MacGregor's Gathering

MacGregor #1

by Nigel Tranter

Book by Nigel Tranter

Genres: Historical Fiction, Scotland, Fiction, Historical

256 pages

First published April 15, 1957

About the author

Nigel Tranter OBE was a Scottish historian and writer. He was the author of a wide range of books on Scottish castles, particularly on themes of architecture and history. He also specialised in deeply researched historical novels that cover centuries of Scottish history.

Reviews

[Emily-Jane Orford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always tell my writing students that description, really good description, is the key to leading your readers into your story. Nigel Tranter has a real talent with description. The reader can feel, taste and smell the scene, not just see it. Each of our senses are inspired as we are seduced by the sublime beauty of the Scottish Highlands. Nigel also has a great sense of humour; or, perhaps he inherits the great Scottish art of storytelling at its best, with a dash of humour added for good taste. I enjoyed this book tremendously. I almost felt as if I were walking in the footsteps of my Scottish ancestors as they tried to outsmart the beligerent and overbearing English invaders. It is amazing what their creativity and ingenuity could accomplish against such incredible odds. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more of Nigel's Scottish tales. Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford, award-winning author of "The Whistling Bishop".

[Sir Robbiethehoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

First novel in the MacGregor trilogy. The MacGregor’s allegiance lies with King James overseas. The MacGregor’s are against uniting the English and Scottish parliaments.

The first half of the novel lags a bit as it details cows being driven to market in a not so very interesting manner as well as giving the travel arrangements of Gregor MacGregor as he rounds up other highland chieftains to join the rising- a bit lacking in entertainment value. But the second half of the novel sees an improvement as the crafty MacGregor clan outwit the treachery orchestrated by the wily, slippery Earl of Breadalbane as he attempts to discredit the MacGregor name and have them tried for treason having in his possession incriminating evidence - that they oppose the English Queen, Queen Anne.

As already said, slow first half but picks up in the second. Bless the MacGregor’s in all their endeavours.

[Nicole Keaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This specific book in the trilogy was ok. It definitely read more like the first quarter of a long book than a standalone novel. Way too much time was spent on describing the herding of a bull. It left me intrigued enough to continue with the trilogy, although I can see this is less plot- thick and maybe less epic than Tranter's Bruce Trilogy.

[C · Rating 1 out of 5]

Description can be the beauty of a novel, or it can sink it. 8 pages spent describing the chase of a loose bull defines over doing it. I just could not get into this story, the characters were buried beneath endless paragraphs of places, names and....description. There was little story, more of opening a page on a "day in the life". Scotland is certainly present and I wish I could have enjoyed staying in it more, but the people in that world were sadly ill-served.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a beautifully written book for the Scottish flavor, but I found the pacing uneven and the story less exciting than hoped.