Tag: Elizabethan

Guest Post: “Spotlight for ‘Bess-Tudor Gentlewoman’ by Tony Riches

On By hmalagisiIn guest post1 Comment

I am pleased to welcome Tony Riches to my blog to share a blurb for his latest novel, “Bess-Tudor Gentlewoman.” I would like to thank Tony Riches and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to participate in this blog tour. 

Blurb: 

Bess Throckmorton defies her notorious background and lack of education to become Queen Elizabeth’s Gentlewoman and trusted confidante. 

Forced to choose between loyalty and love, duty and desire, will she risk her queen’s anger by marrying adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh without permission? 

Entangled in a web of intrigue, from the glittering Palace of Whitehall to the cells of the Tower of London, Bess endures tragedy and injustice, becoming a resilient, determined woman who takes nothing for granted. 

Can she outwit her enemies, protect her family, and claim her destiny in a world where women are pawns and survival is a game of deadly consequences? 

This is the true story of the last of the Elizabethans, which ends the story of the Tudor dynasty – and introduces their successors, the Stuarts. 

Buy Link: 

Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/BESS  

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited. 

Author Bio: 

Tony Riches is a full-time UK author of Tudor historical fiction. He lives with his wife in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, and is a specialist in the lives of the early Tudors. 

As well as his Elizabethan series, Tony’s historical fiction novels include the best-selling Tudor trilogy and his Brandon trilogy (about Charles Brandon and his wives). 

For more information about Tony’s books, please visit his website, and his blog, The Writing Desk, and find him on social media. 

Author Links: 

Website: https://www.tonyriches.com/  

Blog: http://tonyriches.blogspot.co.uk/  

Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/tonyriches  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyriches.author/  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyriches.author/  

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tonyriches.bsky.social  

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Tony-Riches/author/B006UZWOXA  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5604088.Tony_Riches  

 

 

 

Book Review: “The Dartington Bride” by Rosemary Griggs

On By hmalagisiIn Book Reviews, guest post1 Comment

The Dartington Bride Tour Banner 1The 16th century was known for its dramatic changes in religious issues. None more so than during the late Tudor dynasty especially during the reign of Elizabeth I. However, France also saw the religious pendulum swing between Protestantism and Catholicism. Many families from all walks of life were caught in religious squabbles, like the Montgomery family. Lady Gabrielle Roberda Montgomery found herself in the middle of the drama and was forced to marry into a prominent Devon family in Elizabethan England, far from her native France. Roberda’s extraordinary story is told masterfully in Rosemary Griggs’ latest novel, “The Dartington Bride.” 

I would like to thank Rosemary Griggs and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to take part in this blog tour with a book review. I thoroughly enjoyed Griggs’ debut novel, “ A Woman of Noble Wit,” so when I heard that she was writing a new novel, it was intriguing to me. I had never heard of Lady Gabrielle Roberda Montgomery before reading this novel, so I was excited to learn more about her life.

Lady Gabrielle Roberda Montgomery was the daughter of Gabriel de Lorges, Count of Montgomery, Lord of Lorges and Ducey, and his wife Isabeau de la Touche. Her father was the captain of the Scots Guard during the reign of King Henri II of France, but everything changed in 1559, when he accidentally struck the king in the eye with a lance, killing the king. The Montgomery family must make tough choices to survive and fight with Louis I de Bourbon, Prince de Conde in the French Wars of Religion and survive the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre. 

To make sure Roberda is safe and secure, her parents arrange a marriage alliance with Sir Arthur Champernowne. Roberda marries Gawen Champernowne, a rough brute of a man, who is jealous of not only his young wife and how she looks at other men but is jealous of men like Sir Francis Drake who can get all the glory while he stays in the shadows as a spy for Walsingham. Roberda has a difficult marriage, but she gets along with her father-in-law Sir Arthur Champernowne, and her friend Anne Cecil at Dartington Hall. Roberda is a great mother to her growing family and helps Huguenot refugees start again in England. However perfect her life may look on the outside, Gawen remains jealous and decides that the only way to quell his anger is through divorcing his faithful wife.

This is another brilliant novel by Rosemary Griggs highlighting a woman from the Elizabethan age who has for centuries lived in the shadows of the past. I loved how Griggs was able to take a woman who has been a footnote in history and give her a beautiful yet heartbreaking tale of love and tragedy. I cannot wait to see who Rosemary Griggs will write about next. If you want a gripping novel about a lesser-known lady living in the Elizabethan age, you should check out, “The Darington Bride” by Rosemary Griggs. 

The Dartington Bride coverBlurb:

1571, and the beautiful, headstrong daughter of a French Count marries the son of the Vice Admiral of the Fleet of the West in Queen Elizabeth’s chapel at Greenwich. It sounds like a marriage made in heaven…

Roberda’s father, the Count of Montgomery, is a prominent Huguenot leader in the French Wars of Religion. When her formidable mother follows him into battle, she takes all her children with her.

After a traumatic childhood in war-torn France, Roberda arrives in England full of hope for her wedding. But her ambitious bridegroom, Gawen, has little interest in taking a wife.

Received with suspicion by the servants at her new home, Dartington Hall in Devon, Roberda works hard to prove herself as mistress of the household and to be a good wife. But there are some who will never accept her as a true daughter of Devon.

After the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, Gawen’s father welcomes Roberda’s family to Dartington as refugees. Compassionate Roberda is determined to help other French women left destitute by the wars. But her husband does not approve. Their differences will set them on an extraordinary path…

Buy Links:

Universal Buy Link: https://rosemarygriggs.co.uk/books/2/The%20Dartington%20Bride/ 

Rosemary GriggsAuthor Bio:

Author and speaker Rosemary Griggs has been researching Devon’s sixteenth-century history for years. She has discovered a cast of fascinating characters and an intriguing network of families whose influence stretches far beyond the West Country and loves telling the stories of the forgotten women of history – the women beyond the royal court; wives, sisters, daughters, and mothers who played their part during those tumultuous Tudor years: the Daughters of Devon. 

Her novel A Woman of Noble Wit tells the story of Katherine Champernowne, Sir Walter Raleigh’s mother, and features many of the county’s well-loved places. 

Rosemary creates and wears sixteenth-century clothing, a passion that complements her love for bringing the past to life through a unique blend of theatre, history, and re-enactment. Her appearances and talks for museums and community groups all over the West Country draw on her extensive research into sixteenth-century Devon, Tudor life, and Tudor dress, particularly Elizabethan. 

Out of costume, Rosemary leads heritage tours of the gardens at Dartington Hall, a fourteenth-century manor house and now a visitor destination and charity supporting learning in arts, ecology, and social justice.

Author Links:

Website:https://rosemarygriggs.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RAGriggsauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladykatherinesfarthingale

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griggs6176/ 

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@griggs6176

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ragriggsauthor.bsky.social

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rosemary-Griggs/author/B09GY6ZSYF 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21850977.Rosemary_Griggs 

Guest Post: Excerpt from “Raleigh: Tudor Adventurer by Tony Riches”

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Raleigh Tudor Adventurer Tour BannerToday, it is my pleasure to welcome back to the blog Tony Riches to share an excerpt from his latest Elizabethan novel, “Raleigh: Tudor Adventurer. I want to thank Tony Riches and The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to be part of this tour. 

Excerpt

I’d never seen the presence chamber so crowded. The queen sat on her gilded throne, flanked on both sides by her ladies in their best gowns. Every space was filled with courtiers, and I was pleased to see all the members of the Privy Council, including Lord Burghley and my nemesis, Sir Christopher Hatton.

There were gasps and muttered comments as we entered. I’d been right. Her Majesty’s newest subjects were the talk of London, and I had become the center of attention. I strode forwards and bowed, relishing the moment.

‘Your Majesty, I present Manteo and Wanchese, from the New World, now claimed as the empire of Virginia.’

Although we’d provided them with warmer clothing, as they suffered with the cold of London in autumn, they were bare-chested and bare-footed, showing their tattooed bodies. With iridescent feathers in their plaited hair, they dressed in loincloths, with black furs draped over their shoulders, increasing their wild appearance.

As prepared in our rehearsal at Durham House, they marched confidently through the crowded chamber and fell to their knees before the queen. Manteo greeted her in his own language, then Wanchese opened a small box containing the bracelet of pearls.

The queen stared at her visitors with open curiosity, then took the pearl bracelet and turned to me. ‘We wish to thank them. Do they understand any English?’

‘These men are chieftains of their people, and the bracelets are a gift from their queen, Your Majesty. Chief Manteo is learning a little English, and Master Thomas Harriot is learning what he can of their language.’

‘Tell Master Harriot to explain that we thank their queen for her gift, and commend their bravery in making the journey to England.’ She turned the pearl bracelet in the light and looked up at me. ‘Did your men discover gold or jewels?’

‘What they found is worth more than gold or jewels, Your Majesty.’ I paused and looked around the chamber, aware of my new status. ‘They discovered rich, fertile land, stretching as far as they could see, and claimed it in the gracious name of Your Majesty.’ I pointed to Manteo and Wanchese. ‘These men made my captains most welcome, and will help us understand the opportunities of the country of Virginia for the benefit of your colonists.’

* * *

The first of my rewards proved a surprise. I’d been appointed the junior Member of Parliament for Devon. Parliament had not met for twelve years, and my tax on broadcloth exports was unpopular with influential wool merchants in Exeter, so my new appointment was unexpected.

Sir Francis Walsingham was quick to explain. ‘This is the fifth meeting of the queen’s reign, which the Privy Council has recommended to discuss national security.’

‘There is talk at court that the Throckmorton Plot is only part of a wider Catholic conspiracy.’

Sir Francis nodded. ‘My informers on the Continent discovered plans for an invasion of England led by Henry, Duke of Guise, financed by the Spanish and the Vatican.’ He frowned. ‘We have to do whatever we can to prevent a simultaneous revolt of English Catholics.’

‘Do you think they might try?’ With a jolt, I realized how quickly everything I’d built up could vanish, like a morning mist.

‘You’ve seen the seditious pamphlet they call Leicester’s Commonwealth?’

‘I have, but no one, apart perhaps from the Earl of Leicester, takes it too seriously—’

‘That’s where you’re wrong, Master Raleigh. The Catholic faction draws encouragement from such works, and there are thousands of copies in circulation on the Continent. The pamphlet is a threat to our queen. We mustn’t forget Prince William of Orange was murdered by a man he trusted, a Catholic named Balthasar Gérard, who used a pistol at close range.’ Sir Francis shook his head. ‘He was assassinated at dinner in his own house, a reminder why we have to be prepared for anything.’

‘What do you wish me to do?’

‘A new act is to be put before Parliament, for the safety of the queen, to prevent any open invasion or rebellion, or any attempt to injure Her Majesty. Any person found guilty will be disbarred from inheriting the throne, and sentenced to death for treason.’

‘Including the queen’s cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots?’

He nodded. ‘Catholic sympathizers in Parliament will do all they can to delay, so use your influence to ensure the act is passed.’

I looked at him in surprise. I had no experience of politics or as a Member of Parliament and hadn’t seen myself as capable of political influence. Sir Francis Walsingham sat like a spider in the complex web of court, and his words proved that, at last, I’d achieved my ambition.

Raleigh coverRaleigh – Tudor Adventurer

(The Elizabethan Series, Book 3)

By Tony Riches

Blurb

Tudor adventurer, courtier, explorer, and poet Sir Walter Raleigh has been called the last true Elizabethan.

He didn’t dance or joust, didn’t come from a noble family, or marry into one. So how did an impoverished law student become a favorite of the queen and Captain of the Guard?

The story, which began with the best-selling Tudor trilogy, follows Walter Raleigh from his first days at the Elizabethan Court to the end of the Tudor dynasty.

Buy Links:

Available on #KindleUnlimited.

Universal Link: mybook. to/Raleigh

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09Z98J183

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Z98J183

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09Z98J183

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09Z98J183

Tony Riches Author (1)Author Bio:

Tony Riches

Tony Riches is a full-time UK author of best-selling historical fiction. He lives in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, and is a specialist in the lives of the Tudors. He also runs the popular ‘Stories of the Tudors Podcast’ podcast and posts book reviews and guest posts at his blog, The Writing Desk. For more information, visit his website tonyriches.com and find him on Facebook and Twitter @tonyriches.

Social Media Links:

Blog: https://tonyriches.blogspot.com/

Website: https://www.tonyriches.com/

Podcast: https://tonyriches.podbean.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonyriches

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyriches.author

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyriches.author/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/tonyriches

Book Review: “Raleigh: Tudor Adventurer (Elizabethan Book #3)” by Tony Riches

On By hmalagisiIn Book Reviews1 Comment

61016647._SY475_A man who wants to get ahead in any royal court must have an impeccable background and a willingness to serve his monarch no matter the obstacles thrown their way. It takes an extraordinary man who doesn’t have a pristine background to make it in the ruthless world of a royal court, but some men made names for themselves. One such man was an adventurer, a poet, an explorer, and a courtier. He came from humble beginnings and rose to prominence to become known as one of the last true Elizabethans. The man was Sir Walter Raleigh, and his story is told in Tony Riches’ latest novel, “Raleigh: Tudor Adventurer.”

I want to thank Tony Riches for sending me a copy of this novel. I have enjoyed his previous books in his Elizabethan series on Sir Francis Drake and Robert Devereux Earl of Essex, so I was thrilled when a new story about Sir Walter Raleigh was announced. I previously read a novel about Sir Walter Raleigh’s mother this year, so I was looking forward to an adventure with her son.

Walter Raleigh began his career as a law student who was not passionate about the law. He is ambitious and eventually attracts the attention of Queen Elizabeth I herself; it is in her court that he becomes a courtier and, finally, her Captain of the Guard. His dream was to set sail on the open seas with his brother. He finally gets his chance to sail the high seas, but it is not as glamorous as he envisioned, but he is hooked on the thrill of the adventure.

Some look down on Raleigh because he is not part of a noble family, but he rose through the ranks to become one of the Queen’s favorites. His good looks and charisma attracted the attention of many young ladies, including Bess Throckmorton, who would later become his wife. However, the bulk of this novel focuses on the adventures and investments Raleigh was known for. From Ireland and Cadiz to the New World and the search for the legendary City of Gold, Riches takes his readers on swashbuckling journeys full of perilous battles and high rewards.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Raleigh’s relationships with everyone from Queen Elizabeth I to his wife, Bess Raleigh. The audience gets a chance to see the inner workings of Elizabeth’s court through the eyes of someone who knew what it meant to be on Elizabeth’s good side. I also enjoyed the poetry that Riches weaves into this narrative to give his audience a better understanding of what Raleigh might have felt during crucial moments in his life. My one issue with this novel was that some of the battles and scenes during Raleigh’s expeditions felt a tad rushed to me, and I wish Riches developed these scenes a bit more.

Overall, I found this novel satisfying to read and a real treat for any Tudor fan. If you have enjoyed the previous Elizabethan series books or are looking for a stand-alone story about Sir Walter Raleigh, I would propose you read “Raleigh: Tudor Adventurer” by Tony Riches.

Guest Post: “Why I Write Dual Timeline Novels and Why I Choose Present Day” by Clare Marchant

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The Queen's Spy Tour BannerToday, I am pleased to welcome Clare Marchant to my blog to discuss her latest novel, “The Queen’s Spy,” and her use of dual timelines. I would like to thank The Coffee Pot Book Club and Clare Marchant for stopping by on this tour. 

I have always loved reading dual timeline novels. I love history (of course!), and although I also read many historical books, both fiction and non-fiction, I love that connection between the past and the present, waiting to find out when the two worlds will meet.

I often wax lyrical about how I am fascinated with the connections that bind us all together, whether family ties, our links to places, objects, or indeed each other. We are all woven together by the way that we are threaded together with everything that we touch. We all have special items, be it family heirlooms or gifts, jewelry, or a book; perhaps that means something special to us. Something that will eventually belong to someone else. When it comes to history, these associations take on a whole new persona as they link over the years or centuries, and I love investigating this through my writing by tying the two stories together through a shared theme, a shared connection.

In Saffron Hall, that relationship, the object that tied the two stories together, was the book of hours. I have a fascination for old illuminated manuscripts, so I wanted to use one of these exquisite small prayer books as the object that united together my two protagonists, showing how the theme, ‘while I breathe, I hope’ touched the lives of them both. They both learn that they must live with the hurt they have endured and to keep taking each day at a time until things get better – they keep breathing and keep hoping. That eventually, time will help them to move on.

In The Queen’s Spy, the object is the triptych that Tom paints, showing his journey, which mirrors in some respects the one in the present day that Mathilde is taking. They are both connected by their shared background of being shunned by society for separate reasons. By being ‘different’ and having to face prejudice and leaving them to lead a peripatetic lifestyle never accepted by those around them. They are always searching for somewhere they will be recognized for who they are and loved for it. By investigating the painting, Mathilde begins to learn more about herself and her place in this world.  And she learns the book’s theme, that she cannot change the past, but she can change the future.

The reason why I choose present-day as my alternative timeline to the Tudor one is that despite the apparent differences to our daily lives between the way we now live compared to how they did in the sixteenth century, I think it shows just how much these morals that guide us affect us all whenever we lived. We are just the same in our hearts, with similar fears, hopes, desires, and despair. People love, they grieve, they laugh, and they cry. In every life, there are shared experiences, precious objects…and precious people.

The Queen's Spy Cover(Blurb)

1584: Elizabeth I rules England. But a dangerous plot is brewing in court, and Mary Queen of Scots will stop at nothing to take her cousin’s throne.

There’s only one thing standing in her way: Tom, the queen’s trusted apothecary, who makes the perfect silent spy…

2021: Travelling the globe in her campervan, Mathilde has never belonged anywhere. So when she receives news of an inheritance, she is shocked to discover she has a family in England.

Just like Mathilde, the medieval hall she inherits conceals secrets, and she quickly makes a haunting discovery. Can she unravel the truth about what happened there all those years ago? And will she finally find a place to call home?

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Queens-Spy-gripping-historical-fiction-ebook/dp/B08R6Q4CC9

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Queens-Spy-gripping-historical-fiction-ebook/dp/B08R6Q4CC9

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Queens-Spy-gripping-historical-fiction-ebook/dp/B08R6Q4CC9

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Queens-Spy-gripping-historical-fiction-ebook/dp/B08R6Q4CC9

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-queens-spy-clare-marchant/1139196760

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-queens-spy/clare-marchant/9780008454357

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-queen-s-spy-2

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/gb/book/the-queens-spy/id1554626619

Audio: https://amzn.to/2QRzT2K

Clare MarchantAuthor Bio:

Growing up in Surrey, Clare always dreamed of being a writer. Instead, she followed a career in IT before moving to Norfolk for a quieter life and re-training as a jeweler.

Now writing full time, she lives with her husband and the youngest two of her six children. Weekends are spent exploring local castles and monastic ruins or visiting the nearby coast.

Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClareMarchant1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claremarchantauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claremarchant1/?hl=en

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3fkuf2r

Book Review: “Essex: Tudor Rebel (Elizabethan, Book 2) by Tony Riches

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

Essex Tudor Rebel Tour BannerToday, I am pleased to share my book review of the latest Elizabethan novel by Tony Riches as my contribution to his “Essex: Tudor Rebel” blog tour. Thank you to Tony Riches for sending me a copy of his latest novel, and to The Coffee Pot Book Club for allowing me to take part in this tour. 

Being a favorite of a queen is not all glitter and fame. Take, for example, the men who were considered the favorites of Elizabeth I. They had to deal with a queen whose temper and praise were interchangeable. One of the most famous examples of a favorite enduring the wrath of the queen was Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. A handsome rascal who had a mountain of debt to his name, Essex tries to follow his queen’s orders while staying true to his nature. His road from loyal man to Elizabeth I, his numerous adventures, and his ultimate rebellion are masterfully told in Tony Riches’ latest Elizabethan novel, “Essex: Tudor Rebel”.

I would like to thank Tony Riches for sending me a copy of his latest novel. I enjoyed his first venture into the Elizabethan era about Sir Francis Drake. When I heard about this novel, I was excited to dive in. Obviously, I knew about the Essex Rebellion and Essex’s fall from grace, but I really wanted to know about the man behind it all.

Robert Devereux was the son of Lettice Knollys and Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex. Many recognize Robert’s rather remarkable mother Lettice Knollys as she would gain the ire of Queen Elizabeth when she married the Queen’s favorite, Robert Dudley. Essex’s father Walter would die with a mountain of debt when Essex was a boy. The fact that Essex grew up as a poor Earl does not make him stray away from the lavish lifestyle that he craves. In fact, he adds to his father’s debt with his own, making it nearly impossible to pay off.

What makes him so appealing to Queen Elizabeth I is his youthful bravado. Essex is like a son to Elizabeth I. They were so close that some assumed that they were lovers. Riches puts this myth to rest in this novel. That does not mean that Essex was single like his queen. In fact, he did marry the daughter of the famous spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham. His daughter, Frances, is extremely loyal to her children and is not afraid to speak her mind when she believes that Essex is in the wrong. Essex is not exactly the most loyal of husbands as he does have affairs and illegitimate children.

Essex did not shy away from battles. He was known for his ventures in France, Cadiz, and Ireland, but his reputation would be battered like the numerous storms he encountered. He wanted the glory to restore his reputation, but his naivete and anger towards the queen who treated him like a son would lead to his downfall.

There is something magical about a new novel by Tony Riches. He is able to capture the audience’s attention with realistic scenarios, characters that jump from the pages of the past, and dialogue that is entirely believable. Essex may seem like an outlandish character, but his desire to restore his honor and to pay back his debt is understandable. There were moments where I was getting frustrated with Essex because of his poor decision-making skills, but Riches really made me feel sympathetic for this naive young rogue by the end. If you want another brilliant escape into the late Tudor age, I highly recommend you read book two in Tony Riches’ enchanting Elizabethan series, “Essex: Tudor Rebel”.

Essex---Tudor-rebel-Kindle(Blurb)

Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, is one of the most intriguing men of the Elizabethan period. Tall and handsome, he soon becomes a ‘favourite’ at court, so close to the queen many wonder if they are lovers.

The truth is far more complex, as each has what the other yearns for. Robert Devereux longs for recognition, wealth and influence. His flamboyant naïveté amuses the ageing Queen Elizabeth, like the son she never had, and his vitality makes her feel young.

Robert Devereux’s remarkable true story continues the epic tale of the rise of the Tudors, which began with the best-selling Tudor trilogy and concludes with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Buy Links:

This novel is free to read with #KindleUnlimited subscription.

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/bwo16Y

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09246T7ZT
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09246T7ZT
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09246T7ZT
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09246T7ZT

 

Tony Riches AuthorAuthor Bio

Tony Riches

Tony Riches is a full-time UK author of best-selling Tudor historical fiction. He lives in Pembrokeshire, West Wales and is a specialist in the history of the Wars of the Roses and the lives of the early Tudors. Tony’s other published historical fiction novels include: Owen – Book One Of The Tudor Trilogy, Jasper – Book Two Of The Tudor Trilogy, Henry – Book Three Of The Tudor Trilogy, Mary – Tudor Princess, Brandon – Tudor Knight and The Secret Diary Of Eleanor Cobham.

Social Media Links:

Website: https://www.tonyriches.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonyriches
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyriches.author/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyriches/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyriches.author/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Tony-Riches/e/B006UZWOXA
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5604088.Tony_Riches

Book Review: “The Time Traveler’s Guide to Elizabethan England” by Ian Mortimer

On By hmalagisiIn Book Reviews1 Comment

Have you ever read a history book and wondered what life was really like for those who lived in the past? To understand a time period and the motives of the people of the past, we have to understand the structure of their society. How they understood things like class, sex, violence, government, and religion is essential for us to understand what separates us from our ancestors. What they ate, what they wore, and where they slept also give a unique insight into the time period. It can be a difficult undertaking to figure out all of the different aspects of the past connect and to present it cohesively, yet acclaimed historian Ian Mortimer has embraced this challenge head-on to tackle one of the most complex periods of the past; the Elizabethan era. His love letter to the Elizabethan age entitled, “The Time Traveler’s Guide to Elizabethan England” is a delightfully imaginative guide to the past.

There have been numerous books about the lifestyles of past eras, but what separates those books from the one that Ian Mortimer has written is his writing style and the imaginative descriptions that he included. Many writers give you the facts without the fluff. Mortimer has written this book as if you have stepped back in time and you are seeing the Elizabethan age with your own eyes. It is a treat for all of the senses. To engage the reader in such a way is not an easy feat, but Mortimer does it seamlessly.

I think we all have a vague idea of what the reign of Elizabeth I might have been like. After all, it was known as the “Golden Age”, so it must have been a time of opportunity and great providence for the people, no matter their social standing. Or maybe not. As Mortimer explains, this “Golden Age” was a varnish for a reign that was filled with its own set of trials and tribulations, very similar to what we experience today. Sure, the problems are different, but we can relate to the people of the past because they are human problems. We all deal with things like diseases, where we live, what we eat, what to wear, religion, entertainment, and education. Yet what makes each era unique is how we address these issues.

To see the Elizabethan era, which was on the precipice of the early modern age, in the midst of great progress was a joy. Obviously, this would not have been a time that modern readers would like to have stayed for an extended visit, but it was simply a fantastic guide for those who dream of the past.

I don’t usually share quotes from books in my reviews, but there was something that Mortimer said at the very end of this book that was too poignant not to share.

“History is not really about the past; it is about understanding mankind over time. Within that simple, linear story of change and survival, there are a thousand contrasts, and within each of those contrasts there is a range of experiences, and if we put our minds to it, we can relate to each one. “(pg. 325)

I picked up this particular book on a whim and I am truly glad I did. It gave me a deeper understanding of the Elizabethan age and what it meant to be Elizabethan. Although we are separated from these people by centuries, their experiences and ours are similar. We are all humans trying to get by each day the best we can. If you have ever wanted to know what the past was really like for those in the Elizabethan era, either for your own personal enjoyment or for research, I highly recommend you add, “The Time Traveler’s Guide to Elizabethan England” by Ian Mortimer to your own personal collection.

Book Review: “Elizabeth I’s Secret Lover: Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester” by Robert Stedall

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52718070._SX318_The last Tudor monarch, Queen Elizabeth I, was known for many things, but her main legacy is that she never chose to marry anyone. She was the infamous “Virgin Queen”. However, there were those around her who manage to capture her attention and her admiration for a time. The most famous of these men was Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. He was a massive supporter of the arts and the Protestant faith, gaining prestige and praise from his highly exalted monarch. Yet, his life and his relationship with his wives, his enemies, and Elizabeth I was full of dangers and numerous scandals. Who was this man who wooed the heart of the most eligible woman in all of 16th century Europe? Robert Stedall investigates the relationship between these two lovers destined to never marry each other in, “Elizabeth I’s Secret Lover: Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester”.

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books for sending me a copy of this book. I am always interested in learning new aspects about the reign of Elizabeth I and her love life. When I saw the cover, I was instantly drawn to it and I wanted to know more about Elizabeth and Robert.

Stedall begins his biography by exploring the reigns of Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey, and Mary I to show how the Dudleys came to power and how they fell out of power. I noticed that Stedall included Lady Jane Grey and Guildford Dudley in the family trees that he provided at the beginning of the book, but their death years are different, even though they both died in 1554 on the same day. I think that it was interesting to see how the fall of the Dudleys affected Robert and how it was truly through Elizabeth’s favor that they gained back their honor. This friendship between Elizabeth and Robert gradually developed into love, although it was quite taboo. Robert was Elizabeth’s Master of the Horse and he was already married to Amy Robsart. Even after Amy’s untimely death, Elizabeth and Robert could never be together as a couple because her council, especially Cecil, wanted her to marry a great European power to create a strong alliance, which was a reasonable request.

Sadly, Robert Dudley could not wait forever for Elizabeth, so he chose to marry again, this time to Lettice Knollys. To say Elizabeth was upset about this marriage would be an understatement. Even though she could never marry Robert, it did not mean she wanted another woman to marry him. Robert remained faithful to his queen as a military officer and a patron of the arts and building projects. It is impossible to discuss the Elizabethan Age without mentioning the contributions of Lord Robert Dudley.

I think Stedall has done his research very well. However, this book is a tad too dry for my taste. I was hoping to learn some new swoon-worthy facts about this notorious romance, but Stedall’s book was a bit too analytical for this to happen. It was a struggle for me to read this book as it took me a few weeks to finish it. With a title such as the one he provided, I was hoping for new romantic facts, but it fell flat for me.

Overall, I felt like this was a well-researched biography, but it fell flat on the delivery. I think if you are being introduced to the relationship of Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, this is a decent introduction, but if you know the story, it might not be the best book to read. If you want to learn more about Robert Dudley and his influence in the Elizabethan court, check out, “Elizabeth I’s Secret Lover: Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester” by Robert Stedall.

Book Review: “Sex, Love, and Marriage in the Elizabethan Age” by R.E. Pritchard

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Action, adventure, drama, heartache, and love are what people crave when they read fictional stories. Yet, these elements are ever-present in the stories from the past. Each one of these topics could be explored in numerous ways when we are discussing history, but an area in history where romance and love were intermingled with politics was Elizabethan England. Queen Elizabeth I was obviously known as the “Virgin Queen” because she chose not to marry, but that did not mean that her subjects were banned from love and marriage. How did Elizabethans view the ideas of love, marriage, and sex? In this book, “Sex, Love, and Marriage in the Elizabethan Age”, R.E. Pritchard sets out to explore what love, marriage, and the intimate moments meant to Elizabethans of every class.

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book. The Elizabethan era has been one of my favorites time periods to study so I am always interested in learning some new aspects about that period in history.

Pritchard begins his book by discussing what love and marriage meant for the commoners in Elizabethan England. These relationships were essential for how the average person identified themselves in society. He explores the scandalous relationships, rapes, adulterous affairs, and love of every kind through popular literature and journals that lesser-known figures kept during this time. I found this section particularly fascinating since I have never seen a book about Elizabethan England explore the literature of the time with such a narrow lens. I think it would have been cool if Pritchard would have done mini historiographical studies into why certain poets and authors wrote what they did to give more depth to the words that they wrote.

The second half of this book explores the romantic lives of Queen Elizabeth I and her Court. This is where I felt a disconnect with what Pritchard wanted to achieve with this particular book. It felt like a review of Elizabeth’s life and her numerous suitors vying for her hand in marriage. There are so many books out today about Elizabeth’s love life that explored this topic in so much depth and by comparison, it made this section of Pritchard’s book feel weaker than the first half.

I wish Pritchard would have focused on perfecting the first half of the book and exploring the amorous relationships of the average Elizabethan. There are sparks of brilliance, but they are marred by the second half of this book. If Pritchard wanted to include the section about the queen’s love life, I wish he had it at the beginning as a chapter or two to make it very brief and to set the mood, then jump into the lives of average Elizabethans as a comparison.

Overall, I felt like this book had the potential to be something special, but Pritchard tried to do too much in one book. He is passionate about the subject that he is writing about, which is obvious to those who read this book, but he was over-ambitious. I think his original research and ideas were fascinating and I want more of that new angle to romance in Elizabethan England that he was presenting. If you want a unique look at love and marriage in the late Tudor dynasty, you should give, “Sex, Love, and Marriage in the Elizabethan Age” by R.E. Pritchard a try.

Book Review: “Drake -Tudor Corsair” by Tony Riches

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54845924._SY475_When we think of pirates, we tend to think of Caribbean pirates that are popular in fiction and in movies. They are swashbuckling rogues who are only looking out for themselves, booze, and treasure. We tend to think about the 1600s-1800s as the height of piracy on the open seas, but there were pirates that existed even earlier than that. In England, they were known as corsairs, and one of the best during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I was the suave and debonair Sir Francis Drake. Although he did circumnavigate the world and helped the English defeat the Spanish Armada, his story is rarely told in novels. That is until now. In the first book in his Elizabethan series, Tony Riches takes on the challenge to explore what Drake’s life was like and what kinds of adventures he took in order to protect his beloved homeland. This is Tony Riches’ latest novel, “Drake- Tudor Corsair”.

I would like to thank Tony Riches for sending me a copy of his latest novel. I have enjoyed Tony’s novels in the past and when I found out that he was doing an Elizabethan series and had a new book about Sir Francis Drake, I knew I wanted to read it. I did not know much about Sir Francis Drake and his adventures, except that he traveled the world and helped defeat the Spanish Armada before I read this book so I was excited to learn more.

We are introduced to Francis Drake when he is a young lad, dreaming of adventure and far away lands. He wants to sail the high seas, but things are not as picture-perfect as he imagined. He is involved in the slave trade, which is something that he comes to deplore later in life. Drake tries to think about the well-being of the slaves and will become friends with a former slave named Diego. However, Drake does contradict his own beliefs when it comes to slavery and taking someone’s life when his beloved country England is in danger from the Spanish, who he finds diabolical and does not mind attacking them whenever he discovers the location of their ships. This complex dynamic makes him more of a believable, three-dimensional character.

At the heart of this novel is the countless adventures Drake and his crew of corsairs partake in on different ships, including the famous The Golden Hind. As a connoisseur of Tony Riches’ novels, I know that he doesn’t do a ton of action sequences in his novel as he tends to focus on the relationships between characters, yet he is able to transport the reader into high action battle scenes where you wonder if Drake and his crew will survive. Since many Tudor novels tend to focus on England and Europe during the reign of this infamous dynasty, it is a breath of fresh air to explore the world with Drake and his men. Whether it is fighting the Spanish sailors or fighting indigenous people from far away lands, there is always a perilous adventure for Drake and his crew to embark on. What never changes is Drake’s faith and how his religious views are a constant comfort to his even when things become dire.

If I did have a small area of concern it would be that Riches does include modern names for locations and items found around the world so that modern readers would understand what is going on. I am not sure if the factual Francis Drake and his crew knew the names of these locations and mysterious objects while they were traveling or if the names came afterward.

Like any stellar novel by Tony Riches, he does focus on Drake’s relationships with the people who are closest to him. Drake was married to two different women, Mary and Elizabeth, and it is quite interesting to see how both women react differently to his life full of risk and danger on the high seas. Then there are his relationships in the Elizabethan court. Of course, there is his relationship with Queen Elizabeth I, since he is considered to be one of her favorites at court, yet it is not always smooth sailing for Drake. He also interacts quite a bit with William Cecil and Sir Francis Walsingham to make sure England is secure. Drake wants to be included in court life, but although he looks the part, he knows that he will never be one of the colorful courtiers.

Francis Drake has always been a side character, never the gallant corsair hero. Tony Riches has changed all of that. He has thrown open the doors to a colorful and treacherous world of the seas with his first book in the Elizabethan series. Drake is so real and raw. You can understand why he made the decisions that he did to protect his crew and his homeland. This is an absolutely captivating read that will bring the adventures of this distinguished Elizabethan corsair to life. If you want an enthralling Tudor historical fiction novel that takes you to places unknown and where there are dangers galore with a caring and charismatic hero at the heart of all of the adventures, I highly recommend you read Tony Riches’ latest novel, “Drake- Tudor Corsair”. A true triumph and a brilliant way to start a brand new series. I cannot wait for the second novel in this Elizabethan series.