book recs?

[ivyfic]

I've been learning about the fall of the Roman Empire lately, and I'm really in the mood for some really well-researched books set in fifth century England. Since there are some book philes on my list, anyone have any recs? Do people even write books about England just after the Romans withdrew? Romance, adventure, fantasy would all be fine.

Comments

[sasha-b.livejournal.com]

YES! Sword At Sunset by Rosemary Sutcliff. Amazing stuff.

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

Oo--thanks for the rec! I admit Merlin being back and the King Arthur movie are influences on my interest, but you can't claim that either are well-researched or historically accurate...

Do you have any other recommendations fo books set in the early Middle Ages? Like, pre-Norman Britain, but stuff set elsewhere in Europe during the time when barbarian invasions were destroying the Roman Empire would be good too. I'm looking for well-written, and a really detailed and accurate evocation of the place. Lots of stuff is set in the high middle ages, but there really isn't much set before the Battle of Hastings. I mean, wouldn't it be interesting to write about the Visigoths or the Carilingians? But nobody does...

[oblvndrgn.livejournal.com]

The closest I can think of that is worth reading is The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet, which is after the battle of hastings by a century or so.

[jethrien.livejournal.com]

Justinian's Flea has some treatment of the Visigoths, but it's really from a political/military angle with the interests of explaining the fall of the Roman Empire. I suspect you're looking for more sociological detail than it has. A Distant Mirror, Life in a Medieval Castle, and Life in a Medieval City are all very interesting, but I suspect aim later than you're looking for.

I feel like I might have a couple books on my shelf that talk a bit about when the Germanic tribes were first converting to Christianity. They were focused mostly on the lives of a couple notable women at the time (St. Radegund, I think?). Might be worth a look.

[cubby-t-bear.livejournal.com]

Not England really, but Eagle in the Snow was from that era.

[star7166.livejournal.com]

I know that this is totally the wrong Roman Era, but the Masters of Rome series by Colleen McCullough is the first thing that jumped to mind when I saw your post.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_of_Rome has more information on it.
Unfortunately it's about fall of the Roman Republic rather than the empire, but I'd still highly recommend it (maybe on the to read in the future list).