Showing results by author "Walter Scott" in All Categories

The Crusaders, led by Richard I of England, are encamped in the Holy Land, and torn by the dissensions and jealousies of the leaders, including, besides Coeur de Lion himself, Philip of France, the duke of Austria, the Marquis of Montferrat, and the Grand Master of the Templars. The army's impotence is accentuated by the illness of Richard.

Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, Waverley tells the captivating tale of Edward Waverley, a young English soldier and dreamer. Journeying from his noble family estate of Waverley-Honour in southern England, Edward finds himself drawn into the heart of Scotlands fierce struggle to restore the Stuart dynasty under Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie. His adventure takes him from the picturesque Scottish Lowlands, where he visits the family friend Baron Bradwardine, to the rugged Highlands, immersing him in the passions and perils of the ...

Four spine-tingling short stories from masters of the genre, read by Michael Maloney, Eleanor Bron and Andrew Sachs: 'The Phantom Coach' by Amelia B. Edwards; 'The Judge’s House' by Bram Stoker; 'The Tapestried Chamber' by Sir Walter Scott; 'The Man of Science' by Jerome K. Jerome.

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century Scotland, The Surgeons Daughter weaves a captivating tale of love, loss, and the complexities of human relationships. Originally part of the Chronicles of the Canongate, this historical novel was published as a standalone work in 1827. Join Deon Gines as he brings this poignant story to life.

Dive into the captivating world of Waverley, set against the backdrop of the tumultuous Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. Follow the journey of Edward Waverley, a young dreamer and English soldier, as he leaves his aristocratic family home in Waverley-Honour, England, and ventures north to Scotland. Along the way, he visits the Scottish Lowlands and the esteemed Baron Bradwardine, ultimately finding himself at the heart of the Jacobite uprising and its aftermath. This tale weaves together themes of loyalty, identity, and the quest for belonging in a time of great upheaval. (Summary by Wikipedia)

Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous 17th century, A Legend of Montrose unfolds during the Earl of Montroses daring military campaign in Scotland. Follow the journey of Allan MAulay and his companion Lord Menteith as they navigate the chaos of war while vying for the affection of the enchanting Annot Lyle, a young woman shrouded in mystery. Alongside them is the unpredictable Dugald Dalgetty, adding to the drama and tension. Will friendship withstand the trials of battle, and who will win Annots heart in the end? - Summary by Carolin

Set against the rugged backdrop of Shetland in the late 1600s, The Pirate is a captivating historical novel that delves into the intriguing life of John Gow, also known as Captain Cleveland. Join us on a thrilling journey through a world of adventure, treachery, and the relentless pursuit of freedom, as narrated by Deon Gines.

Step into the tumultuous world of 1678 England with Peveril of the Peak, a captivating historical novel from Sir Walter Scotts Waverley series. Follow the tale of Peveril, a dashing Cavalier caught in a web of intrigue as he falls in love with the daughter of a Roundhead. Accused of conspiring in the infamous Popish Plot, Peveril must navigate the treacherous waters of loyalty, love, and betrayal. Join us for a thrilling journey through a pivotal moment in history, expertly narrated by Deon Gines.

Poet, novelist, critic and campaigner Walter Scott invented the historical novel and shaped the world’s image of Scotland. His tales of heroism, romance and adventure were hugely successful, outselling Jane Austen and Lord Byron, and are still popular today. Included here are adaptations of five of the best-loved books in his ‘Waverley’ series, as well as two bonus programmes.

Written in 1819 but set in 12th-century England, Ivanhoe is a tale of love struggling to survive against a violent backdrop of politics and war. Wilfred of Ivanhoe was thrown out of his father's home when he fell in love with his father Cedric's ward, Lady Rowena. Ivanhoe later returns from fighting in the Crusades and is wounded in a jousting tournament. A series of events follows, including the return of King Richard to England, resulting in Ivanhoe's reconciliation with Cedric and his marriage to Rowena.

The epitome of the chivalric novel, Ivanhoe sweeps listeners into Medieval England and the lives of a memorable cast of characters. Ivanhoe, a trusted ally of Richard the Lion Hearted, returns from the Crusades to reclaim his inheritance. Rebecca, a beautiful Jewish woman, is defended by Ivanhoe against a charge of witchcraft - but it is Lady Rowena who is Ivanhoe's true love. The success of this novel lies with Scott's skillful blend of historic reality, chivalric romance, and high adventure.

Jonathan Oldbuck, the antiquary of the title, has a passion for the past–and delights in trying to convey it. He meets the mysteriously taciturn young Lovel and the two strike up a friendship, bonding over Roman ruins. When Lovel falls for Isabella, daughter of a local landowner, it looks like an impossible situation. Sharp, funny, gothic, romantic, and full of action, this is a thoroughly entertaining window on Scottish life in the summer of 1794: it was Scott’s intention to show the spirit of the times, and how the past affects the present–and it was his own favourite of all his novels.

When Edgar plans to acquire his family's ancient estate from the corrupt lord keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland, he is met with the complexities of the legal and political situations following the 1707 Act of Union. To complicate matters further, Edgar is falling in love with his enemy's beautiful daughter, Lucy. First published in 1819, this enduring romantic tragedy presents insights into emotional and sexual politics and the shrewd way in which Sir Walter Scott presented his work.

After rejecting the life his father has laid out for him, Frank Osbaldistone is sent to the North of England to live with his Uncle, where he is to repent his sins. However, when his father's wealth and reputation are threatened, he is drawn to the Scottish Highlands, where he must retrieve a set of stolen documents. It is here that he is pulled into a number of skirmishes relating to the Jacobite uprising of 1715, and where his path frequently crosses with the mysterious maverick outlaw known as Rob Roy....

Waverley by Sir Walter Scott is an enthralling tale of love, war and divided loyalties. Taking place during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, the novel tells the story of proud English officer Edward Waverley. After being posted to Dundee, Edward eventually befriends chieftain of the Highland Clan Mac-Ivor and falls in love with his beautiful sister Flora. He then renounces his former loyalties in order actively to support Scotland in open rebellion against the Union with England. The book depicts stunning, romantic panoramas of the Highlands.

This is one of Sir Walter Scott’s greatest adventures, set amongst the roaring battles of the struggle between the Normans and the Saxons for control of medieval England. It deals with the rivalry between King Richard the Lion-Heart and his brother, John. We follow the adventures, skirmishes and romances of the hero, Ivanhoe, a Saxon knight loyal to King Richard, as he attempts to survive the England of King John alongside the disguised Richard and, of course, Robin Hood.

Throughout the long centuries of human history is the want, and the need, to share information, to exchange ideas and for that knowledge and experience, for curiosity and learning, to be the basis of a civil society. In literature the ambition is much narrower. In order to be known, to be popular, you had to be published. And for that people had to know you existed and your ideas worth reading. Obviously for most of humanity's time people couldn't read and texts couldn't be published in any great number.

Scott's discourses on the psychological, religious, physical, and preternatural explanations for contemporary beliefs in ghosts, witches, warlocks, fairies, elves, diabolism, the occult, and even werewolvesare are essential for acolytes of the dark and macabre. The letters dealing with witch hunts, trials, and torture are morbidly compelling. Scott was neither fully pro-rational modernity nor totally anti-superstitious past.

From its first publication in 1816, Rob Roy has been recognised as containing some of Sir Walter Scott's finest writing and most engaging, fully realised characters. The outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor was already a legendary, disputed figure by the time Scott wrote a heroic Scottish Robin Hood to some, and an over-glamorised, unprincipled predator to others. Scott approaches Rob Roy indirectly, through the adventures of his fictional hero, Frank Osbaldistone, amid the turmoil of England and Scotland in 1715.

Two-hundred years after its first publication, Ivanhoe remains both a timeless classic and a revered example of chivalric romance. With a fanciful and extravagant view of 12th century England, join Wilfred of Ivanhoe in Sir Walter Scott’s classic medieval romance novel as he battles rivals, faces off with nobles, and wins the heart of Lady Rowena. After being disowned by his father, Wilfred returns from the third crusade to an England in strife. Descendants of Saxons and families of Norman nobles all vie for control, with treachery and conflict rife.