Ravenspur: Rise of the Tudors

The messiest period of medieval English history comes to a relatively tidy finale in Iggulden's wrap-up of the "Wars of the Roses" quartet (after Stormbird; Trinity; Bloodline). The author takes the internecine royalist feud from the restoration of the debilitated Henry VI to the surprise victory of Henry VII. In between, Edward IV replaces Henry VI for a second time, then succumbs to indulgence, allowing his twisted brother Richard to ascend the throne. The princes in the Tower are "disappeared," so the opposition turns to a distant male heir to be its standard bearer. The female consorts do not bear on the plot as much this time, as they're eclipsed by the charisma of Edward York and the Shakespearean cunning of his sibling. Treacherous sailings, forced marches, and sword-swinging galore run through this energetic retelling. A map and some genealogical tables help tell the players and places apart.