An interesting recent Malayalam novel entitled 'Nilam Pūttu Malarnna Nāḷ’ by Manoj Kuroor is set in the Caṅkam period. It has also been translated into Tamil as 'Nilam Pūttu Malarnta Nāl’ by K. V. Jeyasri. Here is the link to a review of  the Malayalam version http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/tracing-the-voice-of-a-land/article7451566.ece. Here is the link to a review of the Tamil version http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/traversing-the-sangam-tamil-landscape-in-malayalam/article17744661.ece. 

Regards,

Palaniappan