Customer Reviews

The Mark of Salvation (The Scottish Crown Series, Book 3)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Mark of The Lion continues the Scottish Crown Series(no.3). You can read any of the books alone, but I think it helps to read them in the right order, if possible, because there are characters that spill over from one story into the next. I enjoyed this book because it has romance (love, love, love), drama (attempted kidnappings,sword fights), intrigue (why is he so scarred and bitter?), spiritual insights (God is faithful and good even when our world doesn't make sense), and historical facts(Scotland 1300's, lassies, weaving, lamb shearing). All elements that make a good story go (and keeps me turning the pages). The main reason I liked it, however, was because she tells a logical story. There are reasons that each character acts the way they do, and it makes sense. Have you ever read a book and wondered, "why is the character saying this or doing that?" Well, with this book, you won't be. If you want a well crafted book, read this. :)

The Mark of Salvation is an amazing read, taking an indepth look at the character and life of the former Templar Knight Ceallach. Umberger lives up to her amazing and riveting standard in fiction, having the novel joined in style and content to the series yet keeping the plot from becoming much like either of the first two books (which in my opinion have a very similiar plot). I loved the book, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed her earlier works, or enjoys historical fiction.

Another great historical from Carol Umberger. Robert the Bruce is determined to drive Prince Edward of England's troops out of Scotland. The English are confident and well equipped. Countess Orelia Radbourne accompanied her husband, the Earl of Radbourne, expecting they would be victorious. Instead her husband is dead, Edwards troops were defeated, and Orelia is a captive of Robert the Bruce and the hated Scots. Cealloch, Robert the Bruce's foster brother is charged with guarding her. Cealloch has lost everything. He is not safe anywhere, but he has put himself at risk to serve his brother. In spite of themselves, Orelia and Cealloch begin to trust each other and form a bond neither wanted.
Carol Umberger knows her history and she weaves the story into a rich tapestry full of color and pagentry. I highly recommend this one.

I am a big fan of Historical Fiction, so I was exited to discover this series, and the good reviews encouraged me to buy the books. However, for me, they did not deliver.

I will say that as romances go, they were good, especially the deapth of the relationship in this book, and the recounting of the emotional cost of war.

For me though, that is as far as it went. The book may be well researched, but it is not accurate, in the sense that it does not present an objective, balanced, representation of historical figures and events.
In any conflict all sides are inclined to do certain things which are niether morally right or commendable.
Instead of reflecting this, the book condemned the English at every given oppurtunity, whilst demonstrating how much braver and honourable the Scots were.

The worst thing was the way that the characters personal and political allegience was given a moral, and almost spiritual signifigance.

Characters who supported the English were unfortunate, deluded and misled individuals, who had to realise the error of thier ways, and step of thier unrighteous path into the darkness.
This usually happened when the character realised the English were evil, bloodthirsty, tyrants, or avaricious maniacs who would do anything to obtain money and power.

This could have been a good historical novel, but due to the arrogant, self-righeous ranting, it just does not make the grade.

This book has all the romance and historic adventure of the first two. You'll want to read them all!

This book has some positives, but, as with the last, there is a definite whiff of Anglophobia throughout.

This becomes very noticable when contrasting the way Orelia is treated in Scotland and England. The Scottish characters accept her unconditionally, and show her with love, compassion and genuine friendship.
Her English in laws on the other hand, reject her, imprison her, and steal her inheritance, whilst making numerous attempts to murder Orelia and her son. Jolly nice people don't you think?

Orelia herself is supposed to be English, but views her countrymen with suspicion and mistrust, despises King Edward II, and cannot wait to leave England forever.

The English characters adhere to the usual stereotypes. They all speak like Her Majesty the Queen, drink tea, are fantastically rich, and of course arrogant. How much more realistic could you be?

Ther are also several historical problems. Firstly the anachronistic references to tea in the fourteenth century, 350 years too early. As well as the ridiculous assertion that raids in England, which included the stealing and destruction of people's main food sources resulted in no civilian deaths whatsoever.

In addition to these is the depiction of Prince Edward as an evil murderer of innocents on the basis of a massacre that never took place in the non-existent Scottish village of Midvale.

Edaward II was indeed very umpleasant, and may well have inflicted suffering on the common people of Scotland. But is it really acceptable to invent a 'historical' detail, in order to demonise a particular group or individual, and calling it artistic licence?
Seems more like inventing your own version of history.