This short story is written in third-person specific about Henry VII’s eldest son.

Not much happens, sadly. Certainly not with Arthur. He hears second-hand reports of current events, such as the Perkin Warbeck affair, in which he has no direct involvement, and the outcome doesn’t affect his life in any respect.

I’d rather the author had cut things like the above-mentioned example and dramatized a few short scenes. We’re told who Arthur likes and dislikes, but we don’t see any of this play out. For example, we’re told he likes his sister Margret but dislikes his brother Harry (the future Henry VIII), so it’s a pity we couldn’t have had at least one scene featuring Arthur with each sibling to show the contrasting relationships.

Short stories like this don’t have much scope for anything big, but something still needs to happen – and the main character being told reports about what’s happened to someone who has little or no bearing on his life doesn’t cut it.

I’m a fan of this author, but this for me isn’t Alison Weir at her best. It’s interesting in places, but not in any way enthralling. ( )

This is a short story told from the point of view of Prince Arthur, elder son of the first Tudor King Henry VII, acting as a companion piece to the first novel in Weir's Six Tudor Queens series focusing on each of the wives of King Henry VIII. The story brings across clearly the weight of expectation and destiny placed on young Arthur as the progenitor of a line of future kings descended from ancient Welsh princes, including the legendary Celtic/Romano-British war leader of the same name, and who will supposedly restore the fortunes of Britain and its kings. In reality, Arthur is a bookish and physically weak boy who doesn't live up to his parents' or society's expectations for ideal kingship and chafes in the shadow of his ebullient and talented younger brother Henry. The stage is set when Arthur, already suffering from the tuberculosis that will shortly kill him, first reluctantly meets his destined bride Catalina (Catherine) of Aragon. Arthur's story is tragic at a human level, and it is interesting to speculate how differently English and world history would have turned out had he been healthy and succeeded to the throne instead of his younger brother. I look forward to the main series, and other companion short stories. ( )

Meh ( )

A quick and short look into Prince Arthur's life before he married Queen Catalina (Katherine) of Aragon and died of tuberculosis at age 16, making way for King Henry VIII. ( )