The Player King

By Avi

A kitchen boy is thrust into a royal conspiracy, claiming a throne he never knew was his.

3.6/5 Goodreads · 918 ratings

208 pages· 29,037 words· Est. 4 hour read

$8.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

In 1486 England, Lambert Simnel, a destitute kitchen boy, is swept into a perilous plot when a friar reveals he is the lost Prince Edward, the rightful king. With the cunning Earl of Lincoln's guidance, Lambert must navigate the treacherous path to the throne. But as he steps into the shoes of a king, Lambert discovers the true cost of power and identity. Can he survive the dangerous game of thrones, or will the truth be his undoing?

From the publisher

“Swiftly moving and utterly engrossing.” —Shelf Awareness Parents’ Choice Recommended 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.

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