The King's Falcon cover art

The King's Falcon

Roundheads and Cavaliers, Book 3

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The King's Falcon

By: Stella Riley
Narrated by: Alex Wyndham
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About this listen

A tale of war and witchcraft, plots and playhouses, love and loyalty....

Following his coronation in Scotland, Charles ll leads an army south to reclaim his throne, but the dream ends in a crushing defeat at Worcester, leaving no alternative but flight.

With little more than the clothes on their backs, Ashley Peverell and Francis Langley manage to reach Paris, where Ashley, known to some as The Falcon, resumes his under-cover and unpaid work for the King.

Beautiful, stubborn, and street-wise Athenais de Galzain has risen from the slums of Paris to become the Marais Theatre's leading actress. Unfortunately, this brings her to the attention of the Marquis d'Auxerre - an influential nobleman of an unsavory reputation who is accustomed to taking what he wants.

While the Prince's Fronde flares up anew, and turns the city into a battle-ground, Francis is bullied into helping his sister, Celia, obtain a divorce from Eden Maxwell. Currently working as a cryptographer in the Commonwealth's intelligence service, Eden watches Cromwell creating a king-sized space for himself, and begins to question the cause to which he has devoted a decade of his life.

From first chance, Ashley and Athenais are drawn together with the unstoppable force of two stars colliding; a force which Ashley, lacking both money and prospects, and aware of the frequency with which he's required to risk his life, cannot deny, but resolves to conceal. He has only two priorities: His work for Charles ll, and his determination to protect Athenais from the Marquis. Both are to test him to his limits.

The King's Falcon follows the Cavalier's last crusade, and the bitter, poverty-stricken exile that followed it. There is danger, intrigue, and romance in this sequel to The Black Madonna and Garland of Straw.

©2014 Stella Riley (P)2022 Stella Riley
Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Romance Royalty Divorce

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The King’s Falcon, Stella Riley’s 3rd book in her R&C series, has always been one of my favourites. With impeccable research, a well-constructed plot and a wealth of outstanding characters, it brings both fact and fiction together in the period following the end of English Civil War and prior to the restoration of Charles II in 1660.

However, Alex Wyndham’s outstanding performance has transported this excellent novel to a new level.

Mr. Wyndham handles all the characters adroitly, whether male or female, young or old, English or French. His pace, transitions and sense of feeling throughout are perfect plus his myriad of both English and French accents is superb - and at times, beyond my comprehension.

From the battle of Worcester and escape of Charles II plus Riley’s two male leads, Ashley and Francis, one is drawn into the complexities of those troubled times. Escaping to Paris we follow the trials and tribulations of Ashley (known as ‘The Falcon’) and Francis as they try to make a living in order to survive. While there they meet the two leading ladies of the book Athenais and Pauline who complement each other so well. I especially liked Pauline who has a razor-sharp tongue and does not suffer fools gladly.

And so, in Paris the scene is set, the leading players take their place, the curtain is raised and the story proceeds with twists and turns throughout.

Ms. Riley’s fictional characters interact with real ones including Cyrano de Bergerac who is instrumental to the clever plot.

Back in London Eden Maxwell, still suffering from the break-up of his marriage to Celia in 'The Black Madonna' immerses himself into the world of cryptography while serving in Oliver Cromwell’s unpopular administration and finds himself becoming disillusioned by the situation.

And thus, the denouement brings together the protagonists in a finale that is both satisfying, rewarding, uplifting and very moving especially just before the Epilogue.

The pace Alex Wyndham sets is perfect throughout and his delivery is faultless.

I’ll not add anything further but I highly recommend you relax and immerse yourself into the world of 'The King’s Falcon'. You’ll not be disappointed.

I can find no other words to describe this outstanding Audio book so I’ll finish by saying thank you Stella Riley and Alex Wyndham, ‘Perfection Personified'.

Perfection Personified

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I really enjoy listening to audiobooks. When they are done well, there is an immediacy and intimacy that can create a special three-way conversation between the author, the narrator and the listener. This is one of those books. I was held spellbound as I listened to Alex Wyndham breathe new life into a book, I had already enjoyed reading. This was an excellent performance: from the battle scenes at Dunbar and Worcester, to the life of a Parisian theatre and through Ashley and Francis’s adventures on the edge of the English court in exile: every aspect was exciting and compelling listening.

While I am a huge fan of all Ms Riley’s stories, I had never completely connected with Ashley (the hero) and Athenais (the heroine). Though my head understood the beauty of their romance, my heart did not. However, through Mr Wyndham’s performance, I was able to appreciate in a new way, the depth of Ashley’s love for Athenais, his protective care for her and the personal cost of his self-control. I also understood better his feelings of unworthiness and his uneasiness about the effects his tasks for the English Court were having on him. He became a multi-faceted; rounded and fully formed character and I fell in love with him.

At the same time, I was also able to see Athenais in a new light. Through Alex’s presentation, I understood better the painful effect of past events on her current life and her horror at the Marquis D’Auxerre’s pursuit of her. This pursuit and its climax were so well-written and enacted that it shocked and moved me and left me thinking about it for days.

There is something about having a story read to me that does make me think about it in a different way. I realised again, how complex, deep and rich this story is. There is so much historical background: the progress of the Civil War; witchcraft; and the life of the theatre; the life of the court in Exile with all the machinations of people in high places working either for the good or the downfall of King Charles II. Yet all this action and history is counterbalanced by the compelling human stories at the heart of the novel. I adored Francis and Pauline’s romance and loved seeing Eden Maxwell begin to live again and particularly enjoyed the interludes with Cyrano De Bergerac. The author has a way of weaving the historical backdrop and the personal stories together so seamlessly that the reader is fully invested in both. This is my favourite kind of novel and the King’s Falcon one of the best. I just loved it.

Historical Fiction at its best

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I enjoyed this book so much I listened to it twice in a row :-)

So good I listened twice

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I can never wait for the next Riley-Wyndham killer combo to come out. When’s the next one. Wonderful plots, gorgeous characters, casually historically spot on - plus the vocal brilliance of Alex Wyndham - how can a voice be SO gorgeous? the Netflix guys need to bag these tales - move over Bridgerton - can you imagine if they got televised? Our TVs would blow up! (With Mr W as the narrator of course).

Thank you Ms Riley and Mr Wyndham for creating the best listens!

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This final part of the Cavaliers and Rroundheads continues the story from the crowning of young Charles in Scotland, defeat at the battle of Worcester and escape to France with barely the clothes on their backs. The exploits in Paris at the poverty stricken court-in-exile of both Francis and Ashley (the Falcon) include involvement with the Parisian theatre and a dastardly Marquis and for Ashley, the resumption of his undercover work for the King. Back in London, Eden gradually becomes more and more disenchanted with Cromwell.

As for Alex Wyndham, he is a pleasure to listen to. His range of accents, both French and English is excellent. My only very minor quibble is his Scots accents. As a Scot myself, I found myself wincing a time or two, but I think most people wouldn't notice.

Once again, Stella Riley and Alex Wyndham make the perfect partnership.

Perfect pairing

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