Richard Liveth Yet

Richard Liveth Yet #1

by Joanne R. Larner

What if time could be manipulated so that someone could travel into the future? What if that someone were Richard III, King of England, who died at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485? And what if he could learn what happened and go back to fight the battle again...with the benefit of hindsight? This is the story of his quest to do just that while trapped in a modern world in which everything is terrifying and strange.
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Genres: Time Travel, Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Fantasy

414 pages, Paperback

First published May 7, 2015

About the author

Joanne lives in Rayleigh, Essex, with her husband, John, and two dogs, Jonah, the black Lab cross and Hunter the Miniature Dachshund.

She has worked as an osteopath for over twenty years, but is interested in many subjects and people. Her latest inspiration is Richard III, whom she became interested in when she saw the Channel 4 documentary, 'The King in the Car Park'. She read every book she could find on the King, but became tired of knowing how they would end and finally decided to write her own, a time travel Alternative History called 'Richard Liveth Yet', the 'book she wanted to read'. It eventually became a trilogy and then she wrote a stand-alone novel 'Distant Echoes' - historical with a hint of sci-fi.

She has contributed to several short story anthologies and is editing another of alternative stories about the Wars of the Roses, involving twenty other authors.

Reviews

[Eddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another time travelling Richard III story?

*whispers* i must read it

*whispers* I have finished it. It wasn't very good. Ricardian wish-fulfilment fantasy. Don't we all want to imagine taking an innocent stroll in the woods and bumping into our favourite medieval king, lost in the future? And we get to hold his hand and mother him as he adjusts to the 21st century. Have him need us, rely on us. Awww how sweet.

I mean, I am really interested in how he, or anyone from his era, would adjust to our century. And I am interested in what he would be like to know as a person. The main character in this novel was a stand-in for the author, and you could tell it. Also, nothing really happened. There wasn't much plot.

Things I liked:
It was about Richard III. Who I like. Who you have to like to read this book, otherwise you'll be bored senseless.
It dealt with Richard's scoliosis. Of course, all Ricardian writing from here on out will need to mention that, and this just happens to be the first I've read that talks about it. It's merely an accident of timing that the other books I've read about him were written before we found out that he actually did have a scoliosis.
Pointless made a guest appearance. I love Pointless. Should've had them watching the Eggheads right after. Had Richard make a scathing comment about Kevin. Bloody Kevin.
Richard freaks out when some guisers come round at Halloween dressed as witches. Heretics! Also, by the end he's getting kinda depressed and he wants to go home. I liked this better than if he'd just happily settled into 21st Century life.
Richard starts talking like Joey Essex at one point, and I don't think I'll ever get the opportunity to read something like that again.

Things I didn't like:
The main character. BORING. Purposefully decides to keep important things from Richard because ~it might upset him~. Uses exclamation points way too freely. Spends way too much time mooning over Richard. Deliberately betrays his trust.
How did Richard manage to attend his own funeral? That is, how did he and his remains manage to exist concurrently? You can't just add or subtract matter from the universe willy-nilly. Physics and all that.
Early on they decide that Richard's gonna go back in time and this time he's gonna win the Battle of Bosworth. Why is no one trying to talk him out of this? Has Rose literally never seen one movie about time travel? They all stress the importance of not changing things in the past. Because chances are it'd have huge consequences. Rose would probably never have been born. Her friends would never have been born. Other people would exist instead. But the only thing that changes in this book is that a couple street names are different.
They had to resort to a Ouija board to figure out it was Thomas More. It was OBVIOUS that it was Thomas More.
Richard starts talking like Joey Essex at one point, and I nearly hurled my Kindle across the room in secondhand embarrassment.

This is only meant to be a cute, campy tale which I am probably taking way too seriously. It was a quick, vaguely amusing read, but it wasn't great. I'm waiting for someone to take the Richard III in the 21st Century theme and do a really good job with it.

This gets two stars because it kept me reading, and I'm currently slogging through The White Queen and anything would seem good compared to that.

[Tom Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read numerous "alternate history" stories in years gone past, and many are a bit disappointing. Some take no notice of historical facts and just go crazy. RICHARD LIVETH YET is obviously a very well researched novel and presents a look at the title character that makes him so much more than a historical footnote.

Author Joanne Larner has put her physical location in England to incredible use and while I have not actually visited her corner of the country, I can easily picture just about everything she describes. And that is a key factor in how I rate books. As an author myself I know how vital it is to provide descriptions that lead the reader to picture things, people and actions in your story without dragging them around saying,"Here! This is what you MUST see in your mind!!!"

Larner's book is a treat to read. I plan to read it again in about a year.

She also includes a monumental Bibliography of her research materials at the end.

I am impressed!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not necessarily a Ricardian, although I would dearly love to know the truth of his life and reign, but even so I wanted so badly to like this, as the concept, although not completely original, really appealed to me, but the 'will they, won't they' between the two main characters, Richard III himself and Rose (the woman who finds him and helps him to adjust to the modern world and find out why he ended up here, clearly an author stand-in even before she admitted that in the author's notes) that went on for most of the novel, when it had been made fairly clear by Richard that no such relationship could occur for understandable reasons (the recent death of his wife Anne, Rose's previous marriage meaning that as far as he was concerned, it would be adultery) was so annoying that I seriously considered not finishing this (which is very out of character for me, as I will read, and usually enjoy, all sorts, even amateurish self-published things, or even proper novels with only a skeleton plot -what can I say, I'm quite an undiscerning reader, the only real problems I normally have are if the spelling, grammar and word-choice are so off that it's a struggle to actually understand the story, or if the author doesn't do a good enough job of bringing their story, and especially their characters, to life; I'm a fan of clear-ish description but as long as I can form some kind of mental picture of the main characters at least, unless you're not actually supposed to be able to do so, I'm happy. Neither was really the case with Richard Liveth Yet, but I only finished it because I skipped ahead, saw something interesting, and wanted to know how/why that happened, so persisted with it.)
What's more, the name-dropping and, where applicable, description in excruciating detail of various real world individuals, organisations, and places, which was kind of fun at first (I have been to a great many of the places mentioned, and know about/of many others, such as the ceramic poppy installation at the Tower of London for the commemoration of the start of the First World War, so the mentions were appreciated) became very grating after a while, for exactly the same reason (I suppose people who do not have the knowledge of the things mentioned that I do may find the detail beneficial, and will admit that occasionally it was appropriate, or perhaps, in the future, this may unexpectedly prove a useful resource, but I think by setting so firmly in its moment, although I recognise that to include the reinterment etc it did need to be then, will mean that it dates quite quickly.)
The other thing is that the author had a tendency to do something which seemed to me like 'missing out' bits of story, and assuming things after the event. E.g. Rose lends Richard some of her own clothes on the first evening that she finds him, and though these are as gender-neutral as possible, clearly he can't just manage with these, but no mention is ever made, not even in passing, of him actually getting his own clothes, yet occasionally later his clothes are described, sometimes in conjunction with a comment about Richard picking his own clothes and having good taste, and also the weird eleventh-hour admission that Rose speaks Norwegian but didn't say anything because Norwegians usually just speak to her in English (I understand that this is again based on the author herself, but it was superfluous to the story taking place, and if she felt it absolutely essential to include this detail, she could've had Rose say at the airport "By the way, Dickon, I can speak Norwegian, so I may or may not do so, depending on whether any Norwegians will speak it with me or just use English." or something - and I find it hard to believe that all Norwegians insist on using English even if visitors try to speak Norwegian, I understand that some must do so because some people are like that, but the Norwegians seem a nice people, as a whole, some of whom would at least try to accommodate people wishing to practice their language.)

I found, in common with some others and perhaps moreso, that it read rather like a piece of self-insert wish-fulfilment, even like fanfiction of that type, but the reason I've given the book three stars, rather than anything less, is because there were some elements I did like: as I said, some of the name-dropping was rather sweet (especially those of Pointless, and Benedict Cumberbatch, and what my family refer to as the 'bustling metropolis' of Middleham), I loved Richard himself, and found his stories (especially the author's version of the fates of the Princes in the Tower) and outward adaptation to the real world fascinating (although I did actually cringe, put my Kindle [other e-readers are available] down and reproach aloud both Richard and the author during the short time when Richard decided that his new favourite word was the slang word 'reem' of TOWIE fame, and used it copiously), and, somehow, was glad that he was homesick and wanted very much to go, and also that he did not enter into any real kind of relationship with Rose, as if he had done so, and/or stayed with no qualms, it would have become little better than the worst kind of self-insert fanfiction one can find on certain sites. I also liked the fact that it dealt frankly with his scoliosis, even if such an improvement would not truly be realistic, and some of the bit-part characters, for instance the Pilates teacher Dalia, were brilliant/hilarious. Despite all this, I do not think that it would merit more than two stars if it weren't for how it ended, which was with Richard successfully changing the course of history by winning the Battle of Bosworth Field, and instituting such radical reforms (lending libraries, literacy in women, flowers to represent the fallen, dining with knives and forks, the idea of being innocent until proven guilty) hundreds of years earlier than in reality, as well as defeating the Scots but giving them autonomy, and annexing France, resisting religious reform and preserving English Catholicism, travelling and investing in the arts and exploration (funding both Columbus and Da Vinci), and the Plantagenets being extant to this day. I am always fascinated by alternate histories, and their consequences (I love alternate histories in themselves, and also the TimeRiders series, which is a YA series about the people responsible for the correction of such things), so I loved this bit, enough to give it the extra star, as I would love to see more of that England, and perhaps if or how things are returned to normal, but even just the glimpse we are given there is fascinating. This is why I am in two minds about purchasing the sequel, as I suspect it suffers the same faults, and judging from the blurb is without much of what I did like of this book, and given that it would seem to be set in Richard's time (although that it is in itself something I am interested in seeing), I don't know whether it would provide satisfactory resolution in any way, and do not particularly wish to waste further money on something I may again regret purchasing, and yet...

In essence, this could've been great, bits of it were, but it didn't really live up to the promise the blurb made, or not for me, anyway.

[A J]

Oh dear. Downloaded it to my Kindle because a friend had enjoyed it and there were a few good reviews.
Sorry, but no thanks. I usually love time travel books but this! Clunky. Unconvincing, and at times downright embarrassing. The obvious use of real people that the author knows, as characters in the story, just felt clumsy and was unsuccessful. I felt this before I finished it and read the author's notes. We were basically just following each of her research journeys for the novel.
She should have kept it as a short story and worked up the mystery and wonder a little more. The only interesting bit for me was at the end - how England's history could have been different had Richard won at Bosworth. And even here I diverge. I do not think England would have still been a Catholic country - I feel that Richard (who owned a Wycliffe bible) would have been open to the new ideas coming in from northern Europe and that eventually we would have broken with Rome anyway - perhaps not in his lifetime and perhaps with less damage than achieved by his great-nephew, the monstrous Henry VIII.
A briefly interesting idea, spoiled by being stretched out too far , poor structure and poor writing.

[Susan Kokomo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it's nothing like the usual slightly predictable time travel novels, and is unique in that respect. It is also hilariously funny in places, and humorously describes how someone ( King Richard III no less) from England in the 1480's, would react to modern life, and also gives us a reverse history of how life would have been had Richard won the battle of Bosworth. I have given this book five stars - I couldn't give it ten but I would have! I highly recommend it if you are a Ricardian - and even if you're not you'll find it hugely entertaining. Anyone who gives this book a bad one star review has absolutely no sense of humour whatsoever, and probably cleaves to the Shakespearean tale.

[Claire Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be a delightful read. Very imaginative author who is also very knowledgeable with regard to Richard III. The premise is that somehow RIII finds himself in current time prior to marching off to Bosworth. It was interesting to see how he might adapt in such a situation and how he might do things differently should he be able to "go back" to his own time and fight Henry VII at Bosworth with this new knowledge.

I was thoroughly engrossed from start to finish and couldn't put the book down! Very happy that a sequel is available.

[Simon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not only doth Richard liveth, he traveleth back and forward in time.

Okay, this is the first of --- God help us all -- three books about the hunky Richard III and the osteopath Rose. At first I thought that Joanne Larner had to be a teenager, but no. However, in the tradition of teenagers writing crush fiction, you will be able to make certain deductions about who Rose may really be.

http://www.diannemannering.co.uk/joan...

As you can see, the lady has very eclectic interests. Good for her. She does manage to work every single one of them except chickens into these novels. But most importantly, if you are looking for clues, Joanne is . . . an osteopath. With a sizable crush on Richard III.

Lots of authors have historical crushes. Sharon Kaye Penman has made a literary career out of her ongoing love affair with the entire Angevin dynasty. She also succumbed to Richard's crazy charisma in The Sunne in Splendour. That book is Tolstoy compared to Ms. Larner's effort.

Rather than content herself with Mary Sueing all over the medieval landscape (she does that in Book II, so heads up), Larner sends Richard forward in time. Together they plot a way out of The Bosworth Incident, and by gum, Richard --- or "Dickon" in this book --- goes back, beats the pants off Henry Tudor (whom Larner hates), and proceeds to be the Best King Ever. I mean, Larner doesn't underestimate her historical boy toy. Richard's achievements include all sorts of things. He inspires Leonardo da Vinci (he calls him Leo, Leo calls him Ricardo) in terms of mechanical devices. In the second book, where Rose has managed to get back to him in 1489, the two of them zip off to Florence and Venice, where Richard and Lorenzo d'Medici (Ricky and Larry? Who the hell knows?) become soulmates, and Rose warns Lorenzo about Savonarola. Larner does not stint. She not only gets her guy, we are treated to what the universe could have been like if not for Tudor's victory at Bosworth. And lemme tell ya, it's pretty good. Meanwhile, Rose discovers that she is in the family way, carrying twins, no less.

It's just nuts. In addition to the, dare I use the term, historical characters, the books are filled with obvious portraits of Larner's real-life friends, who apparently are spiritual rather than religious (a running theme is Rose's attempts to wean Richard to a kinder, gentler Catholicism). Spiritual in this case means they are psychic Wiccans who draw mysterious pictures while in trances and pass on messages from the Beyond. Or somewhere. By the end of the series, Richard has evolved into a 20th century Anglican. Uh-huh.

In the third book, Richard leaves his throne and joins his family in Norway. Joanne makes it clear from the start that she loves Norway, so sure, why not. She has raised her royal twins, that little souvenir from the second book. But life as a single mother has been a drag in some ways, and then Richard shows up. He's determined to be a good Dad to Jared and Richelle, but man. Teenagers. By now it is 2040 and . . .

All of this would be bearable --- oh, geeze. None of this nonsense could ever be bearable. As I type this there is a framed portrait of Richard III staring out at me from the wall opposite my desk. If he could speak across the centuries, I am sure that he would not say "I miss Velcro." And seriously, right after the two of them Do the Deed, that is the tag line for Richard. Did I mention that each chapter is a song title, so you have Rose's Playlists at the back of each book. So you can sing along?

Diana Gabaldon has a lot to answer for.

[Leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

As another reviewer on Amazon also mentioned, when I began to read this book I felt at first that I was not going to get into it and it was going to be a kind of chick-lit type of story with a historical twist. I persevered and soon became engrossed. I found the book, easy to read, a mixture of time travel, fairly light-hearted content and some poignancy too. The book is very well researched and I liked the gradual build-up of the relationship between Rose and Richard. Some reviewers have commented that Richard would not have taken to modern times as easily as the author has described! Perhaps not, perhaps credibility was stretched a little, but to be honest it wasn't a problem for me personally, as I simply enjoyed the story. Then I am a Ricardian lol. An interesting and original addition was to have Rose able to help Richard with his twisted spine because of her job. I liked the fact that the author did not allow her book to become nothing more than a romance. I read of their mutual sense of what they felt was the right way to behave in the circumstances which led me to respect the author.The inclusion of all the recent findings, the reburial of Richard, and how he gradually found the truth of what happened to him at Bosworth et al.... again added to the originality and the interest for me.




Comment |

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[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this unusual time-slip novel. Joanne has brought Richard III to the England of 2014 (just before the re-interment of his bones) - drawing him out of the 15th Century just before the famous Battle of Bosworth. There he meets Rose, an osteopath, who is also obsessed with Richard III, who proceeds to help him figure out how to get back to his own time and hopefully win the Battle of Bosworth.

To say more on the subject would ruin the tale for other readers but it is safe to say that Joanne is definitely on the side of those who believe, like I do, that Richard III has been much maligned by history. This Richard is a very smart, handsome, gentle yet thoroughly ruthless when he needs to be, as befits a medieval king. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet and sentimental, but I couldn't put it down.

The protagonist, Rose, might be a self-insert character, being an osteopath like the writer (and having other similarities), and (of course) a Ricardian. But I found myself absolutely not caring, and being carried along with this utterly charming story. I've always found Richard III more interesting than his brothers and seeing him struggle to understand the 21st century and attempt to change his destiny made for a great read.

I liked the bit where Richard reacted badly to Halloween; it was good to see that there are some things he is still too medieval to tolerate, that he wasn't totally perfect.

I didn't anticipate the ending. I wish there could be a sequel, but the novel is pretty much complete in itself.

[Rachael S · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was certainly an odd read. I saw it mentioned in the Richard III Society magazine and thought I'd give it a go. Basically, it's glorified fanfiction: Richard III gets caught in a time loop and ends up in 2014 where he ends up living with an osteopath who falls in love with him (of course) and who helps send him back to change the outcome of Bosworth. It was predictable and clichéd as all hell but entertaining generally if you accept that the main character is generally a Mary Sue.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really engaging read that doesn't take itself too seriously. Lots of fun but still a well-researched tale asking the ultimate 'what if' question for all those fascinated with King Richard. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, it's refreshingly different from the usual line in historical fiction. Really hope the author writes a sequel - would love to see how this all works out!

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. I am not usually a fan of alternate history but this one worked for me, perhaps as I am such a supporter of Richard III. Joanne Larner obviously did a lot of research and knows Richard's story very well. I recommend this to anyone who is a 'fan' of Richard's and wants to get to know him as an average person..

[F M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed it. A factually correct historical novel with a different twist.

[Paola · Rating 5 out of 5]

A time traveling story about Richard III with an unexpected end. I really enjoyed it.

[Kate Munro-Sullivan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty bad. If it wasn't for my obsession with Richard III I wouldn't have bothered. Joanne should focus on writing history. She is very good at that. The fiction part was just too wishing to be autobiographical. I am a Ricardian but this was just stretching the obsession a bit too far.

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

Kept me engaged but must be read with an open mind. Learned a lot of new things that I researched and that was a most pleasant surprise.

[Rosie Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A time slip book about Richard III throughly enjoyed it and highly recommended

[Janice Robinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book sucks.