The Time-traveller's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century by Ian Mortimer

The Far-farers: A Journey from Viking Iceland to Crusader Jerusalem by Victoria Clark

The author follows the pilgrimage route of an 11th century Icelander and cover the history of schism between the eastern and western church and the first crusade.

The book is meticulously researched and written in a very engaging fashion. She cleverly juxtaposes events from her modern travels with those of her medieval inspiration.

It is both a history and a travelogue and while more successful as the former does contains many interesting and amusing anecdotes related to her own trip.

Black Ajax by George MacDonald Fraser

The Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O'Shea

It's always fascinating to reread a book you enjoyed as a Child. Over Sea, Under Stone whetted my appetite for some of my childhood favourites.

The Hounds of the Morrigan has stood up well to the passing years. It's setting is somehow timeless. While not as tightly plotted as The Weirdstone of Brisingamen (the best as far as I'm concerned) it still carries the reader away to a very familiar and yet very magical Ireland. The middle section could have done with some editing but it does setup the final exhausting chase scenes.

Overall a joy to read with clever characterisation, a real feel for the Irish myths and legends and above all else a sense of fun.

Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper

Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve (Author)

An interesting retelling of the Arthurian Myth. Reeves writes well. Some passages are especially evocative of a distant pass. Characters are well developed and story nicely paced.

Like a number of modern reinvention of myths the removals of the truly mythic elements can leave the reader cold. Arthur is a bully and Merlin a charlatan. Camelot becomes a crumbling round hall.