Bastard Prince: Henry VIII's Lost Son
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Book for aficionados of the Tudor period
  • Interesting topic, but the writing didn't grab me
  • The Lost Son
  • Passably Competent Account of a Little Known Bastard
  • The man who was allmost Henry The Ninth of England
Bastard Prince: Henry VIII's Lost Son
Beverley Murphy
Manufacturer: Sutton Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Henry VIIIHenry VIII | Royalty | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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Tudor & StuartTudor & Stuart | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0750926848

Book Description

The first book to examine the life of Henry Fitzroy, the only illegitimate child ever publicly acknowledged by Henry VIII.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A Book for aficionados of the Tudor period.......2006-07-08

Dying at the age of 18, Henry Fitzroy is, in the end, a person of little or no historical significance. There was the potential that he could have become historically significant, but he didn't; this may make him a little interest to general history readers. On the other hand, as the king's acknowledged son, there is also considerable documentation about his life, and it did intersect with some of the flashpoints of history. For the reader interested in the period, his story fleshes out the life and upbringing of a high-ranking male. Murphy also checks upon some of the minor, disputed details of the question of the succession.

What is very interesting about biographies like this is that they bring out the details of the period better than biographies of the famous. The latter are so filled with political and social events that very often the subject isn't developed as a person, even when there is copious information. In a way, that is a shame. It would be nice to have "personal" biographies of such people where the already heavily documented major historical events are a background to their daily life. I had read a great deal of information about the Tudors before I learned that Henry played cards with (and lost to!) his cellarer, or that Anne Boleyn, obviously a woman after my own heart, insisted that he move his fighting cocks so that she could sleep in in the morning.

One problem that I do have with Murphy is that she struggles so hard to make him seem more important. If his neighbors were bringing him gifts when he was 12, I think it is more likely to ingratiate themselves with him and his father, not because he was personally doing a fabulous job of managing his estates. His life wasn't one that was eccentric or fascinating or wittily told that I would recommend it to everyone, but I think that people really interested in the period will find it improves their general understanding.

3 out of 5 stars Interesting topic, but the writing didn't grab me.......2006-02-15

I love Henry...love any book about him, his wives, his children, I have all of them. This one caught my eye because it was written about one of his children you rarely hear anything about other than his mother's name and that he died relatively young. I was excited to start reading, but found the presentation wasn't grabbing my attention, and I found myself not being as interested in the information presented as I thought I would be. I suppose you could call the presentation as text-bookish. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy non-fiction, especially historical non-fiction, but this one just didn't keep me interested.

5 out of 5 stars The Lost Son.......2005-06-16

Among the more grandiose plans amongst the ministers of Henry VIII's administration was to legitimize Henry FitzRoy and marry him to his legitimate half-sister Mary (i.e. Bloody Mary). It has been rumored amongst historians that this idea was in fact direct from the King's mouth. According to 16th century standards, siblings who shared the same father (but perhaps not the same mother) were considered 'full-blood' siblings. Siblings who shared the same mother but different fathers were those considered "half". Just a little tidbit of historical nonsense.

3 out of 5 stars Passably Competent Account of a Little Known Bastard.......2004-09-02

Henry VIII while famous for his six wives, did not stop there: among his many extracurriculars was Elizabeth Blount, a young lady who bore him a son, Henry FitzRoy, who was later made Duke of Richmond. The Bastard Price was born well before Ann Boleyn had come on the scene, was publicly acknowledged as the "natural son" of the King and showered with titles and offices. As such, it would not have taken much - or at least it would have taken less trouble than it might have seemed, certainly less trouble than Boleyn marriage brought - to "legitimize" Richmond and thereby solve the most pressing crisis of the late 1520s and early 1530s, namely, Henry's failure to sire a male heir. Murphy does a reasonable job of walking us through the permutations and combination of this would-be scenario, and one is left pondering the possibilities: could the English Reformation have been averted through a bit of subtle intrigue and a quick marriage to Blount? Though the story is interesting, the book itself is a bit slow and assumes quite a deal of background knowledge.

4 out of 5 stars The man who was allmost Henry The Ninth of England.......2002-07-22

This book is a must read for those interested in Tudor Royalty.It reveals an entirely different view of Henry VIII and the problems[real and imagined]he faced concerning his desire for a legitimate male heir to the Throne of England.The politics surrounding Henry VIII and his Court are well researched and presented in a clear way which involves the reader with the Duke of Norfolk and Anne Boleyn's backers and Family[Seymour] as they fought for power and the favor of the King.
Mordred: Bastard Son (Mordred Trilogy)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Mordred's Side of the Story
  • The Retelling of a Legend
  • Boring
  • Intriguing, but Flawed
  • Bizarre
Mordred: Bastard Son (Mordred Trilogy)
Douglas Clegg
Manufacturer: Alyson Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1555839878

Book Description


"Inspired."- Booklist


"Refreshingly original."- Publishers Weekly


A monk becomes enthralled by the story prisoner Mordred has to tell, one of ambition, power, and betrayal. Here, Mordred emerges as a sympathetic and romantic hero, tortured by his love for the knight he cannot possess.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Mordred's Side of the Story.......2007-05-21

The legend of King Arthur is retold from the point of view of Mordred, who is abstaining from sex until he masters sorcery.

4 out of 5 stars The Retelling of a Legend.......2007-04-25

Clegg, Douglas. "Mordred, Bastard Son", Alyson, 2006.

The Retelling of a Legend

Amos Lassen and Literary Pride

I have always found the legend of King Arthur to be fascinating stuff and I try to read everything about it that I can. Douglas Clegg presents some new ideas in "Mordred, [..]". The book is not only very interesting but looks at the legend in a new way and the Arthurian stories have always been a pleasure to read. The idea of looking at Mordred as something more than a villain and as gay shows a whole new way of looking AT Arthurian England and Clegg really does the story justice.
The plot is filled with running narratives which ramble for pages and then suddenly stop and many pages are spent on Mordred's chastity. Nevertheless, the book is interesting. Clegg's revival of Mordred by beginning with the story of his mother, Morgan le Fay who is fleeing Arthur who wants to kill her before the baby is born. It had been foretold that Morgan's baby would bring the downfall of Arthur's kingdom. Yet Mordred is born and spends his life struggling against his homoerotic desires. He loves his friend Lukat who cannot return that love. Merlin the Magician is Mordred's teacher and he demands that Mordred not have sex until he has mastered the art of sorcery. The core of the story is Mordred's agony in postponing sex so that he can learn. We do get to the point when Mordred finally does have gay sex and it is a very good and sexy passage.
Throughout the book we renew acquaintances with characters that we have met in other books about Camelot and we meet some new characters as well. And finally the book begins to pick up speed.
As Mordred learned of the elements, the forest and magic, he becomes attracted to his best friend and tells him that they are men who love other men. As a teenager, Mordred was consumed with adolescent primal sexual urges but he realizes that knowledge is more important and represses his desires. What he did not know, once he gave in to his carnal desire, was that the man he lusted after was to become his betrayer. He is deceived into believing that he can live as a gay man and remain unaffected by the outside world. He is constantly betrayed and as he reaches manhood, he must deal with his own crimes of passion and his yearning to be at peace in the world.
Clegg gives us a compelling story which is to be part of a trilogy. His reinvention of the sexuality of Mordred is a novel twist. He is now not a betrayer but a seductive and passionate hero living in a world that has no law and is violent and superstitious. Mordred remains bound to the ancient rites of midsummer but he must do what he has been predestined to do.
We read as Mordred changes from a young prince who realizes that he must pay a debt to live to an adult who tries to find a place in the world. As gay we are often enchanted with classical myths and we enjoy reading about gay heroes finding their place in the course of history. Clegg has managed to center Mordred as a hero who enjoys same-sex love and it is hard now to imagine the Arthurian legend being told any other way. We can find similarities in our own lives in the Mordred story as Clegg brings to vibrant life the legend--he did not rewrite the story, he just told it from a different point of view and it is exciting. "Mordred" does not let us forget that life as we know it is a mystery that we are not always able to understand. Love and the loss of love is part of all of our lives whether we are gayer straight just as we all wonder why we are here. Clegg uses these themes powerfully with both sorrow and humor. The only problem with the book is that two more are to follow and I have to wait to read them. Clegg wrapped me in his story from the first sentence and now I am all wrapped up waiting for the next two volumes.

3 out of 5 stars Boring.......2007-02-13

As a fan of Arthurian stories and a gay man I was looking forward to this retelling of the legend of Mordred, Arthur, etc. While Clegg gives us some interesting ideas, I was never really captured by the story. At the end I was left feeling rather ho hum about the story, and not at all interested in seeing where book 2 and 3 would take the story.

3 out of 5 stars Intriguing, but Flawed.......2007-01-26

The concept - the reinvention (rediscovery?) of Mordred as something more than a villain and as a gay man - has a lot of potential. In execution, this potential was tapped, but not quite enough.

The plot is difficult to follow at times, with rambling narratives that veer off and rejoin and veer off again. A comparatively large amount of time is spent wallowing in Mordred's chastity - too much, I think, because I started rolling my eyes at his Raging Hormones well before the wallowing climaxed, as it were. The sentence structure also sometimes goes galloping off with its bit between its teeth, winding on with such convoluted or rambling phrasing that more than one sentence requires rereading to grasp its meaning. Typographical errors and lingering mark-up - although not a huge problem - are also just enough of a presence to occasionally throw me from my reading.

That being said, it was still an interesting book and I'm glad I read it. I look forward to how Mordred will continue to develop as a character within the constraints of Arthurian legend and how the audience for his narrative will evolve with him. Still, I will wish that my local library would carry the future volumes, as I don't know that I'd want to pay for them.

1 out of 5 stars Bizarre.......2006-11-06

This book is for a speciality audience, those that want to explore their nightmares becoming real.
Kings, Queens, Bones and Bastards
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Everything you wanted to know about the Kings and Queens of England
  • Great Tidbits Of History
  • Chill out - people
  • no murder happened in the corridor
  • Entertaining, but has many mistakes of fact.
Kings, Queens, Bones and Bastards
David Hilliam
Manufacturer: Sutton Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0750935537

Book Description

Who invented the House of Windsor as a royal name? Who founded Westminster Abby? Which king had twenty-one illegitimate children? David Hilliam answers all these questions and many, many, more, covering unusual incidents of royal history which rarely appear in text books.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Everything you wanted to know about the Kings and Queens of England.......2006-10-12

There is a lot of history in this book. Over 1500 years is covered. The author digs deep into history to give us the histories of the people that became the Kings and Queens of England from the reign of Egbert in the 800's to Queen Elizabeth II who is currently reigning.

The book is broken down into sections. The first section details the lives of the King or Queen in question. The next details the people that they married. The next is how the person died and where they are buried. The next section details wither the King or Queen had any illegitimate children.

Very informative book for people who are interested in the royal family or just want to learn more. It also has a family tree that connects the first King of England to Queen Elizabeth-fascinating stuff!

5 out of 5 stars Great Tidbits Of History.......2006-08-27

This is a fun book that gives interesting and little known facts occuring in the royal history of England. It ties together many unions, births, deaths and other important events of English royalty and lesser royals. It is an easy read and a great reference for understanding the royal succession.

5 out of 5 stars Chill out - people.......2001-04-03

Honestly, people - calm down. Did any of the previous readers/reviewers honestly expect a book with the title "Kings, Queens, Bones and Bastards" to be a flawless description of centuries of English history ? And that with scholarly accuracy and intellect ? Take it for what it is worth. Read the "Oxford Illustrated History of the British Monarchy" if you want accuracy. This book is a highly entertaining, easy read. I highly recommend it for its amusing anecdotes and enjoyable style.

3 out of 5 stars no murder happened in the corridor.......2000-09-26

leading to Princess Sophia Dorothea`s apartement.

In fact Count Königsmarck was last seen whe he left his house in Hannover on the evening of 11.July 1694. No corpse was ever found. Of course there were rumours all over the town that he had been assassinated and murdered and that his body had been thrown in the river Leine. But wether this had really happened an if it was being carried out on the instruction og George Ludwig (the latter George I) or his father Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hannover or the Countess of Platen (who was not only Königsmarck`s mistress but also Ernest Augustus`s) will never be known. Princess Sophia Dorothea was not divorced and put under house arrest in Ahlden because the dying Königsmarck was found lying before her bodouir But because she was forced to return to her father in Celle. This business was called run away and although she did not "flee" voluntarily and although of course her father turned her down she was accused of wilful deserting thus justifying George Ludwig to divorce her. As a note of history she became not only the mother of the english dynasty of Hannover but through her daughter, another Sophia Dorothea, the mother of the prussian dynasty of Hohenzollern.

But on the whole the book is remarkably enertaining and gives you a fascinating insight into 1500 years of englisch history.

2 out of 5 stars Entertaining, but has many mistakes of fact........2000-09-02

The book is entertaining but if your goal is the study of history, do not buy this book. It is, as another reviewer pointed out, full of mistakes. The first one I found (that stood out) was on page 10. The author states that Mary II (of William III and Mary II) was the sister of James II. She was, in fact, James II's daughter. William's mother, Mary, was the sister of James II and Charles II.

I also found that Hilliam's method of tracing the lines of descent of the various royal houses of Great Britain seemed designed to confuse, rather than enlighten, the reader. I think that it even confused the author himself(see page 10).

On the plus side, the sections on Bones and Bastards are entertaining to read, if you don't plan on using this book for research purposes.
The Bastard King
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Captivates...
  • BRIEF FICTIONAL BUT ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR
  • The invasion of 1066
  • The Man Who Will Be King
  • Good information, poorly presented
The Bastard King
Jean Plaidy
Manufacturer: Fawcett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0449242730
Release Date: 1980-03-12

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Captivates..........2005-11-08

This is the book that first got me really interested in the whole 1066 phenomenon. I had been fascinated with William the Conqueror, and this is the best ficitional account of his life that I've read. That said, I ended up rooting for Harold Godwinson, as most readers will eventually do.

3 out of 5 stars BRIEF FICTIONAL BUT ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR.......2005-08-13

A former girlfriend introduced me to the author, who goes by several other pen names.

Her books are quite short but tend to be well-paced. Additionally, she is very accurate Historically, so, unlike GLADIATOR or BRAVEHEART, movies which I love but which are not accurate, you are getting a good coverage of what you missed in school.

Story follows the life of William the Conqueror, starting with his father's rise to power, William's birth and then an internal struggle. We then follow his path as he gets a wife by beating her for insulting him, his dealings with the English, his invasion and then his holding of the realms.

Like Henry II, upon his death bed, his servants take off with all his wealth.

5 out of 5 stars The invasion of 1066.......2005-08-04

This was the first ever book by Jean Plaidy that I pried of my mother's book shelf and read. And it sent me spinning into a world of early 11th century. It brings out the vivid colours of William and his wife, their love for each other and introduces their sons. Its a family to behold and follow. After I finished this one, I ran to search the net to find the succession of English monarchy and since then have read more of Plaidy's works including the sequels for this book. One of earlier works of Jean Plaidy, it is all the more quaint for its language. A must read for any anglophile!

5 out of 5 stars The Man Who Will Be King.......2005-03-30

First in the Norman Trilogy series, this book chronicles the life of William the Conqueror, illegitimate son of Robert the Magnificent, Duke of Normandy. and the daughter of a tanner. Robert dies on his way to the Holy Land, leaving William, only eight years old at the time, as heir to the Duchy of Normandy. William, with the aid of a few loyal men loyal, is forced to fight ruthless, ambitious usurpers in order to retain his title. He sees death in the face more than once, but Fate has decreed he would be Duke of Normandy. Then, in 1066, William crosses the channel from Normandy to England, defeats King Harold, Edward's popular Saxon successor and forever changes the course of England's history. William and his descendents will control both Normandy and England for centuries to come. A highly recommended, most enjoyable read.

3 out of 5 stars Good information, poorly presented.......2004-10-17

From reading this book I got the impression it had been written and printed in the early part of the century and that subsequent editions had not been edited, merely reprinted.

First of all the sentences are often very awkwardly written with no punctuation, or what we would now consider inappropriate punctuation. Here is a paraphrased example: "William who was incensed at this treatment sent his mother Arlette out of the room to pursue his fleeing brother and then continued arguing with the Bishop about the income from the Duchy of Normandy and its use towards a new war with England." Some of the sentences are very long, and without the punctuation it is hard to read-with-the-flow.

Secondly, there are zillions of typos in this book and the subsequent ones in the Norman Trilogy. The Duchy is referred to as "Normundy" a few times. This is the only one I can remember but every couple of pages there is a major misspelling.

But the information is good; it just takes longer to wade through it.
The Bastard King (Scepter of Mercy, Book 1)
Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
  • Far from great...
  • Above average, but not spectacular
  • poorly done
  • Disappointment from Harry Turtledove
  • Wretched...no, let me take that back...insipid. Yeah, that's it.
The Bastard King (Scepter of Mercy, Book 1)
Dan Chernenko
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451459679
Release Date: 2004-03-02

Book Description

Since the Scepter of Mercy was lost from Avornis, the kingdom has been at risk from its magic-using neighbors. King Lanius and King Grus retrieved the Scepter in a tale of great triumph and adventure. But the true story of their dual reign has never been told. Until now...

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Far from great..........2007-05-12

The first one-third of this book is enjoyable, I won't deny that. I first started to dislike this book when I noticed that the author repeats himself. I don't mean in a very minor sort of way, either; the author repeats how everyone _feels_ about every possible thing over and over again, chapter after chapter. Each portion of the book carries on as if you hadn't read the previous chapter. You'd expect a similar style in sequel to reference material in the first book but in this story it grew incredibly obnoxious. It makes you want to scream, "I get the point!"

Aside from that being my biggest complaint, the book was readable. I actually completed it (which says enough) so I can say with confidence that I'm sure others will like it. The author definitely put a lot of work into the characters and world and story, but I did find myself not caring about a lot of it because it had no purpose even later on (other than to be repeated). This book should have been much shorter but all in all I can't say it is a waste of effort.

4 out of 5 stars Above average, but not spectacular.......2006-08-12

This book is a little more cerebral than many of the pulp churned out these days. Not a bad book at all, but its slow pace can be tedious. Not comparable to George R R Martin, but better than most.

2 out of 5 stars poorly done.......2006-07-18

I am a fan of Harry Turtledove, and have read most of his works written under his own name. Then I discovered that Chernenko was a pen name of his, so I hurried to a copy of this book. Eagerly anticipating going through the 3 books of this series, while I wait for him to write more in his Civil War epics. Boy, was I disappointed! Perhaps it is good that this came out under Chernenko. It reads as a shoddy work, far below what Turtledove has produced elsewhere.

One flaw is how the Commodore Grus becomes a co-king with the book's young hero. Prior to this, we see much handwringing because there are strict rules about who can become king. Yet after some minor victories, Grus assumes the throne with little ado. Just doesn't jibe.

The wars/conflicts are weakly done. This has been noted for Turtledove's other works. He is not as strong at the tactical or strategic descriptions as Stirling, Weber, Ringo or Pournelle. Even so, what battles are covered in the book are tepid. No sense of a protracted engagement.

Turtledove has prodigious output. But he may be spreading himself too thin by occasionally sacrificing quality for quantity.

By the way, another reviewer asked why Judith Tarr furnished a favourable quote on the book's cover. It's perhaps because she and Turtledove wrote "Household Gods". A fantasy which is far better done than this sorry instance.

2 out of 5 stars Disappointment from Harry Turtledove.......2006-05-07

Written by Harry Turtledove under a pseudonym, no doubt because of the poor quality, this novel is a re-tread of countless other high fantasy stories. I've read and enjoyed many re-treads -- some of them written by Turtledove, in fact -- but even if a writer takes a familiar storyline or tired plot device, he or she can make a new story pop by adding strong characterization or interesting nuances. Unfortunately, this book has neither and, sadly, ranks at the bottom of Turtledove's bibliography, along with his fantasy Civil War series ("Sentry Peak," etc.).

1 out of 5 stars Wretched...no, let me take that back...insipid. Yeah, that's it........2006-01-10

WARNING LABEL: Consumer should be advised that reading "The Bastard King" by Dan Chernenko could possibly result in Coma, Diarrhea, Asian Bird Flu, and possible permanent Mental Retardation of unborn children within a 500-yard radius when said book is read.

That's what should have been posted on the front of the book. Not the two misleading recommendation quotes from Booklist and Judith Tarr. Quotes of recommendation are pointless these days because of chronic abuse by the Publishing industry, probably always has been. Every time a Publishing company knows that have a stinker on their hands, they go with anonymous types to hype it in hopes of suckering people. Or maybe they can land a semi-known author, in this case Judith Tarr, for the meaningless quote. Ever wonder how this dynamic works? Is the publisher of this book, New American Library (division of Penguin), have a business connection with Tarr's Publishing House? Is there some scratch-my-back relationship between their editors or agents? Probably. Or maybe Judy has a full-blown Cocaine habit and New American Library promised to send her a free dime-bag of Blow. Anyhoo, as a consequence, for the malevolent misdeed of helping to enable this piece of tripe, I will make sure to spread the rumor, via net postings, that Judith Tarr plagiarizes by inserting excerpts of Mein Keimpf into her works. False? Sure. But she deserves the hit for helping to dupe readers. Judy, you got some powder on your nose...yeah, right there...yeah, ya got it.

But back to "The Bastard King"...

I am a veteran reader of Fantasy Literature for about 15 years now, by far my guiltiest pleasure among genres, and I am here to tell you that Dan Chernenko's writing style is about as evolved as a Britney Spears album. No...that's giving him too much credit...Christina Aguilera. There, better. Tolkien equals Mozart, Chernenko equals Aguilera.

Specifically, I have never read an author who resolves practically every conflict within 1 to 2 Chapters from it's introduction. He make's Feist's fast-paced style seem positively Proust-like. Worse, once you grasp his formula (which doesn't take long), you can actually predict THE HOW of how the conflict will get resolved. "...Okay, let's flip about 7 pages forward, and, ah yes, there we go, just like I thought." It's very safe really, if you like that sort of thing. After a while, though, you begin to root for Dan, hoping he will prove you wrong, throw ya a curveball. Nope. Tax Forms have more plot twists.

A great Fantasy author will give rich detail about surroundings and settings to accomplish convincing World-Building. You don't have to be Tolkien to pull it off, but you at least have to commit yourself to it. The best will weave the fabric of the descriptions so well it almost becomes prose. You never get that sense from Chernenko. It's almost as if he doesn't want to be bothered with the effort. Maybe it would be too frustrating for him. Even if he tried at some point, his pacing and easy conflict-resolution would probably defeat him. His style is, say, akin to cooking soup by blow-torch, instead of letting it simmer to a slow boil. Although, let me say that, yes, like others have described, the naval portion of the book accomplishes a semblance of realism. Gee, now all he has to do is get a grip on...*ahem*...land.

And there's the worst sin of all; the dialogue. The review from Publisher's Weekly stated it was "simple language". What an understatement. When characters interact with each other, the dialogue seems practically monosyllabic at times. The thought process of the characters doesn't give the impression of distinctness from each other, they all seem the same. The side-characters seem less like individual personalities then devices in which the main characters can react against in predictable fashion. And trust me, when it comes to Chernenko's attempt at court intrigue, as you thumb through the book the only thing you will find intriguing is the question of how this guy got a book deal. He must have pictures of his publisher naked with barnyard animals.

Was there any good things about "The Bastard King"? Yes. The cover art. But apparently that in itself was evil since it conned people into buying the book according to their testimonials. Sorry folks. The artist should get a X-Mas bonus from New American Library for pulling the con off, they owe him.

And there is one really great thing about "The Bastard King". It inspires! Yes, it has inspired me to get off my ass and start writing a Fantasy series of my own. After reading Chernenko, you realize if this guy can get a book deal, anyone can do it. Thanks Dan.

But in all seriousness, folks, you want to really know why this is a bad book? Because after forcing myself to get 4/5's of the way through it, I put it down one night, and really wasn't interested in finishing it. When you don't care about knowing the ending, that's a bad book.

My advice, go with Robert Jordan, George R.R. Martin, and a newer talent like Sean Russell. They can bring originality to what is supposed to be a formulaic genre. Learn what talented Fantasy authors are all about.
Elizabeth I: Fortune's Bastard: A Short Account of the Long Life of Elizabeth I
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    Elizabeth I: Fortune's Bastard: A Short Account of the Long Life of Elizabeth I
    Richard Rex
    Manufacturer: Tempus Publishing, Limited
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    IrishIrish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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    Tudor & StuartTudor & Stuart | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0752425862

    Book Description

    Elizabeth I stands in the English imagination for one of the formative phases of English history. Her reign saw England transformed, at her command, from a Catholic to a Protestant country, with calcuable consequences for the history of Europe and of the world—starting with the attempted invasion by the Spanish Armada.
    King of England & Bastard Angel/2 Plays (Methuen New Theatrescript)
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      King of England & Bastard Angel/2 Plays (Methuen New Theatrescript)
      Barrie Keeffee
      Manufacturer: Heinemann
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

      ClassicsClassics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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      ASIN: 0413193209
      King's Bastard
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        King's Bastard

        Manufacturer: Wyndham Publications
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback
        ASIN: 0352397136
        King's bastard
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          King's bastard
          Charlotte Denis
          Manufacturer: Wingate
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Unknown Binding

          BritishBritish | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | Classics | Contemporary | General | Historical | Humor | Letters & Correspondence | Middle | Old | Poetry | Renaissance | Shakespeare | Short Stories
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          The King's bastard
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            The King's bastard
            Hebe Elsna
            Manufacturer: Collins
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Unknown Binding

            GeneralGeneral | Romance | Subjects | Books
            ASIN: 0002334038

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