Sunne in Splendour

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Summary: A book that will make one want to see castles
Review: After reading this book, I started looking for castles on the internet, and trying to find out more about Richard III's life. I really did not want it to end, that I ended up buying Here be Dragons, Falls the Shadow, and The Reckoning just so I can find out more about Richard's ancestry, and life before him. I am convinced that I have to go to England to see Middleham. I think that it helped me understand more about life in the middle ages, and how wars started at that time. It is absolutely a wonderful, romantic book!

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Summary: Another Masterpiece By *My* Fav Author
Review: My First Penman book was When Christ and His Saints Slept. I followed up with the Fall of The Welsh Princes Trilogy (Here Be Dragons, Falls the Shadow, The Reckoning), and then I chose this Novel. Which still boggles my mind. The way she portrays Richard, as a nice, gentle, King of England who loves his wife dearly and is forver misunderstood because of a suck-up of a playwright(even though I love love Shakespeare), is described with one word: astounding. As soon as I finished it, I made it my quest to find the movie Richard III, which was rather quick and the experience itself interesting because the movie is set in 1930's England, but anyways: The two are completely different ( I mean, come on, did Shakespeare even check the date of birth for Richard?) And SKP made Richard lovable, and believable and most of all, forgivable. May Ms. Penman keep up the good work!

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Summary: The best I've read
Review: Penman's books were the first historical fiction books that I read and they are what got me hooked on the genre. Of the many historical fiction novels that I have read since, I still use Penman's books as the standard against which I judge all of the others. Of Penman's books, I believe that The Sunne in Splendour is the best. I wish that Penman would stick to writing historical fiction novels and not bother with the shorter mysteries that she has been writing lately. That is not to say that the mysteries are bad, however, as they are much shorter there is not as much description and character development.

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Summary: The book that sent us to England in search of Richard III...
Review: It was an accident, really, that I came to own the book. We were in a tiny bookstore across from Caernarfon Castle when I found the thick and tempting volume. Having exhausted my reading material during the trip, I bought it, and tucked it away for the long flight home. Once started, there was no way to put it down...and I greedily read page after page. It sounds trite to say I was transported, and that Penman makes the characters come alive. In fact, she unleashed a hunger to learn I thought I had lost, and I went in search of Richard...through historical perspective and modern day essays. Finally, last year at Middleham castle, we saw a much loved and dog eared copy of Sunne by the cash register. I pointed to it and said, "That is why we are here..." The guide wasn't surprised; in fact she told us just how many Americans say the same thing. I came away from Richard's home with haunting photos and a real treasure...the guide gave me a book plate autographed by Penman during one of her visits to the castle. I missed the book the moment I finished reading it, but was cheered by the author's wonderful Welsh trilogy awaiting me on the shelf...

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Summary: A most believable Richard III!
Review: I have read every Penman book but one. Her writing is well researched, flowing and one feels transported in time while reading. She breathes life into her characters. Not since reading Margaret Campbell Barnes' "The King's Bed" 20 years ago have I enjoyed a book more. I was prepared to like Richard. As the youngest son, he was not raised to be a king; nor did he welcome the task. I believe Ms. Penman convincingly puts this point across. I am in awe of her considerable writing skills. Her research goes beyond the extra mile, making her work untouchable. Reading "Sunne," called for a second read of Ms. Barnes' book. I am looking forward to Ms. Penman's book of Eleanor and Henry. In the meantime I will have to be content with a second reading of "The Sunne in Splendor," "Here Be Dragons," "Falls the Shadow," "The Reckoning," and "When Christ and His Saints Slept!"

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Summary: a great redemption of a tragic king
Review: I just finished this book today, and I must say that it is a great great novel. As a fan of Penman's other fantastic works, I cant help but think that this book should be in film. Her books make me wish I was a movie producer or director just so i could see the actors portray my heroes on the screen. Well, anyways, this book portrays Richard as a very nice, humble, pious man who is betrayed by people he trusted. I pick this book as a great read if you're going on a long, boring trip. Or just something to read on the side. It's great either way.

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Summary: Absolutely Amazing
Review: This book is now one of my favorites. I've grown up reading about the "bad" Richard III and never questioned it. This book helped change my view of not only Richard,but of the "historians" who brought him down to curry favor with Tudor. Now,I believe Richard to be a better man than most,definitely a finer man than Shakespeare thought. This book also breathes life into an era that I've often wished to live in. It became so real that I often wished I was Anne or Cecily. One more thing,this book made me cry something that I've never done before.

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Summary: The best Richard III novel I have ever read!
Review: Ms Penman's 'Sunne in Splendour' is quite simply one of the best novels I have ever read. My life has never been quite the same since the tragic tale of Richard III was first pointed out to me. As a Richard supporter I've read many novels and books on this tragic monarch. So far none have had quite the scope, the breadth, the accuracy and sheer believability this one has. I'm deeply moved every time I read it. The 'real' Dickon will never be forgotten while this book remains in print. The characterisation is superb - even minor and made-up people come to life in this book and the principal characters almost seem like one's own relatives. I've read this book loads of times and (like another reviewer) dip into it constantly but I never get tired of it. This is a book I'd recommend to anyone, whether or not you have any interest in medieval history.

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Summary: Movie Version??? I like it!
Review: I read this book last year for the first time and fell in love with Richard III (quite literally and rather frightening). I own the book now and have read it maybe fifteen or sixteen times. I'm still not remotely sick of it! I just read the review asking about a movie version . . .

Let me just say that I am WAITING and hoping for them to make a movie version out of any of Sharon Penman's books! As far as who could play Richard; there are several younger actors I could see playing him the way she has written the role.

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Summary: A Welshman's Dream
Review: In September of 1998 I m et Sharon Kay Penman at the annual Welsh Gamanfa Gannu in Columbus, Ohio.At the luncheon she told us all about her research process . It was a privelege to hear her and then to purchase "SUNNE IN SPLENDOR" from her while she autographed the book. After reading it I wished I had bought all her books right then and there and had each one of them autographed. Now I have them all and it is a Welshman's dream to read about the history of Wales in Historical Novel form written in such excellent style. Betty S. LeRoy