I've read almost all of Andrew Greig's novels, which I guess makes me a big fan; in fact, I probably wouldn't have read this if it wasn't by him, not being a big reader of historical fiction. It is quite different to his other novels, but Greig writes on a variety of non-fiction topics (golf, fishing, mountaineering), so why not some variety in his fiction. Greig is a very Scottish writer, this book more than his other fiction, I think. In fact, it's really a novelisation of the Border Ballad Fair Helen of Kirkconnel Lea, a kind of Scots Romeo and Juliet tragedy, set in the late 16th Century. Rendered here, it becomes a gutsy, atmospheric romance adventure, in which political tensions and loyalties shift constantly, the characters are likely to lose their lives at any moment, and secrets are kept from friends and enemies alike. The language is brilliant, very Scots - there is a glossary - very pungent and colourful, the characters both larger than life and finely nuanced. This is an excellent book. I've never read Pillars of the Earth, but I can't help thinking this would satisfy fans of Ken Follett - I would go as far as to suggest this might be better. And shorter.