The Sunne In Splendour: A Novel of Richard III

5 starsRichard “Dickon” Plantagenet of the House of York was a younger brother to Edward in 15th Century England during the War of the Roses. Their opponent in the field was Marguerite d’Anjou who was the brutal and vicious wife of the mad King Henry. She led her Lancastrian army against the House of York. Several bloody battles followed during which both sides lost kin.Edward was the ultimate victor and was crowned King Edward IV soon after. Dickon then became the younger brother of the King. This book traces Dickon’s life as a youngster, growing up with his family, including cousins.Edward’s secret marriage to Elizabeth Woodville, a Lancastrian, caused much anger with his relatives. They were also angered since they were lobbying for a French bride. Elizabeth’s relatives were a part of Marguerite’s army that faced them in the relatively recent battles for control of England. Elizabeth was also kin to Marguerite.Everyone was furious except Edward’s younger brother George. George was enjoying his elder brother’s fall from grace.George soon joined up with the Earl of Warwick, Richard Neville, one of the York cousins and a staunch supporter of Edward’s family. Warwick was called the Kingmaker because he was the main mover and shaker who helped put Edward on the throne. Together they went to war with Edward over Edward’s marrying Elizabeth Woodville; George because he hated Edward with a passion (and Edward favored Dickon), and Warwick because of Elizabeth.George and the Earl of Warwick flee to France. There in a surprising move they join forces with none other than Marguerite d’Anjou. This after some of her men killed some of Warwick’s kin. When they return to England, they take on King Edward (and Dickon), in battle. Things do not go well for Warwick, his troops are decimated. His daughters, Isabel and Anne, are afraid for their futures. Nan Neville, cloistered in an abbey Beaulieu Abbey and unable to leave per King Edward, has managed to alienate both of her daughters Anne and Isabel.In his early 40’s, King Edward dies. In his will he names Richard as the Lord Protector of King Edward’s young son Edward who is to inherit the throne.The old story that King Edward was betrothed to another woman before he married Elizabeth Woodville arose again. It was clear that the majority of the council thought that Edward’s children were bastards and could not, therefore, inherit the throne. Young Edward was thus dispossessed of the throne. Richard, Edward’s younger brother also known as Dickon took the throne as King Richard III. Ms. Penman offers a plausible explanation of what happened to the two young boys, sons of King Edward, in the Tower. It wholly exonerates Richard.Henry Tudor and his entourage are making a bid for the throne. They are aided by some of Richard’s supposed allies, such as Buckingham. Buckingham is found out, however, and things do not go well for him.Tudor flees England and all is quiet for the moment. Meanwhile Richard’s beloved wife Anne dies of consumption. He is bereft. Scandal and rumor are rife in London. In August 1485, Henry Tudor makes another bid and lands with his army in South Wales. Richard and the Royal Army head south to meet him in battle. They meet on Redmore Plain (now called Bosworth Field). Betrayal was the move of the day as man after man betrayed Richard and chose to either not fight or to openly join the Tudor cause. Even though Richard had started out with twice as many more men than Tudor, he ended up with far fewer than that number. Richard was killed on the battlefield.Henry Tudor took the throne and became King Henry VII.This story is richly detailed in describing daily life in mid-15th Century England. The reader can almost see the battles, the countryside and the people in their dress and armor. It describes what happened in the privacy of the bedroom, both the arguments and the love. The book is both well written and plotted. It is a retelling of a fascinating period in history about which I have only read little.Of course, as with anything written more than five Centuries after the events described in it, some speculation is needed, especially in the case of Richard III. So many lies and calumnies were printed about his life in the 16th through the 18th Centuries; it must have been very difficult to sort the untruths from what actually happened. Ms. Penman undertook a heroic and exhaustive task of research into her subject.Since the publishing of this book, King Richard III’s grave was discovered and he was found not to have been deformed.I have never read anything by Sharon Kay Penman before and now I wonder just how is missed this wonderful author. What a remarkable novel! I truly enjoyed this long read and was immersed in 15th Century England in a way in which I have never been before. I will definitely look into her other books.

In my time, I have read many books, a great many of these histories and historically based novels. This one, well rooted and researched, has become my favorite. I do not wish to spoil it for anyone, but upon reading it, you will have a deep understanding of who Richard of Gloucester really was. It's a bittersweet tale, knowing his ultimate fate at Redmore Plain, but inspiring all the while. I'll spoil this much: When, as in real life, Elizabeth of York, his niece, stuck by him to the end and beyond, that in of itself tells the story. Who someone is, who they really are, is revealed to us based on the memories of those who loved them. This novel does its subject a great service, by telling his story truthfully. Sharon Penman was known to have rewrote the entire book from scratch after the first manuscript was stolen. That, dear friends, is dedication, and the determination and belief she had to see her goal through to help set the record straight on Richard. This book is awe inspiring. If he were here, Richard would certainly be humbled and honored by it, I think.

Review of the Author's Notes to 'The Sunne in Splendour'I love Ms. Penman's writing and have found that she is better than some noted historical fiction writers at sticking with the facts and keeping them in pretty much the order they occurred. I must say, though, that I read her Plantagenet books in chronological order, so I was startled to see the discrepancies surrounding Richard I and Henry II in "Here be Dragons" and latter books she wrote. She addressed them, but... Anyway, "Sunne in Splendour" is the last book I've read, and this review concerns its Author's Note.It's a wonderful bonus when authors provide an Afterword and/or Author's Note to provide a deeper look into the background / events and to point out fictional characters, liberties with timelines, etc. Since part of the reason I read historical fiction is to learn, I like that Ms. Penman actually keeps those liberties fairly minor. But, except for pointing these things out and providing BRIEF personal opinions with specific reasons for them, I strongly feel that the Afterword/Author's Note should be factual and objective. Writers already tend to color their story with shades of their own biases, so IMO, the Afterword/Author's Note should serve to keep the record straight. They should not be a self-serving means to further manipulate the reader into agreeing with his/her point of view, and I found this going on here with some unsubstantiated claims presented as facts.An example is in a paragraph of Ms. Penman's 1982 assertion that Richard was not guilty of the disappearances and probable murders of his nephews. She says, "...no one has ever been able to explain why, if Richard were guilty, he would have chosen to commit the murders so as to do himself the greatest possible harm." The 'Britain Express' website states that "Richard was well aware of these rumours, and it is worth noting that he did not seek to counter them by the obvious expedient of showing the world that the princes were still alive and well. Were they already dead? We simply don't know. It may be that Richard believed that his nephews were truly illegitimate, and, as such, no longer of note." So there is at least one posited explanation that, whether or not the princes were alive, Richard (IMO,unwisely) did not seem to respond to the cloud of suspicion around him that ultimately caused him "the greatest possible harm." Also, if Richard had wanted to eliminate the princes, he could have arranged to have it done as suggested in virtually every website I've seen, via James Tyrell or other(s), leaving no direct evidence of his involvement. In 1502 (when he was tortured for treason) Tyrell supposedly confessed to the crime; according to this same website, "Under torture Tyrell confessed that he had killed the princes, though he supplied no information as to why or under whose influence he had acted." Of course it could've been Richard (who had the motive), though you'd think he would've arranged a scenario, e.g., for the princes to be seen going on an outing from which they don't return. Richard doesn't strike me as a rash man (though who knows how cunning), so I somehow doubt he was involved in the prince's sudden disappearance from the tower; I don't think he was that stupid. He may have even been innocent, but I disagree with the author's claim that "nobody has ever been able to explain why, if Richard were guilty, he would have chosen to commit the murders so as to do himself the greatest possible harm." Innocent or guilty, there are posited explanations (which is the best anyone can offer) suggesting that he had no intention of drawing suspicion upon himself.Ms. Penman goes on to say, "Nor has it ever been explained why Elizabeth would then have been willing to give her daughters over to the man responsible for her sons' death." From just a brief online search of only three websites, I found that explanations have indeed been offered for this, too. Wikipedia says that "One possible motive for Elizabeth Woodville subsequently making her peace with Richard and bringing her daughters out of sanctuary could be that Richard had to swear a solemn oath, before witnesses, to protect and provide for her surviving children, which made it much less likely they could be quietly murdered as it was believed their brothers had been.[45][46][47]" The website [...] offers several explanations: "Elizabeth went on to make her peace with King Richard... This could imply that she had learned that at least one of her royal sons was still living, or that she did not blame Richard for whatever fate had befallen them. Equally, she may have decided that she had more to gain by working with him than by resorting to opposition." And [...] says that Elizabeth never believed the princes were murdered: "The former queen testified before Parliament that she believed the boys to be legitimate, but she would not agree to the assumption that they were dead. She never, to the day of her death, claimed they had been murdered." As good an explanation as any.Perhaps these websites weren't around when Ms. Penman claimed, "no one has ever been able to explain why..." (Richard would cast suspicion on himself), and further claimed, "nor has it ever been explained why Elizabeth..." (would then put her daughters under Richard's care), but proposed explanations such as these were somewhere out there before being posted the internet...the internet simply made them easier to find. My point is that just because the author couldn't find any explanations doesn't mean there weren't any, so she shouldn't make sweeping statements like that.I feel a bit manipulated when an author pushes an opinion too hard. In 1982, Ms. Penman couldn't have known for sure whether or not Richard had any physical deformities, yet she spent pages (in the Kindle edition) pushing her notion that he was the victim of a myth propagated by exaggerating medieval historians and detractors of Richard. I felt it was too lengthy of an opinionated argument for an Author's Note, and it failed to persuade me, anwyay; IMO, there must have been some type of physical anomaly to spark this "myth," though there's no doubt it was greatly exaggerated....Richard couldn't have been the renowned warrior he was if his detractors (and good ole' Willy Shakespeare) were to be believed. In her 2013 Note, Ms. Penman relayed that the discovery of Richard's bones proved that he had scoliosis, as indeed it did; this made me respect him even more for doing as well as he did in battle, and I'm glad that the author follows up with subsequent discoveries.All in all, I enjoy Ms. Penman's books. I like her writing style and am always drawn into her engaging stories based on historical records. I appreciate that she honors the record more than other writers of this genre do...she strives to write her stories around history instead of the other way around.

My book was rec’d in very good condition and was delivered on the earliest of the 8 days I was told to expect it.

I've wanted to read this book for a long time, however the print is tiny, and I don't need reading glasses. I started the book, it's a great historical fiction of which I'm a big fan, however I have given up on it for now until I find a copy with normal sized print. It's a very long story which is not a problem, I personally would prefer it if the book had more pages with normal sized print. The story is great, the quality is good.

I am a reader, in fact my whole family are avid readers and this book is a remarkable one. Many yrs ago I was on my way to my Mums for Xmas bearing NO present. As a last resort I stopped at the Spa and this book was the most expensive and flashy one there, gratefully snaffled, one present for my mum! Over the nxt yr I never asked what my mum had thought of the novel I had given her for Xmas? The following Xmas I saw the book in my mums room and it transpired that she hadn't read it. I was there for the holidays and hadn't brought a book for myself, a terrible oversight and as you are now no-doubt expecting, I read it myself over Xmas. When I say Xmas I mean over Xmas, not Xmas and the new year or the holiday period but Xmas eve, Xmas day and Boxing day, 3 days and this is no little paperback! This is a true saga in every sense of the word, its theories about Richard III and the Princes in the Tower were relatively new at the time and if they have in some ways been invalidated since it was not through any short comings in the author's research, which was I believe truly exceptional. I have SINCE been an avid fan of historical drama, I love novels that dramatise real historical events or persons. Whilst reading this genre I have seen the entire gamut of research from meticulous to truly sloppy and Ms Penman's is of the VERY highest standard, unfortunately certain of her premises have been super-ceded by more recently discovered evidence but this in no way detracts from what is a beautifully written, gripping and exciting narrative. Since that Xmas I have read all Ms Penman's novel's and I find the entire body of work to be of the highest quality. This however is without doubt her finest achievement and I have a sneaky suspicion she would agree, its like her heart was really in this, she writes like she cares deeply about the characters she is portraying. I insisted my Mum read it, she insisted my sister read it, and my brother wondering what all the fuss is about, well he also read it. Our interests range all over yet as a family WE ALL AGREED that this was one of the best books we had ever read, we all felt it was a book we would never forget! Read it, we cant all be wrong! Of her other works my personal favourite is "Falls The Shadow", (gotta love Simon de Montfort, another character like Richard III u can tell Sharon truly identifies with, perhaps thats her secret?) but the whole Welsh Princes trilogy is fab, they make you root for the Welsh, and I am English. (I once read a series of novels that covers essentially the same story, it too was brilliant but in a darker less heroic style - The Brothers of Gwynedd Quartet.by Edith Pargeter, who also writes as Ellis Peters, but I digress). So I cant rate this novel highly I would go as far as to say it changed my life. Whatever, it brought me many hours of pure joy, and tears, I absolutely bawled my eyes out at the end....... and perhaps that is the sign of the truly great ones, they make you cry at the end, not just for the characters but for yourself, because the journey is over. Enjoy! Stuart DeQuincy aka PlasticGangsta

The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Penman lived up to (if not surpassed) all expectations. It was a bit daunting at first, as I didn't realize what a very thick book it was (over 1200 pages) --- & I am a reader who reads every word! However, once I'd got going, & once I'd found a comfortable way to read it in bed, I was hooked & often read more each night than I intended to! Ever a Ricardian, I felt myself warming even more to the maligned king & could appreciate how Edward & Richard were so close. Having read 'The White Queen' by Philippa Gregory & being very disappointed ----- I like her historical novels (eg 'A Respectable Trade' & the Tradescant books), but find the ones relating to English monarchs somewhat lacking. However, I can't wait to read more Sharon Penman. I have still to finish the book --- another 500 pages to go, but know I will be very sad to finish it. It is the best book I have read in quite some time; 5 stars just are not enough!

This is a beautifully written novel that transports you deep into the 15th century and one of the most turbulent periods of English history. It follows the life of England's most controversial king, Richard III.When we first meet Richard, he's a little boy just shy of his seventh birthday and already deeply hero-worships his eldest brother, Edward. The year is 1459 and Richard's world is about to change dramatically as the Wars of the Roses flare up with tragic consequences for his family, the House of York.At around 950 pages long, this book doesn't skip over many time periods, but the 25 years it covers are packed with battles, treachery and intrigue. Richard may be the central character, but the novel also focuses on the charismatic Edward IV and his selfish, manipulative queen, Elizabeth Woodville; the traitorous George, Duke of Clarence, brother of both Richard and Edward; Richard's loyal wife, Anne Neville; Anne's ambitious father, Warwick the Kingmaker; Marguerite d'Anjou, the embittered queen of Henry VI; and a real tapestry of other characters.Sharon Penman brings them all to vivid, glorious life, fleshing them out to become real people, not just caricatures from history. Richard is Dickon to those he loves, Edward is Ned, and Ms Penman shows that these royal brothers were real, flesh-and-blood people with their own strengths and frailties, passions and problems.Richard himself is a compelling figure in the hands of this author. He emerges as steadfastly loyal to his sovereign brother, loving and supportive of his young wife, a caring father and uncle, and staunch friend. He inspires utter devotion in those who love him and bitter hatred in those who oppose him. He's a man with strong morality, who finds himself in terrible situations, often having to make hard decisions.Wherever possible, Sharon Penman rooted her story in real events, using contemporary sources. She admits in the notes at the end that she had to fill in some blanks simply because records don't exist for everything. The actual fate of the Princes in the Tower is still a mystery, but her interpretation of what happened to Edward IV's boys is more than plausible.This book was meticulously researched and is the richer for it. The depiction of medieval life is outstanding, the attention to detail phenomenal. Particularly fascinating for me were the scenes in York because I know the city so well and could picture the setting.I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in the complex politics of the Wars of the Roses, anyone who loves tales of battles and kings and queens, anyone who likes a bit of historical fiction. In fact, I'd recommend this to anyone who likes a good, satisfying story. I couldn't forget that this was firmly based on real events, but that just made the story, especially the ending, even more bittersweet.

I initially bought this book 12 months ago in Hard Back, I bought the paperback at the end of 2021. I wanted to read this book again so that I could read every word again more comfortably by paperback. I took this copy with me to babysit my grandchildren and my daughter was horrified at the thickness of it. It is afterall 1200 pages long so is a hefty book. I said to her well if you think that is horrifying I read it 8 months ago and loved it so much I just had to read it again.I am sure I will read this book at least once a year, it is so beautifully written and the research is second to none. Gives the full picture of Richard I hope they now scrap Shakespeares abyismal portrayal of him.