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Insurrection (Insurrection Trilogy 1)
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Review
'Immaculately researched and carefully written, evoking a very particular - and largely unexplored - time and place. The fights are sensational.' -- Daily Telegraph 'Young's fans will not be disappointed as she meticulously ploughs through the sweep of history and brings to life one of its most enigmatic characters' -- Daily Mail 'It is so graphic you can immediately put yourself there, imagining the faces and the clash of weapons. It also elaborates on the historical context and fleshes out the characters. It draws you in and is a compelling novel you cannot put down. So much research must have gone into the book; the detail is incredible. I enjoyed it so much.' -- The BBC Radio 2 Simon Mayo Book Club 'Richly worked and captivating ... an epic story of war, intrigue and heroism' -- Good Book Guide on BRETHREN 'The fast and furious start to a majestic new trilogy' -- Women and Home 'leads you in swiftly and doesn't let you go' -- Australian Women's Weekly 'this tale captures the struggles of a tumultuous time' -- Australian Daily Telegraph 'another fine novel by Young and a promising start to an exciting new series' -- Canberra Times 'This is a big book, and the trilogy a huge project to undertake. From the evidence so far, Young's fans will not be disappointed as she meticulously ploughs through the sweep of history and brings to life one of its most enigmatic characters' -- Daily Mail 'Action-packed historical novel about Robert The Bruce. A fighting start to a new trilogy.' -- Sun 'Ideal for anyone who loves historical fiction and anyone else who wants a well written and intricate read' -- Sentinel (Staffordshire) 'A cracking plot and charismatic characters are set against the convincingly researched background of the violent, gory Anglo-Scottish civil wars' -- Saga 'Given the events are fixed in historical fiction, the trick is to find supplementary reasons for actions, and Young's conceit - that Edward I is trying to capture four relics (one of which is the Stone of Destiny) - gives a great ulterior motivation. The learning is never cumbersome, a deft trick when describing medieval warfare in all its clunking barbarism.' -- Scotsman 'Young writes with remarkable accuracy, action-packed efficiency and gut-wrenching violence' -- The Times on REQUIEM 'An outstanding contemporary writer' -- Kate Mosse on Robyn Young 'A sweeping historical adventure as well as a cracking sequel' -- Financial Times on CRUSADE 'One of the best historical debuts in recent memory. Exciting and enthralling.' -- John Connolly on BRETHREN 'Wonderful ... loaded with atmosphere, action, and intrigue' -- Steve Berry on BRETHREN
Review
'Immaculately researched and carefully written, evoking a very particular - and largely unexplored - time and place. The fights are sensational.' (Daily Telegraph )
'Young's fans will not be disappointed as she meticulously ploughs through the sweep of history and brings to life one of its most enigmatic characters' (Daily Mail )
'It is so graphic you can immediately put yourself there, imagining the faces and the clash of weapons. It also elaborates on the historical context and fleshes out the characters. It draws you in and is a compelling novel you cannot put down. So much research must have gone into the book; the detail is incredible. I enjoyed it so much.' (The BBC Radio 2 Simon Mayo Book Club )
'Richly worked and captivating . . . an epic story of war, intrigue and heroism' (Good Book Guide on BRETHREN )
'The fast and furious start to a majestic new trilogy' (Women and Home )
'another fine novel by Young and a promising start to an exciting new series' (Canberra Times )
'This is a big book, and the trilogy a huge project to undertake. From the evidence so far, Young's fans will not be disappointed as she meticulously ploughs through the sweep of history and brings to life one of its most enigmatic characters' (Daily Mail )
'Action-packed historical novel about Robert The Bruce. A fighting start to a new trilogy.' (Sun )
'Given the events are fixed in historical fiction, the trick is to find supplementary reasons for actions, and Young's conceit - that Edward I is trying to capture four relics (one of which is the Stone of Destiny) - gives a great ulterior motivation. The learning is never cumbersome, a deft trick when describing medieval warfare in all its clunking barbarism.' (Scotsman )
'Young writes with remarkable accuracy, action-packed efficiency and gut-wrenching violence' (The Times on REQUIEM )
'An outstanding contemporary writer' (Kate Mosse on Robyn Young )
'A sweeping historical adventure as well as a cracking sequel' (Financial Times on CRUSADE )
'One of the best historical debuts in recent memory. Exciting and enthralling.' (John Connolly on BRETHREN )
'Wonderful . . . loaded with atmosphere, action, and intrigue' (Steve Berry on BRETHREN )
'Like Young's other historical novels, INSURRECTION is meticulously researched . . . a treat for any fans of the Scottish Wars of Independence.' (Historical Novel Review )
'Young's fans will not be disappointed as she meticulously ploughs through the sweep of history and brings to life one of its most enigmatic characters' (Daily Mail )
'It is so graphic you can immediately put yourself there, imagining the faces and the clash of weapons. It also elaborates on the historical context and fleshes out the characters. It draws you in and is a compelling novel you cannot put down. So much research must have gone into the book; the detail is incredible. I enjoyed it so much.' (The BBC Radio 2 Simon Mayo Book Club )
'Richly worked and captivating . . . an epic story of war, intrigue and heroism' (Good Book Guide on BRETHREN )
'The fast and furious start to a majestic new trilogy' (Women and Home )
'leads you in swiftly and doesn't let you go'
'this tale captures the struggles of a tumultuous time'
'another fine novel by Young and a promising start to an exciting new series' (Canberra Times )
'This is a big book, and the trilogy a huge project to undertake. From the evidence so far, Young's fans will not be disappointed as she meticulously ploughs through the sweep of history and brings to life one of its most enigmatic characters' (Daily Mail )
'Action-packed historical novel about Robert The Bruce. A fighting start to a new trilogy.' (Sun )
'Ideal for anyone who loves historical fiction and anyone else who wants a well written and intricate read'
'A cracking plot and charismatic characters are set against the convincingly researched background of the violent, gory Anglo-Scottish civil wars'
'Given the events are fixed in historical fiction, the trick is to find supplementary reasons for actions, and Young's conceit - that Edward I is trying to capture four relics (one of which is the Stone of Destiny) - gives a great ulterior motivation. The learning is never cumbersome, a deft trick when describing medieval warfare in all its clunking barbarism.' (Scotsman )
'Young writes with remarkable accuracy, action-packed efficiency and gut-wrenching violence' (The Times on REQUIEM )
'An outstanding contemporary writer' (Kate Mosse on Robyn Young )
'A sweeping historical adventure as well as a cracking sequel' (Financial Times on CRUSADE )
'One of the best historical debuts in recent memory. Exciting and enthralling.' (John Connolly on BRETHREN )
'Wonderful . . . loaded with atmosphere, action, and intrigue' (Steve Berry on BRETHREN )
'Like Young's other historical novels, INSURRECTION is meticulously researched . . . a treat for any fans of the Scottish Wars of Independence.' (Historical Novel Review )
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
91 of 94 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a novel about politics, successions within the nobility and the bid for Royal thrones. These central themes are woven into the period of time broadly labelled as the `Wars of Scottish Independence' and involve famous historical people including William Wallace, Robert Bruce and Edward Longshanks.
You may be wondering at this point one of two things; one, `well that sounds like all the ingredients for an interesting non-fiction historical study' or two, `I hope this is not a cheap rendition of "Braveheart" in the form of a book'. In response to the first point, I can definitely say that this is first and foremost a fictional novel set within the historical fiction genre. Robyn Young's writing style is compelling and fully dimensional. For example, she gently leads you into the story before unleashing the required history and knowledge of the local alliances and enmities necessary for a complete understanding of the background to the novel. In this way, you are fully immersed within the story and hardly notice the gradual inclusion of history which would probably put off a new reader if listed in its entirety at the beginning. In answer to the second point, this is certainly not a rehashed rendition of the famously historically inaccurate "Braveheart". Wallace, Bruce and Edward are completely different people within `Insurrection'. To me they appeared to be more balanced, grounded and possess a full range of human emotions in comparison to their relatively one sided cinematic counterparts. In addition to this statement, you will get the sense from reading the novel and then seeing the select bibliography at the end of the book that `Insurrection' is thoroughly well researched.
One of Robyn Young's main attractions to the historical fiction fan is her ability to create a cast of unique, engaging characters combined with the way she draws the reader into the tale. Certain events and passages within this book can be related to personal experiences within the reader's own life which makes the book appear relevant and creates a desire to continue reading in order to discover what happened to their adopted character. This is a difficult skill to hone and you will see many other authors within this field who have tried and failed to capture this essence of relevance and reader/character comparison, leaving books which are emotionless and sterile.
I can certainly state that the historical fiction fan will devour this book at a rapid rate of knots within a couple of sittings, it's that good. Robyn Young to me is an exciting relatively new author who is a breath of fresh air in a crowded genre. Her writing is simplistic and therefore engrossing, but well researched and consequently highly interesting. This is a fabulous new novel and I cannot recommend it highly enough to those of you who like me, love a dam good historical adventure.
Whether you are English, Scottish or Welsh, `Insurrection' is a book which can be read and enjoyed by all and which I believe portrays the interests of each country at this period of time in a balanced manner (as far as the history and known facts will allow!).
You may be wondering at this point one of two things; one, `well that sounds like all the ingredients for an interesting non-fiction historical study' or two, `I hope this is not a cheap rendition of "Braveheart" in the form of a book'. In response to the first point, I can definitely say that this is first and foremost a fictional novel set within the historical fiction genre. Robyn Young's writing style is compelling and fully dimensional. For example, she gently leads you into the story before unleashing the required history and knowledge of the local alliances and enmities necessary for a complete understanding of the background to the novel. In this way, you are fully immersed within the story and hardly notice the gradual inclusion of history which would probably put off a new reader if listed in its entirety at the beginning. In answer to the second point, this is certainly not a rehashed rendition of the famously historically inaccurate "Braveheart". Wallace, Bruce and Edward are completely different people within `Insurrection'. To me they appeared to be more balanced, grounded and possess a full range of human emotions in comparison to their relatively one sided cinematic counterparts. In addition to this statement, you will get the sense from reading the novel and then seeing the select bibliography at the end of the book that `Insurrection' is thoroughly well researched.
One of Robyn Young's main attractions to the historical fiction fan is her ability to create a cast of unique, engaging characters combined with the way she draws the reader into the tale. Certain events and passages within this book can be related to personal experiences within the reader's own life which makes the book appear relevant and creates a desire to continue reading in order to discover what happened to their adopted character. This is a difficult skill to hone and you will see many other authors within this field who have tried and failed to capture this essence of relevance and reader/character comparison, leaving books which are emotionless and sterile.
I can certainly state that the historical fiction fan will devour this book at a rapid rate of knots within a couple of sittings, it's that good. Robyn Young to me is an exciting relatively new author who is a breath of fresh air in a crowded genre. Her writing is simplistic and therefore engrossing, but well researched and consequently highly interesting. This is a fabulous new novel and I cannot recommend it highly enough to those of you who like me, love a dam good historical adventure.
Whether you are English, Scottish or Welsh, `Insurrection' is a book which can be read and enjoyed by all and which I believe portrays the interests of each country at this period of time in a balanced manner (as far as the history and known facts will allow!).
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I had enjoyed Robyn Young's trilogy on the Knights Templar (although, if I am honest, the third book was a bit disappointing compared with the others) so I was eager to see what she made of the Scottish Wars of Independence. I was pleased to see that she was focusing on Robert Bruce, rather than William Wallace, as the Bruce, as well as actually becoming king (although not in this first book) is a more interesting character than Wallace.
Robert Bruce is particularly interesting because he equivocated so much over his support for rebellion against the English occupation of Scotland, notwithstanding his own claim to the throne. It is especially hard to understand quite why he kept changing his loyalties, despite the obvious reasons of pragmatism and self-interest. Robyn Young tries to get to the bottom of this ambiguity in his character, and does it rather well - while it might not answer the question historically, it is a shrewd attempt to get to the bottom of the Bruce's motivations.
Young manages the complex politics of the period well, and keeps the reader interested. The Bruce clan's feud with their well-known enemies, the Comyns, is believable and sustained, as is Robert Bruce's difficult relationship with his father, who retired to his Essex estates rather than take part in the insurrection against Edward I.
One has to feel sorry for Edward I, though. He was vainglorious, greedy, mercurial, mendacious and opportunistic, true enough; but Robyn Young does seem to have it in for him - in the Templar trilogy he was very much a villain, and in this book she attributes a murder to him for which there is no evidence (although it works well for the plotting of the story) - he had enough blood on his hands without some twenty-first century author laying more bodies at his feet!
But that isn't really a criticism. The book is well-paced, historically accurate where it needs to be, with enough fictitious elements to supplement the real story without damaging it. The battle scenes are visceral and believable, and the characters are well enough rounded to make it thoroughly believable.
At the risk of sounding condescending: well done! I look forward to the next in the series, which I assume will take us at least up to Bruce's assumption of the throne, if not beyond.
Robert Bruce is particularly interesting because he equivocated so much over his support for rebellion against the English occupation of Scotland, notwithstanding his own claim to the throne. It is especially hard to understand quite why he kept changing his loyalties, despite the obvious reasons of pragmatism and self-interest. Robyn Young tries to get to the bottom of this ambiguity in his character, and does it rather well - while it might not answer the question historically, it is a shrewd attempt to get to the bottom of the Bruce's motivations.
Young manages the complex politics of the period well, and keeps the reader interested. The Bruce clan's feud with their well-known enemies, the Comyns, is believable and sustained, as is Robert Bruce's difficult relationship with his father, who retired to his Essex estates rather than take part in the insurrection against Edward I.
One has to feel sorry for Edward I, though. He was vainglorious, greedy, mercurial, mendacious and opportunistic, true enough; but Robyn Young does seem to have it in for him - in the Templar trilogy he was very much a villain, and in this book she attributes a murder to him for which there is no evidence (although it works well for the plotting of the story) - he had enough blood on his hands without some twenty-first century author laying more bodies at his feet!
But that isn't really a criticism. The book is well-paced, historically accurate where it needs to be, with enough fictitious elements to supplement the real story without damaging it. The battle scenes are visceral and believable, and the characters are well enough rounded to make it thoroughly believable.
At the risk of sounding condescending: well done! I look forward to the next in the series, which I assume will take us at least up to Bruce's assumption of the throne, if not beyond.
22 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
"It was the voice of God. And God was furious."
Insurrection is the first in a new trilogy, centering on the adventures of Robert the Bruce, and it follows on from the same author's outstanding Templar series The Brethren trilogy. And on the evidence of this first book in the new series, it might even be going to outdo Brethren. It's that good.
The story is massive, with a large cast of characters, both Scottish and English (and French and Norwegian, come to think of it) - one of the strengths of this novel is that it tells the story from both sides, so we read almost as much of Edward I and his court, as we do of the Scots. The times were brutal for Scotland, especially for any who didn't fancy being subjects for the English. What Bruce offered his people was a sense of unity, purpose and pride. William Wallace appears, but it's Robert who is the true leader and the genius of the Scottish rebel cause.
The story is handled with immense skill, the battlescenes breathtakingly vivid (Stirling Bridge, to name but one, and Falkirk) and I thought the characters all rich and involving. Robert is at this stage in his life still quite young - he's only 23 at the end of Insurrection, and we'll no doubt see him growing more mature and experienced in the next two books, much as Will did in the Brethren trilogy. Edward I is a rich, nuanced 'villain' if villain is quite the right word. There are various intriguing subplots including an Arthurian prophecy, and more than a dash of romance - personally I prefer the more adventurous side of the story, and I can't stress it enough: this novel delivers in spades. There are also some nice touches of humour. I particularly enjoyed a rather blackly comic incident involving some solders attacked by wasps. You'll have to read it yourself to see what I mean!
All in all: five stars. I only wish I hadn't read it so fast, and now I am going to have to wait ages for the next novel in the series. Maybe I'll go back and read the Brethren books all over again in the meantime!
Insurrection is the first in a new trilogy, centering on the adventures of Robert the Bruce, and it follows on from the same author's outstanding Templar series The Brethren trilogy. And on the evidence of this first book in the new series, it might even be going to outdo Brethren. It's that good.
The story is massive, with a large cast of characters, both Scottish and English (and French and Norwegian, come to think of it) - one of the strengths of this novel is that it tells the story from both sides, so we read almost as much of Edward I and his court, as we do of the Scots. The times were brutal for Scotland, especially for any who didn't fancy being subjects for the English. What Bruce offered his people was a sense of unity, purpose and pride. William Wallace appears, but it's Robert who is the true leader and the genius of the Scottish rebel cause.
The story is handled with immense skill, the battlescenes breathtakingly vivid (Stirling Bridge, to name but one, and Falkirk) and I thought the characters all rich and involving. Robert is at this stage in his life still quite young - he's only 23 at the end of Insurrection, and we'll no doubt see him growing more mature and experienced in the next two books, much as Will did in the Brethren trilogy. Edward I is a rich, nuanced 'villain' if villain is quite the right word. There are various intriguing subplots including an Arthurian prophecy, and more than a dash of romance - personally I prefer the more adventurous side of the story, and I can't stress it enough: this novel delivers in spades. There are also some nice touches of humour. I particularly enjoyed a rather blackly comic incident involving some solders attacked by wasps. You'll have to read it yourself to see what I mean!
All in all: five stars. I only wish I hadn't read it so fast, and now I am going to have to wait ages for the next novel in the series. Maybe I'll go back and read the Brethren books all over again in the meantime!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Lost in space
I have read "Insurrection" but I was eagerly awaiting the publication of the next book in the series! It was scheduled for release last Autumn but no sign of it yet. Read more
Published 1 day ago by Oswald Channing
Good Start
I enjoyed this book and it held my interest all the way through.
Historically I would compare it with the TRANTER historical novels which are equally detailed although a... Read more
Historically I would compare it with the TRANTER historical novels which are equally detailed although a... Read more
Published 4 months ago by David Cranson
I'm rooting for Robyn...but Mr. Tranter has already aced this story
First of all, it is sweetly refreshing for a work of historical fiction to be centered on a period of Scottish history. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Ronald Boyd
I found this book slow paced
I also found it long and dull, i was unable to finish it as their was nothing gripping me to the book. Nor was it interesting. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Lendrick
Good Start, Great Subject
I bet Cornwell, Iggulden, Scarrow et al are miffed that they didn't think of Robert the Bruce first. So much potential. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Tugs
Gripping historical fiction
Robyn Young's Insurrection is well written and I was entrhalled from start to finish. The premise is simple enough, it's Robert the Bruce "The Early Years" with historys blanks... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Dinah93
Brilliant!
It started with me being so unsure that I kept picking it up and putting it down in Tesco! I Finally decided to risk it and I'm glad I did! Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mlle Godfrey Carla
Great writing with a vivid and rich imagination...
Great writing with a vivid and rich imagination and a light touch masking a depth of historical detail and research that is so important to a first class historical novel, which... Read more
Published 11 months ago by N. Christie
sorry - hard going for me.
I quite enjoyed this book but despite my real interest in Scottish history it was not "unputdownable". Read more
Published 11 months ago by Steve St John
Superb storytelling - more please
By all accounts, the real Robert the Bruce was a bit of a trimmer - sometimes siding with the English, sometimes with his countrymen during the late 13th-century Scottish Wars of... Read more
Published 11 months ago by A. M. Donald
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