Jean Plaidy, also known to her legion of devoted fans as Victoria Holt, has written an absorbing account of the reign of King John, a depraved, dissolute monarch whose tyranny was absolute.

Son of iron fisted King Henry II of England and his headstrong wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, John was their youngest son. When his older brother, King Richard the Lionhearted, died without an heir, there were two who laid claim to the crown of England: Richard's nephew, Arthur, who was the son of John's older, now deceased brother, Geoffrey, and Richard's youngest brother, John.

Arthur had not been brought up in England. He had, instead, been raised as a Breton and was foreign to English ways. Moreover, he was a mere pubescent child of thirteen. Fearing that the people of England would not flock to Arthur's banner and thinking John to have precedence over his older brother's son for purposes of succession, William Marshal, the most respected knight in England, gave John's cause his support, and where William Marshal would lead, others would follow. Thus, John was crowned King, a black day in English history.

John would turn out to be a cruel and evil tyrant, more given to indulging in debauchery than to securing the kingdom over which he reigned. Foolish and dissolute, he prefered to rape, pillage, torture, and murder than to apply himself to statesmanship and governance. Lascivious by nature, he abducted a beautiful twelve year old girl, Isabel of Angouleme, who was betrothed to another, and made her his child bride and queen. Together they would sport, while his kingdom fell apart.

As for Arthur, let's just say that the kid never even had a fighting chance. In the end, however, John, himself, and not Arthur, would be his own worst enemy. John would lose the great possessions for which his ancestors had fought, and, for a time, even England's fate was made precarious by John's failure to rule effectively.

The lurid details of King John's reign make for an absorbing and compelling work of historical fiction. The author seamlessly weaves historical events and persons into a tapestry replete with period detail that fully engages the reader. Devotees of historical fiction will certainly enjoy this novel, which is part of the author's fifteen book Plantagenet saga.

Holt studies Jamaica,from the emanicpation of the slaves to the labor problems faced by ex-slaves in the 1930s. But the narrow focus is misleading - really Holt writes about "the problem of freedom:" the tast of socializing ex-slaves into becoming productive laborers - the problem of convincing freedpeople that it's in their best interest to labor for tiny wages, for the profit of the wealthy. Another major focus is the inherent contradictions of classical liberalism - economic freedom does and always has required brutal and blatent inequalities in the political and social spheres.

Certainly not everyone will agree with Holt, but his argumentation and analysis are impeccable. If you believe that self-determination and free enterprise are practically the same thing - or if you think that capitalism and democracy are one and the same - you must read Holt's book.

The narration of this story is beautifully descriptive, especially the settings and internal dialogue. You can really imagine yourself being there and watching as this young boy learns the story of the ghost ("Catie") who appears when his family moves into her old house.

I have long been enamoured of the story of Queen Victoria, but this is one thing I had not known about until I began really reading about her! Plaidy writes a wonderfully flowing novel about the charming young Victoria - newly ascended to the throne of England - and her Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne. As if she doesn't have enough to deal with, the young Queen finds herself falling in love with her advisor, and the feelings are likely reciprocal. Once again, Plaidy does a marvellous job of bringing one of the lesser-investigated (or perhaps more covered-up!) stories of a past monarch. The book is a fast, engaging read, and not at all dry or filled with too many tedious, unneccessary facts about the story (as too many historical novels are!). For anyone wishing to know a little bit more about Queen Victoria or the history of England's monarchs -- this is a book (and author) I highly recommend.

Jean Plaidy, also known to her legion of fans as Victoria Holt, will delight her fans with this, the sixth book in her well-written, fifteen book Plantagenet saga. As are all her books in the popular Plantagenet series, it is replete with vividly drawn historical events and persons. The author weaves a stirring medieval tapestry, focusing on the wife of King Henry III of England, Eleanor of Provence.

Eleanor was one of the four beautiful, well-educated, and accomplished daughters of the impoverished Count of Provence. When the eldest, Marguerite, married King Louis IX of France, Eleanor soon followed with a king of her own, Henry III of England. The other two younger sisters later married into the royal houses of France and England. Sanchia married Richard of Cornwall, brother to Henry III, while Beatrice married Charles, the Count of Anjou, brother to Louis IX.

Eleanor, a headstrong, and imperious woman, won the heart of King Henry III, turning him into the most uxorious of husbands. A weak king, he was the most devoted of husbands, happiest when he could be with his Queen and their family. Eleanor, although a devoted mother to their children, led Henry by the nose, making insatiable demands upon the exchequer for money, jewels, luxurious clothing, and lavish gifts for her and her family from Provence. The besotted king was more than happy to grant his beloved wife's desires, even at great cost to his subjects, who despised this greedy Queen from Provence, known for her wild extravagance. She, in turn, would despise her subjects, treating them with contempt and seeing them only as a source of unlimited funds.

This, of course, eventually led to unrest throughout England, as well as a revolt led by Simon De Montfort, who was married to the sister to King Henry III. Simon de Montfort desired to form a parliament that would represent the people and ensure that laws would be passed that were just. He called for an end to the crippling taxation that was imposed upon the people of England in order to support the greedy and parasitic Provencal relations of the Queen, as well as the King's foreign born half-brothers and sisters. He also desired their ouster from positions of power and influence in England. He would eventually take King Henry III and his heir, Edward, as prisoners.

Edward, who would be known as Edward Longshanks because of his great height, was the handsome, beloved son of King Henry III and Queen Eleanor. He would escape his imprisonment and defeat Simon de Montfort and his forces, ensuring the return of control over England to his grateful father. Edward quelled the rebellion, showing himself to have none of his father's weaknesses. Though the English had despised King Henry III and his avaricious Queen, they were delighted with the heir to the throne, who would go on to rule England as King Edward I.

A superb novel, one of my favourite book I have ever read. Jean Plaidy is able to convert history into an interesting book which people can get absorbed in without a problem. Its an easy book to read with treachery, murder and romance. It has a wide range of vocabulary and I have learnt many new words from reading this book. I recommmend this book for anyone over 14 years old.

This is a spellbinding work of historical fiction. A continuation of the Start saga, Jean Plaidy weaves an absorbing account of the reign of Queen Anne. Rich with historical detail, it captures the imagination of the reader until the very last page is turned.

When King William died, his sister-in-law, Anne, became Queen of England. Anne, however, was easily manipulated by her childhood friend, Sarah Churchill, now the Duchess of Marlborough. Power hungry, Sarah had her own agenda, and she manipulated the Queen to her own advantage. Viewed as the power behind the throne, Sarah was courted by many who sought her favor or intercession with the Queen.

Sarah, however, was brash, insensitive to others, and overly confident, faults that were to cloud her judgment. She also forgot her position and presumed too much when speaking to the Queen. It was as if the roles were reversed. When she ensconced her poor relation, Abigail Hill, in a position in the Queen's household, Sarah never suspected that quiet, shy Abigail could destroy all for which Sarah had connived.

This is a wholly absorbing and enjoyable work of fiction, replete with plots, intrigues, and political machinations.

Too often, we tend to view historical figures as just that -- figures from the past, shadowy and vague, human but not really. Yes, they lived and died, and perhaps accomplished some things, but do we have anything in common with them? Too often, we don't realize we do. But in "The Queen's Husband," Jean Plaidy brings Queen Victoria to a lush, colourful, fiery swirl of life and being. Plaidy probes into the heart and mind of a young Victoria as she falls in love with her future husband, Albert, more every day (yes, I know, it's a cliche...give me a break!). This pair had an all-encompassing love for each other that dwarfs much of what we see today in films and yes, that thing we call real life. And Plaidy brings each emotion and feeling to the surface, so that readers cannot ignore the passion these two shared. This book is not only a fascinatingly accurate historical novel, but it can also serve as an example of what love should be between two people. If the Queen of a whole country could do it -- why not us?

Of all the books I had to read in college on literacy, this one is the most helpful and the only one I keep in my classroom as a reference. It clearly explains normal literacy development and disects the problems that arise. PRACTICAL strategies to help struggling readers and writers and abundant. It's not a quick read, but if you work with struggling readers and writers, you'll learn a lot from this book.

This eighth book in the "Queens of England" series by the author, a master storyteller also known to her legion of fans as Victoria Holt, focuses on the life of Lady Anne of York, daughter of the Earl of Warwick, who went on to become Queen of England as the wife of King Richard III. Her story, told in a first person narrative, is an absorbing work of historical fiction.

The War of Roses has ended and the great Earl of Warwick, the richest and most powerful lord in England, is known as the kingmaker for having ensured that the former Duke of York be crowned King Edward IV, after having deposed mad King Henry VI of the house of Lancaster. The Earl of Warwick's family, the Nevilles, are in positions of power. Then, the King marries Elizabeth Woodville, and it is the Woodvilles that are on the ascent and the Nevilles in decline. The Earl of Warwick, who had thought himself to be the power behind the throne, suddenly finds that he has supported a King who has every intention of being his own man. This is a notion that is anathema to Warwick, and he uses his two daughters, Isabel and Anne, as pawns in a dangerous game of political intrigue.

After her father's death in battle during a political falling out with King Edward IV, Anne goes on to marry the love of her life, the King's younger brother, Richard. Through her eyes the reader sees all the political intrigues of the day and the rise and fall of various personages, as the political winds shift. Despite all of the turbulence around her, Anne and Richard live many happy years in Northern England, far from the Court of King Edward IV.

When the King dies, her world radically changes. Richard, who was chosen to be Lord Protector of the Realm by his brother, chooses, instead, to declare his nephew, Edward V, illegitimate, and himself the King. What happens to his nephew, Edward V, as well as Edward's younger brother, remains a mystery to this day. Through Anne's eyes, we see her view her changing world with dismay and trepidation, as her husband changes into someone she barely recognizes, and she is thrust into a role for which she had no desire, that of Queen of England.

This is a wonderfully told work of historical fiction by a superlative storyteller. The reader need not have read the prior volumes in the series before reading this one. Each book in the series stands on its own. The entire series, however, is a must read for all those who enjoy well written, historical fiction.