A Novel with Thoughts and Ponderings

THE CHIEF

Author: Monica McCarty ISBN: 9780345518224 4/2010 HISTORICAL Publisher: BALLANTINE
Time Period: Medieval 1305

The Chief by Monica McCarty
AN ELITE FIGHTING FORCE UNLIKE THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN . . .

Scouring the darkest corners of the Highlands and Western Isles, Robert the Bruce handpicks ten warriors to help him in his quest to free Scotland from English rule. They are the best of the best, chosen for their superior skills in each discipline of warfare. And to lead his secret Highland Guard, Bruce chooses the greatest warrior of all.
 
The ultimate Highland warlord and a swordsman without equal, Tor MacLeod has no intention of being drawn into Scotland’s war against the English. Dedicated to his clan, the fiercely independent chief answers to no one—especially not to his alluring new bride, bartered to him in a bid to secure his command of the deadliest fighting force the world has ever seen. The treacherous chit who made her way to Tor’s bed may have won his hand, but she will never claim his heart.

Although her husband’s reputation is as fierce as his manner, Christina Fraser believes that something softer hides beneath his brutal shell. But the only warmth she feels is in their bed, in glorious moments of white-hot desire that disappear with the dawn. When Christina’s reckless bid to win her husband’s love goes awry and thrusts them into danger on the eve of war, Tor will face his ultimate battle: to save his wife and to open his heart—before it’s too late.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Set right after William Wallace’s execution, King Edward, the mighty Hammer of the Scots, is on the throne of England and Scotland, but Robert the Bruce is trying to stake his claim as King of Scotland, so he gets an idea to draft and organize a group of special ‘soldiers’ to help him overthrow Edward and unite the Scottish clans under his banner. Bruce is looking for a special man to lead and train this ‘elite group’ of men who excel in fighting. In Tormond ‘Tor’ MacLeod, who’s a chief of his clan, he finds such a man; alas, he’s not so keen on it. Tor would rather stay out of the English/Scottish feud, but relents at the end, after he’s found taking our heroine from behind by her father and some witnesses. That scene was painful to read.

I just couldn’t buy this. The story didn’t ring true, and here’s where I lost all interest in it. The premise of Navy SEALs of the Highlands working for Robert the Bruce was plain silly.  For me, reading this book was a slow and arduous process, and I was trying to figure out why. Is it the writing or the characters I had a hard time with? I believe it’s both. I found myself not liking Christina one bit. Her ‘naïve’ and ‘spirited’ nature seemed forced and not natural. As for Tor, I got annoyed with him and couldn’t understand his reasons for always keeping his emotions to himself.

In my opinion, the story felt rushed and not quite developed, so at times it read flat. Even the characters, and there are many, were not as developed or as rounded-off as they should have been, and that’s why I had a hard time keeping up. So at the end, I’m blaming poor execution, a wimpy and childish heroine, and a stubborn hero for my disappointment in this read.

To be fair, the author takes the time at the end of the book to explain a few things to us through her notes, but even that didn’t help me to understand or like THE CHIEF any better.

Melanie Friedman

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