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    The Sunne In Splendour: A Novel of Richard III
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    The Sunne In Splendour: A Novel of Richard III
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    The Sunne In Splendour: A Novel of Richard III
    Ebook1,520 pages31 hours

    The Sunne In Splendour: A Novel of Richard III

    By Sharon Kay Penman

    4.5/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook


    The classic, magnificent bestselling novel about Richard III, now in a special thirtieth anniversary edition with a new preface by the author

    In this triumphant combination of scholarship and storytelling, Sharon Kay Penman redeems Richard III—vilified as the bitter, twisted, scheming hunchback who murdered his nephews, the princes in the Tower—from his maligned place in history.

    Born into the treacherous courts of fifteenth-century England, in the midst of what history has called The War of the Roses, Richard was raised in the shadow of his charismatic brother, King Edward IV. Loyal to his friends and passionately in love with the one woman who was denied him, Richard emerges as a gifted man far more sinned against than sinning.

    With revisions throughout and a new author's preface discussing the astonishing discovery of Richard's remains five centuries after his death, Sharon Kay Penman's brilliant classic is more powerful and glorious than ever.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateJan 22, 2008
    ISBN9781429930093
    Unavailable
    The Sunne In Splendour: A Novel of Richard III
    Author

    Sharon Kay Penman

    For many years while she was a student and then a tax lawyer, Sharon Kay Penman (1945-2021) worked on a novel about the life of Richard III and The War of the Roses. After the original manuscript was stolen from her car, Penman rewrote the entire novel that would become The Sunne in Splendour. Penman is the author of ten critically acclaimed and New York Times best selling historical novels and four medieval mysteries featuring Justin de Quincy. The first book in the series, The Queen's Man, was a finalist for an Edgar Award for Best First Mystery from the Mystery Writers of America.

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    Reviews for The Sunne In Splendour

    4.5/5

    46 ratings29 reviews

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    • 3/5
      It’s about time Richard III’s reputation was restored, and this novel does the trick. It’s a fascinating period in British history, fraught with intrigues. The characters come to life, especially the sensitive, quiet Richard III and his bigger-than-life brother Edward. It was definitely not safe to be royalty in those days.
    • 3/5
      When I say read, I mean I tried to start reading it. I don't know, it's a book I have out from the library, so I can't exactly just keep it indefinitely until I'm in the mood to read it. It's interesting subject matter I only know a very little about, and I liked the writing well enough, but I just didn't really get into it.

      I might try it again if I get on better with the Welsh Princes trilogy.
    • 4/5
      Opening: "Richard did not become frightened until darkness began to settle over the woods."

      This was billed as a novel about Richard III, but Edward is a resoundingly present character throughout. This is, as I read it, part of Penman's argument about Richard's character and motivations. It does make for a somewhat disconcerting read, as Richard to some extent becomes hidden behind the machinations of his family and courtiers.

      I couldn't face finishing the book for a long time (this is the problem with historical fiction: you tend to know how the story ends) and so when I did finish, my emotional response was pretty muted. Although Sunne does a splendid job of evoking the time and the world, and probably of explaining decisions and mysteries, The Daughter of Time remains my favorite novel about Richard. I think this lies partly in the fact that Daughter has a strong central coherence to its narrative, whereas Sunne covers a vast timespan, with a wide cast of characters.

      I think too that Penman's narrative ends up being less sure of how to cast Richard. In some ways this is right--people can't simply be summed up in one sentence. On the other hand, Tey's Richard is someone you whole-heartedly love*, and become a partisan for; he is a shining tragic figure. Penman's Richard might be closer to the historical reality, but he is also difficult to grapple with.

      As a side note, I had one of those blinding AHA! moments in the middle of reading this. You know that line in Shakespeare: "Now is the winter of our discontent/Made glorious summer by this son of York"? I always assumed that son is a nice play on sun, which of course it is. BUT! The Sunne in Splendour was also Edward IV's standard. Ah, Shakespeare, so brilliant (except when you're relying on More's life of Richard).

      Book information: St. Martinn's Griffin,1982; historical fiction, adult

      * and by you, I mean I
    • 4/5
      Penman's portrait of Richard III is a rich tapestry of Medieval England. We meet Richard but also become intimately familiar with Edward III, Anne Neville, Elizabetth Woodville, and even Edward Iv, one of the Princes in the Tower. Penman purposely chooses the version of the story that puts Richard in the more positive light, maligned by the Tudors who won the great victory at Bosworth Field.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Certainly the most complete look at Richard III in historical fiction. Edward IV, also for that matter. The effort in research is tremendous and helps to dispel the previously wrong notions of Richard as an evil hunchback. Here, he is the hero, although a tragic one.
    • 5/5
      This is a biographical novel of Richard III of England. First thing you should know is this isn't the Richard of Shakespeare. It's not even the Richard most historians accept, although it's a portrait I was softened up for long before I first read this by the historical novels of Rosemary Hawley Jarman (particularly her The King's Grey Mare about Edward IV's queen, Elizabeth Woodville), the famous novel of mystery great Josephine Tey, The Daughter of Time which has her fictional sleuth investigate the true character of Richard, and Elizabeth Peters The Murders of Richard III. As far as I know, historians still believe in the villainous uncle painted by the Tudors who they claim killed his young nephews whose throne he supposedly usurped. Goodness knows that when I took English History at Columbia University, my British professor was scornful Richard could be seen otherwise. But if you can keep an open mind, well, it's certainly impossible I think not to fall in love with Penman's Richard, who we meet as a boy of seven. Penman writes a beguiling, well-researched historical tapestry that I found engrossing and moving. I'm a fan of her writing in general. Not just in this novel, but her Here Be Dragons about medieval Wales are among my top favorite historical novels. Her characters feel both true to their time but fleshed out and real, and she gives their tragedies an excruciating poignancy.I also like that she ends her novels with Author's Notes that untangle the history from the fiction and explain her liberties with what is known, the accepted view of historians and her rationale. This book is obviously well-researched and thought out, whatever you might think of her controversial take. (And my friends out there who know I have a weakness for maligned characters? Well, I think the defenses of Richard III by authors like Tey, Jarman and Penman definitely gave me a soft spot for them and a willingness to look beyond appearances and suspect there might be more to history than what we find in textbooks--or college history classes.)
    • 5/5
      This was one of the best researched books I have ever read. (and set in my favorite time period so I might be a little biased) That being said, it was an AMAZING piece of literature. I knew how it was going to end but I still held out hope it might not be so, when I got down to the end it took me almost two weeks to read it because I didn't want it to end how it inevitably was going to. This should be recommended reading for anyone wanting to learn about RIchard III and the end of the Plantagenet line.
    • 5/5
      I did not want this book to end! This was a fantastic historical fiction where everything was done right - not too many extraneous "made-up" characters, very well researched, full of drama and intrigue. You don't really need to make-up things to make the British royals any more interesting than they are and I'm pleased that Penman didn't go down that road. The story focuses on Richard III, but begins during the War of the Roses. It then follows him through his brother King Edward's reign, finishing with Penman's take on the princes in the tower. The story is extremely kind to Richard, painting him as a very likable and pitiable character. This ain't your Shakespeare's Richard III. I highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in historical fiction - and since Penman was so well-researched and used those facts in her story, you might even learn a thing or two.
    • 5/5
      Excellent research and story!!!
    • 5/5
      Fascinating novel of the Houses of York, Lancaster and Neville in the Wars of the Roses (England). The sort of book that once you begin reading you 'can't put down'.
    • 4/5
      Again, Sharon Kay Penman made history come alive for me. Although this book is 936 pages (yes, I know, wow!) and it took me three weeks to finish it, I did enjoy it. Penman takes the historical renderings about King Richard III and dissects it engagingly to present a completely different (and seemingly much more accurate) picture of the man and the King. Though Richard III was reviled as a bitter, twisted, scheming hunchback who murdered his nephews to gain the crown of England, Penman disputes that with detailed historical research and compelling logic.I liked the man as described in this book, and wonder how anyone lived through that period in time, especially a man with moral fiber. It was filled with love, loss, betrayal and suffering - no matter if you were King or common man.I did feel that some of the battle scenes went on a little too long, making the book one that takes a lot of time to read. Unless you have a LOT of free time, plan on setting aside weeks to read this. It IS worth it, though, if you're a fan of historical novels. Penman's research with each of her books is amazing.
    • 5/5
      This is a fantastic piece of work and a must read for anyone who is a fan of historical fiction. Sharon Kay Penman is a master of the genre. I was entertained from the beginning of page one right up to the end of page ninehundred and thirty six. This is book contains something for everyone and should be a part of any book collectors library.
    • 5/5
      I can't believe this was Penman's first book. Obviously she chose the right career path. I think English history fans are split in the middle on the Richard III issue. Either he's the evil nephew-killing usurper or the loyal Yorkist saint. I lean toward the latter, though I don't believe he could do no wrong. I also don't think Elizabeth Woodville was the ultimate evil, though she doesn't make me feel warm inside either. Penman obviously saw the brighter side of Richard III without leaving out his flaws; and although the book title refers to Edward IV, his brother is the focus. I was really drawn into the world of the last Plantagenets, for the first time actually. I sort of glossed over this period for the most part. Now I want to read everything I can find on the Wars of the Roses and the pre-Tudor period. I believe I've had a surfeit of Tudors for now - but I also get now why Henry VII and Henry VIII were a bit paranoid about their still living Plantagenet relatives. Though I kind of felt dread toward the end of the book, knowing "Dickon" was doomed, I did enjoy the journey.
    • 5/5
      This was a wonderfully detailed story of Richard III and Edward IV and a good place to start if you want to read fiction about the war of the roses. This was not an easy read for me as I usually devour books, even a lengthy novel such as this one. I found that I could only get through 30 to 50 pages a night as I have to go back and think about what I read and take in the details of the story as I went along. That being said this was one of the best books I have read and I very highly recommend it.
    • 5/5
      The most impressive thing about The Sunne in Splendour is the elegance with which Sharon Kay Penman puts the story together. Her scope is huge, extending from Richard as an adventurous seven year old through the end of his life, and she includes practically every historical character and event surrounding his life. Plus as a historian, she's rather like a salmon swimming upstream against the history which has been written (even fabricated) about Richard.He is such a controversial figure, and Penman admits as much in her Afterword when she writes about her sources and the difficulty of piecing together history five hundred years after the fact, and with mostly historical documents written from a nasty and biased Tudor victory. History can be so readily manipulated and taken out of context, so for Penman to both work with her sources honestly and create an incredibly readable novel out of them is no mean feat.The figure of Richard which emerges in the Sunne in Splendour is admirable and human - not the corrupt hell-spawn that many readers know from Shakespeare's portrayal of the king. He is a noble if sometimes reluctant leader, and it is interesting to follow him through history (as it were) and see how the narrative becomes an apologetic for his actions. The princes in the tower, the death of Anne, his relationship with Bess - always his intentions are good, and the book makes clear that perhaps we shouldn't write off Richard as a psychopathic scoundrel but a rather more human and maligned historical figure than we typically consider him to be.
    • 5/5
      ** SPOILERS ** (But then, this is a fictional retelling of real historical events, so is a spoiler warning even necessary? In any case, you've been warned.)The Sunne in Splendour, by Sharon Kay Penman, follows the life of England's King Richard III. Penman painstakingly recreates the courts and customs of 15th century England, and the final years of the War of the Roses - the years before the Tudors claimed the throne. We follow Richard's life from the time he is a young boy until his death at Bosworth Field, ending Plantagenet rule.Penman masterfully recreates Richard's world. I'm not a historian - far from it - but from what I understand, Penman's scholarship is excellent. The story is always exciting, and Penman keeps the reader's interest high throughout the book. I think what she does best, though, is characterization. Each character comes alive in The Sunne in Splendour. Richard is extremely loyal to his brother, deeply in love with his wife, and has a strict moral sense - almost too strict. He is also too trusting of others, unwilling or unable to see what betrayal may lie ahead. Edward IV - Ned - is a larger-than-life character: handsome, brave, able to read people, politically astute, but in the end brought down by his excessive lifestyle. Richard's wife, Anne, is frail, devoted, intelligent, while Edward's wife, Elizabeth, is a beautiful viper, always scheming to ensure her family's position. Additionally, all of the other characters - and there are probably hundreds - are well-drawn and individual; Penman has taken the time to make each one come alive.As the book came to an end, I found myself wishing that I didn't know what was going to happen. Penman does an excellent job of keeping the reader's interest high throughout the book, but as I got within the last 150 pages or so, I started reading slower and slower. However, I think in some ways Penman anticipates this. Once Richard had lost his son and his wife, the other characters in the book start worrying about whether he has the will to go on. I found that the story almost takes on the cast of a Shakespearean drama. Richard's "fatal flaws" begin to drive him - and the story - and each event seems to have the feeling of inevitability. I'm not sure if this is intentional: Is Penman is trying to counter Shakespeare's King Richard III in any way, or are the events that happen just so overwhelmingly tragic (in the traditional dramatic sense of the word) that any retelling will seem like, well, a Grand Tragedy?This is an excellent book. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      From start to finish (and at 886 pages including author notes etc there was quite a way to go!) this was interesting and fascinating with a wide variety of captivating characters. As the story unfolded, telling the lives of King Edward IV and King Richard III, I cared more and more about the main people involved.At one point, I had to go and look up EXACTLY when and who this tale was talking about, as the Richard Penman painted was NOT the Richard I had heard about, albeit just by vague notions (killed the Princes in the Tower, was a bad leader, was killed in battle and succeeded by Henry Tudor). The Richard in this story has plenty wrong with him, but he also has a lot right, and the theory that Penman espouses for the disappearance of the Princes indeed was persuasive, especially considering the repercussions.It was also enthralling to see various people in their youths, especially Elizabeth who would become mother of Henry VIII.
    • 5/5
      This was my first Penman book, and it made me a true fan. I have since read everything she has written and look forward to each new book. The Sunne in Splendour revolves around the War of Roses and thebeginning of the House of Tudor. Penman's ability to draw realistic characters and place them into a well known story is what makes her such a great story teller. This book portrays Richard in a much kinder light than most post-Tudor histories. It led me to look into the history of Richard to see if he was really the terrible villain he has come down to us as.
    • 5/5
      This is Sharon Penman's first novel, and over the course of 900 pages she deals with the life and times of Richard of Gloucester, the man who was to become Richard III of England. History has not dealt kindly with Richard - Tudor propaganda has dealt him a cruel blow by making him out to be a deformed and evil man who was able to put his nephews to death and contemplate bedding his niece while his beloved wife lay close to death.In this story, we follow the fortunes of the Yorkists from Richard's early life when Edward moved to claim the throne from Harry of Lancaster. Richard is written to be an intensely loyal and clever man, beloved by his elder brother and honoured by many positions of authority. It is easy to develop a strong sympathy for the character of Richard, which lends understanding to why he would then claim the throne after his brother's death.The book looks at the events of the time through many character's eyes - including Francis Lovell, Richard's friend from childhood; Anne, destined to become Richard's cherished wife; and Bess, the first-born daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Woodville.The strongest element of Penman's writing is her ability to draw vivid and realistic characters. From the pleasure-seeking Edward to his ambitious and conniving queen; from the dignified Cecily who watched four sons be buried to the arrogant and self-seeking Buckingham. None of the characters can be assigned a 'good' or 'bad' tag - all have very believable motives assigned to them, and you end up feeling huge empathy for why they might act the way they do.Although the book is a lengthy tome, I read it in under a week, drawn into a world where Richard is allowed to take his place as a man who cared deeply about his family and as a king who took the throne reluctantly. The last few hundred pages were heartbreaking as Buckingham sought to claim the crown for himself, and Richard was forced to experience the death of his nephews at someone else's command, then the illness and death of both his son and wife. When he eventually took to battle at Bosworth Field, he treated it as a trial by combat to be judged by God. I think this is a stunning achievement, a book that should be read time and again. It was absorbing and extremely poignant - especially knowing the outcome prior to beginning the story.
    • 5/5
      Okay Ms. Penman, I’m sure you’re not reading this but, just in case you are, may I say that you rock.“The Sunne in Splendor” is an historical novel of over 900 pages, spanning nearly the entire life of England’s Richard III, and it held my rapt attention for the entire book. In fact, I picked it up because I wanted to alternate something with more of a narrative with another book I was reading. It did not alternate well, because I basically dropped the other (quite good as well) book until I was completely done with “The Sunne in Splendor.”Besides focusing on Richard III, “The Sunne in Splendor” tells the story of the War of the Roses, although primarily from the Yorkist perspective. From St. Albans to Bosworth Field, we are privy to the entire scope of this conflict, gaining along the way information about its origin.Perhaps the most impressive thing about the successfully ambitious “The Sunne in Splendor” is that it was Penman’s first novel, written over 25 years ago. It has amazing depth both of information and of character for a first published novel.Sad thing about “The Sunne in Splendor.” I was unable to put it down, particularly near the end, and I carried it into a restaurant my husband and I were in on a trip last weekend. After finishing the book, I set it down next to him on the windowsill to actually eat the food the waiter had brought to our table. Thirty or so minutes into our 45 minute drive back to where we were staying, we both realized that I had left the book on the table (thank goodness I had finished it!). It was a used copy anyway, but I would have liked to keep it. I guess it is time to add it to my BookMooch list and hope to obtain another copy.Anyway, loved “The Sunne in Splendor” and Ms. Penman is now 2 for 2 with me (”The Devil’s Brood” was also fantastic), so I will be actively seeking out basically everything else she’s ever written.
    • 5/5
      Sharon Kay Penman makes history come alive with her deft writing based on solid historical research. One of her best.
    • 3/5
      Historical stuff isn't usually what I go for, but this book was actually pretty enjoyable -- it was an interesting (and well-researched, mostly true) account of the rise and fall of Richard III, not dry and confusing like it could've been. Not only was it a good read and a somewhat educational one as well, but it gets bonus points for being long (without being tedious) -- I read fast, so the length was good for me, 'cause I felt like I got my money's worth.
    • 5/5
      The Sunne in Splendour tells the complicated story of Richard III, the last of the Plantagenet Kings. Younger brother of Edward IV, Richard would never have become king if not for a series of political maneuverings on his part. History (and Shakespeare) have made Richard out to be an evil, greedy hunchback; Sharon Kay Penman tells the story of a man who was fiercely loyal to the people he loved and who was reluctant to take the throne. Richard had his faults, to be sure; but in this novel, he comes off as extremely sympathetic.Penman has a writing style that literally had me hooked from the first sentence. A trite cliché, I know, but I was definitely drawn in from the first page. I knew in advance of reading the story what the outcome would be, but still I kept on reading to see what would happen. The novel is fiction based on fact that sometimes seems like fiction.The characters are well drawn; and while the book is ostensibly about Richard, we get to see the story as seen through the eyes of others, which I thought was well done. Penman has a knack of really getting into her characters, no matter what the time period or where they come from, which is nothing short of genius. The author even gives a thoroughly believable explanation for Richard’s behavior with regard to his nephews, the Princes in the Tower, which was quite satisfying. And although the book is over 900 pages long, it only took me about a week to read; I was disappointed when I reached the last page. I can’t believe that, with my interest in historical fiction, it’s taken me this long to discover Sharon Kay Penman’s works.
    • 4/5
      This historical novel covers the War of the Roses and its main character is Richard III. Unlike the Shakespearean Richard, this one is a very likable, smart, sensitive, loyal man. To my shame I am not acquainted with the Shakespearean version so can't compare on this ground. However, as a novel this one is a wonderful read. It is very long -- over 900 pages, but hard to put down. I read a lot of historical fiction as much for historical information as for the fiction itself, and often the novels are entertaining but no more. This one is above the fold. It is beautifully written and the characters are so alive they almost jump off the pages. I would compare it to War and Peace in breadth and depth minus the never-ending digressions by Tolstoy on the philosophy of history. To conclude: fun read, keeps you at the edge of your seat and deep too.
    • 5/5
      It is easy to understand why this book is considered one of the best historical novels - recognized by critics, other historical novelists, and many readers of historical fiction.Set during the last half of the 15th century, it covers the reign of Edward IV, his grasping queen Elizabeth Woodville, and the loyal service and development of his younger brother, Richard of Gloucester.Mostly the novel is about Richard, his beloved wife Anne Neville, his brief reign as King Richard III, culminating with Richard's defeat and death at Bosworth Field, the final battle of the War of the Roses, by Henry Tudor.The novel portrays a worthy Richard, not the hunchbacked, murderer of the little Princes, propaganda created by Henry Tudor which led to Shakespeare's depiction.
    • 5/5
      This book brings the medievil period to life very well,it uses facts from history and portrays them in a believable and entertaining manner if I were not a richard iii fan before I would be after reading this book.OVERALL GREAT
    • 5/5
      This is one of my favorite Historical Fiction as well as Sharon Kay Penman offering. There is something timeless and intriguing about Richard III
    • 5/5
      One of the best medieval historical novels I've ever read by one of the best, most erudite historical novelists around today. Desert-island good.
    • 4/5
      The novel takes place in the time of Richard III. 936 pp. Very good.