The Player King

by Avi Narrated by John Keating

Overview

From Newbery Award-winning author Avi comes the gripping and amazingly true tale of a boy plucked from the gutter to become the King of England. England, 1486. King Henry VII has recently snatched the English Crown and now sits on the throne, while young Prince Edward, who has a truer claim, has apparently disappeared. Meanwhile, a penniless kitchen boy named Lambert Simnel is slaving away at a tavern in Oxford-until a mysterious friar, Brother Simonds, buys Lambert from the tavern keeper and whisks him away in the dead of night. But this is nothing compared to the secret that the friar reveals: You, Lambert, are actually Prince Edward, the true King of England! With the aid of the deceitful Earl of Lincoln, Brother Simonds sets out to teach the boy how to become the rightful English king. Lambert has everything to gain and nothing to lose, or so he thinks. Yet in this dangerous battle for the throne, Lambert is not prepared for what's to come-or for what it really means to play at being a king.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

08/07/2017
Once again, Avi (The Unexpected Life of Oliver Cromwell Pitts) whisks readers back in time to witness the adventures of a boy in danger. It’s 1486 in Oxford, England, where orphan Lambert Simnel works long hours as a tavern scullion. His dismal fate changes overnight when he is purchased by a Dominican priest, who claims that Limbert is the rightful heir to King Richard’s throne, which has been usurped by King Henry VII. The friar’s goal is to return the boy to his “rightful” position, but first Lambert—now called Edward, Earl of Warwick—must learn how to be a king. Based on historical fact, the novel strongly depicts Lambert’s emotions: his initial confusion, his growing excitement over the prospect of gaining wealth and power (although he knows he has no true claim to the throne), and his fear when he realizes that he is being used as a pawn in a deadly game. Avi’s short, accessible chapters and candid first-person narration create suspense and strongly evoke the political climate of the era, revealing an odd, mysterious chapter in England’s history. Ages 8–12. (Oct.)

November/ December 2017 - The Horn Book

This brief, colorful moment in British history makes an engaging middle-grade novel, all the more so as it recounts what most readers will associate with a trope of wish-fulfillment fantasy—the orphan who learns he’s king—as a historical event. Avi tells the story through Lambert’s retrospective voice, with a direct, accessible narrative style, providing adequate historical detail without bogging the story down.

Starred Review BCCB

* “It’s a juicy tale upon which to construct a work of historical fiction . . . deftly crafted for readers who care more about a rousing story than a history lesson, tossing them into the action without ever uttering “War of the Roses” . . . With a bit of judicious booktalking, this may be a title to entice new readers to historical fiction.

October 20, 2017 - Shelf Awareness

Swiftly moving and utterly engrossing. The Player King's real strength comes in the form of language . . . Avi tells a story that seems too outrageous to be true, but an author's note confirms it all happened. That—the fact behind the fiction—is what truly makes this book a worthy read.

July 1st, 2017 - Booklist

Told from Lambert’s point of view, the first-person narrative effectively avoids the complicated political backstory and focuses on the boy’s experiences as he learns the unfamiliar speech, manners, and knowledge and plays his part. Avi . . . again makes the past vivid and personal in this relatively short, accessible book.

July 1st, 2017 - Booklist

Told from Lambert’s point of view, the first-person narrative effectively avoids the complicated political backstory and focuses on the boy’s experiences as he learns the unfamiliar speech, manners, and knowledge and plays his part. Avi . . . again makes the past vivid and personal in this relatively short, accessible book.

School Library Journal

08/01/2017
Gradually, he becomes resigned, and at times hopeful, about the bold plan. Lambert soon acts and speaks as if he really is the true heir, admitting the truth only to the reader and finally to the rightful king. As the former kitchen boy gains knowledge and confidence, he realizes that he must be more than an obedient pawn if he wants to survive, even turning the tables on the friar who trained him. He never gains true power, though, and the army that gathers around him is easily defeated by the forces of King Henry VII. By the end, readers have seen the hopelessness of Lambert's adventure, but respect his efforts to find ways to understand and control his own fate. VERDICT An interesting slice of history told by an engaging and believable protagonist. Hand to fans of the author, young Tudor enthusiasts, and readers who enjoy medieval-set fiction.—Steven Engelfried, Wilsonville Public Library, OR

Kirkus Reviews

2017-08-02
From prolific, Newbery winner Avi, a novel set in the Middle Ages that is replete with authentic period details, page-turning brief chapters, and a plot filled with twists, turns, and political intrigue.Avi expands on the historical footnote of an unnamed boy who challenged the kingship of Henry VII, was crowned briefly in Ireland, then led an army to England where he was soundly defeated. Lambert Simnel is a young orphan of unknown age who works and lives in a tavern where he is treated cruelly. A friar with his own selfish motives sees Lambert, purchases him, and schools him in the rules of behavior in order to pass him off as the previous king's nephew, supposedly escaped from imprisonment. The first-person narration adds immediacy to Lambert's fears and confusion. Having previously watched street actors, Lambert determines his best chance is to be a convincing player king, perpetuating the sham and nearly convincing himself. Although Lambert rises from a "loathed nobody" who spent "his life in a cellar, like a rotten turnip," his fortune rapidly plummets. Touches of humor, brought about by both Lambert's need for spiffing up and a colorful vocabulary ("gundy-gut," "bootlicker," "want-wit"), are sprinkled throughout. Unsurprisingly, the cast is an all-white one. An appealing protagonist pursuing a grand adventure and struggling with themes of power, pride, and identity will appeal to fans of historical fiction. (Historical fiction. 9-12)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171285470
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	10/17/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

Read an Excerpt

The Player King

MY TALE BEGINS in Oxford, England, in the Year of our Lord 1486. At the time, I was living, sleeping, and forever working in a place known as Tackley’s Tavern on the High Street. The tavern was a deep, cellar place, darkful, foul, and loud-tongued so that of all the never-ending chores I was required to do, the one task I truly liked was going out to fetch the bread. Only then did I gain a bit of daylight liberty.

When I went walking out that morning, a rare, bright sun was over loft. It had rained the night before, so the city stench was but slight. The High Street was crowded with children, women, and men, plus dogs and pigs. There were scholars, beggars, clerics, soldiers, and merchants, including wealthy folk in their finery. The clothing most wore was far better than my own tattered brown tunic, and their feet were wrapped in leather, not mud as were mine. A goodly number of people were even clean. As for the dog and pigs, they, like me, were mostly skin and bones, all slubberly with soot.

The street was lined by three-story timbered houses that leaned over my head while all kinds of pretty flags fluttered. Painted and carved signs proclaimed what was being sold in shops. Keepers of stalls were crying, “New onions!” “Spices!” “Meat pies!”

Being always hungry, I would have much loved to have devoured a round dozen pies. Alas, I possessed not so much as a farthing, the smallest coin in the kingdom—one fourth of a penny.

It was as I passed before All Saints Church that I heard the swirl of pipe and beating drum. Observing that a crowd had gathered, I was curious to learn the reason why. I was always wishing to enjoy a free pastime, so I wiggled to the front.

To my great delight, what I saw was a band of players about to perform an interlude on a rickety platform before a frayed cloth. The cloth, hanging from a rope, bore a painting of a castle. Musicians stood on either side of the platform, one playing a recorder, the other thumping a tabor. A woman held up a banner with words, which no doubt explained what story was to be mimed. It mattered nothing to me that I could not read: Street interludes were usually full of jolly sport and I loved them.

Three players—all men—strode out from behind the painted cloth. They wore motley costumes, multi-patched and many colored. One man had a black beard tied to his chin, and a crumped crown—something colored gold—on his head. I guessed he was meant to be a king.

In one hand, this player king dangled a live piglet—a blue ribbon tied round its head—which squealed and twisted about in great distress. In the king’s other hand was a large sword made of wood.

Just to see it all made me grin.

Two other players, dressed as women, knelt before the king and held up their hands, as if begging.

“Oh, great King Solomon,” one of them cried in a loud, high-pitched voice. “That sweet babe is mine!”

No sooner did “she” say this than the piglet let out an unruly squeal. That sent the crowd into loud laughter, in which I joined.

Then the other pretend woman cried, “Not true, beloved King. It is my beautiful child!”

The piglet gave yet another scritching scream, which pleased the crowd even more. My empty stomach hurt with laughing.

In a loud voice, the player king proclaimed, “Since I am the great king Solomon, full of noble wisdom, it is for me to decide to which of you this child belongs. Since you both say this babe is yours, I shall cut him in twain, so each may have half.” He lifted his sword.

“Yes,” said one of the women, “that’s the wisest thing to do.”

“No! No!” cried the other woman. “Don’t do that, O great King. Let the child live whole with her, rather than cut him in two.”

“Aha!” said the king. “Surely true love always champions life. Thus, a woman who does not wish the child to die must be the real mother. I say, let her have it.”

With that, he handed the piglet to the woman, who caused the beast to squeak and wrenk so much it broke free, and the king and two women had to scuddle madly to catch it.

This prompted the crowd to the greatest crowing of all, in which I joined with utmost glee.

These players retired behind the castle cloth, but two others came forth, including yet another who was meant, I think, to be God the Father, because a halo was fastened to his head and a white beard was tied to his chin. Another man—called Noah—held a goblet and acted drunk. Though God warned him a great flood would come unless he stopped drinking, this Noah drank anyway, so God dumped a filled piss-pot over him. The crowd roared.

Oh, how I adored such jests.

Finally, two men came forward and began to do a jig as the musicians played. The most nimble was the player king. The other players—in their costumes—walked about with hats, begging for coins.

The interlude over, I pushed through the crowd intent upon going on to the bakery. The comedy had filled me with joy.

It was only when I stepped back into the High Street that I realized a friar had followed me and now stood staring after me. I recognized him as a Dominican priest, of the order known as Black Friars because they wore black cloaks over white robes.

He was a tall, sinewy man, his pate shaved on top, tonsure style. He had a smooth, narrow-headed, and sharp-chinned face, piercing eyes, a long nose, and small, somewhat pointy ears. Pale hands, which emerged from his black cloak, were clasped piously over his robes, while his delicate fingers suggested he pushed pens, not plows. On his slender feet he wore sandals.

I recalled having seen this priest at Tackley’s Tavern any number of times. He always made me think of a sleek hunter’s hound. But this time, the way he stood there looking at me suggested I was a rabbit, which he had a mind to catch, cook, and eat.

Refusing to have him dull my spirits, I gave him no further heed and continued on to the bakery. But I shall tell you true: If this priest had never seen me, my life would have been very different.

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