I have been a fan of John Sayles’ films for decades. Among my favorites are Matewan, Lone Star and The Secret of Roan Inish. With the release of his latest novel, JAMIE MacGILLIVRAY, Sayles has brought all of his cinematic talents to the forefront with an epic work of historical fiction that never fails to entertain and enthrall readers.

Spanning 13 years and two continents, the action starts in 1746. When we meet our protagonist, Jamie MacGillivray, he is in the Scottish Highlands participating in the Battle of Culloden. Jamie is part of a rebellious troop that is battling against the man they label the “pretender” to the throne of the Three Kingdoms, Bonnie Prince Charlie. Jamie is referred to by his mates as “another young man gone a king-making.” But he will prove to them that he is made of tougher stuff when he is shot straight through his body in the skirmish and pulls through with little to no suffering. It is as if he was meant to survive and make a name for himself in the New World.

"Sayles has brought all of his cinematic talents to the forefront with an epic work of historical fiction that never fails to entertain and enthrall readers.... JAMIE MacGILLIVRAY is Dickensian in scope and a masterpiece that only the indomitable John Sayles could have produced."

Jamie’s travels are paralleled by those of Jenny Ferguson, a poor village girl. In fact, their narratives will rival each other in such a way that it almost seems to be predestined. They meet early on in the story when Jenny tells Jamie that she knows his brother. She will be brought up on false charges in the wake of the Battle of Culloden around the same time that the injured Jamie is captured and placed on a ship bound for England. This is just prior to them being sentenced to indentured servitude in colonial America.

Those who are taken along with Jamie see his recovery from the gunshot wound as a minor miracle and a tribute to the self-healing powers of the human body and spirit. This also will go a long way in him being thought of as a heralded Scottish figure. Jamie proves to be a well-spoken and intelligent character, which makes him worthy of admiration and fellowship. He is able to look at the situation and balance of power in his world and comment: “…with such a raggle-taggle of an empire, dozens of people and tongues that they speak, alliances here and ancient feuds there, as mony enemies as ye’ve got borders, ye never ken when ye’ll be dragged intae a dispute that leads tae a full-oot war.”

Arriving in chains in the New World, Jamie has to navigate allegiances between not only the British and French but also the indigenous Native American population. Part of the history of this new nation is detailed by Sayles with his depiction of the Lenape Indians, a tribe to which Jamie will endear himself so much that he is permanently branded as a member --- a badge of honor that he proudly wears. The second half of the novel, which outlines his time with the Lenape, will dive deep into the history of this great nation and their battles throughout the Ohio Territory. Readers will marvel at the appearance of famous figures such as General George Washington, General James Wolfe, and the feared leader of the Lenape tribe, Shingas the Terrible.

Jenny’s own adventures will see her in the New World, where she must assume and wear multiple hats like mistress, wife and bride of Christ, all the while escaping her own fated demise at the end of a gallows rope. She is a heroine of the highest degree and very easily could have carried her own story rather than share time with Jamie. However, it is the combination of these two warriors that makes this novel a true love letter to the people of the Scottish Highlands and their mighty spirit.

I hope we see more of Jamie and Jenny in the future, even if it’s in the form of a prequel. JAMIE MacGILLIVRAY is Dickensian in scope and a masterpiece that only the indomitable John Sayles could have produced.