On tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club: A King Under Siege (The Plantagenet Legacy, Book 1) by Mercedes Rochelle #BookReview #HistoricalFiction @authorRochelle @maryanneyarde

 

Richard II found himself under siege not once, but twice in his minority. Crowned king at age ten, he was only fourteen when the Peasants' Revolt terrorized London. But he proved himself every bit the Plantagenet successor, facing Wat Tyler and the rebels when all seemed lost. Alas, his triumph was short-lived, and for the next ten years he struggled to assert himself against his uncles and increasingly hostile nobles. Just like in the days of his great-grandfather Edward II, vengeful magnates strove to separate him from his friends and advisors, and even threatened to depose him if he refused to do their bidding. The Lords Appellant, as they came to be known, purged the royal household with the help of the Merciless Parliament. They murdered his clos-est allies, leaving the King alone and defenseless. He would never forget his humiliation at the hands of his subjects. Richard's inability to protect his adherents would haunt him for the rest of his life, and he vowed that next time, retribution would be his.

My Review

Why is this era so unrepresented in historical fiction? I have never come across a novel that focuses on the life of Richard II before, but it has always been an era that intrigued me. So when I was offered the chance to read A King Under Siege (The Plantagenet Legacy, Book 1) by Mercedes Rochelle I jumped at the chance.

This novel opens with a young, very unsure King Richard, who tries to address a crowd that has gathered at his manor in Rotherhithe. Unsure what to do, Richard seeks the advice of his wise councillors. Unhappy with their advice, Richard speaks to the increasingly angry mob, but his words do nothing to calm them, and as his barge turns away, heading back towards the Tower, he fears that this angry mob is only the beginning.

I thought this story was amazing. I can safely say, and I do not say this lightly, that it was one of the most enjoyable books that I have read in recent years. Not only was the historical backdrop wonderfully realistic in its depiction, but the characters themselves jumped off the page. 

I loved the author’s take on young Richard. He knows that he is king in all but name because of his age, and although he has to do as he is told, he realises that the men who so-called advise him have made mistake after mistake. His growing resentment at not being allowed to rule as he wishes, and his growing wisdom that comes from being forced to listen is perhaps as much as his undoing as it is his making. The weight that Richard holds on his very young shoulders has been demonstrated most admirably throughout this novel. Richard was a character that I enjoyed reading about.

If you are bored of the Tudor era, which in my option has been done to death recently, then why not give this novel a try. This novel will educate and entertain at the same time. A really great read.

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Mercedes Rochelle

Mercedes Rochelle is an ardent lover of medieval history, and has channeled this interest into fiction writing. Her first four books cover eleventh-century Britain and events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. The next series is called The Plantagenet Legacy about the struggles and abdication of Richard II, leading to the troubled reigns of the Lancastrian Kings. She also writes a blog: HistoricalBritainBlog.com to explore the history behind the story. Born in St. Louis, MO, she received by BA in Literature at the Univ. of Missouri St.Louis in 1979 then moved to New York in 1982 while in her mid-20s to “see the world”. The search hasn’t ended! Today she lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.

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