Tudor Dawn: Henry Tudor is ready to take the crown...

The Tudor Saga #1

by David Field

The rise of the Royal House of Tudor! Perfect for fans of Conn Iggulden, Robyn Young, Alison Weir and Anthony Riches.

The birth of a new dynasty is on the horizon...



The Wars of the Roses are raging and England is in turmoil with the ongoing power-struggle between the houses of York and Lancaster.

As the throne is wrested between Henry VI of Lancaster and Edward IV of York, young Henry Tudor grows up in exile.

A powerful threat to one faction and a symbol of hope for the other, Henry Tudor is moulded by his battled-hardened uncle Jasper and his power-hungry mother, Margaret Beaufort into the king he will one day become.

How will Henry prove his worth as heir to the throne? Will he live up to his uncle’s expectations?

He must fulfil his destiny to finally unite the red rose and the white…

Tudor Dawn is the first thrilling historical adventure novel in the Tudor Saga Series, chronicling the rise and fall of one of England’s most powerful royal families.

THE TUDOR SAGA SERIES
BOOK Tudor Dawn
BOOK The King’s Commoner
BOOK Justice For The Cardinal
BOOK An Uneasy Crown
BOOK The Queen In Waiting
BOOK The Heart Of A King

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Tudor Period, 15th Century, British Literature

250 pages, Paperback

First published June 10, 2019

About the author

David was born in post-war Nottingham, and educated at Nottingham High School. After obtaining a Law degree he became a career-long criminal law practitioner and academic, emigrating in 1989 to Australia, where he still lives.

Combining his two great loves of History and the English language he began writing historical novels as an escape from the realities of life in the criminal law, but did not begin to publish them until close to fulltime retirement, when digital publishing offered a viable alternative to literary agencies, print publishers and rejection slips.

Now blessed with all the time in the world, his former hobby has become a fulltime occupation as he enjoys life in rural New South Wales with his wife, sons and grandchildren to keep him firmly grounded in the reality of the contemporary world.

David Field is published by Sapere Books.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Field begins a new series that is perfect for fans of the famed Tudor monarchy in England. In a tale that parallels historical record, Field is able to recount the life of the man who would become Henry VII, pulling on a great deal of history rarely touched by historians who seek to broadly present his accomplishments. Beginning in his youth, Henry was a sickly boy, but always determined to make the most of that which was placed before him. Son of Edmund Tudor (1st Earl of Richmond) and Margaret Beaufort provided a strong beginning in what would be an interesting early life. Watching his English homeland shaped by political and monarchical instability, Henry came of age during the War of the Roses, a collection of battles that would see England’s foundational base shift significantly and that would play a key role in Henry’s later life. Wrestling control away from a rival group seeking the throne, Henry’s ascendancy to power was helped along by a strong-willed uncle—Jasper—and determined mother, as Field effectively shows throughout. In his adulthood, Henry sought to leave an impact on history and in his own life, seeing allegiances shift throughout and never sure whom he can trust. However, the question of marriage loomed over him, forcing Henry to look for a partner, if only to assuage the worries of his family. His marriage to Elizabeth of York—daughter of Edward IV and niece to the rival Richard III—proved significant. With the English Throne in his sights, Henry did all he could to pave the way towards his own ascendancy and defeated Richard III on the battlefield to end the War of the Roses and secure the English Throne, thereafter becoming Henry VII, first of the Tudor monarchs. Ruling England, Henry sought political alliances to strengthen a still weak country, looking to the continent, where he worked to create marriage pacts for his children (something history will show proved fruitful with influence both on the Continent and in Scotland), especially his eldest son, Arthur, and Katherine of Aragon. While few could recount much of Henry’s early decisions as monarch, many will know how things progressed through his children’s lives. Field is prepared to offer five more novels to develop this exciting time in English history, which one can only hope will be as well developed as this opening piece. A powerful debut that will keep Tudor fans rushing to learn a little more about the era and its key characters. Recommended to those who enjoy the Tudors and especially the reader who wishes to learn as they are highly entertained.

David Field has a writing style that pulls the reader in from the opening pages. He seeks to mix the wonders of history with an easy to understand fictional account. His characters are quite relatable and seem to fit nicely into the historical goings-on. Henry, who serves as protagonist throughout, finds himself coming to terms with England’s ever-changing dynamic. He never sees himself as leadership material but steps up when the time comes to represent England effectively. Field does well to depict the evolution of his life from a sickly youth to a man whose world is shattered when his first son dies before ascending to the throne. There are a handful of key characters whose presence helps to develop this complex time in English history, especially during the Civil War that saw two rival Houses vie for control. The story stood out as strong, weaving history and fictional accounting of events together like many other Tudor writers I have read in the past. Field argues effectively in his note to readers that Henry VII has received so little discussion in the history books, and yet his life was full of many curious paths and tidbits that historical writers could have a field day (pardon the pun). While I admit that I sometimes struggled to make things stick in my mind, this is not from a lack of strong writing by Field or a disinterest in the topic at hand. Those who enjoy learning something will be able to use Field’s attention to detail while they open their mind to the birth of the Tudor Dynasty. A powerful piece that should not be missed, though surely not as breezy as his other series, set in the Victorian era.

Kudos, Mr. Field, for a great start to this series. I will keep my eyes open for the remaining five books, seeking to learn a little something to further my knowledge of all things Tudor.

Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Henry Tudor (1457-1509), son of Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, who was the half-brother to Henry VI of England. During his childhood the throne belongs either to Henry VI of Lancaster or Edward IV of York. Here is the story of Henry Tudor rise to the crown orchastrated by his uncle Jasper and his forceful mother, Margaret Beaufort.
An enjoyable well-written historical fiction version of Henry's life and the times he lived in.
A NetGalley Book

[Helen Robare · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It seems that whenever I read a book about Henry Tudor (Henry VII) it goes one of two ways: Henry is a villain and out to gain the throne over good king Richard III or Henry is a weakling and gains the throne through cunning and guild. But nowhere is there a book about Henry Tudor the human being. Happily, I found it in this book.

Henry Tudor is both villain and savior of the English people (as written here). He's not good, he's not good...in short, he's human. He makes mistakes but one can see why and how he did so. He isn't tactful or good or godly. He isn't his son "Bluff King Hal" (aka Henry VIII). Henry VII is methodical, a bit of a penny pincher (but one can see why), and he has a good sense of humor.

I would have liked to have been given a clearer picture of Margaret Beaufort (Henry VII's mother) but this book was about Henry the man not Henry and his mother.

The author writes his subject in clear and concise details and yet manages to paint a broad picture of the real Henry. He bring all of the characters to life and gives them reasons to do what they do. The only character I did not like was Henry's son (Henry VIII). He was written as a know it all little brat with no attempt to redeem him whatsoever. (Still, given how Henry VIII turned out, I can't help but think the author had the right of it).

I would recommend this book for those learning about British history and for those interested in that period of history. However, for beginners, be warned that the British of that time period tended to carry down family name to future generations so you will find a lot of Henrys, Catherines, Margarets, Philips, etc.

[Pascale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclosure Sapere Books gave me an advance copy of this in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Good timing on David Field's and Sapere's parts as I've been watching The Spanish Princess on Starz so I'm well refreshed on Tudor Periods schemes.

I think this would be a perfect read for someone searching for a more faithful retelling of Henry VII's story rather than the much dramatized/romanticized stuff of Phillipa Greggory and co. that has been published for ages now.

This read quickly, I felt like Field managed the huge cast of characters very well. I do however, think I prefer the embellished version of historical fiction, especially if we get to see the perspective of women, who for the large part are ignored in recountings of histories predating the modern era.

There was a flub that annoyed me a bit... at one point Henry is swears an oath on the lives of his two children, but at the point he already has three?! Is he excluding Margaret in the oath because she is a woman, or did Field just forget where Henry was at progeny-wise? If the latter kind of weird because the next chapter opens with the birth of the fourth child!

Also, there was a moment of authorly interjection that annoyed me too, the author remarks, within the story about how Henry VII would be remembered as the father of the most (in)famous figure in history - I thought this was out of place and just weird.

[T.L. Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

When one studies The Tudors, Henry VIII usually takes centre stage along with his eight wives. So, it’s refreshing to find a book which focuses on the man who started the dynasty – Henry VII aka Henry Tudor.

It’s a fascinating time in history – full of murder, intrigue and dubious claims to the throne.

This book is incredibly well-researched and follows Henry VII as he goes from exiled prince to king and father to his death. Therefore, we do see how Henry VIII was as a boy too, but he remains in the background.
I would’ve liked to see more of the likes of Morton and Foxe by following them as they carried out their machinations. But we remain viewing all through Henry’s eyes.

The author does help bring this king to life and furnishes historical ‘facts’ with a fine backdrop. I say ‘facts’ as history is always written by the victor.
There’s a good balance of good vs bad – all aspects of this complex monarch are covered.

All in all, a fine read.

[Amanda Jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting version of events but..

.. dull, it's ok but lacks the passion of the era. It is what it is, a historical novel based on the accepted history of the time but despite the drama and ever changing allegiances it plods along merely recounting them as if they were little more than a spat between friends.

This, as the author admits, the reign of the Tudors is quite probably the most written about period of our history, fact and fiction. It's outcomes are still relevant today with our Queen Head of the Church of England and marriages to members of the Catholic faith forbidden to direct heirs to the throne following Henry VIII's divorce from Katherine of Aragon. Yet, and accepting that we have ended as Henry VIII's reign only just begins, we have not experienced his father's rise to power or reign with any real feeling at all. We know little more than we learned in our history lessons, we just have a third person view.

I was disappointed, I really had hoped for more insight into Henry VII's life and court, more of the man who fought and won a kingdom.. instead we have him rather cowardly hiding behind his horse in the scene with most significance leaving an image of a weak and frightened man, incapable of ruling a nation through the battles it would inevitably face, rather than the clever and rather ruthless man history gives us.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tudor Dawn sets a promising start for a new series. Henry VII is not a historical figure that is much written about as a main character in the recent insurgence of Tudor historical fiction, one reason that drew me to request the ARC of this book. Henry VII is a secondary or even tertiary figure in any number of novels set in this period and through them we see the figure of a penny pinching tyrant. Field brings Henry to the forefront and tells his largely untold story in a completely different & welcome light. Even non-fiction books that try don't seen to capture Henry as this book does. I felt like I was finally reading fiction that tells the non-fiction in context. That said I did get the liberties taken that didn't fit with established history, but they did fit in & this is historical fiction.

Field successfully tells Henry's story through his "captivity" under Edward IV and his later escape to the Burgundian court and rise to power. The novel included a great deal of historical fact, but my main downfall was that it covered too large a period of time. It was amazing in that it remained mostly historically accurate and that should appeal to readers that want an accurate version of fiction. I just would have liked more time being spent on the time Henry spent in Burgundy and France.

Overall this book is 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. I also admit what keeps me from a solid 4 star rating is my level of Tudor background and wanting to see more! I think the next book will live up to this and I can't wait to read it. That said, many thanks to NetGalley, Sapere Books, and David Field for a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Never again must good men lose their lives because cousins cannot agree, or because one brother finds himself slighted by the fortunes of another."
What an exceptionally dull book! Tudor Dawn is, as the title suggests, a story about Henry Tudor's early years in exile, his victory at the Battle of Bosworth, and the reign that followed...but there's barely any story here to speak of. Field has little if any sense of plot or characterisation: this is just a bunch of stuff that happened with some stilted dialogue interspersed amongst the lengthy omniscent third person narrative (I am being generous with my use of the term 'narrative').
I’d give this one and a half stars if possible - only because Field doesn't fall prey to some of the common traps of WOTR/Tudor fiction, i.e. making Margaret Beaufort a zealous tiger mum or having Elizabeth of York pine hopelessly for her dead uncle. There are some elements of this that I found sweet - the centrality of Henry and Jasper's relationship, Margaret cautioning her son that he needed to be a better husband and father. But really, there's nothing here worth reading. In fact, I'm inclined to ask Amazon for a refund of my $0.99 spent on this just because I had to read, with my own two eyes, the phrase "monthly leaking" to refer to menstruation. No thanks!
I'd also like to call attention to this equally horrific passage, in which Henry considers marrying Joanna of Castile: "And presumably, while she may have a sickness of the head, this would not affect the part between her legs, and she may still bear children?" Reader, I shuddered.

[Kitty Pollock]

I love reading about the Tudors and was so happy when I found another novel devoted to one of my favourite dynasties. The cover of the book is gripping as is the main subject. Henry VII is one Tudor I haven't explored too much and loved how well researched the book was. However, I had to mark it down as, arguably it's style is more of a history book and I prefer more of a novel. For that reason, I would highly recommend this book to readers of this era that seek historical facts.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Sapere Books for an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Henry Tudor is ready to take the throne.’

Three generations of the Tudor dynasty ruled England between 1485 and 1603. A wealth of fiction has been written about the Tudors: mostly about Henry VIII (and his wives) and Elizabeth I. Some fiction has been written about Edward VI and Mary I, but very little about Henry VII the founder of the dynasty.

Henry Tudor (1457-1509) ruled over England for 24 years from 1485. He was the son of Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond and Margaret Beaufort. Edmund Tudor was half-brother to Henry VI of England; Margaret Beaufort was descended from Edward III. Her descent was illegitimate, through Edward III’s son John of Gaunt and his mistress, Catherine Swynford. During Henry’s childhood, as the War of the Roses raged, the crown either belonged to Henry VI of Lancaster or Edward IV of York.

In this novel, Mr Field follows the life of Henry Tudor from the age of 12, through his semi-captivity, his years of exile in France, his return to England and his rule as Henry VII. We see a cautious boy become a cautious man, and then a careful king. I won’t recount more of the history here: Mr Field includes the major events of Henry VII’s reign and prepares the scene for the second of six books which will make up his Tudor saga.

While I’m pleased to read fiction featuring Henry VII, some aspects of the storytelling didn’t work well for me. Would Henry VII have smirked, I wondered? Would he have sworn on a bible that he had nothing to do with the death of the royal princes consigned to the Tower by Richard of Gloucester? Perhaps. On the other hand, I could appreciate Henry VII’s insecurity as first one and then a second rebellion was raised against him. I could also appreciate some of the challenges he had to meet because years of civil war had depleted the treasury.

I enjoyed the novel and will be interested in reading the second.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Jane Willis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows the life of Henry Tudor from his adolescence in semi captivity through years of exile in France and through his return to Britain and eventual years on the throne as King Henry VII.

It shows how the young Henry develops into a princely adult, learning with the help of those around him to lead and rule, while trying to maintain a relationship with his mother despite her marriage to a Yorkist supporter.

The kingdom he becomes ruler of is in financial dire straits after many years of maintaining costly fighting forces, and he has to juggle between raising unpopular taxes and making unpopular allegiances, for instance betrothing first his older son Arthur, who dies shortly after his wedding, and then his younger son Henry, to Katherine of Aragon, putting the need to retain the large dowry ahead of his younger son’s obvious reluctance. (This, part, I presume, is a way of paving the way for a further book in the saga, about Henry VIII)

I enjoy historical fiction, especially that set in Tudor times, but I like to read the “behind the scenes” parts – the private conversations, the stories of the common people, the thoughts and emotions of the characters – to me, that’s what changes them from “fictionalised history” to “historical fiction” and at times I felt that this book was too heavily sprinkled with accounts of battles and political goings-on. Those are things that can be read about in history books; I would much rather read about how the families left behind coped while the men were away fighting or what was going through the minds of the characters during a crucial meeting.

Fortunately there was plenty of the kind of detail I enjoy in this book, but perhaps not enough to prevent my attention drifting at times.

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would rate this 3.5 stars for myself but those wanting to learn more about the Tudor dynasty would probably rate this higher. I received a ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I am not the intended audience of this book but I did find it interesting. That time period (late 1400's in England) is fascinating and hard to comprehend. It seems like a difficult/fearful time to have lived with all the fighting for the crown. My main issue with the book is that it was very difficult to follow, especially in the beginning. Being from the USA, we did not study UK history to this level. There are just so many characters and so many named Edward, Henry, Elizabeth, and Margarette. A few chapters in I realized this book resembled the story from The White Queen which I had watched a bit of a few years ago. A quick Google search confirmed that both are based on the same historical figures. This helped me keep people straight much better. A graphic of how everyone is related would have been helpful although I don't know how that would end up looking. There would be branches crossing trees and it may end up having to be a large sheet of paper if one wanted to be able to read the names.

For those wanting to learn more about the Tudor dynasty, I think they would find it interesting.

[Dayanara Ryelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story, even if David is a little crazy for trying to shove H7's entire life into 300 pages. (I'm no fan of Margaret Beaufort, but I appreciate the fact that Judith Arnopp told H7's story at a proper pace in her Margaret books. Hell, even Pippa Gregory did better in Red Queen!)

The only thing worse than rushing the story was the idea that H8 never wanted to marry Catalina. SERIOUSLY?! Every other author to have ever written about that man agrees that Henry was in love with Catalina at first sight, but you decide to have him call her a "Spanish pudding"? WTAF?!

I've also now heard three different namesakes for Katherine Tudor: Catalina Trástamara, Katherine Woodville and now Katherine Swynford. Maybe if I give it a few years, someone else will claim Catherine Gordon?

And then there's the part in chapter twelve where David claims that Catalina was the daughter of "Isabella of Aquitaine".

WHAT?!

Isabel Trástamara was born in Madrigal de las Altas Torres, Ávila, Castilla y Léon, Spain. Not Aquitaine. In fact, there was no Aquitaine in her era, because it was subsumed into the Duchy of Guyenne and the Kingdom of France when she was two!

[Sue Roselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fictional biography of Henry VII who ruled England during the late 1400's. This was the time of the War of the Roses and of great conflict within England and between England, Scotland, France and Spain. Henry was held hostage in France for nearly 15 years. Upon his triumphant return to England, he ascended to the throne when he was nearing 30. He brought order to England's governance by restoring financial stability, reducing the power of the land barons and bringing in aides whose appointments were based upon their capabilities. He was devoted to his wife, mother, family and cabinet. Created a strong governmental base in hopes that Henry VIII would be able to benefit from the structure he inherited as Henry VII did not believe that his son was prepared to reign. Very interesting character development. As the first Tudor, Henry VII accomplished a great deal, but his achievements are not always recognized. Many thanks to Sapere Books for this opportunity to review this book. Look forward to reading the rest of the series about the Tudors.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly good read!
Henry VII comes to the throne of England on the death of Richard III after a bloody battle. Henry had been in exile in Europe from a young age until he was of an age to come back with a large army to support his claim to the throne.
Henry VII marries after his coronation and after his future wife's legitimacy was confirmed. She was duly crowned and gave Henry several children. A few of these died not long after birth and Arthur died of the 'sweating sickness' days after his betrothal to Katherine of Aragon, leaving her a widow at fifteen.
Henry bids his advisers to obtain monies for a war against his enemies. Trade with the French and Flemish merchants eventually gets Henry what he wants. He obtains signatures to various treaties to benefit the English treasury and eventually Francis of Castile (Katherine's father) sends the balance of her dowry in money, as opposed to goods and jewels.
Henry's queen dies a short while after delivering a final daughter, who died days before her mother.
On his death, Henry is buried with his queen and a new reign begins.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Henry VII is rarely the main character of his own story. His rise is usually told from the point of view of Richard III, who he defeated to become king, or his mother Margaret Beaufort, who did everything to put her son on the throne. His reign is then often told from the point of view of his wife, Elizabeth of York, or his son, someday to be Henry VII, or his advisor Cardinal Wolsey, or would be enemy, Perkin Warbeck, or daughtert-in-law, Catherine of Aragon.

So its quite a fresh take to see his reign centered squarely on him, and what's more, to see how human he probably was, rather than the villain or miserly caricature.

There are many instances when Field covers several years in a few paragraphs, giving a short summary of big events, but he was trying to cover about 5 decades in one book, so the fast forward button does have to be pressed at times, but I was always glad to get back to the personal, day to day scenes.

A good look at Henry VII and how he was more than just Henry VIII's father.

[Vanessa Wild · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tudor Dawn is the first in a new series, the Tudor Saga, beginning with the story of the life and times of King Henry VII. It recounts all the trials and tribulations of his adventures as an exile in France, his rise to power and his place on the throne through winning the Battle of Bosworth against King Richard III in 1485, his transformation of England and ending with his death in 1509.

I thought this was a well written and researched book. It gives the nuts and bolts of the era, so I think anyone who has an interest in this period of time in history and/or who would like more knowledge of it, would find this novel very interesting. It did, at times, read a little like a biography with dialogue but even so, I enjoyed it. I feel I’ve gained a little more insight into the personality and mind of this important historical figure.

Many thanks to Sapere Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tudor Dawn is a gripping account of the rise and reign of Henry VII. I have read many novels about the Tudors, but none which have focused on this particular era in their history. The novel paints a fascinating picture of a man who was so much more than just the father of the more famous Henry VIII. The journey the reader is taken on spans Henry’s youth, spent in captivity, his courageous taking of the crown under the guidance of his trusted supporters and his growth into the powerful King Henry VII. Although he always put politics and diplomatic considerations first, his humanity is highlighted in the part he played as a son, husband and father. The tale ends with his death and the promise of the ascension to the throne of King Henry VIII. This novel is intriguing and highly recommended. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. Thanks to Sapere Books for the ARC.

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, thank you NetGalley as I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion of the book. This books is the story of Henry VII and his life. I have read many, many books on the Tudors and found this book to be a totally different take on several aspects of Henry's life. The major events in Henry's life were true to fact but relationships were stated different than other HF books I have read - now which is right and which is wrong is obviously questionable.

I enjoyed the book very much as it was easy to read and I finished in two days. My preference is books with a lot of dialogue and this had a lot of battle scenes and descriptors but it had enough dialogue that I didn't lower the rating.

An enjoyable read for anyone who enjoys the Tudors. Definitely worth a read.

[kathleen r. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first book in a series of six just fascinated me from the first few pages. I've signed on for the entire series after which I hope to be able to fully review this intelligent, inspired, and beautifully written work. A!l the key players are starting to appear, and I suspect by the time I reach the end I will have a better and more thorough view of the wonderful but tragic reign of the Tudor monarchs and the wiley , cunning, and humanly flawed actors who gave life to the royal family and brought to the world stage many of the legal, moral, and religious structures our modern society now takes for granted. To date I have just begun book tour so the saga has not yet been completed. I'm sure more drama is waiting for me as Henry 8 continues his reign and England moves forward in history.

[loopyloulaura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Henry Tudor is sent into exile to protect him from plots as part of the Wars of the Roses.
Tudor Dawn is an historical novel about the early years of Henry VII.
It was very refreshing to be given an account of the life of Henry VII from age 12 rather than focus on his miserly years or infamous son. The story of his battle for throne was authentically portrayed and allowed his personality to come through.
The style of writing was easy to read which brought the characters to life. However I did feel that sometimes the story skips years ahead. In the later parts of the book there were occasions when it began sounding like a non fiction book listing his acts of kingship and political power rather than the personal aspects which really brought him to life earlier on.
Tudor Dawn is an enjoyable historical novel and I would like to read the rest of the series.

[Mystica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Described as historical fiction, this is more or less a historical account of a particularly turbulent period in British history.

The war of the roses was full on - bringing war and strife as a permanent part of the English landscape and the war between factions supporting Henry VI and Edward IV were vast and widespread. The young Henry Tudor grew up in exile, not a very warrior like king, to the dismay of his seniors. It was only with his sudden accession through the efforts of his mother and uncle when he actually got to the throne that his more arrogant king like features began to emerge.

The story of the emergence and strength of the Tudors very well told in this concise history lesson. Of particular interest to fans of English history.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this - I’ve not read much about Henry Tudor, and everyone is always much more interested in Henry VIII and his promiscuous love life! Henry Tudor isn’t like his son at all. He may well have enjoyed the company of women, but David Field doesn’t play on that fact. I learnt so much about the history of Henry’s upbringing and subsequent escape into exile - and it is a vey male dominated book. We don’t see much of what his mother would have been doing, but we do learn about her hard work on his behalf.
I hadn’t realised that he’d been such a sickly child and that some of these problems followed him in to adulthood, or that he actually seemed to love his queen (although that may well be fictionalised - but I’d like to know!). This first book in the series takes up to Henry VII’s death. I think I will be reading the next in the series.
What I really liked about this book was that it’s more history than fiction. It’s not dry, academic type history though, and that’s what really drew me in.
Many thanks to Sapere Books for my copy of this book to read and honestly review. I really enjoyed it.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is clearly a well researched book and the writing style, at times, reminded me of Jeffrey Archer. I did get a bit lost in places with all the characters as they were all called Mary, Margaret, Henry, Elizabeth etc, although that is no fault of the other who did differentiate between them all! It was great to read about Henry VII and the times in which he lived, always concerned about imposters, marriage alliances, keeping the Tudor line etc. I wasn't so keen on the law making sections as I prefer social history but that is just a personal preference. I will definitely look out for the next in the series.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher Saphere in exchange for an honest review.

Tudor Dawn is a well researched book, crammed full of detail that any tudoraholic will enjoy. I do feel that for someone who isn’t familiar with the bare bones of the period may struggle to come to grips with all the figures, particularly in the opening pages. Perhaps a introduction giving the factual history may have been good here, rather than weave it into the story.

Overall this was a delight to read, some books about Henry VII have made him appear more brutish, David Field has done an excellent job of bringing him to life - a rich and fascinating book, well done.

[Mrs Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is basically a biography of Henry vii but it’s such compelling reading I found it difficult to put down. David Field brilliantly presents Henry the first Tudor king as a child, then a man, who became a gifted diplomat. It’s such a pleasure to read the story of the man, the people who surround him and the events which occur during his lifetime all packaged into a book which is entertaining as well as informative. I know I’ve learned a lot about this king about whom I actually knew very little. This series is slightly different from David Field’s Medieval Saga series in that there are no fictional characters, every single person actually existed at that time. As soon as I finished Tudor Dawn, I started on the next book in the series which is another in-depth look, this time at Thomas Wolseley. Both books I would highly recommend.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Sapere books for the ARC.

I am a big fan of this time period and historical fiction. I had not read much on this Henry Tudor and found it interesting to learn more about him and that time in English history. The book was well written but I did feel that the battle scenes tended to go on and on and were a little too long for my taste. I found myself skimming through those parts at times, but that is just my personal preference.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and would continue to read the series!

[Andrew Hurst · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read but it seemed more like a straight forward historical account rather than fiction. Certain historical events were, however, skipped over in the attempt to rigidly follow Henry Tudor's life. The Battle of Bosworth and its aftermath, for example, were not explained in much detail, with no mention of how Henry dealt with Richard III's body on his return to Leicester. Overall the book was entertaining but I felt that the characters could have been developed more than they were in order to create a more fictionalised account.

[Susan The Book Dragon Campton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect with Tudor Dawn. An Anglophile and British History enthusiast since childhood, I'm rather hard to please.
Let me begin by saying I was not disappointed. David Field brings the early stages of the Tudor King Henry the VII to the forefront!
He brings Henry's mother out in new light and all these people long gone, come alive again.
I eagerly await the second book in this series! Bravo, Mr. Field, bravo!

[Donna Pingry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting take on the life and people surrounding Henry VII. The storyline was entertaining but quite different from what I read in the past. Usually I want to like the main character but this Henry VII and his heir, Henry VIII is weak, self absorbed and frankly, not very likeable. History paints a harsh brush on both of them but there were glimpses of greatness. I found none here. The people around them flow in and out, tools to be used an no more.