There are many stories written from the point of view of Henry's six wives and his children and other victims, but as far as I know, this is the only one that takes on the viewpoint of Henry himself. As far as I can tell, the research is very good. It was very interesting to see life through Henry's eyes for once, and that he wasn't as bad a guy as people make him out to be. The details of court life were enchanting, and the supporting characters such as Wolsey and More are very strong; they are not just cardboard cutouts but real people with life and breath. However, I think George cuts Henry a little bit too much slack at times. He was not a stupid man and must have known, for instance, that Anne Boleyn did not really commit incest with her brother, but this novel has him believing every word of the evidence against her. Also, it defies credibility that Henry would be able to remember so many tiny details and verbatim conversations, so many years after the fact. Nonetheless, this book is well worth reading, especially in contrast with non-fiction works and novels about Tudor history, such as The Other Boleyn Girl.