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The Swords of the White Rose #1
Hawker and the King's Jewel
Three outlaw knights. Three secrets. One last mission.
August 1485. The eve of the Battle of Bosworth. King Richard III summons his loyal and grizzled retainer, Sir John Hawker, and charges him with one final mission. After the battle, he must return a priceless ruby – one of the mysterious Tears of Byzantium – to its giver, the Doge of Venice. Richard believes the jewel has brought ill luck to his family, and wants rid of it before anything else can go wrong. Hawker is also sworn to protect Richard’s newly knighted bastard son, an arrogant youth unaware of his true parentage. But Richard’s commands are overheard by a Tudor spy.
When the king falls in battle, Hawker, his royal bastard, and another “lost” knight make common cause and flee the field with Tudor agents in hot pursuit of both the ruby and the potential Plantagenet heir. Not knowing who to trust and with England falling under the grip of Henry VII, Hawker and his small Yorkist band take the only course left open: Venice, with all its conspiracies – and the love Hawker left behind there...
August 1485. The eve of the Battle of Bosworth. King Richard III summons his loyal and grizzled retainer, Sir John Hawker, and charges him with one final mission. After the battle, he must return a priceless ruby – one of the mysterious Tears of Byzantium – to its giver, the Doge of Venice. Richard believes the jewel has brought ill luck to his family, and wants rid of it before anything else can go wrong. Hawker is also sworn to protect Richard’s newly knighted bastard son, an arrogant youth unaware of his true parentage. But Richard’s commands are overheard by a Tudor spy.
When the king falls in battle, Hawker, his royal bastard, and another “lost” knight make common cause and flee the field with Tudor agents in hot pursuit of both the ruby and the potential Plantagenet heir. Not knowing who to trust and with England falling under the grip of Henry VII, Hawker and his small Yorkist band take the only course left open: Venice, with all its conspiracies – and the love Hawker left behind there...
345 pages, Paperback
Published July 21, 2022
28 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 16, 2022
Tudor age, pan European thriller!
1485 Richard Plantagenet and Henry Tudor’s armies are moving. Richard comands Sir John Hawker to return a jewel, a huge roughly set ruby, gifted by its previous owner the Doge of Venice, to Richard. Called the Tear of Byzantium, rumour has it the the Tear must be returned if the current owner tired of possessing it.
Hawker has another obligation, to protect Richard’s illegitimate son. Hawker is a bear of a man, quick witted and discerning, although he’s much troubled in Venice. He’s a man off integrity who seeks to protect and adhere to his word. With a small band of stalwart companions and a doubtful Frenchman he travels to Venice, where as expected things don’t go quite to plan. The individual members of the company are an interesting lot, their loyalty mostly given—except when it isn’t.
Meanwhile more than one powerful party is seeking Richard’s hidden son and the Tear-a jewel with its own legend, it’s sordid mystery. Whether a curse or a blessing is to be discovered. When all else fails help comes from a quarter Hawker has his own doubts about.
A solid Tudor era adventure that travels from England to Venice, and beyond with many a twist and turn, and the promise of more to come.
Bale’s Historical Notes are well worth the read giving a rounded view of dynasties, rumours and events at this time.
A Canelo ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
1485 Richard Plantagenet and Henry Tudor’s armies are moving. Richard comands Sir John Hawker to return a jewel, a huge roughly set ruby, gifted by its previous owner the Doge of Venice, to Richard. Called the Tear of Byzantium, rumour has it the the Tear must be returned if the current owner tired of possessing it.
Hawker has another obligation, to protect Richard’s illegitimate son. Hawker is a bear of a man, quick witted and discerning, although he’s much troubled in Venice. He’s a man off integrity who seeks to protect and adhere to his word. With a small band of stalwart companions and a doubtful Frenchman he travels to Venice, where as expected things don’t go quite to plan. The individual members of the company are an interesting lot, their loyalty mostly given—except when it isn’t.
Meanwhile more than one powerful party is seeking Richard’s hidden son and the Tear-a jewel with its own legend, it’s sordid mystery. Whether a curse or a blessing is to be discovered. When all else fails help comes from a quarter Hawker has his own doubts about.
A solid Tudor era adventure that travels from England to Venice, and beyond with many a twist and turn, and the promise of more to come.
Bale’s Historical Notes are well worth the read giving a rounded view of dynasties, rumours and events at this time.
A Canelo ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
August 5, 2022
My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
Well written and researched this is an atmospheric descriptive engaging story, a good mix of mystery and action some quite gruesome. The author gives the reader a real feel for time and place with excellent characterisation throughout.
Recommended.
Well written and researched this is an atmospheric descriptive engaging story, a good mix of mystery and action some quite gruesome. The author gives the reader a real feel for time and place with excellent characterisation throughout.
Recommended.
July 28, 2022
Such a exciting read and well written
October 12, 2022
I often read historical fiction from the medieval era and this is one of the best, in terms of plot and the sheer amount of action: battles as well as street fights.
Takes place in England in the era of Richard III and the Princes in the Tower.
Then moves to Venice, which is certainly not typical. Book 2 will move the location to Eastern Europe, including the main characters.
I checked a half dozen of the historical aspects and confirmed that the book was very well researched, as expected with an author who was previously a journalist. (The actual characters, Hawker and his crew, are fictional of course.)
Bale is working on Book 2, according to his Facebook page; it's unlikely to be available soon since Book 1 was released only in July 2022. I really wish that the full trilogy were available already; such is life.
Takes place in England in the era of Richard III and the Princes in the Tower.
Then moves to Venice, which is certainly not typical. Book 2 will move the location to Eastern Europe, including the main characters.
I checked a half dozen of the historical aspects and confirmed that the book was very well researched, as expected with an author who was previously a journalist. (The actual characters, Hawker and his crew, are fictional of course.)
Bale is working on Book 2, according to his Facebook page; it's unlikely to be available soon since Book 1 was released only in July 2022. I really wish that the full trilogy were available already; such is life.
February 18, 2024
This is a well-told and intricate tale. Some of the dialogue is a little clichéd, and prevented me from investing emotionally with the main characters, but all of the characters are fully-rounded, and their personal storylines are well developed. The historical notes are well worth a read, and there's a second book that continues the tale, which I'd be interested in reading.
May 16, 2025
On the eve of battle, King Richard III summons Sir John Hawker, the man who trained him at Middleham, to perform two tasks for him. First to return a precious ruby to the Doge of Venice who had gifted it to his brother Edward IV. The king also charges Hawker to protect his 18-year-old illegitimate son, Sir Giles Ellingham, in the upcoming battle.
Hawker once led a mercenary company of soldiers in Venice, handing back his command to return to England and serve Richard. After Richard’s defeat and death at Bosworth, Hawker is intent on fulfilling the dead king’s wish to deliver the jewel to Venice, not only out a sense of duty but also in hope that he can return to the woman he loves and, perhaps, obtain a new mercenary’s contratto from the Doge’s counsel giving him the right to raise a new mercenary company. At the same time, he is committed to protect Richard’s son.
Hawker managed to escape from the battle with a rag tag crew in tow: Ellingham who is not yet aware of his true paternity; Sir Roger Beconsall, who, in Hawker’s estimation, is nothing more than an ox in armour; and Gaston Dieudonne who claims to be a Burgundian who fought for Richard. Before Bosworth, a spy had discovered Richard’s two secrets. Thus, on their journey south Hawker and his band are beset by those who seek the precious jewel or the dead king’s son—for the the latter is as valuable a commodity as the jewel. There is plenty of adventure and even more intrigue. A really interesting plot. The characters are compelling and complex. Hawker is grizzled and world weary, but not entirely jaded—despite the fact that he is still haunted by the fate of one of the princes in the tower. Ellingham proves to be his father’s son, wanting to believe the best of his cohorts. “I will take his word. To believe otherwise would break my heart that all honor is dead.” Eventually, Elllingham will run towards, instead of away, from his destiny and in future adventures will fight for the White Rose.
Hawker once led a mercenary company of soldiers in Venice, handing back his command to return to England and serve Richard. After Richard’s defeat and death at Bosworth, Hawker is intent on fulfilling the dead king’s wish to deliver the jewel to Venice, not only out a sense of duty but also in hope that he can return to the woman he loves and, perhaps, obtain a new mercenary’s contratto from the Doge’s counsel giving him the right to raise a new mercenary company. At the same time, he is committed to protect Richard’s son.
Hawker managed to escape from the battle with a rag tag crew in tow: Ellingham who is not yet aware of his true paternity; Sir Roger Beconsall, who, in Hawker’s estimation, is nothing more than an ox in armour; and Gaston Dieudonne who claims to be a Burgundian who fought for Richard. Before Bosworth, a spy had discovered Richard’s two secrets. Thus, on their journey south Hawker and his band are beset by those who seek the precious jewel or the dead king’s son—for the the latter is as valuable a commodity as the jewel. There is plenty of adventure and even more intrigue. A really interesting plot. The characters are compelling and complex. Hawker is grizzled and world weary, but not entirely jaded—despite the fact that he is still haunted by the fate of one of the princes in the tower. Ellingham proves to be his father’s son, wanting to believe the best of his cohorts. “I will take his word. To believe otherwise would break my heart that all honor is dead.” Eventually, Elllingham will run towards, instead of away, from his destiny and in future adventures will fight for the White Rose.
June 2, 2024
Warning: You will immediately want to
read the next book upon finishing this one!
Hawker and the King's Jewel is a rousing, action-packed adventure rooted in history, spanning from the battlefields of England to the streets of Venice.
Sir John Hawker is an aging knight tormented by dark secrets and his own sinful passions. His king, Richard III, gives him one last quest on the eve of the Battle of Bosworth Field: Return a cursed jewel to Venice and protect his bastard son.
But Richard's attempt to undo the curse is too late. The king falls in battle, and now, Hawker and his band of unlikely friends must flee England and the Tudor/Lancastrian onslaught.
Their desperate flight will take them to Flanders and, ultimately, the Republic of Venice, where Hawker will have to navigate a maze of enemies and allies, all while not truly knowing which are which.
The characters are richly developed and fun to follow. Their motivations are believable even when they are not sure themselves. I have to say, my favorite was the oily Gaston Dieudonné. He will keep you guessing all the way to the end.
The plot is full of twists and turns, with a desperate nail-baiting climax full of surprises.
Bale gives an excellent sense of place, especially once we get to Venice. I'm almost certain he has walked those streets and has been inside the buildings and palaces he describes.
I really enjoyed his use of era-appropriate weapons. Hawker arms himself with a cinquedea to fight in the narrow streets of Venice. I first saw one of these at a travel renaissance armor show at a museum in Nashville. The cinquedea is something between a dagger and a shortsword with an extraordinarily wide blade at the base. The name literally means "five fingers" because of its width. I was immediately fascinated when I first saw one. I was tickled to death when I saw one aptly used in this story along with elegantly light war hammers they hide in their cloaks, which are better for street brawls than battlefields.
I was drawn to this book when I heard the author on the Rock, Paper, Sword, Podcast. Ethan Bale is an instantly likable guy with a fascinating background in modern military journalism. But it was his description of the book that really got me.
I've been a fan of the War of the Roses history since I first read the Shakespeare plays. Probably because Shakespeare was pretty much a Tudor propagandist, I've always been biased towards the red rose of the Lancastrian side that eventually gave way to the Tudor dynasty. I've also been lulled into believing that Richard III was a hunchback murderous villain.
So it was interesting to see him in a different light and to see the heroes of this story dedicated to the Yorkist cause.
Bale even gives his own version of what happened with the missing princes in the tower, and a heroic and tragic conclusion to the Battle of Bosworth Field.
But those famous historical events are just the beginning of the adventure, not the end. There's plenty more action and brushes with real history that follow.
After all of that, there's a great setup for the next novel which will involve another one of history's most notorious villains, or misunderstood heroes: Vlad the Impaler, better known in pop culture as "Dracula."
I can't wait!
read the next book upon finishing this one!
Hawker and the King's Jewel is a rousing, action-packed adventure rooted in history, spanning from the battlefields of England to the streets of Venice.
Sir John Hawker is an aging knight tormented by dark secrets and his own sinful passions. His king, Richard III, gives him one last quest on the eve of the Battle of Bosworth Field: Return a cursed jewel to Venice and protect his bastard son.
But Richard's attempt to undo the curse is too late. The king falls in battle, and now, Hawker and his band of unlikely friends must flee England and the Tudor/Lancastrian onslaught.
Their desperate flight will take them to Flanders and, ultimately, the Republic of Venice, where Hawker will have to navigate a maze of enemies and allies, all while not truly knowing which are which.
The characters are richly developed and fun to follow. Their motivations are believable even when they are not sure themselves. I have to say, my favorite was the oily Gaston Dieudonné. He will keep you guessing all the way to the end.
The plot is full of twists and turns, with a desperate nail-baiting climax full of surprises.
Bale gives an excellent sense of place, especially once we get to Venice. I'm almost certain he has walked those streets and has been inside the buildings and palaces he describes.
I really enjoyed his use of era-appropriate weapons. Hawker arms himself with a cinquedea to fight in the narrow streets of Venice. I first saw one of these at a travel renaissance armor show at a museum in Nashville. The cinquedea is something between a dagger and a shortsword with an extraordinarily wide blade at the base. The name literally means "five fingers" because of its width. I was immediately fascinated when I first saw one. I was tickled to death when I saw one aptly used in this story along with elegantly light war hammers they hide in their cloaks, which are better for street brawls than battlefields.
I was drawn to this book when I heard the author on the Rock, Paper, Sword, Podcast. Ethan Bale is an instantly likable guy with a fascinating background in modern military journalism. But it was his description of the book that really got me.
I've been a fan of the War of the Roses history since I first read the Shakespeare plays. Probably because Shakespeare was pretty much a Tudor propagandist, I've always been biased towards the red rose of the Lancastrian side that eventually gave way to the Tudor dynasty. I've also been lulled into believing that Richard III was a hunchback murderous villain.
So it was interesting to see him in a different light and to see the heroes of this story dedicated to the Yorkist cause.
Bale even gives his own version of what happened with the missing princes in the tower, and a heroic and tragic conclusion to the Battle of Bosworth Field.
But those famous historical events are just the beginning of the adventure, not the end. There's plenty more action and brushes with real history that follow.
After all of that, there's a great setup for the next novel which will involve another one of history's most notorious villains, or misunderstood heroes: Vlad the Impaler, better known in pop culture as "Dracula."
I can't wait!
May 22, 2025
Not sure how I feel.
Have you ever finished a novel and not been sure if you liked it, or not? Because that is how I am with ‘Hawker and the King’s Jewel’
When it is good, it’s very good. Possibility even 5 stars. But it also had several issues, that almost had me DNF the novel. Issues I suspect are fully a me thing. Given I haven’t seen too many reviews addressing them.
So what are these issues? They are the characters. They kind of felt a bit one dimensional, and in some cases, even a bit of a caricature.
Dieudonné felt a bit like a comic book villain. Twirling his moustache and going “Mwahahaha. It was me all along.”. But it will at least be interesting to see how he develops, now that he has apparently thrown in with Ellingham.
Beconsall annoyed me for the most part. He felt like a character from Monty Python or Blackadder. A loud, boisterous, boar of a character. Felt likely he was constantly complaining, just for the sake of complaining. Can’t say I cared much for his arc.
Hawker and Ellingham are at least interesting characters. Will be interesting seeing how Ellingham develops from the naive young knight, into the son of a king. And Hawker…well I can’t really talk about him without getting into massive spoiler territory.
So can I recommend’Hawker and the King’s Jewel’? Honestly, I have no idea. I liked it enough to finish. And I have book 2 and 3 already. So I will be reading them.
So sure, why not. You might like the characters a bit more than I did. 😁
Have you ever finished a novel and not been sure if you liked it, or not? Because that is how I am with ‘Hawker and the King’s Jewel’
When it is good, it’s very good. Possibility even 5 stars. But it also had several issues, that almost had me DNF the novel. Issues I suspect are fully a me thing. Given I haven’t seen too many reviews addressing them.
So what are these issues? They are the characters. They kind of felt a bit one dimensional, and in some cases, even a bit of a caricature.
Dieudonné felt a bit like a comic book villain. Twirling his moustache and going “Mwahahaha. It was me all along.”. But it will at least be interesting to see how he develops, now that he has apparently thrown in with Ellingham.
Beconsall annoyed me for the most part. He felt like a character from Monty Python or Blackadder. A loud, boisterous, boar of a character. Felt likely he was constantly complaining, just for the sake of complaining. Can’t say I cared much for his arc.
Hawker and Ellingham are at least interesting characters. Will be interesting seeing how Ellingham develops from the naive young knight, into the son of a king. And Hawker…well I can’t really talk about him without getting into massive spoiler territory.
So can I recommend’Hawker and the King’s Jewel’? Honestly, I have no idea. I liked it enough to finish. And I have book 2 and 3 already. So I will be reading them.
So sure, why not. You might like the characters a bit more than I did. 😁
December 28, 2022
Mercenary veteran Sir John Hawker escapes the bloody battlefield of Bosworth, charged by the late King Richard III, to return a jewel, previously held in possession of the Yorkists' kings, to the Doge of Venice. The pathway unfortunately is never easy. And along the way, the motley group are beset by drama and betrayal. Their quest is hardly the secret they think it is, as enemies and allies alike want the jewel for themselves and their own purposes.
This first is the series gets off to a great start, as the main characters establish themselves across the pages. Bale provides plenty of historical detail that conveys the reader along on the journey. I am looking forward to the next in this series.
This first is the series gets off to a great start, as the main characters establish themselves across the pages. Bale provides plenty of historical detail that conveys the reader along on the journey. I am looking forward to the next in this series.
December 29, 2023
A very good yarn!
This is a good read. First of a trilogy. After a few early reservations I got stuck into the book. It is highly readable, has an excellent narrative and provides the reader with an insight into the period. Not an in-depth insight by any means, but a taster which, for me, provided sufficient motivation to order the next book in the series and to read a couple of the historical accounts mentioned in the notes at the end of the book.
This is a good read. First of a trilogy. After a few early reservations I got stuck into the book. It is highly readable, has an excellent narrative and provides the reader with an insight into the period. Not an in-depth insight by any means, but a taster which, for me, provided sufficient motivation to order the next book in the series and to read a couple of the historical accounts mentioned in the notes at the end of the book.
September 18, 2023
A new historical novelist for me.
Ceaseless action with dubious allies. The historical detail is convincing and in the future we may not only see further adventures for the band but also prequels giving us Sir John Hawkers back story .
I ordered the next novel in the series immediatly.
Ceaseless action with dubious allies. The historical detail is convincing and in the future we may not only see further adventures for the band but also prequels giving us Sir John Hawkers back story .
I ordered the next novel in the series immediatly.
November 29, 2022
Well-paced with a plotline of many twists and multiple viewpoints. Starting at Bosworth field and moving across Europe to Venice. All the historical details seem plausible and convincing. Set up nicely for a sequel. Would recommend.
January 18, 2025
An engaging and fascinating adventure from start to finish. The plot is fast-paced, with captivating twists and vivid characters. The world-building is rich, and the story offers excitement and emotional depth.
August 15, 2025
A very good read. 1485, after the battle of Bosworth, sir John Hawker must return to Venice to bring back a priceless ruby to the Doge along with a small company of those loyal to him and three fellow knights
November 2, 2023
A good historical adventures , with a bit of travel and historical facts thrown inn.
December 8, 2023
I quite enjoyed this, but although I quite liked the main character, I couldn't get a handle on some of the side characters. I doubt I'll read the next volume.
December 22, 2023
Brilliant retelling of a well known tale
After the first chapter,you are hooked.It's hard to put down. Who is a friend?Who can go trust. It keeps you guessing till the end.
After the first chapter,you are hooked.It's hard to put down. Who is a friend?Who can go trust. It keeps you guessing till the end.
March 28, 2025
Whilst I had hoped to learn more about the battle of Bosworth, this book is a classic romp down to Venice. I’ll be reading the others in the series I’m sure.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews