The Bruce Trilogy: "Steps to the Empty Throne", "Price of the King's Peace" and "Path of the Hero King" (Coronet Books) [Paperback]

Nigel Tranter succeeds admirably in bringing the story of Robert I - Scotland's greatest King - to life. Not only is his historical reasearch near flawless, but the book is graced by that indisputable mark of a great storyteller; the reader is wholly absorbed into the world of the Bruce and his friends. Tranter also manages to draw a whole mixture of feelings from his readers - love, hatred, admiration and even that strange mixture of respect and disgust for Edward I that Bruce himself is said to have harboured.

In the past years, Scotland has found it hard to shake off the image of Mel Gibson's "Braveheart". While there is no doubting the role of Sir William Wallace against England, Tranter's view on Robert Bruce is a real tonic to Hollywood's polluted version of the Wars of Independence.

And THE BRUCE TRILOGY is Tranter at his best (a wee bit redundant since Tranter was always at his best). Tranter created the three books of the Trilogy to bring forth the tale of Robert Earl of Carrick who went on to become Robert the King, but he does not just tells the story, he brings Bruce alive for you to meet, to understand. He was a young man caught at the centre of Scotland's struggles. It was a separate country from England, having its own kings since the dawn of time, but Edward Plantagenet - called Edward Longshanks because of his great height and long legs - was determined to unite all of Britain. Two men stood in his way: William Wallace and Robert Bruce. Wallace (see Tranter's THE WALLACE) was a shooting star that lit the conscious mind, giving cry to a national identity Scotland often lacked, since Clan ties and oaths were generally put before homage to the King. Wallace created the spark, in common man and noble alike, that Scotland was a country and would never bow down to the English King. By very nature of whom he was, a commoner, Wallace drew Edward's wrath as no noble ever would, so Wallace's pivotal roll in Scotland's struggle to remain free was cut short. It then fell to Bruce save Scotland, a man in his twenties, who not only had to fight his family's role for him, Edward's attempt to bend him and control him while at English court, but ultimately saw him fighting 2/3 of his own Country due the mighty Clan Comyn's determination to put one of their own on the throne. You feel for Bruce, his loss of his family, the imprisonment of his wife, sister and daughter, jealousy of his brother, and maybe will understand him more as man after reading this. So much power and force behind the man and the story as only Tranter could deliver.

This is a complex history, since Bruce often was seen as serving himself more than Scotland, witnessing him making homage to Edward on four separate occasions. But you learn why Bruce bought his time, played both ends against the middle, and succeeded where Wallace failed. Tranter does not just tell you these events happened, he make you see Bruce the man, not the man who would be king. Tranter opens a door into Scotland's past, and permits you to walk with him, walk with Bruce, not as a historical figure, not a King, but as a man, faults, fears and all.

This is a magick that transcends being a writer, even a very good writer. This is a tale told with wonder, passion and awe by fireside by a seanchaidh.

If you have never read Tranter, I cannot image a better introduction to Scotland's Seanchaidh. Once you read him, you will hungrily devour the rest of his works....

The story reflects the hardship and struggle that this band of heroes had and the terrible penalitiesthat they and their country had to endure under English Overlordship. We feel the sense of despair as we are carried along through the long struggle and then a sense of pride as both Wallace and The Bruce, through their sheer will of determination, begin to forge Scotland into a Nation.

But it is not all blood and gore, Tranter show's the human side to his characterts and at times one feels a lump in the throat and a tear in the eye. An excellent novel and is highly recommneded