Which Bruce Trilogy?

LCW · Post by **LCW** » Mon January 2nd, 2012, 9:42 am

I just bought a kindle and am in the process of stocking it with books. I'm interested in reading about Robert Bruce. I know that Nigel Tranter's book is supposed to be excellent but there's another author Gemini Sasson that I'm not sure about. Has anyone read any of this author's work? They look a little more romancy than Tranter's, which I'm ok with as long as they're not terrible.

Brenna · Post by **Brenna** » Mon January 2nd, 2012, 5:29 pm

I read N. Gemini Sasson's two books in her Bruce trilogy. They were ok. Not stellar but easy reading. I received the Tranter trilogy for Christmas and plan to begin that series when I finish my current reads.

Jack Whyte who wrote 8 books on King Arthur and a Templar trilogy is writing a Scotland trilogy (the first one about William Wallace will be released in Feb in the U.S) mentions on his website that Tranter is the end all to be all on the Bruce. However, it is a bit dated.

annis · Post by **annis** » Mon January 2nd, 2012, 5:46 pm

Nigel Tranter's Bruce trilogy is the "received" fictional version of Robert the Bruce's life and probably the one most Scots would go with - I think the feeling is that Gemini Sasson's version is a rather romanticised one.

Robert Low (The Lion Awakes) and Robyn Young (Insurrection) are in the process of writing trilogies about Robert the Bruce and the Wars of Scottish Independence- I thought both very good, though quite different in style.

I haven't read the Jack Whyte novel Forest Laird, which focuses on William Wallace, but it did get panned when first released in Canada. Both Robert Low and Jack Whyte make heavy use of Scottish dialect in their novels, which some readers find hard going, though I didn't personally find it a problem when I read Lion Awakes.

rebecca · Post by **rebecca** » Tue January 3rd, 2012, 1:48 am

[quote=""annis""]Nigel Tranter's Bruce trilogy is the "received" fictional version of Robert the Bruce's life and probably the one most Scots would go with - I think the feeling is that Gemini Sasson's version is a rather romanticised one.

Robert Low (The Lion Awakes) and Robyn Young (Insurrection) are in the process of writing trilogies about Robert the Bruce and the Wars of Scottish Independence- I thought both very good, though quite different in style.

I haven't read the Jack Whyte novel Forest Laird, which focuses on William Wallace, but it did get panned when first released in Canada. Both Robert Low and Jack Whyte make heavy use of Scottish dialect in their novels, which some readers find hard going, though I didn't personally find it a problem when I read Lion Awakes.[/quote]

"Robyn Young (Insurrection)" I can't seem to find any info on when Robyn young will publish the second in her trilogy. I bought Insurrection earleir this year but haven't read it yet as I wait and wait and wait for the next one to be released. But to have no info at all is, odd? Don't you think?

Bec

annis · Post by **annis** » Tue January 3rd, 2012, 3:16 am

Amazon UK gives the date for Insurrection 2 (Untitled) as August, 2012. I'm sure I saw RY mention somewhere that it was due for release early 2012, but the best laid plans and all that...

Lion at Bay, the second in Robert Low's Kingdom series is due out early March this year (still getting used to this year now being 2012!)

rebecca · Post by **rebecca** » Wed January 4th, 2012, 12:50 am

[quote=""annis""]Amazon UK gives the date for Insurrection 2 (Untitled) as August, 2012. I'm sure I saw RY mention somewhere that it was due for release early 2012, but the best laid plans and all that...

Lion at Bay, the second in Robert Low's Kingdom series is due out early March this year (still getting used to this year now being 2012!)[/quote]

Thanks for that Annis. I will keep an eye out for both books.

Bec

Cuchulainn · Post by **Cuchulainn** » Wed January 4th, 2012, 5:06 am

Nigel Tranter's Bruce Trilogy was excellent - a high point, in my opinion, for Tranter. It was so good I bought more Tranter, but was disappointed because his other books lacked the narrative power of the Bruce Trilogy. I do suspect, however, that, as others have suggested, Bruce may be somewhat romaticized. But if you like a good story with well written characters then this is a plus, and not a detraction.

I wish I had not yet read Tranter's Bruce Trilogy so that I could have the joy of reading it again.

I just put down Robert Low's "The Lion Wakes," which, so far as I could tell from the first 100 pages, is a story about the time of Robert the Bruce's ascendancy. I can probably count on two hands the number of books I have bought, begun and put down. "The Lion Wakes" I found was very poorly written. I think Robert Low was going for a sort of third person-with-insight-that-isn't-shared-with-the-reader point of view (kind of like Frank Herbert's books) but I kept waiting to be compelled and, disappointingly, it never happened. So, personally, I wouldn't recommend it.

Kveto from Prague · Post by **Kveto from Prague** » Wed January 4th, 2012, 10:52 pm

ive read tranter's bruce trilogy. i liked it well enough. i remember discussing it in a tranter thread and most people, if i recall, seemed to agree it was his best stuff. I dont know much about the history there but it felt reasonably accurate.

LCW · Post by **LCW** » Thu January 5th, 2012, 8:12 pm

The other day I found Tranter's book in my library of hundreds of books I haven't even touched yet. So I'll pass on Sasson's version for now.

Clearly Sasson's version looked lighter and more romantic, not to say it's bad, but I considered it as lately I've been less and less tolerant of dry novels that I have to trudge through. Why can't all authors be like Penman or Chadwick and strike that balance between an fun engaging novel with romantic tones without going over to the "dark side" and having it be a full on romance novel? Not that I don't like my Historical Romances, lol, sometimes I feel like induldging in a good one and nothing else will fit the bill. Like literary dessert...you can't eat it all the time but sometimes you need your fix!

Brenna · Post by **Brenna** » Mon January 9th, 2012, 2:25 pm

I'm reading Tranter's version now. So far I'm not overly impressed but I'll keep at it. (I'm only 70 pages in so it's not fair to judge!).