Rating: 
Summary: Horrible Story, Waaaaaaaay too much detail
Review: "The Scottish Chiefs" is a classic adventure tale, told in the style of Sir Walter Scott's "Rob Roy." The National Hero of Scotland, William Wallace, gets his story told with a heavy emphasis on romance and drama.Those seeking a book version of "Braveheart" may be disappointed, as the story is quite different. The William Wallace of "The Scottish Chiefs," like the historical William Wallace, is a castle dwelling nobleman who surrenders his fortunes to fight for Scotland. The writing style is thick, and should be familiar to readers of this genre. "The Scottish Chiefs" is a huge, heavy book with a plot that unfolds at a patient pace. This edition of "The Scottish Chiefs" contains illustrations by N.C. Wyeth, and acclaimed illustrator of Children's books and the father of artist Andrew Wyeth. The paintings are all direct scenes from the book, and capture the spirit of the adventure in fine detail.
Rating: 
Summary: William Wallace and Robert the Bruce
Review: "The Scottish Chiefs" is a classic adventure tale, told in the style of Sir Walter Scott's "Rob Roy." The National Hero of Scotland, William Wallace, gets his story told with a heavy emphasis on romance and drama. Those seeking a book version of "Braveheart" may be disappointed, as the story is quite different. The William Wallace of "The Scottish Chiefs," like the historical William Wallace, is a castle dwelling nobleman who surrenders his fortunes to fight for Scotland. The writing style is thick, and should be familiar to readers of this genre. "The Scottish Chiefs" is a huge, heavy book with a plot that unfolds at a patient pace. This edition of "The Scottish Chiefs" contains illustrations by N.C. Wyeth, and acclaimed illustrator of Children's books and the father of artist Andrew Wyeth. The paintings are all direct scenes from the book, and capture the spirit of the adventure in fine detail.
Rating:
Summary: Horrible Story, Waaaaaaaay too much detail
Review: I read Scottish Chiefs, and I swear, it was the most boring story I have ever read! (Don't get me wrong, I've read The Broken Arrow, which has 2004 pages, five times.)
For one thing, who gives a [heck] about "He wore the green and brown checkered kilt with silver brooch over his shoulder. He had his iron sword grasped in his iron fist in a grip so tight his knuckles turned white, etc.
Frankly, if you wish to read a book on medieval battles and action, read Broken Arrow or any other book about that kind of subject.
Mrs. Porter gives way too much detail. She manages to turn something like "Braveheart" into a book as boring and drab as a granola bar.
One more thing. WHERE IN THE HELL IS ALL THE OTHER CHARACTERS? She has totally gotten rid of John De Balliol (The former king of Scotland and one of the key players in the Scottosh War for Independence), Angus (William's brother) and several others.
If you want action, good drama, and romance, watch Legends of the Fall or hell, even an old flick like The Longest Day.
Rating:
Summary: Scotland's Greatest Hero
Review: If you liked watching Braveheart you will love this book. It has it all, a hero with a just cause who won't be bribed. Evil henchmen, beautiful women, strong handsome men, kings, knights, archers, war without the gore, spies, traitors and loyal aides. It's long but a page burner. As a paperback it would be a good summer beach read. As a hardbound, its a wonderful rainy weekend read. (I also really like the illustrations, they add a lot to the character of the book.) I found this book later in life and wondered how I missed it when I was growing up. I've given several copies as gifts and all who got it liked it. Best of all 500 years later it all works out and Scotland has its own parliment.
Rating:
Summary: All time great war/romance/intregue story.
Review: If you liked watching Braveheart you will love this book. It has it all, a hero with a just cause who won't be bribed. Evil henchmen, beautiful women, strong handsome men, kings, knights, archers, war without the gore, spies, traitors and loyal aides. It's long but a page burner. As a paperback it would be a good summer beach read. As a hardbound, its a wonderful rainy weekend read. (I also really like the illustrations, they add a lot to the character of the book.) I found this book later in life and wondered how I missed it when I was growing up. I've given several copies as gifts and all who got it liked it. Best of all 500 years later it all works out and Scotland has its own parliment.
Rating:
Summary: A Fantastic Book
Review: Like the others, I agree that this book contains everything: history, romance, adventure, and more! The aspect of this book I found most interesting was the spiritual truth upon which Wallace and company continually reverted back to. Their undaunted faith in Christ was the element that held this story together for me. I agree with others that this book should be read in schools.
Rating:
Summary: A Tale For The Ages
Review: The story of a honorable, couragous man & the ideals (and country) he died for. Need anything more be said? Save one: Buy it now!
Rating: 
Summary: Laborious prose -- see 'Braveheart' instead
Review: This book is wordy, sappy, and lacks any sense of pace or suspense. This was one of the few books that I have ever had to will myself to finish, hoping that it would get better. It never did. I have an old copy of this that was my father's when he was a child. After seeing "Braveheart", I thought I would try this version of William Wallace's life. I regret that I did. The authors manage to take an exciting, heroic life like Wallace's and bury it under plodding, 19th-century prose that sucks all the excitement out of the story. Not that I have anything against 19th-century writing -- I think Melville and Dostoyevsky are brilliant. And I have no problems with long novels -- I truely enjoyed "Midnight's Children" by Salman Rushdie and "Focault's Pendulum" by Umberto Eco. This book, however, could be half the length. The authors do not cram the book with historical fact, or any worthwhile information. Instead, they waste words on uninspired descriptions of scenes that do little to further the plot. What is worse, I felt nothing for the characters, not even Wallace. It is pretty bad when a heroic figure like that can be rendered so two-dimentionally. It was a few years ago when I read this book and now find that the story and the characters are largely forgettable. By contrast, I read The Lord of the Rings 20 years ago and I remember it all in vivid detail. Don't waste your time with this book. The illustrations by Wyeth are fantastic. Otherwise, forget it.
Rating:
Summary: One the best historical documentaries on Wallace and Bruce
Review: This book remains one of my all time favorites right up there with Les Miseables and the Forsythe Saga; my 1883 edition published by John Wurtele Lovell in New York has 652 pages of very small print but it will be well worth a third reading. The historical detail in the footnotes is as interesting as the main story; e.g., referring to a shattered tower of the castle of Lammington a footnote reads, "The ruins of this tower are still visible; and near to them the people of this country point out the place where Wallace encamped his brave army". I had difficulty relating the movie, "Braveheart", with Jane Porter's account of Wallace and Bruce, and favor Porter's version of the relationship between Wallace and Bruce. During the second reading I was more aware of all the embracing and weeping by the cast of characters as portrayed by Porter; it seemed a little unreal and overdone, but she calls her novel a "romance" so she is forgiven. I have shared this book with many of my friends and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone from 9 yrs of age to 90.
Rating:
Summary: Fine Family Fare
Review: This tale of Scots resistance against English King Edward is essential to those who grew up with "Scots wha hae wi' Wallace bled" in their ears. Others may enjoy it more for its romance. What pleased me most was seeing the medieval (turn of 13th-14th century) history through the focus of the English author Jane Porter, whose text was published in 1809, and the 1921 edition's illustrations by N.C. Wyeth. Atheneum's reissue is well bound and printed; the book feels pleasant to the hand. Most of all, Porter's latinate sentences beg to be read aloud. Although sold for ages 9-12, the text would be difficult for many of my college freshmen. Lucky the child with a parent to read it aloud! Lucky the adult with a child to read it to, or, failing that, to have these 500+ pages on the bedside table to peruse at day's end.
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