I really did not know that much about Charles V so I was excited about reading this book. I learned a lot about this fascinating ruler but at times I felt like I was reading a textbook.

A well written and researched biography further that makes you feel like you know the emperor personally, i recommend for any history lover

I haven't read any single biographies on Charles V - this was my first. Much of what I had read was contained within other books - more of a secondary character or part of the supporting cast. So whether it stacks up against other know biographies, I cannot comment.

For me, this was an eye-opener into the intricacies of Charles' life and reign. I knew the basics and many of the names that cropped up but not at all in such depth as presented here. Many familiar events were tied together and put into perspective. Each of the "parts" of the book consisted of a series of manageable chapters highlighting his life, his reign, including an assessment of both the man and his political achievements. I was particularly intrigued by the view that Charles' later actions closely reflected the goals and values of his grandfather, Maximillian, ".. whom he imitated and saw as a role model, for better or worse.." Other issues have been relegated to the appendices for addressing, allowing the author to explore and elaborate on views and theories, whilst still presenting a fairly unbiased biography.

As a whole, it is quite lengthy at 570 pages- containing biography; chronology; appendices; notes and sources, and bibliography; attesting to that fact that an extensive amount of research went into this tome. This is something I would definitely come back to a re-read, and most likely find a place for on the shelves of my own personal library.

"History can never be reduced to a single entry in a ledger .." - and this book certainly proves that.

A jam-packed textbook of a read. There is so much introduced and explained to the reader. So many people and events that related in some way to Charles V. Great for someone who wants a good sourcebook for him. You get a lot of primary sourced text merged into the writing so you get a good balance of the primary source and the explanation of information of the time and afterwords.

Until I read Parker's new biography, my knowledge of Charles V was largely related to his connections with Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII, and I'm so glad to have had my understanding of him expanded by this book. From the family connections that both helped and hindered him, to his role in extending the colonial project in the Americas, Charles was a truly fascinating historical figure who was involved in so many pivotal moments of his era. Parker's book was both accessible and educational, balancing academic rigor with readability. Highly recommended.

This was an interesting book, but a little bit of a struggle to read. It did include a look at Charles the man at the end of each chapter, but I found overall it focused on the military history side of things. Because his empire covered so many geographic regions, this is a great book to get a handle on what is happening in a broader geographic sense. It does read more like a textbook, but if you are looking for an academic study of Charles, this will be perfect for you!

The author's painstaking research and attention to detail is obvious in the writing of this book. There were many facts that I only discovered after reading this!

This was a complimentary copy from net galley - thank you

Well researched and written - I really enjoyed this - very much an academic's view so more educational than the entertaining genre of historical fiction

"Emperor" follows the life of Charles V, who essentially creates, inherits, marries, and wins what is now known as the Hapsburg Empire: Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, parts of Italy, etc. Although a biography that follows his life in great detail, I had a hard time finding Charles the person in all of it. The book is divided into sections to cover his life and at the end of each section is a "portrait of the emperor" section that reveals a bit more of him as a human being, but the majority of the book is a detailed review of Charles' triumphs and failures- especially in war- with not as many of the reasonings behind the scenes as I enjoy in biographies. I got only limited understanding of the lands, times, and people Charles dealt with on a daily basis. "Emperor" is a very well researched and detailed book, but overall I felt it read like a history textbook more than anything else and I found myself dragging my way through it instead of enjoying the journey.

Emperor is a fascinating book about Charles V and the author clearly has done a lot of research. There is plenty of information and interesting facts to learn about. Well written.

This is quite long, but quite good. I'm not sure how much credence to give this version of Charles' life since there seems to be so many (contradictory) versions in various books. But this is obviously well-researched and written by a highly credible author, so it's definitely worth your time if you're interested in Charles' life. You're bound to find a few particularly interesting aspects of his life and/or facts. It includes a really nice chronology and over 100 pages of notes, and a detailed bibliography. Recommended for history fans. 4.5 Stars

I really appreciate the complimentary copy for review!!