Ravenspur: Rise of the Tudors (The Wars of the Roses)

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Although Henry was finally free of rebellion, the last few years of his reign were not to be ones of unmitigated pleasure, as he suffered increasingly from ill health, possibly epilepsy, which necessitated his son becoming effective ruler on occasions. Henry finally died in Westminster on 20th March 1413. A Hanseatic merchant’s account of Edward’s campaign to regain the crown, up to the battle of Barnet’ from The Newsletter of Gerhard von Wessel 17th April by John Adair in Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, 1968. Iggulden released a four-book series, the Wars of the Roses, [7] starting with Stormbird, in 2013, Margaret of Anjou [8] (called Trinity in the UK) in 2014, Bloodline [9] in 2015, and Ravenspur [10] in 2016. This flatness in particular dragged down the book for me, because it's full of scenes surrounding battles. Raising banners. Planning. Waiting for the battle to start. The battle. Fleeing. Betrayal. It all gets a bit repetitive with time, which is a shame. Obviously the battles really happened and I would never want to erase them from the book, but give me characters with some depths to root for or be sad about when they die. It worked fine in the three books prior! Henry, named after one of his father’s (John of Gaunt) Lincolnshire castles was also known as Henry of Lancaster. His mother was Blanche of Lancaster and as his father’s heir the title is one that makes sense. However, just to confused things he was also created the Earl of Derby and upon his marriage to Mary Bohun he was created Earl of Hereford – oh yes, then he deposed his cousin and became known as King Henry IV.

I read this book a year ago and it annoyed me so much at the time that I’m only just now bothering to write a review for it. Poor editorial decisions have ruined what could have been a strong ending to an otherwise strong series.

The Battles

So, all in all, it's a repetition of a part of history that I could have read up on Wikipedia. What did make me scoff a little was how stereo-typically the two main female characters, Magaret of Anjou and Katherine Woodeville, were portrayed. Very one-dimensional, and in Katherine Woodeville's case almost a caricature in her spite against Richard Neville, whilst Neville was the noble brother/father-figure to the three York brothers whose only mistake - and ultimate demise - was to trust them. It just underlines my opinion that history is always open to interpretation, depending on what the author/historian prefers. What we will definitely also find in this fascinating and gripping book is years of bloodshed and betrayal between these factions, Lancaster and York, a bloodshed that will cost many lives on both sides, but that will finally come to it's definite conclusion at the "Battle of Bosworth Field" in AD 1485, with what will eventually become as the "Rise of the Tudors". Take the A1033 from Hull or the B1242 from Hornsea before joining the B1445 to Easington and Kilnsea. Each of these players was brought to life in a way that made me wish that none of them had to die. But they did, and often with an eerie quietness that gave me chills. Instead of the big build up and dramatic death scene often found in novels, these characters died like everyone else, from a chance weapon swing or unnoticed opponent. Felled by illness or a victim of their own impetuosity, they died without false glorification. I didn't even have time to cry for them before events moved on without them. Iggulden co-wrote a book with his brother Hal, The Dangerous Book for Boys. It covers around eighty topics, from building a soapbox racer and tying knots, to learning about famous battles and how to make potassium aluminium sulphate crystals. [12] It was released in the UK in June 2006, reprinted a month later and was voted British Book of the Year at the Galaxy British Book Awards.

Storytelling is, as it has always been throughout this series, of a top-notch quality, for once more all the characters, whether real or fictional, come vividly to life within this historical treat of a novel, and that's why I feel a kind of sad that it has now come to it's inevitable end. This is one of the best novels that I have read on the Wars of the Roses, and I do not say that lightly. Part of me is surprised that I can make such a statement about a book that does not necessarily portray each historical figure as I would have or highlight the events that I would feature, but, regardless of any differences in opinion that I might have with Iggulden, this book is amazing. Treasonous changing of sides, often in mid-battle, was a frequent event in the Wars of the Roses, inevitably leading to a loss of morale for the side effected. The word spread through the Lancastrian ranks with catastrophic consequences.The reason behind this is the aforementioned "Anjou in France" bit. See the original Plantagenets were really Angevins (literally "from Anjou". . This was an old line of powerful French noble families. Though France, during the 1100's, was not not the nation state of today. The reach of the French King wasn't too far outside Paris. Thus powerful Duchies like Anjou or Normandy had their own Lords who often rivaled the King of France's power. The Angevins sported the three golden lions rampant-a sign of their control of England, the Duchy of Normandy and the Duchy of Aquitane. Henry II, Richard the Lion Hearted and King John I were all Angevin Kings. They spoke French (Richard had a smattering of English), had extensive holdings in France and through crafty marriages had managed to become a true force. Earlier this year saw the 600th anniversary of the death of Henry Bolingbroke, or Henry IV to give him his more regal title, Lincolnshire’s very own king. A year and a half on from that night and despite the immense challenges, a new chapter in the Spurn story is in the making, with Mother Nature once again at the heart of the action. But somehow towards the end, this seemed to fly out of the window. I suddenly couldn't understand why Richard was doing the things he did anymore. Especially strange in his POV parts. He became totally flat all of sudden. As did Edward IV, but I think that may have been the author trying to show the reader how his alcoholism affected him. Still weird that in one scene he frowns at his children for weeping about their sister's death the year before and yet in the next is super pained about it himself. Dopo aver recensito i precedenti volumi con un voto non particolarmente positivo, non posso esimermi dall'assegnare all'ultima fatica di Conn Iggulden un voto ancora più basso. Questo è, dal mio punto di vista, il peggiore dei quatto romanzi. E vado a spiegare perché.

Allo stesso modo è un fatto noto che Richard e Anne non furono presenti alla morte del figlio, ma gliene giunse notizia a Nottingham e il bambino quasi sicuramente non morì di tubercolosi visto che fu una malattia breve e improvvisa. Elizabeth di York? Assente, prof! Comodo non nominare nemmeno le voci messe in giro per calunniare Richard dopo la morte della moglie e completamente assenti quindi i negoziati che quest'ultimo intavolò per sposare Joana del Portogallo e far sposare a Elizabeth il Duca di Beja.Preston, John (22 May 2009). "Conn Iggulden: addicted to heroism". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 19 April 2018.

Size of the armies at the Battle of Barnet: The Lancastrian army probably comprised some 10,000 men, the Yorkist army some 8,000 men. I was born in the normal way in 1971, and vaguely remember half-pennies and sixpences. I have written for as long as I can remember: poetry, short stories and novels. It’s what I always wanted to do and read English at London University with writing in mind. I taught English for seven years and was Head of English at St. Gregory’s RC High School in London by the end of that period. I have enormous respect for those who still labour at the chalk-face. In truth, I can’t find it in me to miss the grind of paperwork and initiatives. I do miss the camaraderie of the smokers’ room, as well as the lessons where their faces lit up as they understood what I was wittering on about.Celebrities' open letter to Scotland – full text and list of signatories". theguardian. 7 August 2014 . Retrieved 26 August 2014.