History… the interesting bits!

England, August 1485.
For almost thirty years, the Elder family has been ravaged by the feud between York and Lancaster. Now exiled John Elder, yearning for an end to the Elders’ troubles, throws his support behind a young, untried pretender, Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond.
Henry’s tiny invasion force looks certain to be heavily outnumbered by the massive host that Richard III has summoned. But nothing is certain for some of King Richard’s subjects are wondering if the dire rumours they have heard about him are true.
Since one of Richard’s most powerful nobles, Lord Thomas Stanley is also Henry’s stepfather the king takes Stanley’s son hostage. If Stanley deserts him, the king must rely upon the vast army of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, but the earl has long resented Richard’s power in the north.
King Richard’s chief councillor, Sir William Catesby, keen to protect his king decides to crush the dangerous Elder brood once and for all. So, one by one John’s kinfolk are captured and imprisoned.
On a marshy plain not far from Market Bosworth the fate of the Elders and the kingdom of England will finally be settled.

Well this is bitter-sweet. The final instalment of Derek Birks‘ magnificent Wars of the Roses series is finally here. Nine books have followed 2 generations of the Elder family as they negotiated the highs and lows of one of the most protracted and violent conflicts in English history. And with Crown of Fear not only do we come to the culmination of the series, but to the culmination of the wars themselves, with the Battle of Bosworth and the campaign to put Henry VII on the throne.

The fact the author is not averse to killing off a leading character, or a readers’ favourite, means the reader is constantly on tenterhooks, not knowing what is going to happen. This adds to the tension in the story as you really do not know who is going to survive. It also gives a level of authenticity you do not find in many books; no one during the Wars of the Roses knew whether or not the battle they were fighting was going to be their last. Skill in battle could only get you so far; you also needed a heavy dose of luck. And rank was no protection – look at Richard III at Bosworth! Derek Birks manages to get this fact over to the reader perfectly!

The fictional Elder family have fit neatly into the actual history of the 15th century, acting as witnesses and participants of the great events, and explaining the divided loyalties and constantly moving lines that are drawn during a civil war. The family acts as a wonderful foil to the political leaders of the times, on both sides of the political divide, thus allowing the reader to see all aspects of the Wars of the Roses, from both sides of the battlefield. Crown of Fear also demonstrates that not all battles are fought in open fields, between two armies, but also in the family dynamic, in the corridors of power and in the murky world of espionage, where the rules hold no sway and the boundaries are constantly changing.

“Where are they, Mary?” groaned Eleanor Elder. “Four days! Hal promised me he would be back in four days.”

“I think what Hal said, my lady was that, with luck they’d be back in four days.” said her servant, Mary Ford in a vain attempt to soothe Eleanor’s ragged nerves.

“Luck?” grumbled Eleanor. “The only fortune this family knows is ill fortune.”

“Then … just have a little faith in my Hal, lady,” urged Mary.

“For the love of Christ, Mary, how can you ask me that?” snarled Eleanor. “I put my faith in ‘your’Hal long before you ever set eyes on him! Aye, and sometimes Hal was all that kept me alive. No, I would never doubt your man but I just know that, whenever my nephew John’s involved blood starts to flow like water – and sometimes a great black torrent of it.”

Mary’s lined face creased into a familiar grimace. “Aye well, there are some folk, lady, who might say the same about you!”

Eleanor stood still for a moment, contemplating Mary’s barbed response which was, as ever, not only pithy but disturbingly accurate. Mary might carry out the duties of a servant but she was infinitely more than that to Eleanor. Since the two first met in a wild, rain-sodden Yorkshire dale, Mary had been her constant shadow. When Eleanor was reckless, Mary advised caution; when others deserted her, Mary remained loyal. And, if Eleanor was abusive or ungrateful, Mary responded in kind. She had seen Eleanor Elder at her worst and had come back for more.

“I told John I wanted no part in this … this torment,” cried Eleanor. “I’m just … weary of it.”

Crown of Fear is beautifully written and meticulously researched. The author was once a history teacher, and you can tell that he knows his stuff! From the armour and weapons used, to battle tactics and distances travelled, Derek Birks’ historical knowledge and research add to the authenticity of this impressive novel. As ever, the fight scenes, including the Battle of Bosworth itself, are perfectly choreographed, frenetic and urgent in their action. You only realise you’ve been holding your breath throughout once the fight is over!

With Crown of Fear Derek Birks ably demonstrates that he has become a skillful storyteller by keeping the reader enthralled from the first page to the last. He has dedicated a great deal of time and words to the story of the Elder family and this dedication has paid off in that the reader themselves become totally in vested in the characters, particularly in the unlikely heroine, Eleanor Elder. Poor Eleanor has not had the best of lives, and never comes out of any book unscathed. She has lost loves, family and blood for the Elder cause. And she has become a firm favourite with the fans of the Elder family. My trepidation in reading Crown of Fear was irretrievably linked with my fear for Eleanor’s survival. I won’t tell you what happens to her – you need to read the book yourself. But needless to say, with everything going on in the book, my first concern was for what poor Eleanor would have to endure.

So, what did I think of Crown of Fear? I loved it. I read it in 3 days over the Christmas break, eager to get to the end and find out what happened to Eleanor Elder and the rest of her family (I’m still not telling though). It was as exciting an experience as I had reading Feud so many years ago – and it is a fitting end to what has been a fabulous series. I am bereft, because I know there will be no more. But what an experience it has been. I will never look at the Wars of the Roses in the same way again. If you have not read the series, I really do recommend that you do. You are in for a treat. And if,, like me, you have been ardently following the Elder family since the beginning – you are gonna love it!

Crown of Fear is now available from Amazon.

About the author:

Derek was born in Hampshire in England but spent his teenage years in Auckland, New Zealand, where he still has strong family ties. On his return to England, he read history at Reading University and for many years he taught history in a secondary school. Whilst he enjoyed his teaching career and it paid the bills, he found a creative outlet in theatrical activities, stage-managing many plays and outdoor Shakespeare performances. Derek always wanted to write and began, aged 17, writing stories, songs and poetry – in fact virtually anything. Inevitably, work and family life took precedence for a long period of time but in 2010 Derek took early retirement to indulge his passion for history and concentrate on his writing. He is interested in a wide range of historical themes but his particular favourite is the late medieval period.

Derek writes action-packed fiction which is rooted in accurate history. He also produces podcasts on the Wars of the Roses for those interested in the real historical background to his books. Check them out on his website at: https://www.derekbirks.com/history-podcasts/

His historical fiction works include:

The Wars of the Roses – a 9-book series set during the fifteenth century, which follows a fictional family, the Elders, through their struggle to survive the Wars of the Roses from 1459 to 1485. The final book in the series, Crown of Fear is out on December 22nd.

Derek has recently embarked upon a new Post-Roman series and books 1-3 are out now: The Last of the Romans; Britannia: World’s End; and Land of Fire.

Apart from his writing, he enjoys travelling – sometimes, but not always, to carry out research for his books. He also spends his time walking, swimming and taking part in archaeological digs. He was a regular presence at the Harrogate History Festival, is an active member of the Historical Novel Society and you will also find him each summer talking to readers, signing books – and selling them – at the Chalke Valley History Festival outside Salisbury in Wiltshire.

Derek welcomes feedback from readers and you can order signed paperbacks from his website.

Feel free to get in touch with him at: http://www.derekbirks.com or follow him on twitter: https://twitter.com/Feud_writer or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derek.birks.14

My Books

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available, please get in touch by completing the contact me form.

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, of the successes and failures of one of the most powerful families in England, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey is now available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, Bookshop.org and Book Depository.

1 family. 8 earls. 300 years of English history!

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword,  Amazon, Bookshop.org and from Book Depository worldwide.

Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, Bookshop.org and Book Depository.

Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066.  Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, Bookshop.org and Book Depository.

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©2021 Sharon Bennett Connolly