Estate of Robert Low

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Assistant: Amber Garvey

Books

It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Robert Low. Bob was one of my first ever novelist clients, and the partial typescript he sent me (from what was to become The Whale Road) was the first ever to make me miss my stop on the train home.

A journalist by trade, Bob came to novel-writing comparatively late in life after 40 years in newspapers, dodging trouble in hotspots like Vietnam, Kosovo and Glasgow. The Whale Road in 2007 was the first of 14 novels which has sadly ended with the last of his Border Reivers series, Shake Loose the Border, in January this year.

As well as being prolific, Robert Low was one of the finest technical storytellers I’ve ever worked with – a master craftsman who knew precisely what he wanted every chapter and sentence and colon or comma to do. Critics often referred to the robustness or ruggedness of his novels (the Sunday Times spoke of his “muscular, fast-moving prose”), but I think the beauty and lyricism of his prose was often under-sung. Bob’s novels are written with a poet’s heart and skald’s eyes and ears, not least in his “Oathsworn” novels set at the end of the Viking age, which soar and sing of war and death and silver and fame – but also of love and fear and friendship.

He was a fabulous writer, a valued client and a good pal. Sjáumst, Bob! We will see each other.

 

Praise for Robert Low

'The Lion Wakes is gripping, written with great bravura, and dense in texture in the best traditions of the historical novel ... The novel is full of action – staghunts, sieges, skirmishes, battles, murders, rapes and massacres – all vividly rendered. It is gripping ... The novel demands more concentration from the reader than is often the case with historical novels, the attention required is well rewarded.  There is a splendid gusto to this fiction as well as an acute political understanding ... All in all he has done something remarkable, and I look forward to the sequels. He has not set out to demolish the myth, but rather, by questioning simple interpretations of it, to deepen and enrich it; and he has brought this off in fine style. As a piece of bravura historical painting The Lion Wakes is remarkable.' Alan Massie, Scotsman

'A company of warriors, desperate battles, an enthralling read.' Bernard Cornwell

'Fantastic. There's a wonderful earthiness to proceedings and he creates a tangible sense of being there. There's a sturdy, lyrical and epic quality to the writing.' Simon Scarrow

'Poignant, muscular, magical and impossible to put down.' Angus Donald

'Completely convincing and utterly compelling…the history, myth and fiction are folded seamlessly together: wonderful, unbeatable stuff.' Harry Sidebottom

'Gore and guts fill the pages of Crowbone but they are also filled, like the earlier ­volumes in the series, with the fruits of Low’s wide-ranging research into the Vikings and their era, and with the kind of muscular, fast-moving prose that gives the story real depth and distinction.' Sunday Times

 

SHAKE LOOSE THE BORDER - Canelo - March 2021

It is 1548, and the war with the English is winding down. But in the savage heart of the Borders, peace is far from secured.

One-armed Batty Coalhouse, bounty hunter, explosives specialist, border wanderer, is doing what he usually does: ripping the enemy apart. But then he's sent on an unusual errand.

An old friend has been taken to Berwick, England's northernmost point. Batty needs to get him back. Nothing is ever simple on the Border, and soon Batty is fighting enemies old and new. But in this blood-soaked world, it's not just your enemies you need to worry about...

Hold tight for a last, wild ride.

An unforgettable novel from a unique historical imagination, Shake Loose The Border will blow you away.

Fiction

Publication DetailsNotes
2010

HARPER COLLINS

The Oathsworn have become feared and respected throughout the Viking world. Their name goes before them and men cower in their presence. But fame comes at a price! While the Oathsworn revel in their new-found fame, Sterki, an old enemy with revenge in his heart, attacks their homestead - the Fjord Elk is sunk, old oarmates die and the Oathsworn are forced to flee into the mountains. Unused to losing, the Oathsworn retreat to lick their wounds. They have been entrusted with the care of Queen Sigrith, pregnant and soon to bear the heir to the crown of Sweden, and much though the urge for revenge is strong, Orm's first duty is to protect the queen. And Orm soon realises that revenge is not the only thing on Sterki's mind; has joined forces with Styrbjorn, nephew of King Eirik and next in line to the throne if he can only get rid of the current heir. As the Oathsworn fight to defend themselves and their newfound celebrity and fortune, they're soon to realise that fame isn't all it's cracked up to be.

2012

HarperCollins

Island of Mann, 979AD. A man lies dying with a message he cannot take to his grave, a sworn secret that must be passed on only to Olaf Tryggvasson, kin of Harald Fairhair of the Yngling line and true prince of Norway, also known as Crowbone. When the message finally arrives, so begins a quest to discover its meaning, and for Crowbone to gain what is rightfully his: the crown of Norway.

With a band of Chosen Men, Crowbone begins an unforgiving journey that will see him face the challenge of new enemies and confront his suspicions of treachery from old friends. Looming over all is his ultimate rival; Gunnhild, the Witch Mother of Kings, Crowbone’s arch-enemy who will stop at nothing to prevent him from knowing what and where this secret is.

In the fifth installment of his Oathsworn series, Robert Low is back to his full-blooded Viking best, this time visiting the harsh terrain of the North Sea coast, in a tale about one man’s quest for survival and the unexpected alliances that emerge, as the very bonds that tie the Oathsworn together are put to the test.

2009

HARPERCOLLINS

The silver itch is on the Oathsworn and the whale road is calling them to adventure once again. Reluctant to leave the safety of their homestead, their leader, Orm, is stalling. But the Oathsworn are fighting men and so, when their settlement is attacked by an old adversary, they are more than happy to return the favour. The band of brothers is back in business and thirsty for action. When two of their number are taken hostage by an enemy, the Oathsworn are bound by their oath to each other to come to their rescue. Not to mention that they hold vital knowledge about the location of Attila's tomb containing hoards of silver that Oathsworn are determined to keep themselves. Across the frozen steppes lies untold danger: the worst winter ever seen will test even the hardiest Oathsworn, enemies along the way are resolute on seeing them die slowly and bloodily on the stake, and at the end of their journey await the formidable Amazonian tribeswomen whose only purpose is to protect Attila's tresure until the death.

2011

HARPER COLLINS

Book one of the Kingdom Series. It is 1296 and Scotland is in turmoil. The old king, Alexander III, has died after falling off his horse one dark and stormy night. Scotland’s future is in peril. Edward I of England, desperate to keep control of his northern borders, arranges for John Baliol, a weak man who Edward knows he can manipulate, to take leadership of Scotland. But unrest is rife and many are determined to throw off the shackles of England. Among those men is Robert the Bruce, darkly handsome, young, angry and obsessed by his desire to win Scotland's throne. He will fight for the freedom of the Scots until the end. But there are many rival factions and the English are a strong and fearsome opponent. The Lion Wakes culminates in the Battle of Falkirk which proves to be the beginning of a rivalry that will last for decades…

2012

HARPER COLLINS

Book two of the Kingdom Series: Scotland in turmoil. A nation’s independence hangs in the balance. After fleeing to France following his defeat at the Battle of Falkirk, William Wallace has returned to Scottish soil to face his fate. But Robert the Bruce now stands between him and the crown. Warring factions, political intrigue and vicious battles threaten at every turn. Both men face uncertain futures, their efforts thwarted by shattered loyalties, superstition and rumour. In these troubled times, it is murder, treachery and the bitter rivalry amongst Scots nobility that will shape the long and bloody rise of Robert the Bruce to his coronation.

2008

HARPERCOLLINS

A band of brothers, known as the Oathsworn, committed only to each other, feared by many, rises again in search of vengeance and glory. Washed up in a hostile city, battle-weary and out of luck, the Oathsworn lie waiting for their reluctant leader, the young Orm, to bring them back once more to wealth and warfare. But Orm's prized sword, the legendary Rune Serpent, is gone, stolen by the rapacious Starkad, and with it the runes written upon the hilt that only Orm can decipher. The Oathsworn embark on a dangerous mission to reclaim their precious sword as they pursue the elusive Starkad across the turbulent wolf sea. Unafraid to fight, and cunning in the ways of men, they wreak violence and bloody revenge on their enemies. Caught up in the treacherous battles in the East between the rulers of Constantinople, aided by hordes of Viking mercenaries, and the Arabs, their adventures will take them from Greece to Jerusalem, across the treacherous wolf sea where only the hunting hungry date set sail.

2007

HARPERCOLLINS

A band of brothers, committed only to each other, rides the waves, fighting for the highest bidder, treading the whale road in search of legendary relics. Life is savage aboard a Viking raiding ship. When Orm Rurikson is plucked from the snows of Norway to brave the seas on the Fjord Elk, he becomes an unlikely member of a notorious crew. Although young, Orm must quickly become a warrior if he is to survive. His fellow crew are the Oathsworn - named after the spoken bond that ties them in brotherhood. They fight hard, they drink hard, and they always defend their own. But times are changing. Loyality to the old Norse Gods is fading, and the followers of the mysterious 'White Christ' are gaining power across Europe. Hired as relic-hunters, the Oathsworn are sent in search of a sword believed to have killed the White Christ. Their quest will lead them onto the deep and treacherous waters of the whale road, towards the cursed treasure of Attila the Hun and to a challenge that presents the ultimate threat.

2013

HARPERCOLLINS

The third book in Robert Low’s stunning new trilogy about the making of Scotland.

The whirl of politics makes a mockery of oaths. Loyalty can be bought. Brothers end up enemies, kin can betray you and in the blink of an eye, you become the hunted.

A band of brothers has lost almost everything honouring their oath to Robert the Bruce. Wives, daughters, sisters, brothers and lovers have been slain or imprisoned. After seven long years of struggle and endurance, Bruce and his loyal supporter, Hal of Herdmanston, will come face-to-face with Edward II, the English King humiliated by defeat and determined to put down his Scottish enemy once and for all.

And the last great battle for the Scottish throne will be decided on a bloody field called Bannockburn.

2019

CANELO

Drust and Kag, two ring-hardened fighters who won their freedom with blood, are met with an unusual request. The mysterious, powerful Servilius Structus sends them deep into Scotland, land of the Caledonii, to find and secure a woman and her young son.

Accompanied by Ugo, Quintus, Manius and Sibanus, this crew of ex gladiator rogues, tricksters and bar-room philosophers will risk everything on an insane quest and a daring escape.

In the dog days of Rome, with decadence and corruption in the air, the consequences of their failure are far greater than they could ever dream: not only their lives but the Empire itself is at stake.

2019

CANELO

They're back - Drust, Kag, Ugo, Sib and some new faces - as dirt-ridden and downbeat as ever.

Drawn to the edge of the Roman world and the blasted deserts of the Syrian frontier, they are presented with a mysterious riddle from their old companions, Dog and Manius. In the scorching heat, plots and rumours breed like flies on a corpse.

To survive, Drust and the others must face all challengers along with Mother Nature's rage. Sometimes they'll stand and fight; sometimes they'll run as fast as they can and pray to the Gods. For it is a mad and violent world, and they must be equal to it...

2020

CANELO

Drust, Kag and co are in the Alps, battered, bruised and fighting for their lives. Some things never change.

On the hunt for a rogue Roman officer, something goes terribly wrong and they are left stranded in the mountains, their escape route cut off. Only then does the true danger of their mission reveal itself.

Caught in the crossfire not just of the mountain tribes, but of the vicious power politics of Rome, they must use all their cunning and guile to save themselves from death's icy clutches...

2020

CANELO

1542. For centuries the Scottish and English borders were known as the Debatable lands: wild, lawless, and the province of reivers, tight-knit robber families that roamed and pillaged the remote passes without fear...

Fifteen-year-old Mintie Henderson has just seen her father murdered. With the Scottish King newly dead and an army of hired reivers on the march, justice is in short supply. Then she comes across Batty Coalhouse: one-armed and hard as nails. Together they will set out on a journey of revenge.

But they are soon caught up in something bigger, a tale of Mary Queen of Scots and King Henry VIII. Stuck in the heart of a tempest, they know only one way to get out alive...

Fight.

2020

CANELO

The Borders are at war. Henry VIII, fat and pained with a diseased leg, wants to burn them all; to burn the very water if he has to.

Batty Coalhouse is still haunted by Maramaldo, the warlord responsible for cutting off his arm. He's given an intriguing offer: find some stray nuns and bring them to safety. In turn, that will lead him to his nemesis, now rampaging with an army not far away in the Cheviot hills.

What seems a routine assignment becomes a living hell, for in the Debatable lands, nothing is as it seems...

OATHSWORN
THE WHALE ROAD - HARPERCOLLINS - 2007
THE WOLF SEA - HARPERCOLLINS - 2008
THE WHITE RAVEN - HARPERCOLLINS - 2009
THE PROW BEAST - HARPERCOLLINS - 2010
CROWBONE - HARPERCOLLINS - 2012

KINGDOM TRILOGY
THE LION WAKES  - HARPERCOLLINS - 2011
THE LION AT BAY - HARPERCOLLINS - 2012
THE LION RAMPANT  - HARPERCOLLINS - 2013

BROTHERS OF THE SANDS 
BEASTS BEYOND THE WALL - CANELO - 2019
THE RED SERPENT - CANELO - 2019
BEASTS FROM THE DARK - CANELO - 2020

BORDER REIVERS
A DISH OF SPURS - CANELO - 2020
BURNING THE WATER - CANELO - 2020
SHAKE LOOSE THE BORDER - CANELO - 2021