I, RICHARD PLANTAGENET, THE PREQUEL, PART THREE: CROWN IN EXILE

by J.P. Reedman

October 1470. King Edward IV is forced into exile when Warwick the Kingmaker decides to unmake the king he helped put on the throne and reinstall old, sickly Henry VI as a puppet. He flees over the sea to Burgundy; with him, is his loyal younger brother, Richard of Gloucester.

However, Richard’s ship is blown into Holland by a storm—the eighteen-year-old youth, penniless owing to the haste of his departure from England, must find his way through an unknown country and reunite with his brother, the King.
But finding each other is not enough—together the two sons of York must now attempt to raise an army to reclaim England’s throne, but such a task is easier said than done. They hope for aid from Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, husband of their sister, Margaret, but Charles is a hot-headed, temperamental man with Lancastrian leanings…

Third and final book in the I, Richard the Prequel series, after Road From Fotheringhay and A Vous Me Lie.
The life story of Richard III, told from Richard’s own first person viewpoint.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

189 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 23, 2023

About the author

Born in Canada, J.P. Reedman has been a UK resident for over 30 years. She has been writing since the age of 5, and preferred genres are fantasy and historical (or a mixture of both.) Interests are British history and prehistory, especially the neolithic and bronze ages, archaeology, anthropology and features of the countryside. She is author of the STONEHENGE SAGA a novel that places the legends of King Arthur back into the bronze age, and a number of works about King Richard III, including the epic, I RICHARD PLANTAGENET, which, with both parts combined, is over 250,000 words long and written from Richard's first person perspective. She is also the author of the bestselling medieval novel, MY FAIR LADY, about the little known Queen, Eleanor of Provence which is first in an ongoing series about lesser-known medieval noblewoman. 13 SO FAR!

Reviews

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the final entry into the great series I, Richard Plantagenet and covers mainly the six months Richard and Edward spent in exile in Burgundy after Edward's loss of the throne. As the author herself states, this is a period not covered in detail in other novels, maybe because we don't know really much about it. The author here fills the voids with her own creativity, which she certainly doesn't lack, and with beautiful and vivid descriptions of the places and palaces Richard stays in during the exile. I really liked the meeting between Richard and his sister Margaret, whose charachterization only match that of the old and sassy Dowager Duchess of Burgundy Isabel.

[Pauline Calkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author’s I, Richard Plantagenet novels are Richard III’s first person account of his life from childhood until his death at Bosworth field. Crown in Exile completes the series, covering the 6 month period when Richard shared his brother, King Edward’s exile in Burgundy until the eve of the battle of Barnet. There is not much action until their return to England, but the strength of the books is Richard telling his thoughts as he enters manhood. Although not a Gawain or Perceval, he sees himself a true knight sworn to protect women and loyal to Edward. He seeks his brother’s approval and is jealous of other intimate associates, Lord Hastings and Anthony Woodville. Readers of the series are acquainted with Richard’s wry observations, and here Anthony Woodville is the target of some zingers. “I wondered where Anthony Woodville had landed with his contingent; I’d have hugged the man with joy if he had suddenly burst out of the murk, even if I had to listen to his poetry for the rest of the day.”

Although Richard often prayed to St. Anthony to stay chaste as an unwed knight should, he explains that the saint was not listening and he does have a brief liaison with a maid in Louis Gruuthuse’s household. Ho-hum, and Richard himself does not place much importance on the affair. The maid does not rival his former mistress Kate, nor the one to whom his thoughts often wander, his young cousin Anne Neville. Anne Neville now wed to his bitter enemy, the Lancastrian Prince of Wales. (Richard gnashes teeth.) One of the highlights in the book is the scene where Richard and his sister Margaret have a heart-to-heart conversation about their life and loves. Margaret also shows herself as a skilled diplomat who is able to convince her contrary husband to support Edward’s attempt to win back the English throne.

The events after Edward and Richard return to England are competently presented, although I have read more exciting and dramatic accounts. Considered as a stand alone book, it is good, and, more importantly, it is the last piece in an excellent series. 3.5⭐️

[Rosie Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This another brilliant read by JP Reedman who
Never disappoints the story is told by Richard of his exile with is brother Edward IV to Burgundy when Warwick the king maker decides to bat for the other side Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou

[Caroline Rebisz · Rating 5 out of 5]

My second book by this author. I love the way the reader is transported back in time to observe the making of history. The detail is well researched and the characters are brought to life. Will be reading more by this author and would recommend to those who love a historical drama.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazingly written

Amazingly written just like the two before, informative yet spirited enough to make the reader find himself riding, walking or getting sprayed, splashed and salted by the ocean right beside the feature king as he earns his valor in the world.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crown in Exile
I, Richard Plantagenet: The Prequel Part 3
By J P Reedman
Reviewed January 25, 2023


Crown in Exile neatly ties together the first two volumes of the author’s I, Richard Plantagenet series (Tante le Desiree and Loyaulte me Lie) and the first two volumes of the prequel (The Road from Fotheringhay and A Vous me Lie) by covering the period of Edward IV’s exile.

It is October 1470, and the story picks up where A Vous me Lie left off, with 18-year-old Richard following his older brother Edward into exile on the heels of the Earl of Warwick’s rebellion that has put Henry VI back on the throne.

On a separate ship from that of his brother, things go from bad to worse as they encounter a horrific gale that blows them off course. Penniless, Richard lands in Holland. Eventually reuniting with Edward, the two York brothers set about the task of raising an army with which to return to England and reclaim Edward’s crown.

Although there is little documentation as to what happened during this temporary exile, there is enough for Ms. Reedman to create a story of a Richard of Gloucester on the cusp of manhood.

This is a realistic Richard, experiencing the pangs of separation from those he had to leave behind, and the very real fears as to what the future holds, and wondering if he will survive his first battle that is looming on the horizon.

One of the things I love about Ms. Reedman’s Ricardian books is how she is able to incorporate little-known and often-overlooked incidents into her stories. In this story, we have Richard visiting his sister Margaret, the Dowager Duchess of Burgundy, Richard and his brother donning the symbols of the Lancastrian Prince of Wales to convince the mayor of York that Edward only wants to reclaim his ducal lands and has no interest in renewing the fight with the house of Lancaster, as well as a possible miraculous happening in a church.

With Crown in Exile, the author’s I, Richard Plantagenet series is concluded, a journey that has taken us from Richard's childhood to his death at Bosworth, and while I’m sad to see this all come to an end (as I feel Ms. Reedman among the best of contemporary writers of Ricardian fiction), I was happy to read in her notes that she has ideas for some more short stories about Richard and other members of the house of York. Now that’s something for me to look forward to.