The first in a new series of the Wars of the Roses. Whereas the TV drama The White Queen looked at the period from the female point of view, this is the male’s angle. It tries to make sense of the truce between the French and English with Henry VI’s marriage to Margaret of Anjou, his death and the Duke of York protector of the realm. Conn creates a fictional character in Derry Brewer which shows how Henry was managed by those about him leading to the Wars of the Roses. This is excellent, fans of his ancient Rome series will not be disappointed and I’m sure this now popular period will bring him many a new fan.
King Henry V - the great Lion of England - is long dead. In 1437, after years of regency, the pious and gentle Henry VI, the Lamb, comes of age and accedes to the English throne.
His poor health and frailty of mind render him a weakling king - Henry depends on his closest men, Spymaster Derry Brewer and William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, to run his kingdom. Yet there are those, such as the Plantagenet Richard, Duke of York, who believe England must be led by a strong king if she is to survive. With England's territories in France under threat, and rumours of revolt at home, fears grow that Henry and his advisers will see the country slide into ruin. With a secret deal struck for Henry to marry a young French noblewoman, Margaret of Anjou, those fears become all too real. As storm clouds gather over England, King Henry and his supporters find themselves besieged abroad and at home. Who, or what, can save the kingdom before it is too late?
'This is energetic, competent stuff; Iggulden knows his material and his audience.' Independent
'Iggulden is in a class of his own when it comes to epic, historical fiction.' Daily Mirror
'Iggulden ...tells an absolutely cracking story.' The Times
Author
About Conn Iggulden
Conn Iggulden is one of the most successful authors of historical fiction writing today; with UK sales topping almost 3 million, Conn has joined the likes of Bernard Cornwell and Ken Follett on the A-list of historical novelists. Conn’s previous two series, on Julius Caesar and on the Mongol Khans of Central Asia, describe the founding of the greatest empires of their day and were number one bestsellers. An ex-school teacher and adventurer, Conn was the first author to ever achieve a simultaneous no 1 across and fiction and non-fiction charts with Dangerous Book for Boys. Over 7 million copies of his books have now sold globally. Conn lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and four children.
