Outlander and Braveheart fans, this is your next read. Those of you who were able to keep all of the characters straight in Outlander will have no issue in this storyline. Albeit there are a lot of characters, the author graciously listed them out to help with following the lines of connection and give insight before jumping into this in depth historical novel.

This novel is written from the view point of James Douglas, also more known as Black Douglas and his love interest Belle MacDuff. The two meet during the vying for the crown, and unfortunately Belle is trapped in an unwanted marriage, which was not uncommon back then, and James has to then head to France. He soon becomes the symbol his country looks to, for defeat of the English.

James has a reason to hate the English, as they killed his own father. He is out for vengeance and blood, and will hold nothing back to help get his right hand friend, Robert the Bruce on the throne. The battle that James and Robert fought against, only proved the loyalty they had for their cause. During this, James is also fighting a battle within his emotions for his love of Belle. He often has to make decisions of either Belle or Robert.

Belle whoever, can also hold a candle all on her own. Having been born as a MacDuff, they chose who is to King of Scotland. Is Belle willing to risk her own livelihood and name for her lover and his crusade against the English? She quickly learns the battle that she will have to ensue to support James and prove her love and ally towards him. Will imprisionment break her, or does love always prevail in the end?

The novel is not for the faint of heart, and the author did a very good job of going in depth with scenes. Often I felt I was right there in the midst of battle with James, or was enduring the terrible things that happened to Belle.

This is the next chapter after Braveheart, for those who loved that movie and often wondered what happened next. Although this novel was long and I had to do a lot of googling of words and events- I learned a lot! It gave me more knowledge to build upon from Outlander and Braveheart.

I want to thank the author for providing me a free ebook copy for my honest review. ( )

An absolutely brilliant and captivating tale of love, war, daring, and sacrifice. From the very moment you turn to the first page and begin reading, you will be unable to put this book down. So craftily is the story woven that you will be caught up as a fly in a spider's web. You will find a new appreciation for history within the pages of this book.

Received in exchange for a fair and honest review ( )

I loved this book. I think the author researched the period and the characters. He filled the gaps beautifully with what could have happened and also a touch of Celtic supernatural/spirituality. ( )

This is one of the best historical fiction novels I have read in a long time. The characters are so real that I found myself getting angry with them, crying with them and loving or disliking them. At first I was worried when I saw the long list of characters at the beginning - a little daunting BUT Glen Craney did a remarkable job of creating all the characters that I didn't get lost as to who was who. We all have been there - when there are so many characters that we get lost. That is definitely not the case here.

The story takes place in the 14th century. Scotland is in turmoil within itself and England is invading. A young boy who is puny and mocked by his piers wins a race and falls in love all in a day. James Douglas grows to be a very important part of Scotland's history. Black Douglas as he is eventually called is responsible for much of Scotland's successes during this period of time. I won't go into more because that would be revealing spoilers.

The Spider and the Stone is a wonderful weaving of history, adventure, love, conflict and more. I highly recommend it to all readers even if historical fiction is not one of the genre's you read often. This book just might change your mind.

I received this book from the author for review purposes. To find out more about Glen Craney and his books check here http://www.glencraney.com/ ( )

3.5 Stars

You want epic? Look no further than this book. You want a definitive novelization about the Scottish War of Independence? Look no further than this book. From the beginnings with William Wallace to the great battle of Bannackburn, this book covers all sides of the conflict and really gets into what made the war tick. The reader will be kept spellbound as the Scottish nation vies for independence and at how that conflict impacted the lives of the individuals who fought and survived it (or who didn't survive it as was sometimes the case). The author has a way at making the epic, truly epic, without losing his readers. It was at times intimate and at others, truly grand. Me'thinks I hear a Howard Shore-esque soundtrack in the works...

I have to give the author incredible props for the amount of research that went into this. There is so much historical detail in this work that it almost reads as a textbook at times, but in a good way. The reader learns so much, all while being sucked into this powerful story of survival and independence fighting. And the historical detail involves the grand battles and the intimate daily lives at the English court and Scottish countryside with equal fervor. Either way you look, grand or intimate, the author shows his historical chops with this novel.

The one area this book falls a bit short in is characterization. Not to say that it's horrid. But at times secondary characters do become one-dimensional (thinking Robert Bruce and Edward II here), with their personalities falling back on stereotypes or not really changing at all from the beginning of the book to the end. And at times the grand scope of the story seems to almost pull a curtain over the intimate connection the reader has with the characters. So I'll be reading about that battle scene or that death scene and it'll just be a jumble of words to me; I won't be invested into whether this or that character survives or not.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable novel on Black James Douglas and the encompassing Scottish War of Independence. It's epic and grand. It carries the reader away into a fascinating struggle for survival and freedom. The historical details are superb. The only problem is with characterization. That did get in the way at times of total enjoyment. Yet, I'd still recommend this novel the historical fiction lover anywhere, especially if you enjoy fiction in late medieval Scotland.

Note: Book received for free from author in exchange for honest review. ( )