Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I usually like Weir’s books. She has written a book on each of Henry’s wives. This book was sort of like a really long Cliff’s Notes version. I have read other books about Henry VIII and maybe I was a bit jaded going into this one. In my opinion, a book about him needs to be about 1,000 to 1,500 pages to do the subject justice. I felt like this book didn’t cover anything well enough. I do think, for a basic understanding, the book did its job, it just didn’t do it for me. This isn’t a definitive work on the subject but would be a good jumping off place to find out if you want to read more about this very larger than life monarch

This book was awesome! I have loved her previous series, so this was a great addition. I love how well researched these are, and the attention to detail.

I would recommend this book to anyone.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review . *

Every time I crack open a book by Alison Weir, I know that, with the exception of conversational accuracy, what I’m reading is as close to the accurate truth without overdramatised filler. As an historian, Weir keeps to the facts - I love historical fiction and accuracy of the historical aspect of that fiction is important to me and I very much appreciate Ms. Weir's books for this as well as that I find her stories about long ago royalty to be completely readable.

After reading the Tudor wives series and enjoying them (along with many of her other titles) I was really looking forward to this one after receiving an invitation to read it.

This one took me a while to get through - at 600+ pages a book of this length I generally prefer on audio - but this title is easy to get into and accomplished making Henry far more human and relatable than the history I grew up with in my school days. It lets the reader see Henry's (historically, royalty named Henry are usually known as Harry to their families and friends) more personal and true self; the man behind the crown. The man he viewed himself as.


I continue to be impressed by the author's talent and hard work. Recommended!

Alison Weir is one of the best historical fiction authors out there. Her meticulous research has brought about this entertaining and engrossing novel of Henry VIII from the king's point of view. After finishing her Queens collection I was curious how she would depict the king who was the center of these women's lives. Her true passion for this time period comes out as Henry is showcased as being more than the man who had six wives.

Alison Weir has written many, many books on the Tudor dynasty and other English dynasties and their dynamics. Her latest series was on Henry VIII's six wives; her newest standalone book focuses on the man himself, Henry Tudor. This is a novel with Henry as narrator. I have readily devoured and enjoyed most of Weir's tomes but this one proves to be an exception. It was well researched and well written however Henry comes across more as victim than an all powerful monarch and I found I had to force myself to finish it.

The book begins when Henry is young and in the shadow of his older brother and follows him until his death. When his councilors present him with damning evidence against their enemies he blindly accepts it because he thinks they would never lie to him, even though he realizes most the evidence coincides with the accusers' personal motives desires and not justice. He takes the path of least resistance unless it's an issue he personally cares about, such as his Great Matter. His 'poor, pitiful me' mindset was off-putting and tiresome.

Of course, this was Weir's view of his actions and it's possible they were true. We'll never know Henry's true motives and feelings so it's to each of us to formulate our own. I appreciate Weir giving us her well written version.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and Megan Whelan for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I started out with Alison Weir in the early 1990s with her non-fiction Six Wives of Henry VIII, which remains one of the most readable books on the subject. She has since composed many non-fiction volumes on different eras of the British monarchy from Eleanor of Aquitaine through the end of the Tudors. In recent years, she has branched out into fictionalized accounts beginning with Lady Jane Grey; most recently, she has written a third-person limited series from the perspectives of Henry's six wives. While I enjoyed these, I confess to preferring her non-fiction work. The voice seems more natural, like she's speaking in her first language.

Weir has, however, become increasingly more fluent in the language of fiction, and this is my favorite of hers. In this book, The King's Pleasure, Weir creates a companion piece to her work on the wives. With the popularity of the musical Six, it's timely too. Henry gets a clapback- even if it isn't the justification for his actions he thinks it is. The story begins with Henry on his death bed, reflecting on his life. We relive it with him. The story doesn't change much. If you know it, you know it and probably want to hear it again. (Although Weir does some interesting Phillippa Gregory-esque speculative twists, particularly regarding Jane Seymour). What Weir does effectively is capture Henry's self-righteousness and entitlement and how it led to actions that he did not perceive as monstrous, but rather as defense against the humiliations of never quite being adequate or first choice for the job. Weir's Henry is a tragic hero- a man who could have been his best, but ends up becoming his worst. Almost every decision Henry makes comes down to damaged pride. Worst of all, Weir's Henry knows this deep down, but to admit he could have done better- even to himself- is not something he can bear. Thus he remains in history one of England's most famous and impactful kings, but not the king he wanted to be or could have been.

Per usual, The King's Pleasure is yet another incredibly well researched and well written book by Allison Weir. Having read all the books that she's written about Henry the VIII's six wives, I struggled at parts of this one, knowing what horrors were to come. I'm glad I continued, though. Reading things from "his perspective" made me feel that maybe he did have some sort of a conscience. We may never know what underlying illness(es) might have led to his moral downfall or if he was just a malignant narcissist. His famed ability to charm (or manipulate) and his surety in his own righteousness & abilities could certainly point to NPD but there's likely no way to know, for sure, either way.
Poor dear Henry the VIII. He lost his mother at such a tender age. She was likely responsible for any tenderness he had or wished to have. Alas, he was only all knightly virtues and chivalry as long as he was getting his way. He molded/encouraged his wives to be a certain way, then he later changed the rules and put three away for being as he said he desired. He seemed to have such potential before he squandered it on the alter of vanity and selfishness. He not only prized education, the medical sciences and the arts, he established schools for and encouraged apprenticeships in these subjects. If only he hadn't been so short sighted and reckless, with others' lives, when it came to having a male heir. Sadly, now he's mostly remembered for the wives he killed and the deaths he caused.

While interesting, it tends to rush in places, and the copy I have isn't divided well, so I don't know when there's a scene change most of the time. At least when I say that I'm frequently distracted away from this book, it's by another of the author's works!

Alison Weir is a expert on England in the middle ages, especially on the Tudors. Her series on the Queens of Henry VIII is pretty spectacular, using her extensive knowledge as an intelligent guide to fill in gaps in what we know about these famous women's lives. So when she takes on Henry himself, I'm there!

Perhaps because we know so much more about Henry than most of his wives, "The King's Pleasure" feels pretty rote. We don't learn much about him that wasn't already known and his story is more told than experienced. It reminded me of the period when Alison Weir was making the transition to fiction from biography and there was a stiffness to her writing. This is not to say that the book is not worthwhile, because it is. Henry is often just a character in the saga of his wives, and this book fills him out., so to speak. But it lacks that connection with the reader that is so strong the other novels.

So many readers love this period of history and the drama of the serially-married king that it is a treat for such a noted historian to take on Henry. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital review copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Alison Weir is an auto buy for me. Always wonderfully descriptive and immersive ans this novel sucks upu in to Tudor England. A must read.

When I heard Alison Weir would be coming out with a book told from Henry VIII's perspective, I was intrigued as I don't recall a book being told from his point of view. Since he is the central figure to which many royal ladies rotate - I feel my followers will feel thos book belongs on my page.
We meet Henry, or Harry, as he's called throughout, mourning the loss of his beloved mother - not unlike another modern day prince by the same name. In fact, throughout the book I couldn't help drawing comparisons between him the other red headed Harry. Wearing a necklace with the emblem "I prefer to die rather than change my mind," Harry remains set in his ways, forever blunted by the death of his mother - eternally craving her love and chasing those who may emulate her in beauty, wisdom and fecundity, if only to his detriment and those of the women he brings into his life.
There is no redemption arc here. Harry remains steadfastly convinced of the correctness of his own thinking. At times, I had to put the book down and walk away - Henry VIII, even at 500 years gone, is still as infuriating today as he was in the sixteenth century. Convinced that he is more sinned against than sinner, Harry imposes his will on everyone he meets and bends them (or breaks them) to his pleasure.
The first three-quarters of the book concentrate on Henry's first two marriages. The reader will find themselves halfway in before they meet Anne Boleyn as a new-comer from the French court. The remaining quarter of the book is dedicated to his remaining three marriages. I feel this would have made a good two book series, as the remaining quarter is crammed with the latter wives in quick succession. However, I can forgive Weir for forgoing any additional time with a man who, to the last, believes that he is the victim.
For readers of the Six Tudor Queens series, you'll see some familiar faces and this is a hearty companion to those books. It is worth a read, however I doubt many will fail to be as infuriated as I was at times at this man, stunted at a young age and who will never change. Much like Elizabeth I's motto 'Semper Eadem' - Harry remains always the same.

“The King’s Pleasure” by Alison Weir

Harry is the spare. Desperately jealous of his brother, Arthur, for both his position as eldest son (gotta love that Male-Preference Primogeniture after all, right?) and his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, Harry spends his days bored to tears by tutors who insist on taking up way to much of his time thus creating less and less time for sport. Then Arthur dies.
We all know the fate of Henry and his six wives. There is even a little rhyme taught to English schoolchildren: Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived, to help them remember the fates of these wives. But who was the real Henry VIII? People aren’t so one-dimensional as history might lead us to believe. With no less than his very country and dynasty on his, if we are to believe Holbein and his armor, very broad shoulders, imagine the pressure he was under to create an heir. Weir does a fantastic job delving into Henry’s mind. She allows us to see his world through his eyes rather than through our own. While the language is modern English, the thoughts she vocalizes as Henry’s might well have been a version of his own.
I’ve read multiple books by Weir. I’ve always loved her way of making history approachable. I’d say that she has outdone herself in this novel about Henry VIII. The words pull you along into his story, his life. Where, admittedly, some of Weir’s other novels can be a bit bogged down by a surplus of historical facts, this one allows Harry’s story to breathe. An easy five stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I must preface this review with full disclosure…I am a rabid Tutor fan. From the Showtime series The Tudors to Six on Broadway. From the bodice ripping Phillips Gregory series(which I have reread) to the literary masterpiece of the Hillary Mantel Cromwell books( which I also read more that once). I have also read the six book series by this author on the Tudor queens. So needless to say I was excited to read this book. Finally a book that focuses on the point of view of Henry himself.
Sad to say it was a disappointing read, for a number of reasons. First, it read like a spark notes book on his life. There is just too much to cover in one book. So instead of a deep dive it was more a skimming on top. I was halfway through the book and only two wives were covered! There were still four to go!
Also I feel if a reader does not have background knowledge … the story may seem confusing
.Since Weir already wrote about the queens, I was hoping for a focus on the the three important men in Henry’s life. She gives short shrift to Wolsey, More and Cromwell. Although they are written about, there are so many other things going on the importance of their story … including how Henry deals with each of them in the end is lost.
I would like to thank net galley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Alison Weir's historical fiction. I was a bit uncertain about this one, as it can certainly be difficult to make Henry VIII a sympathetic/likeable character but she absolutely succeeded. Though a work of fiction, Weir always has excellent historical facts to support the story and enough characterization to make them feel new, even though we know them as historical figures. Weir's Henry VIII is layered and complex and frankly just enjoyable to read. She has a unique ability to flesh out a story we already know into something that feels new and fresh. Another excellent read form Alison Weir!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oof!! I’ve been on a light and fluffy kick lately and this is *not* in that category haha
But that’s alright, I knew that going in. :)
What an interesting perspective-seeing things from his point of view.
The beginning years were a bit slow for me, but it does let you get to know him better. We are all shaped by things from our younger years, so that makes sense.

Read this if you want a well researched look into history from the POV of Henry VIII. Alison Weir doesn’t disappoint!

The King's Pleasure by Alison Weir was a pleasure to read! The book, being a book about Henry VIII from his point of view, is a fresh take on his, Henry VIII's, life from a historical fiction perspective. Whereas most of what we see/hear of Henry VIII is from the point of view of his wives, in The King's Pleasure, we hear Henry tell HIS story - his take on his wants, hopes, dreams, desires, questions, etc. that lead him to make the decisions that made him the man and king that he was as well as the legend of him that we know today. As mentioned, the book is historical fiction, but from reading the notes, which gives background to the actual history used, I'm left feeling both satisfied and impressed as well as left with the belief that yes, this book is a piece of fiction, but I could imagine something of this nature being something near reality. Another winner from Alison Weir!

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC. I am a big fan of Alison Weir and have read all her other books so I was pleasantly surprised to happen upon this book. From the point of view of the King. I loved it. I have always wondered what he must have thought or how he must have felt. I have even googled if there was any proof of the King missing Anne Boleyn. If you are a Tudor fan you really need to read this.

This close 3rd person POV follows King Henry VIII from the death of his mother to his own death, covering 45 years of power, obsessions and murders. And Henry never seems to realize he's the villain of this story. I actually was expecting a lot of denials and justifications, but things stay close to the surface, never really doing a deep dive on Henry's psyche. Granted, that would be a scary place to go, but as it is, we just get a basic covering of Henry and his six wives, with tons of time spent on Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, and very little time spent on the other four. The story is OK, but it would have been more interesting to dig deeper into what made Henry VIII tick.

608 pages

4 stars

This book is written from the point of view of King Henry VIII. (More or less.) It discusses the life and times of Henry from birth to death, but it tells the story as though he were viewing the situation. It gives his various rationalizations for his actions.

I learned nothing new, but I did enjoy the story very much. The novel hit all of the high pants in his life. There is only so much one can say in 608 pages, so the descriptions of his actions and thoughts are brief, but telling.

It is as though Ms. Weir was trying to give the reader a more humane Henry than the one we know from history. But then, we all tend to view ourselves from a more kindly point of view. He had rationalizations for everything he did. He viewed himself as humane, generous and idealistic. Sadly, this wasn’t how his subjects viewed him.

A very good read. Thank you, Ms. Weir for entertaining me for several days. I will continue to read her books, both historical and fictional.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine/Ballantine for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Historian Alison Weir has a leg up on other writers when it comes to writing historical fiction due to the sheer amount of research that has gone into her non-fiction works throughout the years. When she began adding historical fiction into her body of work, I was excited knowing she would keep a high level of authenticity in her novels.

The King's Pleasure is a novel told from the point of view of Henry VIII, and it's a winner. I highly recommend it to fans of Tudor era historical fiction. It makes a nice addition to the completed Six Wives series.

*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.