15th to 8th Century | england-history

Raven of the Waves by Michael Cadnum (AD 749)

Seventeen-year-old Lidsmod leaves his home in Northland (Norway) and joins the other Viking warriors on board the Raven. His training that teaches him to stifle his feelings is tested when they reach England where they pillage the medieval villages and slaughter the Anglo-Saxons.

The Edge on the Sword by Rebecca Tingle (AD 888)

Fifteen-year-old AEthelflaed, eldest daughter of King Alfred, king of the West Saxons, is betrothed to Ethelred of Mercia. AEthelflaed is given a bodyguard, Red, who follows her everywhere, much to her dismay, as he has been assigned to do. She must be protected and eventually escorted to her new husband. But a surprise attack by the Danes leads Red to teach and train AEthelflaed to battle like a man, something that remains with her throughout her life. Based on the greatest heroine in Old English military history.

The King's Shadow by Elizabeth Alder (1063-1066)

Set in England. A young Welsh serf named Evyn encounters tragedy and betrayal when his father is murdered and he is left mute. His uncle sells him into slavery but Evyn makes the best of it. Despite the fact that his tongue has been cut out, he still manages to learn how to read and write. In time he becomes squire to Harold Godwinson, King of England. Evyn comes to love the king who regards the youth as his foster son. This story wraps up with the Battle of Hastings, a battle that changed the future of England.

The Striped Ships by Eloise McGraw (1066)
Set in England when Duke William of Normandy's ships land on the beach of Pevensey. An eleven-year- old girl and her nine-year-old brother must fend for themselves as they make their escape to Canterbury. Woven into this backdrop is the story of the famous Bayeux Tapestry.

The Winter Hare by Joan E. Goodman (1140)

Set in London, England. This story is based on an actual historical event and person, Empress Matilda who was named Lady of England by her father, Henry I; and a fictitious character named Will Belet, a twelve-year-old boy who wants to become a knight in her majesty's forces. Stephen of Blois, Matilda's cousin, wants the throne. Will plays an integral role in the life of this queen as she battles against her evil cousin. Robert of Gloucester, her half brother, comes to her aid but cannot subdue the irrevocable forces of the enemy. Will looks to Henry II to continue the fight and become England's eventual successor to the throne.

Lionheart's Scribe by Karleen Bradford (1190-1192)

King Richard of England and King Philip of France are meeting in the city of Messina, Sicily before they and their armies set out to recapture the Holy Land. Fifteen-year-old Matthew, a lowly and crippled scribe, is swept up in the excitement of the impending Third Crusade. He manages to get on board one of the ships and in due time is consigned as scribe to King Richard the Lionheart. Matthew's innocence is about to be crushed as the stark reality of the upcoming battles draw near.

The Book of the Lion by Michael Cadnum (1191)

At the onset of the Third Crusade, seventeen-year-old Edmund and his master, a maker of coins for the king, have been charged with counterfeiting. Edmund's punishment has been spared by the intervention of a knight. However, to redeem his soul and not lose his hand, he must accompany the knight as his squire to the Holy Land and join the ranks of King Richard the Lionhearted and his Crusaders.

The Leopard Sword & The Dragon Throne by Michael Cadnum (sequels)

Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray (1294)

Set in England. This is a lively story about an eleven-year-old boy whose beloved dog is stolen, and father who is a Minstrel that has disappeared. The boy sets off on the great roads of England looking for both of them in the fairs and market towns along the way.

Girl In A Cage by Jane Yolen & Robert J. Harris (1306)

Eleven-year-old Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert the Bruce, is delighted when her father is crowned King of Scotland. King Edward “Longshanks” of England and his army set out to annihilate the Rebels once and for all. This story mainly focuses on the imprisonment of Marjorie, who is captured, and the humiliation and exposure to the cold that she is subjected to as she is held prisoner in a wooden cage. During her imprisonment, Marjorie refuses to be subdued by the townsfolk’s taunts and garbage throwing nor King Edward’s contempt for her and her father.

The King's Swift Rider by Mollie Hunter (1307-1314)
Sixteen-year-old Martin is drawn into the war between Robert the Bruce and his Scots, and King Edward I "Longshanks" of England. Unlike his older brother, Martin refuses to become a soldier and fight but instead becomes Robert the Bruce's swift rider and eventually one of his most trusted spies. Events are based on historical research.

Matilda Bone by Karen Cushman (1327)
Set in England. Fourteen-year-old Matilda, who has spent her growing up years living at a manor and instructed by Father Leufredus, is now left in the care of Red Peg the Bonesetter. This is a 180 degree turn in lifestyle for young Matilda, and one she has great difficulty adjusting to. A fascinating and humorous read full of impeccable information about medieval medicine.

Men of Iron by Howard Pyle (1407)
Set during Henry IV's time. This is a story about a young man who is the son of a lord unjustly disgraced for treason. He finally avenges his father and wins the favour and friendship of the king.

The Boy They Made King by David Scott Daniell (1486)

Set in late-medieval England–--King Henry VII's time. A true story about Lambert Simnel, the boy who was found by a priest in Oxford; taken away to be taught and trained to act the part of a prince; and finally taken to Dublin where he was anointed and crowned King Edward VI. The whole adventure culminates in the Battle of Stoke Field the following year.

Historical Fiction of England