Wherein you will find all that there is to know about the sequence of books by that title, telling the story of Matthew Wansford as he serves his master, King Richard III
Welcome – to all new members of the Order of the White Boar!
The group of friends who have sworn lifelong loyalty – to each other and to their good lord, King Richard III.
Read about their adventures in The Order of the White Boar, The King’s Man and now King in Waiting (pub. 17 Sept. 2021). A fourth book in the sequence, Sons of York, will be published in 2022.
The Order of the White Boar follows the adventures of Matthew Wansford, 12-year-old page to Duke Richard of Gloucester, and his friends, Alys, Roger, Elen and little Ed, at Middleham Castle from the summer of 1482. The King’s Mancontinues the story in the spring of 1483, as the Year of the Three Kings unfolds.
King in Waiting picks up the story of Matt and his friends in 1486, the early part of the reign of a certain Henry Tudor…
Prices appear to have been soaring all over the world, especially here in the UK.
Unfortunately Amazon have decided to raise their prices for authors printing and distributing paperbacks with them.
Sadly this means that I have had to increase the prices of a couple of my books in certain marketplaces to ensure they continue to be available, including through local bookshops (Amazon’s expanded distribution scheme).
This is particularly in order to ensure that there will be royalties coming from the charity anthologies, ‘Grant Me the Carving’ and ‘Right Trusty and Well Beloved…’, to be paid to Scoliosis Association UK (SAUK) – the whole point of publishing those two books (which have now raised several thousand pounds for SAUK).
The price changes will take effect in the next 72 hours (Amazon tells me). If you want to grab any copies at the current prices, you may want to click on the links below.
In the meantime, all the paperback will continue to be available direct from me at the ‘old’ prices… And don’t forget, all my books continue to be free to read with Kindle Unlimited.
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
Yesterday I posted a snippet from my second novel about King Richard III, The King’s Man, to mark the coronation today of King Charles III and his queen-consort, Camilla. The snippet related young Matthew Wansford’s view of the coronation at Westminster Abbey of King Richard in 1483 (here).
Today, in the excerpt from the third book in the ‘Order of the White Boar’ sequence, King in Waiting, Matt is rather closer to the action. In fact, he and his friends Alys and Roger are inside the church where it takes place – Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin.
Why this coronation of an English king takes place in Dublin rather than the more usual Westminster Abbey is the subject of the whole book – as is the identity of the young king himself. If you haven’t read King in Waiting, or indeed the books that come before it, you may wish to look away now (as they say before the sports scores…) in case there are spoilers. Or, of course, you may take it as your cue to buy and read the four books of the sequence! The choice is yours…
“And indeed, he bore himself like a true king all day. From his robing in the rich velvet and cloth of gold garments his aunt had sent from Burgundy. Through the solemn procession along streets lined with cheering crowds of men, women and children stretching from the castle to the grey bulk of Christ Church Cathedral, crouched like a sleeping lion in the midst of the tangle of city streets. To the rituals of anointing and crowning within the cathedral’s cavernous depths, and the joyous celebrations that came after – when at last he could relax and enjoy the day and the feasting and entertainments it brought.
I and my friends were honoured with a place in the royal procession, loyal servants of the new king and his lords as we were. My own view of it was perhaps not so clear as that of the last coronation parade I had seen – that of my lamented master King Richard in Westminster less than four years before. Then I had watched from the sidelines, my mouth agape at the finery on display, at the beauty of the gowns and banners, the richness of the regalia – of crowns, sceptres, gem-encrusted swords – and overwhelmed by the tremendous blasts of the trumpets, the heralds’ cries, the crowds’ cheers and hurrahs. But to be in the midst of it as we were on this day, as the procession wound through the hordes of excited onlookers – rather than being such an onlooker myself – was an experience I would not have missed for all the riches in the world.
Far ahead of us, I could glimpse the colossal gilt crucifix catching the fire of the morning sunshine as it was carried high above the city’s archbishop. He led the royal company, pacing sedately among a gaggle of sumptuously clad fellow bishops, abbots and priors.
Just behind them I knew followed a dozen or more noblemen, all bearing symbols of kingship. Though I could not now see them, as we had assembled in the castle courtyard in Sir Thomas’s hands were a pair of gilded spurs, in those of his brother Lord Kildare the enormous sword of state presented to the city by the usurper Henry Bolingbroke many years before, while Lord Francis hefted a magnificent staff of silver gilt.
Earl John strode in the special place of honour just in front of his cousin Edward. He held, on a purple velvet cushion, an ancient golden crown, finely wrought but simple in design. It was a holy crown, taken I knew, for this momentous day alone, from a venerable statue of the blessed Mary, mother of Christ, that resided in a church near the city’s Dame’s Gate.
Next came Edward, walking the whole way to the cathedral barefoot, as I remembered my old master and his queen had done, to display humility before God.
When he entered the great cathedral, still some way before us, a cacophony of trumpet blasts, choir song, organ music and more cheers erupted, sweeping back towards my friends and I as we approached the wide steps up to the carved-stone doorway. We soon passed through after him into the ancient, pillared nave. We winced at the clamour that smote our ears and blinked at the candlelight twinkling from every side and glancing off the silver, gold and bright-hued silks adorning the people crowded inside. Rainbows of sunlight streamed down from the tall coloured-glass windows, and incense drifted upwards towards them, like early morning mist.
The shattering sounds of cheers and fanfares faded only as Edward stepped up to the high altar. There stood the archbishop, resplendent in his gold-embroidered robes. Beside him was the carved and gilded bishop’s chair where the new king would soon be enthroned.
As my young master knelt before the symbols of our Lord, the archbishop called upon him to swear his coronation oath, and upon those of us present to bear witness to it.
I stood alongside Roger, both attending Alys, who was seated now amongst the ladies of the Kildare and other lordly households. Together we heard Edward swear his oath in English, as his uncle had before him. He pledged to uphold the laws, customs and godly peace for the people of England and Ireland, and to exercise justice with mercy in all his judgements.
His voice never faltered as he recited the words used from time immemorial by all kings of England. Had the love flowing from those people who thronged the streets to acclaim him king banished the nervousness that had gnawed at him?
Next came the anointing with holy oil, screened from our view by the churchmen and lords now clustered about Edward, and soon the sunlight filtering through the arched windows gleamed upon the ancient crown as it was raised high above his head. The archbishop solemnly intoned the sacred rite, while those around him echoed the venerable Latin words.
A moment of stillness.
Then the crown was lowered upon Edward’s head, and at last he was truly king.”
All the books in the sequence can be bought here, or read on KindleUnlimited.
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
Tomorrow will be the coronation of King Charles III – just in case you’ve missed the news! The first coronation seen in the UK for seventy years (give or take a month). I’ll be watching. It’s history unfolding right before our eyes.
My parents watched the last UK coronation, of Queen Elizabeth II, on the new-fangled television sets that friends or family had recently purchased. It was the first televised coronation – although that of King George VI in 1937 had been filmed to be shown in cinemas and also broadcast on BBC radio. (The coronation procession in 1937 was in fact the first major outside broadcast for the fledgling BBC television service too, though very few people had sets on which to view it; for details see here.)
There has been much discussion of what will be included in the coronation in terms of tradition and more novel aspects – King Charles having stated his aim to be a ‘modern’ monarch in the past. As an event mired in a thousand or more years of history, there will, I imagine, be plenty of the former and a certain amount of the latter. Whatever the combination is, it probably won’t please everybody.
Although I’ve written about two coronations in my books, I’m far from being an expert. But one thing I do know about the first – that of King Richard III in 1483 – is that he included a very notable novelty: that of being the first king of England to swear his coronation oath in the English language so that all his new subjects could understand it. (Not that many were inside the Abbey to hear it at the time…) Alongside his later decision to print the records of his only Parliament in English (again for the first time ever) for the same reason, this, for me, marks him out as a king who truly wished to rule his country for the good of its people.
Historian Matthew Lewis has blogged an excellent description of King Richard’s coronation – which of course was also one of the few at that time to have included the crowning of his consort, Queen Anne Neville (a precedent that King Charles III is also following, with the crowning of Queen-Consort Camilla alongside him). My own description of it appears in The King’s Man, the second of my ‘Order of the White Boar’ books, dealing with the turmoil of the ‘Year of the Three Kings’ in 1483 and King Richard’s ascent to the throne.
The crown made to accompany King Richard’s reinterment at the behest of Dr John Ashdown Hill. Photo copyright King Richard III Visitor Centre.
Young Matthew Wansford, once a page to Duke Richard of Gloucester, now King Richard, begs a day’s holiday from his new master in order to join the crowds in the street celebrating the new king and queen:
“First to emerge from the Hall, to the blast of trumpets and cries of heralds, was a procession of churchmen, clothed in the finest regalia. A tremendous gilt and jewelled crucifix the size of a man was carried aloft before them.
Next came a line of noblemen, sumptuously dressed, each bearing a symbol of kingship – swords, a mace, a sceptre, the golden crown itself. Among them were the Earl of Northumberland and, striding just behind, the King’s great friend, Lord Lovell, his features solemn.
A further fanfare burst forth.
And from the shadows of the tall doorway, flanked by several bishops and clad in purple velvet trimmed with ermine, stepped King Richard himself.
The crowds around me shouted and applauded and hurrahed as one.
But I found I had not the voice to join in. Now, only now, at last, I grasped the full truth of what had happened. The Duke – my Duke – had become King of all England and would today be confirmed such.
He walked forward beneath a richly embroidered canopy held high above his head on golden poles. His slow pace allowed all those present the time to behold him. Thunderous cheers crashed against the towering buildings, echoing about the square.
A few steps behind, bearing the hem of the train that cascaded from the King’s shoulders, paced the Duke of Buckingham, almost outshining his sovereign in a gown of blue stitched with gold cartwheels. Beyond him flowed a stream of other lords, the last carrying another gem-studded crown.
The Duchess came next. More than two months since I had bid farewell to her at Middleham, her face above her silver gown was no less pale than it had been then. Her train of cloth of gold was held by an older lady with pinched cheeks and eyes shrewd as a weasel.
And then, in the cluster of ladies following, I espied Alys, her reddish curls for once demurely caught up in a netted cap of silver thread dotted with seed pearls. She spotted me and the serious look upon her face fell away. But her joyous wave was shushed away by the more mature ladies around her. In moments she was swept on past me and into the Abbey’s cavernous depths.
Though I was not within the great church itself, the torrents of music and song that washed forth and what Master Ashley had told us of the ceremony meant all unfolded before my mind’s eye. The swelling song of the choir as the King and Queen entered St Edward’s shrine to take their seats of estate. The Latin service intoned before their approach to the high altar. Their anointing with the holy oil. The Mass celebrated in front of the enormous sword of state. The solemn oath sworn by all the nobles. The King kneeling as the Archbishop held the crown above his head…
I waited with the restless crowd on the cobbles of the Abbey precinct. Then a fanfare of trumpets blared, a deafening cheer went up within, the bells in the tower pealed, birds, startled from their perches on the roofs and stone sills of the ancient building, flew up into the glowing blue of the sky, and Duke Richard I knew now was King.”
That was the first coronation I wrote about. The second was very different. Though of another king of England, it took place, not in London, but in Dublin in Ireland. It appears towards the end of the third of my ‘White Boar’ books, King in Waiting, the whole of which book leads up to the event, exploring how and why it comes about. Who was the ‘Dublin King’? Why did his coronation occur so far from Westminster, the centre of English government where such events usually occur? What happened to him in the following weeks and months?
If you haven’t read King in Waiting, be prepared for spoilers in my next blog post! I’ll be posting a snippet of that coronation tomorrow. Or perhaps this is your cue to read King in Waiting? Along with all my books, it can be found here.
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
Sadly His Grace King Richard III won’t be in attendance this year, but I’m just prepping for my Easter weekend visit to Middleham Castle
All being well, I’ll be there from Friday morning, April 7th, selling & signing my own and my fellow Ricardian authors’ books
Why not call by if you’re in the area and say hello? And of course take the time to visit the castle and town that were King Richard’s primary home in the north
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
I do like a good short list – and this looks like it is one!
Clamour and Mischief, which includes my Ricardian short story ‘Watchers’ – has been shortlisted for Australia’s ‘premier speculative fiction awards’, the 2022 Aurealis Awards
If you haven’t yet read the collection, why not take a look? You’ll find a host of wonderful short stories all based around the clever, mischievous, cunning world of the family Corvidae – crows, rooks, ravens, jackdaws, magpies – and of course, hooded crows.
‘Watchers’ asks what happened to a certain Francis Lovell in the years after King Richard’s death, and is shown through the eyes of those who watch and wait above the battlefield. And for anyone who enjoys a little Irish folklore, there may be an unexpected connection…
Hopefully a few more readers will be spurred to question the traditional history of King Richard… as well as enjoy all the other stories
Do let me know what you think if you read it.
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
I’ve just enjoyed my first World Book Day school visit for four years!
Many thanks to Ms Grunill and the wonderful Ringstead CE Primary School in Northamptonshire (just 15 miles from Fotheringhay) for inviting me to share my books and the history behind them with Ravens and Falcons classes on Friday.
It was a fabulous welcome from everyone, and how quiet and attentive all the children were (in such fantastic costumes!) as I told them about ‘local lad’ King Richard, and Matthew and his friends’ adventures! I do hope everyone who bought books (or borrows them from the school library) will enjoy them – and tell me what they thought!
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
Believe it or not, it’s ten years since *that* press conference! You know – the one that announced that ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ the grave of King Richard III had been found under a Leicester car park.
A whole ten years? It really doesn’t seem possible! But it is. It really is the tenth anniversary of that incredible day. The day when King Richard was a top news story worldwide. When he became almost a household name. The day when #RichardIII trended on Twitter.
And so, it’s also a whole ten years since Matthew Wansford and the Order of the White Boar were born.
Yes, that was the day when I realized I had to seize the opportunity of that momentous occasion to do something to help restore King Richard’s reputation. And being a children’s author, there was really only one sensible way to do that.
Ten years later, I’ve published four books with that aim – to bring the story of the real man to children (and also many adults, as it’s turned out) before they encounter the lies that were told about him in the decades and centuries after his death. And along the way, I’ve introduced readers to the adventures and travails of Matt, Alys, Roger and their friends, fictional and historical, from their very beginning in the summer of 1482 at Middleham Castle to … well, if you’ve not yet read Sons of York, I’ll not give anything away.
Also along the way, I’ve met readers and potential readers in schools and libraries, at medieval and literary festivals, in bookshops and cafes, in the Merchant Venturers’ Hall and any number of other venues of various kinds. And in the course of our conversations, very often they trace their own interest in King Richard back to that day.
To cut a long story short, to celebrate the great reveal of the culmination of Philippa Langley and the Looking for Richard team’s search for the grave of ‘The Lost King’, I’ll be offering all of my books for just 99p/99c* for one week from this Saturday.
That’s right. The ebooks of all the White Boar books – The Order of the White Boar, The King’s Man, King in Waitingand Sons of York – will all be only 99p/99c – ready to be downloaded by you or your friends and family, onto whichever device you prefer to read them on. And of course, if you have Kindle Unlimited, they’re all free to read all the time.
And I’m happy to repeat my December offer to send you, or any family, friends or schools/libraries of your choosing, paperbacks at only £7 each (plus P&P) – signed if you wish.
Why not tell everyone you know! Or, indeed, why not buy copies for anyone you think may enjoy them – or who needs to be introduced to the real Richard III?
As always, I’ll repeat my oft-spoken plea for reviews on Amazon, GoodReads or elsewhere – they’re vital for helping sales and for spreading the word about King Richard and the Order.
I should mention that the offer also includes my standalone timeslip/environmental adventure Time out of Time– described in a recent review as ‘A wonderful book! You have to read!!!’ Why not take the chance of this offer to check it out? You may even find, as one reviewer did, that ‘I think this might be my favourite novel by this author yet!’
So why not grab some bargain books any time next week? And why not also spread the love? Please share the offer as widely as you can. And make sure you let me know in the comments below – your name will be popped in a hat for a little prize draw if you do! Thank you
*Except the two-book volume comprising The Order of the White Boar and The King’s Man, which will be at £1.99/$1.99 for the week – which, let’s be honest, works out at exactly the same bargain price!
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
How much am I looking forward to receiving my copy of this?
A brand new anthology from Clan Destine Press and edited by Narrelle Harris featuring all the corvids – crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, magpies, etc. – among the most intelligent birds around
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
With Christmas fast approaching, now’s the time to treat any young relatives or friends (or yourself!) to The Order of the White Boar – the story of the life and legacy of the real King Richard III.
All 4 books in the sequence – including Book 4 Sons of York(pub. 2022) – signed if wished, are available direct from myself at only £7 each + £3 P&P (UK only; please email me for postage for single books/overseas – AlexMarchant84@gmail.com ).
Suitable for ages 10+ – and tying in with UK National Curriculum for Key Stages 2 and 3 (not that children need to know that! And it’s also been enjoyed by adults of all ages…)
Please email me for details/orders and P&P charges for single/multiple books or overseas post – AlexMarchant84@gmail.com
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, was published in June 2022 and offers a ‘plausible theory’ for the fate of the ‘Princes in the Tower’.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
As so often I’ve been a little quiet of late – lots of family and writing matters to attend to.
But I’m taking a little time out from them to let you know all about an exciting upcoming event!
On Saturday 19th November, two of my very favourite Ricardians – Philippa Langley and Matthew Lewis – are giving talks and signing their books at the Yorkshire Museum to raise funds for young Alexander Goodwin’s upcoming surgery in the USA.
You may remember Alex, our special guest at the launch ofSons of Yorkat the Middleham Richard III Festival in July (see blog post ‘A very special guest...’)
Alex Goodwin (centre, with cap and book)
If you’re anywhere near York in November, this is certainly an event not to miss!
Full details can be found on this poster:
Not only are Philippa and Matt attending, but also fellow Ricardian historical fiction authors Bridget Beauchamp and Darren Harris, whose debut novels, Maiden of Middleham and The King’s Son, have recently been reissued by Arcanum Press. Arcanum has recently launched a mission to become the premier publisher of Ricardian historical fiction, also signing up Matt Lewis to reissue his novels Loyalty and Honour (with a third book, Faith, soon to follow), so be sure to take a look at their website and sign up for updates!
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boarand The King’s Man, and a third in the sequence, King in Waiting, which continues the adventures of the young members of the Order in the following years. A fourth book,Sons of York, will be published 26 June 2022.
Alex has also published a standalone timeslip novel for readers aged 10+,Time out of Time, relating the adventures of Allie Turner through a doorway into history found under layers of old wallpaper at ancient Priory Farm.
The Order of the White Boar and The King’s Man are available from Amazon worldwide: myBook.to/WhiteBoar and mybook.to/TheKingsMan, from Blurb: www.blurb.co.uk/b/8167813-the-order-of-the-white-boar and www.blurb.co.uk/b/8770224-the-king-s-man, or direct from the author: AlexMarchant84@gmail.com
The Order of the White Boar 