Product Description

"Are you there--the man they are hunting? Can you hear me? If you can, come quickly to the river, and I will save you."

Sixteen-year-old Martin Crawford succeeds in rescuing this fugitive--only to be surprised that the hunted man is none other than Robert the Bruce, rightful King of Scots. Hoping to lead a quiet life, Martin instead is asked by the king to commit himself to the war the Bruce is fighting to regain Scotland's freedom from the brutal rule imposed on it by the English.

The rebel campaign gathers bloody momentum. Martin impresses the Bruce with his resourcefulness and valor, and also learns the elements of espionage. He is proud then to be chosen as the king's swift rider--a vital link in the freedom army's scattered forces. And such is his daring and boldness in this dangerous position that the Bruce later appoints Martin the king's master of espionage.

Daily now, Martin must risk his life as he secretly gathers the information that will advance the rebel cause--and enable the Bruce to fight the climatic battle of Bannockburn. Defeat there will leave the Scots forever slaves. Victory will mean that longed-for-freedom.

Based on real events in Scotland's thirty-year War of Independence, The King's Swift Rider is a gripping tale of adventure into which Mollie Hunter weaves her own tribute in history, Robert the Bruce. Unblinkingly, she tells of the terrible bloodshed of that war, yet still makes her story's keynote one of courage, honor, and a people's determination to achieve freedom.

"Martin." the king told me, "I need a courier."
A courier? I stopped, wondering if this was a word from the French language spoken by the nobility.
"A swift rider," he explained. "One who carries messages--in this case, messages of great importance."
The king's swift rider...I liked this name, liked the ringing sound of it. "If you trust me to act as such, Sire," I told him, "I am waiting."

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1922959 in Books
• Published on: 1998-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Hunter (the Knight of the Golden Plain series) visits the 14th-century Scottish uprising against the English dramatized in Braveheart. Though not as gory as that film, the novel features enough ferocious bloodletting to make the squeamish squirm. The plot is driven by convenience: the teenage narrator, Martin Crawford, a messenger and spy for Robert the Bruce, sees every important leader of the day up close, including the dying King Edward I. He also observes (and sometimes plays a decisive behind-the-scenes role in) many major battles, despite their far-flung sites. Hunter further stretches credibility by portraying the Scots, especially Bruce, as near-saints who are fearsome killers only on the battlefield, while the unremittingly evil English commit atrocities wherever they go. In sum, a not-altogether convincing yarn, but, for those who like war stories, the battle scenes are stirring, the pace is brisk and the Scots' bravery in the face of overwhelming odds is inspiring. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up-Opening with a suspenseful chase scene reminiscent of Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped, Hunter plunges into the difficult task of bringing to life a hero of even earlier Scots history, Robert the Bruce. She tells his story from the point of view of the bookish and pacifistic Martin Crawford. Moved first by sympathy to distract the armed men pursuing a fleeing stranger and then by duty to join his king's war to free Scotland from English rule, Martin comes to admire the Bruce's ingenuity as a strategist as well as his religious piety. Over seven years, the young man and his brother follow the Bruce's forces all over Scotland as he consolidates his support before the final confrontation with England's King Edward. In the course of his service, Martin continues to refuse to lift a weapon but rises from king's page to swift rider, spy, and leader of a sham troop of banner carriers whose appearance at the turning point of a battle caused the final English retreat at Bannockburn and his brother, finally, to see him as a "soldier" in his own way. Late 20th-century readers might have difficulty understanding Martin's religious ambitions, and some may be turned off by the somewhat uneven pace. However, Hunter is a fine descriptive writer, giving a good sense of the battles and the period. She has, once again, provided a powerful sense of a very different place and time.
Kathleen Isaacs, Edmund Burke School, Washington, DC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 7^-12. In the late thirteenth century, after the defeat of the infamous Scottish warrior, William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, who had a claim to the throne, continued the fight against English rule. The story follows the adventures of Martin Crawford, a young Scot who saves the Bruce's life and becomes his page, confidante, and spy during the long struggle for freedom. Martin grows from a studious, naive boy into a hardened, intellectual leader as he loses his family to the merciless English, and watches the bloody battles throughout seven years, though time transitions during that period are only sketchily established. However, the novel is well researched and exciting, the action is fast paced and engrossing, and it is fascinating to learn about a real hero in a fictionalized "everyday life" account. History lessons have never been so much fun. Ellie Barta-Moran

Customer Reviews

Neither Stunning Nor Horrible, but Good History
The writing style of this book went smoothly enough. I found myself drifting away from the characters once or twice, but all in all, a decent read. There were several nice battle descriptions, but as the main character himself hardly lifted a finger with regard for battle, I had a hard time seeing it as a "key battle".
Easy to read. Nice historic content.

Scotland vs. England
Martin at the age of sixteen saves Robert the Bruce, King of Scots from the British and their men. The Bruce needs soldiers for his very small army. Martians mother told the Bruce that he could have Martian and his older brother Sean. Martian doesn't want to fight in any army, so the king has other ideas for him. Martin can read and write. This is very useful for the king. Sean, Martins older brother joins the army and uses his dead fathers spear. There are many battles in this book. The Scots win a lot of them. This rallies up more soldiers just as the Bruce wanted. Martin is sent on spy missions to find out what the British army is going to do or when they are going to attack. The Bruce wants to win this war badly, for his family's sake. His family was killed by the British, and they also took his daughter hostage in a castle. Winning the war also means Scotland's freedom. You will have to read the book to see if Scotland gets its freedom back, or if the Bruce gets his daughter back
I liked this book because it has a lot of action. There are battles when you have no idea what is going to happen. It keeps you thinking, or wondering what is going to happen. You could expect something to happen but the exact opposite happens. There is nothing that I didn't like about this book. It gets right into action right away and that is what I like.
I would want someone to read this book if they liked action / war books. Books that have hand- to- hand battles. This book just grab's your attention. I would recommend it to someone that loves battles. Not to someone who wants a book about a pretty pony. This book has some blood or brutal combat.

An Okay book
Of all action books I read, this was one of the best I have ever read. It is mostly fiction but touches upon history and true facts. It would recommended for ages 13 and over. Probably little kids would not like to read it for all the violence.