The Bruce Trilogy: The Steps to the Empty Throne/The Path of the Hero King/The Price of the King's Peace: "Steps to the Empty Throne", "Price of the ... and "Path of the Hero King" (Coronet Books) [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

After seeing Braveheart in the theatres 4 years ago, and seeing it over and over again on video, the flame that this movie has sparked in me still has not abated. That is one of the reasons why I went searching for a book to read about Sir William Wallace. Am I glad that I did a little research ahead of time and chose to read about Robert the Bruce instead! That man was so admirable, I can't even begin to express my esteem for him!

Based on the reviews that I read on this page, I decided to buy Nigel Tranter's account of The Bruce's life versus all the other readily available biographies. I couldn't have made a better decision!

My life was put on hold while reading this book! I just could not put it down! I would read a little of it in the morning, go to work, and come home and read it some more in the evening until the wee hours of the morning! That's how consuming this book was!

This book was so good, and the man revealed was so nobel, that I almost wished they had portrayed him more accurately in the movie. Just almost...since Braveheart is my most favorite movie of all time. If they had made it any differently, I might not have been so inspired, might never have gone searching, might never have read this book....

Well, whether it is sad to say or not, my life is back to normal now, since I have just finished this book this past weekend. But my spirit will never be the same again. Thank you King Robert, for the inspiring life that you lived. Thank you Mr. Tranter, for putting it into words.

Der schottische Historiker und Autor Nigel Tranter (1909-2000) wird nicht umsonst mit seinem berühmten Landsmann, dem Goethe-Zeitgenossen Sir Walter Scott, verglichen. Wie dieser hat Tranter in einer beinahe unübersichtlichen Anzahl von Büchern die blutige und wechselvolle Geschichte seines Landes als Hintergrund für unterhaltsame Abenteuergeschichten verwendet und damit gleichzeitg viele Episoden vor dem allgemeinen Vergessen bewahrt.
"The Bruce Trilogy" gilt Insidern als Höhepunkt seines mehrere Jahrzehnte währenden Schaffens. Der Roman erzählt in drei Bänden auf mehr als tausend Seiten die turbulente Lebensgeschichte von Schottlands "Heldenkönig" Robert the Bruce (1306-1329), dem 1314 in der berühmten Schlacht von Bannockburn ein ebenso überraschender wie folgenreicher Sieg über ein mehr als dreimal so großes Heer der englischen Besatzer unter König Edward II. gelang. Bruce' von zahlreichen Misserfolgen, tadelnswerten menschlichen Schwächen, empfindlichen Niederlagen und schmerzhaften persönlichen Verlusten geprägte Entwicklung hin zur wahrscheinlich überragenden politischen und militärischen Gestalt der Geschichte seines Landes wird eindrucksvoll ausgebreitet. Wer bisher lediglich Mel Gibsons "Braveheart" kannte, erfährt jetzt, dass eben nicht William Wallce die entscheidende Figur im schottischen Freiheitskampf gegen das scheinbar übermächtige England war.
Tranters Detailkenntnisse sind schier unglaublich. Besonders faszinierend ist seine auf mehr als dreißig Seiten entfaltete Chronologie der Schlacht von Bannockburn, beginnend mit dem - an eine Hollywood-Produktion erinnernden aber tatsächlich passierten - (ungleichen) Zweikampf zwischen dem auf einem schweren Streitross mit eingelegter Lanze losstürmenden englischen Ritter Henry de Bohun und unserem Protagonisten, der sich lediglich mit einer Streitaxt bewaffnet auf einem Erkundungsritt befand. Das Ergebnis dieses Vorgeplänkels war ein gespaltener Schädel und eine von der Wucht des Schlages zerbrochene Axt, deren Verlust von ihrem Besitzer mit gespieltem Bedauern zur Kenntnis genommen wurde, was seine Soldaten natürlich mit Begeisterung und verstärkter Siegeszuversicht erfüllte. Gerade Bannockburn, wo es den Schotten gelang, das bis dahin gewaltigste englische Heer an einen von drei Seiten von fließenden Gewässern, Sümpfen und Marschen umgebenden Lagerort zu locken, um über die nur eine halbe Meile messende vierte Seite vorzustoßen und den sämtlicher Fluchtmöglichkeiten beraubten Gegner fast völlig zu vernichten, demonstriert Bruce' strategisches Genie, aber auch seine menschliche Größe im Umgang mit den überlebenden Feinden. Auch wenn Tranter "nur" einen Roman vorlegt: So könnte es tatsächlich gewesen sein.
Einzig zu bekritteln ist, dass auch dieser Autor nicht dagegen gefeit ist, seine Titelfigur mit einem Glorienschein zu versehen. Der historische Bruce war offenkundig lange Zeit eher ein kühler bis unsympathischer Opportunist und Taktierer unter den Mächtigen seiner Zeit, bis er sich - nach der eigenhändigen Ermordung seines Thronrivalen John "The Red" Comyn vor einem Kirchenaltar und der damit verbundenen päpstlichen Exkommunizierung - an die Spitze der schottischen nationalen Unabhängigkeitsbestrebungen setzte und 1306 den offenen Bruch mit Edward I. riskierte.
Alles in allem ist es bedauerlich, dass dieser schöne Schmöker bis heute auf eine deutsche Übersetzung wartet. Für Schottlandfreunde uneingeschränkt empfehlenswert.
Zur Wertung: Stell dir vor, es gibt diesmal sechs Sterne, und einer wird abgezogen...

There are many great writers in the field of historical fiction. But there are few storytellers. Storytellers are so much more than a writer. In the Gaelic, they are called seanchaidh and they were the keepers of stories, lore and history of the Clans, the historian, the recorder. When the seanchaidh wove his tales of magick, Auld Gods or warrior-kings of Scotland, he was not recanting something created from his mind; he was passing on oral heritage that was handed down through the ages. Nigel Tranter was a seanchaidh, and he is sadly missed. Yes, he was a highly successful writer, but he was so much more, and in the tradition of old, he wove many tales of Ancient Scotland as few historians could.

And THE BRUCE TRILOGY is Tranter at his best (a wee bit redundant since Tranter was always at his best). Tranter created the three books of the Trilogy to bring forth the tale of Robert Earl of Carrick who went on to become Robert the King, but he does not just tells the story, he brings Bruce alive for you to meet, to understand. He was a young man caught at the centre of Scotland's struggles. It was a separate country from England, having its own kings since the dawn of time, but Edward Plantagenet - called Edward Longshanks because of his great height and long legs - was determined to unite all of Britain. Two men stood in his way: William Wallace and Robert Bruce. Wallace (see Tranter's THE WALLACE) was a shooting star that lit the conscious mind, giving cry to a national identity Scotland often lacked, since Clan ties and oaths were generally put before homage to the King. Wallace created the spark, in common man and noble alike, that Scotland was a country and would never bow down to the English King. By very nature of whom he was, a commoner, Wallace drew Edward's wrath as no noble ever would, so Wallace's pivotal roll in Scotland's struggle to remain free was cut short. It then fell to Bruce save Scotland, a man in his twenties, who not only had to fight his family's role for him, Edward's attempt to bend him and control him while at English court, but ultimately saw him fighting 2/3 of his own Country due the mighty Clan Comyn's determination to put one of their own on the throne. You feel for Bruce, his loss of his family, the imprisonment of his wife, sister and daughter, jealousy of his brother, and maybe will understand him more as man after reading this. So much power and force behind the man and the story as only Tranter could deliver.

This is a complex history, since Bruce often was seen as serving himself more than Scotland, witnessing him making homage to Edward on four separate occasions. But you learn why Bruce bought his time, played both ends against the middle, and succeeded where Wallace failed. Tranter does not just tell you these events happened, he make you see Bruce the man, not the man who would be king. Tranter opens a door into Scotland's past, and permits you to walk with him, walk with Bruce, not as a historical figure, not a King, but as a man, faults, fears and all.

This is a magick that transcends being a writer, even a very good writer. This is a tale told with wonder, passion and awe by fireside by a seanchaidh.

If you have never read Tranter, I cannot image a better introduction to Scotland's Seanchaidh. Once you read him, you will hungrily devour the rest of his works.

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