Books like Brethren — picked by fans

I have always been fascinated by medieval history, but I became interested in this particular era after reading this book and learning about the German Order of Swordbrothers (Schwertbrüderorden). 

What intrigued me was that they were a small Order, not very pious or saintly. They were unorthodox and argued constantly with Bishop Albert, the leader of the Christian mission. They were a rough and ready lot, acting more like brigands than warrior monks. One of the brothers murdered the first master, and they locked up their second master when he tried to exert more control over their behavior. Over time, they were accused of almost every crime.

I loved Christiansen’s book, which opened a new world of discovery. He writes in a witty, easy-to-read style that hooked me from the beginning.

This is an action-packed book that tells the story of Ferdia, an Irish noble, who is held as a hostage in Wales to ensure the good behavior of his father. He faces relentless bullying and persecution before saving the life of King Richard III and entering his court, where he becomes the king’s squire. The action continues in France as Richard attempts to put down a rebellion, but the larger threat to Ferdia himself turns out to be a member of King Richard’s own family.

The book has all the ingredients of an epic historical adventure, with thrilling action, relentless battles, and intrigue. I particularly enjoyed Kane’s vivid description of the 12th-century world and the authentic period details. The series continues with Crusader and King.

I first read this book over thirty years ago and it is set during the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars in Southern France. There is a major love and romance element to the plot that sees Roland, a troubadour, pitted against his half-brother Amalric.

I bought the book second-hand and have read it a few times over the years. Beforehand, I knew very little about the brutal Inquisition and the Albigensian Crusade in particular, and this book ignited my interest in a period not often covered in historical fiction. I would recommend it to anyone interested in this little-known period of history.

William Urban is an American history professor who specializes in the Baltic Crusades. He is probably the pre-eminent English-speaking historian on this subject and has written many other books–mostly on this theme or the Teutonic Knights. I particularly enjoy his no-nonsense writing style. The book has proven invaluable in my own research as it just concentrates on the Crusade in Livonia and Estonia in the first half of the 13th century–as well as showing the other political events taking place in Germany at the time. 

Urban was a great help to my own book. He kindly read an earlier draft of Sword Brethren and gave me some crucial historical advice. He has also agreed to read the next book in the series early in 2025, and I await his opinion with anticipation.

I fell in love with the irrepressible Pagan as soon as I read this book. It’s difficult to imagine that life with the Knights Templar at the time of the Crusades was highly amusing – but despite the wealth of knowledge and detail that informs this book, it is wry and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny. Who wouldn’t love Pagan’s favorite curse: "Christ in a cream cheese sauce’?" 

Regina Pernoud is one of my favorite scholars on the Middle Ages generally. Her books, Those Terrible Middle Ages: Debunking the Myths, and Women in the Days of the Cathedrals, are witty and well-aimed attacks against ignorance and prejudice.

In this book on the Knights Templar, she takes on with verve the many myths and misconceptions about the Templars. I particularly loved her analysis of Templar architecture, which starts with looking at the more than 9,000 Templar commanderies across Western Europe and their humble agricultural character.

Her chapter on the Templars’ banking activities is really more a dissection of the myth about Templar wealth and is completely compelling. All in all, this is a book that brings you back to reality and away from the silly conspiracy theories that still dominate so much literature about the Templars. 

This is a detailed study of what life would have been like at the Templars’ commandery at Temple Balsall in Warwickshire.

Its author, Eileen Gooder, was a leading scholar in local history and an expert on the Templars in England. The book is based on her unparalleled knowledge of the inventories that King Edward II of England ordered to be made of the Templars’ estates when the Templars were arrested in England in 1308 and the accounts kept by the royal officials who ran those estates until 1313.

Gooder also reconstructed the trial proceedings against the Balsall Templars and what became of them, and their English brethren, after the trial. This is an excellent, short, readable, and reliable introduction to the Templars’ lives in Europe.

Where did the Templars get the resources to build and maintain castles in the Holy Land and carry on their warfare against the enemies of Christendom? This book focuses on the Templars’ extensive properties in Lincolnshire, England, to show how the Templars generated wealth from their vast estates across Europe.

Using the Templars’ own record of their English holdings in 1185 and the English government records from the Templar trial period, 1308–13, Jefferson produces a fascinating study of Templar land- and people-management, showing that the Templars were at least as effective as farmers and managers as they were as warriors. He then takes the story on through the Hospitallers’ administration of the estates until the sixteenth century.

If you want to get to grips with real Templar life, read this book.

Alain Demurger is the world’s leading expert on the French Templars during the trial of the Order.

This book, originally published as La Persécution des Templiers Journal (1307–1314), narrates the events of the Templars’ trial as they unfolded day by day, allowing readers to follow the twists and turns in proceedings. I confess that I read the French edition of this book, but I’m sure that the English version is just as compelling!

Alain Demurger has also written an excellent history of the Templars and assembled a reference guide to all the Templars in France during the trial – but these are not available in English.

I blame Dan Brown, but mention the Templars and you are usually met with a glazed look, as if you’re about to share your favourite conspiracy theory. William Watson’s book is a class, if not a universe, apart from Brown and co. It is an almost unbearably vivid re-creation of the world of the crusader kingdoms, and the corruption at the heart of Europe that first sustained and then destroyed their knightly protectors. In spare, unshowy prose, Watson demonstrates the darker side of the Middle Ages, in all its forbidding glory.