For example, a 21st-century politician who fails loses his or her office and perhaps a bit of prestige. The consequences of failure in Tudor era are difficult to contemplate today. The struggle for the English crown involved real people, not fictional characters. While Hollywood’s television fantasy is no doubt violent and bloody, it pales in comparison to the actual events examined in Jones’ book. This book is his second offering on English nobility and the companion piece to his 2012 release titled The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings Who Invented England.Ī cursory examination of The War of the Roses may lead readers, and more than one book reviewer, to draw immediate comparison to the popular HBO series Game of Thrones. Author Dan Jones latest book, The War of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors, performs yeoman’s work explaining a fascinating period of Western European history. The bard’s pen ensured we know the names of the central figures – Joan of Arc, Richard III, Edward IV – even if the actual events of their lives are unfamiliar or misunderstood. English playwright William Shakespeare immortalized the War of the Roses’ century of bloodshed and murder, political intrigue and the fickle fortunes of war in eight of his most famous plays.

The War of the Roses and the ascension of the Tudors to the British royal throne is one such story. Despite the passage of time, the truly great stories pass from generation to generation to become a part of our collective culture.

The War of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors. The War of the Roses – Book Review By Chris Heatherly

War of the roses book dan jones