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J.R. Tomlin
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Countenance of War: A Historical Novel of Scotland (The Black Douglas Trilogy Book 2) Kindle Edition

by J. R. Tomlin (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,148 ratings
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Fourteenth-century Scotland suffers under the heel of England's King Edward, and James Douglas refuses to submit to the conqueror. As he wages a scorched-earth guerilla war to drive out the invader and reclaim his birthright, Edward brings a vast army to crush the Scots. In the midst of the brutal war, even the woman James loves is threatened by his implacable duty. A man caught in the clash of two nations rushes to his destiny in this novel of passion, loyalty, cunning, and ruthlessness. The conflict reaches a bloody crescendo as the Scots and English cross swords in a reckoning that will determine Scotland's very survival.
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  1. Book 2 of 3
    The Black Douglas Trilogy
  2. Print length
    284 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    April 7, 2016
  6. File size
    2918 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

J. R. Tomlin is the author of a number of historical novels, including the Black Douglas Trilogy, A King Ensnared, A King Uncaged, and Freedom's Sword, as well as the Sir Law Kintour series of historical mysteries. She has close ties with Scotland since her father was a native Scot, and she spent substantial time in Edinburgh whilst growing up. Her historical novels are set in Scotland. You can trace her love of that nation to the stories her grandmother read her when she was small and to her hillwalking through the Cairngorms where the granite hills have a gorgeous red glow under the setting sun. In addition to spending time in Scotland, she has traveled in the US, Europe, and the Pacific Rim. She now lives in Oregon.

Gary Furlong grew up in Wexford, Ireland. Throughout his life he has worn many hats working as a teacher, puppeteer, improv artist, actor, and singer. He can perform in general British, general American, and an Irish accent to a native level and can speak Japanese fluently. He now works full time as an audiobook narrator and voice actor from his home in Ireland.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01E0LZ18A
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Albannach Publishing; 2nd edition (April 7, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 7, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2918 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 284 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,148 ratings

About the author

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J.R. Tomlin

J.R. Tomlin

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J R Tomlin is the author of nineteen historical novels.

Her historical novels are mainly set in Scotland. You can trace her love of that nation to the stories her grandmother read her when she was small and to her hillwalking through the Cairngorms where the granite mountains have a gorgeous red glow under the setting sun.

In addition to spending time in Scotland, she has traveled in the US, mainland Europe and the Pacific Rim. She now lives in Oregon.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
1,148 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

pjburn
5.0 out of 5 stars How DOES war look?
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2014
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To the oppressed Scots, this period between the Battle of Loudon Hill (1307) and the later decisive Battle of Bannockburn (1314) is one of great suffering and struggle, with little joy and only small victories. James Douglas, known to the English as The Black Douglas, continues to fight a guerilla warfare against the more heavily armed English occupying all the strategic castles in southern and eastern Scotland. He captures his own family’s castle, then when he cannot hold it against the superior numbers of the English armies, he has to burn it to the ground. James falls in love with a young woman in a nearby village while he continues to raid English supply trains, and he joins Scottish King Robert the Bruce to bring loyal Scots together and disloyal Scots into line. Warfare again frowns on even the Black Douglas, and he loses his true love to famine and exposure while he's away fighting alongside the Bruce. Three years later King Robert arranges for James to marry the daughter of Robert’s cousin, a girl who had been brought up in England hearing the frightening English version of the Black Douglas’s war against the invaders. The look on the bride’s face is the countenance of war, a cold war. The Battle of Bannockburn has the far superior English army routed by the superior strategies of the Scots, and the reader wondering how James will fare in the coldness of his arranged marriage.
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Shawn
4.0 out of 5 stars The reality of war and survival
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2013
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J.R. Tomlin serves up the second installment of her trilogy based on Sir James Douglas, Bruce's paladin in the Scottish War's of independence. The Countenance of War, truly gives us a look at "the face" of war and it can be truly ugly and hard. The story is set during the years 1307 to 1314 in Scotland.

The Scots are surviving by using guerilla style warfare. This is so different from that of the Chivalric Knights on open fields of battle and to many of the Scots a bitter pill. Tomlin truly paints the picture of survival. Douglas is appointed the Warden of the Marches by Bruce and as he struggles to protect the border against English invasion, it sometimes causes him to destroy and burn the same thing to prevent any benefit and detour the English. Castle by castle they take back Scotland, but not to hold but to destroy those castles and continue the battle from the brush.

Douglas meets his nemesis or counterpart in war, in Sir Thomas Randolph, which is interesting and we see that he and Sir Edward are all that remains of the King Robert's family, and yet the Douglas struggles to deal with them as he serves his beloved King.

The book culminates on the field of battle at Bannockburn. Sir James is a great warrior on the field but he is haunted and struggles with battle, loss of loved ones, as well as doing his duty to his King. This includes a loveless marriage in hopes of a future heir and more so a future Kingdom of Scotland.

The book does not have the flair and excitement that the first book has until the end with the battle of Bannockburn. The reader does get deeper into the emotional mind and turmoil of Sir James and his struggles with Sir Edward Bruce and Thomas Randolph. The mechanics of taking a castle by stealth rather than siege is interesting and Douglas perfects it to the chagrin of Edward Bruce and Randolph. A good book overall with more character development for Sir Douglas. It does have some minor spelling and word editing errors that is at times annoying, but the story is sound. I look forward to the third book and closure as the ending of this one leaves us wanting more.
6 people found this helpful
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Michael Dore
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story as told by a young man who spent his life fighting for Scotland's independence
Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2018
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I thoroughly enjoyed the trilogy. It picked up about the time William Wallace was executed and carried through to a peace treaty between Scotland and England approximately 12 years later. A Scottish baron named William Douglas sent his son to France rather then let him become an English hostage. The son returns to Scotland, becomes a squire, then knight, and defender of Scotland. The story was told by James Douglas, this made for a great historical novel that was well written and relatively accurate for the period. Plenty of action and intrigue, the author did a great job of filling in the blanks and making this an exciting novel.
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars GOOD READ
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2013
Verified Purchase
This is the second book of the James Douglas Trilogy about the 14th century war between England and Scotland. This book is a smooth read. The mechanics of good writing are fine. An error or two did not disrupt my reading.
I like this author's descriptions, not too long and not too short. On the battlefield the reader can see and feel what James Douglas sees and feels which immensely helps my understanding of battles.
A good author makes a reader think. I thought about the war tactic that the Scotish king, The Bruce, used in a war where he was out-manned and out-gunned. He destroyed crops, animals and shelters of his own people so that the English army would not have these necessities of life as it moved further into Scotland. I thought about the plight of women, children, the aged and other non-soldiers who sacrificed these things for the war effort. However noble that may sound, I wondered if the citizens of the lowest stations in life cared more for their livelihoods than for which flag flew over the country. I wondered if a lowly goatherder cared more for country than for the meager existence he had eked from the land. The author did not delve into that issues, but I thought about them.
I thought about the soldiers' lives. When at war, how did they manage bodily necessities and functions. They could not turn on the tap for a cool drink of water or turn up the thermostat in cold weather. If they had books, they could not read in cold camp at nighttime. Did they worry not only about their own livelihoods but about those of their families who were turned out of their homes?
I thought the king who had the weight of the wellbeing of all the citizenry on his shoulders and what defeat would mean for all of them. The Bruce had the help of James Douglas in all these matters thereby lightening the burden of the load. Both were good men.
Thank you, dear author, for a good read.
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Top reviews from other countries

Mr. J. Waugh
5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 27, 2023
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Thoroughly enjoyed it
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Mike
5.0 out of 5 stars Books of all kinds with eBooks.
Reviewed in Canada on September 30, 2018
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I "devour" books! If not for my joining ebooks, I'd be broke many times over!
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Josephine
5.0 out of 5 stars History brought to life.
Reviewed in Australia on June 13, 2017
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One can be forgiven for thinking history's lessons simply a dry recitation of facts. But this novel by Tomlin brings history to life, so much so, that one cannot put the book down.
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Monique Barrette
4.0 out of 5 stars A Marvelous Read
Reviewed in Canada on October 23, 2019
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This book was a marvelous read that I could not put down. I was disappointed that I finished it so quickly and I look forward to the next. I was deeply disappointed with the many spelling and grammar errors. Shame. Should never happen.
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Great story , poorly proof read.
Reviewed in Australia on November 22, 2019
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Great story , poorly proof read.
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