
What makes this book so outstandingly good?
First, the writing style is tense, gripping. We are introduced to the main character, Fin MacLeod, after he just suffered a tragedy in his life. He is forced to return to Lewis, where he came from originally. The brilliance of the book lies in the flashbacks narrated in the first person where the reader gets a deeper insight into Fin's background and childhood. The importance of those flashback grows steadily throughout the book and the culmination is nothing short of breathtaking.
For me the book was particularly fascinating as I count many Leodhasaich among my friends and have been to the island several times - I am familiar with a lot of the places. The guga hunt which is an integral part of the story is described in such a wonderful way that you are actually on an Sgeir with the twelve men.
I would recommend this book to anybody who likes a well-told story that grips you and does not let you go.