Costain continues his saga of the Plantaganet family, starting here with the three kings of England in the middle ages, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III, covering all the history involved, the politics, the religious twists, the Black Death, wars, civil unrest, the building and tearing down of castles and more, dusted generously with plenty of intrigue, double-crossings, romance, family squables, tournaments, disappointments, beheadings, desposings. What more could you ask for? And it's all history, straightforward, uncontrived, no conjugated characters. Costain puts it all out there with clarity, simply following history as it happened. Some of it may surprise you, and I'm sure you will learn a lot. Filling in and rounding out this vision, Costain fills in with other players of the times including generous space allotted to Edward the Black Prince and John of Gaunt, John Wycliffe, and lesser known heroes, Leading into its evolution, the Wars of the Roses is clarified. It's possible you might even remember which House was the white rose [House of York} and which one was red {House of Lancaster} because it so simply explained. As it finishes, the Reformation of religious thought looms on the horizon. And young Richard II is heir to the throne of England. However, it is the final chapter that provides an unexpected twist and leaves the reader clamorous for the next adventure. Excellent narrative involves the reader all the way through and anxious to lay hold of the next one. I am thoroughly enjoying these. ( )

All history books should be written as well as Thomas Costain's "The Three Edwards." A comprehensive guide to the lives and labors of the great warrior kings Edward I and Edward III and the screw-up, Edward II, who ruled in between them, this book unfolds more like an easy-to-read and hard-to-put-down novel. Divided into short, easily manageable and well-organized chapters, it covers everything from the marriages of the kings and their children, the political highs and lows of their reigns, the manner of their deaths and the major battles of their wars. Many books about this era are hard to follow if you don't already have a good working knowledge of the time period. Costain avoids this problem by telling you who the people are, what they looked and acted liked, and why they are important to the story, helping you keep track of them by reminding you when he's spoken of them before, and generally describing the people so well that they don't just become a series of names that you can't keep track of. Although he obviously admires Edward I, has disdain for Edward II, and seems to be neutral toward Edward III, to whom about half the book is devoted, he is careful to point out both the good and bad in each of their characters and to place their actions in the context of their times. Plenty of space is given to the kings' ministers, merchants, wives and families, and to those of the Scottish and French rulers with whom the Edwards were at constant war, including Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, John Balliol, Philip the Fair, Jean the Good, and Charles the Bald.

One of the things I love about this book is that Costain shares so many of the great rumors and stories that passed down over the ages (such as Edward I promising the Welsh that he will give them a prince that speaks no English or French and then appointing his newborn son to the post), simply because they are great stories, while taking pains to point out why they can't be true. You can almost feel Costain winking at you as he relates the tales. Another great aspect of the book is that he devotes substantial time to the women of the period, who are generally ignored in most books on the middle ages. Edward II's wife, Isabella of France, is examined in detail, as is Eleanor of Castille, the first and beloved wife of Edward I whose death moved him to erect eleven costly stone crosses to her memory.

This book presents a very comprehensive overview of the lives and works of the three kings and is a great starting place for those who know very little about their lives, or a great review for those who've read much about them. You won't get every tiny bit of detail about Edward III's famous battles of Sluys, Crecy and Poitiers here that is found in, for instance, Jonathon Sumption's books on the Hundred Years War, but they are all well-summarized, and Costain includes many important details such as numbers of foot and mounted soldiers on each side, terrain, battle tactics and formations, and number of casualties as well as political motivations. Given the length of the book, there is a surprising wealth of detail packed into every page, including such wonderful tidbits as the origin of the word "blanket," which came from the name of Thomas Blanket, an early English manufacturer of the item.

In the last few months I have read over two dozen books on the middle ages, and this had been by far the most informative and enjoyable, the one book that really makes the events of the period come alive and the people seem to be actual people of flesh and blood, rather than just an amalgam of their deeds and accomplishments. I can't recommend this book highly enough. ( )