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princesszinza's review against another edition
2.0
Here's the thing - I'll admit it, I'm not a stranger to the world of fandom, or what they called it in my day, groupie-ism. Before I saw At the Drive-In on MuchMusic and declared my love for Emo and dudes with afros, even before I bought Darkness on the Edge of Town and developed an interest in unshaven dudes from New Jersey and a curiosity for ambiguous hand gestures, I loved Robin Hood. I am a Robin Hood groupie.
I was introduced to Robin Hood by Walt Disney in Elementary School and he was a real fox! I graduated from the animated Robin Hood to a flesh and blood actor playing him in the PBS 12 episode, "Once upon a Classic" (this dude was a bit too sexy to be starring in a kid's show). I even enjoyed Richard Gautier as a silly Robin Hood in "When Things were Rotten" on TV (honestly, he really wasn't too bad looking either, for a clown). My favorite Robin Hood is probably the one that the BBC had on a couple years back. Their idea of Robin Hood matches mine: a fast talking, rakish, humorous, bow and arrow aficionado (uber-sexy too)!
This is my first recent literary foray into Robin Hood. My main problem with Outlaw is that Angus Donald's vision of Robin Hood doesn't match mine. I was intrigued with the idea of a realistic Robin Hood who was not always so good (us girls do love the bad boy). I was excited to start reading this book. Robin Hood, in the Outlaw, is a devil worshiping, sadistic, mini-tyrant who rules over Nottingham and over a motley militia, who must pledge their absolute allegiance to him.
I didn't find this portrayal of Robin Hood to be very much fun. The story is told through the eyes of a young boy who learns music and fighting under Robin's tutelage. There is a strong focus on bodily functions of both the sexy and unsexy (read: gross) kinds. I'm not a complete prude but I usually enjoy mentions of these sort of things when they're done in a humorous vein. Alas, not much is played for laughs in this book. A seriously mean Robin Hood who doesn't even shoot arrows, is not my idea of sexy at all!!
I was introduced to Robin Hood by Walt Disney in Elementary School and he was a real fox! I graduated from the animated Robin Hood to a flesh and blood actor playing him in the PBS 12 episode, "Once upon a Classic" (this dude was a bit too sexy to be starring in a kid's show). I even enjoyed Richard Gautier as a silly Robin Hood in "When Things were Rotten" on TV (honestly, he really wasn't too bad looking either, for a clown). My favorite Robin Hood is probably the one that the BBC had on a couple years back. Their idea of Robin Hood matches mine: a fast talking, rakish, humorous, bow and arrow aficionado (uber-sexy too)!
This is my first recent literary foray into Robin Hood. My main problem with Outlaw is that Angus Donald's vision of Robin Hood doesn't match mine. I was intrigued with the idea of a realistic Robin Hood who was not always so good (us girls do love the bad boy). I was excited to start reading this book. Robin Hood, in the Outlaw, is a devil worshiping, sadistic, mini-tyrant who rules over Nottingham and over a motley militia, who must pledge their absolute allegiance to him.
I didn't find this portrayal of Robin Hood to be very much fun. The story is told through the eyes of a young boy who learns music and fighting under Robin's tutelage. There is a strong focus on bodily functions of both the sexy and unsexy (read: gross) kinds. I'm not a complete prude but I usually enjoy mentions of these sort of things when they're done in a humorous vein. Alas, not much is played for laughs in this book. A seriously mean Robin Hood who doesn't even shoot arrows, is not my idea of sexy at all!!
laureel's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
loxleyhall's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
martydah's review against another edition
3.0
Outlaw is the story of Alan Dale, a young cutpurse, who escapes almost inevitable death at the hands of the Sheriff of Nottingham by joining up with Lord Robert Odo, aka Robin Hood, and his Sherwood Forest army. The book follows Alan's progress from fetch-and-carry servant to apprentice fighter and musician, to a full member of Robin's inner circle.
All of the main characters of the time honored legend are present: Robin, Little John, Friar Tuck and Maid Marian (called Marie-Anne here). Donald does a good job of recreating Norman-era England, complete with the imprisoned Eleanor of Aquitaine, the deteriorating King Henry and the absent Richard Lionheart who is off on a campaign to the Holy Land. The plot has a number of twists, including the discovery that there is a traitor in the inner circle who is feeding information to the Sheriff of Nottingham.
I rather liked this version of Robin Hood - cold, calculating, brutal and irreverent, but fair and just after his own fashion. Even Alan has his doubts about the man he has thrown his lot in with, but he comes to understand Robin's motives. This Robin Hood is a far cry (mercifully) from the jolly, simpering, green-tight-wearing Hollywood depiction and more believable for that.
All of the main characters of the time honored legend are present: Robin, Little John, Friar Tuck and Maid Marian (called Marie-Anne here). Donald does a good job of recreating Norman-era England, complete with the imprisoned Eleanor of Aquitaine, the deteriorating King Henry and the absent Richard Lionheart who is off on a campaign to the Holy Land. The plot has a number of twists, including the discovery that there is a traitor in the inner circle who is feeding information to the Sheriff of Nottingham.
I rather liked this version of Robin Hood - cold, calculating, brutal and irreverent, but fair and just after his own fashion. Even Alan has his doubts about the man he has thrown his lot in with, but he comes to understand Robin's motives. This Robin Hood is a far cry (mercifully) from the jolly, simpering, green-tight-wearing Hollywood depiction and more believable for that.
patremagne's review against another edition
4.0
http://abitterdraft.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-outlaw-by-angus-donald.html
Alan Dale is the lowest of the low - essentially a street rat, forced to steal to make a living. Robin Hood, "holding court" in Alan's town of Nottingham. Alan's mother convinces Robin to take Alan under his wing, and so begins the story of Outlaw.
Many of Robin's Merry Men are present - Little John, Much, Will Scarlet, Tuck, and of course the man himself. In Outlaw, Robin is no man-in-tights do-gooder, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. He's a brutal, bloodthirsty bastard ready to kill at the drop of a pin. I haven't read many Robin Hood novels, and I find myself looking for darker, grittier novels to read, so the older children's novels were of little interest. Outlaw is a coming-of-age tale, with our protagonist Alan Dale being around 13 or 14 at the outset of the novel, but it is without question an adult novel. Graphic violence and sex are abundant, and some comedy also finds its way in, even in the darkest of times.
Speaking of graphic violence, the battle scenes are exceptionally done and often described in detail, as is a particular torture scene, which I'll not to discuss so as to keep this review spoiler-free. The environments, whether the scene is in summer or winter, are described in detail, but not at all in fluffy, boring detail - Donald did an excellent job painting each scene.
Historical accuracy is always a difficult subject to read for one so interested in history as I am. There were no qualms from me going in because, as anyone who has read even a bit about Robin Hood knows, he may not even have existed. The blend of fiction and history was what drew me to Outlaw and eventually the rest of the series was this blend, and Donald could not have done better, down to battle formations and the illness and subsequent death of Henry II, and many other examples.
Angus Donald's Outlaw was a fast-paced, gripping read in which I found myself reading most of it in one sitting, eager for more. If you're looking for a fresh new take on Robin Hood, look no further than Outlaw. It takes skill for a writer to tie up the story into a nice knot at the end and still leave readers begging for more, and luckily for me, The Outlaw Chronicles stand at 5 novels with a sixth on its way.
Alan Dale is the lowest of the low - essentially a street rat, forced to steal to make a living. Robin Hood, "holding court" in Alan's town of Nottingham. Alan's mother convinces Robin to take Alan under his wing, and so begins the story of Outlaw.
Many of Robin's Merry Men are present - Little John, Much, Will Scarlet, Tuck, and of course the man himself. In Outlaw, Robin is no man-in-tights do-gooder, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. He's a brutal, bloodthirsty bastard ready to kill at the drop of a pin. I haven't read many Robin Hood novels, and I find myself looking for darker, grittier novels to read, so the older children's novels were of little interest. Outlaw is a coming-of-age tale, with our protagonist Alan Dale being around 13 or 14 at the outset of the novel, but it is without question an adult novel. Graphic violence and sex are abundant, and some comedy also finds its way in, even in the darkest of times.
Speaking of graphic violence, the battle scenes are exceptionally done and often described in detail, as is a particular torture scene, which I'll not to discuss so as to keep this review spoiler-free. The environments, whether the scene is in summer or winter, are described in detail, but not at all in fluffy, boring detail - Donald did an excellent job painting each scene.
Historical accuracy is always a difficult subject to read for one so interested in history as I am. There were no qualms from me going in because, as anyone who has read even a bit about Robin Hood knows, he may not even have existed. The blend of fiction and history was what drew me to Outlaw and eventually the rest of the series was this blend, and Donald could not have done better, down to battle formations and the illness and subsequent death of Henry II, and many other examples.
Angus Donald's Outlaw was a fast-paced, gripping read in which I found myself reading most of it in one sitting, eager for more. If you're looking for a fresh new take on Robin Hood, look no further than Outlaw. It takes skill for a writer to tie up the story into a nice knot at the end and still leave readers begging for more, and luckily for me, The Outlaw Chronicles stand at 5 novels with a sixth on its way.
fonril's review against another edition
3.0
The legend of Robin Hood is one I've been fascinated by since childhood. I have a few copies of children's books featuring the inimitable outlaw, the guy who would steal from the rich to give to the poor, expert archer, etc.
This is certainly a different take on the tale. It's told from the viewpoint of Alan Dale, now in his 60's and recalling his younger days when, as a young teenager, he is caught stealing a meat pie and is forced to flee to the woods and is taken in hand by the band of outlaws sworn to follow Robert of Odo, or Robin as he is known.
Robin is almost a secondary character in the book, he appears occasionally but never enough. I would bet that most people choosing this book aren't very interested in the exploits of trainee outlaw and musician Alan Dale, he is merely the support act, we want the headliner of Robin himself.
It is a first novel by the author so perhaps some clemency must be allowed to forgive a sometimes adolescent description of bodily functions that are cringeworthy. Despite my brain bringing images of the spoof Men In Tights film to mind each time Alan described what colour hose he wore, it's certainly not PG, there is violence, pagan ritualistic killing and sexual assault, perhaps more realistic of the time when it was set but certainly not the romantic tale many of us are more familiar with.
I wasn't sure of the book at all in the beginning but once there was some action, in particular a battle scene towards the end, I was glad I had kept going as I did enjoy that sequence.
Overall, the book didn't quite split the arrow on the bullseye but landed somewhere on the outer circle.
This is certainly a different take on the tale. It's told from the viewpoint of Alan Dale, now in his 60's and recalling his younger days when, as a young teenager, he is caught stealing a meat pie and is forced to flee to the woods and is taken in hand by the band of outlaws sworn to follow Robert of Odo, or Robin as he is known.
Robin is almost a secondary character in the book, he appears occasionally but never enough. I would bet that most people choosing this book aren't very interested in the exploits of trainee outlaw and musician Alan Dale, he is merely the support act, we want the headliner of Robin himself.
It is a first novel by the author so perhaps some clemency must be allowed to forgive a sometimes adolescent description of bodily functions that are cringeworthy. Despite my brain bringing images of the spoof Men In Tights film to mind each time Alan described what colour hose he wore, it's certainly not PG, there is violence, pagan ritualistic killing and sexual assault, perhaps more realistic of the time when it was set but certainly not the romantic tale many of us are more familiar with.
I wasn't sure of the book at all in the beginning but once there was some action, in particular a battle scene towards the end, I was glad I had kept going as I did enjoy that sequence.
Overall, the book didn't quite split the arrow on the bullseye but landed somewhere on the outer circle.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
‘Everyone in our village knew Robin was coming.’
This retelling of the legend of Robin Hood is set in Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire during 1188 and 1189. The main characters are those familiar from the legends: Robin Hood, Little John, Alan Dale, Tuck, Will Scarlet and Marian (Marie-Anne). Some characters are based on historical figures, such as Sir Ralph Murdac, and Eleanor of Aquitaine also makes a brief appearance.
The story is told by Alan Dale, now an old man, looking back on his life, and opens with Alan’s narrow escape from mutilation and imprisonment at the age of thirteen. Alan, the only son of a poor widow, has eked out a meagre existence as a cutpurse and thief around Nottingham. Following his escape, he joins Robin Hood’s band of outlaws in Sherwood Forest. Here, thanks to Robin, Alan develops his musical talent, courtesy of a fugitive French trouvere (troubadour) and learns swordsmanship, courtesy of a hostage Knight Templar.
Life is not easy, not even for those under the protection of ‘the Godfather of Sherwood Forest’, and Alan witnesses just how ruthless Robin can be – especially to those who try to challenge or betray him. The novel is filled with action, much of it gory, including elements of a thriving pagan religion practising human sacrifice. It’s entertaining and escapist, and while I’m not entirely comfortable with this more brutal characterization of Robin Hood (‘meet the Godfather of Sherwood Forest’), I can accept it.
‘Outlaw’ is the first novel in a planned five part series called ‘The Outlaw Chronicles’ about Robin Hood and his band of outlaws. I read the second novel first, and am now looking forward to the third.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
This retelling of the legend of Robin Hood is set in Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire during 1188 and 1189. The main characters are those familiar from the legends: Robin Hood, Little John, Alan Dale, Tuck, Will Scarlet and Marian (Marie-Anne). Some characters are based on historical figures, such as Sir Ralph Murdac, and Eleanor of Aquitaine also makes a brief appearance.
The story is told by Alan Dale, now an old man, looking back on his life, and opens with Alan’s narrow escape from mutilation and imprisonment at the age of thirteen. Alan, the only son of a poor widow, has eked out a meagre existence as a cutpurse and thief around Nottingham. Following his escape, he joins Robin Hood’s band of outlaws in Sherwood Forest. Here, thanks to Robin, Alan develops his musical talent, courtesy of a fugitive French trouvere (troubadour) and learns swordsmanship, courtesy of a hostage Knight Templar.
Life is not easy, not even for those under the protection of ‘the Godfather of Sherwood Forest’, and Alan witnesses just how ruthless Robin can be – especially to those who try to challenge or betray him. The novel is filled with action, much of it gory, including elements of a thriving pagan religion practising human sacrifice. It’s entertaining and escapist, and while I’m not entirely comfortable with this more brutal characterization of Robin Hood (‘meet the Godfather of Sherwood Forest’), I can accept it.
‘Outlaw’ is the first novel in a planned five part series called ‘The Outlaw Chronicles’ about Robin Hood and his band of outlaws. I read the second novel first, and am now looking forward to the third.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
puppy_eyes's review
3.0
It's gonna sound like I'm complaining a lot, but I still selected "I liked it," because I did LIKE it. I guess I just hate to hate on anything Robin Hood since it's my book-life goal to collect and read anything Robin Hood related, so that softens my opinion some, especially because the legend it's based on isn't fact to fact. It's open for interpretation, so writers can take creative liberties with some of the blanks. At least each story will be different.
[+] for Positive Notes [-] for Negative notes
[-] About 35 pages in, and I thought the book was just SO good, as everyone kept telling me it was. So often Alan is the main character, or Will, and I get that, because some of Robin's charm and awe is in the way others perceive him. But I just get so disappointed when I want to read a book about Robin Hood and he's a guest star in his own story.
[-] But since Alan's technically a bard, they come at it from the 'I'm telling his tale,' angle. But really it's just in his point of view. I know it's Alan's book, but I still can't understand why Robin would have accepted a 'useless' 13-year-old boy into his band/group of people. You'd think that'd slow him down, that he'd run with a few trusted circle of friends, but instead, he has like a whole system of people in a makeshift village that they stay at while he's out doing business. It just doesn't make sense to me that he'd need Alan for anything, unless they just wanted to show us how helpful he was to his mother's desperate request, or for basic plot purposes.
[+] It was easy to tell who's roles were what by how well they were described. For instance, you knew who Little John was just from "the giant with a booming voice guarding the door." And the jokes were great, it's been a while since I enjoyed a book that made me laugh out loud.
[+] Some people complained about how each character would go off into a dialogue about how they met Robin, but I found that to be one of my favorite parts. Tuck's story, for instance, I felt like a video game character, trying desperately to unlock an NPC's backstory, and it was fun to hear and imagine. They have their own personal experiences with Robin that most people don't get to see.
[-] BUT, the thing that gets praised the most is the action? I personally thought it was unnecessarily gory and cruel sometimes.. from massacring priests because they wouldn't give mass, cutting tongues out in detail, detaching limbs, seriously threatening rape with weapons, the list goes on. They even piss in someone's face TWICE, just to wake him up. That's disgusting. And I know that the idea is to point out realistically that it was different times, and they were criminals, men, and thugs, but the point of holding out for King Richard to come save the day, was because they were supposed to be good people? I think it's like how people romanticize pirates, and vampires, etc, but the reality is a bunch of criminals that hang out in the forest wouldn't be romantic, it would be dangerous. I think only once do we get to see Alan choose to walk away from killing someone, but Robin not once turns away from violence.
[-] And I miss that arc in the show, about how he's trying to make up for his murderous ways in the crusades by restraining himself from violence now. But in this version, he has nothing to do with the crusades yet, so that redemption arc isn't here. Even when King Richard returns and they talk like friends, I'm just thinking the whole time that the crusades are what made them close, and Robin's respect for him. I would understand then that he'd want to pardon them, because he knows they're good people, but why would he do it in this story, if he doesn't know them at all? Why would he care about a band of outlaws that kill and ravage his people, if not for his service in the crusades?
[+] One part that really hit me in the feels, was Robin's respect for Alan's music. There's one time where Alan thinks Robin is secluded in a room away from everyone else, holed up with a girl. He goes to bring him some refreshments, and freezes outside when he hears singing from inside the room. He just listens to it, and realizes that Robin's just listening to a girl singing beautiful songs, and he can't help but join in from outside because it's a song he loved from his childhood, with his father. After it's over, Robin jerks open the door in surprise at the wonderful sound, but only finds Alan, crying, and emotional.. and that part really sticks with me.
[-] It's where we get lady Marie-Ann, which at first threw me off, because I'm like 'It's supposed to be Marian, who's Marie!?' But then I understood that they just wrote the name just differently. -_- Kind of like when they call Robin "Robert," and I really hate that for some reason. I know it's an attempt to make them more realistic by giving them a common name, but they're not common people. We know you're talking about Robin, so writing Robert is just going to irk me and make me mentally replace it with Robin anyway.
[-] I tried to look up the songs that were mentioned because Alan was like 'You know them, they're popular songs!' So I thought they'd exist! "The Maiden's Song," and "My Love is as Beautiful as a Rose in Bloom," do not exist anywhere I can find on google. Shame, I wanted to see what song caused such an emotional reaction.
[-] And of course, around 30 pages in, Robin leaves. The story just spends all this time with Alan, growing up, living his life, and I don't want to read the book for Alan. When I wanted to read a Robin Hood book, I wanted to read it for Robin. Whatever though.
[-] Guy of Gisborne, Robin's nemesis, the popular one, you know? Nope, his name is Wolfram, and he's Alan's nemesis now. Guy and Will Scarlett are BFFs, growing up in the village with Alan, learning together, and they bully the HELL out of him from day to day. I always, always look forward to Robin facing off with Guy, but in this story, Guy is too young to even think about fighting anyone but Alan.
[-] I don't like how they're all way younger than Robin. Guy, Alan, Will, there's no way they could be members of the band at that point.
[-] The soldiers are the 'bad guys,' because they work for the Sheriff, sure. But every time they go kill one or a couple, I feel bad, because they're really just normal people who want a paycheck. When they sign up to guard a gate or something, they never expect that anything would REALLY happen. Of course there are a few bad ones, like his personal men-in-arms, but I'm just saying that some of the guards are just regular people.
[-] Bernard and Goody are other characters who I don't understand why they get so much screen time.
[-] I wish we could've skipped like the 5 months Robin was gone and watching Alan grow up, to instead seeing Robin and Marian together. We see them only together like once, and we know they must have had their romantic moments that would've been nice to see.
[-] When he DID return, it seems like they just wanted him back in the story, because he wanted to test alan with stealing something. And even Alan himself said that surely Robin can steal a measly little thing, so why get him involved in it at all? He acts like they're BFFs, and that Robin has such fond feelings for him, but we see everything Alan does, and he hardly interacts with Robin. I guess it's just the idea of his music that makes Robin covet him.
[--] AND NOT ONE TIME DOES ROBIN USE A BOW. I don't even think he OWNS a bow in this story, there's nothing about a bow. WTF, how are you gonna have a Robin Hood story, who doesn't shoot a bow? He has BOWMEN, but he fights with a sword. Okay?????????????
[+/-] Rant over. A big plot point of his arc in this is his 'battle against the Church and Christianity,' because of some trauma by hypocritical priests when he was a kid. He kills the priest, and from then on hates everything to do with the Church. So he runs off, yelling "I'm a pagan" wherever it can come up, and the Sheriff and his people make it a point that he and his people are heathens. I mean, that's all FINE, if there's some kind of power struggle about keeping the old ways vs conforming to Christianity, but there's so many things that seem to raise flags here.
>If he's against Christianity, and pro-Paganism, then he would never want to fight for King Richard and his holy war.
>When he DOES participate, they make it a point to show him smirking and enjoying himself, like either he's mocking the religion he's pretending to be in, or mocking Christianity for the sake of it, even if he believes in anyway? So he's not...REALLY, pagan, he just.. struggles with seeing the light?
>What about taxes? The only time taxes come up as an issue, is when we find that the Sheriff is skimming some off the top. But Robin never goes out of his way to rob carriages, or anything like that, I don't think he cares about the taxes at all.
>It would make more sense if he hated Christianity because King Richard is taxing people TO fund his holy war, and by proxy = making people's lives worse.
[+] Even though I pointed all that out, I just wanted to say that I really ENJOYED that part, the mysticism of getting in touch with the spirit of the forest and nature, and the power of invoking Gods like Cernunnos. I've always respected the Old Gods, so I can't really understand if he was mocking them or not, but the nightly ritual was an amazing and powerful scene.
[-] At one point when Robin leaves AGAIN, and we're stuck with Alan, I don't think he would do what he did next. Stealing. Because he's at a place that's overseen by Robin, I just don't think that his loyalty to Robin would allow him to STEAL something from them. Even in the beginning, his klepto ways were kept in check, because he watched them torture someone, and even thought to himself that he should never be caught even thinking about trying to steal from them. So then suddenly he has the balls to do it now?
[-] And, he ends up with no punishment for that! Yes, it just HAPPENS that he overheard someone important say something sinister to someone else, but he never brought it up at the million points he could have. Even when they were looking for the spy, he never thought about that strange moment! I'm sitting here thinking, 'surely he'll mention it now,' but he never does, and they continue on this game of 'who's the spy,' like we're just going to forget he heard them talking? What? What happened to Guy was shitty. He was a child bully, okay, but even Alan agrees that it was, and just shrugs it off with "Oh well, I won, it doesn't matter how."
[-/+] When the Sheriff's people attacked, I thought there would be some drama, because everyone would assume it was Guy telling them where Robin was out of revenge for what happened. But nope. It would've been more dramatic if Robin had found out what they did. Props to them though, I later realized that they attacked because and that never occurred to me until they brought it up later.
[-] I was even surprised that we had to watch Alan, Goody, and Bernard struggle through time trying to survive on the run in the forest. If I was Robin, I would've thought no one survived after that razing, and if they did, they scattered and ran off through the forest. How in the HELL did he manage to come and find them in the middle of nowhere, unless he's a really good tracker, or maybe he didn't see their bodies in the roundup. But it just seemed like a waste of time to go looking randomly in the woods for someone who MIGHT be there.
[-] Not gonna lie, I kinda started to skim that part, because I didn't care about Goody or Bernard, and we know Alan doesn't die no matter what happens to him, because he's the narrator telling his story in the past. That takes away ANY of the tension, because we know he doesn't die.
[-] Another strange concept, Alan's jealousy of Robin with Marian. It's obvious Robin and Marian are a thing, Alan doesn't even have a chance. He's had a casual sex encounter, but knows nothing about relationships, which Robin and Marian have spent that time with. It makes him seem like a bad person the way he pines after Robin's lover, but I think it's supposed to make us feel like Robin's lucky to have someone like her. And Alan's just projecting or something, which I was pleased to find that his feelings later change into a warm 'fondness,' for, like she's important to him because she's important to Robin. But there are times where he thinks about getting off to the thought of her, and I wonder how Robin would take that. (Especially since he went out of his way to threaten and kill off every suitor that tried to force their way to her, making him especially sinister when it comes to her.)
[+] Robin's gifts though! Talk about generous: a string of 100 pearls and a pair of earrings to match, a huge red Ruby, a flute with golden trim, a sword... uh, can I get some of that?
[+] I did laugh about the story of Robin making Marian's suitors eat coins, lol, I know it's messed up, but damn that's ruthless. I still refuse to call her Marie-Ann.
[-] There's another excuse to get Alan to leave, ugh, and Robin gives him a task as a makeshift spy. The first thing he does when he gets there, is announce that he WORKS ONLY FOR ROBIN. Now, no one is going to trust him enough to tell him anything even remotely useful when they suspect he works for the devious outlaw. Come on!
[+] When they get to the city, there's this dirty, cramped air, and they make a comment of how it stinks, like piss, and rats, dirt. It makes him and me both miss being in the fresh air of the forest, unbothered, but still feeling protected by its canopy. There's something so nice about thinking back to when you were a kid, playing in the woods, and feeling like you've found something exclusive. It's a good feeling to be out in nature, and when you're used to it, the city just feels so bad.
[+] Stemming off of that, is a story Marian tells about how Robin went out his way to throw her a birthday in the forest, sneaking off. It was nice to see that other side, of their connections and feelings.
[-] Something I can't stand, is when a woman is involved, it's like the only threat they can come up with is rape. We get it, The bad guy wants to rape his girl, Alan is jealous for her, and she has Robin already. Three people are too much for a love interest, and I'm just so tired of the rape threat. Beating the hell out of her is an option, or threatening to hurt Robin is another one, just saying. Why is it always rape? And then adding, 'Oh, I bet even Robin won't want her after everyone's had her.' Like, stop.
[+] I love how that quote made Alan understand that Robin saw Marian as he knew her personally growing up, as a real person, and the band of outlaws kind of viewed her as their mascot, a pedestal that Robin put her on.
[-] Everyone commends the big fight at the end, like the good point they finally got to, but it was the opposite for me. I ended up tuning a lot of it out, the military back and forth of a fight. I feel like someone who participated in the battle, but wasn't important enough to deal with the boss. Did the main guy even die? Idk, I must have missed it. I don't really care, it's just important to know the information.
[-] King Richard coming to save the day was supposed to be a turning point too, when 'all hope seems lost,' but again, what reason would he have to help them? He doesn't know anything that the Sheriff is doing to his land while he's away, he just cares that the money keeps rolling in to fund his holy war. His fight must be more important than some farmers complaining about it. Of course, we later find out that Robin had something to do with it, a deal that leads to the next book, which THEN makes a lot more sense. But at first it just seems like we're expected to know that historically Robin and Richard are involved, so just accept that they're friends somehow.
[-] The big showdown with Alan's nemesis. The whole scene makes me uncomfortable. It's supposed to be Alan's growth, the ability to get back at the one who's always wronged him and stepped on him, okay. But Guy wouldn't have done any of that, or be there if it wasn't for what Alan did first, and that was wrong as hell. Robin still doesn't even know about it, just accepts their request to fight, and we don't even get to see his expression when Alan takes his time being extra cruel about it. On top of it, he BRAGS about what he does. Guy never turns into Robin's nemesis, and will never be.
To RECAP:
[+] Robin's classic Charisma
[+] Book makes me laugh out loud
[+] Fun and easy to recognize classic members by role descriptions
[+] The dialogue is enjoyable
[+] The Scene where Robin and Marian's music makes Alan emotional
[+] Mysticism of Paganism and inclusion of practice
[+] Clues to foreshadowing I actually missed
[+] Robin's attitude towards Marian's suitors
[+] Appreciation for open forest air compared to the city
[+] Scene of Marian's birthday banquet in the forest
[+] Realizing how Marian is a real person instead of a mascot
[-] Main character is Will instead of Robin
[-] Believing Alan has a place in the group
[-] Excessive cruelty and gore
[-] Missing crusades / redemption Arc (Next book!)
[-] Similar confusing names. Sir Richard, King Richard, Robert, Robin/Robert
[-] Robin switches sides so fast in his religion, it makes my head spin
[-] Robin just stands there and does NOTHING as he watches someone important get killed.
[-] Changing their names to be more modernized. "Robert" and "Marie-Ann"
[-] Songs didn't really exist
[-] Robin keeps leaving the story
[-] Will, Alan and Guy are way younger
[-] Guy is Alan's nemesis instead of Robin's
[-] Don't care about Goody and Bernard
[-] Marian and Robin's offscreen romance
[-] Excuse to need Alan for something he could have done himself
[-] NO USE OF A BOW
[-] Wishy-washy of choosing a religious side
[-] Alan basically stealing from Robin
[-] No consequences of that
[-] Not mentioning the spy conversation he heard
[-] Surviving the forest run
[-] Skimming side characters
[-] There is NOT tension in Alan's fights because he's narrating from the future and can't die
[-] Alan's jealousy of Marian and Robin
[-] Rape threats
[-] Alan and Guy
[-] Guy getting unfairly shafted
My guess IS, the next book being all about their Crusades (YAY), is Robin might "see the light," during the war. And I hope it doesn't turn religious.
[-] About 35 pages in, and I thought the book was just SO good, as everyone kept telling me it was. So often Alan is the main character, or Will, and I get that, because some of Robin's charm and awe is in the way others perceive him. But I just get so disappointed when I want to read a book about Robin Hood and he's a guest star in his own story.
[-] But since Alan's technically a bard, they come at it from the 'I'm telling his tale,' angle. But really it's just in his point of view. I know it's Alan's book, but I still can't understand why Robin would have accepted a 'useless' 13-year-old boy into his band/group of people. You'd think that'd slow him down, that he'd run with a few trusted circle of friends, but instead, he has like a whole system of people in a makeshift village that they stay at while he's out doing business. It just doesn't make sense to me that he'd need Alan for anything, unless they just wanted to show us how helpful he was to his mother's desperate request, or for basic plot purposes.
[+] It was easy to tell who's roles were what by how well they were described. For instance, you knew who Little John was just from "the giant with a booming voice guarding the door." And the jokes were great, it's been a while since I enjoyed a book that made me laugh out loud.
[+] Some people complained about how each character would go off into a dialogue about how they met Robin, but I found that to be one of my favorite parts. Tuck's story, for instance, I felt like a video game character, trying desperately to unlock an NPC's backstory, and it was fun to hear and imagine. They have their own personal experiences with Robin that most people don't get to see.
[-] BUT, the thing that gets praised the most is the action? I personally thought it was unnecessarily gory and cruel sometimes.. from massacring priests because they wouldn't give mass, cutting tongues out in detail, detaching limbs, seriously threatening rape with weapons, the list goes on. They even piss in someone's face TWICE, just to wake him up. That's disgusting. And I know that the idea is to point out realistically that it was different times, and they were criminals, men, and thugs, but the point of holding out for King Richard to come save the day, was because they were supposed to be good people? I think it's like how people romanticize pirates, and vampires, etc, but the reality is a bunch of criminals that hang out in the forest wouldn't be romantic, it would be dangerous. I think only once do we get to see Alan choose to walk away from killing someone, but Robin not once turns away from violence.
[-] And I miss that arc in the show, about how he's trying to make up for his murderous ways in the crusades by restraining himself from violence now. But in this version, he has nothing to do with the crusades yet, so that redemption arc isn't here. Even when King Richard returns and they talk like friends, I'm just thinking the whole time that the crusades are what made them close, and Robin's respect for him. I would understand then that he'd want to pardon them, because he knows they're good people, but why would he do it in this story, if he doesn't know them at all? Why would he care about a band of outlaws that kill and ravage his people, if not for his service in the crusades?
[+] One part that really hit me in the feels, was Robin's respect for Alan's music. There's one time where Alan thinks Robin is secluded in a room away from everyone else, holed up with a girl. He goes to bring him some refreshments, and freezes outside when he hears singing from inside the room. He just listens to it, and realizes that Robin's just listening to a girl singing beautiful songs, and he can't help but join in from outside because it's a song he loved from his childhood, with his father. After it's over, Robin jerks open the door in surprise at the wonderful sound, but only finds Alan, crying, and emotional.. and that part really sticks with me.
[-] It's where we get lady Marie-Ann, which at first threw me off, because I'm like 'It's supposed to be Marian, who's Marie!?' But then I understood that they just wrote the name just differently. -_- Kind of like when they call Robin "Robert," and I really hate that for some reason. I know it's an attempt to make them more realistic by giving them a common name, but they're not common people. We know you're talking about Robin, so writing Robert is just going to irk me and make me mentally replace it with Robin anyway.
[-] I tried to look up the songs that were mentioned because Alan was like 'You know them, they're popular songs!' So I thought they'd exist! "The Maiden's Song," and "My Love is as Beautiful as a Rose in Bloom," do not exist anywhere I can find on google. Shame, I wanted to see what song caused such an emotional reaction.
[-] And of course, around 30 pages in, Robin leaves. The story just spends all this time with Alan, growing up, living his life, and I don't want to read the book for Alan. When I wanted to read a Robin Hood book, I wanted to read it for Robin. Whatever though.
[-] Guy of Gisborne, Robin's nemesis, the popular one, you know? Nope, his name is Wolfram, and he's Alan's nemesis now. Guy and Will Scarlett are BFFs, growing up in the village with Alan, learning together, and they bully the HELL out of him from day to day. I always, always look forward to Robin facing off with Guy, but in this story, Guy is too young to even think about fighting anyone but Alan.
[-] I don't like how they're all way younger than Robin. Guy, Alan, Will, there's no way they could be members of the band at that point.
[-] The soldiers are the 'bad guys,' because they work for the Sheriff, sure. But every time they go kill one or a couple, I feel bad, because they're really just normal people who want a paycheck. When they sign up to guard a gate or something, they never expect that anything would REALLY happen. Of course there are a few bad ones, like his personal men-in-arms, but I'm just saying that some of the guards are just regular people.
[-] Bernard and Goody are other characters who I don't understand why they get so much screen time.
[-] I wish we could've skipped like the 5 months Robin was gone and watching Alan grow up, to instead seeing Robin and Marian together. We see them only together like once, and we know they must have had their romantic moments that would've been nice to see.
[-] When he DID return, it seems like they just wanted him back in the story, because he wanted to test alan with stealing something. And even Alan himself said that surely Robin can steal a measly little thing, so why get him involved in it at all? He acts like they're BFFs, and that Robin has such fond feelings for him, but we see everything Alan does, and he hardly interacts with Robin. I guess it's just the idea of his music that makes Robin covet him.
[--] AND NOT ONE TIME DOES ROBIN USE A BOW. I don't even think he OWNS a bow in this story, there's nothing about a bow. WTF, how are you gonna have a Robin Hood story, who doesn't shoot a bow? He has BOWMEN, but he fights with a sword. Okay?????????????
[+/-] Rant over. A big plot point of his arc in this is his 'battle against the Church and Christianity,' because of some trauma by hypocritical priests when he was a kid.
Spoiler
(implied rape to me?)>If he's against Christianity, and pro-Paganism, then he would never want to fight for King Richard and his holy war.
Spoiler
(Even though we come to find that it's a deal he surrenders to)>When he DOES participate, they make it a point to show him smirking and enjoying himself, like either he's mocking the religion he's pretending to be in, or mocking Christianity for the sake of it, even if he believes in anyway? So he's not...REALLY, pagan, he just.. struggles with seeing the light?
>What about taxes? The only time taxes come up as an issue, is when we find that the Sheriff is skimming some off the top. But Robin never goes out of his way to rob carriages, or anything like that, I don't think he cares about the taxes at all.
>It would make more sense if he hated Christianity because King Richard is taxing people TO fund his holy war, and by proxy = making people's lives worse.
[+] Even though I pointed all that out, I just wanted to say that I really ENJOYED that part, the mysticism of getting in touch with the spirit of the forest and nature, and the power of invoking Gods like Cernunnos. I've always respected the Old Gods, so I can't really understand if he was mocking them or not, but the nightly ritual was an amazing and powerful scene.
[-] At one point when Robin leaves AGAIN, and we're stuck with Alan, I don't think he would do what he did next. Stealing
Spoiler
the Ruby[-] And, he ends up with no punishment for that! Yes, it just HAPPENS that he overheard someone important say something sinister to someone else, but he never brought it up at the million points he could have. Even when they were looking for the spy, he never thought about that strange moment! I'm sitting here thinking, 'surely he'll mention it now,' but he never does, and they continue on this game of 'who's the spy,' like we're just going to forget he heard them talking? What? What happened to Guy was shitty. He was a child bully, okay, but even Alan agrees that it was, and just shrugs it off with "Oh well, I won, it doesn't matter how."
[-/+] When the Sheriff's people attacked, I thought there would be some drama, because everyone would assume it was Guy telling them where Robin was out of revenge for what happened. But nope. It would've been more dramatic if Robin had found out what they did. Props to them though, I later realized that they attacked because
Spoiler
Robin was supposed to be there and couldn't make it that night[-] I was even surprised that we had to watch Alan, Goody, and Bernard struggle through time trying to survive on the run in the forest. If I was Robin, I would've thought no one survived after that razing, and if they did, they scattered and ran off through the forest. How in the HELL did he manage to come and find them in the middle of nowhere, unless he's a really good tracker, or maybe he didn't see their bodies in the roundup. But it just seemed like a waste of time to go looking randomly in the woods for someone who MIGHT be there.
[-] Not gonna lie, I kinda started to skim that part, because I didn't care about Goody or Bernard, and we know Alan doesn't die no matter what happens to him, because he's the narrator telling his story in the past. That takes away ANY of the tension, because we know he doesn't die.
[-] Another strange concept, Alan's jealousy of Robin with Marian. It's obvious Robin and Marian are a thing, Alan doesn't even have a chance. He's had a casual sex encounter, but knows nothing about relationships, which Robin and Marian have spent that time with. It makes him seem like a bad person the way he pines after Robin's lover, but I think it's supposed to make us feel like Robin's lucky to have someone like her. And Alan's just projecting or something, which I was pleased to find that his feelings later change into a warm 'fondness,' for, like she's important to him because she's important to Robin. But there are times where he thinks about getting off to the thought of her, and I wonder how Robin would take that. (Especially since he went out of his way to threaten and kill off every suitor that tried to force their way to her, making him especially sinister when it comes to her.)
[+] Robin's gifts though! Talk about generous: a string of 100 pearls and a pair of earrings to match, a huge red Ruby, a flute with golden trim, a sword... uh, can I get some of that?
[+] I did laugh about the story of Robin making Marian's suitors eat coins, lol, I know it's messed up, but damn that's ruthless. I still refuse to call her Marie-Ann.
[-] There's another excuse to get Alan to leave, ugh, and Robin gives him a task as a makeshift spy. The first thing he does when he gets there, is announce that he WORKS ONLY FOR ROBIN. Now, no one is going to trust him enough to tell him anything even remotely useful when they suspect he works for the devious outlaw. Come on!
[+] When they get to the city, there's this dirty, cramped air, and they make a comment of how it stinks, like piss, and rats, dirt. It makes him and me both miss being in the fresh air of the forest, unbothered, but still feeling protected by its canopy. There's something so nice about thinking back to when you were a kid, playing in the woods, and feeling like you've found something exclusive. It's a good feeling to be out in nature, and when you're used to it, the city just feels so bad.
[+] Stemming off of that, is a story Marian tells about how Robin went out his way to throw her a birthday in the forest, sneaking off. It was nice to see that other side, of their connections and feelings.
[-] Something I can't stand, is when a woman is involved, it's like the only threat they can come up with is rape. We get it, The bad guy wants to rape his girl, Alan is jealous for her, and she has Robin already. Three people are too much for a love interest, and I'm just so tired of the rape threat. Beating the hell out of her is an option, or threatening to hurt Robin is another one, just saying. Why is it always rape? And then adding, 'Oh, I bet even Robin won't want her after everyone's had her.' Like, stop.
[+] I love how that quote made Alan understand that Robin saw Marian as he knew her personally growing up, as a real person, and the band of outlaws kind of viewed her as their mascot, a pedestal that Robin put her on.
[-] Everyone commends the big fight at the end, like the good point they finally got to, but it was the opposite for me. I ended up tuning a lot of it out, the military back and forth of a fight. I feel like someone who participated in the battle, but wasn't important enough to deal with the boss. Did the main guy even die? Idk, I must have missed it. I don't really care, it's just important to know the information.
[-] King Richard coming to save the day was supposed to be a turning point too, when 'all hope seems lost,' but again, what reason would he have to help them? He doesn't know anything that the Sheriff is doing to his land while he's away, he just cares that the money keeps rolling in to fund his holy war. His fight must be more important than some farmers complaining about it. Of course, we later find out that Robin had something to do with it, a deal that leads to the next book, which THEN makes a lot more sense. But at first it just seems like we're expected to know that historically Robin and Richard are involved, so just accept that they're friends somehow.
[-] The big showdown with Alan's nemesis. The whole scene makes me uncomfortable. It's supposed to be Alan's growth, the ability to get back at the one who's always wronged him and stepped on him, okay. But Guy wouldn't have done any of that, or be there if it wasn't for what Alan did first, and that was wrong as hell. Robin still doesn't even know about it, just accepts their request to fight, and we don't even get to see his expression when Alan takes his time being extra cruel about it. On top of it, he BRAGS about what he does. Guy never turns into Robin's nemesis, and will never be.
To RECAP:
[+] Robin's classic Charisma
[+] Book makes me laugh out loud
[+] Fun and easy to recognize classic members by role descriptions
[+] The dialogue is enjoyable
[+] The Scene where Robin and Marian's music makes Alan emotional
[+] Mysticism of Paganism and inclusion of practice
[+] Clues to foreshadowing I actually missed
[+] Robin's attitude towards Marian's suitors
[+] Appreciation for open forest air compared to the city
[+] Scene of Marian's birthday banquet in the forest
[+] Realizing how Marian is a real person instead of a mascot
[-] Main character is Will instead of Robin
[-] Believing Alan has a place in the group
[-] Excessive cruelty and gore
[-] Missing crusades / redemption Arc (Next book!)
[-] Similar confusing names. Sir Richard, King Richard, Robert, Robin/Robert
[-] Robin switches sides so fast in his religion, it makes my head spin
[-] Robin just stands there and does NOTHING as he watches someone important get killed.
[-] Changing their names to be more modernized. "Robert" and "Marie-Ann"
[-] Songs didn't really exist
[-] Robin keeps leaving the story
[-] Will, Alan and Guy are way younger
[-] Guy is Alan's nemesis instead of Robin's
[-] Don't care about Goody and Bernard
[-] Marian and Robin's offscreen romance
[-] Excuse to need Alan for something he could have done himself
[-] NO USE OF A BOW
[-] Wishy-washy of choosing a religious side
[-] Alan basically stealing from Robin
[-] No consequences of that
[-] Not mentioning the spy conversation he heard
[-] Surviving the forest run
[-] Skimming side characters
[-] There is NOT tension in Alan's fights because he's narrating from the future and can't die
[-] Alan's jealousy of Marian and Robin
[-] Rape threats
[-] Alan and Guy
[-] Guy getting unfairly shafted
My guess IS, the next book being all about their Crusades (YAY), is Robin might "see the light," during the war. And I hope it doesn't turn religious.
jgolomb's review against another edition
3.0
Angus Donald's historical fiction "Outlaw" is an exciting middle-age tale set in the forests of England. Knights in gleaming armor battle on horseback, while beautiful ladies await the return of their loves in a countryside of castles and manors.
At the center of the story sits the legendary Robin Hood. But Donald's Hood is not the singing cartoon Hood of Disney, nor the 90's Robin of Kevin Costner. This Robin Hood has gone hardcore and there's more than a little bit of Godfather in him. Oh, he still lives in Sherwood and takes from the rich and gives to the poor, but he does so with a much bloodier dose of fear.
This Robin Hood also has a solid understanding of the fundamentals of public relations and propaganda. It's known wide and far that if you cross Robin once you're part of his merry band, you can expect a very bloody and tortuous end.
Though "General" Hood sits as the centerpiece of this tights & bows adventure, the real star is Alan Dale who narrates the story as an old man - a grandfather - pondering and reflecting on his life as an Outlaw.
Alan's voice is written earnestly and with heart. You ache and relate to his misplaced feelings of love for Robin's betrothed Marie-Anne. You feel a real sense of intimacy with the character as his tale is spun first person throughout. Dale is the strongest character is the book, as Donald seems to have favored action sequences over more involved secondary character development.
Religious themes are significant in Donald's world of 12-century England. Conflict persists between the regal and noble Christianity and the earthy and tribal religions of Robin's followers. Robin himself straddles both theological worlds and only commits himself to one or the other as circumstances see fit. This ecumenical tug of war is a cause of great internal strain for the young Dale as he tussles with his heart, morals, and growing admiration for Robin. Robin understands the politics of religion and also uses Catholic disillusionment to rally country-folk to his side. Likewise, he’s happy to play the role of the good Catholic when needing the support and backing of the English aristocracy.
Donald’s Robin Hood his guilty of some stilted and corny dialogue, but the action sequences are bloody and fresh, and keep the story rolling at a rapid pace. Donald’s world is very boldly drawn, and the violence is vivid and tense. I wouldn’t recommend this story for the feint of heart.
This is a strong entrant into the world of action historical fiction…in a similar vein to Conn Iggulden’s “Genghis” series, and stronger than Iggulden’s “Emperor” novels. It’s great escapist reading, and while I won’t line up to read the sequel the day it comes out, I’m definitely looking forward to reading more.
[I received a free copy of "Outlaw" from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program]
At the center of the story sits the legendary Robin Hood. But Donald's Hood is not the singing cartoon Hood of Disney, nor the 90's Robin of Kevin Costner. This Robin Hood has gone hardcore and there's more than a little bit of Godfather in him. Oh, he still lives in Sherwood and takes from the rich and gives to the poor, but he does so with a much bloodier dose of fear.
This Robin Hood also has a solid understanding of the fundamentals of public relations and propaganda. It's known wide and far that if you cross Robin once you're part of his merry band, you can expect a very bloody and tortuous end.
Though "General" Hood sits as the centerpiece of this tights & bows adventure, the real star is Alan Dale who narrates the story as an old man - a grandfather - pondering and reflecting on his life as an Outlaw.
Alan's voice is written earnestly and with heart. You ache and relate to his misplaced feelings of love for Robin's betrothed Marie-Anne. You feel a real sense of intimacy with the character as his tale is spun first person throughout. Dale is the strongest character is the book, as Donald seems to have favored action sequences over more involved secondary character development.
Religious themes are significant in Donald's world of 12-century England. Conflict persists between the regal and noble Christianity and the earthy and tribal religions of Robin's followers. Robin himself straddles both theological worlds and only commits himself to one or the other as circumstances see fit. This ecumenical tug of war is a cause of great internal strain for the young Dale as he tussles with his heart, morals, and growing admiration for Robin. Robin understands the politics of religion and also uses Catholic disillusionment to rally country-folk to his side. Likewise, he’s happy to play the role of the good Catholic when needing the support and backing of the English aristocracy.
Donald’s Robin Hood his guilty of some stilted and corny dialogue, but the action sequences are bloody and fresh, and keep the story rolling at a rapid pace. Donald’s world is very boldly drawn, and the violence is vivid and tense. I wouldn’t recommend this story for the feint of heart.
This is a strong entrant into the world of action historical fiction…in a similar vein to Conn Iggulden’s “Genghis” series, and stronger than Iggulden’s “Emperor” novels. It’s great escapist reading, and while I won’t line up to read the sequel the day it comes out, I’m definitely looking forward to reading more.
[I received a free copy of "Outlaw" from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program]
urlphantomhive's review against another edition
4.0
READ IN DUTCH
I received a pre-read book of the Dutch translation of Outlaw, a Robin Hood story.
My knowledge about Robin Hood was nothing more than 'He steals from the rich and gives to the poor', so everything is this novel was actually quite new to me.
Alan Dale is the storyteller after he was forced to join them after he stole something in his early teens. We get a look in the lives of the people living in those woods and also into the history of 12/13th century England, with some political schemes and everything. Overall, I enjoyed reading this first novel in the new Sherwood series, it was a nice and quick read. I've since read the second book as well.
I received a pre-read book of the Dutch translation of Outlaw, a Robin Hood story.
My knowledge about Robin Hood was nothing more than 'He steals from the rich and gives to the poor', so everything is this novel was actually quite new to me.
Alan Dale is the storyteller after he was forced to join them after he stole something in his early teens. We get a look in the lives of the people living in those woods and also into the history of 12/13th century England, with some political schemes and everything. Overall, I enjoyed reading this first novel in the new Sherwood series, it was a nice and quick read. I've since read the second book as well.