The Wallace: The Compelling 13th Century Story of William Wallace (Coronet Books) [Paperback]

Nigel Tranter (Author)

Book Description

Series: Coronet Books | Publication Date: January 1, 1994

At the end of the 13th century Scotland was suffering under the tyranny of the English and Edward Plantagenet. The eponymous hero swears to rid his land of their cruelty and to restore Robert the Bruce to the throne.

Editorial Reviews

From AudioFile

Long before Mel Gibson and Braveheart, there was Nigel Tranter, the prolific chronicler of Scots history. This tale of William Wallace, who fought heroically for his nation's independence in the late thirteenth century, is one in a series from Novelsound, a small Scottish publisher that specializes in Tranter's works. The chronology is occasionally hard to follow in this abridgment, though the liner notes include a helpful summary of the action. Michael Elder's handling of the voices and accents is confident and powerfully dramatic. The battle scenes, in particular, are gruesomely compelling, and the final scene of Wallace's trial and execution is a memorable performance. D.B. (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 446 pages
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (January 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0340212373
• ISBN-13: 978-0340212370
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #118,126 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than Braveheart, January 17, 2006

By 

Shawn Marchinek "McDonald" (Washington State, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wallace: The Compelling 13th Century Story of William Wallace (Coronet Books) (Paperback)

Mr. Tranter is an amazing author. I enjoyed Braveheart for its tale although I know that it is very historically inaccurate. Not to mention I did not like the portrayal of Robert the Bruce. The Wallace is Braveheart times 100. This book follows William Wallace's life from his humble beginnings, to rebel and champion of the commons. It peaks with his knighting by Bruce and appointment as Guardian of all of Scotland. Then is follows to his Ambassadorship to France and finally with his betrayal and tragic execution by the English. Reading this book, I felt I was on the battlefields with Wallace. I felt his frustration and his pain. I shared his joy in victory. This is a wonderful read. This book also compliments Nigel Tranter's Bruce Trilogy and gives us a view of the same Scotland at the same time from another point of view. Get it and read it.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most moving books I've read!, March 11, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Wallace: The Compelling 13th Century Story of William Wallace (Coronet Books) (Paperback)

This is a wonderful and moving book by the great Scottish historical novelist, Nigel Tranter. It was difficult to put this book down, even though I knew the basic story of William Wallace from the film, Braveheart. Tranter is a master at weaving together historical facts and speculations. His characters seem quite real, as do the battles, meetings, and intrigues that occur in the novel.

It is all very believable--much more so than some of the scenes in Braveheart.

I have read three books by Tranter since reading this book, and they are all good. I would also like to recommend Kenneth (about the great King of the Picts, Kenneth Mac Alpin), High Kings and Vikings (an sequel of sorts to Kenneth), and The Story of Scotland, by this author.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive telling of the Wallace story in novel form., May 6, 1999

By 

MacBraveHeart ([e-mail]) (Edinburgh, Scotland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wallace: The Compelling 13th Century Story of William Wallace (Coronet Books) (Paperback)

For anyone who enjoyed the movie 'Braveheart', and who wants to read the story of the life of William Wallace in novel format, this is the book to read. Nigel Tranter, the master story-teller, brings the people and the times to life, backed-up by his excellent historical research. We would recommend this book without hesitation. (MacBraveHeart, May 1999)