The second book in the Insurrection trilogy, which tells the thrilling story of Robert the Bruce.
King Edward I of England marches on Scotland, inspired by an Arthurian prophecy and aiming to unite the British Isles under a single crown.
One man alone can thwart Edward’s plan. But on the run in Ireland, hunted by a relentless assassin, Robert Bruce seems a long way from achieving his ambition.
Born to a line of kings, Robert will not bow to a conqueror. Robert finds that to survive he must abandon everything he holds dear. He was always prepared to die on the battlefield – but who else must he sacrifice to keep his hopes alive?
Renegade is a dazzling story of conspiracy and divided loyalties, battle and betrayal, and a superb portrait of the medieval world.
King Edward I of England marches on Scotland, inspired by an Arthurian prophecy and aiming to unite the British Isles under a single crown.
One man alone can thwart Edward’s plan. But on the run in Ireland, hunted by a relentless assassin, Robert Bruce seems a long way from achieving his ambition.
Born to a line of kings, Robert will not bow to a conqueror. Robert finds that to survive he must abandon everything he holds dear. He was always prepared to die on the battlefield – but who else must he sacrifice to keep his hopes alive?
Renegade is a dazzling story of conspiracy and divided loyalties, battle and betrayal, and a superb portrait of the medieval world.
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Reviews
Robyn Young has done it again with her sequel to INSURRECTION. With characteristic panache, Young carves a passionate route through the troubled, complex, divided and divisive times of Bruce and Wallace that makes sense of the many-folded treacheries, the back-stabbing and the coat-turning. She weaves the awe and magic of ancient relics with the bloody pragmatism of Edward's murderous army to create a glorious, bloody, passionate history that will appeal to fans of Philippa Gregory's Red Queen as much as to those who love Bernard Cornwell's Azincourt.
Robyn has a wonderful skill. She goes behind the history to the roots of legends and stories to pull up ever more convincing detail. In this book she goes to the beginning of the myths of the four nations that make up Britain. There is the Scottish Stone of Scone, the English Sword Curtana, the Crown of Arthur from Wales, and from Ireland, the Staff of Malachy. According to prophecy, when these are all gathered together, the Kingdom of Britain shall be once more at peace . . . This book is gripping, exciting, and written with a swift, tense pace that grabs the reader and doesn't let go. It's the very best in modern historical writing, and Robyn is here at the peak of her abilities.
Immaculately researched and carefully written, evoking a very particular - and largely unexplored - time and place. The fights are sensational.
It is so graphic you can immediately put yourself there, imagining the faces and the clash of weapons. It also elaborates on the historical context and fleshes out the characters. It draws you in and is a compelling novel you cannot put down. So much research must have gone into the book; the detail is incredible. I enjoyed it so much.
'The learning is never cumbersome, a deft trick when describing medieval warfare'
'This is a big book, and the trilogy a huge project to undertake. From the evidence so far, Young's fans will not be disappointed...brings to life one of [history's] most enigmatic characters'
Richly worked and captivating . . . an epic story of war, intrigue and heroism
'This tale captures the struggles of a tumultuous time'
'A cracking plot and charismatic characters are set against the convincingly researched background of the violent, gory Anglo-Scottish civil wars'
An outstanding contemporary writer
A gripping new historical novel . . . an epic tale of greed, intrigue and war, set against a wild landscape.
The best historical fiction doesn't just recreate the past, it speaks to the present. Robyn Young has the knack of finding subjects that resonate.
