The Seventh Son by Reay Tannahill

The Seventh Son Reviews

• 
  Anna

  I’m a big Richard III fan, but while I don’t believe Thomas More’s or Shakespeare’s infamous versions of him, neither do I believe the 'sainted' version of him that so many of todays 'fluffy' authors go for. He lived in a dog-eat-dog world, where there was little time for sentiment.
  
  This book portrays Richard as an honourable, loyal, ambitious, practical, clinical, deep thinking man. A man of his times, he’s rash and ruthless when the mood takes him. He makes mistakes. He’s cynical and single-minded, he trusts very few, and as such, he makes enemies easily. In a politically unstable era, he tries to do right as he sees it, but can get it very wrong. In short, he’s portrayed as a normal flawed man who happened to live in dangerous times. This is probably the most 'honest' book I've read about him.
  
  I just wish the Battle of Bosworth would end differently for once in a Richard book! His lone brave/suicidal charge down the hill gets me every time.
  
• 
  Marquise

  On finishing this, I'm left in such a delighted mood that I could go on happy-dancing all day. Because, at long last, I've found my new favourite Wars of the Roses novel to place side by side to Sharon Kay Penman’s The Sunne in Splendour on my personal altar of best-ever Historical Fiction.
  
  Fellow English history lovers know how hard it is to live up to the sky-high standards for Ricardian fiction set up by Sharon's novel, so this is quite the feat that Reay Tannahill has done it, in my humble opinion. That she achieved it covering only a fraction of the timeframe Penman did makes it even more remarkable. How did she acomplish this? The reasons, to me, are very obvious: characterisation, characterisation, and characterisation.
  
  Those who read my review of Alianore Audley will perhaps recall that I pointed out one of my minor irritations has been that all fictional characterisations of Richard of Gloucester tend to stick to roughly the same humourless type independently from whether he's portrayed as good or bad or grey. After this novel, I feel compelled to say that: I take it back!
  
  The Richard that Ms Tannahill portrays is, surprisingly, not devoid of a sense of humour. Oh, you won't find him cracking jokes and jesting happily with royals and stableboys alike like good old Ned, but he sure can hold his ground when bantering, flirting and making merry. That was perhaps the greatest (and most welcome!) surprise found in this novel. A Richard III with a sense of humour? Count me in as your fan.
  
  But it's not just that what this novel holds in store to recommend itself to potential readers. Besides being less stiff, Richard is shown as a honourable nobleman, a loyal man, a caring and protective friend and brother, but also self-seeking, ambitious, and in possession of a ruthless streak that won't hesitate to take swift and bloody action in his own name or in the name of the crown. He's perhaps less "good" than in other novels I've read (and I've read seven in a row), but nonetheless he's still the type of person on whose side you'll end up if only because you know what his core self is truly like.
  
  Tannahill's writing is amenable and without cracks in the plot walls. I loved her unpretentious prose, but more than anything I loved how she weaves her story, how she sets up scenes, and her capacity to turn certain controversial events from the York-Lancaster wars into either heroic or hilarious scenes. The seizure of the lands of the Countess of Oxford is one such case. Despite knowing that wasn't supposed to be funny in the real-life history, I couldn't stop chuckling all the while through the misadventures of Richard and Francis Lovell with the "helpless old lady" that was nearly too cunning for them all.
  
  His marriage to Anne Neville is also portrayed as one of convenience that developed into an affectionate one due to their compatibility and companionable life together rather than as some grand all-consuming passion that scorched England with its fire. The portrayal of his brother Edward also ranks as my second favourite after Penman's, for much the same reasons, and even the black sheep of the York family, George of Clarence, elicited a sympathetic nod a time or two.
  
  A very satisfying read, in sum. I'm now firmly convinced that the perfect Ricardian novel would have Penman's storytelling and Tannahill's characterisation.
• 
  Gary

  A rounded portrayal of Richard III as neither the evil bloodthirsty devil depicted by Sir Thomas More and William Shakespeare or the glowing saint of the Richard III Society, Rosemary Hawley Jarman and Sharon Kay Penman. It is strong in dialogue and descriptiveness but somewhat rushed and not quite as engaging as The Sunne in Splendour which is more detailed and fully fleshed out
  
  This novel while exhibiting a certain gritty realism, is not quite as colourful or exciting. Everything here just happens too quickly-for example his Queen Anne is vivacious and engaging and two pages later has died of consumption, similarly before that the death of Edward takes place very abruptly. Starts after the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471 in which Henry VI faced his final defeat and the Earl of Warwick was killed. Ends on the battlefield with the valiant charge of Richard against his myriad enemies, and his death at the hands of a thousand enemy soldiers.
  Presents Richard as scheming and cerebral but capable of love and loyalty. He is absolved here of the death of the princes in the tower but seems to have had no love lost for them
• 
  Ikonopeiston

  Review of Seventh Son
  
  In a number of ways, this book is the antithesis of "The Sunne in Splendour." (Full disclosure: I loved "The Sunne in Splendour" and have read it six times so far. ) It is short, barely a third of the length of Penman's opus and sparing in details where Penman was generous. Overall, it takes a far less romantic look at Richard than most of the books published by the Ricardian side lately. The tone of the entire book is set on the third page when Richard's loves are said to be for hawking and for war. This is to be an exploration of a boy forged in the crucible of civil war and come to manhood during a time of danger for himself and his family.
  
  In another context, I recently stated that no poem which included the words "the brave young king" could be taken seriously. All too many works produced by the soi-disant defenders of this most unjustly maligned monarch fall into the 'brave young king' category. They endow him with virtues more appropriate to their own times, never stopping to think that such a man would not have survived amidst the violence of the civil wars of the fifteenth century. Being the king's brother was not a position of safety during the medieval age.
  
  Thus, it was refreshing to encounter the cynical and often sardonic tone of Tannahill's book. She states just the facts and leaves it to the reader to supply any embroidery required. I greatly appreciated that she left room for me to shape and develop my own idea of Richard and those who surrounded him.
  
  The story as Tannahill tells it begins after the battle of Tewkesbury when Edward is secure on his throne and is trying to to make peace within his own family. Clarence is presented as the selfish, paranoid creature we have come to know and loathe and Richard is a firmly drawn fifteenth century man concerned with providing for his own personal and financial security and that of any projected progeny. He wants Ann for her property and to gain the trust of the men of the North. Only later does he come to love her (as much as he can love any other than Edward). In truth, everyone - including Edward - is viewed by this Richard as a potential enemy. He does not give his trust easily but when he does "Loyaultie me lie" is a valid guide to his character.
  
  The young king, Edward V, is such an obnoxious and arrogant brat I was surprised he was allowed to live as long as he did. I was tempted to wring his neck several times and breathed a sigh of relief as he breathed his last. I thought the way in which Richard responded to the deaths of 'those tender babes' was thoroughly consistent with the man as Tannahill imagined him. She has not a shred of romanticism in her portrayal of her protagonist.
  
  There were several points in the story which I found jarring. For one thing, I do not believe that only Ann and Francis Lovell loved Richard. There were at least two women who bore him bastard children. There must have been some affection there and the people of the North loved him as a good and true lord to them. Some of the great nobles who fought and died by his side at Bosworth were surely not only motivated by selfish goals. Yes, Richard was hard and, to a large degree, puritanical in his outlook but he was capable of inspiring deep and genuine devotion from those who saw him as a force for justice in his domain.
  
  On a much less serious matter, there is the subject of eye colour. I am aware that the contemporary likenesses of the principals do not clearly show (or agree) on the colour of an individual's eyes but I do wish novelists would meet and come to some accord. Were Richard's eyes blue, grey or some sort of changeable shade in between? How about Edward? Vivid blue or brown/gold? And his supposed wife? Were Elizabeth Woodville's eyes brown, green or whatever? I am a gaze hound and this disagreement makes it hard for me to shape my pictures of the actors on the page.
  
  All in all, I enjoyed this book very much. My sole complaint is that it read too fast and would probably have been confusing to a reader who was not up to the mark on the meaning of the various events and the order in which they occurred. Many of the episodes seem almost to be summaries of complex affairs and could do with a tad more padding. However, I particularly liked Tannahill's Richard. He is far closer to my notion of what he must have been like than any other fictional presentation. Perhaps I have read too much unadorned history lately and my tolerance for romanticism has suffered therefrom.
• 
  Misfit

  How nice to have a novel with a realistic, well rounded Richard instead of the pure and saintly one we're always finding in the latest and *cough* greatest historical novels. Tannahill begins her novel in 1471 as Richard is planning to marry Anne Neville and recounts his life until that fateful day at Bosworth. Most of this is known history and enough reviewers have recounted what's covered in the book I needn't rehash it again.
  
  As noted earlier, what I most enjoyed was the more life-like Richard - although depicted as an honorable man he was still very much a man of his times and ruthless when he needed to be. I really enjoyed how the relationship between Richard and Anne slowly developed during their marriage, instead of the pure as the driven snow instantaneous true love we're always seeing these days. Outside of Francis, none of the other main players are as fully developed as you might find in some other novels on this period, but at the same time you're not getting all black and white - everyone has their shades of gray - even Margaret Beaufort and Elizabeth Woodville - a very refreshing change.
  
  All in all I found this to be a very enjoyable read, although Tannahill's dry wit and sarcasm may not appeal to all readers. Still tops with me for books on Richard III is still Sharon Kay Penman's fabulous The Sunne in Splendour, but it's always fun to read another author's take on the always enigmatic Richard and the mystery of the Princes in the Tower. Four stars.
• 
  Brian

  I recently re-read this. I don't think it's the best novel about Richard, but it's certainly a very interesting one. Realistic, and maybe even a tad cynical.
  
  If you want lots of detail, you won't find it here. And if you require your Richard to be a plaster saint, this is definitely a book to avoid. On the other hand Tannahill goes where few Ricardian authors care to tread, such as the episode where he rips off the old Countess of Oxford's lands.
  
  Apart from Richard the main characters are Anne Neville and Francis Lovel, and these two appear to be the only ones who actually like, let alone love, the main man. It rather plays down his popularity given how well he was thought of in the north. In fact, towards the end when Anne and Francis are basically lobbying him to back right off the accession, you wonder who the hell is supporting the guy, when these two aren't! (He really couldn't have taken the throne on his own.)
  
  I suppose ultimately this novel falls into the 'grey legend' part of the debate. It's well written by an accomplished author and with the exception of the issue mentioned above I can't fault it plot-wise. But I am sure a lot of Ricardian readers won't like it!
• 
  Rio (Lynne)

  I'm still not a Richard III fan, but I enjoyed the author's take. There are so many things we will never know. Tannahill covered Richard's life from where he and George were fighting over the Neville women's fortunes until his charge down Ambien Hill. She did a good job at trying to understand Richard and maybe why he did the things he did. I disagree with her notes at the end, about The Princes not being a risk for Richard, so he had no reason to kill them. I'm not saying he did, but there were always usurper risks, especially with any Woodville supporters or existing family members. She made some good argumentative points in this fictional story, but I'm still not sold. After visiting the site of Bosworth this year, I was able to picture the final battle. Overall, history was not kind...York or Lancaster.
• 
  Bibliophile

  King Richard III – was he Shakespeare’s devilish hunchback, or a kind-hearted romantic who was betrayed by the people he loved? In Reay Tannahill’s The Seventh Son, Richard is neither of these extremes; instead, he is a clever, brave, hardnosed Renaissance prince, who knows that in the game of thrones, you win or you die (I totally stole that line from George R. R. Martin.)
  
  He’s no soft-hearted Romantic hero in love with his new bride Anne, either. In this book, he marries her for her money and to establish his legitimacy among her late father’s supporters but slowly comes to love her. And she is strong-minded and funny and not a little bit heartbreaking in her silent and unspoken love for her husband. Honestly, I find this to be a more realistic and more interesting story than the "standard" one where Richard and Anne have been in love with each other their whole lives. In much of Tannahill's novel, Richard and Anne sound a bit like Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond and Philippa, and I love their rare, but pointed, conversations. In short, this view of Richard rings far more true to me than the overly romanticized tomes, which even at the height of my Ricardian obsession, never seemed to be very consonant with the cojones it took to be a great prince at the time. Anyone as soft-hearted and sweet and kind as Penman’s Richard would have ended up on the chopping-block long before Bosworth Field!
  
  Tannahill posits an interesting theory about who killed the princes in the Tower and her depiction of Bosworth is well-nigh unbearable to read, not because it's poorly written, I hasten to add, but because I always find that final suicidally brave charge of Richard's so tremendously moving! This is a man who was tired of living, I think, and who just wanted it all to be over. I guess I'm a Ricardian at heart after all!
  
  Still, I do think there are a few flaws here - because of the book's brevity, Tannahill speeds too quickly through the major events of the period, as though we were reading some sort of History Cliff Notes, and she doesn’t leave herself time to really build up the characters (for example, Richard is devastated by the execution of his brother George – on the orders of his other brother, King Edward – but we don’t really get to see them as companions and friends at all so it's hard to say why he's so overcome by Clarence's death.) Also, I’m really wondering about the idea that Anne and Richard would welcome their friend’s (fictional) mistress when Richard is otherwise shown to be morally upright and not at all flexible about his brother’s mistresses. It doesn’t ring so true to me.
  
  So all in all a good effort, but not a great one. I’m now anxious to re-read Rosemary Hawley Jarman’s We Speak No Treason to see if I still love it as much as I once did!!
  
• 
  Deyanira C.

  An interesting novel about a Richard III portrayed in a balanced way.
  The novel begins in the year 1471 with Richard positioning himself as one of the most important men of his brother Edaward IV who at that point is a King who has finished the greatest threats after the battle of Tewkesbury, from that moment we follow the career of Richard as Duke of Gloucester, and the process that he follows to become the most powerful man in the country under the King, which is not easy and the book brilliantly explores the challenges he faced to consolidate, firts financially because despite his good service Edward IV does not reward him enormously at least not instantly, on the other hand, the north is a complicated territory that does not accept him easily, to smooth these two conflicts he marries Anne Neville whose economic and family heritage helps him to consolidate in the north, this marriage is not the fairy tale love match, as Richard is not a charming prince, he is a practical, ambitious, and calculating man , but he is also loyal, intelligent and capable, Anne is not stupidly in love with him we can say that she likes him and agrees to marry understanding what a marriage between nobles is (an economic question and about land not about affection or feelings) Richard to his surprise finds her more than likable which he considers a "bonus" but no more, marriage over the years becomes one of affection but not of overflowing romanticism, they are two nobles busy leading a hectic life and a political marriage, Anne overflows with love but controls herself because she doesn't want to push him away and he loves her but in his own way, although that led him to worry about her and suffer her death greatly, something that I liked is the balance of the relationship that is accompanied with humor.
  
  Besides Anne, Francis Lovell is the only other person who loves and idolizes Richard, Francis always accompanies and supports him, although in this part it seems to me that the book is a bit exaggerated, because it gives the idea that Francis is the only one Richard's friend that led me to wonder: And Rob Percy? Brakenbury? Ratcliff? That without counting his supporters and people who supported him in his career as Duke, I was not convinced by the idea that Lovell and his wife did not have a marriage in more than the legal sense it does not seem logical or a good argument that Francis was so calm about this just because He consoled himself with another lady.
  Apart from that, I liked the book a lot, it is a short reading, it attacks an episode that is rarely told as that of Oxoford's widow, the 60-year-old woman whom Richard forced to grant her inheritance, this part is controversial but the book manages to explain the reasoning of Richard behind these events, placing those involved as non-victims or villains, above all giving an excellent explanation of the legal issues, the way in which Richard connects with William Hasings, the Woodwille, and other nobles is credible and explains his behavior in the year 1483, his relationship with his brothers also seems to me well achieved the love he feels for Edward IV to the disappointment, as well as the pain that George's death causes him without falling into the ridiculous or dramatic.
  The part that explains his coming to power I feel that it is well explained, especially for a book published more than 10 years ago, although in this part the two big fans of Richard; Anne and Francis do not support him as they should and become bored, fearful, and ignorant observers of the situation, but Richard's motivations are credible and well developed, I am glad to note that the subject of Richard and his niece Elizabeth, here is nothing more than a misinterpreted celebration they are not even close, which is understandable and hopefully more authors had the understanding that this author has. At what point would Richard have the opportunity to be entangled with his own niece with everything the chaos happening around? same situation with the princes in the tower good version of events following the story line and respecting the character of Richard as a man of his time not a bad boy from Disney or a charming prince from Holliwood.
  
  I will not say that it is my favorite novel about Richard III but it is one of the best achieved despite the fact that it starts late in his life and sums up many years, despite that this achieves a balance between fiction and facts without abandoning logic, the author notes in the end that Richard III had a unique type of charisma that made him and even today be loved or hated and my only complaint is that it is hard to believe that this Richard who presents the book was loved or hated, I feel that he is rather presented as someone difficult to know in depth and difficult to love, I understand Anne's love but Francis's not so much, especially because he criticizes his "friend" all the time, not to mention the others who have no idea who Richard is.I highlight another thing about the author's note and that is that I fully agree with her, it is impossible to know the real Richard even in biographies, people who attack him, many historians tend to take as true everything written about him even if it lacks pf evidence , and they do not consider other versions, as she explains well, almost all the information is doubtful, she achieves a good portrait and makes it credible
• 
  Samantha

  I was not surprised to see in the author's notes that Tannahill recommended Charles Ross' biography of Richard III as a reliable nonfiction source because I had been reminded of his book the entire time I was reading hers. She does take a balanced, if sometimes dull, approach to Richard compared to many other modern authors who seem to paint him in an overly optimistic light. He is "a man of his times," a loyal but realistic nobleman, a man who knows that you cannot allow weaknesses to appear if you are to take control.
  
  While Tannahill's characterization was not the most enjoyable that I have read, it is quite possible that it is accurate. This fiction account takes into consideration known facts and varying theories about Richard and his motivations. I can accept that he was not the ideal man in every way, but do wish she had painted him as a more loving husband. He also seemed to fall apart a little too much at the death of his brother. Maybe too many bad decision, and other people's ability to manipulate him, were explained away by the fact that he "just wasn't himself yet."
  
  What I enjoyed most about this book was the way Tannahill explained how and why events happened and people made decisions that they made. She may not be correct, of course, but she at least created a motivation that makes sense unlike some other authors who give us people betraying Richard and leave us wondering why. A couple of these incidents seemed a little far fetched - Elizabeth leaving sanctuary because she was bored and all of the negative propaganda coming from Reginald Bray - but for the most part her reasoning was compelling. It made sense why Richard could become so vilified when he began as such a honorable, dependable, well-liked brother of the King.
  
  If you are looking for a romanticized defense of Richard III, look elsewhere. However, if you would like a fictional story that gives a moderate view of how known facts could have fallen into place, read this book.
• 
  Melisende

  Wanted to read this for such a long time - disappointing.
• 
  Barb

  An Interesting View, The Same Story With a Different Focus
  
  There were many things to enjoy about Reay Tannahill's book The Seventh Son. I so appreciate it when an author includes a family tree and the one Tannahill includes in her book is very nice and includes the ten children born to Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville as well as the four marriages of Margaret Beaufort. There is also a map of Medieval England showing the roads available at the time.
  
  This story is about the War of the Roses, the princes in the tower and Richard III. I'm somewhat familiar with the events that transpired, having read several books on the subject, I find the history fascinating.
  
  I thought that Tannahill's portrayal of Richard III as a shrewd and calculating man of his times is probably a bit more realistic than some of the depictions I have previously read.
  
  I really enjoyed the many smirky comments offered by the characters. Here's one from Will Hastings, talking about finding a rich wife for Richard Duke of Gloucester "the Lady Anne seems to be the only candidate, since the queen's brothers have already appropriated to themselves all the other great heiresses in the realm... However, I understand that Henry Stafford is close to death, which will make a widow of that clever wife of his, the Lady Margaret Beaufort. She might be available."
  
  Another amusing exchange between Richard and his dear friend Francis Lovell.
  "When has civil war developed out of anything other than personal ambition?"
  "You are becoming unpleasantly cynical."
  "Realistic."
  "Cynical."
  
  And here where the Duke of Buckingham is described: "The future may not prove so rosy for him." Buckingham remarked in the end with his special friendly smile, the slack-muscled and rabbity one that displayed the entire battery of his admirably white teeth, the upper and the lower. There must be some trick to it, Francis thought sleepily. Most people showed only their upper teeth, and not even those if they were black and decaying, as most men's were.
  
  And here's one more from one of Elizabeth Woodville's ladies-in-waiting. "It's just as I have always said. Scratch a Woodville and you find a commoner."
  
  These were some of my favorite parts of the book. But I also enjoyed the inclusion of several historical bits of information that give the whole chain of events that unfolded a very different perspective. One important one being the fact that when young George Neville died the properties that Richard Duke of Gloucester had been given by his brother the king would revert back to a member of the Neville family. And that the Protectorship that Edward IV wanted for his son did not hold up legally after his death.
  
  This was the same story with a different focus and included several important pieces of information that I don't recall reading about before. I thought that Tannahill did a nice job laying out the history and I really enjoyed the smart and biting comments from these 'characters'. I think that people who like their historical fiction to focus on the facts will enjoy this. I did enjoy it as well but I think I would have loved it if the author had offered greater character development and more personal insights, fictional as they would have been. But another enjoyable book about the controversial King Richard III.
  
• 
  Aneca

  was first introduced to the story of Richard III and the different opinions about him after reading Sharon Kay Penman’s The Sunne In Splendour. When I picked up this book I had no idea it was about Richard III, I decided to read it just because I had heard so many good things about Reay Tannahill and had never came across one of her books.
  
  
  Reay Tannahill's enthralling new novel is a family saga in the grand tradition......
  
  At the heart of it all is the dangerous, complex human being known to history as Richard III, a king whose reign is forever darkened by the murder of the young Princes in the Tower, but who also found a touching love with the woman he married, and possessed immense physical courage. Here, brought vividly to life in this most moving novel, is a man who inspired loyalty and hatred in almost equal measure, until at last the implacable enmity of one woman brought about his downfall.
  
  
  I found this book to have a more rational, less emotional approach to the story than the Penman book even if we will never know the actual truth.
  
  Tannahill chose to portray the adult Richard as an austere man, with a strong moral sense, he believes in doing the right thing even when that’s difficult and dangerous. He marries Anne Neville for political and economical gain, even if they are showed here as loving each other deeply.
  
  His life is first dominated by his loyalty and respect for his brother Edward IV and then dominated by his need to do what he believes is right, by duty. He is sometimes ruthless in the pursuit of that objective and I found that in context with the period he lived in even if he did seem very intolerant at times. However there isn’t much character development and we hardly ever know what the characters are thinking. The episode of the death of the princes in the tower is approached only briefly which I found a bit odd since it’s what is usually mentioned with connection with Richard’s life and deeds.
  
  Although I actually liked Tannahill’s approach to the story I think I would have liked a bit more characterization, a few more insights into the characters. She does that a lot better with Francis Lovell, Anne and Constantia than with Richard. Since this is an historical fiction novel I think I would have liked a bit more fiction.
  
  Grade: B
  
  You can find my review completed with Marg's comments at Historical Tapestry
• 
  Melissa

  I have been hesitant to read this because I am a pretty solid Ricardian, and wasn't looking forward to any further convenient demonizing of Richard III of England. This book is another historic fiction novel, based on historic facts, like my favorite, 'The Sunne in Splendour' by Sharon K Penman. Both books look at historical events and present a more likely historical account of Richard's actions than what has been immortalized by the Tudor propaganda machine, and subsequently, Shakespeare. While 'The Sunne in Splendour' is about the entirety of the War of the Roses, and Richard is only one of many key historic figures showcased, this novel focuses completely on Richard's life from about the time he was wooing Anne Neville, to his ultimate, and unfortunate end. Ms Tannahill really delves deep into his basic personality, as depicted and predicted by his known behavior prior to the death of his brother, King Edward IV. Like Penman, Tannahill also takes the motives of all other parties interested in the throne into account, and assembles another quite believable theory for why everything went so terribly wrong. Actually, she did a pretty good job of showing his human faults and weaknesses, although none were 'evil'. These character traits theoretically played a key role in his demise, with a whole lot of help from those who wanted him out of their way. Her theories are often the same, but a bit different than Penman's at times, however just as believable.
  
  Lesson learned: Gossip is powerful and evil.
  
  Even though I was very familiar with the events of the time, I still found this version riveting. I highly recommend both books mentioned, as well as the Philippa Gregory books that look at the same time period, but from the perspective of several different women - Margaret Beaufort, Queen Elizabeth nee Woodville, and Princess Elizabeth of York - The Red Queen, The White Queen, and the White Princess, respectively.
  
  I would love to jump back in time and see how it all unfolded myself....from a safe distance, of course.
• 
  Hannah Kelly

  Terrible. I LOVE these kinds of books and Richard the III is one of my absolute favorite historical figures but this was just impossible for me to swallow. Only thirty pages in I was checking the page count of the book and wondering how much more of it I would have to endure to finish it. The characterizations were awful. For fans of Richard this book makes him come across as a first class jerk and Anne Neville is reduced to a simpering, whining, giggling,(heavens the giggling!) schoolgirl. Elizabeth Woodville, though a controversial character, was portrayed in a light that was beyond unflattering. It is good for an author to be impartial, but the characterizations of EVERYONE were so unfavorable it was difficult to determine if the author thought ANY of these people ever had good intentions. I will be sticking with "The Sunne in Splendor", in my opinion, the best historical novel ever written of Richard the III, and I can only suggest that other fans of Richard do the same.
• 
  Andrea

  This historical novel gave me a new slant on a topic I know very well -- the life and reign of England's King Richard III. He's a mysterious and controversial figure in British history, and long ago I decided he'd been unfairly maligned by Thomas More and Shakespeare. That said, this novel gives the reader a new take on Richard's personality and motives, one that I suspect is more in keeping with the values of the 15th century and perhaps more realistic than the innocent-misunderstood-saint or total-blackguard polarities usually presented in such works. Well worth a read for the insights.
• 
  Megan

  3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
  
  Re-read Oct 2021.
  
  I don't that I loved this one as much the second time around as I did the first, but I think that's because I was busy and had no time to read. Where I would have normally read this in a couple of days, it got stretched out to almost a week and it got to the point where I just wanted to get it finished. Nevertheless, it's still an admirable attempt at a realistic portrait of Richard III, and as much as I would have liked the ending to change, there's just some things in history that cannot be undone.
• 
  Michael Heath-Caldwell

  The story of end of the Plantagenet line, with Richard III in late 1400's brought to life the the research of Reay Tannahill, shows an English monarch who lost the historical publicity stakes to the Tudors, and whose story had to be vilified to establish the legitimacy of the House of Tudor.
• 
  Emilie

  This book was brilliant. Reay Tannahill gave an unique perspective on the events before and during the reign of Richard III by telling it from the "bad" side, yet making it seem like the "good" side. So many authors are intent on painting Richard in a dark light, but this story, told through his eyes, makes him seem innocent of the terrible crimes of which he has been accused. Tannahill's novel makes the point that we don't really know what happened to the Princes, and maybe events played out in a completely different way than most people (there is a group called the Richard III society that believe he was innocent) believe.
• 
  Reena

  And then, at last, the killing blow was struck and everything was over – the life, the drama and the dream.
  
  Last line from The Seventh Son. Reading this novel, I found Richard III to be an interesting person, so it’s a shame his story wasn’t told in an engaging manner. The writing style was stiff but thankfully the fast moving plot made up for it!
  
• 
  Jenny

  Ever since watching the enjoyable TV series 'The White Queen', I've been fascinated by reading stories about Richard III. They all have their merits and I enjoy the different approaches. Since the facts are limited, everyone is entitled to write their version of events and personalities.
  This was another enjoyable story and I found it enjoyable and interesting.
• 
  Gillian

  These medieval historical novels generally aren’t my choice of reading material but this book was given to me. I preserved but admitted defeat after almost a week.
  The problem for me is that being set so far in the past, it is difficult for me to believe the dialogue as if that was how people spoke in the late 1400s. We don’t really know exactly what went on during the reign of Richard III. It seemed to me like a children’s television programme set in Ye Olde England. There was a touch of the Ken Folletts too - namely cram in as many historical facts and dates into one paragraph.
  I really couldn’t begin to enjoy this novel. On the other hand, I know I would really enjoy this writer’s non-fiction histories.
• 
  Coral

  In the Game of Thrones you either win or you die.
  If anyone was unsure that George RR Martin was inspired by history, this book would put it to rest. It is very much about the political machinations at the end of the War of the Roses. The politics felt very modern.
  Richard III is the titular seventh son, and he does get some characterisation here - not evil, but not totally good. It was really disappointing that it mostly glosses over Richard's POV when he decides to take the throne. That's really what I would have liked to have read.
  It started slow, but got better as it went along.
• 
  Emma

  Maybe it is a sign of how many books I have read about this period of time, but I found this a very lightweight touch through some of what happened during this time. It felt like a very good introduction to what happened but without any detail about some of the more intriguing events. Murders which have intrigued people for centuries (and not just THAT murder) covered off in a couple of pages
• 
  Richard

  Interesting, and it passed the time. If you are looking for more, look elsewhere.
• 
  Louise

  Quite a decent fictional biography of Richard III. (Sometimes they can be horribly sentmental.) Tannahill deals sympathetically with the trials and tribulations of Richard's life and too-short reign.
• 
  Carole-Ann

  If I remember rightly, this is one of the better Richard III stories.
• 
  Jael

  Stopping this a hundred pages in; the characters seem very one-dimensional and it's too light for my tastes. Might give it a go again in the future