Editorial Review - On a Sword’s Edge: A Historical Novel of Scotland by JR Tomlin
At just sixteen years old William Douglas is squire to Sir John Stewart and, despite his life only really having just begun, is about to step into a defining era – not just for himself, but for Scotland.
Medieval Scotland held many trials and challenges for those who lived in, but in 1263 when tempers boiled over and territory lines became bloodied, the fate of Scotland was decided in a series of vicious clashes. William is no lord or general - he is a squire. A squire who desperately wishes to join the ride out into the field of battle for the glory of Scotland and so when an invading Norse fleet approaches he finally gets his chance. William is fuelled by the fear of a Norse victory, by the threat of death, by fealty to both his lord and countrymen. When he is reunited at last with his beloved brother, now a knight, they will fight this invasion with everything they have. The devastating lesson that is so often learned through war is that even when there is victory - you can still lose. The fight for sovereignty is far from over and William’s life, though forever changed, must go on.
On a Sword’s Edge is not just blood and battles, though, as William’s life experience are the central narrative. J R Tomlin allows readers to experience the Battle of Largs, and this is achieved through a well-executed first person point of view narrative. Whilst the overarching plot of the book is that of historical events, the story on the page is William’s experience of coming of age while those era defining events happen around him. While this is often attempted, it is only successfully achieved when the character is well crafted and interesting enough to engage the reader. On a Sword’s Edge follows William as he transitions from a naïve young boy filled with grand ideas not yet tested by the reality of war, into a man who has found some kind of peace with what he found when they were.
The historical setting is well researched and explained, Tomlin lays out the map of On a Sword’s Edge from the start which is vital in a fictional retelling of historical events and provides a fantastic glossary to help navigate the inclusion of historically accurate vocabulary. Not only will historical fiction fans enjoy this book, On a Sword’s Edge is bound to be appreciated by historians of the era - as well as light the spark in readers to learn more.
On a Sword’s Edge by J R Tomlin is a fast paced and action filled historical coming of age drama with the perfect balance of historical rigor and engaging storytelling.
