The Antiquary: The third of Scott's (1771-1832) Waverly Novels is set in Scotland in the last years of the 18th century, and centers around Jonathan Oldbuck, the antiquary, the closest to a self-portrait of any of Scott's characters. Old Mortality (1816), which many consider the finest of Scott's Waverley novels, is a swift-moving historical romance that places an anachronistically liberal hero against the forces of fanaticism in seventeenth-century...

The Monastery: Set in the time of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the Elizabethan period, The Monastery explores the conflict between the Catholics and Reformists, which imperils a monastery. A love affair plays out against the backdrop of the turbulent era, and a religious community rebels against the new doctrines as the Protestant Reformation takes hold. The Abbot: A Romance is one of Scott's Tales from Benedictine Sources and is set in the time of...

The Bride of Lammeroor: The plans of Edgar, Master of Ravenswood to regain his ancient family estate from the corrupt Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland are frustrated by the complexities of the legal and political situations following the 1707 Act of Union, and by his passion for his enemy's beautiful daughter Lucy. The Surgeon's Daughter: From the opening sequence, a horse ride home by the surgeon of the title, Scott takes us straight into...

Rob Roy: Outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor comes alive in this classic epic of the Scottish borderlands. The narrative follows the adventures of Frank Osbaldistone, a businessman’s son who falls out of favor with his father and is sent to stay in Scotland. English and Protestant, Frank has never felt more out of place, but the wild and noble land intrigues him. And he is immediately drawn to the powerful, enigmatic figure of Rob Roy, who, alongside his fiercely...

Peveril of the Peak: Set against the backdrop of the Popish Plot to overturn Charles II, Peveril of the Peak explores the on-going tensions between Cavalier and Puritan loyalties during the fraught years of Restoration England. Ranging from Derbyshire to the Isle of Man and culminating in London, it is a novel which interweaves political intrigue, personal responsibilities and the ways in which the forces of history are played out. Black Dwarf: The...

Quentin Durward: This novel, written in 1823, tells the story of Quentin Durward, a wandering Scottish nobleman who goes to France to make his fortune and ends up serving in the Scottish Guard of the French King, Louis XI. Quentin is as noble and true and chivalrous as Louis is sneaky, cruel, and out for number one, but together they make a pretty good team. The Talisman: The Talisman is Sir Walter Scott's tale of the Crusades, a tale of chivalry,...

A successful caterer, Claire Waverley prepares dishes made with her mystical plants-from the nasturtiums that aid in keeping secrets and the pansies that make children thoughtful, to the snapdragons intended to discourage the attentions of her amorous neighbor. Meanwhile, her elderly cousin, Evanelle, is known for distributing unexpected gifts whose uses become uncannily clear. They are the last of the Waverleys-except for Claire's rebellious sister,...

Edward Waverly enjoyed a privileged upbringing, despite his family's drama. Coming of age during a political uprising, Edward's time is split between his father and his uncle, who each have opposing political views, which causes a rift in the family. His uncle is a traditional British subject that wishes to overthrow the government so that Charles Edward Stuart is restored to power, commonly known as a Jacobite. However, Edward's father is a Hanoverian,...

Nigel Olifaunt, a Scottish nobleman, travels to England to collect a debt on his late father's behalf, but is ultimately met with deception and disappointment. The Fortunes of Nigel is one man's tumultuous journey to keep what's rightfully his. Following his father's death, Nigel Olifaunt leaves his native Scotland for London, England. He plans to meet with King James VI to recoup the money his family originally lent to the crown. Despite a legitimate...