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Robert Low news
16 February 2012: Win a signed hardback copy of The Lion At Bay
Today is publication day for The Lion at Bay, the second in the Kingdom Series.
William Wallace fled to France after his defeat at the Battle of Falkirk, which ended his rebellion against the English King. He would have been slain at Falkirk but for the courage of Hal of Herdmanston, whose home was razed in reprisal by King Edward – but who has become a follower of the Earl of Carrick, known as the Bruce, now a friend of the English.
The Bruce is playing a dangerous game in submitting to Edward since his own ambition, fostered by his auld reprobate grandfather, is to be the King of Scotland. But bitter rivalry amongst the Scots nobility is as grave an obstacle to its independence as the forces of the English Edward Longshanks, and the Bruce has powerful rivals.
Wallace has returned home, though he still faces betrayal from his own. His loyalty is to the previous king, John Baliol, a prisoner of the Pope. Knights Templar, Cathar heretics, and a Curse laid on the Bruce’s family all conspire against Robert, as well as Edward’s forces. Murder and treachery will be crucial weapons in the long and bloody rise of the Bruce to his coronation.
To mark publication I have four signed hardback copies to give away. All you have to do to enter is email me with a question or comment about The Kingdom Series. Four people chosen at random with each win a copy. Good luck!
5 February 2012: Bananas for books
The digital piracy plague finally enters the world of publishing… but with close-fit examples to learn from, like the games industry's failed attempts at preventing copyright theft, will book creators get it right? At first glance it does not look that way…
[read more]
13 January 2012: Same story, different century
IT IS ALWAYS a boost when current politics helps out an author. My new book – The Lion At Bay, part two of the saga of Scotland, Wallace, Bruce et al – is out next month and it does me no harm to have the Scottish bid for twenty-first century freedom so prominent.
[read more]
16 December 2011: Between right and write
YOU really shouldn’t consider writing as a career unless you are both thick-skinned and prepared to live on less than minimum wage. There are hundreds upon hundreds of authors out there, more than ever in this digital age of self-publishing and ebooks – but, unless you get lucky, you are never going to make a living at it. [read more]
28 November 2011: Horse heads for pigheads
In my Oathsworn books, I detail how one of my heroes raises a 'nithing pole' or nidstang against his enemies. It is a pole carved with a curse of runes, topped with a horse head and pointed at the offending parties. I can't claim to be brilliantly inventive – it is detailed in the Icelandic sagas. Cut to the present day, where a feud in an Icelandic village has led to a man being charged with making a threat of murder… due to him sticking up a nithing pole [read more]
27 November 2011: More of your comments
Every now and again I add some comments, and my replies, from the mailbag. Your comments
24 October 2011: Sense sets on Empire
He's just been telling the Radio Times how the "dreary educational establishment" has dismissed the Empire as a bad thing, and so it's disappeared from the British curriculum. He's also been banging on about how the SNP's dream of independence could only have come about because Britain lost said Empire. He accuses the Scots of having once been "ferociously imperialist," joining in with it because it was a "better bet," but having now abandoned Britain because of its waning world power. Ah, me – Paxman has another book/telly programme to promote. [read more]
7 October 2011: Oathsworn IV – Crowbone is coming
Well, it has seen a lot of hard rowing but, at last, Crowbone is coming to a fjord near you.
HarperCollins have announced that Crowbone – essentially the next Oathsworn book – will be published in the autumn of 2012, running concurrent with the present Kingdom series. In forthcoming weeks I will give you a taster of the plot, the characters and, maybe, even some of the prose.
I hope you will all like it.
6 October 2011: When culture is toxic knowledge
Alasdair Allan, SNP MSP, recently raised concerns that Scots history is being neglected in schools. Labour heartily approved at the time, but now Labour MSP Ken Macintosh has told the BBC: "My suspicion is that this is just the SNP trying to brainwash children into their political view." So teaching English history in schools is enlightening – but Scots will be contaminated by knowing their own heritage? [read more]
23 September 2011: Guiltily we zip along... or do we?
In a well-known Sunday wannabe tabloid, an almost well-known wannabe tabloid journalist had a pop at Stella Rimmer. The thrust of the sneer was that Stella, chairperson for the Man Booker Awards, had announced that she wanted people to buy the books... and read them. Cue pretendy outrage, curled lip and sneers of incredulity. What else would folk do with them – loft insulation? Well, actually, yes. [read more]
12 September 2011: Union blues
It seems that supporters of the United Kingdom shoot themselves in the foot every time because they fail to realise the one truth in all of those – that the union is not and never has been based on equality. I am not committed to full Scottish independence – there are too many unanswered questions surrounding it – but I am becoming more convinced that only two things might derail it. [read more]
14 August 2011: Country fit for wins
I see Historic Scotland took two rounds of deliberation before including Stirling Bridge on their Inventory of Historic Battlefields. I am not sure exactly what the Inventory does, but the fact that Historic Scotland is the militant arm of the Scottish Government when it comes to safeguarding the nation's treasures means that such inclusion at least guarantees recognition and a brighter spotlight. [read more]
14 August 2011: More of your comments
Every now and again I add some comments, and my replies, from the mailbag. This time it was nice to hear from some of those I met during the Festival of History at Kelmarsh. I hope you'll also enjoy my reflections on Scots language, Bruce's political abilities and the many words for rain which can be found in Norse, and later Scots, languages. Please do keep them coming! Your comments
27 July 2011: Marking the footsteps of Bruce
At last, some good news for Scottish history: £4m is to be spent on the Battle of Bannockburn visitor centre. It is just what Scotland's tourist industry needs – but it would be nicer still if there was something for visitors to walk on once they have enjoyed the centre. [read more]
22 July 2011: The Lion Wakes paperback cover
This is the new look for the paperback vesion of The Lion Wakes, due out in October, I believe. Much better than the hardback cover - and the way all the new covers will look, give or take a figure or too. Not bad, eh?
21 July 2011: That hyydeous strength
After a talk I gave at the Kelmarsh Festival of History in England, in which it discussed the reaction to my use of language in my characters' dialogue, I was asked to write an article for a website called Power of Language.
I hope you enjoy it – feel free to let me know what you think.
26 June 2011: Immortalised in Hels-ink-i
The picture of me on the right was taken a few years back, at the first Isle of Man Viking festival. The next year I was the poster-boy, on brochures and banners all over the island. After that, the image went viral. You can find it all over the web, but this has to be the ultimate accolade.
I have to admire the courage of the man from Helsinki who has just revealed his newest (and rather fine) tattoo. Although, however much you like body decoration, you have to wonder at his choice of Viking. My face has seldom been in a stranger place – but it could have been much worse...
It isn't the first time I have ended up as ink on someone's body. A member of my Viking group had the Oathsworn oath converted to runes and tattooed all round his arm... and it is a very long Oath!
26 June 2011: There's no justice... there's just us
The Kennedys TV miniseries has received some heavy criticism from those who do not believe such a topic should be the subject of fictionalisation. The company which made it even opted not to run it on their flagship network. But to bemoan historical fiction is to miss the important point that almost all historical writing is fiction – regardless of whether it's labelled as such. Examples run all the way through human records... [read more]
1 June 2011: Was Stirling skull really a woman warrior?
Historic Scotland have revealed the reconstructed face of a 14th-century woman found under the oldest building in Stirling Castle. They conclude she could have been a warrior and may have fought with Wallace and Bruce – and the revelation is perfectly timed as part of the castle is to reopen soon after an expensive makeover. So is archaeology being used as advertising… or is the claim legitimate? [read more]
19 May 2011: So reading is not important?
Regular visitors will know my feelings on the current range of arguments lined up to support the closure of libraries. Very few of you will disagree strongly with me either. But if you should need a case study to help make your own pro-reading point wherever you are – or if you just tire of the fight and need a little emotional sustenance – I'd like to share the following email with you. It needs no further comment.
I am not writing to you to express any questions on your books, but rather share the effect on my child. There are two things I wanted to share with you.
The first is that my son has suffered from the relocation that military children often go through. Having lost interest in sports and friends, he found much solace in reading – and more importantly, reading about Vikings. Your books are of tremendous interest to him and finds happiness curling up under a thin blanket and reading in the corner of the family room. He eagerly asks for me to purchase the next one after he finishes the current one.
The second is that he's a middle child, sadly lost amongst our family of five. Because I read the books he likes it has allowed us to develop conversations of interest to him. His thoughts are unique to the brood and give the two of us the opportunity to talk about an interest only we share. It is a sort of bonding to sit in the evening and discuss your stories, just us two.
I thought you'd like to know there is a 12-year-old boy who loves your stories, and that he and his father bond over them as they are retold and discussed in quiet evening moments.
16 May 2011: A grand day out
If you're free on July 16th and/or 17th, and your interests include historical fiction or re-enactment, you could do a lot worse than join some members of the Historical Writers' Association at the Festival of Living History at Kelmarsh. I will be there – amongst many others. Find out more at http://www.thehwa.co.uk
9 May 2011: To be a nation again
What are the chances of Scotland becoming independent for the first time in 304 years? [read more]
8 May 2011: Scotland's land-rich list of shame
The iconic island that is Ailsa Craig is up for sale. It's incredible how much of Scotland is owned by private people – and how many of those people are absentee landlords. Sadly it's been the case since Robert the Bruce began selling the nation for political aims... and the 'wee people' lose out every time. [read more]
7 May 2011: My first foreign cover
I'm delighted to have seen my first-ever foreign language cover. The Whale Road will be published in Germany in December, and it will be known as Raubzug. I think the rendering of 'The Oathsworn' as 'Die Eingeschworenen' is very aggressive-sounding, very dynamic, and very appropriate.
I do have one small concern, though – and I look forward to my German readers putting my mind at ease.
You may recall my comments (12 April below) about discovering a translated book in which the word 'canmobileation' appeared, to my bewlderment. Turned out it was an automated error – the original word was 'cancellation' and a computer had taken 'cell' and changed it to 'mobile.'
I have no way of knowing if similar mistakes have crept into my own books. If you're reading in a language which isn't English and you spot any howlers, please let me know. There's always the opportunity to repair the oversight in later editions.
4 May 2011: High praise for The Lion Wakes from Allan Massie
Along with being a highly-respected author of historical fiction in his own right, Allan Massie writes reviews for the Scotsman newspaper. And I'm delighted to report his glowing report on The Lion Wakes.
Allan says: "The Lion Wakes is gripping, written with great bravura, and dense in texture. One of the great merits of the novel is that it avoids the simplicities of nationalist history. If the novel demands more concentration from the reader than is often the case with historical novels, the attention required is well rewarded. There is a splendid gusto to this fiction as well as an acute political understanding. All in Robert Low has done something remarkable, and I look forward to the sequels. As a piece of bravura historical painting The Lion Wakes is remarkable."
Praise indeed!
3 May 2011: The Lion Wakes interview video
After we'd shot the promo video for The Lion Wakes, lead actor John Kielty sat down with me to have a chat about the new Kingdom Series, and a little about the Oathsworn series. Here's the resulting clip…
19 April 2011: Hammer of the thoughts
A certain group of people are upset about the appearance of the Norse god Thor as a black man in the upcoming Kenneth Branagh movie. I'm not remotely sympathetic to their argument – but nevertheless, re-interpreting ancient culture with modern standards is a risky business. [read more]
Meanwhile, with The Lion Wakes now published, a number of reviews are starting to appear on Amazon. It would seem my use of genuine Scots language has generated a Marmite situation. People either love it or hate it – if you've found it to your taste I hope you'll consider adding your own review to the page. My thanks in advance.
And for those of you who remain confused about some of the words used in The Lion Wakes, bear in mind I've laid on a Scots glossary on the Kingdom Series page.
14 April 2011: The Lion Wakes is published
Download the free prologue and first chapter
The first novel in my new Kingdom Series is published today. The Lion Wakes is the start of a journey through the Scottish Wars of Independence, which will see our hero Hal of Herdmanston embroiled in a series of verbal battles over the future of a nation – which soon become physical battles involving Bruce, Wallace, Longshanks and a host of others. The first chapter has been available as a free download for a few weeks, but I have now added the prologue too. Download now. There have already been some interesting comments about the title on Amazon – if you enjoy the book I hope you will add your own. Happy reading!
13 April 2011: Historical Writers' Association
The Historical Writer's Association, of which I am a proud founder member, was the germ of an idea begun last October. Now the website is up and running, complete with a forum. Take a look at the Members list and see just how many of your favourite authors are now part of HWA and checking in on a regular basis. Well worth a visit!
12 April 2011: Lost in translation
So I am reading Mankell's new Kurt Wallander novel, The Troubled Man and I can see that it is slightly different in stye. I put this down to the translator, who has a hard job and invariably puts their own interpretation on matters - but it bothers me that it might not even be human. I am reading about a woman renewing a dental appointment after a 'canmobileation'. Is this Swedish for root canal work? No - I finally figure it out. 'Cancellation'. But the 'cell' in the middle has been auto-translated as 'mobile'. Not good - and make me wonder what MY books are like in Danish or Russian!
19 March 2011: Bring back the Bothwell Body
It seems we'll see victory in the Wallace Letter 'homecoming' campaign – but there's a more important battle to be fought with Denmark [read more]
16 March 2011: The past is another country – but it's full of people like us
In my latest blog I argue the most recent attack from a historian slamming historical fiction underlines that the practice is not only missing the point, it's hypocritical… [read more]
1 March 2011: The Lion Wakes trailer and sample chapter
I hope you've watched and enjoyed the trailer we made for The Lion Wakes, which will be published by HarperCollins on April 14. The short clip, which stars me and rising-star Scottish actor John Kielty, can be found on YouTube here – please feel free to pass it around.
As with my previous books I'm making a sample chapter available for you to download – get it here. You'll also find a Scots glossary on the Kingdom Series page, which I hope will add to your enjoyment of the book when you finally get your hands on it.
There's a new blog entry about the stramash over the Scots and Gaelic languages and/or dialects, and a few more additions to the page of your comments (with my replies). I look forward to hearing your thoughts on The Lion Wakes.
7 February 2011 - In the bad books…
I can't keep quiet about the threatened spate of library closures as the UK government's "big society" cuts attack another aspect of who we are. Witness the comments of one pro-cuts spokesman who's in my bad books – while there still are such things. [read more]
Later this week I'll be shooting a short promo clip for the Kingdom series. Look out for its release ahead of the publication of The Lion Wakes – it's just a few weeks away now.
27 January 2011 - War heroes were neds of their time
Peter Mullan's movie about Scots chavs, townies or whatever you want to call them, has caused a great deal of reaction in the press. In Scotland we call them neds – but it's interesting to note how well their description matches that of people we think of as heroes of the Wars of Independence… [read more]
Meanwhile, my friend John Scholes, alias Star Trek, has pointed out that a couple of links in my account of my trip to Scandinavia are broken. They're repaired now and you can read the story here – and a get-well-soon to John, who was my long-suffering companion on the trip and who' been under the weather recently.
26 January 2011 - Truth about the Wallace Letter
It's about the size of a decent postcard and is locked away in a drawer somewhere in the National Archive of England and Wales – but the Wallace Letter has recently been trumpeted as genuine and, yet again, the 'proud to be Scottish' brigade are up on their hind legs… [read more]
25 January 2011 – The lion arrives
The final proof of The Lion Wakes is in my hands – and a sample chapter will soon be available online here. Meanwhile I've added a few more of your comments and queries. Keep them coming and I will endeavour to answer them all as best I can.
6 January 2011 - We don't need a Robin McHood
William Wallace is the real Robin Hood, says Canadian Scot author Jack Whyte. I think not – Jack has plunged headfirst into the myth and failed to surface, sad to say. And him originally from Renfrewshire, too... [read more]