Books like The Dragon and the Raven

A rousing, old-fashioned adventure of chivalry, sea battles, and the forging of a nation against the backdrop of Viking invasions. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with The Dragon and the Raven.

rousing
perilous
martial
triumphant

01
The Last Kingdom
Bernard Cornwell · 2004
A visceral, mud-and-blood-soaked plunge into the brutal clash of cultures and the heavy cost of divided loyalties.
Feels:
- mud-spattered
- blood-soaked
- harsh
02
Beric the Briton
G. A. Henty · 1996
A sweeping, old-fashioned historical epic that thrusts you into the clash between ancient British tribes and the might of the Roman Empire.
Shares:
- rousing
- triumphant
- earnest
- heroic
03
The Boy Knight
G. A. Henty · 1880
A classic, sweeping historical adventure that thrusts a young hero into the perils and pageantry of the Crusades.
Shares:
- perilous
- earnest
- heroic
- didactic
04
The Pale Horseman
Bernard Cornwell · 2006
A mud-splattered, blood-soaked plunge into the brutal shield-walls of ninth-century England, driven by a fiercely cynical warrior torn between two worlds.
Feels:
- mud-slicked
- bleak
- tense
05
The King's Shadow
Elizabeth Alder
A sweeping, muddy, and deeply felt journey of a silenced boy finding his true voice amidst the clash of medieval kings.
Shares:
- earnest
- loyalty and duty
06
King Solomon's Mines
Henry Rider Haggard · 2000
A sun-baked, perilous trek into uncharted territory where ancient mysteries and unimaginable wealth await those brave enough to survive the journey.
Shares:
- perilous
- earnest
07
The Lantern Bearers
Rosemary Sutcliff · 1998
A sweeping, windswept epic about holding onto the light when the world you know is ending.
Shares:
- earnest
08
Beowulf
Michael Morpurgo
A thrilling, accessible plunge into ancient myth where legendary heroes clash with terrifying monsters in the dark.
Shares:
- triumphant
- earnest
- heroic
09
The Viking Adventure
Clyde Robert Bulla · 1963
A brisk, sea-swept historical journey that celebrates both the thrill of exploration and the quiet power of writing it all down.
Shares:
- earnest
10
The hammer and the cross
Harry Harrison
A speculative historical epic where the old gods of the North rise to challenge the spread of a new faith.
Feels:
- mythic
- tense
- atmospheric
11
Lord Of Raven's Peak
Catherine Coulter · 1994
A sweeping, old-school Viking romance where fierce banter and hidden identities ignite a passionate battle of wills.
Feels:
- rugged
- passionate
- windswept
12
Beowulf
Rosemary Sutcliff · 1994
A firelit, blood-soaked retelling of an ancient legend that pits shining heroism against the creeping dark.
Shares:
- heroic

Back to The Dragon and the Raven