The Lodestar

Set during the brief reign of Richard III, this impressively crafted historical novel deserves attention from readers not normally drawn to the genre. Belle ( Wintercombe ) is of the school that regards Richard, Duke of Gloucester, as a troubled monarch who did what he thought best for his country and bore no ill will toward his brother Edward's two sons and heirs. The disappearance of the princes is explained from this somewhat heretical point of view. Well-researched details bring life to the involving story, which focuses on Christie Heron, a young man who joins the Duke of Gloucester's household and is swept into the events of Richard's kingship. Issues of loyalty are played out against the rich backdrop of the Wars of the Roses as Christie fights several personal battles as well as those of his king. The long, complex narrative illuminates its historical setting so clearly and thoroughly that readers absorb the period effortlessly, along with a rousing good story based on a provocative interpretation of a controversial monarch's character and deeds. (July)