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Title: The Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter, Nora A. Smith, Date Douglas Wiggin, N. C. Wyeth ISBN: 0-684-19340-X Publisher: Atheneum Pub. Date: 30 September, 1991 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $29.00

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Average Customer Rating: 4.68 (19 reviews)

Rating: 5
Summary: Braveheart was good entertainment, but...
Comment: ... the fact that Jane Porter took the manuscript to this book to several leading Scottish historians and got their blessing before submitting it to her publisher resulted in a vastly more accurate representation of the true story of William Wallace than Hollywood could ever produce. I take that back, they actually could produce it, but they won't.

I recommend that everyone read it, but be sure to take notes on the places and characters (they actually are historical figures, but you know what I mean), and a map of Scotland would be helpful as well if you are not up on your UK geography (which I confess I was not). I got about a third of the way through and I realized that I had to keep thumbing back to remember who was whom. I realized that I could not continue on, the story was not making much sense because I kept getting the players confused, with the exception of the major ones, of course, I am not thick! There are nearly 100 figures in this book, several dozen of whom are mentioned more than once.

I started reading it over again, this time notebook, pen and highlighter in hand and I had a much better sense of this episode in the history of Scotland and the history of freedom. I will order and reread this book again soon, as I left my copy on a bus in Seattle right before I finished it. It is a valuable contribution to both history and literature.

I would like to give it 4.75 stars, actually because the prose was somewhat of a stumbling block for me. Porter's style of writing is like a Victorian romance novel, and was accesible but a little difficult. Ordinarily, I am just a dumb Steinbeck kind of guy.

Rating: 5
Summary: A Fantastic Book
Comment: Like the others, I agree that this book contains everything: history, romance, adventure, and more! The aspect of this book I found most interesting was the spiritual truth upon which Wallace and company continually reverted back to. Their undaunted faith in Christ was the element that held this story together for me. I agree with others that this book should be read in schools.

Rating: 5
Summary: Fine Family Fare
Comment: This tale of Scots resistance against English King Edward is essential to those who grew up with "Scots wha hae wi' Wallace bled" in their ears. Others may enjoy it more for its romance. What pleased me most was seeing the medieval (turn of 13th-14th century) history through the focus of the English author Jane Porter, whose text was published in 1809, and the 1921 edition's illustrations by N.C. Wyeth. Atheneum's reissue is well bound and printed; the book feels pleasant to the hand. Most of all, Porter's latinate sentences beg to be read aloud. Although sold for ages 9-12, the text would be difficult for many of my college freshmen. Lucky the child with a parent to read it aloud! Lucky the adult with a child to read it to, or, failing that, to have these 500+ pages on the bedside table to peruse at day's end.