Jasper

The Tudor Trilogy #2

by Tony Riches

Following the best-selling historical fiction novel OWEN – Book One of The Tudor Trilogy, this is the story, based on actual events, of Owen’s son Jasper Tudor, who changes the history of England forever.

England 1461: The young King Edward of York has taken the country by force from King Henry VI of Lancaster. Sir Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke, flees the massacre of his Welsh army at the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross and plans a rebellion to return his half-brother King Henry to the throne.

When King Henry is imprisoned by Edward in the Tower of London and murdered, Jasper escapes to Brittany with his young nephew, Henry Tudor. Then after the sudden death of King Edward and the mysterious disappearance of his sons, a new king, Edward’s brother Richard III takes the English Throne. With nothing but his wits and charm, Jasper sees his chance to make young Henry Tudor king with a daring and reckless invasion of England.

Set in the often brutal world of fifteenth century England, Wales, Scotland, France, Burgundy and Brittany, during the Wars of the Roses, this fast-paced story is one of courage and adventure, love and belief in the destiny of the Tudors.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Tudor Period, Historical, 15th Century, Medieval

360 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 22, 2016

About the author

Tony Riches is a full-time author from Pembrokeshire, West Wales, an area full of inspiration for his writing.

Best known for his Tudor Trilogy, Tony's other international best sellers include 'Mary - Tudor Princess, 'Brandon - Tudor Knight' and 'Katherine - Tudor Duchess'.

In his spare time Tony enjoys sailing and sea kayaking. Visit Tony's website at www.tonyriches.com, Tony Riches Author on Facebook and follow him on Twitter @tonyriches.

Reviews

[Terry Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by me as a member of Rosie Amber's Review Team

I LOVED this book. It's a terrific page-turner, a real adventure, from the time when the country was such a dangerous place, when men were men and women waited in castles for them to come home (not so keen on that bit, as I am sure many of the women weren't!). It made me long (as I often do) to go back to those times; this book brings the England of over five centuries ago to life so well. Book One, about Owen, Jasper's father, was jolly good, but this is what I love to see ~ a sequel that takes the story to another level.

There is so much written and on television about the Yorkist side of the Wars of the Roses, I find, but less about the Lancasters, so this filled in many gaps in my knowledge. It's expertly planned; I was particularly interested to see how Tony Riches would write about events during which Jasper was far away and out of touch, like Warwick's change of allegiance, but he did this most convincingly, using the fictional Gabriel, an Irish mercenary who becomes a close friend of the hero, as a reporter of events. Similarly, the disintegration of the Yorks following the death of Edward IV is cleverly accounted for via the messengers who visit Jasper during his exile in Brittany. I also enjoyed the first appearance of the Duke of Buckingham, whose son causes trouble for Henry VIII, and of other characters who appeared as Plantagenet made way for Tudor.

In my opinion this is a book for those who already know something of the history, as there are so many names and changing allegiances that, even being quite well versed in this period as I am, I had to stop and think a few times about who was who. This isn't Riches' fault; he has dealt with a long and complicated story admirably. On occasion I got confused about the passage of time and felt that there needed to be a gaps in the formatting of paragraphs to indicate that a year or so had passed, but I've rarely read a book of this length, covering so many events over a long period, that conveys the passing of years perfectly.

To all avid readers of books such as the Game of Thrones series, I'd say 'read this too!' ~ it's every bit as magical, every bit as exciting—and it really happened! Loved it; highly recommended, a real achievement, and I'd just like to say that the author's note at the end brought a tear to my eye. I shall be the first in the queue for the final part of the trilogy (and plan to read 'Warwick' in the meantime!).

[Lisa Shardlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was awesome! Absolutely loved it. The battle scenes were amazing, they actually made you feel as though you were there. Jasper was an incredible man who did everything in his power to put his nephew on the throne of England. Thoroughly enjoyed this!

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

I had been meaning to read the books in the Tudor Trilogy for some time and now I have read Owen and this second book in the series, Jasper, I really do wish I had picked them up earlier!!

As with the first book this one had a very strong plot and I thought that the story was excellent. The characters have been brought to life by the author's writing style and I loved every page. I do know a bit about Jasper but I still oved reading his story told by a new author to me. I am a huge Tudor fan and I adore reading historical fiction so this one ticked all the right boxes for me - it was a complete treat to read and I loved it!

A very enjoyable read, 5 stars from me and really looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy which I will be featuring on my blog in the next few days!!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read several other novels by Tony Riches, including the first in this series, Owen, so I knew what to expect in terms of writing style. Riches creates his stories the way I like to see historical fiction written, by researching his topic thoroughly and then creatively filling in the gaps. I particularly enjoyed the Author's Note, where Riches' enthusiasm for following the footsteps of Jasper Tudor is clear in his description of his travels and research.

If the Tudor era seems overdone, you may appreciate that this author is looking at some historical figures who were vital to the founding of the Tudor dynasty yet have not had much written on them. Rather than featuring Henry VIII and his gaggle of wives, Riches' trilogy features the men who gave the dynasty it's name. Owen, in the first book, makes a vital connection between the Tudors and England's royal family when he married the widowed queen, Catherine of Valois, who gave birth to sons who were the king's half-brothers. In this second book, the story of one of those sons, Jasper, takes over.

Jasper's brother, Edmund, may have been the one with a story to tell here if he had not tragically died while his exceptionally young wife was pregnant. Margaret Beaufort probably needs no further introduction, and she is portrayed as the strong and devout woman that she undoubtedly was in this novel. She leans upon her brother-in-law, Jasper, when she is left a 13 year old widow and mother in a country being torn apart by civil war.

What stands out most about this novel is Jasper's failures. I think we tend to think of him as Henry Tudor's greatest supporter (which he was), and he is given much credit for Henry's rise. He deserves most of this, of course, but there were many others who made victory possible, and many of those others had not lost and fled from battle nearly the number of times Jasper Tudor had. It makes the outcome of Bosworth Field even more outrageous.

The declaration of Henry as king is where this story ends, though I am certain we will see much more of Jasper in the final installment of this trilogy, Henry, due out next year.

[Quinby6696 Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always been fascinated by Jasper Tudor, a lesser known but hugely important early member of the famous Tudor dynasty. This summer I have been happily wallowing in Wars of the Roses historical fiction and I am delighted to have discovered the author Tony Riches who provides plenty of well-imagined Tudor fodder for my reading. Son of Owen Tudor, the Welsh archer who secretly married Catherine of Valois, the widow of Henry V. Jasper is the uncle of Henry Tudor, future King Henry VII. Jasper gives his life to protecting his Lancastrian nephew from the York affinity. Henry's claim to the English throne is not particularly strong, but after the death of Edward IV and the disappearance of his two sons in the Tower, Henry defeats Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth and becomes king. Early in King Edward IV's reign Jasper has helped Henry to escape to exile in Brittany where he remains for many years until he is able to invade and take the crown. Jasper stands out as an admirable character, truly and selflessly devoted to his nephew and risking his life on multiple occasions to save Henry's life. Looking forward to the next book in the Tudor trilogy. Have to say, my favorite historical fiction about the Cousins' War is still Sharon Kay Penman's The Sunne in Splendour. Don't think anything can top that one.

[Arty Mist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the first book in this trilogy so was looking forward to the sequel. I found it really interesting to read about the Wars of the Roses from the he Lancastrian side as I have always been a fan of Richard the Third, much maligned by history and Shakespeare. A detailed narrative, well researched although for me Henry Tudor still came across as a cold fish! I shall reserve my judgement of him till I read the last in the series, Henry.

[Erika Messer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a great book to follow OWEN because Jasper is another character from Tudor history that is not well-known, or at least his whole story is not well-known. The most I knew of Jasper Tudor is that he was the keeper of his nephew Henry VII from the time he was very young until he became King of England. It is also believed that he was in love with Henry's mother Margaret Beaufort and that she returned that love after Jasper's brother (her husband) passed away. There had to be something there in order for Jasper to take on the task of keeping his nephew safe during the War of the Roses and while the York King Edward IV was on the throne. To keep that faith alive for so many years, to teach his nephew and bring him up to be the future King based on the beliefs of Margaret who was very religious and believed her son would eventually be crowned ... well that is pretty amazing. He never gave up on his family and it paid off. He became the great-uncle of Henry VIII and his nephew united the houses of Lancaster and York after so many years of war and hatred by marrying Edward's daughter Elizabeth of York. Would this have happened had it not been for Jasper Tudor and his faith in both his nephew and Margaret? Probably not.

So I was prepared for a love story between Margaret Beaufort and Jasper Tudor, however that is not what happened. It seems that while he held a high level of respect for Margaret, his love lied elsewhere - with her sister ... . The story revolves around the times during the War of the Roses, after Jasper's step-brother Henry is abducted and dethroned in favor of Edward of York, who is under the spell of the Earl of Warwick. Jasper is determined to get the Tudors back on the throne and end the war. Along his journey he meets Gabriel, whom he saves after a battle and whom accompanies him. And also begins an affair with a woman named Mairead, who seems to love him, although I do not remember this woman from history. This book really made me realize what a huge role Jasper Tudor played in the War of the Roses and the succession of his nephew Henry to the throne of England. And it also shows another side of him, he wasn't just a warrior, he was also a young man who loved women and had fun. He meets Queen Margaret and realizes that her life has not been easy with King Henry, as he has some mental issues. But it also makes him work that much harder to ensure a place for his nephew. It was easy to overthrow King Henry because of his illness and he was not well. Jasper sees him and promises Queen Margaret that he will not give up no matter what until the Tudors are restored to the throne. He even travels to France to attempt to recruit help from King Louis, which is declined - however he does manage to secure a promise to unite their countries once King Henry is restored to the throne. As anyone who knows history is aware - this never happens. King Henry dies whilst in the care of King Edward and his brothers in the Tower of London and no one knows exactly what happened. While others such as Edward Beaufort are pledging their faithfulness to the York King, Jasper seems to be one of the very few holdouts - he is determined to never give up and to protect and bring up his nephew Henry to be King one day, especially after it becomes clear that his stepbrother Henry is not going to be able to fulfill the role any longer. Young Henry is the only choice.

I truly enjoyed reading this story, but I think what I loved the most was reading about the relationship that Jasper develops with his young nephew. I have watched most of the War of the Roses movies and read a lot of books, but never really saw the deep and meaningful bond they shared. Jasper was the one person Margaret Beaufort trusted her son with, and she was not mistaken. He never waivered and never gave up. To find out the rest you will have to read the book, but trust me it is an awesome read and I definitely give it 5 stars! It is great to learn more as well as get a fantastic story on the side :)

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jasper is a continuation of Riches’ Tudor Trilogy and continues the tale through the son of the main character of the first book, Owen Tudor. As the first book, the second one is a page-turner that you cannot put down until you’ve finished it. It tells us about the life of Jasper Tudor, the uncle to Henry, then not yet the King of England.

Most of the story is about the struggle for power between the Yorkists and Lancastrians and all the intrigue that comes with it. Jasper is a lucky man, despite the fact that he is, quite a few times, troubled by the fact that he has occasionally only survived because he ran away from the battle. But if he did not, who would protect his nephew Henry, who was ‘imprisoned’ by the Yorkists. Henry appears in the second half of the story when he rides with his uncle to France and later to Wales and England.

The first half is Jasper’s battles and the consequences for his support of the Lancastrians, his half-brother and half-brother’s wife, Queen Margaret with whom he seems to get on really well. He is her emissary to France and one of her main supporters. He also cares for Henry and returns to Scotland to take care of Henry. Jasper also falls for a woman from Ireland but it does not turn out how he would have wished.

In the Author’s Note, Riches tells us that the Irish woman and her countryman who was a servant to Jasper were made up. All the characters, however, are real and made me feel like I am actually with them in the times, as the battles, the thoughts, the consequences and also homesickness were written so vividly that it really transports the reader in what is to become Tudor England.

The ending of the book is very interesting, ending with the Battle of Bosworth Field, the outcome of which is known to everyone.

It is a very interesting book and I cannot wait to start reading the next one, to see what Henry is up to after becoming the King of England.

(originally posted on katiejudgesbooks.wordpress.com)

[Carolina Casas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jasper Tudor - The true Kingmaker

If there was one word to describe Jasper Tudor is this: dutiful. Since the BBC's 1972 miniseries Shadow of the Tower, there hasn't been a worthwhile piece of fiction that gives a serious and balanced portrayal of its protagonist without turning the others into cartoonist villains or foils for said protagonist to undermine. Jasper Tudor sacrificed everything for his nephew and sister-in-law's sake. There is no one from the wars of the roses that acted more disinterested and selfless than this man and it is a shame that historical dramas haven't done a better job of bringing that to screen.
Revisionist historians have done a worthwhile job of dispelling myths surrounding the concept of chivalry and kingship that predominated in popular culture up until the 1950s. Yet in doing so, they have also created a bleak picture that is no more real than its predecessor. An author once said that the past is an alien world. Different people live there whom we will never fully comprehend. Yet some things remain universal. One of these is filial love, love of God and country. Jasper is proof that there was such a thing as chivalry and although never perfectly carried out (or exemplified at all by those who preached it the most), there were those who were willing to live and die by it.
The only gripe that I have (and it is a minor one) is that some chapters and characters seemed more filler than substantial to the story. This is no particular fault of the author. His author's note explains the reasons for such liberties taken since there are some gaps to be filled in Jasper's story. Aside from this, I recommend this book to anyone who wants a worthwhile historical novel of the wars of the roses that also happens to be good HISTORICAL Fiction more than historical fantasy.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second of a trilogy about the origins of the Tudor monarchs of medieval England. The first featured Owen Tudor, who married Catherine of Valois, mother of Henry VI. He gave her two sons, Edmund, who married Margaret Beaufort of the Lancaster line (The Red Queen of Philippa Gregory's Cousins War series) and fathered Henry (eventually to become Henry VII) and Jasper, the hero of this book. Jasper grew up in Wales and as a young man takes in his brother's widow and becomes ward to young Henry. The story is set against the backdrop of the civil war, with Edward IV of York taking the crown from Henry VI (twice) (numbers are not used at all in this book, so you just have to keep track of all the different Henries, Margarets and Edwards, both royal and noble; fortunately there's only one Jasper). Jasper is a determined Lancaster supporter, in spite of Henry being incapacitated by mental illness and the country being run by his French wife, Margaret of Anjou. He doesn't really consider what's right for the country but plots and schemes to get his side back into power, no matter what. He also repeatedly runs away from battles then is wracked by the guilt of being a coward. He's portrayed as a rather dour man and therefore as a hero was harder to like than Owen. The book felt a lot slower too, as he spends a lot of time either imprisoned, waiting for battles, or scheming. I feel I've added to my understanding of the wars of the roses and am interested to read the final book, about Henry Tudor (and his marriage to Elizabeth Woodville's daughter, also called Elizabeth, PG's White Princess.) I actually like getting the male perspective for a change, and the way events and characters are reframed as good or bad depending on what side is telling the story.

[Amy McElroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved that this picked up where the first book ended so the story continues seamlessly. Although the Tudor era had a lot of excitement and drama Tony Riches has incorporated fictional characters to emphasise relationships. Of these characters Gabriel is my favourite, I love his character and his loyalty to Jasper.

Henry and Jasper remained in exile for years but I didn't find this part of the book lacked any excitement, in fact it was interesting to read about their experience living under the constant threat they could one day be betrayed and returned to England.

The emotions of Jasper are captured perfectly especially at the Battle of Bosworth. Even knowing the outcome I still found myself holding my breath when reading that Jasper, Henry, David and Gabriel would survive!

I'd highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in the Tudor dynasty as Jasper's story is incredible and makes you wonder how different things could have been if he wasn't so determined to protect his nephew.

And now I'm off to read the third and final instalment: Henry

[Laurie Devine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have long been a reader of fiction concerning the Tudor dynasty in Britain. I myself am a published novelist although I have never written about this period and doubt that I ever will -- I like the enjoy these books but don't want to get involved in the research and writing. What I appreciated about this book by Tony Riches is that he delves into a corner of the story - what became Henry VII's years of exile in Brittany before he returned to Britain, triumphed over Richard III, ad became the founder of the Tudor dynasty as Henry VII. Although I know quite a bit about the other Tudor monarchs, mostly Tudor histories focus on Henry VII and the rules that followed. It was interesting to read about the years of exile. I would have benefited, however, with a little more background and orientation about some of the figures in the exile years, since some were so new to me. But now I at least have some foundational understanding about what came before the Tudor monarch years. I am now reading Tony Riches' "Henry."

[Malgorzata Hanus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched and written

Before, I didn't know anything about Jasper Tudor. You sometimes hear about Owen Tudor but the story of Jasper is new to me. I even checked what Wikipedia says about him and the basic facts are the same. Tony Riches filled the gaps with a good story and following on from "Owen" this is a picture of Owen's son Jasper, without who the history of England might have been different. I enjoyed reading it, especially as I love Wales and anything connected with it. I

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical fiction has a difficult line to straddle… too many facts one after another makes it sound like a history book. Too much embellishment and it becomes too speculative.

This book leans more onto the fact-listing side of things, which made some of the middle parts a little dry to read. It has made me interested in Henry VII and his reign though, so I may likely finish this trilogy at some point.

[Roger Espinoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tudor

Living to fight another day, in and of its self is not cowardice, though one can understand how Jasper Tudor could feel so in a day when a soldier was expected to fight to the death. In the end perseverance proved to be Jasper Tudors ally in this truth based tale of a man's life long mission to put,who many felt was, the proper king lineage back on the thrown.

[The Shield Maiden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant addition to the series. I am really enjoying getting to know the Tudor forefathers as it were. Jasper Tudor was instrumental in getting his nephew onto the throne - this is his story and what a wonderfully written story it is.

If you like well researched historical fiction then you cannot go wrong with this novel.

[Anne Zessin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story

I have been reading a lot about this period from different authors. I enjoyed reading from the males perception. I also am learning more about the events leading up to the Tudors regaining power.

[Dee King · Rating 3 out of 5]

The uncle

The mangosteen motion the reign of the Tudors. Bound by family loyalty, Jasper suffers greatly for the cause of England, the Lancasters. I've enjoyed this story of the man of this dynasty, looking forward to Henry's tale.

[Kerrie Durkin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as interesting a read as the 'Owen Tudor' story. I found myself skim reading it just to get to the interesting parts. I feel like the author was just trying to pad out a sort of a character who is the link between two more interesting characters in history.

[Alan Veren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tudor England Brought to Llife!

Tony Riches has captured my idea of Tudor England. I've read much about the Fudor Dynasty and feel this series expresses it very well.
Thank you for and interesting read so far. I look forward to reading Henry, Charles and Mary.

[Sekhar N Banerjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Fascinated to read real history narrated as a novel. I await impatiently for the third volume of the series.Even though the series is about the Tudors, I felt that Edward IV and Richard deserved a little more space than given by the author.

[lisa cydylo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful,realistic.I felt I really knew the characters.

I have read everything I could find about Tudor history,both fiction and nonfiction. This book was very enjoyable. Ready to move on to book three.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the second book in the Tudor Trilogy. A great read detailing Henry Tudor’s rise ending in the Battle of Bosworth. With King Richard now dead, Henry is now king. Looking forward to reading the third and final book in this trilogy.

[Pamela · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series, I was disappointed in this second outing. While Jasper is very important to the Tudor history, I think it was the time spent across the channel building up armies, appealing to the French king, that seemed slow to me.

[Karen Hackett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book!

[Chet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Realistic

Tony Riches has presented the story of Jasper Tudor in a very balanced and believable way. The extremes seen in other presentations are gone.

[Desiree Craver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Once again another Tiny Riches did not disappoint. I love that he is breathing new life into already familiar people in history.

[Olivia Castetter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully detailed

Riches paints such a detailed version of the wars in Tudor times I was finally able to see the reality of what I'd previously seen in so many documentaries.

[Terra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite detailed. Thoroughly explores the intimate and thoughtful aspects of Jasper’s life. To the point of slowing the pace of the book down.

[Hazel Waite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

Filled with fabulous history you could almost be there in that era. Brutal and savage and yet romantic and real. Loved it.