Historical fiction has always been one of my all time favourite genres and have read a few books on John Elder and this period in history. 'The Blood of Princes' was a very enjoyable read and one that i didn't want to end. Very well written and deserving of it's 5 stars. It is the first time i have read a book by this author and cannot wait to read more. Highly recommended.

My thanks to Netgalley, the Publishers and Derek Birks for my copy. This is my honest review, which i have freely given.

I received a ARC of this book from NetGalley. Being a history buff, I enjoy all things that will take me back to the times of hidden letters, plots, princes and The Blood Of Princes. This book was very quick paced, very detail oriented and very action packed. I rooted for a different ending even though history had foretold how all things ended. I would recommend this book to any history lover. Once I got started it was hard to put down.

I am a big fan of historical fiction, and Derek Birks does not disappoint in this book. Late 1400's Britain finds Richard III taking his nephews to the Tower of London in order to appoint himself king. John Elder, a staunch supporter of King Edward IV, fights to keep Edward's young son as king. Honourable and loyal, Elder is a well-drawn character who is doing his best to uphold his oath to the young king's father. I will be looking for the first book in this authentic series, and waiting for the next one.

Edward IV dies and leaves the throne to the hands of his young son. John Elder, a restless lord is in charge of bringing the boy king to London for his coronation, but somewhere in the journey he was ambushed and marked as an outlaw.

It was a rather riveting but chatty adventure, delivering a gory yet accurate picture of 15th century England. It's definitely action-packed with a host of pivoting skirmishes and word-fights; a lot of scheming and spying. It's not the romantic castles and damsels in distress of fairy tales -- The Blood of Princes is a definite gut-wrenching, emotional tale of, not only of John Elder, but also the monarchy of England, both in the heart of London and its outskirts. Highly recommended if you want an accurate setting of 15th century England and the rough business of being a royal.

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley and Derek Birks for this digital copy of The Blood of Princes.

"A savage tale of love, treason and betrayal.
A bloody struggle for power at the heart of the royal court."

I thoroughly enjoy a good historical fiction, and the blood of princes (book 2 of 'The Craft of Kings' but more on this in a moment) ticks all the boxes. Action from page 1, intrigue, double crossing and a motely cast of lovable, characters.
As I mentioned, this is the 2nd in a series, something I was not aware of, and it's a credit to the author that I was able to read this without feeling like I was missing something.

The only thing I really struggled with (and I like to research rather than assume) was the language. The best way I can dedcribe it is as being 'out of time'. That being said it didnt detract from my enjoyment of the story, a definite recommendation for anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction.

Initially I wanted to read this novel because of the history and the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the princes in the Tower of London. But I quickly became caught up in the adventures of the Elder family and was delighted to discover that Mr Birks has penned other novels featuring the Elder family.

In April 1483, with the death of King Edward IV, his son Edward a 12 year old boy becomes the king. The young king comes under the protection of his uncle the Duke of Gloucester but will this bring stability to the kingdom or a bitter civil war. John Elder is determined to uphold his oath to the boy King and see him crowned.
Although it is not necessary to read Book One, as I did not, I found it at first diffiult to get ito the story as I faced a host of characters without any context.
But overall a well-written historical fiction story, which continues.

‘England has a problem and I must find a way to solve it.’

England, 1483. When Edward IV dies suddenly in April 1483, his heir Edward, Prince of Wales, is only twelve years old. John Elder, ex-mercenary and now head of the Elder family, is appointed to Edward’s service and charged with his safety. John Elder’s first task is to escort Edward to London for his coronation. Unfortunately, John Elder’s task is complicated by both factional battles for control over the boy king and disquiet about having such young king. Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was appointed Lord Protector during Edward’s minority and quickly seized control. One consequence is that John Elder is outlawed, and other family members become caught up in a battle to protect Edward and his brother Richard, Duke of York.

The stakes are high, and the battles are fierce. John Elder has an extended family, many of whom become involved in his struggle to protect the princes. And some of them, brave souls, have battles of their own to fight.

Initially I wanted to read this novel because of the history and the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the princes in the Tower of London. But I quickly became caught up in the adventures of the Elder family and was delighted to discover that Mr Birks has penned other novels featuring the Elder family. I should admit that I am a partisan Ricardian, so some aspects of this novel don’t accord with my own preferred view. In the end, though, I didn’t care. Mr Birks has written a fast-moving, totally engrossing novel featuring plenty of intrigue and adventure. I’ve added his other novels to my reading list.

Recommended for those who enjoy well-written historical fiction set in 15th century England.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Thankyou to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and the author, Derek Birks, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of The Blood Of Princes in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
I love reading historical fiction, whichis one of the reasons I jumped at the chance to review this novel. I am so glad I did as it is wonderfully written with engaging characters. It was full of mystery and intrigue. The settings were so descriptive it was like you were in amongst all the action. I could not put it down. Would love to read more from this author.
Well worth a read for fans of the genre.