The Demon's Brood

by Desmond Seward

Overview

The Plantagenets reigned over England longer than any other family—from Henry II to Richard III. Four kings were murdered, two came close to being deposed, and the last—and most notorious, Richard III— was killed in a battle by rebels. Shakespeare wrote plays about six of them, further entrenching them in the national myth.Based on major contemporary sources and recent research, acclaimed historian Desmond Seward provides the first readable overview of the whole extraordinary dynasty, in one volume.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781605987064
Publisher:	Pegasus Books
Publication date:	09/15/2014
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	400
File size:	6 MB

About the Author

Desmond Seward was born in Paris and educated at Cambridge. He is the author of many books, including The Hundred Years War; The Wars of the Roses; Eleanor of Aquitaine; Caravagio; and The Plantagenets. He lives in England.

Editorial Reviews

09/01/2014
The Plantagenet dynasty, a union of several European familial houses, retained a grip on the British throne for more than three centuries despite constant wars (including the Hundred Years' War and the Scottish Wars of Independence), upheavals amongst local vassals, and the rulers' own personal flaws. By Seward's (A Brief History of the Hundred Years War) own admission, this title is specifically aimed at the nonspecialist, packing the Plantagenets' 300-year history into a tidy volume that briefly touches upon the highs and lows of the dynasty's 14 rulers. The result is a history that provides a fairly vivid overall picture of the kings themselves, yet the cost of omitting much of the in-depth details of their reigns means that most information is more akin to light sketches than scholarly narratives. VERDICT As in his previous works, Seward has a tendency to present his viewpoint on historical figures (or the viewpoint of his particular sources) as irrevocable fact. However, the breadth of history covered and the author's succinct style will likely make this a satisfactory choice for casual readers seeking a full but accessible history of this dynasty.—Kathleen McCallister, Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia

Library Journal

It is hard to imagine a historian more in command of his subject. The result is history as compelling as any novel.

The Independent (on 'The First Bourbon')

Seward reminds us of a style that has been all but lost in this thundering account of the Plantagenet family.

Philippa Gregory

The Tudors are popular these days, but the Plantagenets are gaining ground, as seen in the increasing number of books, movies, and television series based on the royal family that ruled England longer than any other of the sceptred isle's other dynasties. This is popular history at its most buoyant and informative.

Booklist (starred review)

Seward’s accomplishment is a history trustworthy both to entertain and to instruct. The most impressive aspect of the book is the way it wears its scholarship openly without thereby encumbering its popular style.

Open Letters Monthly

The Last White Rose is history as it should be written: without hindsight or embellishment, but with erudition and a sense of immediacy that makes it a gripping and original read.

Jessie Childs

An entertaining and valuable exploration of the early Tudor period.

The Literary Review ('The Last White Rose')

This is a splendidly and vividly written book.

The Evening Standard (on 'A Brief History of the War of the Roses')

Gripping and enthralling. No writer of fiction, however imaginative, could dream up more spellbinding plots than what actually happened, so skillfully recounted here.

Robert Hutchinson