In July 1745, Charles Edward Stuart landed in Scotland and raised his royal colours to stake his claim to the British throne. The Jacobite rebellion to oust the German King George of England began and many highland clans pledged their support for the struggle. The driving force for the novel is the transformation of James MacGillivray, the son of the clan chieftain, from a naive young Scottish highlander living the easy-going life of a cattle herder to the harsh reality of the battle-hardened warrior. With the help of Robbie, his older brother, he has to put aside his genial manner and force himself to serve his clan. The horror of warfare, the noise, smells, and inhumanity as men brutality slay one another eventually becomes second nature to his survival. The rebellion, nothing more than a folly, concludes in the humiliating defeat of the Jacobites in April 1746 on Culloden Moor, north of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. James, defeated in battle, lives as an exile in his own country, before being captured and sent to the prison hulks in England. He is then forced to enlist in the British Army as they attempt to subdue Ireland, he spies for the Irish Brotherhood, fights in the American Colonies as the British oust the French, and finally returns to Scotland where he can seek retribution against his wrongdoers. His journey into manhood is harrowing as he deals with imprisonment, betrayal, and personal loss. Throughout the ordeal, James placed his trust in an heirloom, a silver plaid brooch, a lucky talisman that has served him and his clan well in the past.
