Release Date: April 18th 2013

“Outstanding . . . A thrilling history of royal intrigues, violent skullduggery and brutal warfare.” —Simon Sebag Montefiore

The first Plantagenet king inherited a blood-soaked kingdom from the Normans and transformed it into an empire stretched at its peak from Scotland to Jerusalem. In this epic history, Dan Jones vividly resurrects this fierce and seductive royal dynasty and its mythic world. We meet the captivating Eleanor of Aquitaine, twice queen and the most famous woman in Christendom; her son, Richard the Lionheart, who fought Saladin in the Third Crusade; and King John, a tyrant who was forced to sign Magna Carta, which formed the basis of our own Bill of Rights. This is the era of chivalry, of Robin Hood and the Knights Templar, the Black Death, the founding of Parliament, the Black Prince, and the Hundred Year’s War. It will appeal as much to readers of Tudor history as to fans of Game of Thrones.

I fully admit to having gone geek wild when I saw this book and was so glad to get a chance to review it through net gallery. I love the Plantagenet’s and follow the history pretty closely. Those who know me of course know my favorite of the brood is The Black Prince, Edward. This book was a fantastic read and the history was spot on. You can tell that a lot of research went into the book and all of the information is presented in a way that will appeal to even someone who is not a major historian. It is not dry or drab at all. The only thing that for me kept it from being a perfect 5 gem was that I really wanted more on The Black Prince and his family line. I know they are not the most infamous of the Plantagenets but still they did a lot of things. A great read though really.

My Gemstone Rating: