Braveheart

by Randall Wallace

For love of country, for love of maiden, for love of freedom ... he became the hammer and scourge of England.

In one of history's darkest hours there arose from humble beginnings a man of courage and honor—the likes of whom the world may never see again. Amid the color, pageantry, and violence of medieval Scotland unfurls the resplendent tale of the legendary William Wallace, farmer by birth, rebel by fate, who banded together his valiant army of Scots to crush the cruel tyranny of the English Plantagenet king.

Mel Gibson is William Wallace, the valiant highlander whose epic adventures changed the course of history.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Media Tie In, Historical, Adventure, Classics, Scotland

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Aishu Rehman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best we people can understand at all what was going on and what England did to a people who just wanted to live their lives and raise their children...
That is so sad ..
England never took responsibility for the carnage they put upon the people of Scotland..
A shame that England can never come out from!! England can only feel shame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much liked the movie Braveheart. The same man who wrote the movie also wrote this book and they are almost identical, with a few relatively minor exceptions. Just as I liked the movie, I liked the book a lot. I've heard that the history is not terribly accurate here and there are clearly some speculative things. But as a heroic tale it certainly worked. At least for me.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved the movie ever since I saw it for the first time. That time I also had my first crush on actor, and since that I've been a huge Mel Gibson -fan. So it's really no wonder, that I wanted to read this book at some point of my life.

I liked the story very much. I could see it clearly in front of me; every moment of William Wallace's epic story. Characters were described very well, they seemed very realistic. The only negative thing in the book was the few too short chapters, they really bugged me. And the epilogue was really weird, Randall talked to William? Yeah right.

But the story was so strong and full of life, that you'd almost believe that all this really happened. This book is one of my favorites from now on.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT--BUY IT!!**

[Eve Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love this story. Whether as a movie or a book. I know I'll keep coming to this throughout my years, it's so good.
How ever much Randall made up of the story, I have to say that's some imagination and wit. To think of all those legendary lines the characters say, brilliant.
It's so sad and moving but inspiring too, I just wanna charge some rivals of mine right now :D
They'll never take our freedom.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this when I was 13 as a strategy for getting my parents to let me watch the movie. I figured I could argue that since I'd read the book, then I knew all gruesome details that would be onscreen and thus not be "warped". That argument worked, and I did get to watch it. I don't remember a whole lot about this book other than I did love reading it despite my ulterior motives. It's grossly historically inaccurate (as is the film), but definitely an invigorating read.

[Ann-marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you pick up this book, don't plan on doing anything else until you've finished it. I think it's all time, the best book i've ever read. Oh and also plan on making a trip to the local video rental to get a copy of the movie. Even if you've already seen it.

[Steven Ross]

It had it's merits as a fun bit of fiction but............

Ever watch a movie or read a book and keep hearing a voice that says,"that's not the way it happened?" You have? Good. 'Nuff said.

[Arwen56 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lo so che è da "femminucce", ma tutte le volte che leggo il libro o mi capita di rivedere il film, mi metto a singhiozzare. Mi commuove tantissimo questa storia.

[Christoffer Nilsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing.

[Dale Leever · Rating 4 out of 5]

Braveheart was an interesting read and i enjoyed it. I had read the first book on Robert The Bruce by Nigel Trantner in which William Wallace was a secondary character. There was not much contact between the two, although, Trantner's story had Robert The Bruce riding into the battle at Falkirk, a Scottish slaughter by the English led by King Edward Longshanks, after arriving late and meeting John "The Red" Comyn (who was never mentioned in Braveheart) and other Nobles leaving the battle. Robert helped save William Wallace and get him out of the slaughter to live to fight another day and lead the Scottish. One historical note I read said there is no indication that Robert The Bruce Ever betrayed Wallace. In Braveheart, the elder Bruce, set up the betrayal which led to Wallace being seized by the English soldiers- the second betrayal after the first betrayal had the younger Bruce fighting with the English at Falkirk by Robert The Bruce. Again, no historical evidence that Robert The Bruce Ever betrayed Wallace!!
So the story is interesting but, is not very historically accurate it seems.
On some sights of Scottish history, they say that Robert The Bruce was the real Braveheart in the history of Scotland. Wallace is a great hero and the two of these are the top two in the History of Scotland.
Interesting read. It implies that Edward III was, actually, William Wallace's son based on his interaction with Edward II's wife, Isabella (from France).
Jack Whyte, a Scottish author, has a book on William Wallace that would be an interesting read that might be more accurate. Not sure. He has a book on Robert The Bruce, as well, that looks very interesting.
William Wallace is a great warrior from Scottish History, no doubt. This book is an interesting read that I do not believe to be very accurate historically. It is short, about 275 pages, so it could be a quick read to check out.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

"They fought like warrior poets. They fought like Scotsmen."

I love the story and legend of William Wallace. I have grown up with the story and the movie, starring Mel Gibson. That being said, I wasn't a huge fan of this book. It was just like the movie, with some added facts and events, which was amazing. If I hadn't watched the movie dozens of times before I read this book, then I probably would have loved it. 

Throughout the entire book, I just wanted things to move quicker and read about certain events. The parts added about Isabella of France were boring and although I saw how they were needed for the story to fully make sense, I was still skimming them.

My favorite parts of the entire book were the ones that included Hamish and Stephen. They are by far my favorite characters and, lucky for me, were seen in most of the book. 

Overall, the story was great, but I would have preferred to watch the movie. I knew everything that was going to happen and exactly how it was going to play out. I knew exactly what was going to be said and how people would respond to it. For me, that took all the fun out of reading this book. However, if you had never seen the movie and are interested in the story of William Wallace, then you definitely should pick up this book.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read about an extremely inspiring man. The story of the Scottish fight for freedom and the picture we get here of a patriot is a wonderful story. The history is a little shaky, but remember what the newspaper man in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence said: "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

[Della Tingle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have heard of the movie, Braveheart, for many years, but I have never seen it. I have also never read this book until now. Wow! Just wow! This is a PHENOMENAL book! It is just stupendous from start to finish! Now, I want to see the movie!

“He had decided to pray from within the bed, so he would fall asleep with his dreams open to God” (17).

“Nothing was ever simple” (217).

“Every man dies. Not every man really lives” (265).

[Lauren Avance · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mean. It's readable. It's reasonably enjoyable. It is just so badly written and full of anachronisms.

2.5 stars.

I don't NOT recommend it. If you want to read it, you should probably do it!

[Gabriel Mero · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great story, but the writing could have used more editing. The author was repetitive with words at least three times.

[N.A.K. Baldron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Randall Wallace’s passion for this movie tie-in novel comes through with every line. His shared heritage offered him a unique insight that another author would have struggled to replicate.

Unlike so many other tie-in novels, this does more than just repeat the plot of the movie. It expands upon the source material in unique ways and side characters gain deeper motivation not necessarily present in the movie.

It had been several years since I watched the movie, but after reading this book I look forward to revisiting it.

If you like the movie, this book is for you. If not, this is a pass.

[Kimberly Bakker · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Wallace was born on a farm. Along with his father and older brother he lives and survives in Scotland. The place where William grew up is Elderslie, lying between Glasgow and Edinburgh. His father and brother are faced with the death of many men. From here you will follow the story of William Wallace.

The story begins in the year 1276. On the first day, with the story of some men who want to have the crown of Scotland. A few days after the meeting Malcolm Wallace (father of William) sees suspicious behavior in the barn of his neighbor. He decides tot enter the premises with his eldest son. The story forms her storyline from here.

The first five chapters are written incredibly catchy. Randall Wallace knows exactly dose the humor, so the story begins realistic. When William is appointed by themselves, Randall knows how to convey those emotions. That leaves the reader sympathize with the early life of William Wallace.

The book then moves on to the wedding of new King of England. I thought this was a major shift, because a lot of storylines start. You get in first instance to the character Isabella. She is going to marry Edward, the king-to-be. These chapters are quite confusing, but it is written pleasant. The component paints a great picture of the chilly Edward and his secrets.

The book continues in an exciting battle of revenge, love and action. I must say that the pages really like a spear flew by. In addition, I noticed that the way of writing I really appealed. I felt that I sympathized with the main characters, who also unwise be pleasant and described in detail.

This book is one of my favorites, because everything comes together. This book is good, because it makes even a war story incredibly strong. All parts come forward; from hate to love, and betrayal of friendships. I would recommend this book to anyone. The story may or may sound boring, but I think everyone can get out of life lessons here. That's why I rate this book 5/5 stars.

P.s. a dutch review can be found here: https://kimberlyhaarmening.wordpress....

[Kyle Malcore · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Wallace is a Scottish rebellion that had his secretly married wife Murren get murdered by King Longshanks Village lord. This takes place in English territory prehistoric civil times. The problem for Wallace and his fellow Scotsmen try to rebel for freedom of Scotland from British exiles. Wallace is very successful in a lot of his battles, with his military technique and his own men fighting for Scotland The events that I enjoyed best were how strong the Scotsmen were and how Wallace and clever war techniques such as pouring tar on the enemies battle territory and shooting flaming arrows to the other side, so then the battle would get "hot" in terms. The other thing is that I loved how William fought so hard for his death of his wife. It takes insane courage to be able to gain freedom and fight so hard because of that. If I was in that same boat I would not be able to do that, I mean I would try, but it probably wouldn't turn out that great I would direct this book to anybody that likes or enjoys to read old history war books, because in my very opinion this is probably the best one ever made. Also being my age at this young it is and easy book to keep your nose in and there is a movie out there about Braveheart with one of my favorite actors Mel Gibson. Overall this is a great book for all types of readers to keep continuously reading.

[Rosanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed. In short, the movie is far better than the book. I never thought I'd say that.

Of course, that's probably because this book came AFTER the movie.

There is a book the movie is based on, called The Scottish Chiefs. It's on my to-read list.

[Saman]

در صورت تمایل، جهت مشخصات فیلمی که بر اساس این کتاب ساخته شده‌ است؛ می‌توانید از لینک زیر استفاده بفرمایید
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112573

[mimi (depression slump) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cinematic version where Mel Gibson wears a skirt is better.

↠ 3 stars

[Realini Ionescu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Braveheart by Randall Wallace
9 out of 10


To see this acclaimed, popular motion picture, winner of five Oscars, including for Best Picture and Director, with only three weeks to go before Brexit - which looks increasingly as a no deal one - would invite the viewer - this one has seen it before - to muse over what has changed in the relationship between Scotland and England.

Evidently, they are no longer at war with each other, as is the case in Braveheart, but they still se their future differently, with Scotland voting to stay in the EU and eventually to separate from Britain, and England to exit...most likely in an acrimonious manner, in three weeks time.
If this motion picture is indeed a classic, it is also unnerving to know that it takes liberties and the scope of the narrative could make it somewhat difficult to digest for some cinephiles, such as this one, who has worked with English people and has found them to be wonderful, almost all of them and not the savages, cruel monsters that we see in Mel Gibson's take on them.

Granted, things have changed and it is probably no longer debatable, the point of view that I hold that the British Empire at its majestic point has done a lot to bring a better life for many lands is not just antiquated, but dead wrong.
If we refer to the story of William Wallace aka impressive Mel Gibson, who although winner for best film and director, should have also been at least nominated as an actor, that is emotional, gripping and if historically hard to prove of not imagined, it is still compelling.

Wallace comes out of this as the ultimate hero, someone we need to see more than any Avenger, dedicated to his lover, magic Murron, imperial in his revenge for her awful death, condemned for trying to defend herself against attempted rape...it seems that there are no documents though to probe that Wallace has ever been married, but the love story is magnetic nevertheless.
Longshanks aka King Edward I is the legitimate villain to the Wallace Superhero, Ubermensch, and the soldiers and officers he leads and sends into battle are the epitome of the despicable conquistadors.

Alas, this seems for this viewer to be the weak point of the movie.
The side of the English is too vile and abject to be believable.

True, there is more complexity on the Scottish side.
They have among them traitors, Robert the Bruce and especially his father would represent the bad apples, perhaps the reason why the good war is lost...I guess there was no need for spoiler alerts there...we all know that Scotland is part of Britain today and has been for centuries, although they could soon take an alternative road, with the calamity of Hard Brexit and all...

[Rina · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘’Handsome. Strikingly so’’ that is how Randall described William Wallace at some point. Along with ‘’a man who never had nor ever would subjugate himself to any other man’’ .
Loyalty could have been his first name. Loyalty to the love of his life, although the story described his undeclared foundness for the princess of wales- whom we will talk more about later. Loyalty to his country too. He fought the English, first to avenge his late wife, then until his last breath, for a Scotland, free of English brutal involvement. A man like we do not see often. Even if historian critics the book as quite inaccurate, this personage existed. No one really knew to what extent the tales were true or not. So I’ll stick with Randall’s version, at least about his depiction of William Wallace. I think I found a rival for M. Darcy!

But among the entire protagonist, the Princess of Wales is my favourite. I will describe her as a precursor for feminism, far from the idea of a princess just waiting to be saved by her charming prince. After all, she was the one who saved William’s life… at least three times.
She was aware of her rank, without being arrogant. She had no experience in politics, wars and even in matrimony, without being naïve. She had common senses, and a very good judgement in people’s character.
Despite her beauty and intelligence, she was despised by her husband, the prince of Wales-who’d rather fence with his close and ‘’’special’’ friend. She was used by her tyrannical father in law. She found warmth of love within William, the two of them attracted to each other in way that will be questioned by the reader until the very end of the story, at least from William’s perspective.

The story itself is so captivating. Even if you saw the movie, which is already a masterpiece. Although some parts were omitted and others were roughly explored. I think my favourite omitted part is when William seeks help within King of France. The princess used her witted-spirit to get him out of troubles, without compromising herself and avoiding direct confrontation between France and England. Those were the details that a movie will leave behind, but which make so much sense for the development of the story in the eyes of the readers.

In a nutshell, I will highly recommend the book.

[Rêbwar Kurd · Rating 4 out of 5]

شجاعت، در این روایت، نه یک فضیلت اخلاقی است و نه حتی قهرمان‌بازی در لحظه‌های حساس؛ شجاعت، در «شجاع‌دل»، بیشتر شبیه نوعی جبر درونی‌ست، شبیه شورشی که نه از عقل که از زخم نشأت می‌گیرد. ویلیام والاس، قهرمان بی‌نام‌ونشانی‌ست که تاریخ رسمی از او چیز زیادی نمی‌داند، اما نمایش‌نامه‌ی رندال والاس، او را همچون پیامبری با شمشیر ترسیم می‌کند؛ کسی که علیه دستگاه قدرت، علیه تاج‌وتخت، علیه قواعدی که عدالت را در خاک دفن کرده‌اند، قد می‌کشد.

متن، در سطح ظاهری‌اش سرشار از درگیری، شور، وطن‌پرستی و خشم است؛ اما آن‌چه اثر را فراتر از یک روایت صرفاً حماسی می‌برد، همان لحظاتی‌ست که در آن، خشم والاس به عشق گره می‌خورد. شورش او فقط سیاسی نیست؛ شورش علیه زمانه‌ای‌ست که عشق را می‌کشد و در برابر مرگِ معشوق، انسان را به جان جهان می‌اندازد.

رندال والاس، با آغشتن واقعیت تاریخی به اسطوره‌سازی، کاری می‌کند که قهرمانش تنها نماینده‌ی یک ملت مظلوم نباشد، بلکه نمادی از انسانِ در زنجیر باشد؛ انسانی که فریاد «آزادی» را نه فقط برای اسکاتلند، بلکه برای تمام هستی برمی‌کشد. از این منظر، دیالوگ مشهور «می‌توانند جان‌مان را بگیرند، اما آزادی‌مان را نه!» دیگر فقط یک شعار شورانگیز نیست؛ خلاصه‌ای‌ست از تمام فلسفه‌ی وجودی والاس.

نویسنده در دل تراژدی، نگاهی رمانتیک به تاریخ دارد. تضاد بین نجیب‌زادگان خائن و مردمی که تنها ابزارشان باور است، بارها و بارها برجسته می‌شود. والاس، از طریق قهرمانش، خیانت را نه تنها در لباس انگلیسی‌ها، بلکه در کالبد همان‌هایی نشان می‌دهد که به نام وطن، به کام خود می‌زیند. شجاعت در این متن، در تنهایی‌اش کامل می‌شود. در آن سکانس نهایی، که فریاد آزادی با نفس آخرش درهم می‌آمیزد، نویسنده عمداً والاس را در وضعیتی عیسی‌وار قرار می‌دهد: قربانی‌ای که گناه مردم را بر دوش کشیده و با مرگ خویش، آن‌ها را نجات می‌دهد.

نمایش‌نامه «شجاع‌دل» با آن‌که در شکل روایی‌اش کلاسیک و عاطفی‌ست، اما چیزی فراتر از یک ملودرام تاریخی باقی می‌ماند. متن به مخاطب می‌گوید که گاهی باید اسطوره‌ها را ساخت، نه برای تحریف واقعیت، بلکه برای آن‌که واقعیت، تحمل‌پذیرتر شود. و در پایان، این ما نیستیم که والاس را می‌سازیم؛ این زخم، اندوه و عشق است که او را به ضرورت درمی‌آورد.

[Layne]

In 1280, King Edward "Longshanks" invades and conquers Scotland following the death of Alexander III of Scotland, who left no heir to the throne. Young William Wallace witnesses Longshanks' treachery, survives the deaths of his father and brother, and is taken abroad on a pilgrimage throughout Europe by his paternal Uncle Argyle, where he is educated.

Years later, Longshanks grants his noblemen land and privileges in Scotland, including Prima Nocte. Meanwhile, a grown Wallace returns to Scotland and falls in love with his childhood friend Murron MacClannough, and the two marry in secret. Wallace rescues Murron from being raped by English soldiers, but as she fights off their second attempt, Murron is captured and publicly executed. In retribution, Wallace leads his clan to slaughter the English garrison in his hometown and send the occupying garrison at Lanark back to England.

Longshanks orders his son Prince Edward to stop Wallace by any means necessary. Wallace rebels against the English, and as his legend spreads, hundreds of Scots from the surrounding clans join him. Wallace leads his army to victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge and then destroys the city of York, killing Longshanks' nephew and sending his severed head to the king.

Wallace seeks the assistance of Robert the Bruce, the son of nobleman Robert the Elder and a contender for the Scottish crown. Robert is dominated by his father, who wishes to secure the throne for his son by submitting to the English. Worried by the threat of the rebellion, Longshanks sends his son's wife Isabella of France to try to negotiate with Wallace. After meeting him in person, Isabella becomes enamored of Wallace.

Warned of the coming invasion by Isabella, Wallace implores the Scottish nobility to take immediate action to counter the threat and take back the country. Leading the English army himself, Longshanks confronts the Scots at Falkirk where noblemen Lochlan and Mornay, having been bribed by Longshanks, betray Wallace, causing the Scots to lose the battle.

As Wallace charges toward the departing Longshanks on horseback, he is intercepted by one of the king's lancers, who turns out to be Robert the Bruce. Remorseful, he gets Wallace to safety before the English can capture him. Wallace kills Lochlan and Mornay for their betrayal, and wages a guerrilla war against the English for the next seven years, assisted by Isabella, with whom he eventually has an affair.

Robert sets up a meeting with Wallace in Edinburgh, but Robert's father has conspired with other nobles to capture and hand over Wallace to the English. Learning of his treachery, Robert disowns his father. Isabella exacts revenge on the now terminally ill Longshanks by telling him she is pregnant with Wallace's child.

In London, Wallace is brought before an English magistrate, tried for high treason, and condemned to public torture and beheading. Even whilst being hanged, drawn and quartered, Wallace refuses to submit to the king. As cries for mercy come from the watching crowd deeply moved by the Scotsman's valor, the magistrate offers him one final chance, asking him only to utter the word, "Mercy," and be granted a quick death. Wallace instead shouts, "Freedom!", and the judge orders his death. Moments before being decapitated, Wallace sees a vision of Murron in the crowd, smiling at him.

In 1314, Robert, now Scotland's king, leads a Scottish army before a ceremonial line of English troops on the fields of Bannockburn, where he is to formally accept English rule. As he begins to ride toward the English, he stops and invokes Wallace's memory, imploring his men to fight with him as they did with Wallace. Robert then leads his army into battle against the stunned English, winning the Scots their freedom.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know nothing about Scottish history, and I know a lot less about English history with all its Kings, and Queens but one has to sometimes go out of his reading box to learn something new. Maybe that's why I read this fictional account of the "Braveheart" to get a good grasp on his life and learn something. I like reading about people who stand up for the rights of other people and fight for what's right.

Braveheart (the novel) aims to be a compelling historical story, capturing the brutality of the medieval period and the spirit of William Wallace. The narrative follows Wallace's life as he rallies his fellow Scots against the oppressive rule of the English King, Edward I, culminating in epic battles and personal sacrifice.

While the novel is considered a compelling read, it's worth noting that it shares many of the historical inaccuracies. For example, Randal Wallace portrays an affair between Scottish commander Sir William Wallace and French Princess Isabella that didn't and couldn't have happened. I had to google that relationship to know that did not happen because she was just a child of seven at this time. Not a big deal. I figure if you are writing about fiction, you can write anything you like as long as it makes a good story. There is romance, drama, tragedy, humor, action, and there are interesting characters, and the narrative is very engaging. It's a gripping story that dramatizes the fight for freedom and highlights the enduring legacy of William Wallace. What does it matter that it's historically incorrect? You can learn some other morally right things from this film. Like standing up for what you believe in and fighting for what's right!!! Wasn't Mel Gibson great in the movie? As he goes into battle the "Braveheart" yell is "FREEDOM!" Nothing more awesome than that.

[隻眼簽到 · Rating 4 out of 5]

自由是從一切束縛中解脫出來
想當年，這部電影我不完整的看了三次。每次看到最後，Wallace躺在受刑台上喊出“Freedom”的那一幕，總是令我眼眶含淚。問過一些人，他們都覺得Wallace若非因為摯愛遭統治者殺害，也不會挺身起來抗暴，所以這部戲中，愛情還是最重要的。這看法固然不算錯，但在我看來，許多人都可能有過深刻的愛情，但只有那些能夠藉此昇華至大愛的愛情，才最能夠撼動人心，光耀後世。當然，我指的不是那些意識形態式的「大愛」。
William Wallace的故事裡有他與堅強美麗的蘇格蘭女子的愛情；有他對自己和家鄉的深切願望；有起義行動和慘烈的抗暴戰爭；有想要贏得蘇格蘭的英格蘭國王的狼子野心；有蘇格蘭貴族領主們的秘會與陰謀；還有傾心於William Wallace的美麗法國公主等。情節起伏轉折，場面盛大、景色優美，雖然片子較長，但仍是不錯的電影。這個讀本則是前面敘述頗詳，後面卻結束的略顯倉促。
曾評估過自己的價值觀：自由、公平、誠實、正義、清廉、真理等等，什麼是最重要的？答案總是接近“自由”。不是那種“不自由，毋寧死”的嚴肅的自由，而是那種“從一切束縛中解脫出來”的自由。用哈伯瑪斯的話說就是：“解放”的志趣。生命固然重要，但無需執著；國家固然重要，但無需執著；愛情固然重要，但無需執著；真理固然重要，但無需執著。一切執著都是束縛，都是不自由。
但這個世界從來就是由偏執形成的，人腦偏重左腦、偏利右手；生命胺基酸一律左旋；宇稱不守恆；甚至連宇宙誕生之初，正、反物質也是不對稱的。曾有位老師跟我們說，西方理論常在偏處顯精彩。其實何止西方理論，任何理論若無所偏執，就毫無精彩可言。從根本上說，我的追求“從一切束縛中解脫出來”，何嘗不是一種偏執，也莫不是一種不自由。自由不自由，唯心之所願而已。

[James Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for a high school assignment (I think the class might have been World History) and, honestly, I loved it. I can't remember if I had seen the whole movie first or not, but it is definitely in line with it, and both were great. I honestly don't know too much about Europe's history (partially because it's so big and there's so many countries), and I had never really thought much about these neighboring countries being at war. The writing made the battles really easy to picture in my head.
Also, I found the characters to be really believable and many to be inspiring. An epic tale, indeed.

[Lane John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big braveheart fan....regardless of the fact it may not be an accurate historical story...I have seen the film well over 500 times..this may sound silly, though I absolutely love the quotes and storyline....sheer brilliant..

Regarding the book. Wow!!!! It's incredible and actually slightly better in the fact it goes really binto depth, whilst following the movie storyline fairly accurately...give and take a few changes.

This book will grip even those seldon readers...I simply couldn't put it down ..once read, guess what? I was watching braveheart again on t.v.. this book will spark a real love for reading....not many come close..

10/10 a must read for any adventurous resder