”The Price of a Throne” by Sean J Fitzgerald

Sean J Fitzgerald brings out the themes of power struggles, treachery, and atonement brilliantly in the colorful medieval background of the novel entitled “The Price of a Throne”. It began focusing on Prince Corin, a hardworking yet shameful man who wants to make the kingdom’s throne his own by overcoming the political color. This work’s plot is pronounced and painted graphically, taking the readers through the lives of the characters where any move matters.

The characters in the novella “The Price of a Throne” are well-developed and depict dynamic personalities oriented predominantly by their interests and sins. The way uncertainty gives way to conviction in Prince Corin is portrayed well, so the character transformation of the main hero, who is a leader, is quite tangible and touching. The main characters are surrounded by cohorts and opponents, which provide the readers with the complexity of the story, full of intrigue and doubtful intentions.

Fitzgerald is a fantastic prose writer; the battles are described vividly, the court politics are conveyed, and one’s internal struggle is portrayed. The main events are rich and follow one another quickly while the reader is kept captivated by secret affiliations and treasons. The author is thus able to paint a picture of a very active character but can interpose short periods of reflection amidst all the political goings-on.

‘The Price of a Throne’ can be pinpointed to Fitzgerald’s work and his twisting themes of duty, honor, and the unseen sacrifices involved in war amidst a kingdom on the edge of a war. The ethical issues that the protagonists of the novels are confronted with are timelessly significant, giving the readers a portion of food for thought about the price of the desire to rule and the hardships that one has to go through.

All in all, “The Price of a Throne” is an exciting read for all lovers of epic fantasy and all things political. The author, Sean J Fitzgerald, has done a brilliant job in making the narrative interesting with an exciting plot, good characterization, and outstanding world creation, making the audience look forward to the next part of the series.

Fantastic read! I don't often read stories set in Ireland, they are traditionally set in Scotland or England but I really enjoyed the different setting as well as the historical lessons in the book. There may have been a bit too much backstory in some places but I love history so it was right up my alley.

That being said, the story line was phenomenal and kept my attention the entire read. The characters truly came to life and brought your own emotions out. While some of the historical tidbits made me cringe, the reader gets a real feel for just how deeply these characters felt for their families and friends as well as the unjust treatment of people in the 12th century. I cannot wait to read the next book and find out what happens with Aoife, Strongbow, and Myler. I am grateful we got the true story behind the King's dark history with O'Rourke's wife so that I could really truly cheer for Aoife's entire family. But please for the love of everything would someone just go ahead and poison Montmorency?!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Beautifully written. Cohesive and researched well. We need more books like this. I fell in love with how strong and brave these characters are

A masterful dive into medieval Ireland, blending historical authenticity with gripping storytelling. Aoife’s journey, from the daughter of a dethroned king to a pivotal figure in political upheaval, is both heart wrenching and and inspiring.
Many thanks to The Book Whisperer and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Excellent book, loved it! Looking forward to more from this author! Apologies for the lateness of my review

I really enjoyed The Price of a Throne and could tell right away that the author’s interest in the subject shone through the writing. It’s clear the book was well-researched, especially with all the historical details, though it did feel a bit heavy on those points at times. The pacing was a bit slow in some places, but the story opens with an excellent scene that hooked me. The author is fantastic at setting the scene, with vivid descriptions that bring the world to life. I also loved the blend of history—military, politics, women’s history—and romance. It made for a really engaging and unique mix. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

I didn't love, but also didn't hate this book. Parts of it captivated me and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. Other parts seemed to draggggg on with endless details and history that didn't always fit within the story.

When I first requested this book, I was not aware that this was formerly known as Aoife of Leinster. I previously read that book and thought I was picking up a sequel! Below I will add my review from when I read the initial nontraditionally published edition.

As someone who studied abroad in Ireland in college, and comes from an Irish family, I was immediately interested in getting my hands on an Irish historical novel. Wow. This did not disappoint. Medieval Ireland? Sign me up for book two of the series. The research and care bleeds through the pages. The banter and dialogue were fantastic, the setting was beautiful, and I got a history lesson. Would recommend to historical fiction fans looking to branch out to other areas of the world, as I don’t often see this neck of the woods represented.

The Price of a Throne
by Sean J Fitzgerald
Politics, they say, makes strange bedfellows, and for Aoife, the fate of her noble clan may depend on her betrothal to Norman warrior, Strongbow. Strategy, alliances, some subterfuge, and bloody battles are employed to attempt to help her father reclaim his kingdom of Leinster. Large risks for large gains.
I learned some of history not usually taught, the unsung influence of female leaders, historical rights of women in Ireland, the logistics of war horses and armor. I came to admire Aoife, her brothers, and allies. I didn’t like the ending, but then, I suppose I wasn’t meant to.
Previously published under the title Aoife of Leinster: The Price of a Throne.
Book 1 of The Hiberno-Norman Chronicles

The Price of a Throne is the story of a real life Irish woman, Aoife MacMurrough, wife of Strongbow. The book was clearly well-researched and the author had a lot of understanding of the Irish political situation during this time. However, I felt that the book had uneven pacing and I struggled with the focus on the political or battle situations and then the romantic or dramatic areas. I did enjoy learning more about this area of history, but some areas were harder to get through than others.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sean J Fitzgerald for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Price of a Throne coming out September 18, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really love historical fiction! I thought the writing was really good. It felt well-researched. I’m obsessed with medieval Ireland. I loved the political intrigue and wars. I think Aoife was a really strong character. I would definitely read more books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys medieval history!

“We do not choose our provenance, but our duty is written in our blood.”

Wow. I loved this. Based on a true story, Aiofe, Princess of Leinster, must ruthlessly strive to restore her family’s kingdom in medieval Ireland. Aiofe and her family flee to Wales, and there, form an alliance with a Norman lord and warrior, known as Strongbow to plan revenge on those who took their kingdom.

From the first page I could not put this down. The true historical facts and events are expertly woven within the story, keeping me aware of the historical context of the events happening, whilst also keeping the story alive. The characters have so much depth, and I felt very invested in Aiofe’s story.

“My story is one of betrayal, hatred, rage, revenge and sorrow, but it is also one of love, passion, joy and happiness.”

The Price of a Throne is fast-paced, and adds a deeply human element to the historical events it is portraying. It is a story of duty, family, loyalty and love, but also of the ruthless and difficult decisions that must be made for a family’s survival. I can’t wait to read more from the series.

This is such a compelling story! It is well written and clearly very well researched. I loved getting to know Aoife and the complex political landscape she was apart of. There were so many times I found myself cheering for her and preparing for war right along side her. It is not an easy read however. There is so much information, it can feel overwhelming. I will be recommending this to my more “serious” reader friends!