I love this series. It's a deep dive into a period of history which continually throws up new possibilities and angles for a great narrative. Robyn Young is a masterful weaver of a good yarn.

Last year I devoured 'Sons of the Blood', the first book in Robyn Young's 'New World Rising' series, so I was expecting big things from 'Court of Wolves'. And I wasn't disappointed. Although not quite as impressive as 'Sons of the Blood', 'Court of Wolves' is a fast-paced, thrilling adventure set primarily in Florence and Spain.
The illegitimate son of Thomas Vaughan, Jack Wynter, is desperately trying to make sense of the clues his father left him, while his hated half-brother, Harry Vaughan, is acting as ambassador to the Spanish King and Queen, Ferdinand and Isabella, and and gets drawn into the fighting in the Reconquista.
Robyn Young has obviously done her research and chosen to set 'Court of Wolves' against the backdrop of two countries that were experiencing dramas of their own. The intricate plot takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the world of Lorenzo de Medici and the politics of Italian city-states and their complicated relationship with the Papacy. Jack is dropped into the heart of the fascinating lives of the Medici, trying desperately, not only to learn the language, but also the allegiances, prejudices and rivalries of those he comes into contact with.
The author never loses sight of Jack's primary aim, which is to uncover his father's secrets and make sense of the life in which he has suddenly found himself; a penniless exile with no family to speak of, save his father's former loyal retainers.
With friendships pushed to limits, conspiracies around every corner and daggers possibly coming in the night, it is hard for the reader to take a breath. From the opening page to the last, we are taken on a roller coaster journey that leaves you breathless and desperate for the next book in the series.

Robyn Young’s New World Rising series got off to a promising start in 2016 with Sons of the Blood and now it continues with the second novel, Court of Wolves. I would recommend beginning with the first book if you can as the story is very complex and I’m not sure how easy it would be to follow if you were to jump straight into this one.

Court of Wolves begins in 1486 with Jack Wynter arriving in Florence where he plans to seek an audience with Lorenzo de’ Medici. He has reason to believe that Lorenzo will be able to answer some of his questions regarding his father, Sir Thomas Vaughan, who was executed during the recent Wars of the Roses in England. He is also hoping for help in locating his old friend, the priest Amaury de la Croix, who has been taken captive and may be hidden somewhere in the city. As ruler of Florence, however, Lorenzo already has enough worries of his own with his power coming under threat from a secret society known as the Court of Wolves. If Jack can infiltrate the society and report back to Lorenzo, then maybe Lorenzo will help him.

Before he died, Sir Thomas Vaughan had entrusted Jack with a map hinting at undiscovered lands and new sea routes. This map has been stolen by Jack’s half-brother, Harry Vaughan, and is now in the possession of the newly crowned Henry VII. If these lands really exist, then Henry wants England to benefit from discovering them – but with the sailor Christopher Columbus seeking funding from Queen Isabella of Spain to finance his own voyage of exploration, Henry fears that the Spanish could get there first. He sends Harry Vaughan to Isabella’s court to find out what is happening and to ensure that Columbus never sets sail, but once there, Harry becomes drawn into Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand’s war in Granada.

Court of Wolves is set during a fascinating period in Europe’s history and the chapters alternate between Jack in Florence and Harry in Spain. There’s a sense that the world is changing and looking towards the future, with England, Spain, the Italian city states and others all searching for new opportunities to grow, expand and trade. Jack’s sections of the book were my favourites, partly because Jack is our hero while Harry is more of a villain, but also because I loved the descriptions of Florence and the Medici court – always a wonderful setting! I wasn’t very keen on the secret society storyline, but it was only one aspect of the novel and there were plenty of other things to enjoy.

The Harry chapters were interesting too, especially as I haven’t read about Isabella and Ferdinand’s Granada War in as much detail as this before. The war was a series of campaigns by the Spanish monarchs aimed at taking control of Granada, the last remaining Islamic stronghold in Spain, and Harry is at the heart of the action, present at the bombardment of Loja and the siege of Malaga. I can’t say that I liked Harry any more than I did in the first book, but I did care about what happened to him; even in another country, hundreds of miles from England, he seems to be very much under the control of Henry VII and is starting to face the consequences of his earlier actions during the reign of Richard III as well.

Although Jack and Harry are having separate adventures in this novel, there are still some links between them and no doubt their paths will cross again in the future. I haven’t seen any news on a third book yet, but I’m sure there will be one as the final chapter sets everything up perfectly for a continuation of the story.

The second book of the New World Rising Trilogy

From the first book, Sons of the Blood, Henry Tudor defeated Richard III and clinched the most important document – the secret map. Lorenzo de Medici fought against the Popes, who plotted to kill him. The Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, crusaded against the Islamic Moors to drive them from All Spain.

James (also known as Jack) Wynter suffered from PTSD, because his father, Sir Thomas Vaughan, was executed by Richard III. His mother was burnt to death inside the house under the order from Pope Sixtus. Jack saw what happened to the princes in the tower. His father’s map was stolen by his horrible half-brother, Harry Vaughan. After being outlawed by Henry VII, Jack moved to the Florentine Republic and met Lorenzo the Magnificent who determined his future.

Henry VII sent Harry Vaughan to Spain on the covert operation – to poach Columbus from Isabella II.

A very stunning novel with espionages in England, Italy and Spain based on the historical event! Robyn Young is on par with Bernard Cornwell!

Caesar 13

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

An adventurous novel set in turbulent times . The emerging Tudor dynasty; the court of Medici in Florencevying with the Vatican and the turbulence of Spain ruled by Ferdinand and a Isabella. Europe is on the brink of war. Two half brothers link the story together in their fight against each other, Harry is the “baddie” and Jack/ James his antithesis. The book moves at a steady pace and there is a lot to absorb in its unfolding but paints a clear picture of the times and issues

Be prepared to delve into lives that are more than complicated. Tudor England, Medici family in Italy, Spanish battles against the Moors and the Catholic Church, all part of this fast moving novel where there is intrigue, love, battles and politics. Brilliant read, hope there will be a follow up.

I actually squealed when I got the confirmation from Netgalley that I had been chosen to give an impartial review. I had received Sons of the Blood (Book 1) of the series from the publisher on Goodreads for a review so was really, really hoping to get a first look at the second - my wish came true!
I devoured the first book in a weekend and did the same with this one. I fell in love with the action, the storyline, the characters...everything...all over again. Another rollercoaster ride in to early Tudor times and Florentine deception.
You cannot call yourself a true fan of historical fiction until you have read this series - can't wait for the next one