The Forest Laird

Book excerpt: This epic historical novel brings to life the hero of the Scottish Wars of Independence who struggled against the tyranny of the English. In the predawn hours of August 24, 1305, in London’s Smithfield Prison, the outlaw William Wallace—hero of all the Scots and deadly enemy of King Edward of England—sits awaiting the dawn, when he is to be hanged and then drawn and quartered. Wallace is visited by a Scottish priest to hear his last confession. Here, Wallace recounts his own incredible real-life story. We follow Wallace through his many lives—from fugitive to patriot, rebel, and kingmaker. His desperate struggles and victorious campaigns are all here, as are the high ideals and fierce patriotism that drove him to abandon the people he loved to save his country. With far more breadth, detail, and historical accuracy than the Hollywood film Braveheart, Jack Whyte’s masterful storytelling breathes life into Wallace’s tale, giving readers an amazing character study of the man who helped shape Scotland’s identity and future.