JASPER: Book Two of the Tudor Trilogy by Tony Riches

5 out of 5 stars

Plantagenet/Tudor historical fiction

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

Reviewed by me as part of Rosie Amber's Review Team

I LOVED this book.  It's a terrific page-turner, a real adventure, from the time when the country was such a dangerous place, when men were men and women waited in castles for them to come home (not so keen on that bit, as I am sure many of the women weren't).  It made me long to go back to those times (as a man!); this book brings the England of over five centuries ago to life so well.  Book One, about Owen, Jasper's father, was jolly good, but this is what I love to see ~ a sequel that takes the story to another level.

 

There is so much written and on television about the Yorkist side of the Wars of the Roses, I find, but less about the Lancasters, so this filled in many gaps in my knowledge.  It's expertly planned; I was particularly interested to see how Tony Riches would write about events during which Jasper was far away and out of touch, like Warwick's change of allegiance, but he did this most convincingly, using the fictional Gabriel, an Irish mercenary who becomes a close friend of the hero, as a reporter of events.  Similarly, the disintegration of the Yorks following the death of Edward IV is cleverly accounted for via the messengers who visit Jasper during his exile in Brittany.  I also enjoyed the first appearance of the Duke of Buckingham, whose son causes trouble for Henry VIII, and of other characters who appeared as Plantagenet made way for Tudor. 

Jasper with Henry the boy, and Margaret Beaufort: 'The White Queen'

In my opinion this is a book for those who already know something of the history, as there are so many names and changing allegiances that, even being quite well versed in this period as I am, I had to stop and think a few times about who was who.  This isn't Riches' fault; he has dealt with a long and complicated story admirably.  On occasion I got confused about the passage of time and felt that there needed to be a gaps in the formatting of paragraphs to indicate that a year or so had passed, but I've rarely read a book of this length, covering so many events over a long period, which conveys the passing of years perfectly. 

To all avid readers of books such as the Game of Thrones series, I'd say 'read this too!' ~ it's every bit as magical, every bit as exciting - and it really happened!  Highly recommended, a real achievement, and I'd just like to say that the author's note at the end brought a tear to my eye.  I shall be the first in the queue for the final part of the trilogy (and plan to read 'Warwick' in the meantime!)

OWEN: Book One of the Tudor Trilogy by Tony Riches reviewed HERE

 

OWEN - Book One of the Tudor Trilogy by Tony Riches

4.5 out of 5 stars

Historical drama based on fact

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE

Reviewed by me as part of Rosie Amber's Book Review Team 

I am deeply fascinated by all things Plantagenet and Tudor, so leapt on this book when it became available on Rosie Amber's review team list.  I was particularly eager to read it as Owen Tudor is someone about whom I knew little, apart from his having been Henry VIII's great grandfather.  My knowledge of the events leading up to the Wars of the Roses is sketchy, too, so this book was an education as well as a great story.

The novel is well edited and proofread, which was a real treat in these days of dubious standards; I could tell that Mr Riches had spent a great deal of time drafting and redrafting, and the structure of the novel itself is extremely well thought out.  The story flows beautifully throughout and is simply written, in the present tense, which is always an odd choice but worked well in this case.  

At first I was not very taken with Riches' Owen Tudor; he seemed like a bit of a stuffed shirt and I couldn't imagine why he aroused such passion in Juliette the servant girl and Queen Catherine de Valois. I found the prose a little stilted, though not terribly.  I much preferred the latter half of the book, after Catherine's death, when it loosened up considerably, Owen's adventurous side came to the fore and I became engrossed.  I looked forward to the introduction of characters about whom I know more: Margaret Beaufort (one of my favourite women in history), and Jasper Tudor, who I've always rather fancied; well done, Mr Riches, you portrayed him so well!

That the book is well researched is clear; many domestic details are included, but these are artfully woven into the story, rather than lumped in to show how much the author has mugged up before beginning to write.  I did wonder if a reader who knows nothing of this historical period might get a little confused by all the dukes and bishops and their various allegiances, but then it is likely that anyone reading this would already have an interest in the period.  There is an author's note at the back to explain which characters come from Riches' imagination and which are from real life.

If you're interested in the Wars of the Roses and the origins of the Tudor dynasty I'd definitely recommend this book, and I look forward to reading the next one in the series - about Jasper!