Wolf's Head

The Forest Lord #1

by Steven A. McKay

When a frightened young outlaw joins a gang of violent criminals their names – against a backdrop of death, dishonour, brotherhood, and love – will become legend.

ENGLAND 1321 AD

After viciously assaulting a corrupt but powerful clergyman Robin Hood flees the only home he has ever known in Wakefield, Yorkshire. Becoming a member of a notorious band of outlaws, Hood and his new companions – including John Little and Will Scaflock – hide out in the great forests of Barnsdale, fighting for their very existence as the law hunts them down like animals. When they are betrayed, and their harsh lives become even more unbearable, the band of friends seeks bloody vengeance. Meanwhile, the country is in turmoil, as many of the powerful lords strive to undermine King Edward II’s rule until, inevitably, rebellion becomes a reality and the increasingly deadly yeoman outlaw from Wakefield finds his fate bound up with that of a Hospitaller Knight…

"Wolf’s Head" brings the brutality, injustice and intensity of life in medieval England vividly to life, and marks the beginning of a thrilling new historical fiction series in the style of Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical, Adventure, Medieval, Ebooks

326 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 2, 2013

About the author

I was born in 1977, near Glasgow in Scotland and live in Old Kilpatrick with my wife and two young children. After obtaining my Bachelor of Arts degree I decided to follow my life-long ambition and write a novel. The Forest Lord series now has four novels, and various short spin-off tales.

My new book "The Heathen Horde" is the first in a brand series following Alfred the Great. It comes out on October 26 2023 so please check it out and pre-order if you can!

I play guitar and write all my books while listening to extreme metal.
In 2022 I started a podcast with fellow historical author Matthew Harffy. You can subscribe to Rock, Paper, Swords! on all the usual podcast outlets and also find the audio on Youtube every fortnight.

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This very exciting book is the 1st volume of "The Forest Lord" series, featuring Robin Hood, from the, for me, new Scottish Indie-author, Steven A. McKay.

Historical details concerning this book can be found and enjoyed at the end of the book, where they are very well documented, and also superbly implemented within this historical adventure.

Story-telling from this author is of a superb quality, all characters, mostly real great historical and also some wonderful fictional, come vividly to life within this historical tale which is set in the year AD 1321, during the reign of King Edward II.

The story begins in the year AD 1321, when Robert Hood, but commonly more known of course as Robin Hood, kills the bailiff of Wakefield in an attempt to defend his friend, Much, and by doing so he'll become an outlaw or a Wolf's Head.

Robin Hood will join a band of Wolf's Heads which is led by Adam Bell/Gurdon, who will later on become a traitor to them all, by turning into the Sheriff's man, in an attempt to get a pardon for himself.

Robin, Little John, Will Scaflock (Scarlet), Much, and many more outlaws will need to do everything they can to stay out of the clutches from the Sheriff's men, who are now let by Adam Gurdon/Bell, and with cunning and decisive actions they will some how survive.

What is to follow is an action-packed and fast-paced historical adventure in which the Wolf's Head, Robin Hood, and his fellow outlaws will do everything they can, within their limits and with the help from others, to stay clear from the Sheriff of Nottingham and Yorkshire's tentacles of power, in these turbulent historical times of murder and mayhem during King Edward II's reign.

Very much recommended, for this is a great start of a hopefully fantastic series, so I look very much forward to the next instalment, and what this book is concerned I like to call it: "An Amazing Robin Hood Beginning"!

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was in the mood for this book when I came to it. Perhaps that is why I caved in and did a very rare thing. A rare thing for me that is. I accepted this self published book (and its follow on) in exchange for a review of each.
Yes, yes, I know that some of you are now picking yourselves up off the floor. It is a surprise and I am sorry to sling it on you in such a sudden manner. Accepting copies of Self Pub and Indie books in exchange for a review is out of character for me I know (I've been harassed before and therefore swore off them). But hey, I have a weakness for the setting. What more can I say? It is a one off. So, dust yourself off, put your monocle back on and let's get down to the business of book reviews....

Fiends of the forest, highwaymen, pirates. They lend themselves well to the pages of our fiction and the plots of our movies and tv shows. Most of us grew up with the tales of Robin Hood, in all their varied forms, like cartoon Disney foxes or dashing, debonair swordsmen swinging from chandeliers And for the young and impressionable, such as myself, it sparked a life long interest in the theme as fantasy. Fantasy of the mind, where I might live for a while, escaping the stress that was life through school, young adulthood and then adulthood. I am an adventurer in the mind, not so much in the feet.
(I might dream of jumping out of plane, I don't actually want to go jumping out of a plane...you get my meaning? IN the mind, not in the feet.)

I find that there really are not enough of these kinds of adventure criminal stories being written today. I can name the ones I know, that have been written in the last ten years, on two hands. And if you want to narrow that down to just Robin Hood, then I am forced to count them on one hand, with Wolf's Head being one of them, Hood by Stephen R. Lawhead another and Outlaw by Angus Donald the next. There are scant more that I can name off the top of my head. Hood to me is young adult and I do not like young adult books, so where does that leave me?? With two book choices.
Are you seeing now why I broke my own golden rule and accepted this book in exchange for review?

I did not think a great deal of Outlaw by Angus Donald, but I can see why some would love it. If that is the kind of story you crave (easy reading action adventure) then I would recommend Wolf's Head to you quick as a flash. They are not that dissimilar in writing style, truth be told. Which is a mix of the simplicity, naivete and inexperience so many debut writers suffer from. A little uncomplicated for my tastes, but still able to carry a story well enough and easily devoured by readers who aren't as snobbish as I am about writing techniques and wordsmithing.

Still, I was surprised by the book when I first started reading it. I actually expected it to be really badly written and I can honestly say that while uncomplicated, it isn't badly written. That sounds a little like a mixed message, but the experienced fiction readers amoung you will know what I mean.
Simple doesn't always mean bad. It just means the techniques are a little raw and the breadth of word use is not there. But what is there, is not messy and ill formed. I expect as the books come down the line from Steven A. McKay over time, that simplicity will be overcome by a more experienced approach to form and function.
I think this book will continue to find its audience in the ebook market place and will continue to rate highly there too. It is a perfect light and easy read for those looking to download the diamonds in the rough on Amazon.

Going off what I have given two stars to over the years, I find this book was better than some of those. So, three stars officially and two and a half stars on my personal scale.

[Blair Hodgkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshing retelling of the origins of the Robin Hood legend, convincingly blending the familiar story with a realistic historical setting.

This version is set in Yorkshire during the unstable reign of Edward II, an idea consistent with some of the early ballads and the time and place most likely to have spawned the legend according to many historians.

It is a gritty, well-told, fast-moving story, plausibly told. McKay writes well and holds the reader's interest with steadily building tension and conflict on every page. The author is clearly familiar with the Robin Hood legend, both in its original ballad elements and the tired tropes and clichés from children's books and Hollywood films, and he skillfully plays with the reader's expectations, conforming and reconstituting the story in a satisfying and original way.

When the last page is turned, the reader is left eager for volume two. For a first novel, I would call McKay's debut historical novel a triumphant entry and I will watch with anticipation to see not only the next installments in this intended trilogy, but also his future projects.

Addendum (April 18, 2014): I have now also listened to the Audible audiobook read by Nick Ellsworth as preparation for reading McKay's sequel, The Wolf And The Raven. Ellsworth is a fine reader and does the novel and its characters credit. Definitely worth a listen.

[[ J o ] · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book. It's a re-telling of the very famous and sturdy tale of Robin Hood and his band of merry thieves and, whilst I might have been persuaded to hop on to the re-telling wagon because I love Robin Hood and anything concerning, I found the writing style far too mediocre to continue with this book.

[Terrible Timy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5

Full review with some personal notes: starlitbook.com/2018/06/23/wolfs-head...

First of all, those who haven’t heard about Robin Hood, please raise your hands! … No one? You sure? Okay, let’s move on then.

I won’t waste your time introducing you the characters, because, let’s face it, there is no one who never heard about the outlaws who were something like folktale heroes, constantly making a fool of nobles, robbing money and food so they could stay alive, but also to give back something to the villagers. Just search for his name on Goodreads and will find a shit ton of books about him. Those who are interested in England’s history and write historical fiction/fantasy, sure as hell will end up writing a book about him. We Hungarians also have an author who published a book about him, aimed for youngsters. Which happened to be one of my favorite reads in grade school along with The Three Musketeers by Dumas and Eclipse of the Crescent Moon by Gárdonyi Géza. All historical fictions. No wonder I ended up with a history major in University. And before I go into details, I’ll be honest, I haven’t read any other Robin Hood books apart from the one mentioned, so I have no comparison. Why it never occurred to me until now to read books like this, I’ve no idea.

The book starts with Robin, being 17, a lively young man madly in love with Matilda (the first surprise for those who are familiar with the several legends surrounding Robin Hood), living in Wakefield with his best friend Much. When the Prior of Lewes appears on the May Day celebration things quickly turn bad for our protagonist. Trying to defend Matilda, Robin ends up beating the prior and his companions, thus has to leave the village and seek refuge in the Barnsdale Forest. Not having any other choice, he decides to join another folktale hero, Adam Bell’s gang of outlaws or Wolf’s Heads – by the way we never learn why they are called that – where he finds unexpected friends and companions. Such as Will Scaflock or Will Scarlet, Little John and Friar Tuck. During the book we learn some things about the past of Will and Tuck, the former’s play an important part in the story too.

Meanwhile, England is about to being torn into two parties. The date is 1321, and the Earl of Lancester tries to ally himself with as much noble as possible to get the attention of King Edward II, who is under the influence of the Dispensers and neglecting the needs of his subjects. Sir Richard, lord and Hospitaller also joins him after an injustice is being done to his son. He also has a brief meeting with Robin and his gang and they end up helping each other out, while the prior and the Sheriff of Nottingham try their hardest to bring Robin and the others out of the picture.

The book focuses on Robin Hood and his adventures, which sometimes feels like different tales put together into one story. As the synopsis shows, McKay choose to put his story in Yorkshire, more accurately in Barnsdale Forest instead of the well known Sherwood forest. Which at first is strange and needs some getting used to – as well as Matilda’s name – but after a while you forget about it. And while the Sheriff of Nottingham also plays a prominent part in the story, he is not the villain per se. But then, there is not really one big villain here against whom our friends fight for. There is the prior and the sheriff of course and Lord de Bray as well. The other change – at least for those who grew up on the Robin Hood stories present in the pop culture – is that the events take place in the 1320’s, under the reign of King Edward II, instead of Richard I and his brother John we all used love to hate. On one hand this is a risky move, because most people grew up hearing those tales. On the other we can hardly blame him for putting a new twist on the old story. Besides there are several versions of Robin’s tales, so it’s up to him to choose whatever version he feels like. Actually it is kind of refreshing too. The background stories of Will and Tuck are especially interesting and put a new light on both characters. Will turned out to be my favorite character despite me not liking him at the beginning. His character came a long way during the book and showed such depths the readers wouldn’t have expected. The others felt a bit 2 dimensional – another exceptions are Friar Truck and Adam Bell – hence the lower actual rating.

The bits about Lancester’s attempt of opposing the king although interesting, didn’t really added much to the story – except historical background, that is – , and sometimes just broke the flow. Probably, if there would be more of these scenes, then that would have given a wider insight of the state of England at the time. Like that small snippet about the Templars’ fall, which gave depth to one of the character’s background as well as a glimpse into real historical events. The balance between the two storyline is a bit off, but this and the few minor editing issues this book has can be easily corrected.

Since I half listened to the Audiobook, let me mention what a good job Nick Ellsworth did with narrating. His voice has an interesting lilting to it, but after a while you get used to it and forget about it. He reads in a way that even non-english speakers like myself can easily understand.

Wolf’s Head is an action packed, sometimes bloody and brutal historical fiction, which puts a twist to the famous legend of Robin Hood. As it is a first book, it’s not perfect, but a very enjoyable read nonetheless. It brought back my childhood memories, mixed it with my adult self’s love for english history and gritty elements, and pretty much blew my mind. Besides making me a dirty mouthed lunatic in the morning commute, on a tram full of people. Which means you should absolutely check it out if you are into this kind of stuff!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

I am no Robin Hood expert and admit to having difficulty removing the vision of a fox in green tights from my head when attempting to read a story like this. McKay's Hood is not a fox (spoiler), but he is muscle-bound, witty, friendly, and impetuous. An all around lovable guy, except for the fact that he happens to be an outlaw. But he became an outlaw defending his girl's honor, so even that makes him a good guy.

All the characters you would expect are given this author's own special twist to create a unique Robin Hood story that is familiar but different enough to captivate the reader's interest. I especially liked the fact that this novel was set during the reign of Edward II, so there was no horrible history surrounding Bad Prince John and Good King Richard.

Though it is an expected element of a Robin Hood story, I had difficulty getting around the idea of an honorable band of outlaws. Everyone was there because they stole food for a starving family or defended a woman against rape, but they sure turned into lethal killers when rich clergymen passed by. The negative portrayal of most men of faith in the novel, except for Friar Tuck who is only sort of a clergyman, rubbed me the wrong way, but wasn't a major issue.

If you are looking for a light, adventurous story where the good poor people claim victory over the bad rich people, this is it. Some attempt is made to delve into the greater political friction of the era (Despensers = Bad) with chapters switching over to Thomas of Lancaster and his plans to dethrone Edward, but they were infrequent and seemed to set the stage for things to come for the most part. I have hopes that the next book will blend these two story lines together a little more seamlessly.

Book 3 was just released a couple of weeks ago, so if you are looking for a fun jaunt into Sherwood Forest there is plenty to keep you entertained with McKay's series.

[Matthew Harffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed McKay's debut novel. It is action-packed, with quite a light touch on the historic and more focus on the fiction. The plot is pacey and quite simple, yet engaging.

The main difference with this telling of the Robin Hood story and others is the period it is set in. I found the details of the historical context, with mentions of the Despensers and King Edward II to be a bit forced. They didn't add a lot to the story in my opinion and felt like a bit of an afterthought. All the characters you expect are here: Robin, Will Scarlet, Little John, Alan-a-Dale and Friar Tuck. But despite mention of some of the robberies the band of outlaws carry out, the life in the forest never felt that much of a hardship.

I found some of the use of language a bit off-putting. For example, talk of people feeling adrenaline coursing through their veins (11 mentions of adrenaline), when adrenaline was not discovered until 1900, throws me out of the story. Call me picky, but I find this type of anachronistic language difficult to swallow in historical fiction. I have no problem with the use of modern turns of phrase in dialogue, as I understand that the writer wants to make it seem natural and easily understood, but mention of things that have not yet been invented or discovered, I find problematic.

Having said all of the above, I do not want to give the impression I did not enjoy the novel. It is an easy read, with characters that are likable with a clear sense of right and wrong. You root for Robin and his band of rogues, but you need to take it all with a pinch of salt. It is classic derring-do, but fun all the way.

4 stars - looking forward to the sequel.

[Wolfmantula · Rating 5 out of 5]

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MY ⭐️ RATING: 4.5/5
FORMAT: Kindle Whispersync

I originally picked this up because I was looking for another self-pub/small-pub historical fiction story, and if there’s one thing I love, it’s a fresh adaptation of a long told story, and what better tale than the Prince of Thieves. The folklore tale of Robin Hood is one of those that I could never get tired of hearing, and much like a lot of other folklore tales such as King Arthur, it has changed dramatically over the years, especially in the modern era. McKay does a fantastic job of researching and it shows by how he takes this story back to its early 15th century ballad roots, as a well written fast paced story that’s chock-full of violence, revenge and devotion. What I do like, is that, unlike most of the portrayal’s in film, where Robin is older, McKay sticks with the original tales with Robin as a young 18 year old man, similar to Otto Bathurst’s version, starring Taron Egerton. Though he also sticks to the truer reality of the times of those late Middle Ages, with a grittier story that feels much more like Ridley Scott’s version, starring Russell Crowe.

This is the type of Robin Hood story the world deserves, it’s gritty, emotional & violent but most importantly, it’s true to the original ballads. The brilliance of this story is, not only the depth of the characters, but also more “accurate” information on them to help cultivate a that depth. Unlike the film adaptations, and more consistent with the early ballads, McKay’s version of Robin Hood was never part of the Crusades, nor a person of any kind of wealth or notoriety, never living in a manor or Castle, but of a commoner, known during those times as a yeoman. It’s a story that shows a more realistic life of a young man who becomes an outlaw known as a wolf’s head for defending his friend, who now roams the forest of Yorkshire, we know is Sherwood, with a group of outlaws out for revenge to clear their names from rich men trying to get richer off the back of the innocent, and becomes a legend in the process.

In McKay’s version, Robin Hood is of Wakefield, Yorkshire, not of Locksley, I found this interesting and after some research, I found that this is the actual accepted birthplace of Robin Hood, based on the dialect of the original ballads, though many places of the area lay claim to him. He is still the same lion-hearted and chivalrous Robin that we all grew up knowing, but with a bit of an edge. At first I thought The Lady Marian wasn’t in the story and was replaced with a new character named Matilda, until I found out that Lady Marian is actually based off a real person, Lady Matilda Fitzwalter, the daughter of the Baron of Essex. Another interesting character change that helps give depth to a character is that of the Sheriff of Nottingham, who will always be Alan Rickman thanks to Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, is typically only called by that, but McKay decided to give him the real name of Sheriff Henry de Faucumberg of Nottingham which is deserved with how prevalent he is to the story and to Robin Hood.

Of course, a Robin Hood story would be incomplete without his band of not so Merry Men outlaws, including the infamous Will Scarlet, who I always see as Christian Slater, also thanks to Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. His character gets much needed depth with a tragic backstory that makes him much more likable, but also human, as well as being a part of the overarching plot of the story. The enigmatic Friar Tuck is also given a prevalent backstory that helps bring his character more to life and makes him much more interesting. John Little is also a big part of this, though we haven’t really heard much of a backstory with him, I do expect to learn more about this behemoth of a man somewhere in the sequels. Another great part of this, is that McKay brings in a few fresh faces that most of us in the states don’t really know too much about. Much the miller’s son, who has been part of the story since the original ballad’s and Robin’s childhood friend as well as Allan-a-Dale, plus a new face, in the mysterious Matt Groves.

For this being a story told in the third person omniscient narrative, which isn’t usually my favorite style, I thought Nick Ellsworth’s narration was exemplary and provided the perfect story-telling tone that reminded me a bit of Sir Anthony Hopkins. There is an intense scene around the 60% mark that left me in shock, there is no rape, but there is an attempt. What happened was shocking and then hilarious as I kept reading, I want to say more because it’s a scene that will stay with me forever as the perfect way a rapists should be dealt with. With that said, as any Robin Hood tale is, this was such an exciting journey and only gets better with the way it ends with a fantastic lead up, not a cliff-hanger, that makes me excited for the next book in the quadrilogy, as another Robin Hood villain shows his face to hunt him down.

[Speesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, just when I was thinking I was all Robin Hooded-up, this comes along, grabs me by the Sherwoods and refuses to let go.

From the start, it’s clear that this will be a much more traditional Robin Hood the Angus Donald’s ‘re-imagining.’ While the superb first volume of ‘The Outlaw Chronicles’ was (partly) of necessity based in and around Sherwood and England in general, Alan Dale and the increasingly peripheral as the series progressed Robin, soon returned to their French/Norman roots and embarked on a series of day trips, long weekends and several volumes of adventures, in the Holy Land, in France, France and France…anywhere but England, it seemed.

We meet this Robin in his home town in England before he becomes an outlaw and immediately it is clear he is much more down to earth and, I feel, closer to the legend and therefore closer to our sympathies. I identified with 'Wolf' Robin immediately - despite the 700-odd years between us. He’s a worried, frightened, unsure - he is very young at the start - character, just been run out of town after his temper and sense of justice ran away with him. Never a good idea when your life is not your own in medieval England. Never a good idea at any point in history, if you live in Yorkshire (as I did for 26 years, for anyone picking up their pen right now). Robin begins as a typically well-balanced Yorkshireman, with a chip on both shoulders and joins an already existing outlaw group. Almost without trying, his natural skills with all things heavy and sharp, coupled with uncanny leadership qualities for someone so young, begin to cause problems and jealousy with the existing management and he finds himself thrust into the leadership of the band almost without wanting to.

The story is excellently presented, there’s a good solid flow to the whole, not so neatly tied up that you think it’s too polished for its own good and not so rough, that you dismiss it. I’m still thinking about it and the possibilities now, long after I’ve finished it. The character of Robin is full of grit, interesting potential and the other characters are in no way second fiddles, well-written and clearly going to be contributing much in future stories. The whole is, as I think I’m trying to say, really pleasantly down to earth and believable. It didn’t happen like this (it’s unlikely Robin existed, if you ask me), but reading this, you will feel like it could have. If it did, it’d have been like this. There’s a reality to the story and the writing. Horrible word, but ‘organic,’ maybe Steven had the mulch of Sherwood on his fingers when he wrote the story? He’s not going to like me for this…but…this sums it up quite nicely “In touch with the ground, I’m on the hunt I’m after you, Smell like I sound, I’m lost in a crowd…And I’m hungry like the wolf” as the great Duran Duran once put it.

There are a few rough edges. There on (for example) P65 (which should be a right-hand page) Matilda may well have "kneed him playfully in the bollocks" were I describing the incident to a mate in the pub. But not in a book. When it isn't part of a character's conversation or thoughts. Stuff like that needs looking at, but not much else.

Did we need another interpretation of the Robin Hood legend? Well, if it’s this one we’re talking about, the answer is a massive ‘yes!’ For me, this was just what I needed, after Angus Donald’s stories went off the Sherwood rails. He took his stories ‘up-market’ I felt, away from Sherwood, away from England for the most part and, as they primarily concern Alan Dale, away from the Robin Hood we know and loved. Fortunately - for me - the ‘Wolf’ series, looks likely to continue having Robin Hood front and centre. Long may they continue.

More of this sort of thing on Speesh Reads

[Al Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can check out the full review here. In short, this is Robin Hood for grown ups.

https://www.alwroteabook.com/2018/09/...

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a guy who shoots English Warbows for a hobby and a big fan of HF novels, every novel that has a connection with Robin Hood and medieval archery immediatlely sparks my interest.
Of course Robin Hood is a character that already has truckloads of films and books on his palmares, and Robin and his crew have been (alongside King arthur and his knights) Englands most popular heroes for the last 700 years, but still, a good writer can find enough angles to the Robin Hood legend to avoid the well trodden paths and cliche's.
Angus Donald f.i. explores the Robin Hood character from the viewpoint of the `capo'- the maffioso godfather- and does pretty well with that.
Steven A. McKay takes a different road. His Robin Hood is firmly rooted in the oldest medieval Robin Hood sources like a gest of Robyn Hode, Robin Hood and the Monk, Robin Hood and Guy of Gisbourne and Robin Hood and the Potter. The time when Robin didn't have his patent of nobility yet and all kind of chivalric and romantic hubub that goes with that(disgraced earls son who rights the wrongs committed , romantic love interests with maid marian, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, contributing to King Richard the lionhearts ransom, and thus becoming a kings-man and lord of the forest), but simply was what he was..a yeoman and famous and cunning outlaw.
So therefore in Steven A. McKays Robin hood we are not in sherwood but in barnsdale forest, and we are prowling the old roman roads down there. Also with he old balads with the yeoman bowman outlaw we are not stuck to the noble Richard the Lionheart -evil prince John controversy- or the first barons war follow up- and McKay takes the liberty to put the whole Robin Hood plot into a lancastrian rebellion setting, and thus out of the well trodden paths.
Wolf's head is Mc Kays tale of Robin Hood the early years, and I must say that I have enjoyed his Robin Hood massively. It's Robin Hood back to the outlaw basics and to the roots of the legend.The archery is sound and convincing, and it's a well spun, and well dosed tale with credible characters and all of the right ingredients. All in all Steven A. McKay's Robin Hood is not fancy haute cuisine, but a very tasty and well filling local yorkshire pub dish.
I really devoured Wolf's head to the last crumb, and looking forward to the sequel. On the extensive Robin Hood menu chart, Wolf's head is a very welcome addition.

[David Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

So we’ve all heard of Robin Hood yes? Of course we have. As a boy Robin Hood was always one of my favourite characters. This was one of my reasons for buying this book. It also had great reviews and the cover just screamed at me this would be a great read.. and guess what.. it was!

Steven has decided to revamp the whole Robin Hood tale and has moved location to Yorkshire when England was under the reign of Edward II. This makes the book quite refreshing as it’s moved away from the well know tale set in Nottingham. From the authors notes at the end of the book you can see a lot of thought has went into this book and it shows.

The story tells of Hoods early life and the event that leads him to become an outlaw. We see him climb the ranks to eventually lead this band of outlaws.

Along the way we see him deal will conflict not only with the rich people of Yorkshire but also himself and the outlaws where personalities clearly clash

Wolf’s Head is fast paced from the start and very well written. Add to this a great story and you’ve got yourself a book that you just can’t put down!

Even though the setting has changed we still have the heroes we all know and love, Little John, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet & Much

I’m not one for spoilers but the depth of Will’s character is brilliant and the story behind him plays out to perfection. He’s hot headed but damn you can’t help but like his style.

Chapter after chapter you see the tension grow as Steven takes you from one characters journey to another. I especially liked Sir Richard-at-Lee so I’m excited to read Knight of the Cross which is a novella of Steven’s which I believe has a lot of focus on this character

As the tension grows and grows you can see something is about to happen and the ending of this book won’t disappoint.. If anything you are left screaming for more. The good new there is more :) book 2 is already available and book 3 is on its way.

All in all I can’t fault this book in any way, brilliantly written it engages the reader from the first sentence.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m 100% sure you will to!

[Jeffrey Rasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sensitive Robin Hood: We've had the heroic Robin Hood, the comic Robing Hood, the noble Robin Hood, the Marxist Robin Hood, the romantic Robin Hood, etc. They are all wonderful tales, as is this one. Robin Hood is attractive in all his incarnations, because the character and basic story-line is so malleable that each teller of the tale can put a unique and creative spin on Robin and his band of sometimes merry outlaws. McKay's version is worthy and true to the tradition. Robin has all the qualities we expect and the story is exciting and fun. The interesting tweak of this Robin is that he is very sensitive as well as tough, clever, romantic, and committed to social justice for the peasant class.

I did find Mathilde (the alternate Maid Marian) a bit hard to take, because she's tough and independent, but then falls apart after her first battle. And, she's willing to accept a pardon from the Sheriff in a deal which grants nothing to Robing or the other members of the Wolf's Heads.

I listened to it on audiobook.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wolf's Head is Steven A. McKay's first novel and the first book in the 'Forest Lord' series which starts off with Robin being a young lad living in a small village with his friends and family but that soon changes with this fast paced novel with the action almost non stop.

The characters you will meet are very interesting, some nice and some very nasty! Steven has done his homework drawing you in with great detail of the area 'Wakefield' which is where most of this first novel takes place.

I'm now waiting impatiently for the second instalment of Wolf's Head 'The Forest Lord series'.
The ending brings a character which will test Robins leadership skills to the maximum!!!

[Cody Engdahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fresh take on a classic hero. I was surprised to see Robin and his adventures set in the reign of Edward II instead of the traditional Richard the Lionheart/John Lackland era. This allows the book to explore the real history of the Despenser War and the Lancastrian Revolt, which I knew very little of before I read this book. Very Interesting! This is a great book filled with action to keep the pages turning. A fair warning: read this book and you'll want to jump right into the next in the series.

[Shane Findlay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Right. A pretty decent read. Impulsively I bought all four books in the series. According to the ratings the following book get better. So I remain hopeful.
Note: Do not read this RH series shortly after you have read the Angus Donald series! Incomparable....

[Lanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seriously, not for kids. This book has been rated "R" by the nerd association of Laine for swearing, sexual content, and some pretty fucked up graphic violence. (That thing with penis was just nasty. >:D )

Spoiler warning! As I can't really promise that there will be no spoilers in this review (I can never really keep track of all the things I write when I'm in review mode.) so reader beware! Read at your own peril.

ok! Now! What to say about "wolf's head"

1st off, I love this cover art! It's super cool k looks liked it'd make a great video game cover. :)

I enjoyed this new time period it's been set in. I personally prefer the reign of King Richard the lion heart. Probably because it's be so romanticized by tv & such, but this works too. I especially like the very real historical feel to it, like the inclusion of the meets with the noblemen as they plot their rebellion. :) the whole book seems very well researched. A must in any historical fiction.

I also enjoyed the plot :) here we see Robin Hood as a simple peasant (instead of today's usual fallen noble) who gets outlawed -for some debatably unfair reasons- & now has to learn how to survive as a wolf's head. To do so, our young hero has to join a gang of dangerous outlaws led by the famed Adam Bell. Here he will learn to fight & steal & basically become pretty damned bad ass as he makes his way from the bottom of the pecking order to the famous outlaw we all know & love. :)
All this set against the larger backdrop of a kingdom in shambles thank to corrupt nobles & a king who very clearly has his head so far up his own ass he can taste shit.

The writing is good to. Not brilliant, but I think that's mostly to due the fact that this is a 1st novel. It should get better as the series progresses. I particularly like the very real feel to the dialogue between the outlaws. Anybody who's spent any amount of time with guys, know they totally swear left & right like they do here. :)

A very good novel with an interesting idea & some good characters. So far, I'm really enjoying Will Scarlet & the Sheriff of Nottingham, De Faucumberg.

Will, because he's totally messed up in the head, but for some very, very good reasons. The poor guy's family was all slaughter for the worse reason ever! Can we really blame the guy for being so freaking blood thirsty? Hell, if that'd happened to my family, I'd want to kill every noble to. Plus, I'm a total sucker for the tortured soul. Like Robert from angus Donald's "the outlaw chronicles ") Will is the kinda character who scares me a little with just how insane he clearly is. The guy seriously needs therapy. & yet, we know WHY he's crazy, so I can sympathize with him.

The Sheriff, I like because he does seem so bad. Like he's just a run of the mill noble looking out for his own interests, you know, keeping his job. Actually, there's a scene in "wolf's head" that really shows that he's no such a bad dude. That scene with that dick abbot & Sir Richard a Lee? This at least shows that the sheriff isn't a complete ass. He can actually feel something other than just the usual greed & self importance that you see in so many sheriffs today.

I also enjoyed Tuck & can't wait to hear the rest of his story. :)

Oh, & Guy of Gisbourne's appearance on the very last page! Omg! That alone, would get me to read the 2nd book. What is this dude going to add to the story?. :D for anyone who doesn't know, I fucking love guy! All time favorite legendary "bad guy" (thank you bbc's Robin Hood. I will forever picture guy as a super hot guy in all leather. XD sorry, just fangirled a bit.)

BUT! Even though i very much enjoyed "wolf's Head" I still found a few things that bugged me about it. Which I will no write down in a neat little list. (hope my lists aren't getting to boring For my 3 or 4 friends who follow my hood reviews.)

1. Pacing. While the book moved forwards at a steady pace, the entire events take place over the course of 7 months. :/ now, I'm not an expert on weapons & actual medival warfar, but I do read a lot & have watched a quite a few specials on the history channel. I must have picked up something, yes? I just find it hard to believe that a yeoman can go from just shooting at targets & maybe some sparring/wrestling matches to a full on killing machine in so little time. True fighting talent is built up from learning at a super young age. why you think knights usually stared all their stuff as real little kids. I read somewhere that they started before they're 10, but Please correct me if I'm wrong.

2. Motivation. Sometimes, I wasn't sure why exactly a character was doing something. like will. What possessed him to go & poor out his super depressing life story to Robin? Because he's likable & charming & whatnot? Is it simply for move the plot along so they can later get the idea to rob that jerk noble? Maybe, because I don't see any other reason for a seriously traumatized man to start pouring his heart out to a man he just met, & clearly doesn't like? Or, why did Robin join Adam bell's gang in this 1st place? See, I get that he wanted to stay near his family & girl friend. (he seems pretty sheltered, so maybe he was scared of the big bad world?) I also get that there probably wouldn't have been much of a story if he hadn't. But shouldn't he have been a bit more worried about joining up with a band of organized criminal who everyone says are big bad murderers, yet they don't what to turn in? & is it out of fear, or respect? A bit of both I'd say.

3. Adam bell. He's set up to be this big bad outlaw leader. Who turns out to be a son of a bitch turn coat. His foundation was solid, but as a character he just fell kinda flat. I just wasn't that impressed. The man went down much to easy. He's good as a minor antagonist, but not much else. He's pretty flat. But karma got him good. :D also for a former noble/ military man, he's surprisingly moronic.

A warning to all men everywhere! IT IS NOT SMART TO STICK YOUR GENITALS IN A HOLE WITH TEETH! DO NOT DO THAT IF YOU VALUE YOUR JUNK!

4. Don't worry! This is my last one! :) Robin Hood himself. He's kind of a Marty stew/ Mary Sue. He's just to perfect. Like, he's only 17 & lived his whole life in a nice little village, yes? & in a very very short time the guys suddenly a bad ass able to take down seasoned warriors, even good enough to fake defeat in a really convincing manner. :/ this kind of natural talent is a sure sign of a Marty stew. So is being quickly accepted by everyone. We're oftentimes told just how popular & charismatic robin is. Everyone in the gang much to quickly comes to like & respect him. It's not that he's popular that's the issue, but that suddenly all the outlaws are looking to him for leadership. :/ he's 17 & aside from much, he's the newest member of the gang. Why is everybody jumping on board the "lets make the kid the leader" wagon?! Even the obviously choices for the leadership position, like Little John or Will Scarlet. Why blindly follow this guy? Sure he's likable, smart, & gots the raw talent, but it's just not smart or fair. Will was a mercenary AND Adams 2nd in command. This just left me with an over all wtf feeling.

He's not a terrible character though, not saying that at all. He clearly cares for Matilda & his family & the common folks. He makes an extra good Robin Hood, because unlike a noble version of our brave hero, he'll actually understand the needs & struggles of the common folk who make him out as a folk hero. :) he also gets points for helping will get reunited with his daughter & whipping some morals into some of the more stab happy outlaws. (Slightly disturbing that he'd actually have to tell them to NOT kill innocent peasants.)

So! I throughly enjoyed this book. :) a few hiccups here & there, but overall it was a fun adventure story & makes a great addition to any Robin Hood fans collection. I can't wait to get the 2nd book. :) recommended for any fans of historical fiction & all Robin Hood fans.

Please note! As Steven a. McKay is one of my goodreads friends, I wish to say thank you for suggesting ur book to me. I did like it. :) & I hope I didn't say anything that might come across as rude or mean or anything like that. Just wrote my fully honest thoughts. Hope you appreciate the feed back. :)

Now onward to my next adventure!

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epic adaptation of classic ‘Robin Hood’ adventures told in a fresh, distinctive voice.

This thrilling historical novel is wonderfully interwoven, with strong influences that encapsulate the brutality, intensity and injustice of Medieval England. Powerfully stirring and dynamic, this action-packed adventure is richly imagined and vividly realized on the page. Wolf’s Head is the explosive first instalment of a thrilling new series, of great premise that marks the beginning of something noteworthy to come. Fans of ‘Bernard Cornwell’ and ‘Conn Iggulden’ will devour this extraordinary debut that convincingly blends together historical fact with inspired fiction, for an assured and brilliantly executed outcome.

Having a prior interest in the origins of the Robin Hood Legend and having read many versions and representations/ re-telling, I was curious as to the entirely unique and remarkably refreshing approach of Steven A McKay. The authentic backdrop presents a precise and clear picture, while the narrative is seeped in glorious descriptions and lavish detail so as to form a realistic portrayal. Set during the unstable reign of Edward II, I found this version accurate and one that grabs your interest, by building the tension and suspense to explosive heights. I strongly feel that this is a triumphant success and a well-crafted novel of great magnitude and magnificence. A sure-fire sign of this is how you are left eagerly awaiting book 2 and wanting to find out more about this sensational series!

With powerful Lords and self-seeking Knights, rebellion and bloody vengeance…book 1 in the Forest Lord trilogy is a fast-moving tale that’s utterly compelling and undeniably brilliant.

*I would like to thank the author for providing me with an e-copy of his book to read and provide an honest review *

[Shardallinee · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the first sentence starts with: ''Robin! Look out!'' you know you're in for an adventurous ride.

Steven A. McKay's debut novel Wolf's Head is an action packed retelling of Robin Hood, the charismatic outlaw we all know. But this is no tale of a nobleman becoming an outlaw, evil prince John and good king Richard. It is a journey of a seventeen year old man, fleeing for his life and joining dangerous group of outlaws, the trust and place amidst of them he has to earn. We see him as a shy and talented youngster who is slowly becoming the man we all know Robin Hood to be.
McKay's portrayal of the historical events is very impressive and believable. There must have been put a lot of effort in only this part of the story and yet it all flows and blends in with the story quite easily. The layouts of the story - the nature, villages - are written perfectly; you can see and almost touch the environment. The characters themselves are so realistically written you even breathe with them through pages. We get to meet so many familiar characters you feel like you are part of the story, smiling knowingly and nodding happily with each introduction.
The story itself is not predictable though. You feel uncertain in some parts and unsure about the outcome of the events taking place.
Though I must admit I wasn't expecting the F-word in there it did not really bother me so much. The flow of the words is awesome and you get pulled in right away.

I got this book as a giveaway and I must shout out a big THANK YOU Steven A. McKay for the copy! I would have read it all in a big gulp but sickness and unexpected RL events took that precious time away from me. I enjoyed it very much and can't wait for the next installment of the Forest Lord trilogy!

[Paul Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy 'discovering' new authors and thanks to the Twitterverse I keep 'discovering' them. One note - by new I don't necessarily mean brand new, but rather, new to me although in the case of Steven McKay both cases apply as Wolf's Head is his debut novel. The author chose to write about Robin Hood, a subject that has been written about by many, most notably Angus Donald but this shouldn't deter you from checking out this version of the forest outlaw. The author has set his story in a different time period than the usual one that pits King Richard against Prince John. This tale of Robin and his band of outlaws takes place in the 14th century during the Lancastrian rebellion against King Edward.

The cast of characters will be familiar to most, John Little, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet are all accounted for as well as a host of others. The story is about how Robin became an outlaw and how he gains the admiration and respect of the gang. The action is non-stop for the most part and kept me turning pages as the author punctuates the scenes with enough twists and turns to make the outcome of each encounter doubtful. The author also paints the landscape and villages in such a way as to make you feel like you are there, the mind's eye taking in the descriptions and making them real to the reader.

I won't go into too much detail as to how the plot unfolds, suffice to say that the story is exciting and invites the reader to sit back and enjoy the journey through the forests and villages of northern England. I look forward to the sequel and beyond from Mr. McKay with great anticipation as he has whetted my appetite for more.

Hoover Book Reviews rates this book at 4.5.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wolf's Head is an enjoyable historical fiction read. There is quite a bit of action and the novel moves along at a brisk pace. Readers who complain about the two-dimensionality of the characters with heroes being heroic and villains being villainous seem to miss the point. The book is an action read, plain and simple. If that is not the reader's cup of tea, go find something else and leave this good read to those who want a story.

Of note for a historical fiction read is McKay's choosing to change the time period of this retelling of Robin Hood from those Richard the Lionhearted and Prince John to Edward II and Robert the Bruce. To this reader, who admittedly has only a casual knowledge of those times, the change worked. It will be interesting to see how McKay uses the change in time period in the next volume of his Forest Lord as it looks like it will come to the fore. Will Robin Hood meet Braveheart (William Wallace)?

McKay's dialogue did seem too modern. A historical read set in these times does not need to be all "'zounds" and "I bite my thumb at thee." but the consistent dropping of the F-Bomb made the dialogue read closer to talk overheard at a football match than conversations from the time and setting of the novel. As the English and the Scots have so many truly wondrous swear words, hopefully McKay will use some of those to spice up the dialogue in the next volume.

Overall this a fun historical read with a lot of action and the worst part of it is not the above-noted dialogue quirk but the fact that McKay has not written the next volume of The Forest Lord yet. Truly recommended.

[Stuart Laing · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you take such a well known and well loved tale as Robin Hood and his Merry Men it would be only too easy to go down that well trodden path so familiar to all who know the legend. "hail fellow and well met!" greetings between rosy cheeked outlaws who dress in green tights and short tunics like medieval tranvestites while swinging through Sherwood Forest laughing like giddy schoolboys. It was therefore a delight to read this book and find that Steven A. McKay has taken the legend, gave it a good shake and let this thoroughly enjoyable version fall out.
From the very first page you find yourself in Yorkshire rather than Nottinghamshire, in the village of Wakefield rather than Loxley. Here Robin is a common man who through a moment of anger is forced into fleeing his home, his family and his love Mathilda. These changes add a genuine fresh twist to the tale which adds so much to the book.
While most of the regular characters appear here, they seem new, believable and above all true to their period. Their language is robust and not for the easily offended, but will be familiar to anyone who has worked with other men as part of a team. The violence is frequent, bloody and merciless but again reflects how hard, unrelenting and short life was then.
All in all this is a book which should appeal to all who enjoy a good old page turner that keeps you gripped until the end.
I look forward to the next instalment of Wolfs Head.

[Luke Mcgruther · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that I enjoyed this book greatly. Although I’m a fan of historical fiction, I’ve never really been interested in reading about Robin Hood before. I often find that many modern adaptations of the tales either stick too rigidly to the popular aspects of the stories becoming a bit one dimensional or the author tries too hard to be original and loses many aspects of the stories that people love. I am happy to say that in the case of Wolfs Head neither is true. What Steven A. McKay has written is wonderfully original yet keeps true to the stories roots. Setting the story within a real historical context made the book a more interesting read; I also felt that that to base the characters in Yorkshire as opposed to the obligatory Nottingham was a brave decision that paid off.

If you are a fan of historical fiction you must read this book.

[John Sabin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wolf's Head is a very fast paced, well descriptive and completely addictive book to read. The description of people, places and animals are very detailed all the way through. Action is non stop all the way through the entire book.
After reading (and watching) numerous versions of Robin Hood I was expecting very similarities in this book. I have to confess it is completely different. Ok, you get same characters eg. Robin Hood, Little John and Friar Tuck but different characters make it a total new read.
Chapter after chapter and you become more addicted to the story due to the tension that seems to just "appear" to you whilst reading. I read it in just one day, I could not put it down!
Thanks Steven A McKay. Can't wait for the next one to come through my letterbox.

[Michal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite enjoyable book. The pace is relatively quick, as can be expected in this short format. In terms of content, the book is very different form Outlaw, because Robin is not this charismatic leader, but rather he starts as a talented but normal young man that is forced into his role by the situations he finds himself in. He does not have any dark side, at least not in this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Bobby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect, but such historical accuracy certainly wasn't anticipated. I'm now on the side of those historians that swear by Sherwood Forest that Robin was the real deal. Really enjoyed the transformation of the outlaws' eventual move to putting Robin, at just age 18, in charge of the Merry band. A history behind all of the main characters was added spice. Looking forward to the next book.

[Andrew Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new take on an old legend

In the Wolf's Head a young yeoman named Robert is outlawed while trying to protect his love from a lecherous prior. We are introduced to the world of Edward the second through the traditional personages of the merry men. The characters are solid and the action is engaging. A worthy successor to Howard Pyle. I was glad the sequel is already out!

[May · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had no idea that a "Wolf's Head" was an outlaw hiding in the Forest. I did not realize when I downloaded this book that it was essentially about Robin Hood. I'm not sure that I ever believed that there was such a person existed in English history. However factual or historical, this was a great read! I look forward to reading Volume 2. I would give this 3.5 stars were I able.

[Nigel Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly written!!

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wolf's Head is the first book in a series that transplants the well-known tale of Robin Hood and his merry men into the reign of Edward II. The story of Robin Hood is one I've always loved and have enjoyed in many iterations, though this version was not among my favourites. The characters lack complexity, the writing does little to evoke a sense of time and place, and I have to say, I don't care much for a plot that sees Robin Hood and companions joining a rebellion against the rightful king - in part because I tend to view Edward II a lot more sympathetically than he is portrayed here. A decent enough read otherwise, but nothing special.