This is the second book in Nigel Tranter's trilogy on Robert the Bruce. It covers the period between 1306 and 1314, in the aftermath of the Battle of Methven and culminating in the Battle of Bannockburn. In that respect it ended up being a very timely book, with the 700th anniversary of that battle being commemorated in June 2014.

Overall I enjoyed this book slightly more than the first book in the trilogy, probably because having the first book under my belt meant I knew what to expect in terms of style. Tranter's writing is elegant and equally adept with descriptions of the landscape and thrilling battle scenes. The dialogue, too, is not over-burdened with historical slang or apostrophe-laden dialect. There were even moments where I laughed out loud (for example, the skinny-dipping assault on an island fortress). I believe most of the information in this book is derived from the historical record; it certainly felt well researched, but I would have to hunt up a non-fiction book on the Bruce to confirm. And what's history without a little legend? The famous story of Robert the Bruce and the spider is also included here.

Readers who are unfamiliar with Scottish geography might want to have a map on hand -- my edition has one in the front, but you could also use Google Maps to follow the campaign trail. I recognized a few places I'd been to, for example Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle. The book also includes a cast of characters at the front, which may be handy as there are a lot of people to keep track of.

The biggest surprise was Christina of Garmoran, a Highland woman who acted as a sort of general in her own right, marshalling troops and advising Robert the Bruce on strategy. Given the time period, I was expecting a preponderance of men and little scope for women, so Christina was a nice bonus, especially because she was a real person.

I would definitely recommend this book if you are interested in Scottish history. You can read this one on its own if you're just interested in Bannockburn, but its predecessor is also a worthy book. ( )