Flight of the Heron read-along: Part I chapters 5-6

[regshoe]

What is right and what is wrang, a short sword and a lang, a weak arm and a strang for to draw...

Welcome back to the read-along! This week's chapters are getting a bit more serious, historically and for our characters...

Next week we'll read the first two chapters of Part II.

Comments

[hyarrowen]

Keith seems unable to resist the snark, even while he's beginning to fit into the household at Ardroy. It's so nice to see him doing his best with Alison, and then with Ewen himself even though he knows it won't be any use at all.

I love the line about the orange seaweed along Loch Eil. DKB saw that in person, there's no doubt in my mind.

The scene in the hut is one of my favourites. It fits so much backstory in, and the device of the journal keeps us up to date with the campaign. And Ewen just going to sleep with Keith in the hut, with his broadsword close at hand, is lovely - he has total confidence in Keith not to do anything dastardly.

The 1969 TV adaptation makes a pretty good contrast between Keith's wearing of the plaid - he looks a real mess - and Lachlan doing it properly, all neat pleats and elegantly-draped fabric. Very funny. I don't think the series is up on Youtube any more, and I have no idea how to get it there. But that scene is gold.

[osprey_archer]

There's a TV adaptation?? Which used to be on Youtube??? WHY must these things disappear like this, truly the gods of Youtube want us to suffer.

[hyarrowen]

DVDs are still available... *searches* Here you go: https://bobmeades-ivil.tripod.com/id13.html

It's about 2/3 of the way down the page. It's late-60s British TV, so think early Doctor Who quality, or Dixon of Dock Green. But you get some nice scenes between Keith and Ewen, and it's filmed on location (NOT in New Zealand, a personal bugbear of mine.)

There was also a mid-70s BBC adaptation. I can't remember much about that except that it was in colour but nonetheless a real let-down. High time for a new adaptation imo.

[regshoe]

I love the line about the orange seaweed along Loch Eil.

Yes, that detail stood out to me too! Such lovely and specific nature descriptions.

Ah, the TV adaptation! I still haven't seen it—perhaps I should actually get the DVDs one of these days...

[owl]

The 16th image in this gallery looks a lot like what Keith would have seen http://www.lochaberfish.org.uk/lochaber-fisheries-trust-photo-gallery.asp