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Quick answer: If you loved Ivanhoe, read Alexandre Dumas's The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, then Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth, then James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans, and Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island and John Buchan's The Thirty-Nine Steps. All are historical adventure and romance.
Sir Walter Scott's 1819 novel Ivanhoe is a tale of knights and outlaws in medieval England. These picks share its chivalry.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Three Musketeers | Alexandre Dumas | Adult | readers who want swashbuckling |
| The Count of Monte Cristo | Alexandre Dumas | Adult | readers who want a big epic |
| The Pillars of the Earth | Ken Follett | Adult | readers who like epics |
| The Last of the Mohicans | James Fenimore Cooper | Teen and adult | classic frontier |
| Treasure Island | Robert Louis Stevenson | 10+ | readers who want pure adventure |
| The Thirty-Nine Steps | John Buchan | Adult | classic chases |
| The Last Kingdom | Bernard Cornwell | Adult | readers who like action |
| The Winter King | Bernard Cornwell | Adult | Arthurian realism |
| Sharpe's Rifles | Bernard Cornwell | Adult | historical soldiers |
| The Name of the Rose | Umberto Eco | Adult | readers who love libraries |
| Sarum | Edward Rutherfurd | Adult | epic of a place |
| Peter Pan | J.M. Barrie | 7-12 | readers who want a classic |
| The Princess Bride | William Goldman | Adult | readers who want laughs |
| The Mists of Avalon | Marion Zimmer Bradley | Adult | readers who want a novel |
| Don Quixote | Miguel de Cervantes | Adult | the first comic novel |
1. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
D'Artagnan joins the king's musketeers in 17th-century France. Swordplay, loyalty and humor.
Best for: readers who want swashbuckling.
2. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Edmond Dantès escapes prison and takes revenge in a long, thrilling saga. Perfect if you like big stories.
Best for: readers who want a big epic.
3. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
A master builder, a monk and a noble family struggle over a cathedral in 12th-century England. Long, gripping and emotional.
Best for: readers who like epics.
4. The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
Scouts and soldiers cross the New York wilderness during the French and Indian War. A classic adventure.
Best for: classic frontier.
5. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Jim Hawkins finds a treasure map and sails with Long John Silver. The pirate adventure that set the pattern.
Best for: readers who want pure adventure.
6. The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan
A man on the run races across Scotland. Short, pioneering and quick.
Best for: classic chases.
7. The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell
Uhtred, a Saxon boy raised by Danes, fights in the wars to create England under King Alfred. Fast battle scenes.
Best for: readers who like action.
8. The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell
Arthur's story told as a gritty historical epic. Fast and vivid.
Best for: Arthurian realism.
9. Sharpe's Rifles by Bernard Cornwell
Richard Sharpe fights in the Peninsular War. Fast and gritty.
Best for: historical soldiers.
10. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
A monk investigates murders in a medieval abbey with a secret library. Rich and learned.
Best for: readers who love libraries.
11. Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd
The story of Salisbury Plain from the Ice Age to modern times. Sprawling and rich.
Best for: epic of a place.
12. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Wendy, John and Michael fly to Neverland with Peter Pan. A classic of childhood.
Best for: readers who want a classic.
13. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Westley and Buttercup face Prince Humperdinck, Inigo Montoya and Fezzik in a funny, romantic story. A cult classic.
Best for: readers who want laughs.
14. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The King Arthur story told from the women's perspective. Long, rich and influential.
Best for: readers who want a novel.
15. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
A man reads too many romances and sets out as a knight. Long, funny and wise.
Best for: the first comic novel.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Ivanhoe: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Ivanhoe. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For adventure, read The Three Musketeers. For medieval tales, try The Pillars of the Earth. For swashbuckling, pick The Count of Monte Cristo.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Ivanhoe?
Sir Walter Scott, in 1819.
Where is it set?
In medieval England.
Is it long?
Yes.
Which book here is best for the first comic novel?
Try Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, which suits readers looking for the first comic novel.
Which book here is best for readers who want a novel?
Try The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, which suits readers looking for readers who want a novel.
Which book here is best for readers who want laughs?
Try The Princess Bride by William Goldman, which suits readers looking for readers who want laughs.
Which book here is best for readers who want a classic?
Try Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, which suits readers looking for readers who want a classic.