This was a very good read for me. Henry III was not a ruler who I knew much about. This book helped me in that area. I would definitely grab another book by Darren Baker.

Review coming soon... as soon as I get back to my computer

I had high hopes for this book. The preface is engaging, but the book quickly evolves (devolves?) into some pretty high-level historical writing. It's an interesting subject matter -- a king that doesn't get a lot of attention -- but it would really be a true history academic that would enjoy the book. It's well-written and parts are interesting, but I felt bogged down by data, financial figures, etc.

I just couldn't get into this book at all. I tried reading it on and off but it just didn't interest me

I read a lot of historical biographies, it is probably my favorite thing to read nowadays. You know, the author is right, Henry III really doesn't get much love in the history books, he doesn't get derided but completely forgotten about. Most writers want to tell the stories of the more 'lively' characters from English history, giving a pass to those who tried to restore the much needed status quo. Henry III ruled in a time of political conflict, but it was nothing compared to the mess left by his predecessors, he is very pious but not as much so as Edward the Confessor, and let us face it, he is not as interesting as his son Edward I. But, this is not a review of Henry III, it is a review of the book.

Overall I liked it, a lot of the book reads like a run-on sentence, which mostly I didn't mind but at times it did make me glaze over a bit. I liked the bit of wit and sarcasm peppered in the book, it made me chuckle quite a few times while reading. One thing I found a little odd was the author's use of the term alien instead of foreigner, not sure why as I know it is correct but it seemed overly formal or technical in a book that read more casually the rest of the time.

Other than those complaints I say give it a read if you have an interest in a part of English history that tends to get overlooked!

It is very interesting, good heavy of information.
rest of review on YouTube Channel

I don't read many biographies of historical figures, but this one was intriguing due to its subject being one of the lesser known rulers of England, Henry III. If you're looking for a book about a king who leads a scandalous life with mistresses and illegitimate children or a great warrior king, you'll find yourself disappointed. What you will find is the story of a king who made his mark in English history through his struggles with the barons throughout his rule, love of architecture, and reputation as a family man. The author did a good job portraying the conflict with Henry and Simon de Montfort, his biggest rival. Readers are given insight into the evolution of the English parliament. I appreciated the educational experience that came with reading this book. However, I found that the author did tend to provide historical details that didn't really have a whole lot to do with Henry or could have been said in a few sentences as opposed to paragraphs to get to the point of how they tied back to Henry. Some of the sentences were a bit long for my taste.

I was unable to access the book even though I was approved. I contacted the publisher, but never heard back from them. The epub file did't open on my epub reader. It says it's damaged.