TRUST AND TREASON

Tomlin presents a second installment in a historical fiction series, following The Douglas Bastard (2022), set during the Second War of Scottish Independence.

In 1346, after the devastating defeat suffered by the Scots in the Battle of Neville’s Cross, Sir Archibald Douglas—the unrecognized son of the famous James “the Black” Douglas—returns home. His mentor and surrogate father, Sir William of Liddesdale, is a prisoner alongside the Scottish King David, and there’s little to stand between Scotland and English occupation. Sir Archibald, called “Archie” by his friends, is only a landless knight, but he starts quietly courting allies to launch guerilla attacks on the English. As they gain momentum, another foe brings both sides to their knees: a plague that would come to be known as the Black Death. When the epidemic subsides, war starts simmering again, but with a changed playing field, and Archie must choose between friends and foes within his own ranks. This novel excels in its historical details, which are clearly the result of meticulous research and beautifully evoke medieval Scotland with intimate descriptions of land, food, and clothing. The frequent battle scenes are well-paced and suitably brutal: “Blood geysered, spraying onto one of the horses. It jibbed and snorted.” The first-person narration gives the story a feeling of immediacy that’s sometimes lacking in historical fiction. But although individual scenes shine, the story as a whole struggles to take shape, and it covers about eight years at a clip with frequently abrupt time jumps. Archie is a likable protagonist—loyal and canny, battle-hardened but with deep affection for his allies and homeland. However, readers may find his growth difficult to gauge over the course of the novel. Sir Archibald was a real historical figure, and his story is remarkable enough to carry a series; yet when he must make a difficult choice about his loyalties in the final chapters, it doesn’t feel as agonizing or weighty as it should. Instead, the moment feels rushed and his journey feels truncated.

A brief, action-oriented medieval story whose rapid pace ultimately works against it.