I really enjoyed the story of the Morland family but the author switched between fiction and non-fiction too quickly to give the reader background. I appreciate that but it was done rather abruptly. I hope, for future books, the author doesn't feel the need to prove she researched this. ( )

This series had an interesting concept: follow one family through the generations. The series has over thirty books. Unfortunately, there was a family tree at the start of this book, and you have to get a good 200 pages into the book before it starts being about anything other than the family tree. Even then it’s basically family tree plus some history thrown it. The family tree also let you cheat on what was going to happen; I think it should have been placed at the back of the book instead of the front.

Having been originally published in 1980, The Founding seems to show its age with some anachronisms and a very rosy view of factories and such modernization and how it just doesn’t distinguish itself. I generally find it annoying when historical fiction or fantasy in historical-fiction-like settings show their protagonists as being super progressive. I could be wrong, but I thought the “factory” was going a little too far. The windows in the house were probably also a bit early.

This book takes an extremely fluffy view of Richard III. It was more a view of him through his loyalists’ eyes (which the Morlands were) and how they might have interpreted his actions and the events surrounding them.

All in all it was an ok read. I found it interesting at first, but then it just seemed to drag on as the book focused more and more on historical events and the links with the characters grew shallower.
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Who knew history could be so fascinating? It could have been just another dry piece of historical fiction; instead the characters leapt off the page and the storyline was so engaging! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the Morland family and their beginnings. I'm excited to continue on with this series! ( )

My blog post about this book is at this link.

My review on reread is at this link. ( )

There are not many books that make me want to do nothing but sit and read from start to finish, but the story of the Morland family, and their place in the troubled times of England during the 15th century, had me totally absorbed. This is book one of the huge Morland Dynasty series, and I only hope that they continue to be as good as the first! ( )