True Thomas

Thomas Learmonth of Ercildoune is remembered as Thomas the Rhymer: poet, laird and prophet, a man whose sayings were repeated long after the world that produced them had vanished. Tranter places him in the reign of Alexander III, serving the powerful Earl of Dunbar while Scotland’s magnates compete for land, influence and access to the young king. Thomas would prefer poetry, friendship and the management of his modest estate, but his unusual insight draws him into disputes in which a careless word can be as dangerous as a sword.

His reputation for prophecy grows from an unsettling mixture of observation, intuition and experiences that others cannot explain. Some seek his counsel, some fear him and others hope to turn his gift to political advantage. Moving between the Border country, noble households and the royal court, Thomas witnesses a kingdom enjoying rare strength yet resting on a fragile succession. Tranter’s novel keeps one foot in recorded medieval Scotland and the other in the legend of True Thomas, exploring how a living man becomes a figure of folklore.