Review: The Accursed King by Mercedes Rochelle
Today, I'm delighted to welcome back a dear author friend, and writer of compelling, well-researched medieval historical fiction – Mercedes Rochelle. I'm sharing my review of her Kindle & audiobook for The Accursed King, the second book about King Henry IV of England. Find my review of the first book, The Usurper King, HERE!
Both Henry IV titles – The Usurper King and The Accursed King – are currently on blog tour with The Coffee Pot Book Club. Find fascinating posts, intriguing excerpts, and more HERE!
The Plantagenet Legacy Series:
Henry IV – Audiobooks
The Usurper King
The Accursed King
by Mercedes Rochelle
Review – The Accursed King Kindle & Audiobook:
Having read and enjoyed The Usurper King last year, I was looking forward to reading its sequel, The Accursed King. When Ms Rochelle decided to go on blog tour with the audiobooks of the two novels, I decided to combine both the Kindle and the audio of The Accursed King in my review. It made for a fascinating, immersive reading experience.
The story continues seamlessly, as Henry Bolingbroke – now King Henry IV of England – tries desperately to consolidate his rule. Not everyone is happy with his actions, or with the suspicious death of the deposed Richard II.
The story is told through the eyes various big players of the time: Henry IV, of course; his estranged son, Hal (the future Henry V); Henry Percy; Clifford; and several others. This wide narrative allows the reader to learn each character's motivation behind their plots and actions, and plots there are aplenty!
And speaking of Richard – as rumours over the fate of the deposed king are rife, one realistic claim of rescue and residence at Albany's court in Scotland gets full attention of the plotters. It adds a realistic aspect to people's beliefs at the time, as no one could be certain. But the Richard at Stirling turns them down, quashing their hopes of change. Perhaps Richard did survive – and an impostor buried in his place – and didn't fancy the bother? We will likely never know...
Next, the plotters turn to Owain Glyndŵr, to plan the coronation of the next in line – the Mortimer heir, currently under Henry's control. It seems, the nobles didn't get bored in those days. Whether the reasons were personal vendettas (Clifford, Percy, York) or a fight for independence (Glyndŵr), Henry IV has his work cut out. The king's stress increases, and he becomes even more abrasive, even shocking his allies with his cruelty.
It doesn't help that the treasury is depleted, with retainers unpaid, and unhappy, breeding even more adversity.
Audiobook narrator, Kevin E. Green, does a cracking job in giving all these characters their own, defined voices, which brings the plot closer to us readers. We hear the anger, the scheming, the frustration, the horror – the characters’ impressions and emotions – through Green's voice, adding a strong sense of realism to the narrative. All that's left to our imagination is the look on their faces, and that's easily done given the skill involved. Ms Rochelle has chosen her narrator well.
The Accursed King is a hotbed of plots, counter-plots, and personal intrigues. None of the characters come across as likeable, which fits well into the era. With so much upheaval, you never know who to trust, and some of our characters learn that lesson to their detriment.
As Henry's health deteriorates, his frustration grows, making him even more dangerous – and unpredictable. This shift develops well as part of the ongoing story, and it creates its own challenges for him.
The narrative doesn't allow for a fast pace, due to the incredible detail the author goes to in describing events, developments, and motivations. The research involved is impeccable, and we experience life in the early 15th century first hand. This novel is not a fast-paced medieval adventure, but rather an immersive story of determination and challenges, and of threat and execution.
Although I usually read on Kindle, I can also highly recommend the audiobook to fans who enjoy listening to compelling plots. It's well worth it.
~~~
Blurbs:
The Usurper King
From Outlaw to Usurper, Henry Bolingbroke fought one rebellion after another.
First, he led his own uprising. Then he captured a forsaken king. Henry had no intention of taking the crown for himself; it was given to him by popular acclaim. Alas, it didn't take long to realize that that having the kingship was much less rewarding than striving for it. Only three months after his coronation, Henry IV had to face a rebellion led by Richard's disgruntled favorites. Repressive measures led to more discontent. His own supporters turned against him, demanding more than he could give. The haughty Percies precipitated the Battle of Shrewsbury which nearly cost him the throne—and his life.
To make matters worse, even after Richard II's funeral, the deposed monarch was rumored to be in Scotland, planning his return. The king just wouldn't stay down and malcontents wanted him back.
The Accursed King
What happens when a king loses his prowess?
The day Henry IV could finally declare he had vanquished his enemies, he threw it all away with an infamous deed. No English king had executed an archbishop before. And divine judgment was quick to follow. Many thought he was struck with leprosy—God's greatest punishment for sinners. From that point on, Henry's health was cursed and he fought doggedly on as his body continued to betray him—reducing this once great warrior to an invalid.
Fortunately for England, his heir was ready and eager to take over. But Henry wasn't willing to relinquish what he had worked so hard to preserve. No one was going to take away his royal prerogative—not even Prince Hal. But Henry didn't count on Hal's dauntless nature, which threatened to tear the royal family apart.
Universal Buy Links:
The Usurper King
The Accursed King
The Plantagenet Legacy Series
All titles in the series are available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
~~~
About the Author:
Mercedes Rochelle is an ardent lover of medieval history, and has channelled this interest into fiction writing. Her first four books cover eleventh-century Britain and events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. The next series is called The Plantagenet Legacy about the struggles and abdication of Richard II, leading to the troubled reigns of the Lancastrian Kings. She also writes a blog: HistoricalBritainBlog.com to explore the history behind the story.
Born in St. Louis, MO, she received by BA in Literature at the University of Missouri St.Louis in 1979 then moved to New York in 1982 while in her mid-20s to “see the world”. The search hasn’t ended!
Today she lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.
Today she lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.
Connect with Mercedes:
Website • Twitter / X • Facebook • Bluesky
Comments
Post a Comment