long since departed and Britain is steadily declining into ruin. But, at least, the wars that once ravaged the country have ceased. Axl...
A hero born
Jin, Yong
Paper Book
"China. The year is 1200. The Song Empire has been defeated in the north by invading Jurchen forces. Pushed further south, the empire is in danger of collapse and the Chinese population is furious. Now it falls to lone patriots trained in the martial arts to save China. Guo Jing's father was one...
Powers and thrones : a new history of the Middle Ages
Jones, Dan
Paper Book
The instant Sunday Times bestseller A Times, New Statesman and Spectator Book of the Year 'Simply the best popular history of the Middle Ages there is' Sunday Times 'A great achievement, pulling together many strands...
The tale of Genji : abridged
Murasaki Shikibu
Paper Book
An abridged edition of the world's first novel, in a translation that is "likely to be the definitive edition . . . for many years to come" (The Wall Street Journal) A Penguin Classic Written in the eleventh century, this exquisite portrait of courtly...
She who became the sun
Parker-Chan, Shelley
Paper Book
Two-time British Fantasy Award Winner Astounding Award Winner Lambda Literary Award Finalist Hugo Award Finalist Locus Award Finalist A Dragon Award Finalist Otherwise Award Finalist "Magnificent in every...
A morbid taste for bones
Peters, Ellis
Paper Book
Femina : a new history of the Middle ages, through the women written out of it
Ramirez, Janina
Paper Book
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER LONGLISTED FOR THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE 'Revelatory' GUARDIAN 'A firecracker somehow captured between two covers' LUCY WORSLEY An instant bestseller and one of the most celebrated history books...

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