|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
|
Product Description
Book Description
From AudioFile
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
the devil's in the details,
By Eric K (Westchester, NY) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Wallace: The Compelling 13th Century Story of William Wallace (Paperback)
Maybe it's just the high expectations I had for this novel that led to my disappointment, or maybe it's because I just finished reading Sharon Kay Penman's excellent 13th century Welsh trilogy, and it's unfair to compare these two authors who are in so obviously different leagues. I found The Wallace very one-dimensional and tedious; a catalogue of military and political exploits by a very flat character. None of the characters really came alive for me. Not to mention the astounding number of small historical inaccuracies that left a very bad taste in my mouth. The armor described is at least a hundred years too early (there were no visored helmets or steel breastplates in the late 13th century, a jack is very different from a breastplate, etc). Not once was an English knight mentioned as having a shield, when in fact, a shield was actually required equipment for knights of this time period. English knights were depicted not wearing leg armor so they could ride better (hunh? Only cavalry wears leg armor since their legs are incredibly vulnerable). Wallace's sword is reported as being five feet long and a dozen pounds or so; even the over-heavy replica made for the Braveheart movie was only 8 pounds. Ok, ok, so maybe these historical inaccuracies can be overlooked, they are only details of arms and armor in a novel that is little more than a catalogue of military exploits. But what about the battle of Falkirk? Tranter describes Edward's heavy horse plowing through the staked ropes and snapping the pikes with ease, while according to actual history it is the pikes that utterly defeated the heavy horse charge. It was only when Edward moved his archers up to fire into the schiltroms, making holes in the formation, that the heavy horse could ride in and break it up. Such inaccuracies could be overlooked if there was a compelling story here, but there just isn't. Even the death of Wallace's beloved wife is described, the impact on Wallace included, in just one page! The entire novel is purely from Wallace's point of view (third-person), so we never know what is going on in Edward's (or anyone else's) mind. What are Wallace's motivations? Yes, yes, freedom for Scotland, but this is never poignantly depicted. All in all, I was not overly impressed with this novel (especially given all of the 5/5 ratings). Now this wasn't a terrible novel, but it just doesn't deserve the praise it's been getting here. I love history and historical fiction, but maybe after reading Penman ("Here Be Dragons") and Cornwell ("The Winter King"), I expect too much. 2.5 / 5
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent!! Tranter makes history breathe!!,
By
This review is from: The Wallace: The Compelling 13th Century Story of William Wallace (Paperback)
There are three historians that makes history come truly alive, Bruce Catton with this many books on the War Between of States in US, and two fictional writers Bernard Cornwell with this Sharpes and Starbucks, and Nigel Bruce with his passion for Scotland. He wrote many superior novels of dealing with Scottish History, but Wallace is my second favourite, the Bruce Trilogy being the first. When you read this book, you feel as though you opened a door and stepped through time. You see Wallace as a man, not just a legend. The tale is rousing covering the period when it was most active in the struggle against Longshanks. Tranter's tales give you a time machine effect, to where you feel as if you were stepping back in time.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Historical Fiction,
By Sharon E. Cathcart "Why, yes, I am an author" (San Jose, CA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Wallace: The Compelling 13th Century Story of William Wallace (Paperback)
The late Nigel Tranter was, without doubt, Scotland's master of historical fiction. "The Wallace" was a splendid example of his work. I did find myself confused in a few places (and found this somewhat surprising as I am an historian by nature ... with a specialty in the Scottish wars of independence). Otherwise, an excellent novel and very enjoyable.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
|
