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The Black Douglas Trilogy #1
A Kingdom's Cost
Eighteen-year-old James Douglas can only watch, helpless, as the Scottish freedom fighter, William Wallace, is hanged, drawn, and quartered. Even under the heel of a brutal English conqueror, James's blood-drenched homeland may still have one hope for freedom, the rightful king of the Scots, Robert the Bruce. James swears fealty to the man he believes can lead the fight against English tyranny.
The Bruce is soon a fugitive, king in name and nothing more. Scotland is occupied, the Scottish resistance crushed. The woman James loves is captured and imprisoned. Yet James believes their cause is not lost. With driving determination, he blazes a path in blood and violence, in cunning and ruthlessness as he wages a guerrilla war to restore Scotland's freedom. James knows he risks sharing Wallace's fate, but what he truly fears is that he has become as merciless as the conqueror he fights.
The Bruce is soon a fugitive, king in name and nothing more. Scotland is occupied, the Scottish resistance crushed. The woman James loves is captured and imprisoned. Yet James believes their cause is not lost. With driving determination, he blazes a path in blood and violence, in cunning and ruthlessness as he wages a guerrilla war to restore Scotland's freedom. James knows he risks sharing Wallace's fate, but what he truly fears is that he has become as merciless as the conqueror he fights.
281 pages, ebook
First published April 28, 2011
2120 people are currently reading
2618 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Tomlin
38 books214 followersJ. R. Tomlin is the author of nineteen historical novels.
She has close ties with Scotland since her father was a native Scot, and she spent substantial time in Edinburgh whilst growing up. Her historical novels are set for the most part in Scotland. Her love of that nation is traced from the stories of the Bruce and Sir James her grandmother read to her when she was small, to hillwalking through the Cairngorms where the granite hills have a gorgeous red glow under the setting sun. Later, her writing was influenced by the work of authors such as Alexander Dumas and Victor Hugo.
When JR isn't writing, she enjoys hiking, playing with her Westie, and killing monsters in computer games. In addition to spending time in Scotland, she has traveled in the US, Europe and the Pacific Rim. She now lives in Oregon.
She has close ties with Scotland since her father was a native Scot, and she spent substantial time in Edinburgh whilst growing up. Her historical novels are set for the most part in Scotland. Her love of that nation is traced from the stories of the Bruce and Sir James her grandmother read to her when she was small, to hillwalking through the Cairngorms where the granite hills have a gorgeous red glow under the setting sun. Later, her writing was influenced by the work of authors such as Alexander Dumas and Victor Hugo.
When JR isn't writing, she enjoys hiking, playing with her Westie, and killing monsters in computer games. In addition to spending time in Scotland, she has traveled in the US, Europe and the Pacific Rim. She now lives in Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
January 23, 2013
With a little work (and a good editor) this could have been a 4-star rating. The story seemed a bit thinly developed, and use of several characters was shallow...even gratuitous...not much more than a name dropped from history.
The Kindle version was riddled with errors...dozens and dozens of misspellings, grammatical/punctuation errors, format issues...seems a shame to have released it in this condition. There is much potential for a very good story here.
The Kindle version was riddled with errors...dozens and dozens of misspellings, grammatical/punctuation errors, format issues...seems a shame to have released it in this condition. There is much potential for a very good story here.
April 15, 2022
I don't think I've read an historical fiction like this that focused in Scotland and must say it was an very interesting read (or rather listen). The plot was intriguing and we'll narrated and will need to try to continue on with the series soon
August 28, 2012
As historical adventures go, this was okay. It's got plenty of story, set about a decade before Bannockburn (one of the very few dates I remember from prep school history lessons), following the struggle between Robert the Bruce of Scotland and Edward Longshanks of England.
However, J.R. Tomlin is no Nigel Tranter. The characters don't have much depth, and there's no real sense of historical context. There's a lot going on, but it wasn't as involving as it could be.
The Kindle edition is in serious need of an editor. Whole paragraphs turn up in Courier font for no reason, and the text is riddled with typos. For example, please learn the difference between a censer and a censor. (Burning censors may be a fine political statement, but I don't think that was what the author meant.) And please, you should be able to get your characters' names right - Niall is frequently called Naill, and I'm not sure whether the love interest was supposed to be Isabelle, Isabella or Isabel.
I got this as a freebie, and it passed the time one lazy morning. As luck would have it, the second volume was a freebie the following day, so I grabbed that too. I guess it can't have been that bad if I'm willing to read more.
However, J.R. Tomlin is no Nigel Tranter. The characters don't have much depth, and there's no real sense of historical context. There's a lot going on, but it wasn't as involving as it could be.
The Kindle edition is in serious need of an editor. Whole paragraphs turn up in Courier font for no reason, and the text is riddled with typos. For example, please learn the difference between a censer and a censor. (Burning censors may be a fine political statement, but I don't think that was what the author meant.) And please, you should be able to get your characters' names right - Niall is frequently called Naill, and I'm not sure whether the love interest was supposed to be Isabelle, Isabella or Isabel.
I got this as a freebie, and it passed the time one lazy morning. As luck would have it, the second volume was a freebie the following day, so I grabbed that too. I guess it can't have been that bad if I'm willing to read more.
October 31, 2011
Review originally posted on my blog: http://killie-booktalk.blogspot.com/
A Kingdom’s Cost” is the first book of the Douglas Trilogy which continues the story of the Scottish Wars of Independence started in Tomlin’s previous book, “Freedom’s Sword”. The novel is mainly about James Douglas, who would become known as The Black Douglas, an important follower of Robert de Bruce. The story follows Douglas from his life in Paris where he was hidden by his father to avoid being used as a hostage, through his time as a squire to a Scottish Bishop and then to his service under the newly crowned King of Scots, Robert de Bruce. This progressed from the early military defeats, then on to some of the guerrilla raids and finally to the battle of Loudon Hill where the outnumbered Scottish forces proved they could beat the English in a battle.
As a Scottish person I was looking forward to reading this book and its depiction of a rather pivotal point in Scottish history. I was actually glad to see the story was being told from the view point of James Douglas as I will admit I didn’t know much about him beyond the fact he had been called The Black Douglas. As with “Freedom’s Sword” it was nice to see some detail and importance being given to someone that wasn’t Bruce or Wallace.
The plot really draws you along as you want to know what happens next to the characters and I enjoyed it immensely. The action sequences are gripping and I have to say that J.R. Tomlin once again describes the battles in a manner that really enables the reader to picture the horror of medieval warfare and feel part of it all. I would note that the violence detailed is all relevant to telling the story and none if it came across as being gratuitous or excessive. It isn’t just the battles that Tomlin has created well; she really brings out the individual experiences such as the weight of armour, the various smells and the difficult life that people in those ages would have suffered through.
One nice improvement I saw in this book over “Freedom’s Sword” was that there was more time spent exploring the personal lives of the characters and the build up to various events and battles. Whilst some of the character development was probably hampered by having to stick to some historical facts, the author has done well in creating characters who you are interested in. I think that the author has been able to do this by spreading the story of Douglas over a trilogy rather than trying to cram it all into one single novel. Simply put, the balance between the military encounters and the personal aspects is good and I think it will ensure the book appeals to more people.
In summary, I really enjoyed this novel and will be looking forward to the second instalment. After reading it, I was quickly on the internet to learn a little bit more about James Douglas, in my opinion that shows what a good historical fiction novel this is. It has inspired me to really try and learn more about this man and I hope it will inspire some other readers to also find out a little bit more about this very colourful and interesting period of history.
A Kingdom’s Cost” is the first book of the Douglas Trilogy which continues the story of the Scottish Wars of Independence started in Tomlin’s previous book, “Freedom’s Sword”. The novel is mainly about James Douglas, who would become known as The Black Douglas, an important follower of Robert de Bruce. The story follows Douglas from his life in Paris where he was hidden by his father to avoid being used as a hostage, through his time as a squire to a Scottish Bishop and then to his service under the newly crowned King of Scots, Robert de Bruce. This progressed from the early military defeats, then on to some of the guerrilla raids and finally to the battle of Loudon Hill where the outnumbered Scottish forces proved they could beat the English in a battle.
As a Scottish person I was looking forward to reading this book and its depiction of a rather pivotal point in Scottish history. I was actually glad to see the story was being told from the view point of James Douglas as I will admit I didn’t know much about him beyond the fact he had been called The Black Douglas. As with “Freedom’s Sword” it was nice to see some detail and importance being given to someone that wasn’t Bruce or Wallace.
The plot really draws you along as you want to know what happens next to the characters and I enjoyed it immensely. The action sequences are gripping and I have to say that J.R. Tomlin once again describes the battles in a manner that really enables the reader to picture the horror of medieval warfare and feel part of it all. I would note that the violence detailed is all relevant to telling the story and none if it came across as being gratuitous or excessive. It isn’t just the battles that Tomlin has created well; she really brings out the individual experiences such as the weight of armour, the various smells and the difficult life that people in those ages would have suffered through.
One nice improvement I saw in this book over “Freedom’s Sword” was that there was more time spent exploring the personal lives of the characters and the build up to various events and battles. Whilst some of the character development was probably hampered by having to stick to some historical facts, the author has done well in creating characters who you are interested in. I think that the author has been able to do this by spreading the story of Douglas over a trilogy rather than trying to cram it all into one single novel. Simply put, the balance between the military encounters and the personal aspects is good and I think it will ensure the book appeals to more people.
In summary, I really enjoyed this novel and will be looking forward to the second instalment. After reading it, I was quickly on the internet to learn a little bit more about James Douglas, in my opinion that shows what a good historical fiction novel this is. It has inspired me to really try and learn more about this man and I hope it will inspire some other readers to also find out a little bit more about this very colourful and interesting period of history.
May 17, 2020
Overall, an enjoyable read. Tomlin's writing style is much like Robert Low, and the subject matter - the Wars of Scottish Independence - is one of my favorites. 4 stars because I did enjoy it, but I nearly gave it 3 stars as it needs a good scrubbing by an editor. Common mistakes, like using "he" and "she" far too much, that should be corrected. Also, some of the most pivotal moments in the book, which should be dramatic and impactful, were almost rushed. However it was an absorbing story and good enough that I will certainly check out the next title in the series.
November 7, 2020
Four Historical Stars!!
I really enjoyed this historical fiction story focusing on the battle of Scotland, and all the players there. I always think of the Mel Gibson movie when I think of that time. I found it was interesting that they kept referring to Lochdubh, Scotland which is also where Hamish Macbeth, one of my favorite mystery series is set.
I really enjoyed this historical fiction story focusing on the battle of Scotland, and all the players there. I always think of the Mel Gibson movie when I think of that time. I found it was interesting that they kept referring to Lochdubh, Scotland which is also where Hamish Macbeth, one of my favorite mystery series is set.
April 12, 2012
This was well written (apart from some typos which just means it needs an editor - or a better one) with a good plot but I didn't find myself attached to any of the characters. When there were emotional moments for them, I didn't really feel anything because the characters were a little one dimensional.
My only complaint about the writing was that the point of view suddenly switched for the first time about half way through the book. It was written in third person and the benefit of that is being able to write from multiple points of view - but from what I remember, the author did not take advantage of that throughout the whole first half of the book. Up to this point in the novel, we only see James’ point of view and so to sudden switch to someone else so far into the book seemed awkward to me. Especially when, after switching back to James, we never see another point of view again in the rest of the book. So there’s just this one random alternate point of view thrown into the middle of the book. Strange. But apart from that, I thought it was well written.
So while the characters were a bit flat for me, the writing quality and plot is what carried me through to the end of the book.
My only complaint about the writing was that the point of view suddenly switched for the first time about half way through the book. It was written in third person and the benefit of that is being able to write from multiple points of view - but from what I remember, the author did not take advantage of that throughout the whole first half of the book. Up to this point in the novel, we only see James’ point of view and so to sudden switch to someone else so far into the book seemed awkward to me. Especially when, after switching back to James, we never see another point of view again in the rest of the book. So there’s just this one random alternate point of view thrown into the middle of the book. Strange. But apart from that, I thought it was well written.
So while the characters were a bit flat for me, the writing quality and plot is what carried me through to the end of the book.
October 17, 2014
I really looked forward to reading A Kingdom's Cost. I've read a bit about Scotland's history, and a rousing tale featuring Robert the Bruce sounded quite promising.
Sadly, the book never took off for me and I quit twenty-five percent in.
In the first quarter of the book anyway, nothing happens. They talk a lot. There's pages of marching. A tournament covers a couple of pages. When we finally get to some action, when the Scottish forces are routed in their initial skirmish with the English the only part of the battle we see is the part that occurs right next to the Bruce. We know he had a terrible loss of men, but why and what happened is left a mystery.
There's a romance between the main character and a young noble woman that drags on and on and on. I know much more about James' (the MC) love life than I do anything else.
I just kept waiting for the story to start, and it never did.
Sadly, the book never took off for me and I quit twenty-five percent in.
In the first quarter of the book anyway, nothing happens. They talk a lot. There's pages of marching. A tournament covers a couple of pages. When we finally get to some action, when the Scottish forces are routed in their initial skirmish with the English the only part of the battle we see is the part that occurs right next to the Bruce. We know he had a terrible loss of men, but why and what happened is left a mystery.
There's a romance between the main character and a young noble woman that drags on and on and on. I know much more about James' (the MC) love life than I do anything else.
I just kept waiting for the story to start, and it never did.
January 19, 2013
This was a wonderful book based on James "The Black" Douglas and his exploits in the service of the new King of Scotland, Robert the Bruce. Although he has been crowned, the Bruce is in the middle of a kingdom largely in the control of Edward (Longshanks) King of England and also known as the Hammer of the Scots. Forced to endure terrible treatment under the english, the Scots are determined to have their own kind and their own country, free of the English. Bruce recruits a young, 19 year old James Douglas, an idealistic young man whose home, title, and inheritance has been taken by the English. An exciting read as these two patriots work for the salvation of their country. Book one of a trilogy.
July 21, 2018
This historical novel is set in Scotland during the reign of Edward Longshanks and Robert De Bruce. James is the young Lord of Douglas who inherits the title while still in school in Paris, after his father’s sudden death.
Thrust into a situation where Scotland is not only fighting the English but fighting amongst themselves, James has to grow up fast. Pledging himself to Robert De Bruce he falls in love with Isabella from whose clan all Scottish Kings were crowned. She is married to Comyn who supports Edward’s claim to Scotland. By crowning De Bruce it is implied she has severed all ties with her husband and she eventually becomes James’s lover.
There are a lot of battles in this book, despite a number of years being skipped between chapters. This leaves the story feeling a little disjointed in terms of the characters lives. The story is united by the cause to keep Robert De Bruce in charge of Scotland and the English out.
For those who like action based stories this book deals with the battle scenes very well, but there was not enough characterization and development for me, to make this book a truly interesting historical novel.
Thrust into a situation where Scotland is not only fighting the English but fighting amongst themselves, James has to grow up fast. Pledging himself to Robert De Bruce he falls in love with Isabella from whose clan all Scottish Kings were crowned. She is married to Comyn who supports Edward’s claim to Scotland. By crowning De Bruce it is implied she has severed all ties with her husband and she eventually becomes James’s lover.
There are a lot of battles in this book, despite a number of years being skipped between chapters. This leaves the story feeling a little disjointed in terms of the characters lives. The story is united by the cause to keep Robert De Bruce in charge of Scotland and the English out.
For those who like action based stories this book deals with the battle scenes very well, but there was not enough characterization and development for me, to make this book a truly interesting historical novel.
March 27, 2017
Ebook. Ik kende het verhaal van William Wallace en Robert de Bruce, en ik had al wel gehoord van Edward Longshanks. Maar de historische figuur van James Douglas was nieuw voor mij. Hij was een aanhanger van de Bruce, en na de dood van zijn vader kasteelheer. In dit verhaal volgen wij zijn strijd tegen de Engelsen, terwijl Robert de Bruce zich schuil moet houden. Na een laatste overwinning van de Schotten, windt koning Edward zich zo erg op, dat hij dood neervalt. Eindelijk een beetje rust voor onze schotse vrienden, tijd om hun persoonlijk belangen te behartigen, maar ook om zich voor te bereiden op een volgende strijd, want de zoon van Edward zal vast en zeker in de voetsporen van zijn vader willen treden.
Interessant boek, dat uitstekend het leven van de schotse verzetsstrijders beschrijft.
Interessant boek, dat uitstekend het leven van de schotse verzetsstrijders beschrijft.
May 17, 2011
A Good Book Alert Review: http://goodbookalert.blogspot.com/
Filled with gripping action sequences and rock-solid historical research, A Kingdom's Cost plunges the reader into the desperate Scottish struggle for freedom.
Summary:
William Wallace has been defeated and executed. The English brutally occupy Scotland. The only hope for Scotland's freedom is her rightful king, Robert the Bruce.
After seeing the execution of William Wallace, James Douglas devotes himself to the Bruce and his war of independence. James will have to face both the brutality of the English and his own conscience as the desperation of the Scottish forces grows.
Review:
A Kingdom's Cost includes several appendices discussing some of the major plot elements and their historicity, in addition to the direct sources the author used in her background research for the novel. This is something I would like to see in all historical fiction works, particularly historical fiction that focuses on actual historical personages as main characters.
The appendices are reflective of the author's excellent attitude toward historical detail and authenticity. The story helps draw the reader into the time period with great, but not overwhelming, detail. One aspect that I was particularly struck by was my ability to follow all the different nobles and factions introduced despite not being all that familiar with Scottish history. The author did a fine job of knowing just when to provide an extra bit of detail and when to pull back as to not overwhelm the reader.
Unexpectedly, the attention to historical detail may have contributed to the one of the few issues I had with the book. In the beginning, there is a heavy focus on plot with a lot of jumping from major event to major event. Along with that, there wasn't as much time devoted to character development as I would have liked at the start of the book. In the beginning, I felt a slight reader distance from the characters. This made the initial chapters of the books, though interesting, not nearly as engaging as the later chapters that more fully delve into James Douglas and his psychology. Once the plot started fully rolling though, these issues disappeared and, particularly in the second half, there are many engaging scenes generated from exploring the implications of some of the choices the main character must make in trying to help free his homeland.
As a story that focuses on one of the Scottish Wars of Independence, battles, skirmishes, and raids form a major part of the storyline. The plot flows through many key battles, providing a natural tension that draws the reader forward. These battle scenes are notable for their vivid and realistic depiction of medieval battle. In addition, by keeping a tightly focused POV, the scenes effectively draw the reader into the pulse of the battle and the chaos felt by the individual warrior. A Kingdom's Cost is, overall, mostly a story of war and men on campaign. Accordingly, the well-rendered battle scenes were vital to keeping the story engaging.
Anyone seeking an action-packed view into a key period in the First Scottish War of Independence should check out A Kingdom's Cost.
4 Stars
Filled with gripping action sequences and rock-solid historical research, A Kingdom's Cost plunges the reader into the desperate Scottish struggle for freedom.
Summary:
William Wallace has been defeated and executed. The English brutally occupy Scotland. The only hope for Scotland's freedom is her rightful king, Robert the Bruce.
After seeing the execution of William Wallace, James Douglas devotes himself to the Bruce and his war of independence. James will have to face both the brutality of the English and his own conscience as the desperation of the Scottish forces grows.
Review:
A Kingdom's Cost includes several appendices discussing some of the major plot elements and their historicity, in addition to the direct sources the author used in her background research for the novel. This is something I would like to see in all historical fiction works, particularly historical fiction that focuses on actual historical personages as main characters.
The appendices are reflective of the author's excellent attitude toward historical detail and authenticity. The story helps draw the reader into the time period with great, but not overwhelming, detail. One aspect that I was particularly struck by was my ability to follow all the different nobles and factions introduced despite not being all that familiar with Scottish history. The author did a fine job of knowing just when to provide an extra bit of detail and when to pull back as to not overwhelm the reader.
Unexpectedly, the attention to historical detail may have contributed to the one of the few issues I had with the book. In the beginning, there is a heavy focus on plot with a lot of jumping from major event to major event. Along with that, there wasn't as much time devoted to character development as I would have liked at the start of the book. In the beginning, I felt a slight reader distance from the characters. This made the initial chapters of the books, though interesting, not nearly as engaging as the later chapters that more fully delve into James Douglas and his psychology. Once the plot started fully rolling though, these issues disappeared and, particularly in the second half, there are many engaging scenes generated from exploring the implications of some of the choices the main character must make in trying to help free his homeland.
As a story that focuses on one of the Scottish Wars of Independence, battles, skirmishes, and raids form a major part of the storyline. The plot flows through many key battles, providing a natural tension that draws the reader forward. These battle scenes are notable for their vivid and realistic depiction of medieval battle. In addition, by keeping a tightly focused POV, the scenes effectively draw the reader into the pulse of the battle and the chaos felt by the individual warrior. A Kingdom's Cost is, overall, mostly a story of war and men on campaign. Accordingly, the well-rendered battle scenes were vital to keeping the story engaging.
Anyone seeking an action-packed view into a key period in the First Scottish War of Independence should check out A Kingdom's Cost.
4 Stars
April 22, 2012
There are historical novels that make you wonder where the author got their information from and there are historical novels that make you feel as if you are really a part of the action. A Kingdom’s Cost is one of the latter, sure to pull readers through a time warp into Scotland as the men of the country battle to take back what is theirs. While I can’t make too much claim to being an expert on this location and time in history, I can say that even the style of writing was meant to give the feeling of the place, with wording that made me feel as if I was right at home with the characters from this distant time.
The characters were perfectly formed, each with their own personality, reasoning and interactions. Their stories were also well told, each personal hurt became my own. The loss of a loved one, the determination to retrieve what was taken, and the weight of the actions that come from war were all pinned greatly into my heart as I turned the pages, waiting to see where these relationships and struggles would take the people involved.
War is messy business and the book conveyed that almost too well, sharpening at the battle scenes and fading or dragging a bit through the rest. Occasionally a gap in the story would interrupt the pull of my mind into the battle for Scotland and I would have to turn back to try and work out if there was some specific action or description that I had missed or translate what certain actions would lead to and why they were necessary, but overall I found little interruption in my travels to the past. Now I thirst for more and cling desperately to the hope that I will encounter the second book of the trilogy someday soon. Mayhaps I will travel to the time of James Douglas again some time soon.
Note: Though this book was a free gift from the author, the content of my review was in no way influenced by the gifting. The book speaks for itself and my review would have been worded just this way even if I'd gone out and bought it. I also give bonus points for Text To Speech enabling on Kindle format.... but that also wasn't a factor in the above review.
The characters were perfectly formed, each with their own personality, reasoning and interactions. Their stories were also well told, each personal hurt became my own. The loss of a loved one, the determination to retrieve what was taken, and the weight of the actions that come from war were all pinned greatly into my heart as I turned the pages, waiting to see where these relationships and struggles would take the people involved.
War is messy business and the book conveyed that almost too well, sharpening at the battle scenes and fading or dragging a bit through the rest. Occasionally a gap in the story would interrupt the pull of my mind into the battle for Scotland and I would have to turn back to try and work out if there was some specific action or description that I had missed or translate what certain actions would lead to and why they were necessary, but overall I found little interruption in my travels to the past. Now I thirst for more and cling desperately to the hope that I will encounter the second book of the trilogy someday soon. Mayhaps I will travel to the time of James Douglas again some time soon.
Note: Though this book was a free gift from the author, the content of my review was in no way influenced by the gifting. The book speaks for itself and my review would have been worded just this way even if I'd gone out and bought it. I also give bonus points for Text To Speech enabling on Kindle format.... but that also wasn't a factor in the above review.
June 1, 2011
I adore historical fiction, there’s something so seductive about dipping into another era. This book is a good example of how it can be handled without boring the reader, which is one of the major issues when it comes to this genre. Too often writers bog the story down with details, either to make sure the reader understands exactly what the differences in time are or to show how much he or she has researched. I was happily surprised with the way this story was crafted, with a good balance of description that added ambiance more than empty words and action that propelled the plot forward.
I must admit I am biased, since Scotland and Ireland are two of my loves, especially as locations for books, but even with that not-quite-impartial view, I think the setting was well established with lots of the cultural phenomena infusing color into a medieval story.
The characters were amusing. A whole range of personalities mixed together to keep the reader either chuckling or nail-biting in concern. I loved the military strategies of the time, the way that the author managed to describe them without it becoming a play-by-play, not an easy task.
It was also interesting to see the interactions between the men and the women during this time period, especially when, at one point in the story, groups of highborn women and soldiers are all thrown into the wilderness together with their king.
I can recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. It is part of a series, so you might just have to buy the next one also.
I must admit I am biased, since Scotland and Ireland are two of my loves, especially as locations for books, but even with that not-quite-impartial view, I think the setting was well established with lots of the cultural phenomena infusing color into a medieval story.
The characters were amusing. A whole range of personalities mixed together to keep the reader either chuckling or nail-biting in concern. I loved the military strategies of the time, the way that the author managed to describe them without it becoming a play-by-play, not an easy task.
It was also interesting to see the interactions between the men and the women during this time period, especially when, at one point in the story, groups of highborn women and soldiers are all thrown into the wilderness together with their king.
I can recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. It is part of a series, so you might just have to buy the next one also.
July 24, 2012
This book is a full package for historical fiction lovers. Not only does it highlight a lesser-known historical figure, but it gives us a compelling novelisation of that man's perspective. The language is vivid, and the details bring the reader into the moment, while the pacing flows smoothly, pulling the reader on to the next chapter.
February 6, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. I don't usually read war novels, but now I will go looking fo rmore!
October 26, 2020
The story of Robert the Bruce’s struggle against Edward I is one of the saddest histories I think I ever ran across. To say the English king was ruthless is an understatement; his cruelty knew no bounds. The Bruce was fortunate to have loyal Scots who were willing to die for him—and many did, horribly. Jamie, the Black Douglas was one of his champions—and more; he was truly the foundation of Robert’s shaky throne. This story was told from Jamie’s point of view, from an awkward youth to a resourceful young man who let nothing stand in his way. War forced him to commit deeds that would have been considered atrocities in peace time, and his conscience suffered terribly. But anything less would have been catastrophic to their cause:
Bruce sprang to his feet and strode around the room. "Revenge? I—I want it. But—" He swung around. "Can I kill every man who's sided with the English this year past? Every English who's held a castle in our land?"
"No." James rubbed his beard. "Not revenge in truth, though I want it. Yet, if those men had lived, my people of Douglasdale would have been killed. I couldn't let the English know who had aided me and let Clifford take his revenge on them." He gave a hard sigh. "So I killed the prisoners instead—after they surrendered their swords to me. There've been days when I've felt I'd never be rid of the blood. But I did what I had to do."
This is a story of bravery, of sacrifices, of despair. The innocent townspeople and country folk had no say in the matter, yet they paid the price of Bruce’s defiance against Edward I. But the alternative—the loss of freedom, the acceptance of English overlordship—was unthinkable. So they had no choice but to go on, even when it seemed they had already failed. So many lives were damaged beyond repair—and too many lost, of course. But throughout there was hope in the face of the impossible, and miraculous successes. We are faced with a world turned upside-down, where life-and-death decisions defy logic, and the end justifies the means. This is a compelling story and I highly recommend it.
Bruce sprang to his feet and strode around the room. "Revenge? I—I want it. But—" He swung around. "Can I kill every man who's sided with the English this year past? Every English who's held a castle in our land?"
"No." James rubbed his beard. "Not revenge in truth, though I want it. Yet, if those men had lived, my people of Douglasdale would have been killed. I couldn't let the English know who had aided me and let Clifford take his revenge on them." He gave a hard sigh. "So I killed the prisoners instead—after they surrendered their swords to me. There've been days when I've felt I'd never be rid of the blood. But I did what I had to do."
This is a story of bravery, of sacrifices, of despair. The innocent townspeople and country folk had no say in the matter, yet they paid the price of Bruce’s defiance against Edward I. But the alternative—the loss of freedom, the acceptance of English overlordship—was unthinkable. So they had no choice but to go on, even when it seemed they had already failed. So many lives were damaged beyond repair—and too many lost, of course. But throughout there was hope in the face of the impossible, and miraculous successes. We are faced with a world turned upside-down, where life-and-death decisions defy logic, and the end justifies the means. This is a compelling story and I highly recommend it.
April 25, 2022
Just ok. I got this on a free offer, presumably as it's part of a series and they hope you'll like it enough to buy the rest.
Unfortunately it didn't engage me enough to want to do that, although it was entertaining enough and I'm fond of historical fiction. This is based around the Scottish struggle against Edward Longshanks, King of England, and features Robert de Bruce and his followers as they build an army.
However the characters lacked depth and failed to make you care about them. The story in itself is interesting enough and it's easy to read, just not to want to read any more beyond the final page.
The editing is sloppy. I was reading the Kindle version and it was full of spelling and grammatical errors which also pull you out of the story. So yeah, just ok.
Unfortunately it didn't engage me enough to want to do that, although it was entertaining enough and I'm fond of historical fiction. This is based around the Scottish struggle against Edward Longshanks, King of England, and features Robert de Bruce and his followers as they build an army.
However the characters lacked depth and failed to make you care about them. The story in itself is interesting enough and it's easy to read, just not to want to read any more beyond the final page.
The editing is sloppy. I was reading the Kindle version and it was full of spelling and grammatical errors which also pull you out of the story. So yeah, just ok.
July 1, 2022
An interesting novel and medieval history lesson.
I do not feel compelled to read any more books in the series
I do not feel compelled to read any more books in the series
March 23, 2019
**OBTAINED: Instafreebies Giveaway**
A Kingdom's Cost (The Douglas Trilogy, #1)
J.R. Tomlin's A Kingdom's Cost, the first novel in The Douglas Trilogy, was an amazing historical read. Taking place in Scotland after witnessing the brutal death of the famous Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace, the young man named James Douglas becomes inspired to join the cause Wallace had once valiantly fought for, the high price being his very life and country. During this time, Scotland is torn a part, some wavering under the sheer strength and opposition of the forces of the English conqueror, Edward Longshanks, while some few brave-hearted enough to stand firm and rise up against the overwhelming invasive forces that dare to crush their homeland and to find the hope of stealing back their freedom.
Scotland may still have one hope for freedom, residing in the rightful king of the Scots, Robert the Bruce. Young James Douglas soon swears fealty to the man he believes can lead the fight against English tyranny. The Bruce is soon a lone fugitive in his own lands, a king in name only, but there are those that support him and answer his summons to aid his cause. Scotland is now occupied by the English forces, and the blazing fires of the Scottish resistance nearly smothered. With searing determination, and almost unstoppable resilience, James "The Black" Douglas, carves a path through the storms in blood and violence, in cunning strategy and ruthless attacks as he wages a war to restore Scotland's people their freedom and its rights to decide who sits upon the Scottish throne, once and for all.
"It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom--for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself."
-Declaration of Arbroath (1320)
The Black Douglas knowingly risks sharing in Wallace's tragic fate, but what he fears most is that he has become as merciless and heartless as the tyrants he bravely fights against. Through it all, James is surely a force to be reckoned with, and his conscience does not permit him to allow his homeland and kinsmen to fall victim under English rule.
In this First installment to the series, Tomlin has created an epic piece of historical fiction, starkly portraying the grim, violent details of war, the bravery of the Scottish resistance, and the heroic quest of a young man, determined to save his country. This book was an epic adventure from start to finish and the writing superbly mastered. This a must read for those interested in the history of Scotland, though, of course 'tis only a work of fiction and presumably the work has been embellished some, but not without great care and good judgement. Indeed, A Kingdom's Cost is a Good-Read.
[OFFICIAL RATING: 4.9 STARS]
A Kingdom's Cost (The Douglas Trilogy, #1)
J.R. Tomlin's A Kingdom's Cost, the first novel in The Douglas Trilogy, was an amazing historical read. Taking place in Scotland after witnessing the brutal death of the famous Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace, the young man named James Douglas becomes inspired to join the cause Wallace had once valiantly fought for, the high price being his very life and country. During this time, Scotland is torn a part, some wavering under the sheer strength and opposition of the forces of the English conqueror, Edward Longshanks, while some few brave-hearted enough to stand firm and rise up against the overwhelming invasive forces that dare to crush their homeland and to find the hope of stealing back their freedom.
Scotland may still have one hope for freedom, residing in the rightful king of the Scots, Robert the Bruce. Young James Douglas soon swears fealty to the man he believes can lead the fight against English tyranny. The Bruce is soon a lone fugitive in his own lands, a king in name only, but there are those that support him and answer his summons to aid his cause. Scotland is now occupied by the English forces, and the blazing fires of the Scottish resistance nearly smothered. With searing determination, and almost unstoppable resilience, James "The Black" Douglas, carves a path through the storms in blood and violence, in cunning strategy and ruthless attacks as he wages a war to restore Scotland's people their freedom and its rights to decide who sits upon the Scottish throne, once and for all.
"It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom--for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself."
-Declaration of Arbroath (1320)
The Black Douglas knowingly risks sharing in Wallace's tragic fate, but what he fears most is that he has become as merciless and heartless as the tyrants he bravely fights against. Through it all, James is surely a force to be reckoned with, and his conscience does not permit him to allow his homeland and kinsmen to fall victim under English rule.
In this First installment to the series, Tomlin has created an epic piece of historical fiction, starkly portraying the grim, violent details of war, the bravery of the Scottish resistance, and the heroic quest of a young man, determined to save his country. This book was an epic adventure from start to finish and the writing superbly mastered. This a must read for those interested in the history of Scotland, though, of course 'tis only a work of fiction and presumably the work has been embellished some, but not without great care and good judgement. Indeed, A Kingdom's Cost is a Good-Read.
[OFFICIAL RATING: 4.9 STARS]
July 6, 2011
I grew up reading historical novels by Rosemary Sutcliffe, Henry Treece, and then Nigel Trantner after a wonderful teenaged vacation in Scotland. J.R Tomlin’s A Kingdom’s Cost, reminds me most of Trantner, and is just as enjoyable.
Continuing a history of Scotland begun in Freedom’s Sword, A Kingdom’s Cost starts a new trilogy with the story of Robert de Bruce told mostly through the eyes of young James Douglas. Exiled to France when his father was imprisoned by the English King Edward Longshanks, young Jamie is left orphaned and penniless by his father’s death. Exciting opening scenes of his flight through a French market lead quickly to his return to England, Scotland and war. A few chapters in, Jamie attends the crowning of a new king and the story takes off. Readers are plunged into treacherous political, religious and physical landscapes, all beautifully drawn together in the mountains and glens of Scotland.
A Kingdom’s Cost is an enjoyable read, a convincing portrayal of loyalty’s demands, and a powerful story of a young man coming of age in violent times. Scenery, scents and tastes of food, the sense of urgency and need, the pain of betrayal, and the tortuous conflicting demands of duty and love are evocatively portrayed. The author’s use of language gives a convincing sense of times past, with occasional older words nicely blended into the new. Morality is bent by need. Wild beauty and wild danger meet. King turns to outlaw. And those who are weak learn to trust they might one day be strong.
The novel ends with a nice sense of completion making it a good stand-alone read as well as a fine beginning to the trilogy.
Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy of this novel by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Continuing a history of Scotland begun in Freedom’s Sword, A Kingdom’s Cost starts a new trilogy with the story of Robert de Bruce told mostly through the eyes of young James Douglas. Exiled to France when his father was imprisoned by the English King Edward Longshanks, young Jamie is left orphaned and penniless by his father’s death. Exciting opening scenes of his flight through a French market lead quickly to his return to England, Scotland and war. A few chapters in, Jamie attends the crowning of a new king and the story takes off. Readers are plunged into treacherous political, religious and physical landscapes, all beautifully drawn together in the mountains and glens of Scotland.
A Kingdom’s Cost is an enjoyable read, a convincing portrayal of loyalty’s demands, and a powerful story of a young man coming of age in violent times. Scenery, scents and tastes of food, the sense of urgency and need, the pain of betrayal, and the tortuous conflicting demands of duty and love are evocatively portrayed. The author’s use of language gives a convincing sense of times past, with occasional older words nicely blended into the new. Morality is bent by need. Wild beauty and wild danger meet. King turns to outlaw. And those who are weak learn to trust they might one day be strong.
The novel ends with a nice sense of completion making it a good stand-alone read as well as a fine beginning to the trilogy.
Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy of this novel by the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 6, 2012
I really hate it when I finish a book and immediately wish I had the next one. A Kingdom's Cost ended too soon. By this, I mean while the book completed the story it set out to tell - the fight for freedom for Scotland in 1306 and 1307 - I didn't want the book to end.
The story, the politics and the main characters come straight out of Scotland's history books and, through the pen of J.R. Tomlin, come to life. I tend to get bored when descriptions of characters and their environs get too deeply involved. But, Tomlin involves the reader in the people and their time so thoroughly that one can feel the cold rain and hear the battle raging and experience their grief, without boring the reader in the process. Tomlin did not leave any story lines unfinished, either, yet ended the book in such a way that the sequel can easily be written.
A Kingdom's Cost is well researched, well written and very enjoyable. I am definitely keeping it on my re-read shelf, as well as keeping a lookout for other books written by J.R. Tomlin.
The story, the politics and the main characters come straight out of Scotland's history books and, through the pen of J.R. Tomlin, come to life. I tend to get bored when descriptions of characters and their environs get too deeply involved. But, Tomlin involves the reader in the people and their time so thoroughly that one can feel the cold rain and hear the battle raging and experience their grief, without boring the reader in the process. Tomlin did not leave any story lines unfinished, either, yet ended the book in such a way that the sequel can easily be written.
A Kingdom's Cost is well researched, well written and very enjoyable. I am definitely keeping it on my re-read shelf, as well as keeping a lookout for other books written by J.R. Tomlin.
August 24, 2011
My thanks to J.R. Tomlin for gifting me with this book :)Now this is the second book I read by this author and all I can say is I love the way she writes. Her characters are interesting and make you feel like you know them.
A Kingdom's Cost shares alot of features with Freedom's sword, as they are both biased on the same timeline, with different characters.
Here we meet James Douglas, who was also mentioned before, a young boy who's father is killed by the King of England.
We also meet the Bishop of ST. Andrews William de Lamberton who took in James as his squire after his father's death.
Allthough at the begining the book was a bit fast and there wasn't much time to get to know the characters, but once past those first chapters it gets better.
Overall the book was a really good historical, full of action, battles and blood. She pays alot of attention to the different details and that makes you feel like your actually in the book rather than reading it.
If you like Historical books you totally have to check hers out.
A Kingdom's Cost shares alot of features with Freedom's sword, as they are both biased on the same timeline, with different characters.
Here we meet James Douglas, who was also mentioned before, a young boy who's father is killed by the King of England.
We also meet the Bishop of ST. Andrews William de Lamberton who took in James as his squire after his father's death.
Allthough at the begining the book was a bit fast and there wasn't much time to get to know the characters, but once past those first chapters it gets better.
Overall the book was a really good historical, full of action, battles and blood. She pays alot of attention to the different details and that makes you feel like your actually in the book rather than reading it.
If you like Historical books you totally have to check hers out.
May 28, 2011
J.R. TOMLIN'S "A KINGDOM'S COST" (A REVIEW)
"A Kingdom's Cost," is a fantastic story about James Douglas' attempt to avenge his father's death as well as that of William Wallace and somehow win back the lands his family once owned. He joins forces with King Robert de Bruce on the continuing fight to overthrow England and claim Scotland's independence. Along the way he meets Isabella, a beauty from the Highlands whose husband and brother have taken up arms with King Longshank's. Now bereft and unable to return to her home she begins to find love with James Douglas.
A wonderfully written historical novel that tosses in just the right amount of romance to appeal to both men and women. J.R. Tomlin is a spectacular writer whose works belong on the same shelf as those of Margaret George and others! A definite must-read for any historical literature lover!
-Kitty Bullard / Great Minds Think Aloud Book Club
"A Kingdom's Cost," is a fantastic story about James Douglas' attempt to avenge his father's death as well as that of William Wallace and somehow win back the lands his family once owned. He joins forces with King Robert de Bruce on the continuing fight to overthrow England and claim Scotland's independence. Along the way he meets Isabella, a beauty from the Highlands whose husband and brother have taken up arms with King Longshank's. Now bereft and unable to return to her home she begins to find love with James Douglas.
A wonderfully written historical novel that tosses in just the right amount of romance to appeal to both men and women. J.R. Tomlin is a spectacular writer whose works belong on the same shelf as those of Margaret George and others! A definite must-read for any historical literature lover!
-Kitty Bullard / Great Minds Think Aloud Book Club
May 10, 2011
This was a very well-researched book -- the history was amazing.
That was my one problem with it, though. In the beginning of the book, it felt more like a really good history lesson than a novel. I couldn't get into the characters, because the scenes jumped times and places too quickly without much happening within the people themselves. Everything was based around historical events. Once past the first couple of chapters, though, the characters started to become more well-rounded, and the history/character balance shifted in favor of telling a great story within a historical context rather than trying to make characters fit into the given historical facts.
If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a good book. If you like your characters to feel well-rounded and multi-faceted, you may have to stick through the first couple of chapters before really "feeling the love." Either way, this is a good read.
That was my one problem with it, though. In the beginning of the book, it felt more like a really good history lesson than a novel. I couldn't get into the characters, because the scenes jumped times and places too quickly without much happening within the people themselves. Everything was based around historical events. Once past the first couple of chapters, though, the characters started to become more well-rounded, and the history/character balance shifted in favor of telling a great story within a historical context rather than trying to make characters fit into the given historical facts.
If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a good book. If you like your characters to feel well-rounded and multi-faceted, you may have to stick through the first couple of chapters before really "feeling the love." Either way, this is a good read.
October 23, 2011
An excellent historical novel of the struggle of the Scots against the English in the 1300s. Ms. Tomlin has taken the historical record, which is slim at best, and woven a story of Robert Bruce's fight to force the English out of Scotland. The characters are historical and the events are accurate. The story is built around James Douglas who, after returning from France, joined with Robert Bruce to win Scottish freedom and to win back his family land. This is period of history that little is known about and Tomlin does a very good job of opening the doors and giving the reader a glance into this struggle.
"A Kingdom's Cost" is an interesting read and hopefully not the last of this author's attempt to relay what this period of history was like. It is a historical novel and well based on the events of the time. The characters actually lived and in Scotland today are considered heroes of that region. ( )
"A Kingdom's Cost" is an interesting read and hopefully not the last of this author's attempt to relay what this period of history was like. It is a historical novel and well based on the events of the time. The characters actually lived and in Scotland today are considered heroes of that region. ( )
January 21, 2012
I quite enjoyed the beginning of the book. I like non-romance history. First sex scene, my enthusiasm waned. Fourteen gory battles later, I jumped a couple thousand Kindle markers forward. I could barely finish.
I was disappointed. I think the gratuitous sex was unnecessary. How the historically heck do you know how randy the Scottish ladies were? That took away from the historical accuracy for me. The gory battles were probably more historically accurate, but too many of them. How about just a couple of representative blood baths and let it go at that? Besides, they were being far too harsh on the horses. I'd think the Scots would want to preserve the war horses, so would be a bit more careful about gutting them all the time.
I'm being too harsh myself. The writing is good (a bit sloppy in editing toward the end) but just a couple of things put me off.
There will be many of you who will like the book as is. Pay no attention to the woman behind the curtain.
I was disappointed. I think the gratuitous sex was unnecessary. How the historically heck do you know how randy the Scottish ladies were? That took away from the historical accuracy for me. The gory battles were probably more historically accurate, but too many of them. How about just a couple of representative blood baths and let it go at that? Besides, they were being far too harsh on the horses. I'd think the Scots would want to preserve the war horses, so would be a bit more careful about gutting them all the time.
I'm being too harsh myself. The writing is good (a bit sloppy in editing toward the end) but just a couple of things put me off.
There will be many of you who will like the book as is. Pay no attention to the woman behind the curtain.
January 14, 2013
This book came to me free from Amazon. Thank you. I give this book four stars. There was a minor error or two. Mechanics of good writing were fine. I wrote a review on Amazon and one on Goodreads using ASUS. I am experiencing a little technical difficulty.
In this first book of a trilogy, the author writes about James Douglas, a Scottish lord dispossessed of his lands by Edward Longshanks in the 14th century wars between Scotland and England. Through Douglas I learned how and why people war. Douglas considered the circumstances of the men in his army and those of the men and people left behind. The class system of that day would make one wonder why men would leave what little they might have to war in ways unknown in places unknown. By this account, Douglas did not 'scare up' an army. Douglas looked for the traitor in the camp and knew that today's victory would not last. Thank you, Ms. Tomlin, for a great read.
In this first book of a trilogy, the author writes about James Douglas, a Scottish lord dispossessed of his lands by Edward Longshanks in the 14th century wars between Scotland and England. Through Douglas I learned how and why people war. Douglas considered the circumstances of the men in his army and those of the men and people left behind. The class system of that day would make one wonder why men would leave what little they might have to war in ways unknown in places unknown. By this account, Douglas did not 'scare up' an army. Douglas looked for the traitor in the camp and knew that today's victory would not last. Thank you, Ms. Tomlin, for a great read.
June 11, 2011
Its starts off with a boy getting beaten up because he spilt some fruit at a market in France 1300. James Douglas story what happened around him. Most of the characters where real people around real events that he gives life to what life might have been.
Bishop of ST. Andrews William de Lamberton who took in James as his squire after his father's death in prison for keeping james safe.
Edward 1 of Englang. King who conquered Scotland (the bad guys in James story)
Robert de Bruce who was crowned king of scottland and led some of the fight against English supporters.
It was an interesting and bloody time in Scottish history that I was not at all familar with. He did a lot of research in to time period to use the facts and names. It was a lot of fights and back stabbing traitors, It was well written. I was given the ebook in exchange for review.
Bishop of ST. Andrews William de Lamberton who took in James as his squire after his father's death in prison for keeping james safe.
Edward 1 of Englang. King who conquered Scotland (the bad guys in James story)
Robert de Bruce who was crowned king of scottland and led some of the fight against English supporters.
It was an interesting and bloody time in Scottish history that I was not at all familar with. He did a lot of research in to time period to use the facts and names. It was a lot of fights and back stabbing traitors, It was well written. I was given the ebook in exchange for review.
September 1, 2011
Earlier in the year I had review Tomlin's Freedom's Sword, which was set a few years earlier than the events in this book. My biggest comment on that was that it was so battle focused, and that it would have been nice to have more of Moray's personal life explored to balance out the military life. I do not have the same feelings on A Kingdom's Cost. Between James's relationship with Isabella, and later with Alycie Dickson, there is a nice balance between the military and personal aspects of James's life. This had the same quick pace as the other novel. This also has the good battle descriptions, which are descriptive enough to be able to picture the battles, but not in so great a detail that might turn off some readers. I really enjoyed this novel and will be looking forward to the second installment. I received this book from the author for review.
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