The eagerly awaited second volume in the Guardians series

The year is 1284 and it is a period of seeming peace in Scotland. It is also a time when the future of a country is being forged in the form of a young boy, ten-year-old Robert Bruce. He is witness to an extraordinary gathering of noblemen who have come to his family's estate, including King Edward of England, King Alexander of Scotland, and Lord Angus Mohr MacDonald of Islay. It is his first encounter with these powerful men, but it is certainly not his last. And what he sees and learns there about the nature of power will remain with him for many years to come.

In the decade that follows, King Alexander dies without an heir and Scotland falls into chaos. The potential for civil war brings a growing threat of invasion from England as Edward I, young Bruce's hero and feudal patron, develops an obsession with adding Scotland, like Wales, to England's crown by conquest. One man with extraordinary vision and strength will unite Scotland's warring factions against the larger threat that looms beyond its borders, but to do so he will have to resolve the conflict of his own personal, feudal, and national loyalties. This is the story of the man destined to be Robert I, King of Scots.

Filled with intrigue, high adventure, and remarkable characters, The Renegade is a dazzling feat of storytelling that weaves fascinating historical detail into the drama and excitement for which Jack Whyte is renowned.

Best known for his original series of Arthurian novels, A Dream of Eagles (called The Camulod Chronicles in the US), and his Knights Templar trilogy, Jack Whyte has written 10 international bestsellers. He left Scotland for Canada in 1967 to teach high-school English, but soon gravitated to life on the road as a professional singer, actor and entertainer. In the 1970s he gained a wide audience as he wrote and performed his one-man tribute to Robbie Burns across North America. Public recitals of his own narrative verse led to him being appointed the bard of the Calgary Highlanders regiment, an honour he maintains to this day. A stint as a CBC national television writer preceded a successful business career in communications, but it was his long-time interest in both the legend of King Arthur and the 5th-century Roman military occupation of Britain that dictated Jack’s destiny. Since becoming a successful author, with his books translated into many languages, Jack has made time to support upcoming authors and participate in many writer gatherings, including the Surrey International Writers’ Conference. He writes every day and resides near his favoured golf course in Kelowna, BC. He is married with five adult children.

Jack Whyte's profile page

“If James Michener is the past master of sweeping epic, then Jack Whyte may well be the future one.” - Calgary Herald

“Whyte [is] a master at painting pictures on an epic-sized canvas.” - Booklist

“To read Jack Whyte is to surrender to a storyteller of the old school … Strong characterization, effective plotting, and excellent writing.” - Quill & Quire