Novels Set In The Iron Age?

gothicangel said:

I was watching a documentary last night about the discovery of an Iron Age burial not far from Stirling.

Well I'm all fired up to write an historical novel in this period.

I'm struggling to find any novels set in this period, I know there must be some on Boudicca, but can't find any titles.

Help?

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The Eagle and the Raven - Pauline Gedge. (about Boudicca and Caractacus and the Roman occupation of Britain) - It's a gorgeous book.

The Mistletoe and the Sword - Anya Seton (mainly about Boudicca and one of her daughters)

Rosemary Sutcliffe has at least one.

Mary Stewart's Merlin books.

firedrake said:

The Eagle and the Raven - Pauline Gedge. (about Boudicca and Caractacus and the Roman occupation of Britain) - It's a gorgeous book.

The Mistletoe and the Sword - Anya Seton (mainly about Boudicca and one of her daughters)

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Wouldn't those be after the end of the "British Iron Age"? Shortly after, but they wouldn't seem to fit what I would consider a definition of the iron age anyway, though of course definitions vary.

Albannach said:

Wouldn't those be after the end of the "British Iron Age"? Shortly after, but they wouldn't seem to fit what I would consider a definition of the iron age anyway, though of course definitions vary.

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Yes, if you want to split hairs then, yes, the Iron Age ended with the Roman Invasion. However, as the principal characters (certainly in the case of Caractacus) were around prior to the invasion then I'd still recommend these books.

This would also throw Medievalist's recommendations out the window given that they take place a long time after the Romans settled in Britain.

Albannach said:

Wouldn't those be after the end of the "British Iron Age"? Shortly after, but they wouldn't seem to fit what I would consider a definition of the iron age anyway, though of course definitions vary.

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Well, yes of course "definitions vary," but it's not like the technology suddenly changed when the Romans arrive, and the Brits and Irish said gee, let's stop using iron and start using steel!

I also note that the other common option "Roman Britain" or even the slightly dyslogistic "Roman Ireland" or "Roman Age Ireland/Britain" aren't terribly helpful alternatives; it's not like the Romans were ubiquitous.

In his books, his classes, and in the field lectures in Britain and Ireland, Barry Cunliffe refers to Claudian Britain as Iron Age Britain, and I for one, am more than happy to follow Professor Cunliffe's opinion.

Medievalist said:

Well, yes of course "definitions vary," but it's not like the technology suddenly changed when the Romans arrive, and the Brits and Irish said gee, let's stop using iron and start using steel!

I also note that the other common option "Roman Britain" or even the slightly dyslogistic "Roman Ireland" or "Roman Age Ireland/Britain" aren't terribly helpful alternatives; it's not like the Romans were ubiquitous.

In his books, his classes, and in the field lectures in Britain and Ireland, Barry Cunliffe refers to Claudian Britain as Iron Age Britain, and I for one, am more than happy to follow Professor Cunliffe's opinion.

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This.

Given that Cunliffe is such a well respected historian that even I've read his stuff, I'd go with that too.

gothicangel said:

Thanks everyone, I'll make sure I read all that are recommended.

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Slog through Manda Scott's Boudica tetralogy too! If you can ignore the 'New Age' dreaming there's some rich material there. I can remember a pretty neat scene in the first book where she is watching her father at his smithy, making a sword. Lots of detail in there. She's also a little bit more recent than Anya and Rosemary, so will give you a far better picture of the current market trends. Caradoc/Caratacus also has his story told.

Curate's egg - but at least try to read the first one, which is prior to the Claudian invasion anyway.

Morgan Llwellyn's The Horse Goddess is set in Iron Age Europe.