Brandon: Tudor Knight

Brandon Trilogy #2

by Tony Riches

Everyone has secrets... But will Charles Brandon’s cost him everything? He's fallen in love with King Henry VIII’s sister, Mary Tudor, the beautiful widowed Queen of France. Will he dare to marry her without the king’s consent? He’s handsome, charismatic and a champion jouster – but can he lead an army to war against France? Torn between duty to his family and loyalty to the king, Brandon faces an impossible can he accept Anne Boleyn as his new queen? Will his loyalty be tested by the ambitious Boleyn family and the king’s new man, Thomas Cromwell? Based on actual events of courage, passion and adventure in the turbulent and dangerous world of the Tudor court. If you like the human stories behind medieval history, this is the book for you. From the author of the international best-selling Tudor Trilogy ”I love the way the author tells the story simply, concentrating on Brandon himself but giving us a view of the exciting but dangerous world of the Tudor court and the way that the affable young prince Henry turned into an unpredictable, capricious King. At times there is a sudden jump of time and place from one paragraph to the next, but this is easy to forgive when you are transported so easily into another interesting situation. A great introduction into the Tudor world.” Lizanne Lloyd Brandon - Tudor Knight continues the story of the Tudors in the historical fiction tradition of C J Sansom, Philippa Gregory and Hilary Mantel

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Tudor Period

332 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2018

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

[Amy Bruno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy Tudors, Batman! This book was fantastic!

I've read a lot of Tudor fiction, especially on Henry VIII, so I've become quite familiar with Charles but I feel like I have a better grasp on him thanks to author Tony Riches. If you haven't read Tony before, his books all feature the Tudors so he is an epxert on the family. And that comes across when you are reading - his knowledge on the times, the people, the politics is top level. I swear, I don't know how he keeps the branches on this ginormous family tree straight in his head! All the Henrys, and the Catherines, and the Williams..it's enough to make one's head spin! But Tony manages to make it not so confusing to the readers.

Charles Brandon was a close confidante of Henry VIII's despite the ups and downs of their friendship, and even after Charles married Henry's sister Mary without his approval or knowledge. In the book we follow Charles' life, his marriages, and his career in Henry's court. We also get a front seat to Henry VIII's rise to the crown, his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, Anne Bolyen, and Jane Seymour.

The sights, smells, grit, and beauty of the Tudor times is brought to glorious life in Brandon-Tudor Knight! I absolutely loved being back with Charles and Henry and Mary, and I can't wait to read more from Tony. I've heard other bloggers rave about his books and now I see what they are talking about. Thankfully Tony has quite a backlist, so I'm excited to get started with the rest of the books.

[Erika Messer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Brandon rose from the depths of servitude to become the right hand man of who most consider to be the greatest - and most controversial - King of England, Henry VIII. Brandon knew Henry from when they were children, and yet many people don't know his story. Brandon committed treason in the early stages of his accession to wealth, he was sent along with Princess Mary, sister of King Henry, to marry her off to the old decrepit King of France. Brandon also happened to be in love with Mary himself, and when the old King died, Brandon went against his King, his best friend, and his own better judgement even - and married the Dowager Queen Mary. He almost lost his head, he was only saved by the love and affection that Henry had for both his sister and his friend. Even though it was a concession that Henry had granted to Mary when she agreed to marry the King of France - that should he die she would be free to marry whomever she wished, it was still treason to marry without the King's consent when you were in the royal family or a member of the court. I think Brandon was lucky that he was charming, and he had charisma and Henry knew that he was loyal to him. He survived the sweating sickness, wars, wives, the deaths of his sons, and although he wasn't happy with him, Brandon never really fell out of favor with his King and best friend - which is a great feat if you consider that both of Henry's daughters Mary and Elizabeth both were exiled for most of their early lives. Brandon may have in fact been the only man to ever commit full on treason during Henry's reign and live to tell the tale, and even have the King pay for a great burial and tell everyone that "in all their long friendship Charles Brandon had never knowingly betrayed a friend or taken advantage of an enemy". I didn't know a lot about the beginning of Brandon's life, but I loved reading this book about him and finding out that he wasn't JUST the rake he seemed to be in history - that he was a very powerful and influential character during the Tudor era. He must have been, in order to not lose his head during the reign of King Henry VIII, because almost everyone who went against Henry in any way did lose their heads, even if they were special to the King at any point. I love the way this book takes the historical setting and paints Brandon in a new light for the reader. We get to see him as just a regular person - albeit cocky as ever - but also with how highly he regarded his King and also how truly loyal he was to his friend the King of England. Before ever reading this book, I read up a lot on Brandon and I honestly believe he really did love Henry like his own kin, and I am positive that he never had any bad intentions towards his friend and King. He found himself in a place that I believe he never expected - and he found out just how difficult it was to be both friend and loyal servant to a King that could turn at any moment. He had to play both sides, and I think this book really shows how he did that and how he was able to come back and return to the King and truly became THE one person I believe Henry trusted above all others. Brandon was a complicated character, but he didn't hide it - he didn't pretend to be something he wasn't. And he spent his lifetime walking a very thin line between the King's favor and disappointment, because there were many times Brandon did not trust Henry's judgement nor the people he kept around him - people such as the high and mighty Cardinal Wolsey, who took and took from the King and schemed his way to his own death; as well as mistrusting Anne Boleyn, Henry's second wife. Brandon was a Catholic, and although he was never disloyal to Henry, he was not happy to do his duties and exile Queen Catherine of Aragon or her daughter Mary. I think the fall of Wolsey and Anne Boleyn were both events that Brandon was happy to see. I truly loved seeing Brandon as a real person in this book, and I really loved seeing things from his perspective. One thing I did notice was that in the book there was not a lot of interactions between Charles and Henry, it was written entirely from the perspective of the Duke of Suffolk. I also love that we saw so much of his life with Mary Tudor, the Kings sister. It wasn't just a glossing over of events, she was the largest part of his life, and unfortunately for some reason Charles was not lucky with sons - something he shared with his King, friend and brother-in-law. All of his sons passed away, 2 after his own death, but his daughters seemed to thrive. I enjoyed learning more about his earlier children that are not well-known. The Duke of Suffolk led a charmed life, and maybe the only thing I would have loved to read about was how hard Henry took the death of his best friend and lifelong confidant, because I do believe that Brandon's death was possibly one of the worst things to ever happen to the King, and I think that perhaps Henry's death a little over a year later was partly due to the horrible loss. In all, the book covers pretty much all aspects of Brandon's life, which spanned the course of his friendship with Henry to his own death - through all of the heartbreaks Henry faced trying to find true love and have a son - and walking the line to stay loyal to his King and yet also loyal to his wife and his own heart. It all came down to loyalty, and I think after reading this book, a lot of people who didn't know much about Charles Brandon, the Duke of Suffolk, will definitely find him as fascinating a character as I do :) This was a really great historical fiction book, and I highly recommend anyone who is a fan of the Tudor era to read it, because Brandon was a very influential part of King Henry's life.

***I was given a free book to read***

[Karen Heenan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new look at a familiar figure

Any reader of Tudor fiction or history knows Charles Brandon, the king's friend, the husband of his sister, Mary, the former queen of France.

He's not always been the most sympathetic character, with his multiple marriages, neglect of his wives and children, and boundless ambition, but Tony Riches makes Brandon a man with whom you can empathize even as you shake your head - because all he was doing was keeping his head above water and on his shoulders, not always easy in Henry VIII's England.

This is the second book of the Brandon trilogy, and I'm looking forward to reading the final volume.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read so much history on the Tudors but this author really fascinated me with the meticulous research. I haven't read much about Charles Brandon so I was intrigued to dig in and learn more.
I loved the voice of Charles in this book. Being able to hear his thoughts really helped me to connect with the history.

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

We first meet Charles Brandon as a twenty-one year old, newly appointed to the King’s Spears. His father, who was Henry Tudor’s standard bearer, died during the Battle of Bosworth, and Brandon had been brought up at the court of Henry Vll. He became good friends with the young Prince Harry, who was later crowned Henry VIII, teaching him to joust and was one of his favoured group of courtiers.

Always finding himself lacking funds, Brandon incurred huge debts from borrowing money, primarily from Thomas Wolsey and afterwards Thomas Cromwell. His first marriage was a means to an end—Lady Margaret Mortimer had wealth and much land.

I knew next to nothing about Charles Brandon, really only that he married Mary Tudor. It was interesting to follow his story and the research was obviously detailed. Brandon worked his way up the ranks until he became Duke of Suffolk. He and Mary took a huge risk by getting married before asking Henry’s consent, especially after Brandon had been warned not to unleash his charm upon Mary. Henry had someone in mind for his sister for political reasons. Incurring his wrath was a dangerous thing and could be classed as treason. As it was, Henry made his displeasure felt by excluding them from court and keeping his distance for a while.

Mary’s unwavering and public support of Queen Catherine of Aragon caused friction between Brandon and the Boleyn family, whose fortunes were on the rise, not to mention Henry’s new chief advisor, Thomas Cromwell. Brandon had to keep in mind his responsibilities to his family as well as loyalty to Henry when it became obvious Ann Boleyn would be the next queen.

The story centres around Brandon and I enjoyed the way Tony Riches incorporates details of life at court with all its intrigue and danger into the narrative. Brandon is a well fleshed out character who managed to navigate his way through the unpredictability of court politics. He led a full life and was lucky enough to marry twice for love.

I chose to read and review Brandon – Tudor Knight for Rosie Amber’s book review team, based on a digital copy kindly supplied by the author.

[Mary Yarde · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Then will you marry me now, here in France?”

He shouldn’t. Mary is the King’s sister. Henry will undoubtedly have something to say about their marriage. But they are in love, and everyone knows love makes fools of everyone...

With all the pomp and pageantry of a Tudor joust, Brandon - Tudor Knight by Tony Riches is the unforgettable story of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk.

This book has been on my to-read list ever since it came out. I am a massive fan of Tony Riches work, and I was confident that he would not disappoint, but I have to say, Riches has outdone himself in this unputdownable and exceptional work of Historical Fiction.

Brandon is a richly drawn character who I liked from the very beginning. He is young, ambitious, and possess all the enthusiasm that comes with that. But he also feels very deeply, and if money were not an issue, then he would marry where he wanted. Of course, those who know the history of this rather charismatic man will know that he did marry where he wanted and damned the consequences! Riches has really done justice to Brandon. I thought his portrayal was not only wonderfully refreshing but totally believable.

Riches writes a very compelling narrative that made this book next to impossible to put down. Brandon — Tudor Knight is a gripping account of war, as well as love. Riches has also painted a very vivid picture of what life was like under Henry VII and his heir, Henry VIII. The contrast between the two kings was clearly depicted and fabulous portrayed.

If you are looking for your next Tudor fix, then look no further than Brandon — Tudor Knight.

I Highly Recommend.

[Elizabeth Lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Mary -Tudor Princess less than a year ago I was looking forward to seeing this love story from the point of view of Charles Brandon. Tony Riches has taken us into the mind of Brandon, a generous, clever man and undoubtedly a womaniser. An orphan whose father died fighting for Henry VII at Bosworth, Charles became the friend and mentor of Henry VIII when the latter was still a young prince. Frequently lacking funds, Brandon was a political animal latching on to the power and influence of first Wolsey and then Thomas Cromwell. He took on the wardship of two young heiresses during his life, but he abandoned his betrothed, Elizabeth Grey, so that he could marry Mary, sister of King Henry and widow of King Francis of France.

Mary had loved him since, at the age of 13, she gave him her favour when he was jousting. A stunningly beautiful princess with long red gold hair, she also appealed to him and he took a calculated gamble in secretly marrying her without Henry’s permission. This could have been seen as treason but his close friendship with the King saved the couple. We share Tudor history with Charles and Mary as they attend the Field of the Cloth of Gold, support their friend Catherine of Aragon and have to accept Anne Boleyn as her replacement.

I love the way the author tells the story simply, concentrating on Brandon himself but giving us a view of the exciting but dangerous world of the Tudor court and the way that the affable young prince Henry turned into an unpredictable, capricious King. At times there is a sudden jump of time and place from one paragraph to the next, but this is easy to forgive when you are transported so easily into another interesting situation. A great introduction into the Tudor world.

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A knight rescuing a princess and they lived happily ever after. This tends to be a cliché in every romantic fairy tale, but what if it actually happened? Though we do not have many romantic stories in the time of the Tudors because marrying for love was not the norm, one stands out. It is the story of Charles Brandon and Mary Tudor. Mary was the sister of Henry VIII and the Dowager Queen of France. Charles Brandon was one of Henry VIII’s knights and a champion jouster. They would fall in love and eventually marry, much to the chagrin of Mary’s brother, who wanted her to marry to ensure an alliance with another country for England. Charles Brandon, the knight who stole the heart of a former queen, is the focus of Tony Riches’ latest book, “Brandon Tudor Knight”.

I would like to thank Tony Riches for sending me a copy of “Brandon Tudor Knight”. Like the other book that I have read by Tony Riches, “Owen: Book One of the Tudor Trilogy”, it was easy to read and extremely enjoyable. Charles Brandon is often viewed as an afterthought, merely as the second husband of Mary Tudor. In this book, Charles Brandon is brought into the spotlight and given the attention he so rightfully deserves.

Charles Brandon was the son of the standard-bearer of Henry VII, who died during the Battle of Bosworth Field. His family has always been loyal to the Tudors and Charles wants to continue that legacy. He wants to be a great knight, just like his father was, so he does everything in his power to achieve his dreams. Charles is a hard worker and an accomplished jouster. To read about the joust through his perspective is fascinating and shows how physically demanding the sport was. Brandon becomes friends with the young Henry VIII before he was king. It is this friendship and his loyalty to his country that keeps Brandon going, even when times get really tough. His loyalty is really tested as he is sent time and time again to France to fight for his king and for his country.

When Brandon was a young man, he wanted to marry well so that he could gain money and power. He married Margaret Neville, but the marriage was declared null and void, so Charles then married Anne Browne, who was related to Margaret Neville. Charles and Anne had two daughters, Anne and Mary Brandon. After Anne Browne’s death, Charles went on a mission to France to retrieve Henry’s sister Mary who, after the death of her first husband, became the Dowager Queen of France.

Henry wanted to arrange a new marriage for his sister, but Charles and Mary had other ideas. The two lovebirds risked everything, married in secret, and then chose to tell Henry after the fact. Henry was rightfully upset, but he does accept the marriage. Charles and Mary have a large family, but their son Harry died very young, which was extremely hard for the couple. Mary would die before Charles and Charles did marry again, but Mary was the one who he truly loved.

Charles Brandon’s life was full of family, loyalty, and love. He had to navigate through the politics of the court and deal with men like Cromwell and Wolsey. Brandon had to stay loyal to Henry, even during the Great Matter with Catherine of Aragon and his relationship with Anne Boleyn. Tony Riches is able to portray Brandon’s life in such a way that shows him not just as the second husband of a former queen, but a loyal knight who did anything and everything for his family and his country. If you want a fantastic book about Charles Brandon and his fascinating life, I highly recommend “Brandon Tudor Knight” by Tony Riches.

[Rajiv · Rating 4 out of 5]

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“Brandon: Tudor Knight” is the second book in the Brandon Trilogy and was an excellent continuation of the series.

This book focuses on Brandon, and I found most of the book fascinating. While there are incidents that overlap with the first book, it was interesting to see the events from another person’s perspective. For instance, I felt we got more details to post Little Henry’s events or Thomas Knywett’s incident at the ship in this story. I also enjoyed the small moments, like Brandon’s complex relationship with Henry or the competition between Henry and King Francis. Even little moments, for instance, when they talk about the sweating sickness, engrossed me.

Similarly, I liked Brandon’s bond with Harry and Will. Some of my favorite moments were when Harry asked him to teach him how to joust. One character who I found mesmerizing was Anne Browne. Moreover, even though she makes a brief appearance in each book, she added a sense of drama and mystery to the tale. There were also moments which I felt the author wrote nicely compared to the first book, like the execution of Edward by Henry.

However, there were moments where I felt like I was reading the same passages from the first book, only from Brandon’s perspective. It would have been nice if the author had focused more on Brandon’s life before he met Mary so that we get to know him better. I would have also liked to read more insight between Brandon and Catherine as their relationship was interesting.

Overall, “Brandon” is a lovely continuation to the series, and I am excited to read the next book, “Katherine,” as my interest in the character has spiked from these two books.

[Linda Claudine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of First 2 Books in Trilogy (“Mary, Tudor Princess” & “Brandon: Tudor Knight”)

I chose to review both books together as imo they should be just one book (& possibly the 3rd should be included as well, tho I have yet to read it). There is so much overlap (even whole paragraphs & pages copied from the Mary to the Brandon book, often w few to no changes). It was very annoying. Would have been a much more enjoyable read if these two books had been combined into one.

Mary breaks no new ground regarding the Princess, and both books are much more about Charles. The Brandon book is generally a better read, but the repetition between the two books was disconcerting at best.

And while neither book contains much, if any, new info, the reader needs to be aware of the Tudor family history & recognize the names of the court and nobles as often names are just thrown out willy-nilly. Would have been easy for the author to to provide a few words of identification, in many cases. Also, the author’s interpretations are stated as actual facts. I realize it’s a novel, but more clarity might have helped, though Brandon must have been a fascinating man so I don’t have any real issues w the author’s sympathetic view of him since it is a novel.

I did find the formatting to be often difficult for continuity in reading as only in some very few spots is extra spacing utilized between paragraphs that jump in time, often significantly, & place. I didn’t mind the jumps—just the lack of warning. Did not help the readability. But there are not as many grammatical & spelling errors as is the norm in Amazon Prime books, which is always nice.

Anyone who enjoys the Tudor period will find enjoyment in both books & will form perhaps a better view of Brandon as the author takes great care to make him a sympathetic character, when the plain facts of his marriages cause him to generally not be viewed in that way. For two years of research, though, one might expect more detail.

I will read the last in the trilogy about Brandon’s third (4th?) wife Katherine Willoughby and hope there is not a lot of overlap as appears in the first two. And as I said, if you enjoy Tudor history, these are generally easy reads.

(I read these books as part of my free Prime books; It’s doubtful I’d have purchased them unless they were very inexpensive.)

[Amy McElroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Brandon became the 1st Duke of Suffolk and has long been one of those people I find fascinating so I was really looking forward to this as the second instalment in the Brandon trilogy.

The book follows Brandon's life from a young 21 year old who serves tables at the court of Henry VII to becoming one of the highest ranking nobles in England. Brandon's father was standard bearer for Henry Tudor and lost his life at the Battle of Bosworth. He was taken in by his uncle and became friends with Prince Henry.

With no title he didn't have an easy life and worked hard to make a name for himself through jousting, leading an army and of course his marriage to Mary Tudor. Brandon was sent to France to escort Mary back to England and risked his life by marrying her in secret. They both hoped Henry VIII would forgive them, which although he did the couple faced financial hardship for their actions.


I loved reading about his life and the challenges Brandon faced both from the rest of the nobility and his loyalty to his king and friend Henry VIII.
Loyaulte Me Oblige
Loyalty binds me was Brandon's motto and after reading this it's clear he was certainly loyal, working for his king until his death.

Having recently read the first instalment I wasn't disappointed. Yes, there are some bits that match the first book but it's expected when the two are from a married couple experiencing the same things. Once again I was enthralled by the details of clothing, atmosphere even sounds described. You can almost hear the sounds of the tiltyard it's described so incredibly well. Tony Riches has again brought the Tudor court to life.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, shining light on the man who although he disobeyed orders and failed in military expeditions never found himself seriously out of favour with Henry VIII.

I will of course next be reading the final instalment Katherine: Tudor Duchess although I'm a little sad the trilogy is coming to an end!

[Vivienne Brereton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was expecting to be charmed and informed by Tony Riches’ novel and it didn’t disappoint. From the opening sentence, you enter the Tudor world of impossible glamour, chivalry, and rivalry. Living and breathing the sixteenth century as if you were really there. The young Henry VIII has taken his place upon the throne of England and suddenly, hope and endless possibility are in the air. Step up Charles Brandon, Tudor Knight. Riches delivers an excellent portrayal of a man who has worked his way up through the ranks, often observed by jealous, scheming eyes. Known as Henry’s closest friend, this isn’t an easy position, as Riches explains. Especially when Brandon has the audacity to ‘run off’ with Henry’s beautiful (and favourite) younger sister when she is left a widow by King Louis of France after a dynastic match that only lasts three months.
Through a wealth of detail and close attention to fact, Riches builds a tapestry of how life was lived back then. We are entertained at jousts, feasts and weddings, led through harrowing experiences of war, and the grief of losing very much wanted children. Throughout this, Riches’ Brandon is stoic and honourable, aware that he has married so far above his station that he is fortunate to still have a head upon his shoulders. We meet old favourites: Thomas Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, the Howards, the Valois King, Francis I, and the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles, to whom Princess Mary was once promised.
Brandon marries three times, intricately described by Riches. He does not come across as a greedy, grasping man, rather one to whom life has been kind, giving him lucky breaks along the way. I think that if he were here now, Brandon would agree that Riches has done him proud.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tony Riches’ latest historical biography details the rise of Charles Brandon from commoner to aristocrat during the final days of Henry VII’s reign and the subsequent drama of Henry VIII’s court, the wars with France and his own family life.

Brandon is clever, ambitious and constantly in debt as he pursues his dream of a knighthood and further advancement. Firstly to his uncle then to Thomas Wolsey, Henry VIII’s secretary, and even Henry VIII himself, despite marriages, land grants and wardships that brought him wealth.

I found it amusing that Brandon's dukedom was the result of a flirtation with the Duchess of Savoy and Henry’s act of one-upmanship against the Emperor of Rome, her father, who had tricked England into paying for his army in France. Although I'm certain Henry would not have bestowed it unless Brandon was worthy of the honour.

Brandon's secret marriage to Mary, the Dowager Queen of France and Henry VIII’s sister, is a love match that sees him and Mary fall out of favour with the King, a situation that occurred a number of times throughout their lives. Their married life is happy and fruitful despite Brandon's many absences from home due to the wars in France or his need to be at court.

I've read a number of Tony Riches' Tudor novels finding them all well-written, engrossing, informative and entertaining. Brandon - Tudor Knight is no exception. Filled with interesting details of Tudor life and vivid descriptions to match, especially of the pomp and pageantry associated with royalty, Tony Riches has another winner on his hands.

[Ruth Harwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'veread a couple of Riches historical fiction about these historical figures, and I find him, though a little dry at times, interesting. He chooses characters not in the mainstream, such as Jasper Tudor as opposed to Henry VII, Owen instead of Catherine of Valois, and Brandon as opposed to Henry VIII.
We get a story that covers what is needed, an insight from the inside yet not the main historical figure, and a look into the life of a courtier and layman.
All in all, this was well written, though I think the proof-reader, beta-reader, publisher all got lazy at the end, and forgot to separate one scene from the next toward the end, as it was a little jarring to jump in one paragraph from his wife's deathbed to someone else's funeral in the next paragraph without a gap to show it's a separate scene. Other than that, it does spend a long time on his early life, and then jumps about toward the latter part of the book - jumping gaps of over a year, rather than months, and we're left wondering a few things, though I'm guessing there's more interesting events in Charles Brandon's youth than his older years, being married to a sister of the king without consent and all that!
A good book, with plenty of fun to see, and relatively faithful to the history, and some good scenes faithful to history and yet brought alive by the author. I enjoyed this, and it's not too long, so perfect for those who want a little Sunday read without worrying about finishing it!

[HalKid2 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is #2 in a three-book Tudor series about Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk and close friend of King Henry VIII.

I guess this series is NOT intended to be read consecutively. Because it appears wholesale chunks of copy have simply been lifted from #1 and stuck into #2. The only other time I had that experience was when I read a bunch of historical fiction by Jean Plaidy.

While I understand that when an author has worked hard to research and describe events -- it's tempting to repeat those chunks of narrative when you write about the same events in the future. But, personally, I felt a bit cheated, having to re-read material I had just been through in book #1.

I also have the same complaint with #2 as I referenced in my review of #1 (though I WILL NOT repeat what I wrote word-for-word in THAT review - for obvious reasons). Riches' writing is more a recitation of facts and events, with little emotional content or insight into the motivations of these historical figures.

I do plan to read book #3 about Charles' last wife - Katherine Willoughby. I'm hoping that since she and Charles were only married a few years before his death, this will be more a story about Katherine's life -- with fewer options to cut and paste.

My Advice: I think this series, if read, would be more enjoyable if the reader lets some time elapse between novels.

[Kirsten Muller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another good book by Tony Riches! I was very interested to learn about this man. I did not know much more about him than the basics and Henry Cavill's performance of him on the Tudors. It also provided an interesting contrast, since I had previously read Tony Riches book on Mary Tudor, Henry VIII's sister and one of Charles's wives.

The book seems to state that Charles's father was not a rapist as he is often accused of being. I don't think his father was innocent, but I can see why Charles might believe that and/or want to believe that. Some scenes between Charles and Mary that were in the book on Mary were not in this book, and vice versa. There's also no mention on any illegitimate children of Charles in his book, as there were in Mary's book, which I find odd.

All in all, Charles Brandon (in this book and otherwise) seems like a character who could be quite selfish and impulsive at times. But he also seems very much like a product of his time. I find it amusing that his marital history is almost as interesting as that of his more famous counterpart and brother-in-law, Henry VIII.

In conclusion, a good book to try to get to know the man.

[kathleen r. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just finished the first book in the trilogy and swing right into the second that focused on Sir Charles Brandon, the little known Duke of Suffolk during the reign of Henry 8, the second Tudor king. But unfortunately I ran into a snag, that just made continuing pointless. The fact this is part of a series isn't lost on me but it began to seem large parts of text were lifted in their entirety from the first volume whose central character was Mary Tudor, sister of Henry 8. Events were described verbatim and it felt tiresome to re-read much of the content I'd just finished reading as the first part of the trilogy. As much as I enjoyed the first volume it was pointless to waste my time with repetition. I'm not bothering with the last part either. The first was really good but also just enough for me.

[Quinby6696 Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm continuing to enjoy this series about the Tudors by Tony Riches. This is my fifth book in the series. Charles Brandon was a survivor of the brutal and dangerous reign of Henry VIII. Brandon and Henry were adolescent friends and their friendship continued for many years until Brandon died in his bed at the respectable age of 61 with his old friend Henry singing his praises. Brandon's third wife was Mary Tudor sister to Henry VIII. He married her without Henry's consent which caused some problems but he was eventually forgiven. Henry made him First Duke of Suffolk. He was forced to walk a tightrope during the Anne Boleyn kerfuffle because Mary supported Catherine of Aragon against Anne Boleyn's claim to the throne of England. After Brandon's death Henry said of his old friend, "he had never knowingly betrayed a friend or taken advantage of an enemy." (p. 311)

[Nikkolle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic, I was immediately transported back in time from the very first page. I was no longer sitting in my living room but sitting in the court of Henry VIII watching the past unfold. I had never read a book specifically about Charles Brandon, who is usually a side “character” in many historical fiction novels, and I was incredibly pleased to find myself learning new things about a period I believed myself to be a self-taught expert on. I enjoyed the pace of the book as everything seemed to flow to cover such a long time period, only at one point did a time jump catch me off guard. This novel was incredibly well written and researched as well as hard to put down, much to my husbands dismay.

[NayNay · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something singularly beautiful about a medieval book. The Royal Court full of  maidens in all sorts of colourful taffeta dresses. The knight in shining armour riding in a joust. The moated manor house, illuminated with expensive bee wax candles. Courtly love, dancing, the food. With all that, how can you not love historical fiction? BRANDON: TUDOR KNIGHT by Tony Riches is imaginative, rich in detail, and  well researched. Charles Brandon's story is one of personal ambition, love and loyalty. It is a fast paced, enjoyable story, truly hard to put down. I have enjoyed all the books I read by Tony Riches, he is a talented historical fiction novelist.

I was given this book by the author for a honest review, Thank-you Tony, you swept me back in time and I enjoyed every minute.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s such a refreshing treating reading a Tudor era book without good old Henry VIII playing center stage. That being said Charles Brandon is a close friend and confidante so his life revolves around the King but here Brandon’s life is vividly portrayed.

This is my second book by Tony Riches, Jasper being my first, and again it’s evident that he knows his stuff. His attention to detail shows his research and passion for the time period. I knew very little about the life of Charles Brandon and was thoroughly entertained and educated, not only on Brandon's life but with Court, politics and jousting.

There is a big space of time that is cover in this book the pacing wasn’t rushed, I found it to be well written definitely an author I recommend and will continue to read more of.

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have never read anything by this author before and I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction as opposed to historical fact, however this was a very well researched book. there are lots of lovely historical facts hidden in it, lots about jousting, archery, food, clothes. It paints a very realistic look at Tudor life. I knew about Brandon of course but had never read a book written from his point of view. He had a very interesting life coming up from nothing really to marrying henry 8ths sister Mary. Overall I enjoyed it, but there were one or two repetitions in descriptions which jarred with me a little. I was sorry to reach the end though so overall a good read.

[Lorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, but

I was always interested in the life of Charles Brandon. Henry VIII's close friend, his brother-in-law and his contemporary. However, this is book II, book I covering Mary (his second wife) and could have covered much more, instead it was almost word for word of book one, simply the flip side.
I was looking forward to learning more about Brandon but events between he & Mary were covered again. I believe this was an opportunity missed. If you've read book one of this trilogy, you can easily skip this one without missing a beat.

[ghostlovesc0re · Rating 3 out of 5]

Companion piece to Mary, Tudor Princess. The writing flew more easily on that one and it was quite the page-turner too. I'm glad Tony Riches decided to write this set of books, it's nice to have the romance from both sides and the story of two Tudor figures that tend to be rather ignored otherwise. I think both make for a good introduction to Tudor history, it was quite a pleasant read.

[Stephanie Kline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd never read Tony Riches before, or a novel entirely set on the life of Charles Brandon - one of Henry VIII's closest friends. I have to say I liked this! At times maybe a bit slow (and I'd be lying if I said I never skimmed a page or two of this), but overall I felt absorbed in the story. I'd recommend to a lover of Tudor historical fiction.

[Alan Veren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loyal Friend and Constant Companion!

Brandon was a true Renaissance Prince. Although from humble origins he rose to become a pillar of Tudor England. He laughed, quarreled and abetted one of Englands most outspoken monarchs and married a Queen of France.
This book is well written and a pleasure to read and learn about a remarkable man.

[Juli Hewell · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book. Started off very well, but then turned into a copy and paste version of the 1st book of this trilogy. It was literally like reading the first book again. No variations. Exactly the same. I was so disappointed I returned the final book of this trilogy unread. Waste of time.

[unknown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entralling

i choose five stars as I found this book to be educational and informative. The romantic stories were tender and had no unnecessary description. I never read any of this Authors books but do
Definitely read !pre of his work

[Janet Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great man! Charles Brandon

A great story well written based on the life of
Charles Brandon knight & best friend of Henry Tudor King of England, and husband of Mary Tudor Henry's sister & former Queen of France!
Well written & researched I enjoyed every word!
Well done Tony!!

[Mrs Kim Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful of the Tudor court.

For the lovers of history this book gives a clear insight to the court life of Henry VIII It was a well researched book and made excellent reading. I heartedly recommend it