First published 2017
Thomas More stands before King Henry VIII in the royal court, knowing his refusal will cost him everything. As the king's most trusted chancellor, More has served faithfully for years, but he cannot bring himself to support Henry's plan to divorce Catherine of Aragon. The divorce would require breaking with Rome and the Catholic Church that has shaped More's entire worldview. Henry grows increasingly impatient as his chancellor maintains his principled opposition. More watches as other courtiers bend to the royal will while he holds firm to his convictions. The king's anger escalates into threats, then formal charges of treason. More's family pleads with him to relent, but he cannot betray his conscience even to save his life. As he awaits his fate in the Tower of London, More grapples with the terrible price of moral certainty in a world where kings demand absolute obedience.
Genres: drama, historical-fiction, biography-memoir, political-thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: moral-dilemma, principled-opposition
Setting: England, Tower of London
Period: 16th Century
82 pages · Paperback · Independently published
Content warnings: death