Winter king Henry VII and the dawn of Tudor England

A good biography of a king who is one of the less well-known of the Tudor monarchs. The writing style is engaging, rather than dry and academic, and makes for a quite a compelling narrative at times, although it doesn't always stick to chronological order, which can get frustrating at times (although, to be fair, not at all confusing).

It focuses primarily on the second half of Henry's reign, from the troubles with Perkin Warbeck up to the closing years when the regime became increasingly dictatorial. On the way, it naturally takes in the early life of the more famous Henry VIII and his protracted marriage arrangements with Katherine of Aragon; indeed, the final chapter covers the first year of the following reign, wrapping up what would otherwise be loose ends in the narrative.

I found it a fascinating read, and Penn manages to make a king that's generally regarded as a bit dull into anything but. It's hard not to interpret it as a prequel to the rather better known events that followed, but, while it may not be perfect, it's a good telling of this neglected period of history.