Despite being a technophobe, this publication intrigued me so much, I was
inspired to buy a Kindle just so I could read this book. Was it worth it? Well,
in my opinion this is one of the best novels produced in a decade - across all
genres. It tells the story of Richard III’s asecent to the throne, in the first
person narrative of one of his friends, Francis Lovell. But it’s not what you
might assume, and the story twists and turns so that you are left wondering in
what direction the plot will go next. The author has gone to great pains to
research the life and times of England’s most iconic and controversial monarch
but in the style of all good novelists, has imposed his own stamp on the theme.
I cannot think that anyone who reads this novel will be disappointed. Well done,
Mr. Rae. And as for the Kindle….. it didn’t take long to get used to it and
I’ve now downloaded several more books.

I had quite forgotten what a fascinating lifespan Samuel Pepys had until I
recently re-read this book on holiday. The execution of King Charles I,
Cromwell’s ascendancy, the Restoration, the Great Fire of London, the Dutch
Wars. It has it all! The best aspect of the book though, is Claire Tomalin’s
portrayal of Pepys in a truly intimate fashion – she brings the narrative from
his diaries alive; his fears, his doubts, his romances, his smooth transition
from Parliamentarian to staunch king’s man. One cannot but wonder about the
powerful skills of observation from this fascinating character, as he strolls
through rioting Londoners and keeps a watching brief on the fire that engulfed
the City, so that he can record the outcome for contemporary reports and for
posterity. The reader is left with a sympathetic view of this extraordinary man
who rose to prominence from very ordinary circumstances. What brought the story
home to me was the reluctance of the nation to publish the diaries in a complete
and unabridged fashion for centuries. It just goes to show that Publishers have
ever been slow off the mark to realise real talent.

5 out of 5 stars

I was recently privileged to get an advance copy of this from the Publishers so that I could preparea review.  It will soon be generally  available and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.

The Battle of Towton holds a fascination for many authors and the books currently available, several by established Towton Battlefield Society members, rate high in the Amazon worldwide rankings.  So, why would you buy Fatal Colours when so much has been written about Towton before?  Surely, every source document has been pored over, every contour of the landscape has been observed, every archaeological find has been analysed by experts to bring up clues as to why this battle was the bloodiest in our nation’s history?

Well, in this book,, George Goodwin does not attempt to outmuscle the iconic works of others, he takes a different slant, delving into his far-reaching and incisive knowledge of history.  His approach is one of setting the scene to explain the peculiar circumstances that led to this catastrophic encounter on Palm Sunday in 1461 and he does it with great style and aplomb. I believe that the mark of a good writer is the ability to make the vastly complex appear simple and logical, and George achieves this in spades. For me, reading this book was like looking into a prism to view the multi-faceted machinations of the late medieval period.  He analyses the cause and effect of poor Henry VI’s schizophrenic behaviour, he portrays Warwick as the “spin doctor” for the House of York, he explains how this battle had pivoted into a North-South divide and he places the conflict at Towton in an international context.

All of this is done in an extremely readable style and there are many quotable gems; my particular favourite being “The law is like a Welshman’s hose; it is the right shape for each man’s leg.  So supporters twist it and its might is crushed under foot.” George skilfully uses recorded excerpts like this to explain the dichotomy that the nation faced at the time.  Did one support the anointed King and let misrule continue or did one follow the reforming zeal of the Yorkists?

I’m not a gambling man but I’ll bet the farm on this being a best seller, especially with this year being the 550th anniversary of Towton.

4out of 5 stars

Forget the Pilgrim Fathers, that’s just Puritan propaganda – John Rolfe settled in the New World well before them and carved out a life for himself through a combination of intuition, hard work and dogged determination.
This fascinating book plots the birth of the Colony of Virginia and gives a fascinating insight into how the early settlers battled against the elements, famine, fierce Indians and naivety in a hostile landscape. Initially led by an incompetent ruling class, the Colony was saved by the arrival of more practical men who put some steel into the settlers and under whom Rolfe thrived.
This remarkable man went on to grow a strain of tobacco that was so successful that it became a staple for trading with England and then married the Indian Princess Pocahontas, despite not having the approval of England’s King James I.
The only downside to the book for me was that the author could have raised the ante with his prose during the more dramatic scenes but nonetheless, this is a must-read book with many entertaining revelations.

4 out of 5 stars

Like a lot of people I was intrigued by the sticker “As good as Bernard Cornwell or your money back.” As a marketing ploy, it certainly works. Was it is as good? Will I be asking for my money back? Well, it was different. I have to say that as a novel, it was very entertaining – once I picked it up, I didn’t want to put it down. The only real disappointment for me was that it was a tad cliched in the way it followed the traditional Robin Hood legend – I thought there was more scope for being a bit inventive. The authentic “Yorkshire” Robin Hood character has been pinched by a Medieval Brian Clough and to this day, we all picture the outlaw’s base in Nottinghamshire rather than Yorkshire. I thought the book could have followed this theme and therefore have more historical accuracy.
I am being picky though, as a compelling read, it certainly worked for me and I will definitely be buying this author’s next book.

5 out of 5 stars

Whilst I have said in the heading that, in my opinion, this is a definitive book on the Battle of Towton, I feel it is much more than that. It gives real clarity to the wider conflict of the Wars of the Roses, a very complex and involved period of English history. Full of well researched facts and fascinating illustrations and maps, it is a “must” read for anyone interested in medieval history. What really impressed me about Mr. Boardman was his complete impartiality and balance in describing the rival factions of Lancaster and York – normally when one reads these types of work, the author’s bias comes through. Added to that, an interesting style of prose that made me feel it was a “page-turner” novel, rather than a factual history book. I finished the book within two days so complete was my absorption in it.