Review: Brandon by Tony Riches

From the author of the international bestselling Tudor Trilogy comes a true story of adventure, courtly love, and chivalric loyalty. 

Handsome, charismatic and a champion jouster, Sir Charles Brandon is the epitome of a Tudor Knight. A favourite of King Henry VIII, Brandon has a secret. He has fallen in love with Henry’s sister, Mary Tudor, the beautiful widowed Queen of France, and risks everything to marry her without the King’s consent.

 Brandon becomes Duke of Suffolk, but his loyalty is tested fighting Henry’s wars in France. Mary’s public support for Queen Catherine of Aragon brings Brandon into dangerous conflict with the ambitious Boleyn family and the king’s new right-hand man, Thomas Cromwell. 

Torn between duty to his family and loyalty to the king, Brandon faces an impossible decision: can he accept Anne Boleyn as his new queen?

Publication Date: December 3, 2018

Preseli Press

eBook; ASIN: B07L3YGBWJ

Genre: Historical/Tudor/Biographical

****

It’s such a refreshing treating reading a Tudor era book without good old Henry VIII playing center stage. That being said Charles Brandon is a close friend and confidante so his life revolves around the King but here Brandon’s life is vividly portrayed. 

This is my second book by Tony Riches, Jasper being my first, and again it’s evident that he knows his stuff. His attention to detail shows his research and passion for the time period. I knew very little about the life of Charles Brandon and was thoroughly entertained and educated, not only on Brandon's life but with Court, politics and jousting.

There is a big space of time that is cover in this book the pacing wasn’t rushed, I found it to be well written definitely an author I recommend and will continue to read more of.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Tony Riches is a full-time writer and lives with his wife in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. After several successful non-fiction books, Tony turned to novel writing and wrote ‘Queen Sacrifice’, set in 10th century Wales, followed by ‘The Shell’, a thriller set in present-day Kenya.

A specialist in the history of the early Tudors, he is best known for his Tudor Trilogy. Tony’s other international bestsellers include ‘Warwick ~ The Man Behind the Wars of the Roses’ and ‘The Secret Diary of Eleanor Cobham’.

For more information please visit Tony’s website and his blog The Writing Desk.

He can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Review/Giveaway: Owen (The Tudor Trilogy #1) by Tony Riches

Based on the true story of a forgotten hero, OWEN is the epic tale of one young man’s incredible courage and resilience as he changes the course of English history. 

England 1422: Owen Tudor, a Welsh servant, waits in Windsor Castle to meet his new mistress, the beautiful and lonely Queen Catherine of Valois, widow of the warrior king, Henry V. Her infant son is crowned King of England and France, and while the country simmers on the brink of civil war, Owen becomes her protector. 

They fall in love, risking Owen’s life and Queen Catherine’s reputation—but how do they found the dynasty which changes British history – the Tudors? 

This is the first historical novel to fully explore the amazing life of Owen Tudor, grandfather of King Henry VII and the great-grandfather of King Henry VIII. Set against a background of the conflict between the Houses of Lancaster and York, which develops into what have become known as the Wars of the Roses, Owen’s story deserves to be told. 

Owen - Book One of the Tudor Trilogy is a new addition to story of the Tudors in the historical fiction tradition of C J Sansom, Conn Iggulden, Philippa Gregory and Hilary Mantel.

Publication Date: July 26, 2015

Preseli Press

eBook & Paperback; 318 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

****

Oh how I love reading about people and places in history that I am unfamiliar with! I’ve read during the late 1400’s but don't really know that much regarding the early path of the Tudor’s. 

Owen is the first book in Tony Riches’s Tudor Series, other than a few fictional characters he stayed true to history and events. There were lots of changes taking place after the death of King Henry V with his infant son now King of both England and France. Though there isn’t much known about Owen Tudor the author does a great job of filling in the gaps.  Told from his point of view made for an enjoyable read, his relationship with Queen Catherine as well as the struggles of court added enough action to keep the story flowing.  

I have read enough Tudor books set in King Henry VIII's reign that this one was a refreshing change (Owen is his great grandfather).  A chance to learn more about the Tudor line and the added bonus of continuing this series with Jasper and Henry. I love the cover for this book, it sets the tone and setting.  Tony Riches's knowledge of the time period shines through. Definitely a series and author I will continue reading.

 Be sure to click on the banner below for links to those reviews also.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble

Tony Riches is a full-time writer and lives with his wife in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. After several successful non-fiction books, Tony turned to novel writing and wrote 'Queen Sacrifice', set in 10th century Wales, followed by 'The Shell', a thriller set in present day Kenya.

A specialist in the history of the early Tudors, he is best known for his Tudor Trilogy. Tony’s other international best sellers include 'Warwick ~ The Man Behind the Wars of the Roses' and 'The Secret Diary of Eleanor Cobham'.

 For more information please visit Tony's website and his blog The Writing Desk.

He can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away an eBook & Signed Paperback of each book!

To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on June 7th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

  Tudor Trilogy

be sure to click on banner for more stops on this tour, including reviews of Jasper and Henry