Written by: T. D. Burke
Submitted By: Gordon Lawrie
The Man From Outremer is a swashbuckling tale of treachery and swashbuckling action. Set largely in Scotland at the time of the early Scottish Wars of Independence around 1300 AD, it follows Derwent, a Scottish Crusader-turned-clergyman, and his involvement first of all in the Fall of Acre in Palestine, then later as Prior of Roslin in Scotland. Against Derwent stands his nemesis, an English spymaster who is desperate to conceal a dark secret from the Crusader days. In time, they will confront each other in battle at Roslin.
As Burke weaves characters real and fictitious seamlessly through his tale, he not only entertains but also offers a real insight into the politics and society of fourteenth-century Britain.
This is T. D. Burke's debut novel, and quite simply it's a ripping yarn. I enjoyed it, anyway.
