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Kingmaker #1
Winter Pilgrims
February, 1460: in the bitter dawn of a winter's morning a young nun is caught outside her priory walls by a corrupt knight and his vicious retinue.
In the fight that follows, she is rescued by a young monk and the knight is defeated. But the consequences are far-reaching, and Thomas and Katherine are expelled from their religious Orders and forced to flee across a land caught in the throes of one of the most savage and bloody civil wars in history: the Wars of the Roses.
Their flight will take them across the Narrow Sea to Calais where Thomas picks up his warbow, and trains alongside the Yorkist forces. Katherine, now dressed as a man, hones her talents for observation and healing both on and off the fields of battle. And all around them, friends and enemies fight and die as the future Yorkist monarch, Edward, Earl of March, and his adviser the Earl of Warwick, later to become known as the Kingmaker, prepare to do bloody battle.
Encompassing the battles of Northampton, Mortimer's Cross and finally the great slaughter of Towton, this is war as experienced not by the highborn nobles of the land but by ordinary men and women who do their best just to stay alive. Filled with strong, sympathetic characters, this is a must-read series for all who like their fiction action-packed, heroic and utterly believable.
Audio CD
First published February 27, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews
February 22, 2016
This book has thrilling characters, brilliant battle scenes and well established historical foundations. The opening is immediate and swift. From early on in the book we know what to expect, as a reader, and from the ending of the book those expectations are met.
The two central characters in this book are very well rounded and exciting. Their lives are believable which helps to express cultural issues of the time. Both Thomas and Katherine were both members of a priory and strongly religious. When they are trust into the midst of the wars of the roses, they're forced to develop and learn to survive. This allows for them to grow as people and allows for heaps of character potential.
The battle scenes in this book are confusing. This is, of course, not a bad thing. The confusion illustrates a battle and represents the panic of the men. The battles are narrated through the eyes of Thomas who is a common foot solider. This confusion is appropriate with his interpretation of the events: he does not know everything that is happening, very little in the grand scheme of things. This way of narrating a battle really captures how the foot solider would have experienced it, and is remarkable in evoking the emotions of the men.
The author can easily be compared to Ken Follet, the author of The Pillars of the Earth. This is not in terms of writing style, but in the approach taken to reporting the events of a historical novel. Historical figures such as the Kingmaker (Earl Warwick), Margret of Anjou and The Duke of York provide a setting for the novel to take place in; a back story if you would like. This allows the author to focus upon his characters, but also at the same time relate their lives to real history. I find this technique very effective as it gives history a personal, intimate, touch.
This is the first time I've felt physically sick, from reading, and had my stomach churn. In this, hats of to the author, your descriptions of medieval surgery are brutally real and scary, very scary. I would not have wanted a fistula in the wars of the roses, or at any other time to be honest but you get my point!
Toby Clements is an author to watch out for; this is only his first published novel and it is already very accomplished. I shall be reading the rest of this series and keeping an eye out to see what else he may come up with in the future. This book comes strongly recommended by me. I have read several interpretations of the wars of the roses, in fiction, and have found this one to be both innovative and stimulating. It is tremendous to see such historical turmoil through the eyes of a man who is so shocked by it, like the reader themselves.
The two central characters in this book are very well rounded and exciting. Their lives are believable which helps to express cultural issues of the time. Both Thomas and Katherine were both members of a priory and strongly religious. When they are trust into the midst of the wars of the roses, they're forced to develop and learn to survive. This allows for them to grow as people and allows for heaps of character potential.
The battle scenes in this book are confusing. This is, of course, not a bad thing. The confusion illustrates a battle and represents the panic of the men. The battles are narrated through the eyes of Thomas who is a common foot solider. This confusion is appropriate with his interpretation of the events: he does not know everything that is happening, very little in the grand scheme of things. This way of narrating a battle really captures how the foot solider would have experienced it, and is remarkable in evoking the emotions of the men.
The author can easily be compared to Ken Follet, the author of The Pillars of the Earth. This is not in terms of writing style, but in the approach taken to reporting the events of a historical novel. Historical figures such as the Kingmaker (Earl Warwick), Margret of Anjou and The Duke of York provide a setting for the novel to take place in; a back story if you would like. This allows the author to focus upon his characters, but also at the same time relate their lives to real history. I find this technique very effective as it gives history a personal, intimate, touch.
This is the first time I've felt physically sick, from reading, and had my stomach churn. In this, hats of to the author, your descriptions of medieval surgery are brutally real and scary, very scary. I would not have wanted a fistula in the wars of the roses, or at any other time to be honest but you get my point!
Toby Clements is an author to watch out for; this is only his first published novel and it is already very accomplished. I shall be reading the rest of this series and keeping an eye out to see what else he may come up with in the future. This book comes strongly recommended by me. I have read several interpretations of the wars of the roses, in fiction, and have found this one to be both innovative and stimulating. It is tremendous to see such historical turmoil through the eyes of a man who is so shocked by it, like the reader themselves.
July 5, 2019
This is a really well written, solid and very interesting history book about the War of the Roses. A period I haven't read a lot about yet. The story is rather complicated, I had to look at the historic 'organisation chart' (the heritage tree) in the beginning of the book regularly. Who is who, who is connected to who. Weird, the English fighting the English...the Yorkist faction against the Lancastrian faction. Anyway, the story starts in 1460 with Thomas, a monk and Katherine, a sister, who are attacked by riders outside their priory and unjustly accused of crimes, they have to run. In fear for their lives, they are forced to flee across a land ravaged by conflict, going from battle to battle, becoming archer and general/medical aid. Katherine has to dress as a boy and is renamed Kit, to survive the rough world and to make sure they are not identified as they fear they are followed from the priory to be found. The only thing I had to get used to were the complete battle scenes, described in much detail, rather tough material, however, interesting to read how those battles were organised. This book must have come pretty close to the situation of the times, it feels very authentic all the way through.
It's also a love story, but very delicately included in the history story, does not overdominate.It's just right.
It's a long story and it doesn't read away easily. Takes some time, but it is well worthed.
For those who are interested in history books, this is a good one!
It's also a love story, but very delicately included in the history story, does not overdominate.It's just right.
It's a long story and it doesn't read away easily. Takes some time, but it is well worthed.
For those who are interested in history books, this is a good one!
March 25, 2014
Clements’ debut novel is, in a word, magnificent. Every historical novelist tries to pitch his reader into the time about which he writes, but few succeed to this degree, or with this degree of skill. This book oozes historical authenticity, yet the details are subtly painted, softly delivered. Through the various characters’ lives, we learn about the religious, the peasants and ordinary soldiers, and the nobility. We see that the existence of most people in the 15th century was short, sharp and brutal. These details aren’t what makes this novel wonderful, though. It’s the story. Writing with verve and panache, Clements paints us two sympathetic but tortured main characters, Thomas and Katherine. Their journeys, both external and internal, are perilous and complex, but because of their very humanity, appealing. The battle scenes are wonderfully, if brutally, described. Few writers indeed can paint a struggle as filthy, as gory or as gripping as Clements does with the climactic fight at Towton.
The War of the Roses wouldn’t normally be a period to interest me, but Kingmaker had me enthralled from the first page. I am a picky but passionate reader, with little spare time in which to indulge my hobby. Suffice it to say that I could not put this book down. I read it in less than a week. By my current standards, that’s superfast. It’s a mark of a book’s quality when I find myself counting how many pages are left, because I don’t want to finish it – I was doing this with Kingmaker from about halfway through.
This book is an historical tour de force, revealing Clements to be a novelist every bit as good as Cornwell, Gregory or Iggulden. Kingmaker was the best book I read in 2013 ― by some margin. I loved it. Bravo, Toby Clements! Now, where’s book two, please?
The War of the Roses wouldn’t normally be a period to interest me, but Kingmaker had me enthralled from the first page. I am a picky but passionate reader, with little spare time in which to indulge my hobby. Suffice it to say that I could not put this book down. I read it in less than a week. By my current standards, that’s superfast. It’s a mark of a book’s quality when I find myself counting how many pages are left, because I don’t want to finish it – I was doing this with Kingmaker from about halfway through.
This book is an historical tour de force, revealing Clements to be a novelist every bit as good as Cornwell, Gregory or Iggulden. Kingmaker was the best book I read in 2013 ― by some margin. I loved it. Bravo, Toby Clements! Now, where’s book two, please?
July 24, 2023
A truly captivating historical fiction read focused on the Wars of the Roses. This story follows two characters at the bottom of the pile as they trawl their way through the Yorkist and Lancastrian strife, encapsulating several key and monumental battles of the period.
Clements has structured this story perfectly. There are small plots within large ones, intimate struggles that follow along with the epic fight for the English throne. We grow to love the two protagonists and despair at the numerous twists that turn through this story.
The writing is very strong, the action is brutal, the details are authentic and Winter Pilgrims is one of my favourite historical fiction reads.
Clements has structured this story perfectly. There are small plots within large ones, intimate struggles that follow along with the epic fight for the English throne. We grow to love the two protagonists and despair at the numerous twists that turn through this story.
The writing is very strong, the action is brutal, the details are authentic and Winter Pilgrims is one of my favourite historical fiction reads.
August 24, 2025
Read this book in 2014, and this amazing book is the 1st volume of a 4 part series with the by-name Kingmaker, which stands for the Earl of Warwick, and the book begins as from the year, AD1460.
Its February, AD1460, and the Wars of the Roses between the houses of Lancaster and York are in full flow, and in the midst of this all are a young nun, Katherine, and the monk, Thomas.
When Katherine is attacked by a corrupt knight and his retinue outside the priory walls, Thomas comes to her rescue, and because of that action they need to flee the country and get to Calais.
Once there Thomas will pick up his warbow alongside the Yorkist forces, and Katherine, dressed as a man, hones her skills in the art of healing.
Back in England they will fight alongside the forces of Edward, Earl of March, and his Kingmaker, the Earl of Warwick, in desperate and ferocious battles at Northampton, Mortimer's Cross, and at the great slaughter at Towton.
This is a most action-packed, engaging and gripping tale about the Wars of the Roses, in which very believable characters with the likes of Katherine and Thomas, besides a lot of others (historical and fictional) are taking along in a world full of heroic battles and terrible horrific slaughter, and in this world of Kingship, Royalty, and power, human feelings like animosity, hate, death will be dictating events for the common people like our Katherine and Thomas in the foreseeable future.
Highly recommended, for this is a tremendous first volume of a fantastic four-part series, and that's why I want to call this amazing first episode: "A Glorious Kingmaker Opening Scene"!
Its February, AD1460, and the Wars of the Roses between the houses of Lancaster and York are in full flow, and in the midst of this all are a young nun, Katherine, and the monk, Thomas.
When Katherine is attacked by a corrupt knight and his retinue outside the priory walls, Thomas comes to her rescue, and because of that action they need to flee the country and get to Calais.
Once there Thomas will pick up his warbow alongside the Yorkist forces, and Katherine, dressed as a man, hones her skills in the art of healing.
Back in England they will fight alongside the forces of Edward, Earl of March, and his Kingmaker, the Earl of Warwick, in desperate and ferocious battles at Northampton, Mortimer's Cross, and at the great slaughter at Towton.
This is a most action-packed, engaging and gripping tale about the Wars of the Roses, in which very believable characters with the likes of Katherine and Thomas, besides a lot of others (historical and fictional) are taking along in a world full of heroic battles and terrible horrific slaughter, and in this world of Kingship, Royalty, and power, human feelings like animosity, hate, death will be dictating events for the common people like our Katherine and Thomas in the foreseeable future.
Highly recommended, for this is a tremendous first volume of a fantastic four-part series, and that's why I want to call this amazing first episode: "A Glorious Kingmaker Opening Scene"!
February 14, 2015
Boring and thoroughly predictable, rich in set piece fight and battle scenes that too rarely do anything to develop character or move the narrative forward. Full of cliche, stock characters pilfered from the history as televisual melodrama genre: the girl dressed in boys clothes; the anonymous and irrational giant; the unaccountably evil feudal lord, all set in the inaccurate filth and stench of the late Middle Ages as imagined by those who've never looked at the scholarship on daily life in 15th century Europe. Structured with an eye on film/TV rights. Rubbish.
January 3, 2023
Увлекательный, но довольно гнетущий роман о том, что пока чьи-то дети, братья и племянники борются за право сидеть на золоченом горшке и носить корону, по всей стране обычные люди бегут из обжитого тепла в неизвестность и лишаются своего маленького, обустроенного будущего с золотыми иллюминациями в Часослове, яблочными садами, теплой, доброй скотиной и огнем в очагах.
May 24, 2016
I have to confess to knowing next to nothing about the Wars of the Roses, and have never been overly interested in the period. I am always amazed that people can get so het up about whether Richard III was a good king, or a ruthless despot. So, despite having heard great things about this book, I had put off reading it for longer than I should have. In the end I picked up the audio book on Audible, and I cannot believe I waited this long to "read" it.
Story:
The blurb on the book is as follows:
February, 1460: in the bitter dawn of a winter's morning a young nun is caught outside her priory walls by a corrupt knight and his vicious retinue.
In the fight that follows, she is rescued by a young monk and the knight is defeated. But the consequences are far-reaching, and Thomas and Katherine are expelled from their religious Orders and forced to flee across a land caught in the throes of one of the most savage and bloody civil wars in history: the Wars of the Roses.
Their flight will take them across the Narrow Sea to Calais where Thomas picks up his warbow, and trains alongside the Yorkist forces. Katherine, now dressed as a man, hones her talents for observation and healing both on and off the fields of battle. And all around them, friends and enemies fight and die as the future Yorkist monarch, Edward, Earl of March, and his adviser the Earl of Warwick, later to become known as the Kingmaker, prepare to do bloody battle.
Encompassing the battles of Northampton, Mortimer's Cross and finally the great slaughter of Towton, this is war as experienced not by the highborn nobles of the land but by ordinary men and women who do their best just to stay alive. Filled with strong, sympathetic characters, this is a must-read series for all who like their fiction action-packed, heroic and utterly believable.
Review:
Following my admission that I was not interested in the period in which the story is set, the audio book got off to a shaky start with a rather clunky introduction that set the scene of who was fighting who, but it seemed very forced and there were too many names mentioned in a couple of paragraphs making it impossible to really follow, unless, of course, you already knew the history. But then why would you need the intro? I would much have preferred a historical note at the end of the book, but alas, there isn't one.
After the short introduction, the story started and to my dismay, it was in the present tense. But it happened hundreds of years ago, I said to myself! How can this be in present tense? I was all prepared to give up on the book then, almost before it had started, but of course I didn't. And you know what? As if some magic spell had been cast on me, the tense the prose is written in ceased to be an issue for me as, within minutes, the book leapt to glorious life. The immediacy of the writing, the rawness of the characters, the details of the historical context, the gory battles, the touching relationships, the jeopardy, the horrors of war... After those initial moments, the book was almost perfect.
I couldn't stop thinking about the story when I wasn't listening to the book. I felt that I knew the protagonists and I shared in their anguish as each terrible incident befell them. When I got to the end, I was desperate to know more and immediately bought the second in the series, Kingmaker: Broken Faith.
My verdict?
An astounding novel. A gripping, blood-soaked trek along the muddy tracks of fifteenth century Britain.
Narrator:
Jack Hawkins adds a near perfect narration to a near perfect book. I don't often think that a book benefits from being narrated, but in this case, I think it does. Hawkins hits just the right note of earthiness and solidity in his delivery. He manages to give each character a distinct voice and accent without overdoing it. The only slightly weak accent was for the Welsh characters, but they seemed to improve as the book progressed.
Overall rating: 5 stars
Story:
The blurb on the book is as follows:
February, 1460: in the bitter dawn of a winter's morning a young nun is caught outside her priory walls by a corrupt knight and his vicious retinue.
In the fight that follows, she is rescued by a young monk and the knight is defeated. But the consequences are far-reaching, and Thomas and Katherine are expelled from their religious Orders and forced to flee across a land caught in the throes of one of the most savage and bloody civil wars in history: the Wars of the Roses.
Their flight will take them across the Narrow Sea to Calais where Thomas picks up his warbow, and trains alongside the Yorkist forces. Katherine, now dressed as a man, hones her talents for observation and healing both on and off the fields of battle. And all around them, friends and enemies fight and die as the future Yorkist monarch, Edward, Earl of March, and his adviser the Earl of Warwick, later to become known as the Kingmaker, prepare to do bloody battle.
Encompassing the battles of Northampton, Mortimer's Cross and finally the great slaughter of Towton, this is war as experienced not by the highborn nobles of the land but by ordinary men and women who do their best just to stay alive. Filled with strong, sympathetic characters, this is a must-read series for all who like their fiction action-packed, heroic and utterly believable.
Review:
Following my admission that I was not interested in the period in which the story is set, the audio book got off to a shaky start with a rather clunky introduction that set the scene of who was fighting who, but it seemed very forced and there were too many names mentioned in a couple of paragraphs making it impossible to really follow, unless, of course, you already knew the history. But then why would you need the intro? I would much have preferred a historical note at the end of the book, but alas, there isn't one.
After the short introduction, the story started and to my dismay, it was in the present tense. But it happened hundreds of years ago, I said to myself! How can this be in present tense? I was all prepared to give up on the book then, almost before it had started, but of course I didn't. And you know what? As if some magic spell had been cast on me, the tense the prose is written in ceased to be an issue for me as, within minutes, the book leapt to glorious life. The immediacy of the writing, the rawness of the characters, the details of the historical context, the gory battles, the touching relationships, the jeopardy, the horrors of war... After those initial moments, the book was almost perfect.
I couldn't stop thinking about the story when I wasn't listening to the book. I felt that I knew the protagonists and I shared in their anguish as each terrible incident befell them. When I got to the end, I was desperate to know more and immediately bought the second in the series, Kingmaker: Broken Faith.
My verdict?
An astounding novel. A gripping, blood-soaked trek along the muddy tracks of fifteenth century Britain.
Narrator:
Jack Hawkins adds a near perfect narration to a near perfect book. I don't often think that a book benefits from being narrated, but in this case, I think it does. Hawkins hits just the right note of earthiness and solidity in his delivery. He manages to give each character a distinct voice and accent without overdoing it. The only slightly weak accent was for the Welsh characters, but they seemed to improve as the book progressed.
Overall rating: 5 stars
September 3, 2017
2.5 stars
This is what I've been doing most of the time in the last few weeks: listening to audio books. I'm still very new to them which means I can't really compare it with other narrators. That being said, I enjoyed Jack Hawkins' narration.
As for the book itself: It was okay. It covers the time from 1460-1461, ending with the Battle of Towton, won by the Yorkist faction, making Edward of York king and dethroning Henry VI. who had turned out to be a weak monarch, unlike his famous father, Henry V. Although, Henry VI was believed to have a frail mental state of mind.
Anyway, what makes this book entertaining is that it's told from the commoners' PoV, giving an idea how little the lives of those who were indentured truly mattered, never mind the hardships they had to endure on a daily basis without having to suffer the entitlements of kings, dukes, earls and lords. I can't say how historically accurate the description of life for the little man/woman is, but I do know that it wasn't as clean, innocent and romanticised as it's often portrayed. Also interesting is the role of the church and religion in general. I'm an agnostic at the best of times and it always baffles me when I come across deeply religious people. I'll admit that part of me is always a little jealous because their religion seems to centre them in a way that I've never found for myself. Reading/listening what life was like when people still believed the world to be flat and God's word absolute was the most interesting part of the book.
One big weakness of the book was the lack of character depth which doesn't come as a surprise. Our two main characters, Katherine and Thomas, have quite a journey - literally - ahead of them with lots of side characters, long battle descriptions and one very detailed 'surgical' removal of a fistula. The bad guys are really - reaaaaaaallllyyy - bad which added to the character simplicity. The plot is predictable, so are the twists, and one name-dropping moment and I knew where at least one plot line would go.
I'll be honest, I wouldn't have read this as a book-book. I'm not a fan of long winded battle scenes and I would have skipped quite a bit. As an audio-book, however, it was truly entertaining while I was busy doing something else. So much so, actually, that I'm already half way through the second book and I'm really enjoying it. I think much of it is thanks to the narrator. Even the long battle scenes are conveyed so adequately that I could imagine the adrenaline rush, the chaos and the fear of the men fighting the wars of the privileged few and ultimately the helplessness and resignation in those men.
It's good entertainment with solid historical information that adds to the entertainment rather than suffocating the actual story.
This is what I've been doing most of the time in the last few weeks: listening to audio books. I'm still very new to them which means I can't really compare it with other narrators. That being said, I enjoyed Jack Hawkins' narration.
As for the book itself: It was okay. It covers the time from 1460-1461, ending with the Battle of Towton, won by the Yorkist faction, making Edward of York king and dethroning Henry VI. who had turned out to be a weak monarch, unlike his famous father, Henry V. Although, Henry VI was believed to have a frail mental state of mind.
Anyway, what makes this book entertaining is that it's told from the commoners' PoV, giving an idea how little the lives of those who were indentured truly mattered, never mind the hardships they had to endure on a daily basis without having to suffer the entitlements of kings, dukes, earls and lords. I can't say how historically accurate the description of life for the little man/woman is, but I do know that it wasn't as clean, innocent and romanticised as it's often portrayed. Also interesting is the role of the church and religion in general. I'm an agnostic at the best of times and it always baffles me when I come across deeply religious people. I'll admit that part of me is always a little jealous because their religion seems to centre them in a way that I've never found for myself. Reading/listening what life was like when people still believed the world to be flat and God's word absolute was the most interesting part of the book.
One big weakness of the book was the lack of character depth which doesn't come as a surprise. Our two main characters, Katherine and Thomas, have quite a journey - literally - ahead of them with lots of side characters, long battle descriptions and one very detailed 'surgical' removal of a fistula. The bad guys are really - reaaaaaaallllyyy - bad which added to the character simplicity. The plot is predictable, so are the twists, and one name-dropping moment and I knew where at least one plot line would go.
I'll be honest, I wouldn't have read this as a book-book. I'm not a fan of long winded battle scenes and I would have skipped quite a bit. As an audio-book, however, it was truly entertaining while I was busy doing something else. So much so, actually, that I'm already half way through the second book and I'm really enjoying it. I think much of it is thanks to the narrator. Even the long battle scenes are conveyed so adequately that I could imagine the adrenaline rush, the chaos and the fear of the men fighting the wars of the privileged few and ultimately the helplessness and resignation in those men.
It's good entertainment with solid historical information that adds to the entertainment rather than suffocating the actual story.
July 14, 2015
Kingmaker: Winter Pilgrims is a unique look at the Wars of the Roses among a large supply of novels focused on this era. Rather than following the addled King Henry VI, ambitious earl of Warwick, or the illustrious earl of March, our main characters are the accidentally paired Brother Thomas and Sister Katherine.
The opening scene of the book places these two together through life threatening circumstances thanks to the lawlessness of Henry VI's England. Though they have been living at the same Priory, they have had much different experiences. Katherine has lived with the nuns of St Mary for as long as she can remember, the abused and neglected servant of the prioress. Brother Thomas has enjoyed the monastic life and never considered leaving until he had no choice. He loves the quiet life of the scriptorium where he demonstrates skill as an illuminator.
Katherine and Thomas wind up on a twisting adventure together as they struggle to redefine themselves, survive, and extract revenge upon the man that has caused their upheaval. Thomas continues to long for a return to his life as a monk, while Katherine has no intentions of ever being a nun again. I appreciated the diverse and balanced look at religious life. When they wind up in the service of Sir John Fakenham, their lives take turns they never could have expected.
What was different about this novel was the details on little things: regular camp life, medieval surgery, the difficulties of travel, and crime that went on with war as a cover. Some readers will find these descriptions too long, but I appreciated the level of historical research required to write some of the detailed scenes that Clements includes in his writing. The Battle of Towton serves as the drama for the final chapters of the book with detail that is gory, realistic, and heartbreaking.
Several hints are dropped regarding a continuing story and the final scene leaves the reader wondering about many things, so I look forward to reading Kingmaker: Broken Faith.
The opening scene of the book places these two together through life threatening circumstances thanks to the lawlessness of Henry VI's England. Though they have been living at the same Priory, they have had much different experiences. Katherine has lived with the nuns of St Mary for as long as she can remember, the abused and neglected servant of the prioress. Brother Thomas has enjoyed the monastic life and never considered leaving until he had no choice. He loves the quiet life of the scriptorium where he demonstrates skill as an illuminator.
Katherine and Thomas wind up on a twisting adventure together as they struggle to redefine themselves, survive, and extract revenge upon the man that has caused their upheaval. Thomas continues to long for a return to his life as a monk, while Katherine has no intentions of ever being a nun again. I appreciated the diverse and balanced look at religious life. When they wind up in the service of Sir John Fakenham, their lives take turns they never could have expected.
What was different about this novel was the details on little things: regular camp life, medieval surgery, the difficulties of travel, and crime that went on with war as a cover. Some readers will find these descriptions too long, but I appreciated the level of historical research required to write some of the detailed scenes that Clements includes in his writing. The Battle of Towton serves as the drama for the final chapters of the book with detail that is gory, realistic, and heartbreaking.
Several hints are dropped regarding a continuing story and the final scene leaves the reader wondering about many things, so I look forward to reading Kingmaker: Broken Faith.
February 9, 2014
This sweeping, historical novel , is set during the Wars of the Roses – although our two central characters are not really aware of worldly matters when we first meet them. Sister Katherine is a young nun, left at the Priory of St Mary in the County of Lincoln as an infant. Brother Thomas is a young monk, who spends his time thinking of the manuscripts he works on. However, one cold morning in February, 1460, their lives change forever. Sent out in the snow to release a fox from a trap, Brother Thomas is disconcerted by hearing a scream. Sister Katherine and another young nun, Sister Alice, are caught outside by a corrupt knight and his retinue. Thomas rushes to help, but, later, Sir Giles Riven appears demanding Thomas be punished; while Katherine is accused of wantonness. The two escape and find themselves forced to flee together into an England where Brother Thomas wishes to seek clemency in a land where law and order has broken down.
During this novel, we follow the adventures of Thomas and Katherine (who disguises herself as a boy). Thomas turns out to be a natural born soldier, while Katherine is more than ready to leave vows she did not make of her own accord and discovers that she has a gift for healing. Along the way, the two meet Robert Daud of Lincoln, a pardoner, who leaves them with a treasured book; although neither of them are sure of why it is considered so valuable. They later join forces with Sir John Fakenham and his son Richard. The two travel in their retinue to France and back to England, taking part in many battles and quests along the way. For while Thomas has a grudge against Sir Giles Riven, he is also the enemy of Sir John and a great baddie, who changes sides at a moment notice and whom Thomas has sworn vengeance on.
This is a book of mysteries and secrets , a love story and it contains a realistic sense of how people lived and how they survived. Katherine’s medical skills lead to some rather gruesomely described medical procedures and there was also a lot of fighting – probably a little too much for me. However, I imagine that readers who enjoy novels by authors, such as Bernard Cornwell or Conn Iggulden would love this. It is brutal, bloody and violent, but you also care about the characters and the book is well plotted. The book makes sense as a single volume and I enjoyed the ending – although there is obviously a sequel in mind. If so, I look forward to reading on and discovering what happens next.
I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, for review.
During this novel, we follow the adventures of Thomas and Katherine (who disguises herself as a boy). Thomas turns out to be a natural born soldier, while Katherine is more than ready to leave vows she did not make of her own accord and discovers that she has a gift for healing. Along the way, the two meet Robert Daud of Lincoln, a pardoner, who leaves them with a treasured book; although neither of them are sure of why it is considered so valuable. They later join forces with Sir John Fakenham and his son Richard. The two travel in their retinue to France and back to England, taking part in many battles and quests along the way. For while Thomas has a grudge against Sir Giles Riven, he is also the enemy of Sir John and a great baddie, who changes sides at a moment notice and whom Thomas has sworn vengeance on.
This is a book of mysteries and secrets , a love story and it contains a realistic sense of how people lived and how they survived. Katherine’s medical skills lead to some rather gruesomely described medical procedures and there was also a lot of fighting – probably a little too much for me. However, I imagine that readers who enjoy novels by authors, such as Bernard Cornwell or Conn Iggulden would love this. It is brutal, bloody and violent, but you also care about the characters and the book is well plotted. The book makes sense as a single volume and I enjoyed the ending – although there is obviously a sequel in mind. If so, I look forward to reading on and discovering what happens next.
I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, for review.
May 4, 2014
I have Ben Kane to thank for this fantastic read, When an author of his calibre posts about a book “‘Magnificent. An historical tour de force, revealing Clements to be a novelist every bit as good as Cornwell, Gregory or Iggulden. Kingmaker is the best book I’ve read this year ? by some margin.’ Ben Kane” You have to sit up and take notice.
What I didn’t expect was the scope and style of the book. Having just read excellent Stormbird by Conn Iggulden, set in roughly the same period, i had some expectations set for how a War of the Roses book should play out. Toby Clements took those expectations and stood them on their head. Instead of a book driven by the power houses of history, a book lit and led by the great and the powerful, Toby starts in a humble monastery/ nunnery, and from their takes the reader on one of the most down to earth profound journeys I have been privileged to read in this genre. Thomas is a man living the life of a monk, a man with skills and education, but a man who finds out he has depths he had not explored, skills he didn’t expect to have or use, and that life is more than just the walls of a Monastery, and a people are more than they seem, life isn’t black and white, its many shades of grey.
Katherine, living in a nunnery, but slightly apart, a young woman with a missing past, and an uncertain future, one that isn’t helped by the continual abuse from her superiors.
One day, one event, one action changes both their lives, and slingshots them on a journey of exploration, self examination and adventure. But none of it is glorified, it is set at the coal face of life, and battle and history. Surrounded by the blood and butchery of every class of man, buffeted by the changing politics of the times and changed by the havoc of war, killing and death surrounding them. At 560 pages its not a small read, but I could have read 2060 pages and not been bored, is series has so much to offer and so much promise of more. As its a 2014 title it will not feature in my books of 2013, otherwise it would be winner of the top spot. The established order will need to work very hard to beat this in 2014.
Very highly recommended
(Parm)
What I didn’t expect was the scope and style of the book. Having just read excellent Stormbird by Conn Iggulden, set in roughly the same period, i had some expectations set for how a War of the Roses book should play out. Toby Clements took those expectations and stood them on their head. Instead of a book driven by the power houses of history, a book lit and led by the great and the powerful, Toby starts in a humble monastery/ nunnery, and from their takes the reader on one of the most down to earth profound journeys I have been privileged to read in this genre. Thomas is a man living the life of a monk, a man with skills and education, but a man who finds out he has depths he had not explored, skills he didn’t expect to have or use, and that life is more than just the walls of a Monastery, and a people are more than they seem, life isn’t black and white, its many shades of grey.
Katherine, living in a nunnery, but slightly apart, a young woman with a missing past, and an uncertain future, one that isn’t helped by the continual abuse from her superiors.
One day, one event, one action changes both their lives, and slingshots them on a journey of exploration, self examination and adventure. But none of it is glorified, it is set at the coal face of life, and battle and history. Surrounded by the blood and butchery of every class of man, buffeted by the changing politics of the times and changed by the havoc of war, killing and death surrounding them. At 560 pages its not a small read, but I could have read 2060 pages and not been bored, is series has so much to offer and so much promise of more. As its a 2014 title it will not feature in my books of 2013, otherwise it would be winner of the top spot. The established order will need to work very hard to beat this in 2014.
Very highly recommended
(Parm)
September 26, 2015
They say you should not judge a book by its cover. Nor by its first few chapters. At first, I thought I'd made a mistake when I bought this book. However, I persevered, and gradually the story took over. By the end, I was wishing the book was a lot longer.
It is basically an adventure novel. There are a few things that made my historical pedant meter twitch - for example, I doubt very much there was a 'Prior of All' or that the friars acted as a kind of ecclesiastical military police. But if you shut these little quibbles out of the mind, the novel is a delight.
There are some undoubtedly very realistic descriptions of medieval battles, at times quite gruesome. In style, it is much more like reading Bernard Cornwell than Sharon Penman.
There are some pretty dreadful novels out there for this era, but this particular one is well worth a read and I look forward to getting my hands on the sequel.
It is basically an adventure novel. There are a few things that made my historical pedant meter twitch - for example, I doubt very much there was a 'Prior of All' or that the friars acted as a kind of ecclesiastical military police. But if you shut these little quibbles out of the mind, the novel is a delight.
There are some undoubtedly very realistic descriptions of medieval battles, at times quite gruesome. In style, it is much more like reading Bernard Cornwell than Sharon Penman.
There are some pretty dreadful novels out there for this era, but this particular one is well worth a read and I look forward to getting my hands on the sequel.
September 11, 2020
Gruesome, authentic and suspenseful, with turns of phrase as sharp as a freshly polished pollaxe. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction, or action-packed novels in general. I wish I could write like Clements does.
At the risk of sounding picky about what was definitely a 5-star read, though, there were some niggling unanswered questions. Normally that would be fine - I like ambiguous endings that are open to interpretation. But the existence of a sequel transforms the ending from a deliberately intriguing mystery to a moment of, "hang on, Thomas has been on this mission for 500 pages and I have to buy a whole other book to find out if he succeeded?"*
But you should still read it, for sure.
*I'm aware that I've been guilty of this myself from time to time.
At the risk of sounding picky about what was definitely a 5-star read, though, there were some niggling unanswered questions. Normally that would be fine - I like ambiguous endings that are open to interpretation. But the existence of a sequel transforms the ending from a deliberately intriguing mystery to a moment of, "hang on, Thomas has been on this mission for 500 pages and I have to buy a whole other book to find out if he succeeded?"*
But you should still read it, for sure.
*I'm aware that I've been guilty of this myself from time to time.
July 6, 2017
There is gritty and then there is an in depth account of a 15 century operation on a fistula. In The "Winter Pilgrims" the fistula of infamy is light relief from the buckets of gore and by far not the most revolting thing I read in the book. But here is the thing, it never seems gratitous. Itfelt to me that as life in this time during the War of Roses was nasty, brutish and short the author in love with non sugar coated historical detail just let loose the viscera cannons. I loved it just as much.
August 10, 2016
This is a well written historical action/adventure novel.
Sure, the storyline is predictable, some of the secondary characters one-dimensional and even the main characters conveniently versatile , but overall it is an engaging adventure tale.
The aspects of medieval life are particularly well done, for instance the descriptions of the soldiers’ armour and weapons, their condition during the campaigns and the grim daily life for the commoners and peasants left to fend for themselves in the wake of wars. The action in battles were exciting but the parts focused on the protagonists were equally engaging.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style, definitely richer than most historical novels, but, although this book ends with a cliffhanger, I will probably not continue with the next in the series because this historical setting is not among my favourites.
Recommended to people interested in the War of the Roses period. 3.5 stars
Sure, the storyline is predictable, some of the secondary characters one-dimensional and even the main characters conveniently versatile , but overall it is an engaging adventure tale.
The aspects of medieval life are particularly well done, for instance the descriptions of the soldiers’ armour and weapons, their condition during the campaigns and the grim daily life for the commoners and peasants left to fend for themselves in the wake of wars. The action in battles were exciting but the parts focused on the protagonists were equally engaging.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style, definitely richer than most historical novels, but, although this book ends with a cliffhanger, I will probably not continue with the next in the series because this historical setting is not among my favourites.
Recommended to people interested in the War of the Roses period. 3.5 stars
February 15, 2022
February 1460, St. Mary’s Priory, Lincolnshire. Katherine and another nun are outside the priory walls disposing of the nightsoil when they are attacked by a nobleman Lord Riven, his son, and their henchman (the “Giant”). No reason is given for the attack. Katherine swings her bucket, knocking the son off his horse and severely injuring him. Thomas, a canon of the priory, comes to the nuns’ aid and the three escape back into the priory.
Riven bullies the Prior, demanding a trial by combat with Thomas. The Dean urges Thomas, an illuminator, to run away because he stands no chance against a trained soldier like Riven. Thomas refuses for some reason, but shows himself a skillful warrior while the dean, a former soldier, is killed. Thomas escapes. Meanwhile Katherine, who has been subjected to regular beatings, is charged with unchastity as a result of this incident and the hateful Prioress has her racked. She escapes, unintentionally killing another nun in the process. She joins up with Thomas.
Thomas wants to travel to Canterbury—but has no idea where that is—because the Dean has told him that the Prior above All Priors is the only one that can pardon him. Katherine reluctantly goes along with him, but believes she is beyond redemption because she has caused the death of Sister Joan.
The first person Thomas and Katherine come across in their journey is a pardoner, Robert Daud, who takes them under his wing. He is a supporter of the Earl of Warwick—and Thomas and Katherine learn from him that Riven is a Lancastrian. He realizes that they will be hunted down as apostates unless they shed their religious garb and helps them buy disguises. He has scrofula and intends to take ship to France where he hopes to find a cure. He convinces Thomas that he and Katherine (now disguised as the boy Kit) to come with him with the assurance that they can be dropped off somewhere along the Kentish coast. Meanwhile Katherine wants to escape from them, although she apparently has no idea where or what she should do. The threesome do find a ship, but not before they have narrow escapes from friars who form a network of ecclesiastical military police hunting down apostates.
When their ship is attacked, its captain orders stuff be thrown overboard. (The one possession that Daud refuses to throw overboard is a bag in which Thomas and Katherine later find a ledger book which lists the English troops near Rouen from 1441 to 1442. They can’t understand why Daud thought this was so valuable. Hmm. Let me guess where this is going to—maybe to a certain archer in Rouen.) The other ship is still gaining on them so the captain has Daud thrown overboard. Thomas and Katherine are to be next, but Thomas manages to kill a bunch of sailors, and they are saved when the attackers, who turn out to be good guys, board the ship. They are Sir John Fakenham and his son Richard who are indentured to Fauconburg and have taken the ship in Warwick’s name to sail it to Calais. By coincidence , Sir John and Richard have their own grudge against Riven, who, supported by Somerset, seized their estates when Sir John was off fighting in France. Sir John appealed to his cousin, Lord Cornford. Riven killed Cornford at Ludford Bridge and claimed his estates as well as the wardship of the latter’s daughter, who had been betrothed to Richard.
At Calais, Thomas becomes a skilled archer in Fakenham’s company, while Kit (Katherine) gives sound tactical advice to Richard who gains the thanks of Edward of March and Warwick.
We follow Thomas, Katherine, and their comrades in arms from the skirmish in Calais, to Sandwich, and Northampton. They spend time at Sir John’s Marton Hall, before going off on a trip to Wales—the purpose of which is to have Thomas in place so he can take part in the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross. They then return to Marton Hall so they can take part in Towton. At every battle, Thomas seeks out Riven, but does he get his revenge? That is not clear, but what is clear is that Thomas and Katherine finally acknowledge their feelings for one another.
Since it is an adventure story, don’t expect complex characterizations. Katherine is too good to be true. Although she is completely uneducated, she is politically savvy, and a military tactician. She didn’t even work in the infirmary in the priory, but proves to be a skilled surgeon, removing arrows from Richard and from Warwick and a fistula from Sir John. She even saves Sir John’s life at Towton by performing surgery on his fractured skull.
The plot takes other nonsensical turns. On their return from Wales, they decide that Katherine should ditch her disguise as a boy. She assumes the identity of the deceased Margaret Cornford and, for reasons unknown, feels obligated to marry Richard. Of course no one recognizes that she is Kit, even though she has a clipped ear, a punishment inflicted on Warwick’s orders. Then, there are far too many scenes in which Thomas and Katherine are longing for the other, but suppress their feelings. Tedious
What saves this novel for me is its evocation of the lot of the common soldiers during the WOTR— their life in camps and in battle, and marching, always marching whether to do battle or not they know not. And the fellowship that develops between. Why are they fighting? One of the soldiers says, “Once we get to London, it’ll be all over. . . .The King’ll get rid of whoever it is we’re trying to get him to get rid of, and we’ll be home for the harvest.” This aspect rates a 4+, but the absurd elements drag the overall rating down to a 3.5.
Riven bullies the Prior, demanding a trial by combat with Thomas. The Dean urges Thomas, an illuminator, to run away because he stands no chance against a trained soldier like Riven. Thomas refuses for some reason, but shows himself a skillful warrior while the dean, a former soldier, is killed. Thomas escapes. Meanwhile Katherine, who has been subjected to regular beatings, is charged with unchastity as a result of this incident and the hateful Prioress has her racked. She escapes, unintentionally killing another nun in the process. She joins up with Thomas.
Thomas wants to travel to Canterbury—but has no idea where that is—because the Dean has told him that the Prior above All Priors is the only one that can pardon him. Katherine reluctantly goes along with him, but believes she is beyond redemption because she has caused the death of Sister Joan.
The first person Thomas and Katherine come across in their journey is a pardoner, Robert Daud, who takes them under his wing. He is a supporter of the Earl of Warwick—and Thomas and Katherine learn from him that Riven is a Lancastrian. He realizes that they will be hunted down as apostates unless they shed their religious garb and helps them buy disguises. He has scrofula and intends to take ship to France where he hopes to find a cure. He convinces Thomas that he and Katherine (now disguised as the boy Kit) to come with him with the assurance that they can be dropped off somewhere along the Kentish coast. Meanwhile Katherine wants to escape from them, although she apparently has no idea where or what she should do. The threesome do find a ship, but not before they have narrow escapes from friars who form a network of ecclesiastical military police hunting down apostates.
When their ship is attacked, its captain orders stuff be thrown overboard. (The one possession that Daud refuses to throw overboard is a bag in which Thomas and Katherine later find a ledger book which lists the English troops near Rouen from 1441 to 1442. They can’t understand why Daud thought this was so valuable. Hmm. Let me guess where this is going to—maybe to a certain archer in Rouen.) The other ship is still gaining on them so the captain has Daud thrown overboard. Thomas and Katherine are to be next, but Thomas manages to kill a bunch of sailors, and they are saved when the attackers, who turn out to be good guys, board the ship. They are Sir John Fakenham and his son Richard who are indentured to Fauconburg and have taken the ship in Warwick’s name to sail it to Calais. By coincidence , Sir John and Richard have their own grudge against Riven, who, supported by Somerset, seized their estates when Sir John was off fighting in France. Sir John appealed to his cousin, Lord Cornford. Riven killed Cornford at Ludford Bridge and claimed his estates as well as the wardship of the latter’s daughter, who had been betrothed to Richard.
At Calais, Thomas becomes a skilled archer in Fakenham’s company, while Kit (Katherine) gives sound tactical advice to Richard who gains the thanks of Edward of March and Warwick.
We follow Thomas, Katherine, and their comrades in arms from the skirmish in Calais, to Sandwich, and Northampton. They spend time at Sir John’s Marton Hall, before going off on a trip to Wales—the purpose of which is to have Thomas in place so he can take part in the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross. They then return to Marton Hall so they can take part in Towton. At every battle, Thomas seeks out Riven, but does he get his revenge? That is not clear, but what is clear is that Thomas and Katherine finally acknowledge their feelings for one another.
Since it is an adventure story, don’t expect complex characterizations. Katherine is too good to be true. Although she is completely uneducated, she is politically savvy, and a military tactician. She didn’t even work in the infirmary in the priory, but proves to be a skilled surgeon, removing arrows from Richard and from Warwick and a fistula from Sir John. She even saves Sir John’s life at Towton by performing surgery on his fractured skull.
The plot takes other nonsensical turns. On their return from Wales, they decide that Katherine should ditch her disguise as a boy. She assumes the identity of the deceased Margaret Cornford and, for reasons unknown, feels obligated to marry Richard. Of course no one recognizes that she is Kit, even though she has a clipped ear, a punishment inflicted on Warwick’s orders. Then, there are far too many scenes in which Thomas and Katherine are longing for the other, but suppress their feelings. Tedious
What saves this novel for me is its evocation of the lot of the common soldiers during the WOTR— their life in camps and in battle, and marching, always marching whether to do battle or not they know not. And the fellowship that develops between. Why are they fighting? One of the soldiers says, “Once we get to London, it’ll be all over. . . .The King’ll get rid of whoever it is we’re trying to get him to get rid of, and we’ll be home for the harvest.” This aspect rates a 4+, but the absurd elements drag the overall rating down to a 3.5.
January 7, 2018
I have read little of what might be termed "historical action adventure", so I thought I would give this long (564 pages) book a try. I didn't enjoy it. A story set at the tail end of the Wars of the Roses in 1460 and all through the perspective of an apostate Monk and Nun, who are forced to flee from their priory after an altercation with a rich noble. We follow them through numerous near death escapes and battles. The book is well written with some excellent research and historical colour, but suffers from three cardinal sins. Firstly it is over long - the plot is dragged out ridiculously to fill the pages, and the character of the leading man and woman develop hardly at all. Secondly it suffers credibility issues - our low born Monk and Nun end the book as the attendant and confident of Kings and would-be Kings, having demonstrated virtual immortality along the way so many have been the threats to their lives. Lastly, I hate books that end on a cliffhanger as part of an inept marketing scheme to get you to buy the next in the series. Every book should be self-contained - obviously characters and situations can straddle volumes, but here we are left with no idea as to what happened. Shame. The dirt, danger, brutality and cheapness of life in the Middle Ages is however well portrayed, and for that I stayed with the book until the end. I will however stop there - I shan't be reading the remaining 3 volumes in the series.
October 2, 2015
interesting read historical fiction about 2 people a former nun and monk who end up in some of the early battles of the war of the roses (cousins war) with mortimer's cross and towton. will read with interst the next in the series
September 3, 2021
Well-researched and with an interesting historical setting. My only complaint is that the battle scenes are so well-researched that they do go on for a bit too long.
September 21, 2017
Yet another great book on the War of the Roses. I completely agree with Ben Kane's review of this book, it is utterly "Magnificent". Beautifully written story centering on two characters who lead "common" - if somewhat tortured - lives, experiencing the grim fallout of the fighting between Yorkists and Lancastrians around the years leading up to 1461. I appreciated the battle scenes written from a foot soldier/archer perspective, information about Church practices/priories, and unflinching medieval medical descriptions. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series, although I do wish they were sold here in the U.S.!!! Highly recommended.
June 19, 2024
A well told tale that never quite gets into 5th gear.
August 12, 2016
This book was passed to me by a family member who enjoyed it, so thought I'd give it a try, and I'm glad I did. It is an engaging tale of two characters (Thomas and Katherine) travelling and surviving a lawless and war ravaged 15th Century England.
I did on the whole enjoy the detail, the descriptions and research that clearly has gone into the book which made it really easy to imagine what life was like that back then. The grim, the mud and the cold. Although I'm now going to contradict myself by saying that likewise at times, this got a bit much, and I felt bogged down or even tired reading it all.
The battle scenes are well written, and adequately gory enough for the readers out there that enjoy that side of a historical yarn. I myself, like some things to be left to the readers (mine) imagination. I also felt, especially at the end, this book is clearly the first of a series, leading to more books, so was reading towards the end knowing....it wasn't going to be the end, which normally does disappoint me. Do like stand alone books.
So a nice, steady 3 stars out of 5. I liked it.
I did on the whole enjoy the detail, the descriptions and research that clearly has gone into the book which made it really easy to imagine what life was like that back then. The grim, the mud and the cold. Although I'm now going to contradict myself by saying that likewise at times, this got a bit much, and I felt bogged down or even tired reading it all.
The battle scenes are well written, and adequately gory enough for the readers out there that enjoy that side of a historical yarn. I myself, like some things to be left to the readers (mine) imagination. I also felt, especially at the end, this book is clearly the first of a series, leading to more books, so was reading towards the end knowing....it wasn't going to be the end, which normally does disappoint me. Do like stand alone books.
So a nice, steady 3 stars out of 5. I liked it.
December 19, 2025
It was a great book, fascinating, full of historical facts and most of all interesting. To be honest, at the beginning I wasn't sure about it - I am rather fond of books that focus on the most prominent characters of given times, and stories of usual people had never been very captivating for me. I am not ashamed to admit that I was totally wrong. Toby Clements did a great job creating his characters and describing the historical aspects of the times. Thomas and Katherine are such likeable characters - Thomas's naivety and sensitivity and at the same time ruthlessness and his heart of a warrior, and Katherine's willingness to live, readiness to go into the unknown and experience things. I really liked how they managed, in spite of their background, adjust to the situation and blend in the new-found community.
One thing that always irritates me in historical fictions is the small part that is being given to women, and in this case it wasn't a problem. Katherine had an important role and was constantly in the swim of things. I simply adored her as Kit and was a bit sad when this cover was blown. I will definitely reach for the next part of this story.
One thing that always irritates me in historical fictions is the small part that is being given to women, and in this case it wasn't a problem. Katherine had an important role and was constantly in the swim of things. I simply adored her as Kit and was a bit sad when this cover was blown. I will definitely reach for the next part of this story.
August 12, 2015
Kingmaker: Winter Pilgrims a fast-paced highly entertaining historical fiction novel set in the infamous English War of the Roses.
We follow two main characters, Katherine and Thomas. Their friendship grows throughout the book and at the end of this novel you have really come to love these two characters.
Toby Clements is a fantastic writer. He paints such an accurate picture of Medieval England, the grittiness, the horror but also the fellowship and the brotherhood.
If you like historical fiction this is a must read for you!
And oh my goodness the cliffhanger! I need to get a hold of the next book in this series asap.
We follow two main characters, Katherine and Thomas. Their friendship grows throughout the book and at the end of this novel you have really come to love these two characters.
Toby Clements is a fantastic writer. He paints such an accurate picture of Medieval England, the grittiness, the horror but also the fellowship and the brotherhood.
If you like historical fiction this is a must read for you!
And oh my goodness the cliffhanger! I need to get a hold of the next book in this series asap.
June 2, 2021
I was seduced by the endorsement by Hilary Mantel on the cover and made a quick purchase of this audiobook. Had I glanced at the author’s background it might have clued me in that this novel would be heavy on military details, and that’s not my thing. Also the narrator mangled a few accents (lol at his attempt at welsh accents in particular) or misplaced them completely. An old sailor from Falmouth with a Cockney accent for example, and that broke the immersion.
January 3, 2018
What a book! This superb novel, alive with fire, blood and mud, has brought me as close to the Wars of the Roses as I could ever want to get. Historical fiction at its best, not least because it reveals the heart and human tragedy that suffered in a war fought around towns and landscapes that we know so well and now show so few scars from this civil war fought hundreds of years ago. Brilliant!
January 19, 2022
Excellent historical fiction, first in a dark and fairly bloody series set during the War of the roses; great main characters that you want to succeed and stay together, but also lots of excellent supporting characters and action; book 2 a must-read soon
July 14, 2015
Great book, completely immersed in the era. Very sad it's over can't wait for the next one!
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