Where Have all the Medievals Gone? – AND a Contest!
I’ve enjoyed historical fiction for as long as I can remember,but it was only in the early 1990s that I started reading historical romance in earnest. As a broke student, used bookstores were my main source of books and these allowed me to range across all kinds of different time and place settings(though I quickly learned that many of the older “You’re a slut!” “Oh, you were a virgin. Now I love you.” books were definitely not my thing). Though I love visiting many time periods, medieval romances quickly became my favorites.
I blame E.L. Konigsberg and Norah Lofts for this. In middle school, I discovered A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver as well as The Maude Reed Tale. Even though I knew from my reading that the Middle Ages were a difficult time in which to live, these two books drew me in. The sweeping epic that was Eleanor of Aquitaine’s life fired my imagination, and mindset of the medieval world seemed so very exotic to me. The history and the huge personalities of the time made me daydream quite a lot.
What’s not to catch the imagination about the Middle Ages? The mixture of faith and earthiness, light and darkness, and the huge social and political upheavals of the time make for intriguing story material – and I’m more than happy to gloss over the less attractive facts of the period in order to enjoy my characters. In the Middle Ages, it seems to me that heroes and heroines truly could be larger than life. The daring feats of knights in battle could become the stuff of legend (and of romance!), and some of the women’s stories lend themselves well to big, sweeping romantic epics. Think of the ladies who defended the castle while the knights were away, or of the women who accompanied husbands on political missions and trade journeys. Not to mention all the changes wrought as countries rose and fell, and entire social systems were altered forever in the years following the Black Death, just to mention a couple of things. There’s a lot of great material to be found.
And it used to be an easy fascination to feed. Between new releases and the USBs, I found Roberta Gellis, Marsha Canham, Laura Kinsale, Rexanne Becnel and Julie Garwood. And it seemed like the major publishing houses released new medievals every month. Up until that point, I had never known anything other than a varied selection of settings, so it never occurred to me that one day books like this would be difficult to find.
Gradually, I started to notice fewer medieval settings, though. If I stuck to the major releases in Borders, I could only find one every few months by 2005 or so. Authors I used to read switched time periods or left the historical market all together. Harlequin Historicals has remained a reliable source for medieval romance, but it has otherwise gotten very hard to locate them. In addition, many of the books that I do find are either humorous and wallpapery, which can be good in small doses but lack a certain sense of place, or they seem more like fantasy/paranormal books than proper historicals. Some of these can be very good, such as Carrie Lofty’s What a Scoundrel Wants, which I enjoyed last year. However, these still don’t fill that desire for a substantial, meaty medieval read.
Thankfully, as I look further afield, I’m starting to find more medievals at smaller publishers such as Leisure or Medallion, or some of the ebook publishers. It’s still a challenge to find medieval romances, but I keep hoping that the lure of this complex time and the creative, strong people who made it will draw more authors and readers. There are many fresh plots out there just waiting to be written, so long live the medieval!
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AND…when I was bemoaning the lack of good medieval romances out there, one of my AAR colleagues put me in touch with author Catherine Kean. To help get us started on our medieval romance reading, the author has graciously donated a signed copy of her novel, A KNIGHT’S TEMPTATION to be given away and she says,
“I’m often asked to talk about my favorite part of writing medieval romances. Every part of the writing process—including crafting interesting characters, an authentic setting, and a page-turning plot—is important to me, but I especially love creating that delicious tension between my hero and heroine. Some scenes I can’t WAIT to write, because I can practically see the sparks zipping from my computer keyboard….I hope you enjoy A Knight’s Temptation as much as I loved writing it for you.”
To enter the contest, simply comment below with the title of your favorite medieval romance between now and 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 24, 2009. Good luck!
-Lynn Spencer
My very favorite Medieval series was written by Brenda Joyce. The first book was The Conqueror and it was the start of the De Warrene Saga which carried forward with many books in different eras. Reading The Conqueror was my first romance novel in decades and she got me hooked on the whole genre. If she should write another one today, I would rush to buy it. I think it’s more the author than the time period. It takes a lot of research to successfully write a book on a period out of our time. These books were hefty too unlike the ones now that are 400 pages.
I love the medieval time period too, if it’s writtten well, and the author has doen his or her research propoerly. Like meny of you, I started out on Katherine by Anya Seton. I loved it as a teenager, and I’ve read a lot of good ones since. I would note two things here: one is the misapprehension among many of you that medieval people “”hardly ever bathed””. If you know anything about the period, this isn’t true. Which leads me into the second thing, which is why there are fewer medieval romances or other medieval-themed books around at the present time: most people who write these things unfortuately especially most romance writers, don’t do much research into the period they’re writing about. Just this morning, while having been accidentally dumped into shopping, I came across a romance that was supposed to take place in Anglo-Saxon times. The apparent hero had some name like “”Wulfson””, which would never have been anyone’s name unless they were known as something likie Edward Wulfson. They would have had a name like Wulfhere or something similar. If they were “”continental”” it would have been Rolf or Ranulf or again, something similar. Same thing for the woman, who had a name like “”Tamora””,which sounded like she was born in some suburb to excessively “”ditzy”” parents! I knew, when I saw the names, that wahtever the author was writing about, she did only the most superficial research into the period she was writing about.l Too bad. If she’d taken the trouble to pay more attention to such details, I might have taken a longer look.
Anne G
Im a big fan of Julie Garwood’s works
I can’t believe that no one so far has mentioned Anita Mills great, medievel series: Lady of Fire, Fire and Steel, Hearts of Fire and The Fire and the Fury. This series has everything even great villians.
I think my favorite medieval book is ‘Candle in the Window’ by Christina Dodd. This historical time period is not my current favorite and I don’t read them like I used to. I do have TBR books by Madeline Hunter & Mary Jo Putney that fall into that time period.
As a teenager, I read and re-read Norah Lofts’ multi-generational house stories, and Katherine [the best historical romance ever.]
Most historical romances are jarringly anachronistic. I appreciate the writers who can make an alien mindset come alive with internal logic. Religious faith mixed with violence and treachery… Laura Kinsale’s For My Lady’s Heart and Claudia Dain’s The Holding are among the most compelling books I have read recently.
Among my favorite medievals are the series by Claudia Dain which includes The Holding, The Marriage Bed, and The Willing Wife. Great heroes and tortured heroines. Also Julie Garwood’s Ransom which has the best hero, Brodick. Would love to win the book!
I love historical romances, and the Medieval period is one of my favorites. Nicole Jordan’s THE WARRIOR is a wonderful Medieval. I also loved all of Julie Garwood’s books and A KINGDOM OF DREAMS by Judith McNaught.
Katherine by Anya Seton. As a young girl, I loved the historical fiction (his medieval settings) by Thomas B. Costain. Post-college, I began my “”modern”” reading of medieval romances with the whole Roselynde series by Roberta Gellis. I love Elizabeth Elliott as well. I have to admit I haven’t been drawn to medievals in quite a while but wouldn’t mind giving them another chance.
The Wolf and the Dove
Heart of the Dove by Tina St. John; Julie Garwood’s The Bride; Madeline Hunter’s By Arrangement; and Dance of Desire by Catherine Kean!
Dorothy Dunnett. All books. especially the Lymond series, starting with Checkmate. Crisp precise writing, not guff or fluff. Exciting complex plots, action for all genders. Strong smart heroes and heroines. Readers are assumed to have a brain.
I really like to read historicals and especially medievals. I don;t remember the names of the ones I have read but I enjoyed the early books of Roberta Gellis, Bertrice Small, and Marsha Canham. There were a couple by Johanna Lindsey too. My all time favorite was vy Judith McNaught- A Kngdom of Dreams
My very first favorite medieval was Taming the Wolf by Deborah Simmons. I love de Burge brothers and their father.
I was thrilled to find there would be a new de Burge book near future!
My other favorites are By Possession and By Arrangement by Madeline Hunter. I prefer meaty medievals.
I have not read but one midevil novel that I know about. My daughter however loves that period as I had to make a renassiance wedding dress for her in 2002. I still have it hanging in my closet and her and her husband split up two years ago.
I am open to reading them and even reviewing them.
Enter me to win.
I am a visitor to Cathering Kean’s website often.
I love Madeline Hunter’s early medievals as well as Elizabeth Lowell’s Untamed/Forbidden/Enchanted series. I am always looking for new ones.
I miss medievals too! My favorite is For My Lady’s Heart by Laura Kinsale. It’s just about perfect. Thanks.
Elizabeth Lowell’s Untamed. I’ve just started reading medievals, so I am glad to see everyone else’s favorites. I will have a lot to choose from.
Oh, I love this subject, and I agree entirely that we need more great medievals, and not just b/c I have my debut medieval, The Conqueror, coming out in a few weeks from Kensington. :-)
Like Terry said near the top of the comments, I was totally hooked on the Brother Cadfael series. The first medieval romance I read was Marsha Canham, Through A Dark Mist, and loved it.
Oh, and I do believe Jill Barnett is working on another medieval. :-)
Kris
Lynn: This is a great subject.
After a very quick search…out of all the authors mentioned in this thread so far – 14 of them are currently releasing medievals. And as a result of so many posters listing their favorites, I now have a medieval TBR list of current and past medievals that will last me a long while! Thanks!
I love historicals the women and men seem so much stronger. My favorite are the Angelique novels written by Sergeanne Golon.
There is nothing like a good Medieval. My favorite is Ransom by Julie Garwood. I loved Brodick Buchanan as the hero. It is hard to pick a favorite as Julie Garwood wrote so many very good ones. Another favorite is her book The Secret.
I love all kinds of books and that includes Medieval ones.i would love to win her book .the medieval times make you wonder how people made it true the hard times and still some times find happiness.
Medievals are my all time favs. I loved The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodwiss. Johanna Lindsays’ early ’80s are also on my list. I haven’t been reading lately because of doing more things with my children, but I have made a list of titles that I plan to read at my first opportunity.
For finding medievals now, haunt the mystery shelves. Many of the series have romances built in, as well as dealing with issues such as anti-Semitism, Catharism, and the like.
Or you can always go back and read Maurice Druon and Zoe Oldenbourg, although they don’t have the obligatory HEA of the romance genre. Both provide a very rich reading experience.
My first romance author was Lynn Kurland and I still read her books the moment they are released (one due out next week!). Kurland combines medieval and time travel which are my two favorite genres.
Some of my faves are:
Lisa Cach – The Changling Bride, George and the Virgin
Jude Deveraux – A Knight in Shining Armor
Sandra Hill – Very Virile Viking
Laura Kinsale – For My Lady’s Heart
Lynn Kurland – This is All I Ask
R Garcia y Robertson – Knight Errant, Lady Robyn, White Rose (although he didn’t finish the series!?!?)
I also like my romance on the “hot” side, so if I can find a medieval, English, time travel, grade A, hot romance, I’m in heaven!
There are so many good suggestions here – I’m making a long list.
I like to read medieval romances every so often as a break from the ones set during the early nineteenth century (the majority, it seems, of historical romances). My favorite series (so far) is the Rosecliffe series by Rexanne Becnel–check your local UBS, as I think it’s out of print. I also enjoyed “”Uncommon Vows”” by Mary Jo Putney, which, as far as I know, is her sole foray into the medieval time frame. On my TBR list are the series by Jo Beverley and Madeline Hunter!
Lynn Kurland comes to mind first thing. Who can resist a good time travel romance? Carol Umberger is really good too, though I’m not sure that’s quite medievel. I’m kind of sketchy on the dates. I’ll have to re-read those books. :-)
I read all eras indiscriminately. I have two favorite medievals, Shari Anton’s Once a Bride, and Jennifer Roberson’s Lady of the Forest. Lady of the Forest is technically a Robin Hood novel (still set in the middle ages!), but if focuses alot on the relationship between Robin and Marion, which makes me think of it as a romance. I do enjoy Madeline Hunter’s novels as well.
The one objection I have to medievals is not a questions of the lack of hygeine, it’s the lack of disease! The miraculous-oddball-midwife-heals-all annoys me alot. But it applies to historicals across the board, so I don’t let it stop me…
My favorite medieval is The Wolf And The Dove!
Hi Catherine,
It’s Mel. Of course I enjoy your books immensely! I also like medievals by Shana Abe, Claire Delacroix, Brenda Joyce, Lynn Kurland and Joyce DiPastena. LOYALTY’S WEB by the latter is really good. Have you read it?
Hope we can chat on the phone soon. I’ll send my sis or mother to your next signing at B&N on Sand Lake. :-)
I do enjoy medieval romances but have found that writers rarely just write that time period. Several years ago Madeline Hunter has a series of them and they are some of my favorite books with By Arrangement being my favorite of them all.
I don’t read much medieval romance. But I am devouring medieval mysteries. Ellis Peters is good (sorry, no sex). Although Brother Cadfael is the main character, the mystery usually involves a couple trying to beat the odds. Her writing is like chocolate. I also enjoy Maureen Ash and discovered a new writer, Cassandra Clark.
My all time favorite Medieval is The Wolf and The Dove but Katherine E Woodwiss
I think of myself as not liking Medievals much, but so many of the ones mentioned here are favorites of mine – Wicked and Dark Champion and the Kinsales. And Lord of My Heart by Beverley. And did anyone mention Uncommon Vows by Mary Jo Putney? Oooo, and Anne Stuart’s Lord of Danger. If I had to choose one favorite though, it would be Lord of a Thousand Nights by Madeline Hunter. And then there’s her By Arrangement and By Possession… sigh. Go back to medievals, Madeline!
The medieval period is my absolute favorite. For many years it was all I read, (including Dark Ages Vikings). Hands down my favorite is The Wolf and The Dove, which was the first medieval I read…a perfect book. Claudia Dain wrote several great medievals, among them The Holding, The Marriage Bed and To Burn (Dark Ages). Johanna Lindsay’s medievals written in the 80s and early 90s were also good, as are Elizabeth Lowell’s trilogy Enchanted, Forbidden and *hm, I can’t remember the name, but it was great*.
I’d love to win a copy of A Knight’s Temptation…it’s always nice discovering a new author.
It is very hard to pick just one. I guess my favorite is “”The Warlord”” by Elizabeth Elliott followed by “”Betrothed””. I also love Julie Garwood’s medievals. Then there’s Simon of Navarre in “”Lord Of Danger”” by Anne Stuart.
I love medievals, they are my favorite. I don’t think I could just pick one. There is something about the larger than life characters and setting that provides the right amount escapism that I like. A good medieval to me is like comfort food without the calories. My favorites are Julie Garwood’s Saving Grace, The Wedding, and Honors Splendor. I also love Hannah Howell. Her Highland series is great, especially Highland Wolf, Highland Fire, and Beauty and the Beast.
I haven’t read a good medieval in ages … yes, the poor hygiene would definitely be concerning if you lived in that time, but I guess you have to put those thoughts aside to enjoy these types of stories. It’s kind of like watching “”Braveheart”” or Heath Ledger in “”A Knight’s Tale””: you’re pretty sure that some major details are not quite historically accurate, e.g. princesses with punky colored hairstyles, etc. Although some authors do seem to get it mostly right: Roberta Gellis, especially with Bond of Blood. I also enjoyed Suzanne Robinson’s Lady Gallant, which is more of an Elizabethan era novel, and while very rich in historical detail, features a hero who personality wise isn’t much different from the rock stars of today, say Mick Jagger.
Betina Krahn also wrote a few really good medievals: they were frothy in tone, but rooted in history. I also second the recommendation of Ariana Franklin’s Mistress of the Art of Death series, and Marsha Canham. After reading the first book in Franklin’s series, I hankered for a meaty, history-rich medieval romance, and I re-read Marsha Canham’s Robin Hood trilogy quite frequently.
Would love to try a new medieval author. For recommendations, I suggest The Wild Hunt by Elizabeth Chadwick and Bride of the Lion by Elizabeth Stuart.
I love Wicked by Jill Barnett- you can almost see the sparks flying off the page when Sophia and Tobin are together! And I just bought a couple of Judith McNaught medievals, I can’t wait to check those out based on all of the comments!
Madeline Hunter wrote several great medievals early in her career. By Arrangement is my favorite. Jo Beverley also wrote several medievals that I reread often. Dark Champion and Lord of Midnight are great!
I rarely read Medievals because the time period just doesn’t appeal to me. The people in reality were pockmarked from small pox and had poor hygiene. I make an exception, though, with two authors, Traci Hall and Catherine Kean. Both write believable and exciting Medieval romances, and I’d love to win THE KNIGHT’S TEMPTATION since I’ve read the previous KNIGHT books! But if I don’t, rest assured I will buy a copy. Catherine’s the bomb!
“”The Wolf and the Dove”” and ALL of Julie Garwood’s. I would love to see Lisa Kleypas do one. What other authors would you like to see write a medieval?
I’m not ordinarily a fan of medievals, but I do love Madeline Hunter’s. Especially By Design, which offered a glimpse into the world of “”regular people”” who work for a living, something I thought was very unusual, especially for a medieval. The hero was a mason, not a knight or lord, and the heroine worked as a tiler.
I read all kinds of books but I do have a soft spot for medievals. I wish more were published. I am glad Harlequin Historicals realize other time periods do exist. I was really beginning to dislike the Regency era.
Betty
I adored Laura Kinsale’s “”For My Lady’s Heart””. At first the semi-medieval language threw me off kilter, but then I realized that if I said the words aloud I knew exactly what they meant, and very quickly I got into the rhythm of the language. Ruck is that rarity in romantic fiction (which tends to focus on bad boy heroes): a completely good and honorable man who is also intriguing and extremely attractive. Melanthe is experienced and at first seems cold, but as the truth comes out your heart breaks for her.
I’m currently following Ariana Franklin’s Mistress of the Art of Death series, which is mystery rather than romance, but I’m enjoying them both for the mysteries themselves and for the description of Henry II’s efforts to modernize the English judicial system. Franklin wrote a number of other medievals under her real name, Diana Norman, which I’ve also enjoyed (although some remain unread because they’re OOP and outrageously expensive).
As for missing teeth, I’d think that dental health might not have been so bad back then. No dentists, but no candy bars or refined starches either.
Love Madeline Hunter’s medievals, wish she’d do more; Kurland’s mix of medieval with ghosts, McNaught’s A Kingdom of Dreams, Garwood (Saving Grace, The Bride, The Secret), Jo Beverley’s Lord of Midnight.
Medallion does have some good authors thankfully. I read Kean’s A Knight’s Vengeance, loved that one and want to read more; Paula Quinn is another to check out, and for renaissance romance, TJ Bennett.
Medievals are also my favorite and I’ve read so many and the only way I could narrow it down would be to say Kathleen Woodiwiss (of course) and Julie Garwood have written some of the best medievals ever. I want to totally get lost in the fantasy when I read and the more it’s different from today’s life the better :)