This is a very a cool guide to all things York and Lancaster. Helps to sort out the characters in the Wars of the Roses, which is one of my favorite historical time periods to learn and read about. Thank you for the guide.

Derek Ronald Birks, A Guide to the Wars of the Roses, Pen & Sword | Pen & Sword History, January 2025.

Thank you, NetGalley and Pen & Sword for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

Having read some of Derek Ronald Birks’ witty comments I thought, what fun it will be reading this book! Then I recalled the equally descriptive graphic commentary on the fighting that took place during the conflicts – the use of cannon filled with lead shot or pebbles, arrows, swords, axes, handguns, and maces. All of these inflicted horrific injuries, particularly with the admonishment to any participant who might hesitate, that ‘no quarter’ should be given. These juxtaposed contrasts are woven throughout Birks’ essentially well-argued analysis of the Wars of the Roses. He takes a different approach from the popularly well-known understandings of the politics, economics and rivalries that characterise this era. Notably, he treats alternative historians’ views with respect, while making a fascinating case for his own.

Birks questions the Tudor view of history to undermine the argument that the Lancastrians and Yorks had been in conflict from 1455 to 1485 – from the Battle of St Albans to the advent of Henry Tudor. With Birks’ narrative it is abundantly clear why the Tudor version was adopted: a king who ended an enduring conflict? What better way to begin a monarchical era! It is this type of insight that is one of the delights of reading A Guide to the Wars of the Roses. And, of course, it is accepted that the winner’s version of history is the one that endures. Why wasn’t this considered in relation to The Wars of the Roses before?

One aspect of Birk’s method that I found particularly noteworthy was the way in which his understandings about the Monarch and his adherents’ behaviour so aptly reflects the way in which the modern political world works. The role of factions in political parties, the power of a leader who can dispense favours, the role of the disaffected are all there – in the 1400s and today. Birks’ statement at the end of the book where he clarifies the real impact of the Wars of the Roses – deaths, but not half the population; changes of leadership, rules and political crises which compare well with the previous century; life for much of the population maintained, or returned to, its even tenor despite disruptions is salutary.
The book includes some excellent illustrations, the clarity of the images even in my kindle version augers well for them in the printed versions; there is an index; and a bibliography.

A Guide to the Wars of the Roses* by Derek Ronald Birks is exactly what it promises to be: a clear, concise roadmap through one of England’s most famously tangled historical sagas. The Wars of the Roses, with its endless parade of Edwards, Richards, and dynastic betrayals, has long been the bane of history students and casual readers alike. But Birks approaches the subject with a refreshing sense of structure and simplicity without sacrificing nuance or depth.
The brilliance of this guide lies in its organization. Instead of drowning the reader in an onslaught of shifting allegiances and battle names, Birks breaks down the conflicts into three distinct political crises. This division helps to demystify the larger narrative and gives the reader digestible chunks to focus on—perfect for anyone who has ever lost track of whether the current Duke of York was a hero, villain, or unlucky pawn. By doing so, Birks makes the Wars of the Roses feel less like an impenetrable mass of backstabbing nobles and more like an interconnected saga with very human stakes.

Birks also excels at pulling back the curtain on the caricatures that history has imposed on its key figures. Instead of simply presenting Richard, Duke of York, as an ambitious usurper or Somerset as a scheming rival, he delves into their motivations, weaknesses, and the messy realities of power. Likewise, his portrait of Henry VI—portrayed by many as a feeble king hopelessly out of his depth—feels both empathetic and fair. Birks doesn’t excuse the king’s failures, but he places them in the context of someone who inherited a burden far greater than he was capable of carrying.

The accessible writing style is another highlight. Each chapter is short, focused, and avoids drowning the reader in unnecessary academic jargon. This is a book designed for clarity, and Birks achieves that without ever sounding condescending. His tone is informative but approachable, striking that sweet spot between an engaging history lesson and a detailed reference guide.

If there’s any drawback, it’s that this guide sometimes feels almost too neat for such a chaotic period. The Wars of the Roses were defined by shifting loyalties and sudden twists of fate, and while Birks makes the narrative wonderfully digestible, it can occasionally come at the expense of capturing the sheer volatility of the time. However, this feels like a fair trade-off when the goal is to demystify the era rather than reenact every dramatic betrayal in full color.

At 4 stars, A Guide to the Wars of the Roses is a fantastic resource for readers who want to understand what happened without getting lost in the labyrinth of historical details. It’s perfect for beginners who need a straightforward entry point and equally valuable for seasoned history buffs who want to brush up on the basics. Birks doesn’t just retell history—he makes it understandable without dulling its complexity. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by this bloody chapter of English history, this guide is the perfect companion to help you navigate the battlefield of kings, dukes, and unrelenting ambition.

From what I can tell this book is adapted from transcripts of a podcast, which can be pretty hit or miss. That style does lend itself well towards a sort of primer or introduction to a historical topic though, and mostly did in this case too.

My biggest issue was the pacing, especially as it reached the 50% mark. Before that it was odd but able to hold my interest, but after that point I felt like a lot of time was being spent to explain nothing happening. It may have been more focus was spent on that part of the Wars of the Roses so it felt almost dawdling in comparison, but it was a downside for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. As someone who loves History, this book was a great read. Reading about the War of the Roses From a different perspective was insightful! There is so much information about this period of history and it was refreshing to read it all in a simplified way, without complicated historical jargon. Highly recommend!

Birks does a very good job tackling the messy, convoluted Wars of the Roses and breaking them down into understandable parts, digging into both the facts of what happened, who did what, and what the possible motivations were. Birks outlines the factions and battles, making a point to underline the idea that the wars were not an inevitable outcome.

I love how he pushed back against the classist, oft-repeated idea of the Woodvilles being a powerful faction, showing just how individual and power-less the Woodvilles actually were. Birks also works to try and get away from all the bias over Richard III, righty pointing out how tainted most of what we think we know about him, and he works hard here to try and look at just the actions Richard took.

I was a little put off by how causal his tone was at times, with a lot of pop culture references and "I" statements, but that is just my own preference, and over it is an excellent guided tour of the thorny wars of the roses.