William Wallace

chuck · Post by **chuck** » Tue July 20th, 2010, 2:55 am

Jack Whyte announced on his blog that he just finished his new novel " The Forest Laird.... a Tale of William Wallace"...His publisher is Penguin Books...I'm not sure when it will be published....Hopefully in the coming year.....Should be a interesting spin....a following sequel is planned about Robert The Bruce....Stay tuned....

annis · Post by **annis** » Tue July 20th, 2010, 3:11 am

This looks like another one of those strange cases where several authors quite independently decide to choose the same subject, one which has been neglected for years. Both Robert Low and Robyn Young have series in the works set in the same period and with the same characters.

The promo is out for Robert Low's The Lion Wakes here:
http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/Titles/4 ... 0007337910

Synopsis for Robyn Young's Insurrection here:
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/y/rob ... ection.htm

chuck · Post by **chuck** » Tue July 20th, 2010, 3:33 am

Yikes....I like the authors....I'm very curious about how they will approach the Misty Wallace.....Like the Wake his story deserves to be told.....BTW why not Cornwell?

annis · Post by **annis** » Tue July 20th, 2010, 3:45 am

Posted by Chuck

..BTW why not Cornwell?

Lol- why not indeed? All 3 authors --Whyte, Low and Young-- have Scottish blood, which is I guess why they've turned to Scottish history for inspiration.
BC 's bloodlines (as far as I know) don't go further north than Northumberland

chuck · Post by **chuck** » Tue July 20th, 2010, 4:52 am

[quote=""annis""]Posted by Chuck

Lol- why not indeed? All 3 authors --Whyte, Low and Young-- have Scottish blood, which is I guess why they've turned to Scottish history for inspiration.
BC 's bloodlines (as far as I know) don't go further north than Northumberland

[/quote]

I'm sure BC's Wallace would go against the grain....Really admired how he has made Alfred come alive for me...

Libby · Post by **Libby** » Tue July 20th, 2010, 10:04 am

I wonder how much Neil Oliver's excellent television documentary on the history of Scotland inspired these authors. It would account for several people having the same ideas at the same time.

chuck · Post by **chuck** » Tue July 20th, 2010, 3:39 pm

According to Jack Whyte and his Wallace book....It's because of Gibson's "Braveheart" stirred up a lot of interest even if they did not get it right...and in the last few years there has been extensive new research on WW....Not sure...but we will find out with these new HF works......BTW I will not watch "Braveheart" once is enough....MG wearing the Blue like it was Warpaint ....Please.....

N. Gemini Sasson · Post by **N. Gemini Sasson** » Tue July 20th, 2010, 9:15 pm

Now this is interesting - and right up my alley! I'd heard about Low and Young, but not Whyte. But drat, how long will we have to wait to get Low's and Young's titles in the States?

annis · Post by **annis** » Wed July 21st, 2010, 7:38 am

Looks like I missed one, Gemini

Sorry, I hadn't realised you were working in the same area.

For those interested, there's a video interview on Medievalists.net with Jack Whyte, where he discusses The Forest Laird.
Link here:
http://www.medievalists.net/2010/04/15/ ... ack-whyte/

N. Gemini Sasson · Post by **N. Gemini Sasson** » Thu July 22nd, 2010, 12:58 pm

[quote=""annis""]Looks like I missed one, Gemini

Sorry, I hadn't realised you were working in the same area.

For those interested, there's a video interview on Medievalists.net with Jack Whyte, where he discusses The Forest Laird.
Link here:
http://www.medievalists.net/2010/04/15/ ... ack-whyte/[/quote]

Yes, it appears I was a few years ahead of the curve.

Thanks for the link - will watch as soon as my satellite internet unclogs (seems I sucked up all my air space recently).

I'm very glad to see interest in this period of Scotland's history on the rise and I believe there are a lot of possibilities for stories. Not every portrayal or every writing style is going to suit every reader, so variety is always good. Although William Wallace was a catalyst in the era's events (which are actually far more complex and extensive than most people realize), there are several historical figures who are worthy of examination. It will be interesting to see what each writer does with them.