Book Review

Son of Prophecy: The Rise of Henry Tudor by Nathen Amin

Genre: History, nonfiction

Publication Date: 15 July 2024

Publisher: Amberley

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Blurb

As England’s most celebrated royal dynasty, it’s often overlooked that the Tudors have their origins in rural Wales, far from the urban centres of English power where they dared to become great. When Henry Tudor won the English crown by defeating Richard III in battle, he was a stranger to the people he now ruled, an ‘unknown Welshman’ in the words of his defeated foe. In his native Wales, however, Henry had long been championed as the Son of Prophecy, a foretold national messiah who would free his oppressed people from their lengthy misery. How had this remarkable situation come about? In this lucid and riveting account, Nathen Amin deftly explores how one redoubtable Welsh family thrived during lean years of political chaos, national instability, and intergenerational bloodshed to leave behind a complex legacy that changed the face of England and Wales forever. It is a passionately told tale of treachery, cunning, love, and heartbreak. From Penmynydd to Bosworth, this is the enthralling, action-packed story of the Tudors, but not as you know it.

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Review

I remember a few years ago seeing a post on Facebook offering a signed copy of a book titled The House of Beaufort, and thinking ‘ooooh that looks good!’ Of course, I ordered myself a copy and that was my introduction to Nathen Amin. So I’ll give myself a pat on the back for making the decision to order a copy!

Since then Nathen’s work has continued to be some of the best I’ve read, with the publication of Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders in 2022, and now Son of Prophecy.

Son of Prophecy is not just for Tudor fans. Yes, it covers the story of the rise of Henry Tudor as the title tells us, but it also tells the tale of the name ‘Tudor’. Henry VII is definitely overlooked in favour of his children and grandchildren but Amin provides a whole host of reasons in Son of Prophecy to show that Henry VII had just as much, or possibly a much more interesting life story. I was hooked from the first chapter as Amin begins with a paragraph that makes you second guess you are reading nonfiction. His method of telling history is exceptional!

Not only have I learned about the rise of Henry to kingship but also much more about his Welsh origins than I ever thought I would know. The family tree and maps are an excellent addition to assist the reader in understanding Henry’s family line and life events.

This is not just a book about Henry VII, it’s a masterpiece in history that should be on the shelves of any history fan; academic or not. Amin writes ‘The Tudors’ relationship with their native Wales has sadly not always generated the level of mainstream discussion that the subject deserves’ and whilst true, I would say this book will go a long way in changing that, or at least I hope so. Through meticulous research and an extremely engaging writing style, Amin has placed Henry Tudor firmly back in the spotlight, no longer overshadowed by his son and grandchildren.

I recently had the pleasure of chatting to Nathen and he mentioned that writing books improves with practice and now having read all three in this ‘trilogy’ (I say that as I know they are not technically a trilogy), I can certainly agree. House of Beaufort and Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders are brilliant and I highly recommend them, but, Son of Prophecy is in a league of its own.

If you’re after something incredibly detailed whilst remaining engaging, this should be your next book! I cannot recommend Son of Prophecy highly enough, and as you may have read in my previous post it is certainly in my top 5 books of 2024!

If you’d like to know more about Nathen Amin and his work you can find him here on Substack with A Chronicle of Dragons and Cats.

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