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The New Road
The New Road tells the story of Aeneas McMaster - a young man haunted by the disappearance of his Jacobite father 14 years earlier. It is also the story of the Highlands at the time when General Wade's road was carving its way between Stirling and Inverness into the traditional strongholds of the Clans.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1914
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75 people want to read
About the author
Neil Munro
153 books13 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
Neil Munro was a Scottish journalist, newspaper editor, author and literary critic. He was born in Inveraray and worked as a journalist on various newspapers.
He was basically a serious writer, but is now mainly known for his humorous short stories, originally written under the pen name of Hugh Foulis. (It seems that he was not making a serious attempt to disguise his identity, but wanted to keep his serious and humorous writings separate.) The best known were about the fictional Clyde puffer the Vital Spark and her captain Para Handy, but they also included stories about the waiter and kirk beadle Erchie MacPherson, and the travelling drapery salesman Jimmy Swan.
Neil Munro was a Scottish journalist, newspaper editor, author and literary critic. He was born in Inveraray and worked as a journalist on various newspapers.
He was basically a serious writer, but is now mainly known for his humorous short stories, originally written under the pen name of Hugh Foulis. (It seems that he was not making a serious attempt to disguise his identity, but wanted to keep his serious and humorous writings separate.) The best known were about the fictional Clyde puffer the Vital Spark and her captain Para Handy, but they also included stories about the waiter and kirk beadle Erchie MacPherson, and the travelling drapery salesman Jimmy Swan.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 6, 2020
Highland adventure... 5 stars
Æneas Macmaster is the son of a man who turned out for the Jacobites in 1715 and was killed. Now in 1733, Æneas is tutor to the nephew of the powerful Campbell of Argyll and to Margaret, the daughter of Alexander Duncanson, who is now laird of Æneas’ father’s estate of Drimdorran. When Æneas covers up for an escapade of Margaret’s he is dismissed by the furious Drimdorran, and his uncle, a merchant, sends him north on General Wade’s New Road to forge trade links with the Highland clans. Ninian Campbell, the agent of Campbell of Argyll, is also heading north, so the two men decide to travel together. Gradually they will discover that there is a mystery surrounding the circumstances of the death of Æneas’ father, and they will have many adventures as they set about finding the truth...
This was an odd one for me, in that I started out really struggling with it and gradually grew to love it. I found the first section quite confusing, despite having a reasonable familiarity with this period of Scottish history. The language, especially the dialogue, has a healthy sprinkling of archaic Scots plus occasional Gaelic words. It takes a while for the story to emerge – at first there’s a lot of Ninian and Æneas rambling around the countryside, seemingly aimlessly. There’s also the issue of all the characters having several different names – for instance, Campbell of Argyll is also called Inveraray, Duncanson is interchangeably known by the name of his estate, Drimdorran, and Ninian is a Macgregor of the clan Campbell, and so on. But once my “ear” got tuned into the language and I worked out who all the characters were and how they were connected, it became a much easier and therefore more enjoyable read. In fact, I admired and loved the language more and more as it went on – it’s wonderfully done with beautiful rhythm, and feels completely authentic to both time and place.
First published in 1914, Munro is clearly setting out to drag some realism back into the narrative of the Jacobite era, in contrast to the gradual romanticisation that took place during the 19th century both of the risings and of Highland society in general. The whole Jacobite thing has tended to be co-opted by all of Scotland now as a heroic part of our long struggle against England, but this was never the case. In fact, most lowland Scots and even some of the Highland clans were on the other side, against the deposed Stuarts. The Campbells have become the legendary villains as the clan that took the lead against the Jacobites, and later in playing a major role in “pacifying” the Highlands on behalf of the government. But Munro shows the other side, with the Campbells as the bringers of civilisation and the Jacobite Highland chiefs as little more than lawless bandits. The New Road, built by the military under General Wade, was one of the main tools of pacification, allowing faster military response to possible future rebellions, but also opening the Highlands up to the more peaceful world of trade and commerce that had become the norm in the rest of the country. So a hated symbol of oppression if you were pro-Jacobite, or a welcome modernisation if you weren’t.
In fact, Æneas and Ninian spend very little time on the New Road, choosing to travel across country instead on their journey to Inverness. This allows Munro to give some great descriptions of the landscapes and of the way of life of the inhabitants at this moment just before great social change arrived. Once away from the relatively law-abiding environs of Campbell country the two men have a series of increasingly dangerous and exciting adventures, and these are great fun. It’s all a bit reminiscent of Kidnapped, I suspect intentionally, but while Stevenson’s clansmen are dirt-poor and scrabbling for existence, Munro’s are wild and lawless – I have no idea which is the more accurate depiction but I enjoyed Munro’s considerably more. There’s a lot of humour in it as well as drama and thrills and, while Æneas is the romantic lead, Ninian emerges as the real hero – crafty and practical, with a deep knowledge of the land and its people and politics. His investigation technique is entertaining as he uses a kind of sly, cunning guile to divine the truth behind local legends and tales.
I’m not going to pretend this one’s for everyone. A basic understanding of the historical setting (at least as much as I’ve given above) is essential, I think, and, although the main body of the text is standard English overlaid with Scots rhythms and is wonderfully done, I found some of the language quite demanding despite being an archaic Scot myself. But if it takes your fancy, then I highly recommend it. It’s a great combination of being half-nostalgic for the loss of those wild days but also clear-sighted about the culture of greed and lawlessness that lay beneath the later romanticisation of the Highland clan chiefs. And after a slow and rather tricky start, it becomes a fast-paced and exciting adventure story, complete with deadly peril and a touch of romance. Truly deserving of its reputation as a great Scottish classic!
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Æneas Macmaster is the son of a man who turned out for the Jacobites in 1715 and was killed. Now in 1733, Æneas is tutor to the nephew of the powerful Campbell of Argyll and to Margaret, the daughter of Alexander Duncanson, who is now laird of Æneas’ father’s estate of Drimdorran. When Æneas covers up for an escapade of Margaret’s he is dismissed by the furious Drimdorran, and his uncle, a merchant, sends him north on General Wade’s New Road to forge trade links with the Highland clans. Ninian Campbell, the agent of Campbell of Argyll, is also heading north, so the two men decide to travel together. Gradually they will discover that there is a mystery surrounding the circumstances of the death of Æneas’ father, and they will have many adventures as they set about finding the truth...
This was an odd one for me, in that I started out really struggling with it and gradually grew to love it. I found the first section quite confusing, despite having a reasonable familiarity with this period of Scottish history. The language, especially the dialogue, has a healthy sprinkling of archaic Scots plus occasional Gaelic words. It takes a while for the story to emerge – at first there’s a lot of Ninian and Æneas rambling around the countryside, seemingly aimlessly. There’s also the issue of all the characters having several different names – for instance, Campbell of Argyll is also called Inveraray, Duncanson is interchangeably known by the name of his estate, Drimdorran, and Ninian is a Macgregor of the clan Campbell, and so on. But once my “ear” got tuned into the language and I worked out who all the characters were and how they were connected, it became a much easier and therefore more enjoyable read. In fact, I admired and loved the language more and more as it went on – it’s wonderfully done with beautiful rhythm, and feels completely authentic to both time and place.
First published in 1914, Munro is clearly setting out to drag some realism back into the narrative of the Jacobite era, in contrast to the gradual romanticisation that took place during the 19th century both of the risings and of Highland society in general. The whole Jacobite thing has tended to be co-opted by all of Scotland now as a heroic part of our long struggle against England, but this was never the case. In fact, most lowland Scots and even some of the Highland clans were on the other side, against the deposed Stuarts. The Campbells have become the legendary villains as the clan that took the lead against the Jacobites, and later in playing a major role in “pacifying” the Highlands on behalf of the government. But Munro shows the other side, with the Campbells as the bringers of civilisation and the Jacobite Highland chiefs as little more than lawless bandits. The New Road, built by the military under General Wade, was one of the main tools of pacification, allowing faster military response to possible future rebellions, but also opening the Highlands up to the more peaceful world of trade and commerce that had become the norm in the rest of the country. So a hated symbol of oppression if you were pro-Jacobite, or a welcome modernisation if you weren’t.
In fact, Æneas and Ninian spend very little time on the New Road, choosing to travel across country instead on their journey to Inverness. This allows Munro to give some great descriptions of the landscapes and of the way of life of the inhabitants at this moment just before great social change arrived. Once away from the relatively law-abiding environs of Campbell country the two men have a series of increasingly dangerous and exciting adventures, and these are great fun. It’s all a bit reminiscent of Kidnapped, I suspect intentionally, but while Stevenson’s clansmen are dirt-poor and scrabbling for existence, Munro’s are wild and lawless – I have no idea which is the more accurate depiction but I enjoyed Munro’s considerably more. There’s a lot of humour in it as well as drama and thrills and, while Æneas is the romantic lead, Ninian emerges as the real hero – crafty and practical, with a deep knowledge of the land and its people and politics. His investigation technique is entertaining as he uses a kind of sly, cunning guile to divine the truth behind local legends and tales.
I’m not going to pretend this one’s for everyone. A basic understanding of the historical setting (at least as much as I’ve given above) is essential, I think, and, although the main body of the text is standard English overlaid with Scots rhythms and is wonderfully done, I found some of the language quite demanding despite being an archaic Scot myself. But if it takes your fancy, then I highly recommend it. It’s a great combination of being half-nostalgic for the loss of those wild days but also clear-sighted about the culture of greed and lawlessness that lay beneath the later romanticisation of the Highland clan chiefs. And after a slow and rather tricky start, it becomes a fast-paced and exciting adventure story, complete with deadly peril and a touch of romance. Truly deserving of its reputation as a great Scottish classic!
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
April 10, 2017
The historical novel follows the travels of two Argyll men, Ninian Campbell and Aenas Macmaster, on a journey that takes them from Inverary to Inverness and back through the Scottish Highlands a decade prior to Culloden.
The book offers no romantic viewpoint of Jacobite sympathizers, as the author favours the government side taken by the Campbells. One historical figure appears in the novel, Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat. The book's approach to the Jacobites differs markedly from more recent writings about the period, such as the Outlander series.
The novel is essentially a mystery story as Ninian works through various clues to discover how Aenas' father, Paul, died and lost his lairdship to another man. The story is good, but the real strength of the book is for for those interested in better understanding Highland culture.
The book was written in 1914 by Argyll born journalist, Neil Munro. Munro assumes his audience to be well versed in Scottish history. It was necessary from time to time to look up some of the historical references. Munro uses Gaelic language terms and references occasionally. A google search of the translation is essential to better appreciating the novel.
The book is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in Scottish history.
The book offers no romantic viewpoint of Jacobite sympathizers, as the author favours the government side taken by the Campbells. One historical figure appears in the novel, Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat. The book's approach to the Jacobites differs markedly from more recent writings about the period, such as the Outlander series.
The novel is essentially a mystery story as Ninian works through various clues to discover how Aenas' father, Paul, died and lost his lairdship to another man. The story is good, but the real strength of the book is for for those interested in better understanding Highland culture.
The book was written in 1914 by Argyll born journalist, Neil Munro. Munro assumes his audience to be well versed in Scottish history. It was necessary from time to time to look up some of the historical references. Munro uses Gaelic language terms and references occasionally. A google search of the translation is essential to better appreciating the novel.
The book is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in Scottish history.
June 29, 2018
Another Scottish novel which scratches the Jacobite itch, though this time fairly tangentially. The setting, 1733 or 1734, in that period between Marr’s 1715 rebellion, the even more abortive 1819 rising, and that of Charles Edward Stuart in 1745 is an unusual one though. It is the time when General Wade’s project of building roads to help pacify the Highlands is well underway, thus giving the book its title.
Æneas Macmaster (yes, the spelling does have the ligature) has been denied his inheritance by his father Paul’s unwise decision to partake in the 1819 rising even though dying in the aftermath of the Battle of Glen Shiel. The present laird of Drimdorran House, Alexander Duncanson, has nevertheless engaged him as tutor in Cæsar’s Gallic Wars to his daughter, Margaret, and his ward. One evening Æneas’s pupils fail to turn up for their lesson and he tracks Margaret down to Drimdorran’s dovecote, where she is evidently awaiting an assignation. A mysterious figure prowls around outside and when Æneas is brought before Duncanson, it is apparent the laird is far from pleased with him as he is unable to explain the night’s affairs without compromising Margaret, which he is too gentlemanly to do. This leads to Æneas undertaking a journey north to enhance the business interests of his uncle Alan-Iain-Alan-Ogg, in the company of Ninian Campbell, an agent of the government. Eschewing the New Road, the pair duck and weave through the hills and on to Inverness. Along the way many adventures and scrapes befall them, arousing inevitable echoes of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped. It is here the story diverges from that template, though, as comments made to them raise doubts as to the circumstances of Æneas’s father’s death.
The foray to Lord Lovat’s Dounie Castle and the possibility of that gentleman’s potential treachery turn out - despicable character though he may be - to be incidental to the book’s main thrust, which becomes increasingly concerned with Ninian’s efforts to uncover the true story behind the demise of the older Macmaster and the younger’s disinheritance.
Despite the landscape of the West Highlands being described in detail (landscape is a recurring feature of Scots literature) scarcely three pages are set on the new road itself, as the two make their way back to Inveraray, though the opportunity (as in much Scottish literature) is taken to lament the passing of the old, to decry the incursion of the modern. Yet Ninian observes that the new road in turn will one day be superseded and have its own ghosts.
Æneas Macmaster (yes, the spelling does have the ligature) has been denied his inheritance by his father Paul’s unwise decision to partake in the 1819 rising even though dying in the aftermath of the Battle of Glen Shiel. The present laird of Drimdorran House, Alexander Duncanson, has nevertheless engaged him as tutor in Cæsar’s Gallic Wars to his daughter, Margaret, and his ward. One evening Æneas’s pupils fail to turn up for their lesson and he tracks Margaret down to Drimdorran’s dovecote, where she is evidently awaiting an assignation. A mysterious figure prowls around outside and when Æneas is brought before Duncanson, it is apparent the laird is far from pleased with him as he is unable to explain the night’s affairs without compromising Margaret, which he is too gentlemanly to do. This leads to Æneas undertaking a journey north to enhance the business interests of his uncle Alan-Iain-Alan-Ogg, in the company of Ninian Campbell, an agent of the government. Eschewing the New Road, the pair duck and weave through the hills and on to Inverness. Along the way many adventures and scrapes befall them, arousing inevitable echoes of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped. It is here the story diverges from that template, though, as comments made to them raise doubts as to the circumstances of Æneas’s father’s death.
The foray to Lord Lovat’s Dounie Castle and the possibility of that gentleman’s potential treachery turn out - despicable character though he may be - to be incidental to the book’s main thrust, which becomes increasingly concerned with Ninian’s efforts to uncover the true story behind the demise of the older Macmaster and the younger’s disinheritance.
Despite the landscape of the West Highlands being described in detail (landscape is a recurring feature of Scots literature) scarcely three pages are set on the new road itself, as the two make their way back to Inveraray, though the opportunity (as in much Scottish literature) is taken to lament the passing of the old, to decry the incursion of the modern. Yet Ninian observes that the new road in turn will one day be superseded and have its own ghosts.
January 8, 2017
This is classic Scottish historical/adventure fiction.
The language makes it a little difficult to get into (unless you're au fait with Scots words like 'umquhile' and 'yont' and the odd Gaelic expression - not translated). But it's worth persevering.
The New Road provides insights into this period (mid 18th century) of Scottish history - and makes an interesting contrast to RL Stevenson's Kidnapped - which is also worth reading and covers similar terrain from a different perspective.
The language makes it a little difficult to get into (unless you're au fait with Scots words like 'umquhile' and 'yont' and the odd Gaelic expression - not translated). But it's worth persevering.
The New Road provides insights into this period (mid 18th century) of Scottish history - and makes an interesting contrast to RL Stevenson's Kidnapped - which is also worth reading and covers similar terrain from a different perspective.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews