Introduction

Richard III. A man. A king. A legend.

He ruled England for only two years, but the legacy of Richard III remains both fascinating and divisive.

From his childhood in the intensely loyal and close-knit York family to his rise as a thoughtful but troubled ruler, This Son of York is a passionate and deeply personal account of the life of Richard III. A man who loved his family and his country. A king who struggled to overcome the challenges not only of a turbulent time but his own human frailties. A legend whose true life is only now coming to light.

Inspired by the discovery of Richard III's grave and its revelations, award-winning author Anne Easter Smith brings together her decades of intense research, five celebrated novels on the Wars of the Roses, and her sustained passion for Richard III in this culminating book on the last Plantagenet king.

“Anne Easter Smith has brought to life like no one else the most fascinating figures of the York dynasty of England, and now, in this long-awaited novel, she writes the definitive story of Richard III. Deeply researched, the book bursts with action but even more importantly we are given passages of real feeling between human beings we think we may know but perhaps never completely understood until this book. It is a moving, insightful, and engrossing depiction of the controversial king.” Nancy Bilyeau, best-selling author of “The Blue”

"A wonderfully realized life of tragic, doomed Richard. The author uses the latest discoveries and old texts to fully explore the complicated ‘crouchback’, and give us a fine portrait of the lover and the warrior, a noble, flawed and heroic king and man.” C. C. Humphreys, author of “Vlad: The Last Confession”

“Anne Easter Smith has written five well-regarded novels set in the War of the Roses, but the one she has been preparing to write, both in her imagination and after fifty years of research, is this novel about Richard III. Her mission was to bring Richard Plantagenet the man to life and let him speak directly to us in this meticulously rendered novel.” Margaret George, International best-selling author of “Elizabeth I” and “The Confessions of Young Nero”

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Excerpt

Summer 1459
Runt.
When was the first time Richard became aware the unsavory word was being used to describe him? Possibly as early as age seven, and it was then he began to understand he would have to fight for his place in his illustrious family and indeed the world. Far too young, in truth. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1.How did the book change your opinion (or not) of Richard III, one of Shakespeare’s obvious villains?
2.Discuss how Richard’s place in his 15th century family affected his character and led to his actions up until he was faced with securing the Young Edward at Stony Stratford. Do you think his motives were honorable and in keeping with his character?
3.Richard experienced many betrayals in his short life. Which do you think was the greatest?
4.What do you think happened to the princes in the Tower, if you disagree with Anne’s theory?

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