Robert the Bruce (Guardians Trilogy)
The second volume in Whyte’s Guardians series is a bold, brash tribute to Robert the Bruce, one of medieval Scotland’s fiercest warriors and its most revered king. Following the formula he established in The Forest Laird, his fictional biography of William Wallace, Whyte traces Robert’s childhood, adolescence, and eventual evolution into a stalwart leader and champion of Scottish independence. As Edward I of England continues his quest to transform his unwilling neighbor to the north into his personal fiefdom, Robert develops the military and political skills necessary in order to lead a rebellion and liberate his beloved nation. All roads in this series can and must lead to the bloody Battle of Bannockburn as Whyte introduces James Douglas, setting the stage for the next installment in this series. Historical-fiction fans will dig into this meaty Highland saga. --Margaret Flanagan