I thoroughly enjoyed Shellabarger’s “Prince of Foxes”, set in Italy during the Renaissance. I think it was fairly lighthearted, but maybe someone who read it more recently can correct me if my memory is off. A friend of mine reviewed it as “a register of Italian names”, so you know its got to be good. Must be 30 years since I read it and it was the first book that came to mind so it did have an impact on me even if it failed to catch the fancy of my friend. My suspicion is that he failed to read past the first chapter as the rest of the book has adventures and excitement aplenty.

Here is my assortment of recommendations.

The greatest classic of the genre: Ivanhoe. Written in the 1800s, it feel its age, but to some (i.e. me and hopefully others) it just add to the charm. So much adventure on a very romanticized medieval background.

The Arthurian cycles: if you are not looking for historical accuracy are are fine with a little magic sprinkled around. Many authors retold the legends, there are the old french novels (by Chrétien de Troyes - a bit stiff at times and formulaic) or the more modern ones. My personal favorite is the cycle by Mary Stewart, but “The Once and Future King”* is also really good.

An adventurous take on the fall of the Roman Empir: The last Legion by V M Manfredi*.

A view on the life of common people during the middle ages, developed around a compelling plot: the quadrilogy by Valeria Montaldi.

The ones you can’t overlook: Pillar of the Earth by Ken Follett and Cathedral of the Sea by Idelfonso Flacones. Flavor-wise I felt they were very similar, a broad cast of characters with strong emotions moving on the backdrop of the gothic revolution. Particularly good if you like architecture.

*: YA, all others are “adult” novels.