A bastard born to war. A king forged in exile. A nation on the brink.
Scotland, 1338. Archibald Douglas has nothing but his father's legend, a dagger at his belt, and a burning vow to make his own name. When the plague steals his mother and war steals his childhood, the boy raised in King David's exiled court seizes his chance: service under the ruthless Knight of Liddesdale. From pages' brawls in Norman courtyards to blood-slick ladders on the walls of Perth, Archie learns the brutal arithmetic of survival and the price of loyalty in a conquered kingdom. As Scotland claws back its strongholds stone by stone, Archie's quick blade and quicker wits carry him through bloody battles, where a split-second choice can mean life or death.
Across windswept moors and smoking steads, through ambush fog and storm-tossed night, Archie stands in the shadow of giants—The Black Douglas and King Robert the Bruce. But legends cast long darkness. With treachery at the gate and a boy-king coming home to claim a crown, ambition as sharp as any sword tears Clan Douglas.
For readers who crave gritty adventure, courtly peril, and the making of a hero at the hinge of history, The Douglas Bastard launches the Archibald the Grim saga with the fierce heartbeat of a nation that refuses to yield.
Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden, and Robyn Young.
• "This tale delivers a real treat for Middle Ages history buffs." - Kirkus Reviews
