ZoesArtCraftandLife: Welcoming Tony Riches and his book - Drake - Tudor Corsair (The Elizabethan Series Book 1)

Today I'm welcoming Tony Riches and his book - Drake - Tudor Corsair (The Elizabethan Series Book 1) - to my blog as part of the blog tour hosted by The Coffee Pot Book Club (founded by Mary Anne Yarde).

I'm delighted to be able to share a review with you, but first I'll introduce the book.

Drake - Tudor Corsair by Tony Riches

1564

Devon sailor Francis Drake sets out on a journey of adventure.

Drake learns of routes used to transport Spanish silver and gold, and risks his life in an audacious plan to steal a fortune.

Queen Elizabeth is intrigued by Drake and secretly encourages his piracy. Her unlikely champion becomes a national hero, sailing around the world in the Golden Hind and attacking the Spanish fleet.

King Philip of Spain has enough of Drake’s plunder and orders an armada to threaten the future of England.

Publication date: 5^th August 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Preseli Press Ltd.

Print Length: 344 pages

You can purchase a copy of this book via the following links -

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08FCTYQF4

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FCTYQF

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08FCTYQF4

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08FCTYQF4

Now for the review -

Sir Francis Drake – daring sea captain, defender of the realm, brave explorer and a favourite of the Queen. Drake is one of those historical figures that often appear in other people's stories, but I have never seen a historical fiction novel that was told from his perspective. When I discovered that he was the protagonist in Tony Riches new book, how could I possibly resist?

This novel starts at the very beginning of Sir Francis' sea fairing adventures. His humble beginnings are a stark contrast to the glittering jewels of the Elizabethan court, and his rise from nobody to one of the Queen's favourites is fascinating. Despite his achievements and being knighted by the Queen, Sir Francis is never quite one of them, and he is looked down upon by men who think they are his betters. The novel ends with the death of Sir Francis, and I must admit I shed a tear for this rather loveable scoundrel.

The historical detailing of this book is staggering, and the author's knowledge of not only Sir Francis’ illustrious career, but also the inner workings of the great Man-Of-War ships is evident in every page. I thought Mr Riches really captured the essence of what it must have been like to be a sailor during this time. Likewise, the various nations, and the people that lived there were also wonderfully well-drawn. The excitement, fear, and the desperate desire to make each venture profitable makes this book unputdownable.

Likewise, the tenuous relationship between the English and the Spanish is played out with remarkable accuracy. The idea that the English fought the Spanish until they agreed to buy their slaves was very telling of the time this book is set in! The back and forth between the English and the Spanish as they tried to steal each other's gold also made for some, at times shocking, but mostly very entertaining reading.

There are many characters in this book, most of which are drawn from real historical figures. I thought Mr Riches portrayal of Queen Elizabeth was marvellous, but even the Virgin Queen could not eclipse the hero of this story.

If you enjoy Tudor fiction, then you are definitely going to love this book. I cannot wait to get my hands on Book 2 and discover which historical person Mr Riches is going to write about next!

Tony Riches

Tony Riches is a full-time UK author of best-selling historical fiction. He lives in Pembrokeshire, West Wales and is a specialist in the history of the Wars of the Roses and the lives of the early Tudors. Tony’s other published historical fiction novels include: Owen – Book One Of The Tudor Trilogy, Jasper – Book Two Of The Tudor Trilogy, Henry – Book Three Of The Tudor Trilogy, Mary – Tudor Princess, Brandon – Tudor Knight and The Secret Diary Of Eleanor Cobham.

You can connect with Tony Riches via the following -

Website: https://www.tonyriches.com

Writing blog: https://tonyriches.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonyriches

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyriches.author

Podcasts: https://tonyriches.podbean.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5604088.Tony_Riches

You can follow Tony and his book - Drake - Tudor Corsair - on the blog tour. Dates and blogs detailed here -