4,5

There are few things better than a good biography, a life placed in its time and place. Dan Jones is an excellent storyteller and biographer, and Henry - though in some ways still a mystery - really came to life.

I had little knowledge of the early 15th century English king Henry V, apart from a vague notion of Agincourt. His father Henry IV deposed Richard II to become the first king in the Lancaster-line of the Plantagenets. Henry was groomed to succeed him from a young age.

Among historians, opinions on Henry differ: for some he was cruel and calculating, for others he was a model king given the age he lived in. I can't shake the feeling that Dan Jones falls in the latter category and is a bit of a fan of Henry. His assessment is largely positive, even if he correctly concludes there is little use in judging Henry's personality today. What I am left with is that Henry V was a brilliant commander (he never lost a battle in his life), but that if there is one word to define him with it's 'ambitious'.

But more than that, the book gives a fascinating picture of 15th century life of English nobility.

It also made a really nice pairing with Glen James Brown's Mother Naked, which I read in parallel and highlights the life of 'normal' people.

Henry V is probably my favourite king from all of the royal houses, and this biography of his life by Dan Jones is outstanding.
The book is so incredibly detailed and well researched, and utterly fascinating in its telling.
From the beginning of his life until his sudden death, this book is more than just his battles. It shows what a fine mind he had, with his interests in books and art, also his dedication to the church, along with his prowess in foreign affairs, this made him one of the the best rulers in Europe at the time and one everyone feared and respected.
This book is wonderfully written and narrated by Dan Jones, this truly is an epic telling of one of the greatest kings of all time.
Thanks to Head of Zeus audio for the chance to listen to this remarkable book, it was an absolute pleasure.

This is one of the best researched books I have ever read. Dan Jones does an incredible job of dissecting and presenting all aspects of Henry V’s personal and warrior life in a way which is very engaging for the reader. It is the first book I’ve read by Dan Jones but it won’t be the last - his narration was excellent and kept me interested throughout.

With thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus Audiobooks for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Dan Jones narrates his own book with great authenticity. His passion runs enthusiastically fast paced through the life and times of Henry V.
You do not have to be a history buff to appreciate this well penned book.....it is so engrossing that it almost feels like you a reading an incredible fiction novel.
That said, it is a thoroughly researched, knowledgeable and informative account of the life of Henry V, and an invaluable resource for those wishing study him.
It's 5 stars from me.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the audiobook in exchange for this review.

The author has great enthusiasm for his subject, which is reflected by his engaging narration throughout this audiobook, which in turn helps make this such an enjoyable listen.


The author writes this in his introduction;
"I hope you will enjoy, as I have, seeing how Henry tries increasingly to live his life behind a mask that betrays as little of this as possible. And I hope you experience the same thrill that I have of peering behind that mask as was edge as close, psychologically, to a medieval subject as the discipline of history will allow."

And I can honestly say I did honestly enjoy getting to know about the man behind the legend that has built up around him since his untimely death six centuries ago.

Amazing audiobook.
I studied Shakespeare’s Henry IV part 1 for O level and found out from this book how different Prince Henry really was. He was a teenage warrior fighting for their lands.
He fought at Agincourt as King Henry V.
Wow, what a life he led - not the one I read about!
Absolutely fascinating. Well read and completely absorbing.
I really liked the author’s putting things into context at the beginning as well. A period of history I knew little about.
I loved it.

Dan Jones narrates his own book in an engaging way and brings it to life carrying the reader along with him. Considering the huge amount of information given about Henry V and his “astonishing rise as England’s greatest warrior king”, it is easy to follow, compelling and fascinating. Many thanks to Net Galley, the author and publisher for an audio arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Astonishing Rise of England's Greatest Warrior King, as the author named it, and also known as one of the strongest military powers in Europe for his war successes against France. What I think is a little exaggerated compared to Napoleon and Alexander!

It was a great read, fluent and fast! The whole life of Henry V, starting with his childhood, then at the time of her father Henry IV's reign, his marriage to Catherine, daughter of King Charles VI of France, and finally his time over England for a brief period of nine years and four months before dying at the young age of 35.

Thanks to Head of Zeus Audiobooks via NetGalley for allowing me to listen to Henry V, written and narrated by Dan Jones. I have given my honest review. The publishing date will be on 12 September.

Thank you to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for an advanced audiobook copy, in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read Dan Jones’s other books, but I will be seeking them out after reading this one. Jones offers an engaging and informative perspective on Henry V’s life, written in the present tense so as to bring history to the present day as much as possible.

The book starts from Henry’s birth and the reign of Richard II, and goes through the events of Henry IV’s coup and then up to Henry V’s battles against France, and eventual early death.

Jones’s narration of the audiobook was excellent, and I truly felt that I was transported back in time to medieval England. I knew little of Henry V (aside from Shakespeare’s plays and Agincourt) but it was fascinating to learn more and in particular, to try and gain insight into his character.

Henry V is one of England’s best known kings but for many of us what we know is based very much on William Shakespeare’s version. Dan Jones sets out here to give us a more complete picture of the life and death on one of our greatest medieval monarchs. He begins with Henry’s father, Henry IV, taking the throne from Richard II and the turmoil of those reigns, followed by Henry’s own more successful leadership, and it’s a fast paced and fascinating read.

Dan Jones is an excellent story teller and makes a complicated situation easy to follow. He’s very balanced in portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of Henry and the research is very in depth and up to date. I listened to the audio book and his narration is very natural, making it a pleasure to listen to - I couldn’t tear myself away. A thoroughly entertaining and educational book, bringing a piece of history to life in a new way.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Henry V ruled England but also fought to rule France. This historical biography will detail his life before and after he became King up to his death at 35. He achieved so much in a short time and understood the need to plan and resource a war, not just fight 9ne.

Very well written and narrated by the author (I listened to the audiobook). This book brings Henry to life and not just for his battles. He was a learned and religious man who always felt God was on his side.

I usually only do audiobooks whilst doing housework but Dan’s storytelling had me neglecting the damn house. As per usual, Dan is excellent at his craft.

10/10.

The narratation of this book by the author gave it such an air of authenticity that Icouldn't tear my attention away. I read the first half physically and whilst it was enjoyable, having both enhanced the experience tenfold. You can really tell that Dan Jones knows how to tell a story of this magnitude and do it justice. Henry V is a masterfully crafted portrayal of Englands greatest warrior king. A sobering and nuanced look into a man whos reputation proceeds him and still encourages debate to this day. It raises questions as well as setting out to answer the complexities of his life and reign. How much should we judge historical figures whos lives and politics are inconceivable to our current society?
"Our values are not his. His are not ours. We do not need to pretend otherwise." (LOC 5778)
"Henry is no saint. But nor does he presume to be." (LOC 4065)

Summed up perfectly with quotes and chroniclers (Jean le Fevre, etc al) Henry V comes to life in an explosion of humanity and colour, making the reader confront the person of Henry, rather than the legend cemented as Prince Hal and the exploits of his reign.
"'Endowed [Henry] with a good heart and as much courage as any worldy prince could need'. And he notes that while Henry is capable of making decisions, he is also 'genuinely and graciously willing to be contradicted, and to conform to the wishes of his said council and their ordinance... setting aside his own will'"

This book is a wealth of information and absolutely dripping in imagery and detail. A deeper dive into the life and reign of Henry of Lancaster, King Henry V has yet to materialise. Not only is this accessible to the casual history reader in the easy cadence of the author, but provides a backdrop of information to be explored by people in the area of medieval English history. That is not an easy line to tread. Not to be missed, this will go down as the best biography of a medieval King of England to date. Dan Jones is a master of his craft, the work undertaken for this book does not go unnoticed.

I love Dan Jones non-fiction history books and this is no exception. I’m not coming to this one as a neophyte, either, knowing a lot about that period of history and Hery himself. Jones gives a balanced portrayal, devoting a good chunk of the book to Henry’s life before he became king. This is a vital look at what shaped him from his father’s complete inability to manage money, despite putting the infrastructure for modern law and order in place, to Henry’s own ability to ‘spit straw into gold’ in the most unpromising of circumstances. There’s a lot more to Henry V than Agincourt and Jones does a brilliant job of depicting this. Highly recommend.

Dan Jones is not only an authoritative historian, he’s an outstanding storyteller. I don’t know a lot about Henry V and our view of many of these early monarchs is often coloured by Shakespeare or accounts of a single event, Agincourt. Dan Jones explores the whole life of Henry, placing it in context of his father’s reign and Richard II. This was a time of significant turmoil for the country and the monarchy. As well as incursions into Europe, the royals were also keeping a wary eye on potential usurpers closer to home. In particular, Owain Glyndwr was exercising his (arguably rightful) claimto the English throne and urging other Celtic leaders to support him. The young Henry was directly involved in battles in and around Wales and as a very young teenager, was already showing his ability to command and control. I found the descriptions of these battles compelling and the graphic detail of the actions of the Welsh women in dealing with the dead brought an horrific scene to vivid life.

Historians like Dan are vital to give an honest and impartial view of the past. I have a whole new perspective on this period; the infighting amongst the nobles, keen to better themselves, the uncertainty for the people, divided by location, bound to conflict. And most of all, the blossoming and development of a future monarch who:s brought to vividly to life as an individual. Exceptionally, Dan is also a great narrator and I’ve enjoyed every minute of this incredible journey. Very highly recommended, not only for insight into Henry, but for a rollicking adventure.

I'd not picked up any of Dan Jones's books before and was only aware of him through his TV work, which I found insightful but accessible.

Luckily his written work proves to be much the same - there's a lovely conversational style but without being simplistic, and the book raced by whilst teaching me a lot.

really informative book written and read by a great story teller.
dan jones really pulls out the person behind the myths, with a great understanding of the subject matter.

I will bw recommending the book to any readers who are interested in this topic.