The King's Pleasure: A Novel of Henry VIII

Alison Weir

May 2023 · Sold by Ballantine Books

About this ebook

The New York Times bestselling author of the Six Tudor Queens series explores the private side of the legendary king Henry VIII and his dramatic and brutal reign in this extraordinary historical novel.

“A delightful yarn . . . an all-around fun read about a king and a cad.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Having completed her Six Tudor Queens series of novels on the wives of Henry VIII, extensively researched and written from each queen's point of view, Alison Weir now gives Henry himself a voice, telling the story of his remarkable thirty-six-year reign and his six marriages.

Young Henry began his rule as a magnificent and chivalrous Renaissance prince who embodied every virtue. He had all the qualities to make a triumph of his kingship, yet we remember only the violence. Henry famously broke with the pope, founding the Church of England and launching a religious revolution that divided his kingdom. He beheaded two of his wives and cast aside two others. He died a suspicious, obese, disease-riddled tyrant, old before his time. His reign is remembered as one of dangerous intrigue and bloodshed—and yet the truth is far more complex.

The King's Pleasure brings to life the idealistic monarch who expanded Parliament, founded the Royal Navy, modernized medical training, composed music and poetry, and patronized the arts. A passionate man in search of true love, he was stymied by the imperative to produce a male heir, as much a victim of circumstance as his unhappy wives. Had fate been kinder to him, the history of England would have been very different.

Here is the story of the private man. To his contemporaries, he was a great king, a legend in his own lifetime. And he left an extraordinary legacy—a modern Britain.

Ratings and reviews

THE KING'S PLEASURE covers the life of the ever-notorious English King, Henry VIII by the well-respected historian, Alison Weir. It reminded me a bit of author Margaret George’s 1986 book, THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF HENRY VIII. They’re both long, they both look at unfolding events from Henry’s perspective, and both try to offer some insights into the man behind the reputation. I gave this one four stars on Goodreads but 3.5 might be more accurate.

This novelization of Henry VIII is thorough in recounting well-known events. The only thing that's surprising is how passive Henry is, how easily led by the people around him. There's little character growth—he starts out a selfish child and ends up a selfish child. While engaging and readable, the novel doesn't delve deeply into the complex psychology of a man slowly becoming a monster. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

About the author

Alison Weir is the New York Times bestselling author of The Last White Rose and the novels in the Six Tudor Queens series: Katharine Parr, The Sixth Wife; Katheryn Howard, The Scandalous Queen; Anna of Kleve, The Princess in the Portrait; Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen; Anne Boleyn, A King's Obsession; and Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen, as well as numerous earlier novels. She has also written historical biographies that include Queens of the Age of Chivalry; Queens of the Crusades; Queens of the Conquest; The Lost Tudor Princess, and Elizabeth of York. She lives in Surrey, England.