Both men face uncertain futures, their efforts thwarted by shattered loyalties, superstition and rumour. In these troubled times, it is murder, treachery and the bitter rivalry amongst Scots nobility that will shape the long and bloody rise of Robert the Bruce to his coronation.
The Lion at Bay by Robert Low on Apple Books
Reviews Praise for The Oathsworn Series: There's a wonderful earthiness to proceedings and he creates a tangible sense of being there. There's a sturdy, lyrical and epic quality about the writing which makes it feel like the kind of saga a Viking would recount in his old age. He covered the wars in Vietnam, Sarajevo, Romania and Kosovo until common sense and the concerns of his wife and daughter prevailed.
To satisfy his craving for action, having moved to an area rich in Viking tradition, he took up re-enactment, joining The Vikings. He now spends his summers fighting furiously in helmet and mail in shieldwalls all over Britain and winters training hard. He lives in Largs, Scotland.
To ask other readers questions about The Lion at Bay , please sign up. Lists with This Book. Jan 28, Terri rated it really liked it. Do you want the good news or the bad news? I personally like bad news first so I can end on a better note with the good news, so how about I go in that order. The Wars of Scottish Independence do not really excite and delight me. I don't know why exactly. I do have some ideas though.
Listed here, but in no particular order. History class in school: There's room for more Wars of Scottish Independence in my life as long as it is quality and entertaining. Both of which, Lion at Bay was for me.
The Lion at Bay
See, isn't it always nice to have good news after bad? I am always open about my admiration for Robert Low. His Viking series, The Oathsworn, is one of my favourite series'. In fact it is one of my 'top two' favourites, with Bernard Cornwell's Saxon series being the other. And yet despite my admiration and respect for the author and his Viking books, I still found myself having a lukewarm response to the idea of his Kingdom trilogy.
I sat back on my heels for a little while, psyching myself up after the release of book one in the trilogy, The Lion Wakes. I am not one those people that will devour anything a favourite author produces. Especially if they write historical fiction, because there are always periods and events in history that I have little or no interest in. Eventually I took the leap and read The Lion Wakes last year. I liked it, but I have to confess, the combination of a certain style of writing used in that book, and my lacklustre interest in the period, was like hefting a brick of lead and I ended up only giving it 3 stars out of 5.
Then, along came The Lion at Bay. The same but different. Less disorienting for me. In book one I found that I distracted easily from the book. It was more rambling and hard for me to get into. But in book two, I was either in a better headspace, or the author did something subtly different and I was much more invested in characters, events and scene.
What I can give you out of my experience with The Lion at Bay is this. If, like me, you were not exactly in love with book one, but had not written the trilogy off completely, then I would encourage you to give it another go. It is only a trilogy after all. Not like you have a long series to follow on with. Try book two, The Lion at Bay and see what you think. All your favourite characters will be there for you to revisit. There is battle, and blood, and love and betrayal.
And there is one awesome tourney individual combat scene in the first half of the book that may have you screaming from the cheap seats. Maybe that was just me. I will be moving onto the last book in the Trilogy, The Lion Rampant soon. I trust this trilogy to only get better. View all 3 comments. May 04, Robin Carter rated it it was amazing Shelves: As with book one im left speechless by the excellent writing of Robert Low, his obvious passion and love of the subject matter come across in ever page and every character, im quite jealous of the fact that he has obviously spent the last couple of years doing something he loves for a living, it must have almost seemed effortless..
The bit i have at the start and im sure other reader might struggle with is the Scottish "brogue", i found a similar experience with Julain Stockwins Kyd Review: The bit i have at the start and im sure other reader might struggle with is the Scottish "brogue", i found a similar experience with Julain Stockwins Kydd series, but if you give yourself over to it you find that you can make that mental switch and soon you find yourself thinking in the same "brogue" just for fun As Lows books go and his character go i still think the Oathsworn is his best work, but the Bruce series is so well written and the plot so well constructed that it will be hard for any one to not love it.
Yes there are some Historical tweaks, but that's par for the course, this is FICTION, not a text book, and the flow is more important at times than the facts. Excellent work Mr Low. Robert Low at his best. He would have been slain at Falkirk but for the courage of Hal of Herdmanston, whose home was razed in reprisal by King Edward - but who has become a follower of the Earl of Carrick, known as the Bruce, now a friend of the English. The Bruce is playing a dangerous game in submitting to Edward since his own ambition, fostered by his auld reprobate grandfather, is to be the King of Scotland.
But bitter rivalry amongst the Scots nobility is as grave an obstacle to its independence as the forces of the English Edward Longshanks, and the Bruce has powerful rivals. Wallace has returned home, though he still faces betrayal from his own.
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His loyalty is to the previous king, John Baliol, a prisoner of the Pope. Knights Templar, Cathar heretics, and a Curse laid on the Bruce's family all conspire against Robert, as well as Edward's forces. Murder and treachery will be crucial weapons in the long and bloody rise of the Bruce to his coronation.
Jan 10, Jonathan Hopkins rated it really liked it. It is and Scotland is in turmoil. Edward I of England, desperate to keep control of his northern borders, arranges for John Baliol, a weak man who Edward knows he can manipulate, to take leadership of Scotland.
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But unrest is rife and many are determined to throw off the shackles of England. Among those men is Robert the Bruce, darkly handsome, young, angry and obsessed by his desire to win Scotland's throne. He will fight for the freedom of the Scots until the end. But there are many rival factions and the English are a strong and fearsome opponent.
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The Lion Wakes culminates in the Battle of Falkirk which proves to be the beginning of a rivalry that will last for decades The Oathsworn have become feared and respected throughout the Viking world. Their name goes before them and men cower in their presence. But fame comes at a price While the Oathsworn revel in their new-found fame, Sterki, an old enemy with revenge in his heart, attacks their homestead - the Fjord Elk is sunk, old oarmates die and the Oathsworn are forced to flee into the mountains. Unused to losing, the Oathsworn retreat to lick their wounds. They have been entrusted with the care of Queen Sigrith, pregnant and soon to bear the heir to the crown of Sweden, and though the urge for revenge is strong, Orm's first duty is to protect the queen.
And Orm soon realises that revenge is not the only thing on Sterki's mind; he has joined forces with Styrbjorn, nephew of King Eirik and next in line to the throne if he can only get rid of the current heir.
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As the Oathsworn fight to defend themselves and their newfound celebrity and fortune, they're soon to realise that fame isn't all it's cracked up to be A band of brothers, known as the Oathsworn, committed only to each other and feared by many, rises again, setting sail on the wolf sea in search of vengeance and glory. Washed up in a hostile city, battle-weary and out of luck, the Oathsworn lie waiting for their reluctant leader, the young Orm, to bring them back once more to wealth and warfare.