Noble Traitor: a historical novel featuring the Scottish War of Independence

Noble Traitor is the first book in the Son of Scotland series by JR Tomlin. In 1306 Scotland, Thomas Randolph is a young squire on the verge of knighthood when he joins Robert the Bruce, his uncle, in the fight for Scotland’s freedom. After a disastrous loss in the Battle of Methven, he is taken prisoner and Robert the Bruce goes into hiding. While other prisoners were executed under the dragon banner, Thomas’s life was saved by a friend. Now he must tread carefully as he is asked to swear his loyalty to King Edward I and England. With no choice, he serves England but his heart is still with Scotland. Caught between duty and his heart, he is now a noble traitor. 

I thoroughly enjoy books on Scottish history, especially featuring Scottish heroes that don’t get much attention when compared to figures like Robert the Bruce and William Wallace. I read JR Tomlin’s A Kingdom’s Cost (2016) about the Black Douglas and enjoyed it so much that when Noble Traitor was brought to my attention, I got it. It was interesting to see the different sides of the War of Scottish Independence. Noble Traitor shows the English and their Scottish allies as they hunt down Robert the Bruce and the Black Douglas. It covers the time period of February 1306 to December 1307.  Noble Traitor is a fast read. I was able to finish it in a few hours. I recommend Noble Traitor for anyone who is interested in Scottish history and military history. 

Noble Traitor is available in paperback and eBook

A Kingdom's Cost: the Black Douglas and the Scottish War of Indepedence

A Kingdom’s Cost by JR Tomlin is the first book in The Black Douglas trilogy. It is the story of James Douglas aka The Black Douglas and the first Scottish War of Independence. In 1305, 18-year-old Jamie Douglas watches helplessly as the Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace is hanged, drawn, and quartered. Despite the brutal English conqueror in King Edward I, the people of Scotland yearn for freedom and one man, Robert the Bruce, the rightful king, is the hope for freedom. The Bruce, a king without a kingdom, is soon a fugitive and Scotland is occupied. Yet James believes their cause is not lost. With a driving determination, James wages a guerrilla war to restore Scotland’s freedom. He knows that he risks sharing Wallace’s fate but could he become as ruthless as the tyrant he fights? 

I love stories and books which feature Scotland, so I was excited to pick up A Kingdom’s Cost. I've heard the name of the Black Douglas before but I didn’t know the man or his story. I worried that it would be filled with overly military jargon and battle strategy rather than a story about the men who fought to gain their freedom. I was surprised at how easily the story flowed and grabbed me as I read the battles, the lives lost and the sacrifices made. While Mr. Tomlin took a few licenses with the historical facts, the story grew my curiosity to look into the historical figures and learn more about them. I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. I recommend A Kingdom's Cost. 

A Kingdom’s Cost is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.