robert the bruce his rise from the ashes of defeatto the glowing triumph of bannockburnat the opening of this stirring novel the reader meets bruce as a man broken in every way except in spirit he has been excommunicated and is a fugitive from the english with the exception of his wife nobody has any faith in him and his vision of freedom indeed the warweary scots seem long past caringbut from this desperate situation and in the face of apparently unbearable setbacks where he loses all but his life robert the bruce rises and finally faces the english at the memorable battle of bannockburnnigel tranter is no dryasdust historian but his wideranging tremendous story is not all blood and fire it has humour colour and beauty and unexpected tenderness it is a novel to remembermanchester evening newsits all stirring stuffglasgow evening times this is historical novel writing at its best a book of consistently high standard of literary artistry a very fine work indeed cork examiner