Tales from the Greenwood

I feel that I should open with the disclaimer that my favorite versions of Robin of the Hood were brought to the screen by Mel Brooks and Walt Disney. If you can maneuver your way past that, then welcome to the latest grouping of books!

 This was a really fun take on the Robin Hood story and it made Prince John into one of my favorite characters. Since I'm biased toward Richard, this took some slick writing! In this version, Guy of Gisbourne is a noble mercenary on the trail of dangerous outlaw, Robin Hood. The writing has a strange cadence to it, almost as if it's been translated, so it slows down the reading a little. Still,
I'm looking forward to the second book!

This book has been one of my favorites for many years. It focuses on ward of the crown, Marian Fitzwalter and Robin of Locksley, newly returned from the Crusades. They team up with a band of newly-minted outlaws and outcasts: the miller's son Much, the Hathersage giant Little John, Will Scarlet, would-be-friar Tuck, the moneylender Abraham - in a scheme to outfox Sheriff William de Lacey and divert Prince John's taxes to the ransom of the king. Roberson mingles familiar legends, lovely descriptions, and real history and makes it all feel new. There are places where the sentences tangle and lose their way, but there are also wonderful character developments like Locksley's PTSD and his father's movements between negotiation and intimidation.