(The Plantagenet Legacy, Book 1)
By Mercedes Rochelle
Publisher: Sergeant Press
Page Length: 313 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Richard II found himself under siege not once, but twice in his minority. Crowned king at age ten, he was only fourteen when the Peasants' Revolt terrorized London. But he proved himself every bit the Plantagenet successor, facing Wat Tyler and the rebels when all seemed lost.
Alas, his triumph was short-lived, and for the next ten years he struggled to assert himself against his uncles and increasingly hostile nobles. Just like in the days of his great-grandfather Edward II, vengeful magnates strove to separate him from his friends and advisors, and even threatened to depose him if he refused to do their bidding.
The Lords Appellant, as they came to be known, purged the royal household with the help of the Merciless Parliament. They murdered his closest allies, leaving the King alone and defenseless.
He would never forget his humiliation at the hands of his subjects.
Richard's inability to protect his adherents would haunt him for the rest of his life, and he vowed that next time, retribution would be his.
Review
I really liked the way this was written. There is a huge amount of history packed into A King Under Siege, but it never felt as though the story had stopped so that I could be given a history lesson. The politics, rebellions and arguments over who should control the young king all come through the characters, so I found it much easier to follow than I expected.
The dialogue worked particularly well for me. Richard's conversations with his uncles and advisers could be tense, funny, frustrating or downright uncomfortable, and they gave the political disagreements some personality. I also liked the quieter scenes with Anne because they gave the story room to breathe when everything at court was becoming increasingly hostile.
It is quite a long book and there are a lot of historical figures to remember, but I never found myself getting bored. The story builds very naturally from the Peasants' Revolt into the later struggle between Richard and the Lords Appellant, and by the time it reached the Merciless Parliament I was completely caught up in what was happening.
This was the sort of historical fiction I enjoy most: plenty of history, but still very much a story about people. I finished it feeling as though I'd been properly immersed in Richard's world rather than simply told what happened during the early years of his reign.
Read with #KindleUnlimited
Mercedes Rochelle
Born in St. Louis, MO, with a degree from University of Missouri, Mercedes Rochelle learned about living history as a re-enactor and has been enamored with historical fiction ever since. A move to New York to do research and two careers ensued, but writing fiction remains her primary vocation. She lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.
Social Media Links:
