Robert Low: 1949~2021

Original introduction:

I am the wrong side of older and I have been a journalist and writer since the age of 17.

At 19, I went to Vietnam on spec to try and cover the war in the firm belief that I could not be any sort of writer until, as Hemingway put it, I had been as drunk as could be, suffered a broken heart and experienced war. Naturally at 19, I believed I had the first two under my belt and just needed the third. After 18 months of it, I swore I would never do anything as stupid ever again.

Since then, I have earned a living as a writer safely in Scotland, with occasional lapses of judgement taking me to Sarajevo, Romania Albania and Kosovo, in a desperate attempt to salve my conscience and prove that I am, still, a real journalist and not a tabloid nithing. Happily, there I found enough wannabes with too much sense to risk themselves who'd hire me to do their job for them.

Then, to satisfy a craving for action and couple it to an obsession with ancient warfare, I took up riding, taught myself horse archery and, latterly – having moved to an area rich in Viking tradition – took up re-enactment, joining The Vikings group. I still turn out with sword and shield, in a variety of guises from Norse trader to Pictish chieftain to wise and ancient Hospitaller.

The Oathsworn Series began in 2007 and runs to four titles: The Whale Road, The Wolf Sea, The White Raven and The Prow Beast, all available from HarperCollins. In 2011 The Lion Wakes became the first title in the Kingdom Series. The Lion at Bay, published in 2012, was the second, and The Lion Rampant followed in 2013. In 2019 publication of the Brothers of the Sand Series began with The Beast Beyond the Wall, continued with The Red Serpent and completed in 2020 with Beasts From The Dark. The Border Reivers Series followed in 2020 and 2021 with three novels: A Dish of Spurs, Burning the Water and Shake Loose the Border.