BOOK REVIEW: "The Dreams Of Kings" by David Saunders

In the year 1464, the Kingdom is engulfed by civil war as the renowned houses of Lancaster and York fight to the death for the crown of England. 
Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the future ‘Richard III’, arrives, aged twelve, for the safety of Middleham Castle to begin his training for knighthood. His new companions discover he can change from kindness to cold rage within the wink of an eye. Men, it was said, watched him with wary eyes, for they knew when the young pup found his teeth, he would make a dangerous enemy. 
Far in the north, Margaret of Anjou, warrior Queen to Henry VI, prepares to fight against the advancing armies of Edward IV. Why does she abandon her husband, and flee to France vowing never to return? Who blackmails her, seven years later, to join forces with her most hated enemy, to return and fight once again for the crown of England? 
King Edward IV, tall, handsome, and clever, is a brilliant warrior, whose Achilles' heel is women ‒ he loves them all. What dark forces drive him into a secret marriage that rips his kingdom apart? He is forced to fight Louis XI of France, and the mighty Earl of Warwick, not only for his crown but also his life. 
From the courts of Edward IV, Louis XI, and Margaret of Anjou, comes intrigue, betrayal, witchcraft, and love. The Dreams of Kings weaves plots and characters together to make a roller-coaster read of the period they call the ‘WAR of the ROSES’. 

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I have always loved this era of England and France. I recently read a book about Richard III, and have always known a little about the War of Roses (funny, my school didn't teach me much about it). Of course, everyone is getting into the olden days because of shows like Poldark, Outlander and the CW show Reign, and I think this book is perfect for fans of those types of shows.

As with any fact-to-fiction volume, things have been changed, but they are not glaring errors, rather they are modifications and embellishments to make this story work as fiction.

Some scenes were surprisingly violent, and I loved it. A good bloodbath is always a plus for me when I'm reading. Richard, as a child, is given the same eerie and dark description as some of the other children in horror fiction have. He is unsettling to read about, and for me, he was my favorite thing here. Murderous children are like bloodbaths: great enhancers to any stories.

This book is not for the faint of heart, as it contains violence and witchcraft, but it is a wonderful book, fun to read and definitely not what I expected when I was asked to review this.

I will definitely be rereading this!

4/5--dark and unique

Purchase The Dreams Of Kings via the author's official site.