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It's Guy of Gisburne's final stand against a killer and fraud: Robin Hood.
The vendetta with Robin Hood has cost too much: blood shed, lives lost, friendships severed. Guy of Gisburne, knight and agent of the crown, has had enough, and wishes to enjoy a little quiet on his own land. But Hood grows ever more troublesome, and if the barons of the North will not convince Guy to resume the hunt – nor even the rightful King Richard, returned from long imprisonment – then perhaps the simple plea of a missing daughter’s father, and a promise to restore a good man’s name, will.
Hood has gathered an army: the insidious Friar Took, the giant John Lyttel, the cutthroat Scarlet Will, the brilliant and unhinged Alan O’Doyle, among others. Guy will need an army of his own: the redoubtable de Rosseley, the deadly Lady Mélisande, the resourceful Asif ibn Salah, even Guy’s former enemy, the ferocious Tancred... and his old friend and squire, Galfrid.
The stage is set: Sherwood, long a home to both men. The final confrontation begins...
The vendetta with Robin Hood has cost too much: blood shed, lives lost, friendships severed. Guy of Gisburne, knight and agent of the crown, has had enough, and wishes to enjoy a little quiet on his own land. But Hood grows ever more troublesome, and if the barons of the North will not convince Guy to resume the hunt – nor even the rightful King Richard, returned from long imprisonment – then perhaps the simple plea of a missing daughter’s father, and a promise to restore a good man’s name, will.
Hood has gathered an army: the insidious Friar Took, the giant John Lyttel, the cutthroat Scarlet Will, the brilliant and unhinged Alan O’Doyle, among others. Guy will need an army of his own: the redoubtable de Rosseley, the deadly Lady Mélisande, the resourceful Asif ibn Salah, even Guy’s former enemy, the ferocious Tancred... and his old friend and squire, Galfrid.
The stage is set: Sherwood, long a home to both men. The final confrontation begins...
Paperback
Published February 9, 2017
2 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Toby Venables
9 books34 followersToby Venables is a novelist, screenwriter and lecturer in Film Studies at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. He grew up watching old Universal horror movies when his parents thought he was asleep, reading 2000 AD and obsessing about Beowulf. There was probably a bit more to it, but he can't quite remember what it was.
He has since worked as a journalist and magazine editor—launching magazines in Cambridge, Peterborough, Oxford and Bristol—and once orchestrated an elaborate Halloween hoax for which he built and photographed a werewolf. He still works as a freelance copywriter, has been the recipient of a radio advertising award, and in 2001 won the Keats-Shelley Memorial Prize (both possibly due to typing errors).
His first novel (for Abaddon) was The Viking Dead—a historical-zombie-SF mashup which has been described as "A fantastic mix of history, violence and horror" and "ludicrous fun."
He has since worked as a journalist and magazine editor—launching magazines in Cambridge, Peterborough, Oxford and Bristol—and once orchestrated an elaborate Halloween hoax for which he built and photographed a werewolf. He still works as a freelance copywriter, has been the recipient of a radio advertising award, and in 2001 won the Keats-Shelley Memorial Prize (both possibly due to typing errors).
His first novel (for Abaddon) was The Viking Dead—a historical-zombie-SF mashup which has been described as "A fantastic mix of history, violence and horror" and "ludicrous fun."
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 25, 2021
"You say this does not concern John?"
"Not him."
"Who, then?"
"Your old friend," said Richard. "Your old enemy. The one they call Hood."
Gisburne felt the laughter well up again-bitter and humourless this time, dying in his throat. "My God. You too. You want me to catch him..."
"I don't want you to catch him," snapped Richard. "I want you to kill him."
Best Robin Hood's retelling ever meets The Magnificent Seven in one of the best trilogy endings I ever read, filled with action, thrills, adventure, humor, plenty of gore, and a few pinches of romance and horror to spice it all.
Asif grinned. "You always did like conjuring tricks. You and that friend of yours--that Locksley."
Mention of the name gave Gisburne a sudden chill, "Locksley is precisely why I am here, though he is now better known as Robin Hood."
Asif's eyebrows raised. "I have heard this name... The ordinary people idolise him. You say this is the same person?" Gisburne nodded, and Asif shook his head.
Totally enjoyed Guy of Gisburne's band of allies and former enemies' quest to kill an heartless, manipulative and vicious Hood so different from his previous incarnations, loved every character, and a certain Mad Max 2 easter-egg just made me laugh to tears!
Gisburne turned to face him. "Help me get Hood," he said. "Fight with me one last time."
Galfrid stared hard at his former master. There was passion in the entreaty, but he would not do it for him--not just like that. Then he looked at Mélisande, saw the pleading in her eyes and felt himself nod in agreement. Mélisande threw her arms about him, hugging him in delight.
A brilliant cinematic conclusion, you can see the author is a screenwriter too from how pages take life while you read it, with just one flashback instead of the back and forth narrative signature of previous books, and a storyline so good that you can forgive again the few typos and give it not five, but up to ten stars if you are in the mood of reading a pulpy action-packed three parts historical fiction tale.
"A gift?" said Mélisande, taking it from him with a smile and a frown. She took it, registered its weight, unwrapped the cloth. The polished steel breastplate sent dancing reflections about the dark corridor. She turned it over. It was shaped to fit her, its leather straps-dyed green-ending in bronze buckles. "Well.." she said, almost lost for words. "Most men just give a girl a ring."
Excelsior.
March 6, 2017
Absolutely Brilliant!
I must admit to being enthralled by Venables' Guy of Gisburne novels. He's taken the legend of Robin Hood and turned it on its head. At every step! So what is the truth? I've read so many versions and watched so many movies. In fact Prince of Thieves was screening just as I was reading this. But these--the Guy of Gisburne novels are my far and away favourites.
We have legend and tradition and the need for heroes--but heroes can be used in different ways. As King Richard says to Guy, "I could make use of Hood. Use his legend to bolster my own. And I shall. But I am a practical man. That legend will be easier to control when he’s dead.”
Guy replies, "Legends prosper best when their hero is absent." Cutting both ways--the legend of Richard and that of Hood. So Guy is charged with killing Hood and his leaders. How cunning is the plot that Richard has a mind to set in motion. A masterful stroke by Venables! Machiavellian indeed!
Guy forms a team from those we've met before to hunt the Hood of this series--not the legendary Hood we know, but the vicious, cunning and cruel man he really is. Lady Mélisande, Asif ibn Salah, a resentful and angry Galfrid, and even Tancred are part of that select group.
The elements of Robin Hood are all here--Marion, the Prioress, the loyal followers--but all so different from the popular legend. Hood's trusted companions are so much less than what we love, and so much more vicious. That belief that sees Hood as the man of the people, the Christlike saviour is reduced to a despicable reality here. Hood is a man with his own dark purposes.
For Guy, vengeance will take a different form. At one point Hood says, 'when I die, that is when I am truly born.' At that moment, the true revenge that Guy has in mind is given voice.
At the last Guy decides that, 'the best possible revenge upon Hood—[is] not for him to be lost to posterity, but to become its servant, and an agent for all the good things that he never once believed.' But the story to this moment is paved with hardship, is emotional harrowing and so engaging.
A wonderful novel that brings to the close a thoughtful and fascinating series I have thoroughly enjoyed.
A NetGalley ARC
I must admit to being enthralled by Venables' Guy of Gisburne novels. He's taken the legend of Robin Hood and turned it on its head. At every step! So what is the truth? I've read so many versions and watched so many movies. In fact Prince of Thieves was screening just as I was reading this. But these--the Guy of Gisburne novels are my far and away favourites.
We have legend and tradition and the need for heroes--but heroes can be used in different ways. As King Richard says to Guy, "I could make use of Hood. Use his legend to bolster my own. And I shall. But I am a practical man. That legend will be easier to control when he’s dead.”
Guy replies, "Legends prosper best when their hero is absent." Cutting both ways--the legend of Richard and that of Hood. So Guy is charged with killing Hood and his leaders. How cunning is the plot that Richard has a mind to set in motion. A masterful stroke by Venables! Machiavellian indeed!
Guy forms a team from those we've met before to hunt the Hood of this series--not the legendary Hood we know, but the vicious, cunning and cruel man he really is. Lady Mélisande, Asif ibn Salah, a resentful and angry Galfrid, and even Tancred are part of that select group.
The elements of Robin Hood are all here--Marion, the Prioress, the loyal followers--but all so different from the popular legend. Hood's trusted companions are so much less than what we love, and so much more vicious. That belief that sees Hood as the man of the people, the Christlike saviour is reduced to a despicable reality here. Hood is a man with his own dark purposes.
For Guy, vengeance will take a different form. At one point Hood says, 'when I die, that is when I am truly born.' At that moment, the true revenge that Guy has in mind is given voice.
At the last Guy decides that, 'the best possible revenge upon Hood—[is] not for him to be lost to posterity, but to become its servant, and an agent for all the good things that he never once believed.' But the story to this moment is paved with hardship, is emotional harrowing and so engaging.
A wonderful novel that brings to the close a thoughtful and fascinating series I have thoroughly enjoyed.
A NetGalley ARC
February 14, 2017
I've really enjoyed these books.
This, the final episode is every bit as well written as it's predecessors.
I've particularly enjoyed the fresh takes on established tropes in the Robin Hood legends, the occasional 'steam-punk' touches and the general level of attention to detail & research that the author has evidently worked on.
Are these books "great literature"? Maybe not, but great stories, intelligently written with verve and pace.
Highly recommended.
This, the final episode is every bit as well written as it's predecessors.
I've particularly enjoyed the fresh takes on established tropes in the Robin Hood legends, the occasional 'steam-punk' touches and the general level of attention to detail & research that the author has evidently worked on.
Are these books "great literature"? Maybe not, but great stories, intelligently written with verve and pace.
Highly recommended.
March 27, 2019
Wow! What a ride. This trilogy has been fantastic from start to finish. I loved the alternate version of a classic tale.
One of the things I really appreciated about these books was the authenticity of it all. The locations, the weapons, the armor, the technique. It was all very accurate and and I can understand why some would classify the trilogy as historical fiction over fantasy.
I have a lot of emotions about this book specifically that I find difficult to put into words. There were several characters who died by the end who I had hoped would live. I found it interesting how very little time was spent on the deaths of these main characters. A lot of books and movies like to draw out the death scene with last words, or being held by their friend/lover/companion. But Toby Venables just straight up killed them.
I liked how the end of the story played out. It wasn't what I wanted 100% but that's ok! I desperately want to know what happens next, but perhaps I'll just have to use my own imagination to see how it plays out.
Overall I'm very happy I found this trilogy and took the time to read through it consecutively. It was a wonderful adventure and I'm glad that I got to be a part of it.
One of the things I really appreciated about these books was the authenticity of it all. The locations, the weapons, the armor, the technique. It was all very accurate and and I can understand why some would classify the trilogy as historical fiction over fantasy.
I have a lot of emotions about this book specifically that I find difficult to put into words. There were several characters who died by the end who I had hoped would live. I found it interesting how very little time was spent on the deaths of these main characters. A lot of books and movies like to draw out the death scene with last words, or being held by their friend/lover/companion. But Toby Venables just straight up killed them.
I liked how the end of the story played out. It wasn't what I wanted 100% but that's ok! I desperately want to know what happens next, but perhaps I'll just have to use my own imagination to see how it plays out.
Overall I'm very happy I found this trilogy and took the time to read through it consecutively. It was a wonderful adventure and I'm glad that I got to be a part of it.
April 14, 2017
Really enjoyed this one. It was like butter ;-)
February 19, 2017
Thanks to Netgalley. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When I requested this book I didn't understand that this one was the third of a series (it's the last of a trilogy) and so when I discovered it I was quite unsure: reading it or not reading it?
Lucky for me, I decided to start it and I loved it from the start. Robin Hood is one of my favorite Disney's movies and it's a story that I like a lot, so I was really curious about this... retelling, and I am really glad to have read it in the end, even if I would have preferred for something different, sometimes.
The story is really a good one, with plots and intrigues, but overall we have a man on a mission: Sir Guy of Gisburne has to kill Robin Hood. Hood had done a lot of damages and a lot of people want him dead. But there is just a man that can do it, and he doesn't seem so keen to accept the job. It takes a while, in wich, we start to know our main character (well, I start to, at least, but I'm sure that I would have loved him from his first appearance in the first book. I have to read it, sooner or later!) to him to accept his fate and to take up the almost impossible mission.
Sir Guy is not the knight in the shining armor, it's quite the dark and broody kind of man. He's introverted and it takes great value in loneliness and privacy. But, in the end, he's a man that has to do what is right, and so accept to murder Hood. But it cannot be done by him alone, so he recruits a team of the most reliable and capable people that he knows. And what team this is! I loved all of them and I really want to know more about Melisande, this mysterious and talented woman who has an important past (and quite the reputation!), Aldric, the bright engineer, Asif, the Saracen with a lethal aim, the broody Galfrid, the dreadful Tancred and the knight in shining armor, de Rosselley.
I loved them all. Really. They are fantastic and some of the scenes with them are funny and wonderful and quirky, and I loved them! (I've said it yet? Oh, well... I loved them all! And I want more!!).
Hood is in this story is not the good guy, and ok, at the beginning I was a little bit skeptical because I really like Robin Hood, and to see him like a bad preacher was quite a shock. But I liked the idea and I went on with the reading. And I loved it.
There are some really good plot twist, some of them I really didn't see coming, but they was great and the author is really bright.
I found for all I could have asked in this book: a good story, some really remarkable characters, love, hates, history and fun. A lot of fun, because the author is bright and really good in his writing.
I would read the first two books in the series because I am curious! Even if I read just the last book I didn't have problems with the reading and I understood all, so yay!
When I requested this book I didn't understand that this one was the third of a series (it's the last of a trilogy) and so when I discovered it I was quite unsure: reading it or not reading it?
Lucky for me, I decided to start it and I loved it from the start. Robin Hood is one of my favorite Disney's movies and it's a story that I like a lot, so I was really curious about this... retelling, and I am really glad to have read it in the end, even if I would have preferred for something different, sometimes.
The story is really a good one, with plots and intrigues, but overall we have a man on a mission: Sir Guy of Gisburne has to kill Robin Hood. Hood had done a lot of damages and a lot of people want him dead. But there is just a man that can do it, and he doesn't seem so keen to accept the job. It takes a while, in wich, we start to know our main character (well, I start to, at least, but I'm sure that I would have loved him from his first appearance in the first book. I have to read it, sooner or later!) to him to accept his fate and to take up the almost impossible mission.
Sir Guy is not the knight in the shining armor, it's quite the dark and broody kind of man. He's introverted and it takes great value in loneliness and privacy. But, in the end, he's a man that has to do what is right, and so accept to murder Hood. But it cannot be done by him alone, so he recruits a team of the most reliable and capable people that he knows. And what team this is! I loved all of them and I really want to know more about Melisande, this mysterious and talented woman who has an important past (and quite the reputation!), Aldric, the bright engineer, Asif, the Saracen with a lethal aim, the broody Galfrid, the dreadful Tancred and the knight in shining armor, de Rosselley.
I loved them all. Really. They are fantastic and some of the scenes with them are funny and wonderful and quirky, and I loved them! (I've said it yet? Oh, well... I loved them all! And I want more!!).
Hood is in this story is not the good guy, and ok, at the beginning I was a little bit skeptical because I really like Robin Hood, and to see him like a bad preacher was quite a shock. But I liked the idea and I went on with the reading. And I loved it.
There are some really good plot twist, some of them I really didn't see coming, but they was great and the author is really bright.
I found for all I could have asked in this book: a good story, some really remarkable characters, love, hates, history and fun. A lot of fun, because the author is bright and really good in his writing.
I would read the first two books in the series because I am curious! Even if I read just the last book I didn't have problems with the reading and I understood all, so yay!
May 29, 2023
This is a Robin Hood retelling in which Guy of Gisburne is the good guy, Hood and Lionheart are cruel, evil men. This one is the third in the series, which focuses far more on England and the conflict between Hood and Gisburne. I did not read the first two in this series. I don't think it was a big problem, since so much of this book explains anything that you may have missed.
The first half of this book involves Gisburne being hired by Lionheart (who will return to England officially very soon) to "take care" of the Hood problem once and for all. He negotiates to have any team of his choosing, which the Lionheart agrees to. So Gisburne proceeds to collect a group of specialists, all of which he has previous-book history with: Melisandre (trained by the Hassassins in Arabia and a con woman), Aldaric (an engineer Gisburne previously shot), Sir Rosslyn (a very good knight), Galfrid (his old squire who now hates him), Assif (a Saracan (Arab) who came to England after the crusades and fights like Xena), and Tancred with his faithful Norseman companion (who has since lost his memory of the evil deeds he did in previous books). It's a band fraught with tension, which makes it interesting to hang out with them. But still, so much of their tension is predictable, so much of their reconciliation is predictable.
It's good when the plot isn't. Halfway through we finally enter Hood's woods for the first time. But it's not to last long, since Gisburne realizes he waited too long with his training montage (yes, literally) and we move into the second act: the siege of Nottingham. This brings more conflict with Lionheart into focus, and we see how cruel and cold he is as a king.
Anyway, I'll leave the plot there, and will just say that I found the rest of it all quite predictable (including the final standoff). Key characters you've supposedly grown to love end up dying. We see the inevitable cruelty of Hood. But while the world is dark and people are cruel, this world felt a bit too much realistic for my tastes. It wasn't badly written, but it was boring. I think someone who likes fighting, darker tales of morally grey people, and more realistic books would enjoy this one far more than I did.
The first half of this book involves Gisburne being hired by Lionheart (who will return to England officially very soon) to "take care" of the Hood problem once and for all. He negotiates to have any team of his choosing, which the Lionheart agrees to. So Gisburne proceeds to collect a group of specialists, all of which he has previous-book history with: Melisandre (trained by the Hassassins in Arabia and a con woman), Aldaric (an engineer Gisburne previously shot), Sir Rosslyn (a very good knight), Galfrid (his old squire who now hates him), Assif (a Saracan (Arab) who came to England after the crusades and fights like Xena), and Tancred with his faithful Norseman companion (who has since lost his memory of the evil deeds he did in previous books). It's a band fraught with tension, which makes it interesting to hang out with them. But still, so much of their tension is predictable, so much of their reconciliation is predictable.
It's good when the plot isn't. Halfway through we finally enter Hood's woods for the first time. But it's not to last long, since Gisburne realizes he waited too long with his training montage (yes, literally) and we move into the second act: the siege of Nottingham. This brings more conflict with Lionheart into focus, and we see how cruel and cold he is as a king.
Anyway, I'll leave the plot there, and will just say that I found the rest of it all quite predictable (including the final standoff). Key characters you've supposedly grown to love end up dying. We see the inevitable cruelty of Hood. But while the world is dark and people are cruel, this world felt a bit too much realistic for my tastes. It wasn't badly written, but it was boring. I think someone who likes fighting, darker tales of morally grey people, and more realistic books would enjoy this one far more than I did.
June 16, 2021
So many reviews, and nobody wrote that the last two volumes of the trilogy are actually a novel with a key :) Errand (and at times crazy) knight John de Rosseley is modeled on a real person, a friend of the author and also the owner of the company that published "Hunter of Sherwood".
Jason Kingsley, because we are talking about him, an eccentric millionaire who spends a fortune on horses and thousands of medieval-styled artifacts, is also the creator and host of the brilliant Modern History TV channel, where he talks about the life of a knight with incredible grace and ease - about horses, armor, weapons and everyday life, including the menu.
Fans of this channel, reading about de Rosseley, die of laughter - everything is correct: charm, impeccable manners, crazy love for horses, wild passion for tournaments and jousting. All this makes de Rosseley a comic figure, much needed when the atmosphere gets too heavy, and at the same time irresistibly sympathetic, like the living original.
De Rosseley is a brilliantly written supporting character. Guy of Gisburne's faithful friend, reliable in times of need, not devoid of weakness (he cannot shoot a bow!), funny, and when he needs to be able to tell a few words of truth, he is a counterweight to the main character, who features are clearly missing.
Jason Kingsley, because we are talking about him, an eccentric millionaire who spends a fortune on horses and thousands of medieval-styled artifacts, is also the creator and host of the brilliant Modern History TV channel, where he talks about the life of a knight with incredible grace and ease - about horses, armor, weapons and everyday life, including the menu.
Fans of this channel, reading about de Rosseley, die of laughter - everything is correct: charm, impeccable manners, crazy love for horses, wild passion for tournaments and jousting. All this makes de Rosseley a comic figure, much needed when the atmosphere gets too heavy, and at the same time irresistibly sympathetic, like the living original.
De Rosseley is a brilliantly written supporting character. Guy of Gisburne's faithful friend, reliable in times of need, not devoid of weakness (he cannot shoot a bow!), funny, and when he needs to be able to tell a few words of truth, he is a counterweight to the main character, who features are clearly missing.
March 8, 2023
Fabulous series!
If you love the Robinhood legend and LOVE a twisted trope then this series is for you.
Guy of Gisburne is our protag and Robin is a charismatic sociopath.
All our favorite characters are present - in a different light - and some new ones too.
Strongly recommended.
Can't wait to see what this author does next.
If you love the Robinhood legend and LOVE a twisted trope then this series is for you.
Guy of Gisburne is our protag and Robin is a charismatic sociopath.
All our favorite characters are present - in a different light - and some new ones too.
Strongly recommended.
Can't wait to see what this author does next.
November 13, 2024
A fantastic, riveting conclusion to an excellent, historical-feeling trilogy, with pitch perfect pacing and character development, heart wrenching goodbyes and what feels like a true to itself ending for these characters. Loved every word dripping with possibility and passion.
May 31, 2018
There were many parts of this book I absolutely loved. Ranks up there with the best Kingdom Fantasy!
June 9, 2018
Good third book in the series though I thought the other ones were slightly better. I liked the way he twisted the Hood tale especially the ending. I hope he continues the series.
May 4, 2025
Interesting re-telling of Robin Hood...a good adventure
March 9, 2017
another winner. this series, and author, deserve more time in the spotlight.
March 24, 2019
This was a strong conclusion to the trilogy. It's kept the elements that I liked from the previous two books, while dropping the bits that I didn't. In particular, the flashbacks are very limited in this book, and none of them are nested. Also, any nicknames (e.g. "The Red Hand" or "The White Devil") are downplayed; Gisburne's sword gets a name, but that's about it.
I read Hunter of Sherwood: The Red Hand last March, so I had roughly a nine month gap in between. That meant that my memory was a bit rusty on some of the details, but this book provided enough context for me to keep up without explicitly having a "story so far" recap at the start.
Related to that, this book has quite a large cast of characters, but the author handles it well. In particular, Gisburne assembles a team of seven people, recruiting them one at a time. This reminded me of The Magnificent Seven (although he didn't hold up fingers to keep count), and it meant there was enough space to establish each of the characters, rather than dumping them all onto the page at once. That meant that I actually cared about what happened to them later on.
As with the previous books, there were some words that I didn't recognise (pell and quintain). So, I had to pause reading while I hopped onto the internet to look them up. However, I don't mind that, because it was educational. More generally, it all felt realistic. For instance, I'm no expert on archery, but when the book mentions that you can't keep a bowstring under tension for too long, that sounds plausible to me. (If you've seen Gladiator, think of the comment about swords freezing in their scabbards during winter.)
Another recurring theme was to include familiar scenes (from other retellings of the Robin Hood legend) but put a new spin on them. In particular,
This book also has an interesting answer to the question of "Why does God let bad things happen to good people?" Looking at p103: "If God chooses to challenge me in this way, it's because He wishes me to fight. [..] It's those who say 'It is God's will' and do not rise to it who have failed Him the most."
Sadly, as with many ebooks, there are a few formatting errors:
On p214, "arelic" should be "a relic".
On p319, "with same the care" should be "with the same care".
On p372, "it would long enough" should be "it would be long enough".
On p407, "to demean him and his predecessor" should be "to demean him and elevate his predecessor".
Still, at the risk of damning with faint praise, that's above average compared to some other books I've read.
This book essentially finishes the story that began in Hunter of Sherwood: Knight of Shadows, but I'd be happy to read any follow-up novels set in the same world.
I read Hunter of Sherwood: The Red Hand last March, so I had roughly a nine month gap in between. That meant that my memory was a bit rusty on some of the details, but this book provided enough context for me to keep up without explicitly having a "story so far" recap at the start.
Related to that, this book has quite a large cast of characters, but the author handles it well. In particular, Gisburne assembles a team of seven people, recruiting them one at a time. This reminded me of The Magnificent Seven (although he didn't hold up fingers to keep count), and it meant there was enough space to establish each of the characters, rather than dumping them all onto the page at once. That meant that I actually cared about what happened to them later on.
As with the previous books, there were some words that I didn't recognise (pell and quintain). So, I had to pause reading while I hopped onto the internet to look them up. However, I don't mind that, because it was educational. More generally, it all felt realistic. For instance, I'm no expert on archery, but when the book mentions that you can't keep a bowstring under tension for too long, that sounds plausible to me. (If you've seen Gladiator, think of the comment about swords freezing in their scabbards during winter.)
Another recurring theme was to include familiar scenes (from other retellings of the Robin Hood legend) but put a new spin on them. In particular,
This book also has an interesting answer to the question of "Why does God let bad things happen to good people?" Looking at p103: "If God chooses to challenge me in this way, it's because He wishes me to fight. [..] It's those who say 'It is God's will' and do not rise to it who have failed Him the most."
Sadly, as with many ebooks, there are a few formatting errors:
On p214, "arelic" should be "a relic".
On p319, "with same the care" should be "with the same care".
On p372, "it would long enough" should be "it would be long enough".
On p407, "to demean him and his predecessor" should be "to demean him and elevate his predecessor".
Still, at the risk of damning with faint praise, that's above average compared to some other books I've read.
This book essentially finishes the story that began in Hunter of Sherwood: Knight of Shadows, but I'd be happy to read any follow-up novels set in the same world.
March 25, 2017
The final part of an excellent trilogy suggesting an alternative to the traditional view of Robin Hood. Here Guy of Gisburne and Prince John are the good guys and Richard the Lionheart is a dangerous guy who just likes war.
This final part of the story has been a long time coming but has been worth the wait. Gisburne has had enough of his adventures and has opted for a quiet life. But events overtake him and he is brought back for a final mission to take down Robin Hood, and to do that he will need the help of a special team…Yes, we do have a number of familiar faces back for this one, and very welcome they are, it is a satisfying and clever way of making sure everything is tied up properly, although not in the way you might suspect.
It does take a little while to settle in as Guy gathers his forces, but then, about a third of the way in, the story really does start to fly and we see the wit, the deftness of plot and the characterisation kick in.
Interestingly the author does not just repeat variations of the same story, each one has been a little different but all have been great stories and very enjoyable.
Angus Donald did a great job of re-imagining the Robin Hood story, and Toby Venables has also taken a unique and entertaining slant. Enormous fun.
This final part of the story has been a long time coming but has been worth the wait. Gisburne has had enough of his adventures and has opted for a quiet life. But events overtake him and he is brought back for a final mission to take down Robin Hood, and to do that he will need the help of a special team…Yes, we do have a number of familiar faces back for this one, and very welcome they are, it is a satisfying and clever way of making sure everything is tied up properly, although not in the way you might suspect.
It does take a little while to settle in as Guy gathers his forces, but then, about a third of the way in, the story really does start to fly and we see the wit, the deftness of plot and the characterisation kick in.
Interestingly the author does not just repeat variations of the same story, each one has been a little different but all have been great stories and very enjoyable.
Angus Donald did a great job of re-imagining the Robin Hood story, and Toby Venables has also taken a unique and entertaining slant. Enormous fun.
March 30, 2017
Toby Venables is quite an entertaining writer and I've enjoyed his previous Gisburne books. Having said that, this one didn't ring quite true for me.
Without getting deep into spoilers, this variation on the Robin Hood legend pits Good Guy of Gisborne against a truly evil Robin Hood. The concept has a lot to recommend it and Venables has mined it to good effect before. However, for me, this novel didn't hold up to its predecessors for several reasons.
First, the concept, as fresh as it can be, is not quite done justice here. The characters seem possessed of a tongue in cheek foreknowledge that they are all legendary characters and Robin Hood especially is conscious of securing the immortality of his legend and legacy. This could be fair enough, but it's never developed to quite the level required to give a reader satisfaction. Hood's motivations especially are too murky, too inconsistent and too contrived.
Second, Venables likes his homage references to other works from the James Bond films/novels to Indiana Jones to The Magnificent Seven, and many more, and at this stage of the series they have advanced from amusing homages to tired cliches.
Third, the plot is unnecessarily convoluted with traps and delays and the battle scenes are extended and hard to believe. It feels like the author was writing to meet a page count and a deadline.
These are three sharp criticisms, but there are also some enjoyable aspects of the tale. The author has some great characters and it's easy to imagine Melisande or Aldric returning in new adventures. He writes well to the humour of situations and it's largely on this trade that the book thrives despite some pretty dark turns. A highly-improbable sequence with Richard the Lionheart voiding his bowels was certainly one of the best laugh-out-loud scenes I've read in a while.
All told, if you've enjoyed the previous Gisburne books, you will want to read this one to finish the set and if you haven't this is not the place to start. All the same, prepare to be disappointed in the final struggle between Robin Hood and Guy of Gisburne.
Without getting deep into spoilers, this variation on the Robin Hood legend pits Good Guy of Gisborne against a truly evil Robin Hood. The concept has a lot to recommend it and Venables has mined it to good effect before. However, for me, this novel didn't hold up to its predecessors for several reasons.
First, the concept, as fresh as it can be, is not quite done justice here. The characters seem possessed of a tongue in cheek foreknowledge that they are all legendary characters and Robin Hood especially is conscious of securing the immortality of his legend and legacy. This could be fair enough, but it's never developed to quite the level required to give a reader satisfaction. Hood's motivations especially are too murky, too inconsistent and too contrived.
Second, Venables likes his homage references to other works from the James Bond films/novels to Indiana Jones to The Magnificent Seven, and many more, and at this stage of the series they have advanced from amusing homages to tired cliches.
Third, the plot is unnecessarily convoluted with traps and delays and the battle scenes are extended and hard to believe. It feels like the author was writing to meet a page count and a deadline.
These are three sharp criticisms, but there are also some enjoyable aspects of the tale. The author has some great characters and it's easy to imagine Melisande or Aldric returning in new adventures. He writes well to the humour of situations and it's largely on this trade that the book thrives despite some pretty dark turns. A highly-improbable sequence with Richard the Lionheart voiding his bowels was certainly one of the best laugh-out-loud scenes I've read in a while.
All told, if you've enjoyed the previous Gisburne books, you will want to read this one to finish the set and if you haven't this is not the place to start. All the same, prepare to be disappointed in the final struggle between Robin Hood and Guy of Gisburne.
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