Blurb:
(THE BRUCE TRILOGY: BOOK III)
In the dawn of a kingdom, loyalties and lies collide. The truth will change England and Scotland forever.
In the triumphant aftermath of Bannockburn, Robert the Bruce faces unfamiliar battles. His wife Elizabeth, held captive in England for eight long years, has finally returned home to Scotland. With his marriage in ruin and hopes for an heir quickly fading, Robert vows to fulfill an oath from long ago-one which will not only bind his daughter to a man she does not love, but challenge the honor of his most trusted knight, James Douglas.
While Ireland falls to the Scots, King Edward II of England must contend with quarrelsome barons. Hugh Despenser is the one man who can give him both the loyalty and love he so desperately craves. War with France looms and Edward's only chance at peace rests with his queen, Isabella-a woman who has every reason to seek her own revenge.
Tormented by his past, James returns to a solitary, ruthless life of raiding into the north of England. When a bewitching spy promises him the ultimate victory, James must weigh whether to unveil the truth and risk losing her love-or guard his secrets and forever preserve Robert's faith in him.
In the dawn of a kingdom, loyalties and lies collide. The truth will change England and Scotland forever.
In the triumphant aftermath of Bannockburn, Robert the Bruce faces unfamiliar battles. His wife Elizabeth, held captive in England for eight long years, has finally returned home to Scotland. With his marriage in ruin and hopes for an heir quickly fading, Robert vows to fulfill an oath from long ago-one which will not only bind his daughter to a man she does not love, but challenge the honor of his most trusted knight, James Douglas.
While Ireland falls to the Scots, King Edward II of England must contend with quarrelsome barons. Hugh Despenser is the one man who can give him both the loyalty and love he so desperately craves. War with France looms and Edward's only chance at peace rests with his queen, Isabella-a woman who has every reason to seek her own revenge.
Tormented by his past, James returns to a solitary, ruthless life of raiding into the north of England. When a bewitching spy promises him the ultimate victory, James must weigh whether to unveil the truth and risk losing her love-or guard his secrets and forever preserve Robert's faith in him.
My Review:
I enjoyed everything about this book, in fact, the entire series was amazing to read. I've always been very interested in the life of Robert the Bruce, as well as the history of Scotland. Sasson's trilogy brought everything to life for me. The characters are well rounded and it's easy to empathize with them. As a reader you're drawn into their lives, and you feel their pain. You get to know The Bruce on a personal level that you don't get in any other books that I've read about his life. Her writing style is smooth flowing, and the timeline in which the events take place follow along with history quite well. I finished this book within a week, because I couldn't seem to put it down.
I would recommend all of N. Gemini Sasson's novels. I've read her trilogy on Robert the Bruce, as well as her novel Isabeau. I will definitely continue to read any novels that she puts out in the future. I love the topics she chooses to write about, and the care she takes when it comes to the characters in those books. If you're a fan of medieval history and/or historical fiction, than you won't be disappointed.
I give this novel five out of five stars.
