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A review by its_tara
Outlaw by Angus Donald
3.0
This review was originally posted here on my blog.
I don’t normally read historical novels, but I’m fascinated with the story of Robin Hood, and that’s what drew me to this one. And yes, I will be picking up Scarlet sometime soon!
Okay, so having had an extensive stay on my TBR list, I thought it was high time I made a start on it. I’m going to admit, I was put off by the tag of historical – it’s nor my normal genre, and not something that really interests me. Also, every other Robin Hood retelling I’ve ever read has been from either Robin, Marian/Marie-Ann or one of the merry men I’d actually heard of.
This one isn’t. The main narrator is Alan Dale, a young man who finds himself sworn to Robin’s band after narrowly avoiding a hanging on the offense of stealing. In some ways, it was a nice departure – I had no preconceptions of Alan’s character, and what he should/shouldn’t be, which made the story more fresh.
One of my few criticisms for this book was that I felt I knew Alan and his foes well, but you don’t see much of Robin himself, or any of the merry men. I understand that this book has actually become a part of a series, and this might be something we see more of later, but that was one of the only problems. Despite this, you do get a general feel for Robin’s character, such as his likeableness and his Pagan activities.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I don’t think I’d rush to get the next one and read it, and I wouldn’t recommend it to those who don’t already enjoy Historical novels, or already have a fair interest in Robin Hood. A nice read for a change of pace, but a little heavy in places.
I don’t normally read historical novels, but I’m fascinated with the story of Robin Hood, and that’s what drew me to this one. And yes, I will be picking up Scarlet sometime soon!
Okay, so having had an extensive stay on my TBR list, I thought it was high time I made a start on it. I’m going to admit, I was put off by the tag of historical – it’s nor my normal genre, and not something that really interests me. Also, every other Robin Hood retelling I’ve ever read has been from either Robin, Marian/Marie-Ann or one of the merry men I’d actually heard of.
This one isn’t. The main narrator is Alan Dale, a young man who finds himself sworn to Robin’s band after narrowly avoiding a hanging on the offense of stealing. In some ways, it was a nice departure – I had no preconceptions of Alan’s character, and what he should/shouldn’t be, which made the story more fresh.
One of my few criticisms for this book was that I felt I knew Alan and his foes well, but you don’t see much of Robin himself, or any of the merry men. I understand that this book has actually become a part of a series, and this might be something we see more of later, but that was one of the only problems. Despite this, you do get a general feel for Robin’s character, such as his likeableness and his Pagan activities.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I don’t think I’d rush to get the next one and read it, and I wouldn’t recommend it to those who don’t already enjoy Historical novels, or already have a fair interest in Robin Hood. A nice read for a change of pace, but a little heavy in places.