Lords of Misrule

This is the first book in the "House of Stewart" trilogy by Nigel Tranter and takes place in the late 1300s, beginning with the Battle of Otterburn and ending with the coronation of Robert III in 1390. It mostly follows the exploits of Jamie, the illegitimate son of James Douglas, Earl of Dalkeith, and servant to the Second Earl of Douglas. (There are a lot of Douglases around, and this gets confusing.) Jamie is convinced that the second Earl was murdered through foul means, so he attempts to seek the truth. Meanwhile, the old king is ailing and his son Robert Stewart (not the Robert who becomes king) rules the land as governor, and the Douglases are preoccupied with manoeuvring to ensure that the governor does not have too much show more power.

If that summary sounds confusing, it is. I am not as familiar with this period, and the political intrigues are not quite as exciting as the adventures of Robert the Bruce, who lived a few generations before and who is the ancestor of the Stewarts trying to cling to the throne (they are descended from the Bruce's daughter, Marjorie). It is definitely a book that requires intensive concentration and perhaps references to the family tree at the front of the book. But there were some good parts, namely the abundance of women who are not shy about making their opinions known and attempting to influence policy (Mary Stewart!), and the scene with the Wolf of Badenoch settling a dispute over which subset of Clan Chattan was entitled to punish a cattle-reiver, and how. It reminded me of the owner of Swamp Castle in Monty Python and the Holy Grail: "Let's not bicker and argue about who gets to kill who! This is supposed to be a happy occasion." Even the condemned man gets a say in the matter, expressing a preference for death over losing a hand (he's a fiddler and would rather be dead than alive and crippled), and for beheading over hanging. It all sounds most courteous and I was laughing in a horrified way throughout the scene.

And as a fan of The Walking Dead, I definitely giggled every time Robert Stewart was referred to as "the Governor".

Finally, the cover of my edition is totally cheesy and awesome.

I would recommend this to enthusiasts of Scottish history who at least have some basic historical events in their knowledge banks, as well as a great deal of patience. This is a book for which the comfiest chair, the strongest mug of tea and the least amount of distractions is required. show less