A Bloody Field by Shrewsbury: A King, a Prince, and the Knight Who Betrayed Their Dynasty

by Edith Pargeter

It is 1399. Henry Bolingbroke, unjustly banished and deprived of his inheritance by Richard II, returns to claim his rights and deposes the king, to become Henry IV of England. He is aided by the powerful lords of Northumberland, especially by his friend, Harry Percy, nicknamed Hotspur.

But the triumph of his accession quickly turns sour in the face of ever-growing crises in his new kingdom, and Wales is the most pressing and troublesome of these. For although Henry's son and heir, Prince Hal, is the nominal Prince of Wales, the Welsh have a prince of their own blood in Owen Glendower, and they are swift to rally to his rebellious call to arms.

The three Henries all wish to see the House of Lancaster succeed, but their partnership contains the seeds of its own destruction. The spectre of Richard holds sway beyond the grave, and the shadow of regicide, the memory of past crimes and growing doubts and divisions cause a dangerous rift. The king also has powerful enemies who are all too willing to take advantage of this and tension mounts as the three men are drawn inexorably to a bloody collision some two miles from Shrewsbury...

As the many admirers of her Welsh historical quartet, The Brothers of Gwynedd, have come to expect, Edith Pargeter weaves a skillful tapestry of feuds, loves and battles into an enthralling narrative, telling personal stories as well as the well-documented historical ones, in a novel which received glowing praise on its first publication..

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Medieval, Historical, British Literature, 15th Century, War

365 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

aka Peter Benedict, Jolyon Carr, Ellis Peters (later editions of her work are sometimes published under this pseudonym), and John Redfern

West Midlands Literary Heritage website biography

Novelist. Born September 1913 at Horsehay, Shropshire. Her father was a clerk at a local ironworks. Edith attended Dawley Church of England School and the Coalbrookdale High School for Girls. Through her mother, she grew to love the history and countryside of Shropshire, her home for all of her life.

Before World War II she worked as a chemist's assistant at Dawley. During this time she started writing seriously for publication while gathering useful information on medicines that she would draw upon later when tackling crime stories. Her first published novel was Hortensius, friend of Nero (1936), a rather dry tale of martyrdom that was not a great success but she persevered and The city lies foursquare (1939) was much more warmly received.

During the war she worked in an administrative role with the Women's Royal Navy Service in Liverpool, a relatively brief period away from Shropshire, and for her devotion to duty she received the British Empire Medal. Many more novels appeared at this time, including Ordinary people (1941) and She goes to war (1942), the latter based on her own wartime experiences. The eighth champion of Christendom appeared in 1945 and from now on she was able to devote all her time to writing. She was particularly proud of her Heaven tree trilogy, which appeared between 1961 and 1963, which had as a backdrop the English Welsh borderlands in the twelfth century.

It was not until 1951 that she tackled a mystery story with Fallen into the pit, the first appearance of Sergeant George Felse as the investigating police officer. Her other great character, and the one for which the author will continue to be known the world over, Brother Cadfael, was to follow many years later. The first appearance of this monk at Shrewsbury Abbey was in A morbid taste for bones (1977) and he mixed his herbs and unravelled mysteries in this atmospheric setting for a further nineteen novels. This kept the author very busy for the remaining 18 years of her life, to the virtual exclusion of all other work.

The name "Ellis Peters" was adopted by Edith Pargeter to clearly mark a division between her mystery stories and her other work. Her brother was Ellis and Petra was a friend from Czechoslovakia. A frequent visitor to the country, Edith Pargeter had begun her association and deep interest in their culture after meeting Czechoslovakian soldiers during the war. This was to lead to her learning the language translating several books into English.

She won awards for her writing from both the British Crime Writers Association and the Mystery Writers of America. She was also awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire), an honorary Masters Degree from Birmingham University and the Gold Medal of the Czechoslovak Society for Foreign Relations. There is a memorial to her in Shrewsbury Abbey.

After her death in October 1995, The Times published a full obituary that declared that here was "a deeply sensitive and perceptive woman....an intensely private and modest person " whose writing was "direct, even a little stilted, matching a self-contained personality".

Reviews

[Bryn Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than Shakespeare.

To be fair, the Henry IVs were never my line in Shakespeare. Richard II, yes, and I won’t say better than a few of his speeches, but... worthy to follow on, and she does, she does speech and soliloquies, with a bit of theatrical action, for a level of human portraiture that – how do I end this sentence? – you don’t find often, not in histfic, alas. This is a novel, if you know what I mean.

I get tired, in histfic, of a drab cynicism whereby we have to have a whole cast of rascals, frauds and worse folk, in order to be real. Sorry, that isn’t real. As if nobody ever believed in the knightly ideals, for example. Hotspur believes in them and lives them out, just a few years past their time; he’s a great-hearted innocent, like other innocents in fiction, though not batty like Don Quixote and with effectual clout. The Prince, future Henry 5, I visualise as flat-eyed as a fish (though that’s mostly towards his father): you cannot like him, or I can’t, but you can see the hatching of another, less kind sort of greatness. King Henry disgusted me and then snatched my sympathy: a man corrupted by his kingship, once a decent man, who does not recognise himself – I think he might be the subtlest portrait.

These people are written in such depth, and an encounter between them has the excitements of a battle. – Her battles aren’t bad, either. Psyches in conflict, whether it’s King Henry alone with his or these three in a breach.

To my eyes the book’s marred by a nonhistorical person who wanders about getting in the way – who doesn’t need to be there, and whose neatly-inserted presence at historical events threatens my conviction that I am on the field by Shrewsbury. I’ll even blame this person for letting a bit of potential-tragedy pressure leak away, at the culmination (right, the work-up-to-a-tragedy idea isn’t better than Shakespeare, and I’ll be sorry I said that).

Never mind. The lady can write. I reckon she writes just about perfectly: that is, with huge originality, but never for the sake of pretty writing. It’s in the service of her story.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although Pargeter's style is not conducive to an easy quick reading and many would even call it dry, she is very good at weaving together character and setting so that the reader understands the motivations of these people who lived so long ago. In this book, the reader comes to understand why Henry of Bolingbroke returns from exile to claim his own inheritance and in the process ends up taking the crown from Richard II. The reader empathizes with him as he struggles with the consequences of his actions and his never-ending questioning of himself both as a king and a parent. Pargeter develops the other main characters, Hal. the son and the future Henry V, and Henry "Hotspur" Percy, both friend and nemesis, just as deftly.

If you are looking for light or easy historical fiction, then this book is not for you. However, if you like your historical fiction based upon solid and accurate historical research and don't mind the extremely detailed writing style of an earlier age, then pick up A Bloody Field by Shrewsbury and travel to an age where chivalry and honor meant everything.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

'A Bloody Field by Shrewsbury' details the beginning of the reign of Henry IV, the first of the three Henrys that are featured in this book. King Henry, formerly Henry of Bolingbroke, is masterfully personified, first as a wronged nobleman coming from exile to claim what is rightfully his. Then he adds to this what is not rightfully his, and his character fails morally in attempts to defend himself. The next Henry is his son, referred to as Hal, the Prince of Wales who would later become Henry V. We see him develop from a serious boy into a thoughtful young man who can separate his feelings from decisions of state with eerie precision. Finally, Henry "Hotspur" Percy, heir to the earldom of Northumberland, jumps into everything he does with body and soul. He supports his friend, Henry IV, but is disillusioned by what kind of king he becomes.

Henry Percy is really the main character of this book, and he is characterized as the perfect knight, noble and pure. It's really a little too much sometimes. The history told here is accurate, so maybe he really was that idealistic and quick to fight for what he believed was right, regardless of his chances of success. I felt it was a very romantic personification and don't remember him ever doing or saying (or even thinking!) anything dishonorable.

It took me longer than usual to get through this book. I especially found myself dozing whenever Julian entered the scene. The pseudo-romance that goes on between her and Percy was just . . . odd. I could have completely done without her character and the story would have only improved, in my humble opinion. The writing style in this novel gets a little dry and verbose at times, but the last 30 pages made it worth it. The description of the battle at Shrewsbury was beautifully done, and I enjoyed the author's analysis of each Henry's motives and internal struggles going into it.

Though the style is complex and at times eye-glazing, it does give us beautiful excerpts like these:

"That he was born to the crown was a disaster for him and for England, and they have both suffered for it."

"Some, in very low voices and in trusted company, said that the judgment of God was sometimes miscalled the malice of the devil, by those who must pass off their devil as God."

"Do you think you can start a mountain sliding, and then halt it when you will?"

And my personal favorite (though I believe it is really just a very long sentence fragment):

"A field where the past had just received another mortal blow in its drawn out death, and the future had cast its forward shadow long and stark, the chilling image of battle after battle, treason after treason, change piled upon change, interminably reeling to and fro across the ruined crops and desolated hopes of peasant cultivators and tenant farmers, stamping their ripening peas and small human aspirations into the ground."

What a beautiful foreshadowing of the events that would be set into action by Henry IV's usurpation of the crown.

I thought this book would have benefited from some family trees and maps. Readers who are not familiar with the historical events surrounding this time period, as well as the branches of families involved, may get a little lost. Great historical accuracy and research in this, which I highly appreciated.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for a book club, and really did not expect to enjoy it. For start, I like my historical fiction to be set before 1066, and featuring Romans if at all possible. I’d also heard that Ellis Peters’ writing was pretty heaving going.

The style is full of archaisms, and usually I find this very irritating, preferring contemporary language to be used in historical fiction. After all, at the time, people in the past would have sounded ‘modern’ to each other. But in fact, Peters’ style was so internally consistent and fluid I found it really helped to build a coherent past world in the reader’s mind. The writing is stately and slow-paced, but it adds to the chivalric aura surrounding the central character, Hotspur. It also helps to create a pool of calm into which the reader can escape from the hectic pace of modern life.

Some reviews have mentioned the ‘romantic’ nature of the book, and it is true that this is an idealised picture of the late mediaeval world. Battle is depicted as a place for the display of honour, particularly for Hotspur – not as the confused, gory mess it so usually is. Despite the ‘Bloody Field’ of the title, go to Bernard Cornwell’s Azincourt if you want to see the real blood and guts of the time. But I have to confess that despite myself I fell in love with the beauty of the world created.

The novel displays acute psychological insight, and all the characters’ motivations are well-drawn. Hotspur is the model of the chivalry of the dying mediaeval age – unable to hide his feelings or act in any other way but in accordance with them, feeling disgust at the ‘new’ warfare of archery at a distance and preferring the honesty and directness of hand-to-hand combat. In contrast is Prince Hal, the future Henry V, thrust unexpectedly into the role of Prince of Wales and forced by his new position always to hide his true feelings and present a blank front to the world, especially to his father, Henry IV. Faced with distance and coldness from the king, Hotspur becomes a father-figure and mentor to him.

The invented character of Julian Parry, a Welsh woman in Shrewsbury, helps to bring out Hotspur’s role as chivalric defender of women, and shows his attractiveness to women as well as men. With the Prince, he helps rescue her from rape at the hands of her late husband’s nephew, and she then becomes his comrade in his efforts to negotiate with the Welsh freedom-fighter, Owen Glendower. Her romantic love for him, while he sees her as something like a cherished daughter, feels heart-breaking, and it is through her eyes that the reader feels the most sadness at Hotspur’s death. Looking at it in the cold light of reason, I doubt a battle-hardened soldier would have treated her so honourably in reality(he doesn’t take advantage of her despite spending a night out of doors under a shared blanket), but the unconsummated nature of their love adds to the melancholy beauty of the novel’s ending.

In summary, this is romantic escapism, but it is the best piece of romantic escapism I have ever read, and so it got five stars from me. I think I’m going soft in my old age.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Languid and florid prose carry this novel of treachery, outrage, painful but necessary rebellion, and steadfast honor through to a sadly unfortunate but beautifully rendered conclusion.

Knowing a little going into this of Hotspur and the Battle of Shrewsbury, its motivations and outcome, I expected the compulsory movement to an inevitable ending so full of tragedy. But the journey there was beautifully told. Through this work we get to see the passions, loyalty, bravery, integrity, and tragedy of Hotspur, and how he came to be on that battlefield, the unfortunate lengths to which he was driven by the king to whom he had been so steadfast a supporter. Ms. Pargeter creates sympathetic characters in Hotspur, Julian, Hal, the Douglas, Edmund Mortimer, Lord Owen, and even in Henry IV forced to defend his kingdom against a foe he created through his stubborn refusal to compromise, and his inexpert managing of his country.

Sympathetic characters, elegant prose, and a finely crafted story with great attention to necessary detail are definitely the strengths of this novel. For me, its one weakness was in some of the battle scenes, where the languid and overly descriptive nature lent a slow motion quality to them, masking the horror of them. But maybe the beauty of the description of the battles is an appropriate contrast to the horror of the action? Either way, I still loved this book and look forward to reading more of her works.

[Jemidar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, how could I not fall in love with Pargeter's version of Henry "Hotspur" Percy?! He almost makes the Hunks in History list :-D.

[Johnny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edith Pargeter (aka Ellis Peters if you know the Cadfael mystery series) has a precise organizing and writing style. If there is actually a genre definition called “hard science-fiction” where the science is plausible and built upon what we already know, Pargeter’s work should probably be known as “hard historical fiction.” For U.S. citizens, it may be “hard” in more ways than one. Most of us know very little of Henry Percy (aka “Hotspur”) other than what we’ve read in Shakespeare. In general, the U.S. population is relatively oblivious of events that took place at the end of the 14th century and beginning of the 15th. A Bloody Field by Shrewsbury may be difficult going for those who are unfamiliar with the broad outline of this era because she carefully and plausibly fills the gaps in our knowledge by speculating on the motives of young prince Hal, Harry Hotspur, the Earl of Northumberland, Lord Dunbar, and Henry of Lancaster (Henry IV) who deposed Richard II.

In addition to presenting intriguing and plausible motivations for the historical events, the book offers a bit of romantic dalliance in accord with “Hotspur’s” nickname and a few very nice turns of literary phrase like, “…the dim moving serpent of fine dust marked the approach of the marching men.” (p. 264) Another nice line was, “The corrosive suspicions of the usurper had eaten out the heart that had once been his.” (p. 183) One line even sounded like a slightly updated version of Shakespeare’s Hotspur: “This is a man I do not even know! One that has been my close acquaintance and my friend from childhood, and suddenly I look into his eyes and see a different being—a stranger and a murderer!” (p. 187) But my favorite turn of phrase had to be were Hotspur was described as accumulating superlatives as fast as St. Sebastian accumulated arrows in many medieval paintings (pp. 35-36).

The truth is that this story is problematic. The events and emotions surrounding Prince Hal and Hotspur are significantly more interesting than the cold, sometimes lethargic descriptions of King Henry at court. Indeed, it took me a lot longer to read this book than it should have because the interludes with King Henry gave me incentive to set down the book. Perhaps, one might accuse Pargeter of being so balanced in her coverage that it was difficult to be emotionally invested in any of the three major protagonists. Even as the narrative approached the eponymous battle, I found that I had no emotional skin in the game. I was intrigued and willing to see how the battle was described, but it wasn’t impactful enough because I wasn’t invested enough.

I did finish the book and I’m glad that I did. The post-battle events were well-described and I truly felt like the author captured the price of kingship. This novel isn’t for the faint-hearted, but it is definitely worth reading. You might even learn some history beyond your knowledge of Shakespeare; I did.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I certainly have a weakness for Ellis Peters, but her take on Richard III/Henry IV/Henry V/Henry Hotspur is positively fascinating. The minor characters are possibly even more compelling than Henry, Hal or Harry who are so well deliniated that you never forget which Henry you're with.

This book took two starts as the first chapter and a half are a bit tricky if you've forgotten your history. By the end I felt sure I would never be able to read an actual history of the time without hearing the voices of Pargeter's Henries.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Great subject matter drowned by truly odious and repetitive purple prose, along with bizarrely flowery fawning over certain characters. I mean, Hotspur is a mediaeval coming of Christ as far as Pargeter is concerned, and the Welsh are a sacred race who can do no wrong. An historically questionable smear-job on Henry IV and a weird, off-putting not-adultery subplot involving a totally unnecessary and unappealing original character don't help.

I'm very disappointed in this book.

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

On rare but magical occasions, I discover a book which, I feel, was written specifically for me by an author attempting first and foremost to make ME happy. Reading such a book is an incredibly delightful experience for me, but it does leave me with vestiges of self-doubt about recommending the book. Is this book REALLY worth FIVE MILLION STARS for EVERY READER EVER, or is that just me? Hmm. Well, let's take a quick look at the tailor-made-for-Sasha ingredients list:

First, we have the historical subject matter. I have a minor obsession with Shakespeare's Henriad trilogy of plays, particularly Henry IV Part 1. I find the characters endlessly intriguing. Never mind the fact that the three Henrys in this book are not really the same people as they are in Shakespeare's play; I was predisposed to care intensely about these protagonists and their relationships because I find them so fascinating in Shakespeare.

Then, of course, add in the rest of the ingredients. Complex central characters with intense inter-personal relationships? Check. Celtic freedom-fighters going down in battle shouting poetry in their mother tongue? Check. Swoony electric-handholding-no-kissing romantic scenes? Check. Not to mention the prose so luminous that I frequently had to pause, slow down, and reread entire paragraphs (sometimes several times) just to enjoy their lyricism.

I'm not saying everyone would have to value this same ingredients list in order to appreciate this book. Indeed, there is much that's appreciable in the historical content, the illumination of the politics and significant figures of the era, the medieval battle scenes. But I can't get out of my own head, and in my own head, this book was all about the drama.

So, I don't really know whether this book has any advantage on Shakespeare in terms of historical accuracy (aside from the relative ages of the characters, which Shakespeare fudged big-time). In some sense, probably. But if Hotspur wasn't such a noble, high-minded, bold, romantic, exquisite model of knightly integrity in real life, I don't want you to tell me so. I'll just read this book again instead.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book! Written forty years ago, it seems, possibly before Pargeter became Ellis Peters and found lasting fame with Brother Cadfael.
But this is no historical whodunit. It's a highly accurate but fictionalized version of the brief period between the murder of Richard II (we are spared the more lurid details, and told he was starved to death), and the ascent of Prince Hal to the English throne. The characters are brilliantly-drawn, and Hotspur and Owen Glendower are as swashbuckling a pair as any in literature.
If you did this period in Eng Lit (Shakespeare) at school, it will be like visiting old friends. Pargeter writes colorfully and near-poetically, and the dénouement is harrowing, tragic, and beautiful.
Damn near a five-star read.

[Jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried 2 or 3 times to get into this one but morass of details just stymied me, so I abandoned it each time. I really liked her The Heaven Tree Trilogy but couldn't make it very far into this one. I do love that title, though.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only gradually did something valid and expressive begin to come back to him now, here in this spot where they had had their last interview.
“I do what I do because I cannot do otherwise…for what we do we must be answerable…whenever we may be called upon to pay it, there will be a price…” And: “By your judgment I will gladly abide, and whatever dues you charge me with, I will pay with a good grace.” And last of all, and clearest: “Nothing I do can change the love and honour in which I bear you.”
“Nothing you do,” he said passionately within his own heart, “can change the love and honour in which I bear you!” And of that at least he was sure.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Richard II is deposed and Henry Bolingbroke is crowned king, England knows deep unrest. The promise of Henry’s kingship wanes as he is beset by financial woes and civil unrest and support for the new king rapidly dwindles. Desperate to cling onto his throne, he is becoming ruthless and paranoid. Harry ‘Hotspur’ Percy is a former friend who feels most slighted by Henry, and his uncompromising reaction leads to a bloody confrontation at Shrewsbury. Caught up in the crossfires is Hal, Henry’s eldest son, torn between his loyalty to his father and love to the man who has been more of a father to him than Henry ever was.

Edith Pargeter’s A Bloody Field by Shrewsbury is a stunning read that recreates the Battle of Shrewsbury, relying more on history than Shakespeare. The complexities of the characters of Hal, Hotspur and Henry and their relationships are what really sold me.

I have narrative tropes that I really love and Edith Pargeter managed to hit them square on. The ubiquity of daddy issues sees it get mocked quite a lot, but when it’s done well, I’m a huge sucker for it. The father/son conflict here is fantastically complex and one that feels entirely plausible, based on what I’ve read about Henry IV and the future Henry V (Hal). I particularly loved Henry’s panic when he realised that he didn’t know, couldn’t know, and didn’t want to know whether Hal loved him or not, whether Hal would be loyal… and the fact the text makes it implicit that he only himself to blame for that. Yeah, I lapped that stuff up.

The other thing I love is when conflict is complicated. When the people in conflict have started in a positive place before something eroded far enough that they were forced to become enemies. This is evidence in Hotspur’s memories of his past relationship with Henry and also the way that Hal’s relationship with Hotspur changes.

I did feel that there were elements of the Henry-Hotspur relationship that could have been more complex – Pargeter tends to rely on having Hotspur talk about how Henry has changed, how he’s no longer the friend he once was. Additionally, Henry is very much the antagonist of the piece, burdened with all the blame for the degradation of his relationships and the disaster of his reign. One of the biographies I read recently (probably Ian Mortimer’s Fears of Henry IV: The Life of England's Self-made King) made the point that one of the reasons why Henry struggled so much to appease the Percies is because of the oaths they made him swear when he moved to depose Richard.

Hotspur is very much the idealised hero of the piece, and I think that if Pargeter had been more even-handed in her approach, given as a bit more of Henry and Hotspur’s relationship before it went wrong, this relationship could have been fantastically compelling.

I didn’t care for the wholly invented character of Julian Parry, a girl who aids the Welsh and Hotspur in their rebellion against England and Henry. She was always right, never wrong, but never complex or interesting. The pseudo-romance between her and Hotspur was rather strange, too.

Pargeter’s prose can be heavy going and a few times I struggled to work out who I was reading about and what was going on. Originally published in 1972, some of the word choices were jarring. On page 4, for example, “so he [the 12 year old Hal] embraced his father, kissed the hand that fondled him…” – “fondled” to me is somewhat of a sleazy word, with sexual connotations and I just stared in horror before I went “okay, I’m guessing she doesn’t mean it like that, I mean Henry’s touching his son affectionately but it’s weird because he’s never really been affectionate and Hal’s emotionally mixed up, but now I have the image of Henry molesting his twelve year old son and oh my god”.

All up, this is a fine read – but one which could have been even better. 3.5 stars.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pargeter is one of the best historical novelists - my only disappointment with her is that she is deceased and thus will not be writing more books. This novel covers the lead-up to and the battle between Henry IV and Harry Hotspur at Shrewsbury in 1403. Pargeter's main concern is the relationships between Hotspur, Henry IV and Prince Henry: a fascinating triangle of loyalty, admiration, and affection held taught by tensions, jealousies, and anxieties. Hotspur comes off as a deeply honorable man of intense if simple integrity, Henry IV as a man soured and corrupted by the consequences of his own ambition, and Prince Henry as a shrewd boy growing into a young man keenly aware of his moral and political responsibilities. Pargeter has a keen eye for the complexities of character and action, and a good understanding of the political workings of the time.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

From my boook review blog Rundpinne.
..."Pargeter writes an in-depth, vividly detailed and brilliantly executed book which admittedly can be a tad bit difficult to get into, but honestly it is worth the effort and pays off after about 40 pages or so, creating an intriguing web of loyalty, treachery and history. Pargeter has masterfully captured a way to portray the late 14th and early 15th century England and Wales in such a manner..."... The Full review may be read here: http://www.rundpinne.com/2010/11/book...

[Jerrie Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books of historic fiction I've read. What made it so good was the way it shows the personal conflict inherent in so many political issues, even in the past. To see the connection between Hotspur and Henry was touching. To know that even a personal admiration could not set aside the cruel realities of the political games just made it a tough read. Well worth it.

[Bobby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fascinating reading using an olde style of English vocabulary and a terrific brother/son/nephew love story!! Hotspur is one of the best defined and admired characters I've ever encountered while the vanity of King Henry is, at the same time, so disturbing. To see this many people killed due to the "face" needed to be maintained is a horrible chapter of history!!

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good historical fiction novel written in a romantic style that, most of the time, works really well and elevates the story. All three main characters: King Henry IV., price Hal, and powerful nobleman Harry Percy, were well developed and interesting. The relationship between these three is the center of the story. The author managed to create grate scenes in which all three main leads came alive and I was able to understand their motives and have sympathy for them.

However, I felt that sometimes the writing style was overly romantic and tended to go overboard in some scenes, especially with the character of Harry Percy making him bigger then life, noble knight. I understand it was meant to evoke the style of medieval ballads, but it was a bit distracting.
Also, the appearance of a secondary female character on the eve of the battle in the end part of the novel was really unnecessary.
Those are just minor complains of mine and did not affect my overall enjoyment of the story. I would highly recommend this book to all the lovers of historical fiction, Shakespeare and human/family drama.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A romantic and idealised version of the characters involved in this battle but thoroughly enjoyable and the writing is wonderful. There are so many lovely passages and the romantic element was reminiscent of mediaeval chivalric stories. A good read.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This work of historical fiction deals with the reign of Henry IV, and the troubles with his Welsh borderlands. Not quite up to the high bar set by author Sharon Kay Penman, but worth the read if you are interested. 3 1/2 stars.

[Mercedes Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edith Pargeter brings us a story that is often overlooked, which takes place in the early years of King Henry IV’s reign. This is the time when disillusionment sets in and the shine has worn off the new king’s crown. We are especially focused on the noble, honorable, Harry Hotspur, the flower of his generation’s chivalry. Disappointed when Henry IV demanded he give up his hostage, the Earl of Douglas, from the hard-won battle of Homildon Hill, Harry’s disillusionment turned to outrage when he came to understand that the king’s whole reign was based on a lie. Even Richard II’s timely death, so unfortunate, was undoubtedly a murder ordered by his usurper. Harry’s generous heart did not even entertain such a prospect, but once he came to accept it, there was no turning back. Throughout the book Harry walked a fine line between his loyalty to the king and a new alliance with Owen Glendower, Prince of Wales. This alliance was augmented by the fact that King Henry refused to pay a ransom for young Mortimer—Hotspur’s brother-in-law—a possible rival to the throne. In the end, the Battle of Shrewsbury was the only answer to Harry’s dilemma.

This is a story well told, taking its place as one of history’s tragedies. Morally, it was a disaster for King Henry for he knew himself to be in the wrong; on the chivalric side, England lost one of its beloved heroes. Throughout, we have a gentle one-sided romance between a Welsh girl and the unapproachable Harry which I found distracting and unnecessary, as though the author felt she needed some kind of love interest. Also, I found Hotspur a bit too heroic—too gallant. He became a sort of cardboard figure to me, for his only fault was naïveté and I just didn’t find him believable. But that didn’t stop me from enjoying the novel. The conflicts were well drawn out, and even Henry, the usurper, was drawn in shades of grey, for he lived constantly in the shadow of his son’s disapproval.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! This was a highly romanticised account of Hotspur, Henry IV and his son - and I absolutely loved it. It confirms my everlasting love for the Plantagenets as a royal dynasty (inspired first by Sharon Penman).

Pargeter’s writing does not make for easy reading. I found myself constantly having to look up archaic English words and re-reading long tangents of writing to make sure I understood everything. But it was completely worth it. Pargeter’s prose is beautiful when you take your time to read with a keen eye; she writes in a consistent style that creates the feeling of immersion in the past.

Her portrayal of each man was really impressive. Both Hotspur and Henry IV made for especially compelling character studies. Pargeter skilfully illustrates the unending struggle for gaining and then maintaining political power and influence. Her depiction of this struggle (both internal and external dimensions) was so thorough and impressive, it felt like a universal portrayal of the fraught, ironic dynamics that characterise political machinations - in all three men, I recognised more recent history and current political figures/forces.

I also enjoyed Julian as a character (I know some reviewers found her unnecessary). My only critique is that I found the pseudo-romance between her and Hotspur to be a bit awkward - I think Julian could have stood on her own without that dynamic. However, I understand that Pargeter was probably intending to embody how attractive Hotspur was as a man who lived the values of chivalry - a code of honour nearing its end in the 15th century.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this novel about the relationship between three Henrys: Henry Bolingbroke (Henry IV of England), his son Prince Hal, and Harry Percy (Hotspur). It's a complex psychological portrait of these three historical characters. Bolingbroke and Hotspur are old friends, drawn into a political drama that has leapt out of their control and has broken the trust in their friendship. Bolingbroke and Hal are father and son who have never had an intimate knowledge of each other, so they have no trust. Hotspur and Hal have a kind of foster-relationship which both struggle to protect and of which Bolingbroke is jealous.

In common with the other Edith Pargeter novel I've read, The Heaven Tree, the hero Hotspur is too honest for his own good. The significant female character, Julian, is in love with the hero, but fearless and independent--a female counterpart to the hero. However, I rate this book only three stars because there is no real role for Julian to fill in the story. Despite the fact that she is one of only two female characters in the story, and she is supposed to be so independent and fearless, her function in the story could be filled without loss by someone else. She seems only to be there to serve as an affirmation of Hotspur's honesty and integrity. That annoyed me, especially in a story so deep in other ways.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book being familiar with the story of Henry Percy that Shakespeare presents to us in his play. It took a bit for me to get over the fact that the play takes liberties with the actual history of the man because I enjoyed the dramatization that much.

I was not disappointed by this book at all. Yes, there was a lot of interior meditation going on among all of the characters but I think that it enhanced the drama of the events of the story. We know what is going on in the minds of the principle characters and can see exactly what is at stake in each interaction. It is not easy to align yourself completely with one side or the other because we can sympathize to an extent with each character.

Hotspur does come across as the shining star of the story though at the expense of Henry and Hal, although the latter does come across much better than his father. I'm still undecided as to whether this is a good characterization or not. Certainly though this novel gives a perspective of these events that is compelling and thought provoking as it explores the emotional and relational cost of war.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy reading this interesting book about the relationship between King Henry IV, his son the future Henry V and their friend, "Hotspur" Percy. (How could you not like a man named Hotspur!) I found Hotspur to be a decent honourable man, devoted to his king and the king's heir. He gets caught up in the plight of wales and the desire of Henry IV to conquor Wales and make it part of England. Standing in his way is Owen, who is determined not to cede Wales to England. A young girl appears before the prince Henry with a petition and Hotspur urges him to help. The girl, Julian, a non-hisotrical figure finds herself enamoured of Hotspur and it is a trial for him as he has a very happy marriage, and yet he is tempted but remains faithful. when Hotspur joins the Welsh against Henry IV in a terrible battle on the fields of Shrewsbury on the borders of England and Wales. The ending to me was sad, I had sympathy for Julian in her futile quest for Hotspurs love, and his gallant treatment of her when he was tempted himself. Recommended.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of 3 Henrys: King Henry IV of England, his son Prince Hal (later Henry V), and Hotspur (Henry Percy) - of Shakespeare fame - and their shifting loyalties and ultimate clash at Shrewsbury. Surprisingly fast read. Kudos to Pargeter for taking a huge cast and keeping the story coherent - and shrewd and poignant. But perchance she put too many thoughts in her characters' heads? At times read like a psychoanalytical study.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again I find myself reminding people to set aside their modern conceptions before reading what is truly a great piece of historical fiction.
I was there every step of the way with all the main protagonists “florid prose” or not. If anything that very style of writing enhanced the experience for me.
If you like your reading light and fluffy find something else. If you want to be there on the battlefield, get turning the pages now

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story by an author who excels in historical fiction. This book is an excellent way to learn and understand history, making today's politics a little easier to grasp. The locations and descriptions of life in the 1400's really helps the reader to be "in the book", which is the ONLY way to to truly appreciate a storyline! It's hard to go wrong with this author.

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another book I didn't finish.

While this is a great period of British history, I found the writing style was more like a non-fiction book and the volume of information rather drowned out the fiction story.

It ended up being too boring for me to continue wasting my time.