The Linton Porcupine

The Linton Porcupine by Ross Laidlaw tells the adventures of a 16th century James Bond type sent in His Majesty Henry VIII's service to Scotland. There he must hunt down and destroy a machine of war that could not only turn the tables in the war between Scotland and England, but totally shift the balance of power in Europe. This book is entertaining as a Renaissance spy story. It is not terribly convincing historically, as it contains a few too many anachronisms, but they do not ruin the story. It is written as a lost manuscript "discovered" and translated into modern English by Laidlaw. Perhaps its biggest weakness is the way the author's commentaries on the dangers of arms races shows through (it was written in the 1980s, and yes, he even uses the phrase "arms race" of 16th century Europe). The introduction is written in the style of 16th century English, and the book contains considerable amounts of dialogue written in Scottish brogue. For those who enjoy the history of the English language or different English dialects, it is a plus, but some readers may find it a hindrance to the story. A friend loaned me this book, and when searching for information about it online, I found almost nothing. It also looks like it is hard to find. That's a shame, because the Linton Porcupine is worth reading.