Our Superlative List of the Best Medieval Horror Books

Ah, medieval horror. It's the genre that just keeps giving - and taking away sleep in equal measure. Whether it's gruesome torture scenes or eerie supernatural encounters, there's something deliciously chilling about reading stories set in a time when life was brutish and short (and your chances of dying horribly were much higher). So if you're looking to add some spooky historical flavor to your reading list, look no further than these top picks for the best medieval horror books.

From mind-bending psychological thrillers to blood-soaked action-packed epics, this list has got everything you need to scratch that creepy itch. Just be prepared for nightmares...and maybe invest in some nightlights while you're at it.

Delve into the Dark Ages: Our Curated List of Medieval Horror Books

Between Two Fires

by Christopher Buehlman

In 1348, a disgraced knight by the name of Thomas finds an innocent young girl who has survived the Black Death alone in a desolate village. She tells him that what they are experiencing is only part of something larger - fallen angels under Lucifer are rising up against God and walking among men to fight their second war on heaven. Despite his skepticism of her claims, he accompanies her across treacherous terrain to Avignon where she will carry out her mission; facing down evil forces responsible for the devastation around them while restoring hope and salvation back into the world. As they journey together amidst the chaos of the fight between good and evil, battling demons and the reanimated dead, the true nature of the girl is revealed. Ultimately leading them into one final battle over nothing less than man's own soul...

Howls from the Dark Ages: An Anthology of Medieval Horror

The Howl Society Press presents an untold history of the medieval period.

by P.L. McMillan, Brian Evenson, Hailey Piper, Cody Goodfellow, Patrick Barb, Christopher O'Halloran, C.B. Jones, Peter Ong Cook, David Worn, Michelle Tang

Let Howls From the Dark Ages be your guide to discovering untold horrors of medieval history. These eighteen medieval manuscripts take you on a journey through cursed castles, haunted hamlets and mysterious monasteries as tortuous scribes introduce you to ancient demons lurking in wild woodlands.

The authors featured range from new talents set for greatness, like Philippa Evans or Bridget D.Brave, to established names including Christopher Buehlman who introduced this anthology fittingly with an insight into his own epic masterpiece Between Two Fires. Each story will grip you until its grisly end conjuring up nightmarish visions that linger beyond their pages; some particular favorites include Patrick Barb's "King Of Youth vs Knight Of Death", Hailey Piper's "In Thrall To This Good Earth", Christopher O'Halloran's "The Lady of Leer Castle" and Cody Goodfellow's "The Mouth of Hell" - all providing heart-pumping terror that stays with readers long after finishing each tale.

The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane

by Robert E. Howard

Robert E. Howard didn't only create Conan the Cimmerian, he also birthed a new genre known as sword and sorcery that followed in his wake. But before Conan came to life, there was Solomon Kane - an enigmatic mix of Puritan and Cavalier with just a hint of ancient philosophy and pagan belief.

With his soul driven by hunger, Kane set out on quests to right all wrongs and protect those who couldn't fend for themselves; justice being at the core of everything he did. Unpredictable yet resolute in upholding what's right., this newest collection presents us with all stories about the deadly Puritan drawn together into one epic tale spanning sixteenth-century England through untrodden African jungles where no white man has ever dared ventured before.

Brace yourself for some enthralling weird fantasy adventure knit around bloodthirsty demons conjured via dark sorceries wielded by evil-minded men (and women), ghostly hauntings charged on vengeance ultimately standing against Solomon Kane armed with nothing but faith-driven fanaticism plus warrior-grade savagery sculpting his heart!"

Eaters of the Dead

by Michael Crichton

Michael Crichton, author of "Jurassic Park" and "Timeline", brings to you an epic horror novel that will chill your bones. The story is set in 922 A.D., where Ibn Fadlan accompanies a group comprising Viking warriors, back to their village.

However, things take a terrifying turn when they enter the North's frozen landscape - where day is night - full of monsters that slowly rip apart human flesh. As he tries to find ways to fight this gruesome nightmare without any help from his witless companions who blindly follow custom rather than reason; nowhere for him is safe within these beasts' reach...will he make it out alive?

The Enterprise of Death

by Jesse Bullington

In Renaissance Europe, the Spanish Inquisition throws witches on pyres and unleashes a wave of moral confusion across continents. A young African slave becomes an unwilling student to a mysterious necromancer who curses her when she tries to leave his company.

Desperate for salvation from the curse, the apprentice sets out to find a hidden tome that could save her life. What follows is an adventurous journey brimming with unlikely heroes - artist Niklaus Manuel Deutsch, alchemist Dr Paracelsus, and a Dutch mercenary.

As her story is painted on canvas, wooden panel and church walls by the artist Manual at every step. Redemption comes with a high-priced realization; in this horde of macabre magic, death may be the least of her concerns.

Black Monastery

by William Stacey

Viking leader Asgrim is banished for killing a nobleman's son and, yearning for redemption, he sees new hope in finding hidden treasure beneath a monastery on a Frankish island.

But as they say, if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is. The Black Monastery hides not treasures but terrors beyond imagining - demonic entities thirsting for bloodshed and destruction across all medieval Europe!

Can anyone stop them? With help coming from Alda - an excommunicated witch cast adrift by her own people - what little chance still stands before impending doom may seem slim at best.

The graphic battle scenes alone draw the reader into incredible depths of action where character trumps circumstance every time; so expect mature content bespoke with compelling characters along this dark fantasy journey brought to us via former soldier-turned-author William Stacey."

A Mortal Glamour

by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

In the late 14th century, amidst turmoil and chaos, something ominous plagues the nuns of la Tres Saunte Annunciacion. Everyone is powerless against this unseen force that is affecting both holy and unholy alike. Chelsea Quinn Yarbro weaves a thrilling tale full of imaginative horrors of an era rife with darkness, telling a story fueled by tragic love and destructive desire which will leave you on edge until the very end.

Armed in Her Fashion

by Kate Heartfield

Medieval horror isn't for the faint of heart, and Kate Heartfield's "Armed in Her Fashion" proves that. Set amidst a hellish siege by demonic chimeras commanded by the chatelaine of Hell, this novel follows Margriet de Vos as she becomes one of Bruges' fiercest defenders. After learning her husband has died fighting against Hell's army, Margriet takes up arms to protect her daughter and secure their inheritance.

But they are not alone; Beatrix wields an enchanted distaff which lets her control the undead revenants who crawl over Bruges' walls each night. And with fellow survivors like Jacquetta - possessor of a giant water-powered forgehammer - at their side or wealthy alderman's wife fleeing alongside them, this band will stop at nothing until they have retaken what was stolen from them...even if it means raiding deep into the fiery underworld itself.

Full of frenetic action scenes and gut-wrenching medieval horrors (both human-made and otherwise), "Armed in Her Fashion" is sure to capture even die-hard thriller fans' attention.'

The Wake

by Paul Kingsnorth

Paul Kingsnorth's "The Wake" is a captivating journey back in time to the aftermath of the Norman Conquest. In this post-apocalyptic tale we meet Buccmaster - an unforgettable character who bears witness to the world falling apart at the hands of William The Conqueror and his army. Along with like-minded men, they seek revenge against the invaders that destroyed their society. But, as they travel across scorched landscapes filled with loss and pain, things become increasingly unclear for Buccmaster leading him down a dark path of anger and despair.

Featuring what writer Paul Kingsnorth describes as 'a shadow tongue', an updated Old English allowing modern readers to understand it better; experience how one Anglo-Saxon man felt after being stripped away from everything he knew. Lost gods and haunted visions littered throughout this gripping story making it both beautiful yet disturbing, all while accurately depicting life during those times.

An Ancient Evil

by Paul Doherty

As the pilgrimage to Canterbury begins, a group of travelers gather at the Tabard Inn and decide to tell tales of mystery and murder during their journey. The Knight starts with a tale that leads back to William the Conqueror's time when Sir Hugo Mortimer destroyed an evil cult stronghold in Oxfordshire. Fast forward 200 years, strange murders are occurring in Oxford which Lady Constance, Abbess of St Anne's Convent, believes are connected to legends of this cult. She reaches out for help from authorities while Sir Godfrey Evesden and Alexander McBain uncover clues pointing towards a disturbed sect worshipping an unknown force. But, as they delve deeper into solving these murders, questions keep piling up causing tension between Sir Godfrey and McBain who both seek Lady Emily's favor...

The End

The world of medieval historical horror stories is a dark and twisted place. For those brave enough to explore it, there are treasures to be found that will leave one shivering in fear and awe. From the chilling tales of ancient horrors lurking in secluded castles, to blood-soaked accounts of executions gone wrong and cursed villages haunted by malevolent spirits - medieval horror fiction something for every taste.

What makes a medieval horror epic so compelling? Is it the evocative language or masterful attention paid detailing even minor characters who quickly become unforgettable personalities within each work? Perhaps it's simply because they push against boundaries we feel secure behind and force themselves under our skin until we cannot shake ourselves free lest them come alive once again?

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Author
Chris Beach

Hi, I'm Chris. My love of books started when I was a child visiting libraries with my Dad. The smell and feel of old pages still sparks something within me that can I can only express as an emotional attachment to books. Two decades later this evolved into a passion for collecting rare books, particularly 17th century early-English literature, and rare children's books. I believe every book has its own story and each one reveals something new about the world we live in.
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