James Graham, the Marquis of Montrose, is one of the noblest figures of history, a brilliant leader of men, and a world-acclaimed strategist, a talented moderate in a bigoted age, a man of as great probity as of charm and the loyalist of the loyal - yet a strangely modest man at heart. And by no means a plaster-saint, by any count. If Charles the First had had even one other servant of the stature of Montrose, probably British history would have been very different. But one man alone could not alter all, when intolerance, despotism, folly and weakness held the stage - even though James Graham tried hard, and almost succeeded.
In this two-part novel Nigel Tranter takes the fascinating, gallant, yet desperate story of this man from the initial snub he received from the monarch he was to devote his life to serve, to the detriment of his own marriage, well-being and peace of mind, through all the reluctant involvement in national affairs, through intrigue, violence, treachery, to battle, more battle, and the eventual near-triumph. But expensive triumph, for James Graham and those he loved, with all Scotland almost in his grasp and his hated enemy, Archibald Campbell, Marquis of Argyll, defeated and discredited, and England and Oliver Cromwell next on the list. But that was to reckon without Fate..........