1483: King Edward IV dies, leaving two innocent young princes in line to the throne. But when scandal and conspiracy explodes around their claim, Richard of Gloucester is proclaimed king. Shortly after, the princes vanish, and storm clouds begin to gather around the newly crowned King Richard III.
Fighter, philanderer and royal spy Henry Morane is tasked with investigating the princes' disappearance, the attempted kidnap of the exiled Lancastrian leader Henry Tudor and the hunting out of traitors amid Richard's supporters.
And at the bloody battle of Bosworth Field, King Richard and Henry Morane will face a fatal trial that will dictate the path of history.
The book wasn’t as bad as I feared it might be, but not as good as I had hoped. The plot is good, and Henry Morane is an interesting character. But the inclusion of Matilda (no last name, if you will) turned the story into too much of a farce. Matilda isn’t the brightest lightbulb in the box, and often does things to the detriment of Henry’s livelihood. When not jeopardizing Henry’s job, she’s flouncing off in a huff over some trivial (though not all trivial,) matter. It’s sort of insulting that the writer would write the dominant female character in such a way.
Though mostly about Henry’s adventures, Richard III does make a few appearances. So does Francis, Viscount Lovell, but as a decidedly unpleasant fellow. So, Richard will die, and Henry will live. Yet Farrington does manage to add a bit of tension to the story.
This is the first book in a trilogy. I’ll probably give the second a try, in hopes that things get a little better.
PS: I scanned through the second book. No way.
Mount TBR 2022 Book Links
Links are to more information regarding each book or author, not to the review.
1.
The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson2.
The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig3.
The Autumn Throne (Eleanor of Aquitaine #3) by Elizabeth Chadwick4.
Grant's Final Victory: Ulysses S. Grant's Heroic Last Year by Charles Bracelen Flood5.
Doctor Sleep (The Shining #2) by Stephen King6.
The High House by Jessie Greengrass7.
Leadership: In Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin8.
Nightmare Country by Marlys Millhiser9.
The End of the Ocean by Maja Lunde, Diane Oatley (translator)10.
'Salem's Lot by Stephen King11.
The Bear (The Grizzly King: A Romance of the Wild) by James Oliver Curwood12.
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James13.
The Wrong End of Time by John Brunner14.
The Hidden Child by Louise Fein15.
The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel16.
The Virtues of War by Stephen Pressfield17.
Our Oldest Companions: The Story of the First Dogs by Pat Shipman18.
The Man in the Moss by Phil Rickman19.
The Redemption of Wolf 302 by Rick McIntyre20.
John of Gloucester by Wendy Miall21.
Inventing Latinos: A New Story of American Racism by Laura E. Gómez22.
The Cold Calling (The Cold Calling #1) by Phil Rickman23.
The Keep (Adversary Cycle #1) by F. Paul Wilson24.
Pines (Wayward Pines #1) by Blake Crouch25.
The Speed of Souls: A Novel for Dog Lovers by Nick Pirog26.
The Yorkists: The History of a Dynasty by Anne Crawford27.
With Face Aflame by A.E. Walnofer28.
The Gypsy Morph by Terry Brooks29.
Madhouse at the End of the Earth: The Belgica's Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night by Julian Sancton30.
Wardenclyffe (The Secret History of the World) by F. Paul Wilson31.
Goblin by Josh Malerman32.
The Queen Who Never Was by Maureen Peters33.
The Ministry of Truth: A Biography of George Orwell's 1984 by Dorian Lynskey34.
Richard III’s Books by Anne F. Sutton & Livia Visser-Fuchs35.
Gwendy's Final Task (The Button Box #3) by Stephen King, Richard Chizmar36.
Malorie (Bird Box #2) by Josh Malerman37.
Where We Come From by Oscar Cásares38.
The Unconquered Sun by Ralph Dulin39.
The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman40.
The God Eaters by Jesse Hajicek41.
The X Factor by Andre Norton42.
The Last Wild Horses (Climate Quartet #3) by Maja Lunde, Diane Oatley (Translator)43.
The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner44.
Double Threat by F. Paul Wilson45.
Wayward (Wayward Pines #2) by Blake Crouch 46.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman47.
Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan48.
Mean Spirit (The Cold Calling #2) by Phil Rickman49.
The Killing of Richard the Third (Henry Morane #1) by Robert Farrington