Historical Fiction
The sinking of the White Ship is referenced in Ken Follett's novel The Pillars of the Earth (1989). The ship's sinking sets the stage for the entire background of the story, which is based on the subsequent civil war between Matilda (referred to as Maud in the novel) and Stephen. In Follett's novel, it is implied that the ship may have been sabotaged; this is directly confirmed in the TV adaptation, even going so far as to show that William Adelin was assassinated whilst on a lifeboat.
It is also described in detail by Sharon Kay Penman in the historical novel When Christ and His Saints Slept (1994).
The sinking of the White Ship is briefly referenced in Glenn Cooper's novel The Tenth Chamber (2010).
The White Ship also sets the stage for the novel Hiobs Brüder (The Brothers of Job) by the German author Rebecca Gablé, which details the rise of Henry II of England, son of Empress Matilda.
The long conflict between Stephan and Matilida is important in the Brother Cadfael series. This 20-book set of mysteries, by Ellis Peters, has a 12th century Benedictine monk as its protagonist. Depending on the book, the conflict is either very important or just serves as a backdrop to the plots.
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Famous quotes containing the words historical and/or fiction:
“Historical! Must it be historical to catch your attention? Even though historicity, like notoriety, denotes nothing more than that something has occurred.”
—Franz Grillparzer (1791–1872)
“If one doubts whether Grecian valor and patriotism are not a fiction of the poets, he may go to Athens and see still upon the walls of the temple of Minerva the circular marks made by the shields taken from the enemy in the Persian war, which were suspended there. We have not far to seek for living and unquestionable evidence. The very dust takes shape and confirms some story which we had read.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)