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marilynsaul's review
4.0
Hooray! Done with the series! I liked this one better than #4, but, still and all, the court intrigue became tedious. I certainly learned a lot, but I also read a lot that I will soon forget :-)
bazayas's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
felinity's review
5.0
Henry's legacy continues in Richard the Lionheart, and is brought to life in this enthralling read. I love the details, and the painstaking way [a:Sharon Kay Penman|24655|Sharon Kay Penman|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1234237583p2/24655.jpg] researches dates, places, maps and so much more to ensure as much accuracy as is possible.
[b:A King's Ransom|299479|A King's Ransom|James Grippando|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348752412s/299479.jpg|290553] continues the narrative from [b:Lionheart|10437680|Lionheart|Sharon Kay Penman|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1322869392s/10437680.jpg|15342248], covering the later part of Richard's life as his luck changes. He struggles to complete his crusade, having to fight against both the French king Philippe and the emperor Heinrich in his efforts to secure his kingdom and allow him to return to the Holy Land.
After many adventures - which seem almost unreal, but the author assures us actually happened - Richard is pursued, captured, and imprisoned, his life, health and kingdom threatened from every side. (For those generally unfamiliar with English history, this is also the period covered by Robin Hood, as John tried to steal the throne.)
But, as Sharon Penman has so often proven, this isn't just the story of Richard the king. This is also the story of Richard the man, and his relationship with his wife Berengaria, his sister Joanna (formerly Queen of Sicily), his mother Eleanor of Aquitaine, and his brother John.
[b:A King's Ransom|299479|A King's Ransom|James Grippando|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348752412s/299479.jpg|290553] continues the narrative from [b:Lionheart|10437680|Lionheart|Sharon Kay Penman|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1322869392s/10437680.jpg|15342248], covering the later part of Richard's life as his luck changes. He struggles to complete his crusade, having to fight against both the French king Philippe and the emperor Heinrich in his efforts to secure his kingdom and allow him to return to the Holy Land.
After many adventures - which seem almost unreal, but the author assures us actually happened - Richard is pursued, captured, and imprisoned, his life, health and kingdom threatened from every side. (For those generally unfamiliar with English history, this is also the period covered by Robin Hood, as John tried to steal the throne.)
But, as Sharon Penman has so often proven, this isn't just the story of Richard the king. This is also the story of Richard the man, and his relationship with his wife Berengaria, his sister Joanna (formerly Queen of Sicily), his mother Eleanor of Aquitaine, and his brother John.
chuckri's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
shogins's review against another edition
I won this is a Goodreads giveaway years ago, but never finished it. I feel bad because I've loved a bunch of Penman's other books and have found books about Eleanor interesting and books about Richard back in England interesting and the Anjou succession interesting but I hate the Crusades and was bored by the beginning.
anne_price's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
balloyd92's review against another edition
4.0
Full disclosure, I read this book without reading any of the others in the Plantagenets series. I think it works as a standalone book, although I'm sure my attachments to the characters would have been different/maybe deeper if I had read the books in sequence.
If we break A King's Random into fifths, the first three sections flew by. There's so much action packed into these bits, it's hard to believe it's based on actual history. I personally hit a wall during the fourth section, though. The time in between Richard's escape from Germany and his death was a bit of a slough (too much politics I didn't care enough about). But I'm glad I pushed through, as the ending redeems the slight downward spiral. Joanna and Eleanor were the crux of this novel, and it was both devastating and satisfying to finish this long journey with their stories.
I would probably give this book a 4.5/5. For me, the emotional bond wasn't strong enough to rate it a perfect 5. But it was a superbly researched and written book. I plan to take a break with some lighter reading, but I hope to return to Penman in the future.
If we break A King's Random into fifths, the first three sections flew by. There's so much action packed into these bits, it's hard to believe it's based on actual history. I personally hit a wall during the fourth section, though. The time in between Richard's escape from Germany and his death was a bit of a slough (too much politics I didn't care enough about). But I'm glad I pushed through, as the ending redeems the slight downward spiral. Joanna and Eleanor were the crux of this novel, and it was both devastating and satisfying to finish this long journey with their stories.
I would probably give this book a 4.5/5. For me, the emotional bond wasn't strong enough to rate it a perfect 5. But it was a superbly researched and written book. I plan to take a break with some lighter reading, but I hope to return to Penman in the future.
dei2dei's review against another edition
5.0
I read this slowly, savouring every word on every e-inked page, because Ms Penman has implied this is the last we'll see of the Devil's Brood from her. It was bidding adieu to friends long-known, for I was introduced to her work via the Welsh Trilogy when I was in my early teens. In _A King's Ransom_, Penman continues where _Lionheart_ left off, telling us not only of Richard but of Berengaria, Joanna, John, and the indomitable Eleanor. Richard's journey from Outremer to the clutches of the Holy Roman Empire, to England and France, is written in vivid and compelling prose, drawing the reader into the minds and lives of these 12th century figures. When the final page is done, it's not simply the ending of a book - but saying farewell to characters as vibrantly realized as the myths and legends of them, nearly a thousand years later, imply they were in life. Penman does as she always has, ensuring that any of the historical figures she takes her mind to are three-dimensional, complex and complicated with faults and virtues alike, rendered realistic and vivid on the page.
What started with Richard's successor, for me, and ends with Richard is a series of tales well-told, with _A King's Ransom_ a fulfilling finale.
What started with Richard's successor, for me, and ends with Richard is a series of tales well-told, with _A King's Ransom_ a fulfilling finale.
bristoni74's review
4.0
I'm so glad the final book in this series is as great the first three. With the exception of book four "Lionheart" these books have been excellent in telling the story of the Plantagenets. This focuses on Richard I being imprisoned and seeking to regain his Angevin Empire. Whilst this well-researched, the story was entertaining and so vivid - no text book here! As a lover of historical fiction this series is one of my all time favourites.
tanyarobinson's review against another edition
4.0
It's been a few years since I had a new Sharon Kay Penman novel to read, and as I began this one it felt so comfortable and familiar. I'm not sure if it's because I established her writing as my ideal historical fiction as a teen, or if her style is just similar to the way I write myself, but I find her books flow so easily for me. And there are so few authors who achieve the level of knowledge about their chosen time periods that Penman does -- I admire that so much!
I enjoyed reading about the last years of Richard I's life more than his time on crusade (her last book). Richard's German captivity has always fascinated me, as the idea of one medieval king keeping another in chains is nearly inconceivable. I was also interested to see how Penman handled Richard's inconsistent relationship with his Spanish bride, Berengeria.
All in all, a very enjoyable nearly 700 pages. 4.5 stars.
I enjoyed reading about the last years of Richard I's life more than his time on crusade (her last book). Richard's German captivity has always fascinated me, as the idea of one medieval king keeping another in chains is nearly inconceivable. I was also interested to see how Penman handled Richard's inconsistent relationship with his Spanish bride, Berengeria.
All in all, a very enjoyable nearly 700 pages. 4.5 stars.