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Sherwood #2
Robin and the King
William the Conqueror's tyrannous rule prompts Edward Aelredson--formerly Robin Hood--to question his right to rule, earning him the enmity of William's ruthless chancellor, Ranulf, and banishment to Normandy--where, nevertheless, he manages to save the king's life. Reprint.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
About the author
Parke Godwin
241 books91 followersParke Godwin was an American writer known for his lyrical yet precise prose style and sardonic humor. He was also known for his novels of legendary figures placed in realistic historical settings; his retelling of the Arthur legend (Firelord in 1980, Beloved Exile in 1984, and The Last Rainbow in 1985) is set in the 5th century during the collapse of the Roman empire, and his reinterpretation of Robin Hood (Sherwood, 1991, and Robin and the King, 1993) takes place during the Norman conquest and features kings William the Conqueror and William Rufus as major characters. His other well-known works include Waiting For The Galactic Bus (1988) and its sequel The Snake Oil Wars (1989), humorous critiques of American pop culture and religion.
Parke Godwin also worked as a radio operator, a research technician, a professional actor, an advertising man, a dishwasher and a maitre d' hotel.
Godwin's short fiction has appeared in several anthologies. His short story "Influencing the Hell out of Time and Teresa Golowitz," was the basis of an episode of the television series The Twilight Zone.
Parke Godwin also worked as a radio operator, a research technician, a professional actor, an advertising man, a dishwasher and a maitre d' hotel.
Godwin's short fiction has appeared in several anthologies. His short story "Influencing the Hell out of Time and Teresa Golowitz," was the basis of an episode of the television series The Twilight Zone.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 28, 2012
Impressively atmospheric and consistently enjoyable adaptation of the Robin Hood legend, displaced backwards in time from the commonest interpretation by some six score of years with Robin portrayed herein by Edward Aelredson, the best and the brightest of the native Saxon bucolic thanedom as set against both local Norman intrusion—depicted by Ralf FitzGerald, Vicomte and Sheriff of Nottingham, initially Robin's arch-nemesis (as related in R&TK's prequel, Sherwood) but by the opening pages having evolved into an appreciative ally—and royal overlordship, the consequence of Duke William of Normandy's seizure of the throne of England. The county aristocracy of Saxon blood sit uneasily under the Norman hand, and most especially once an ambitious young Norman spitfire, Ranulf Flambard, is installed as the chief minister of King William and de facto ruler with the latter spending lengthy sojourns across the Channel in Normandy, attending to his ailing wife and Queen.
When Flambard executes a capital sentence upon one of these Saxon thanes and seeks to expand the king's rights into the local commons, Robin challenges the act in a shire moot and brings the wrathful eye of the king down upon him. This serves as an excuse for Robin to be exiled from England and spend a considerable amount of time in the presence of both the king himself and his son, Prince William, colloquially referred to by his nickname of Rossel. With Robin saving the life of the king from an attempted raid by Danish brigands during their Channel crossing, and subsequently assisting the prince in his efforts to combat incursions into the disputed fief of the Vexin by the demesne vassals of Philip, the cocky young King of France, he becomes well-placed to work his honour-honed and liberty-loving Saxon political philosophy upon his Norman lieges, who come to respect this crazy man from the vast island now under their rule and his witty remonstrations, while yet unable to comprehend their source nor endure the impertinence they present to their attempt to reduce the entire stubborn realm beneath the iron bonds of feudalism.
Godwin here takes the Robin Hood mythology, well-known to all and sundry, and gives it a twist that appealed deeply to that fascination I harbour for the Conquest of 1066. Godwin's Saxons, ill-resigned to being ruled by such a stringently-tiered society as that of the Norman French, nevertheless have sworn their fealty to the king, and they are depicted as a people who take matters of bond and oath as seriously as they do the individual liberties and freedoms promised to them through custom and common law. Robin is quite prepared to fight the Normans and the French at their own game; and the scenes where Robin deftly uses the intricacies of feudal law to achieve satisfaction—substituting guile for the brawn that will be required later—are some of the best (even leaving aside Godwin's one unnecessary inclusion, the implantation of the modern trope of the child predator into the otherwise loathsome enough chief baron of France's Vexin invasion army). Robin's wife, Marian—a former serving girl to the Norman Queen—and his band of Merry Men are relegated to the background for a goodly portion of the story. This is Robin's show, and he is mostly partnered to the Norman father and son who desire the riches of the English realm while chafing at the insufferable and irrepressible spiritedness of its stubborn subjects. Rossel, ill-treated in the histories written by the clerics that he held in contempt, is given a more measured appraisal: starting out as a brave but dissolute youth—bedding woman and man with abandon, cynical and blasphemous and estranged from his dying mother—who must gradually accept the responsibilities of the throne of England and Robin's efforts to persuade him to be a just and fair ruler. And in the razor-witted and -tongued Flambard, Godwin crafts a murderously suave lawyer whose lusts for power and riches are hidden behind, and dependent upon, his efforts to expand the demesne of his conquering sovereign. It makes for a departure from the usual fare, but a welcome one as far as I was concerned.
Godwin's attention to the details of medieval legalities, the intricate rituals of aristocratic life, the chaotic energy of hand-to-hand combat, and the grimy, sweaty, ill-kempt condition of life in the camp of a traveling feudal levy were adeptly tailored to his fast-moving story and only added to my enjoyment of the whole—especially in that I read this book immediately upon finishing Marc Bloch's epic two part series on feudal society. There is little of romance or chivalry, boisterous merriment and pennant-bedecked jousts, corrupt sheriffs or cowardly, placeholder kings hiding behind castle walls—this is legend presented with all of the realism of a narrative chronicled as it unfolded in history's pages. Frankly, the story is the better for it.
When Flambard executes a capital sentence upon one of these Saxon thanes and seeks to expand the king's rights into the local commons, Robin challenges the act in a shire moot and brings the wrathful eye of the king down upon him. This serves as an excuse for Robin to be exiled from England and spend a considerable amount of time in the presence of both the king himself and his son, Prince William, colloquially referred to by his nickname of Rossel. With Robin saving the life of the king from an attempted raid by Danish brigands during their Channel crossing, and subsequently assisting the prince in his efforts to combat incursions into the disputed fief of the Vexin by the demesne vassals of Philip, the cocky young King of France, he becomes well-placed to work his honour-honed and liberty-loving Saxon political philosophy upon his Norman lieges, who come to respect this crazy man from the vast island now under their rule and his witty remonstrations, while yet unable to comprehend their source nor endure the impertinence they present to their attempt to reduce the entire stubborn realm beneath the iron bonds of feudalism.
Godwin here takes the Robin Hood mythology, well-known to all and sundry, and gives it a twist that appealed deeply to that fascination I harbour for the Conquest of 1066. Godwin's Saxons, ill-resigned to being ruled by such a stringently-tiered society as that of the Norman French, nevertheless have sworn their fealty to the king, and they are depicted as a people who take matters of bond and oath as seriously as they do the individual liberties and freedoms promised to them through custom and common law. Robin is quite prepared to fight the Normans and the French at their own game; and the scenes where Robin deftly uses the intricacies of feudal law to achieve satisfaction—substituting guile for the brawn that will be required later—are some of the best (even leaving aside Godwin's one unnecessary inclusion, the implantation of the modern trope of the child predator into the otherwise loathsome enough chief baron of France's Vexin invasion army). Robin's wife, Marian—a former serving girl to the Norman Queen—and his band of Merry Men are relegated to the background for a goodly portion of the story. This is Robin's show, and he is mostly partnered to the Norman father and son who desire the riches of the English realm while chafing at the insufferable and irrepressible spiritedness of its stubborn subjects. Rossel, ill-treated in the histories written by the clerics that he held in contempt, is given a more measured appraisal: starting out as a brave but dissolute youth—bedding woman and man with abandon, cynical and blasphemous and estranged from his dying mother—who must gradually accept the responsibilities of the throne of England and Robin's efforts to persuade him to be a just and fair ruler. And in the razor-witted and -tongued Flambard, Godwin crafts a murderously suave lawyer whose lusts for power and riches are hidden behind, and dependent upon, his efforts to expand the demesne of his conquering sovereign. It makes for a departure from the usual fare, but a welcome one as far as I was concerned.
Godwin's attention to the details of medieval legalities, the intricate rituals of aristocratic life, the chaotic energy of hand-to-hand combat, and the grimy, sweaty, ill-kempt condition of life in the camp of a traveling feudal levy were adeptly tailored to his fast-moving story and only added to my enjoyment of the whole—especially in that I read this book immediately upon finishing Marc Bloch's epic two part series on feudal society. There is little of romance or chivalry, boisterous merriment and pennant-bedecked jousts, corrupt sheriffs or cowardly, placeholder kings hiding behind castle walls—this is legend presented with all of the realism of a narrative chronicled as it unfolded in history's pages. Frankly, the story is the better for it.
October 21, 2011
Oh, Robin. He's at it again.
This book covers quite a span of time, even more than the first one (which was longer). It became rather difficult to discern how fast time was actually passing. But on the plus side, there is only one mention of a lady drinking tea! Progress? I hope so.
The basic plot is: Robin once again calls out William the Conqueror, and he gets mad. Shocker. Robin is banished from England, but saves William's butt (from Danish Pirates!) on the crossing to Normandy. William and Robin have a love/hate relationship, which extends to William's son, whom is also called William, but for the sake of clarity (thank you, Godwin), is referred to as Rossel.
In Normandy, Robin endears himself to Rossel, and eventually, Rossel takes the crown, usurping his older brother (at the Conqueror's final will). Robin also drunkenly sleeps with the wife of his enemy. This mistake will cost him.
The enemy Rouche is a churchman (they did marry back then) who hates Robin. This leads to bad news for our hero and his family. And ultimately, it leads to Robin's death.
The Death of Robin and Marian: you will be happy to note that the two go down fighting. Seriously. It's rather poetic, and really, there is no other way Godwin could have realistically ended the story. It's not unheard of for Robin Hood to die at the end of his story. He was past middle age, and he was survived by a son and a daughter, whom his friend the Sheriff promises to protect. The reader can feel the peace that Robin and Marian no doubt feel.
And the ending, about the English lawyers, completely ties in with Robin Hood legends that are set in the Plantagenet reign.
This book covers quite a span of time, even more than the first one (which was longer). It became rather difficult to discern how fast time was actually passing. But on the plus side, there is only one mention of a lady drinking tea! Progress? I hope so.
The basic plot is: Robin once again calls out William the Conqueror, and he gets mad. Shocker. Robin is banished from England, but saves William's butt (from Danish Pirates!) on the crossing to Normandy. William and Robin have a love/hate relationship, which extends to William's son, whom is also called William, but for the sake of clarity (thank you, Godwin), is referred to as Rossel.
In Normandy, Robin endears himself to Rossel, and eventually, Rossel takes the crown, usurping his older brother (at the Conqueror's final will). Robin also drunkenly sleeps with the wife of his enemy. This mistake will cost him.
The enemy Rouche is a churchman (they did marry back then) who hates Robin. This leads to bad news for our hero and his family. And ultimately, it leads to Robin's death.
The Death of Robin and Marian: you will be happy to note that the two go down fighting. Seriously. It's rather poetic, and really, there is no other way Godwin could have realistically ended the story. It's not unheard of for Robin Hood to die at the end of his story. He was past middle age, and he was survived by a son and a daughter, whom his friend the Sheriff promises to protect. The reader can feel the peace that Robin and Marian no doubt feel.
And the ending, about the English lawyers, completely ties in with Robin Hood legends that are set in the Plantagenet reign.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed Sherwood by the same author, so I hope this isn’t just a cash grab!
”Did such a man actually live once or was he pure fancy, this … Ro-bin?”
”Honor makes a cold epitaph for any man.”
Alas, in wit or statecraft, the man should solicit the counsel of his more intelligent horse.
Complacency was a French word but an English failing.
There was no surety that kings would beget kings…
— and an English commoner who should have hanged years ago was underfoot again to do him out of his forest rights.]\-
At the table of the world, the drab condition of his birth taught him the best portion went to the longest reach and fastest grab.
Robin’s own grandmother Guntrada was seldom seen in church in her time, or so his father said, and there were still ancient wicca women such as Wytha who followed the old ways, regarding the world ill-balanced under a father god alone with no goddess for harmony.
”The mouth on her. Curse me if I haven’t spoiled that woman loving her so much.”
”Good God,” Marian giggled, “think you’d never thrown a turnip before.”
If vanity was a sin, a little warmed a woman like a glass of good wine.
Not enough that you rose, not enough to hold power over men better born. No, you have to rub their noses in it.
The glance her husband gave her was subtle but easily read by Judith after years of marriage. Later. You will hear it all, I promise.
”Ma foi, man! He is more dangerous now than when he was robbing us.”
“I remember when courages was as inexpensive as charging a shield wall.”
“True”, Ralph tied up the petition. “Now the price goes up.”
They took only moments to read, but, Lanfranc estimated, would need perhaps centuries for kings to accept.
I love the typical adventures of Robin Hood, but this book takes it even further. What if, after the adventures, Robin Hood tried to make an even bigger revolution!!
“For what will come of it, what the king will call it, reason or treason, we can only wait to know.”
The dull daughter of a landowner packed off with her dowry, big feet and thick ankles, sturdy as a barrel and as plain.
Will I be standing before you someday, older and stiff in the joints but the same ancient war between us? Good God, I hope not. A man can grow weary.
”I think the verdict is already in, but there’s only one set of chains. They could fetch more.”
They would drink and make love and try not to think how they had been dared by the force of Robin or how frightened they were of him.
The language is just as difficult in this one as it was in the last one - I’m still putting every unfamiliar word in a dictionary - but when the characters speak it gives it such authority (and I suppose authenticity) that its a joy to read.
Was God breeding Saxons so, to rear so far above their natural station and descend on anointed heads?
Sans doute, there is joy in heaven when a man renounces a country for God, but it can be damned inconvenient for a king.
Fealty to an abstract ideal is a dream with a better waking.
”Damned flies are bad enough, not it’s priests.”
He would appeal to God when the time came, but Woden would judge between him and Eudo de Gernon.
And if you like learning new words every day? This book will cure you of that!
They would cry for Barabbas and throw the prophet to the wolves.
Of course, it’s obvious now, but I didn’t know until I tried to look this phrase up that there is a bible wiki! The Crowd Chooses Barabbas (Mark 15:6–11; Luke 23:13–25)
The girl had gone out of Marian as it faded from all country women through work and childbearing.
Must be a pain to have a destiny that never let the man rest content in a world he could never change.
Like most clever and capable young men, he considered his genius polished while it was still forming.
Elfled favored her husband with her all-purpose wifely smile and got on with her dreams.
”Whiskey is to make the moment magic, whatever it is.”
”And it replied: God is a clumsy child playing with ill-made toys and breaking them all the time.”
“Using my sword on people who are only hungry and in the right. Thank God Robin is not here.”
”You wanted it always in writing when the world can’t read. ‘Just a few little rights, if you please.’ Like a mouse nibbling. Trail of crumbs toward the whole cheese.”
”No one just comes home, Robin. Not from such places. Some never do. Others only in time and even then you find yourself there again, is it not so?”
”I’m having a good day, didn’t drink too much last night. Actually remember whom I took to bed. Wish I didn’t.”
Bewitchment and rape, and what kind of husband, what real man would pause to question such shame to his wife?
I love this book, but how the hell she wrote it without google boggles the mind!
Traitor to a king was banished or hanged. Traitor to self? What exile where Self wouldn’t hunt him down every day?
Truth turned different ways had varying shapes.
And you. “Father” Beorn, who went into outlawry with a brave man because he was right? Twenty-odd years of Normans, have they tamed the English out of you?
As with old Arthur of the Welsh, Beowulf and Holger of the Danes, Englishmen might drink deep and dream, while they remembered, of Harold, Hereward, and men like Robin, but the sun had passed over, night fell on yesterday. Any greatness to come would be, like Mauger himself, of a mixed strain.
You are almost yesterday, Robin Hood, and not God to still the sun or time in their passing. A dear, valiant impossibility whom men will fable and recall for all the wrong reasons.
”If you’d learn the habit of a man’s mind, the way he thinks, play chess with him.”
”…have you gone Saxon on me?”
I laughed out loud at the end of this book.
It is the most incredible retelling of the Robin Hood legend I’ve ever read and I’ve read quite a few of them! And I’ll read more.
But more importantly than how well it was written was how it took the legend and made it mean so much more than it ever had!
If you have ANY interest whatsoever this book (and it’s predecessor) are absolute must reads!
5 stars and I’ll keep this until I can find a copy that’s less falling apart (as I did with Sherwood).
For the record, my dictionary of this book (and the previous book) is up to 738 words. Daunting yes, but not unreadable!
From the Afterword: Competence may suffer fools gracefully but never gladly.
”Did such a man actually live once or was he pure fancy, this … Ro-bin?”
”Honor makes a cold epitaph for any man.”
Alas, in wit or statecraft, the man should solicit the counsel of his more intelligent horse.
Complacency was a French word but an English failing.
There was no surety that kings would beget kings…
— and an English commoner who should have hanged years ago was underfoot again to do him out of his forest rights.]\-
At the table of the world, the drab condition of his birth taught him the best portion went to the longest reach and fastest grab.
Robin’s own grandmother Guntrada was seldom seen in church in her time, or so his father said, and there were still ancient wicca women such as Wytha who followed the old ways, regarding the world ill-balanced under a father god alone with no goddess for harmony.
”The mouth on her. Curse me if I haven’t spoiled that woman loving her so much.”
”Good God,” Marian giggled, “think you’d never thrown a turnip before.”
If vanity was a sin, a little warmed a woman like a glass of good wine.
Not enough that you rose, not enough to hold power over men better born. No, you have to rub their noses in it.
The glance her husband gave her was subtle but easily read by Judith after years of marriage. Later. You will hear it all, I promise.
”Ma foi, man! He is more dangerous now than when he was robbing us.”
“I remember when courages was as inexpensive as charging a shield wall.”
“True”, Ralph tied up the petition. “Now the price goes up.”
They took only moments to read, but, Lanfranc estimated, would need perhaps centuries for kings to accept.
I love the typical adventures of Robin Hood, but this book takes it even further. What if, after the adventures, Robin Hood tried to make an even bigger revolution!!
“For what will come of it, what the king will call it, reason or treason, we can only wait to know.”
The dull daughter of a landowner packed off with her dowry, big feet and thick ankles, sturdy as a barrel and as plain.
Will I be standing before you someday, older and stiff in the joints but the same ancient war between us? Good God, I hope not. A man can grow weary.
”I think the verdict is already in, but there’s only one set of chains. They could fetch more.”
They would drink and make love and try not to think how they had been dared by the force of Robin or how frightened they were of him.
The language is just as difficult in this one as it was in the last one - I’m still putting every unfamiliar word in a dictionary - but when the characters speak it gives it such authority (and I suppose authenticity) that its a joy to read.
Was God breeding Saxons so, to rear so far above their natural station and descend on anointed heads?
Sans doute, there is joy in heaven when a man renounces a country for God, but it can be damned inconvenient for a king.
Fealty to an abstract ideal is a dream with a better waking.
”Damned flies are bad enough, not it’s priests.”
He would appeal to God when the time came, but Woden would judge between him and Eudo de Gernon.
And if you like learning new words every day? This book will cure you of that!
They would cry for Barabbas and throw the prophet to the wolves.
Of course, it’s obvious now, but I didn’t know until I tried to look this phrase up that there is a bible wiki! The Crowd Chooses Barabbas (Mark 15:6–11; Luke 23:13–25)
The girl had gone out of Marian as it faded from all country women through work and childbearing.
Must be a pain to have a destiny that never let the man rest content in a world he could never change.
Like most clever and capable young men, he considered his genius polished while it was still forming.
Elfled favored her husband with her all-purpose wifely smile and got on with her dreams.
”Whiskey is to make the moment magic, whatever it is.”
”And it replied: God is a clumsy child playing with ill-made toys and breaking them all the time.”
“Using my sword on people who are only hungry and in the right. Thank God Robin is not here.”
”You wanted it always in writing when the world can’t read. ‘Just a few little rights, if you please.’ Like a mouse nibbling. Trail of crumbs toward the whole cheese.”
”No one just comes home, Robin. Not from such places. Some never do. Others only in time and even then you find yourself there again, is it not so?”
”I’m having a good day, didn’t drink too much last night. Actually remember whom I took to bed. Wish I didn’t.”
Bewitchment and rape, and what kind of husband, what real man would pause to question such shame to his wife?
I love this book, but how the hell she wrote it without google boggles the mind!
Traitor to a king was banished or hanged. Traitor to self? What exile where Self wouldn’t hunt him down every day?
Truth turned different ways had varying shapes.
And you. “Father” Beorn, who went into outlawry with a brave man because he was right? Twenty-odd years of Normans, have they tamed the English out of you?
As with old Arthur of the Welsh, Beowulf and Holger of the Danes, Englishmen might drink deep and dream, while they remembered, of Harold, Hereward, and men like Robin, but the sun had passed over, night fell on yesterday. Any greatness to come would be, like Mauger himself, of a mixed strain.
You are almost yesterday, Robin Hood, and not God to still the sun or time in their passing. A dear, valiant impossibility whom men will fable and recall for all the wrong reasons.
”If you’d learn the habit of a man’s mind, the way he thinks, play chess with him.”
”…have you gone Saxon on me?”
I laughed out loud at the end of this book.
It is the most incredible retelling of the Robin Hood legend I’ve ever read and I’ve read quite a few of them! And I’ll read more.
But more importantly than how well it was written was how it took the legend and made it mean so much more than it ever had!
If you have ANY interest whatsoever this book (and it’s predecessor) are absolute must reads!
5 stars and I’ll keep this until I can find a copy that’s less falling apart (as I did with Sherwood).
For the record, my dictionary of this book (and the previous book) is up to 738 words. Daunting yes, but not unreadable!
From the Afterword: Competence may suffer fools gracefully but never gladly.
July 30, 2016
I've read a lot of Robin Hood books, some good some not so good but this is probably the most boring one yet. I usually give a book 50 pages before I decide I'm not going to read it but this one, I read to page 61because I kept thinking it has to get better. I even skimmed through to page 81 but it never did deliver nothing but boredom. And I have too many other potentially good books to read on my list to waste time with this drivel.
July 22, 2022
Not quite as good as Sherwood. Still good, but the pacing is different. If Sherwood is action-adventure, Robon & the King is high drama. Still a better story about an aging Robin than the movie Robin & Marian.
May 9, 2022
This was disappointing, since I liked the first book. I didn't care for any of the characters and felt that everyone looked down on everyone else.
July 9, 2020
High fantasy. I absolutely adored this book and I am so glad I saved reading it for so long. This was the best meld of reality and fantasy that I have read in a long time and the fact that it was written years ago says something for the genre and it’s progression over time and how far away it has moved from reality fantasy to more sci-fi fantasy, which I rarely read these days. Think of Butcher as a modern comparison to how well written this is, incorporating reality with fantasy and now you have a strong comparison with authors. I am only sorry that this author went on to other pursuits, but this duology is a prized part of my collection and memory forever. I just love the story of the legend too, especially all the Showtime episodes of him.
May 10, 2017
I found myself wondering throughout the book, what is the point of this? I think that it is nice if you want more of Godwin's Sherwood, however if you found the first book just "ok" then there is no real need to read the sequel.
February 22, 2023
Hopefully, you read "Sherwood" first. A very good re-interpretation of the Robin Hood legend and a good read. "Robin and the Kings" is the sequel, and not well written. I would skip it.
April 15, 2012
Wow. This touching conclusion to a beautiful story was so endearing and touching. I fell in love with Godwin's England and his characters in the first book. I was worried the second book couldn't successfully continue such a poignantly epic story. And it wasn't quite as gripping as the first but it was still brilliant.
These characters, Robin, Will Scatloch, Beorn, Marian, Judith, Edward Jr., Much, Maud, Ralph, and others will stay with me for a long, long time. These people came to life on the pages. They were such real people with real motivations, real shortcomings, etc.
The setting will definitely reserve a spot on my all time favourites shelf. Sherwood and Denby are such achingly vivid realms. I found myself longing to stroll through the forest and fields, to reach down and feel the earth of this place.
I thoroughly loved Godwin's different take on the historical period of Robin and the character himself. Robin Hood--a hero but a simple farmer, and an early English lawyer whose precedence led to the Magna Carta! Wow!
From here on out this is Robin Hood for me.
Another thing about these two books that I loved was Godwin's Saxon language. Absolutely wonderful. I learned so many new words, phrases, cultural terms. Being an admitted Anglophile (lover of all things English) I loved hearing the way these characters spoke. Godwin's writing enables the reader to HEAR these characters, accents and all.
Another very interesting part was seeing the intermingling of Celtic and Saxon paganism with Christianity. The characters really demonstrated how the people of England accepted the new religion of Christianity but found it so difficult to completely relinquish their old ways, the ways of their ancestors.
I'm really surprised to see so few reviews on this book here on Goodreads. I see only two other written reviews. This is an astonishingly touching epic. I know it will stay fresh in my mind for a long time. It's one I will definitely want to read again years from now. More people should read this.
These characters, Robin, Will Scatloch, Beorn, Marian, Judith, Edward Jr., Much, Maud, Ralph, and others will stay with me for a long, long time. These people came to life on the pages. They were such real people with real motivations, real shortcomings, etc.
The setting will definitely reserve a spot on my all time favourites shelf. Sherwood and Denby are such achingly vivid realms. I found myself longing to stroll through the forest and fields, to reach down and feel the earth of this place.
I thoroughly loved Godwin's different take on the historical period of Robin and the character himself. Robin Hood--a hero but a simple farmer, and an early English lawyer whose precedence led to the Magna Carta! Wow!
From here on out this is Robin Hood for me.
Another thing about these two books that I loved was Godwin's Saxon language. Absolutely wonderful. I learned so many new words, phrases, cultural terms. Being an admitted Anglophile (lover of all things English) I loved hearing the way these characters spoke. Godwin's writing enables the reader to HEAR these characters, accents and all.
Another very interesting part was seeing the intermingling of Celtic and Saxon paganism with Christianity. The characters really demonstrated how the people of England accepted the new religion of Christianity but found it so difficult to completely relinquish their old ways, the ways of their ancestors.
I'm really surprised to see so few reviews on this book here on Goodreads. I see only two other written reviews. This is an astonishingly touching epic. I know it will stay fresh in my mind for a long time. It's one I will definitely want to read again years from now. More people should read this.
November 1, 2014
Having read the first book I found this not quite as satisfying. It was well written with believable characters that have some dimension to them.
What I liked:
Good introduction to the time period. I did not know much about this time 1080-1090s. As I said, good character development.
What I did not like:
I felt that some of the plot concepts did not "work" because they introduced things that were not appropriate for the time period. That might not bother most people but having authentic settings and props is important to me.
Overall, if you read the first one I would read this one.
What I liked:
Good introduction to the time period. I did not know much about this time 1080-1090s. As I said, good character development.
What I did not like:
I felt that some of the plot concepts did not "work" because they introduced things that were not appropriate for the time period. That might not bother most people but having authentic settings and props is important to me.
Overall, if you read the first one I would read this one.
August 1, 2015
Another great addition to Parke's 'Sherwood' series. I'm sad that that this was the final book in this series but I'm very glad to have read it. The characters in this book are once again masterfully written with great dialogue and inner critics. As in my other review, this is by far my favorite Robin Hood book/series. I recommend everyone to read this. Still cant believe the ratings aren't higher and it looks as if this book hasn't been read a lot by people. Parke is a diamond in the rough !
November 5, 2015
So.
Robin Hood dies. I didn't like it and object for two reasons: 1. I found it to be a little dramatic 2. Robin Hood dies. Ha. Just no. *whispers* you live on, good Robin. Ever will you ride the glen.
And then there's the whole plot with Ranulf's wife and that bit with the enemy what's his name who Robin kills because of his base horribleness.
In short: this book wasn't for me and I much prefer Sherwood.
Robin Hood dies. I didn't like it and object for two reasons: 1. I found it to be a little dramatic 2. Robin Hood dies. Ha. Just no. *whispers* you live on, good Robin. Ever will you ride the glen.
And then there's the whole plot with Ranulf's wife and that bit with the enemy what's his name who Robin kills because of his base horribleness.
In short: this book wasn't for me and I much prefer Sherwood.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2008
A continuation of the emotional story begun in Sherwood, Godwin delivers on the original's promise. The writing is superb.
April 4, 2013
Parke Godwin's writing is wonderful. the author attempts to be historically accurate with richly detailed characters and a feeling for the time and place. Hated it to end!
April 6, 2013
I have to go cry now.
December 8, 2015
Kind of a fun way to set up for Penman's Plantagenet series, which is what I'm reading next. It introduces the Domesday Book as well as the Charter of Liberties, precedent for the Magna Carta.
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