The second volume in a trilogy of novels based on the reign of James V of Scotland, that began in "The Riven Realm".
"In the wake of the Battle of Flodden, Scotland was ruled in name only. The boy king, James V, was at the mercy of ambitious rival factions, and beyond them the ever watchful, looming presence of Henry VIII of England. The young king was in desperate need of all the good advice he could get.
Escaping from the clutches of the power-hungry Earl of Angus, his most effective guides were to be two old friends, David Lindsay and David Beaton. But, impetuous and hot-blooded, James was more interested in wine and women than affairs of state, and his royal advisers faced a mighty task as they helped the king attain his regal status in a land full of treachery and danger." - jacket notes.
The political history is heavy going, but the drama is compelling. Tranter's historical fiction can be rather overblown and romanticized, but it's still an entertaining read. ( )