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The Forest Lord #4.3
Sworn to God
Yorkshire, AD 1329
A new religious group moves into an abandoned church just north of the village of Altofts, but when men start dying under strange and suspicious circumstances the local bailiff decides to investigate.
The Disciples of God and their charismatic leader, Lady Alice de Staynton, appear truly holy, but something sinister seems to be going on within the walls of the newly refurbished St Joseph's. Certainly the bailiff, John Little, has his suspicions about some of the warrior-like male acolytes, but are his fears justified? Infiltrating the group seems to be the best course of action, although the volatile Will Scaflock is none too happy about being nominated for the job by Friar Tuck...
Following on from 2019's Faces of Darkness, this standalone new story sees three legendary heroes battling invisible 'Black Lords' and far more dangerous earthly foes, but can they figure out what's really going on in St Joseph's before anyone else dies?
With twists and turns aplenty, and based on real events, historical fiction fans are sure to enjoy this action packed thriller as much as they did the author's previous bestsellers The Druid, Lucia and Wolf's Head.
A new religious group moves into an abandoned church just north of the village of Altofts, but when men start dying under strange and suspicious circumstances the local bailiff decides to investigate.
The Disciples of God and their charismatic leader, Lady Alice de Staynton, appear truly holy, but something sinister seems to be going on within the walls of the newly refurbished St Joseph's. Certainly the bailiff, John Little, has his suspicions about some of the warrior-like male acolytes, but are his fears justified? Infiltrating the group seems to be the best course of action, although the volatile Will Scaflock is none too happy about being nominated for the job by Friar Tuck...
Following on from 2019's Faces of Darkness, this standalone new story sees three legendary heroes battling invisible 'Black Lords' and far more dangerous earthly foes, but can they figure out what's really going on in St Joseph's before anyone else dies?
With twists and turns aplenty, and based on real events, historical fiction fans are sure to enjoy this action packed thriller as much as they did the author's previous bestsellers The Druid, Lucia and Wolf's Head.
236 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 27, 2020
128 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
Steven A. McKay
52 books446 followersI 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 22, 2022
Always love these little side trips that Tuck, Little John an Will take on. Can't go wrong reading about these retired outlaws.
November 30, 2020
Steven A. McKay is back and he’s revisiting some of our favourite characters from his Forest Lord Series.
Friar Tuck has been pulled into a couple of mysteries over the years along with Little John but in Sworn to God we see the lovely addition of Will “Scarlet” Scaflock.
It’s been a few years since the notorious group of men lead by Robin Hood gained their freedom and lives back. Little John has settled into the life of a bailiff, his stature and presence make it very unlikely he’s going to walk away without the money he’s owed but on one fateful day his job casts lights on the Disciples of God.. There is something strange going on.
The Disciples of God are a new order in the area and John wants to know what they are about.. even more so when one of their order takes their own life… John is soon introduced to the charismatic Lady Alice. She’s got this aura about her that draws people to her.
I won’t spoil all the details but lets just say things don’t smell right and when another suicide occurs John, along with Tuck know it’s time to dig deeper into the disciples.
Will is enlisted into the group as an unknown to Lady Alice, this way he’s able to infiltrate the group. What he learns is that for the most part the disciples are honest individuals and believe in the work they do.. but there is still something not sitting right…but what is it.
Things come to a head, and a few discoveries are made that shake the disciples to the core. For the most part you feel as our heroes do.. we know whose behind it all.. but we don’t know the motivations or how to prove anything... you can feel the frustration.
The author throws in a final twist and all becomes clear..
Wow. That ending..
I really enjoyed the plot from start to finish, it really explores the affect that individuals can have on those most in need…when times are tough..how you can be blind to what is going on all around you.
I love this series of books, there is simply no denying that. It’s the thrilling plot mixed with some characters we know and love, it puts a real twist on the normal style of mystery you’d read. It’s fresh and fun, thrilling and brutal all in one.
Overall a really fun way to develop the characters and it just bloody works brilliantly!
More of the same please!
Friar Tuck has been pulled into a couple of mysteries over the years along with Little John but in Sworn to God we see the lovely addition of Will “Scarlet” Scaflock.
It’s been a few years since the notorious group of men lead by Robin Hood gained their freedom and lives back. Little John has settled into the life of a bailiff, his stature and presence make it very unlikely he’s going to walk away without the money he’s owed but on one fateful day his job casts lights on the Disciples of God.. There is something strange going on.
The Disciples of God are a new order in the area and John wants to know what they are about.. even more so when one of their order takes their own life… John is soon introduced to the charismatic Lady Alice. She’s got this aura about her that draws people to her.
I won’t spoil all the details but lets just say things don’t smell right and when another suicide occurs John, along with Tuck know it’s time to dig deeper into the disciples.
Will is enlisted into the group as an unknown to Lady Alice, this way he’s able to infiltrate the group. What he learns is that for the most part the disciples are honest individuals and believe in the work they do.. but there is still something not sitting right…but what is it.
Things come to a head, and a few discoveries are made that shake the disciples to the core. For the most part you feel as our heroes do.. we know whose behind it all.. but we don’t know the motivations or how to prove anything... you can feel the frustration.
The author throws in a final twist and all becomes clear..
Wow. That ending..
I really enjoyed the plot from start to finish, it really explores the affect that individuals can have on those most in need…when times are tough..how you can be blind to what is going on all around you.
I love this series of books, there is simply no denying that. It’s the thrilling plot mixed with some characters we know and love, it puts a real twist on the normal style of mystery you’d read. It’s fresh and fun, thrilling and brutal all in one.
Overall a really fun way to develop the characters and it just bloody works brilliantly!
More of the same please!
February 10, 2021
4🌟 for pure uncomplicated escapist enjoyment.
December 16, 2020
Despite what Goodreads once again insists, I have NOT read the Kindle edition since I only do REAL books! Anyway......
It seems that every December, Steven McKay gifts his faithful following with a new novella, usually running around 125 pages. This year he outdid himself with what can only be called a full-length novel (hey, it's longer than George Orwell's "Animal Farm" and it's considered a novel, alright?), the page-turning "Sworn To God."
Without giving away the plot, our old friends from Robin Hood days, Friar Tuck, Little John and Will Scarlet are investigating a religious sect or cult, depending upon your interpretation, led by a charismatic woman who keeps marrying people who keep dying under strange circumstances. And, these husbands apparently aren't the only ones - and they all change their wills so that she gets their money, property and possessions.
Going undercover, Will Scarlet infiltrates the group ("call me Brother William") and that's when things start getting interesting. If you want to find out what happens, you obviously have to read the book, 'cause I'm not telling. Suffice to say, the book is written in McKay's usual reader-friendly manner and if you're a McKay fan, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up. It will be a worthy addition to your library. And while you're at it, if you haven't got the earlier books in the Robin Hood series, put them on your Christmas list, tell Santa, whatever, and be prepared for hours of enjoyable, pleasurable and exciting reading. Then pick up his Druid series and the stand-alone Lucia.
It seems that every December, Steven McKay gifts his faithful following with a new novella, usually running around 125 pages. This year he outdid himself with what can only be called a full-length novel (hey, it's longer than George Orwell's "Animal Farm" and it's considered a novel, alright?), the page-turning "Sworn To God."
Without giving away the plot, our old friends from Robin Hood days, Friar Tuck, Little John and Will Scarlet are investigating a religious sect or cult, depending upon your interpretation, led by a charismatic woman who keeps marrying people who keep dying under strange circumstances. And, these husbands apparently aren't the only ones - and they all change their wills so that she gets their money, property and possessions.
Going undercover, Will Scarlet infiltrates the group ("call me Brother William") and that's when things start getting interesting. If you want to find out what happens, you obviously have to read the book, 'cause I'm not telling. Suffice to say, the book is written in McKay's usual reader-friendly manner and if you're a McKay fan, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up. It will be a worthy addition to your library. And while you're at it, if you haven't got the earlier books in the Robin Hood series, put them on your Christmas list, tell Santa, whatever, and be prepared for hours of enjoyable, pleasurable and exciting reading. Then pick up his Druid series and the stand-alone Lucia.
June 12, 2025
A tidy little thriller that’ll keep you turning pages to the end.
A religious sect seems friendly enough, but when two members kill themselves after leaving their fortunes to its charismatic leader, Bailiff Little John, Friar Tuck, and Will Scarlet investigate.
If the names seem familiar, it’s because they’re part of the Robin Hood legend so many of us grew up with. But unlike most depictions, which take place during King Richard the Lionheart’s absence during the Third Crusade, Steven A. McKay’s version follows the earliest mentions of Robin Hood in ballads, which place him in the fourteenth century during the reigns of Edward II and III. But Robin isn’t even in this story!
Sworn to God takes place years after Robin’s “apparent death.” His band of outlaws have been pardoned. Now, Little John works as a bailiff for the sheriff. While out collecting fines, he learns of the strange deaths, and enlists his old buddies to help unravel the clues behind Lady Alice de Staynton and her “Disciples of God.”
What ensues is a fun little mystery, which I did not know how it would play out until the very end. McKay brings depth to the well-known characters, making them flesh and blood: the irascible Will Scarlet, Friar Tuck’s struggles with self-doubt, and the jolly giant Little John. Together, they make an unlikely team of sleuths who strangely work well in these new roles and share great chemistry.
McKay has written a four-book set of novels about Robin Hood as well as several novellas that take place in and around those four books. Sworn to God is one of a few post-Robin stories in which Little John and Friar Tuck team up to solve mysteries. However, Sworn to God’s fifty-thousand-plus word count puts it more in the range of a short novel than a novella.
However you want to classify it, it's a tight and enjoyable read, which took me about a week to read but you could certainly burn through it in a weekend. Either way, it’s a fun story with plenty of action and suspense, which will keep you guessing.
A religious sect seems friendly enough, but when two members kill themselves after leaving their fortunes to its charismatic leader, Bailiff Little John, Friar Tuck, and Will Scarlet investigate.
If the names seem familiar, it’s because they’re part of the Robin Hood legend so many of us grew up with. But unlike most depictions, which take place during King Richard the Lionheart’s absence during the Third Crusade, Steven A. McKay’s version follows the earliest mentions of Robin Hood in ballads, which place him in the fourteenth century during the reigns of Edward II and III. But Robin isn’t even in this story!
Sworn to God takes place years after Robin’s “apparent death.” His band of outlaws have been pardoned. Now, Little John works as a bailiff for the sheriff. While out collecting fines, he learns of the strange deaths, and enlists his old buddies to help unravel the clues behind Lady Alice de Staynton and her “Disciples of God.”
What ensues is a fun little mystery, which I did not know how it would play out until the very end. McKay brings depth to the well-known characters, making them flesh and blood: the irascible Will Scarlet, Friar Tuck’s struggles with self-doubt, and the jolly giant Little John. Together, they make an unlikely team of sleuths who strangely work well in these new roles and share great chemistry.
McKay has written a four-book set of novels about Robin Hood as well as several novellas that take place in and around those four books. Sworn to God is one of a few post-Robin stories in which Little John and Friar Tuck team up to solve mysteries. However, Sworn to God’s fifty-thousand-plus word count puts it more in the range of a short novel than a novella.
However you want to classify it, it's a tight and enjoyable read, which took me about a week to read but you could certainly burn through it in a weekend. Either way, it’s a fun story with plenty of action and suspense, which will keep you guessing.
January 15, 2023
Here we have a story about Friar Tuck, Little John and Will Scarlet (Scaflock) in their post-Robin Hood days, after they’ve become honest men—reformed, you might say. Little John is even a bailiff, working for the Sheriff of Nottingham. Needless to say, they are older and wiser, although their history has certainly made them acceptable to the people they live amongst. Our protagonists have gotten themselves mixed up with a strange religious cult, and everything is not as it seems. “Mixed up” might not be a correct way of saying it; they are suspicious of mysterious deaths related to this cult, and Will infiltrates it in order to get an insider’s view. The leader of the cult, Lady Alice, had an irresistible charisma that attracted people of both sexes, and our heroes just can’t figure her out:
It appeared to be certain types who were drawn to her with earnest looks and eager questions: widows and widowers; those who’d suffered some personal tragedy recently; younger folk who hadn’t yet found their place in the world; men who found Lady Alice physically alluring, of which there were more than John would have expected. He looked on with great interest as the various people spoke with the Holy Mother and wondered just how many new recruits the Disciples of God would have after this meeting.
When the deaths start to pile up, something must be done but Lady Alice proves a tough nut to crack. Trust and betrayal play a big part in the story, and interestingly enough, no one comes out smelling like a rose. It’s a dark tale and I found it interesting though a little dispiriting.
It appeared to be certain types who were drawn to her with earnest looks and eager questions: widows and widowers; those who’d suffered some personal tragedy recently; younger folk who hadn’t yet found their place in the world; men who found Lady Alice physically alluring, of which there were more than John would have expected. He looked on with great interest as the various people spoke with the Holy Mother and wondered just how many new recruits the Disciples of God would have after this meeting.
When the deaths start to pile up, something must be done but Lady Alice proves a tough nut to crack. Trust and betrayal play a big part in the story, and interestingly enough, no one comes out smelling like a rose. It’s a dark tale and I found it interesting though a little dispiriting.
January 6, 2021
Another great book from the Author Steven A McKay , this time an action packed historical murder mystery thriller, A tale set in 1329 that brings the reformed outlaw friends Tuck ,John and Will , back together in a battle with invisible dark forces and a mysterious church sect, ,a tale full of intrigue with many twists and turns which sees there very lives put in danger , i will say no more as I do not want to give the plot away ...but its a exciting adventure told by a master story teller ,
December 7, 2021
Another great Forest Lord story by McKay
I love this author's writing. It rarely takes me more than a day to read one of his books...not due to their length, but simply because I can't put them down. Another EXCELLENT series of his is the Druid books, which for some reason, I was unable to leave review for, though I will try again. His characters are exceptionally well portrayed, and his stories compelling, and fastmoving. I'd read ANYTHING he wrote. Probably even be enraptured by his grocery list. He writes THAT well!
I love this author's writing. It rarely takes me more than a day to read one of his books...not due to their length, but simply because I can't put them down. Another EXCELLENT series of his is the Druid books, which for some reason, I was unable to leave review for, though I will try again. His characters are exceptionally well portrayed, and his stories compelling, and fastmoving. I'd read ANYTHING he wrote. Probably even be enraptured by his grocery list. He writes THAT well!
December 17, 2020
Brilliant
So loved being back on another case with Little John and Tuck with the added help of Will Scarlett this time, even I didn’t see the twist coming near the end which I’m usually very good at, thank you for another great read Steven, I look forward to more, throughly recommended 😀
So loved being back on another case with Little John and Tuck with the added help of Will Scarlett this time, even I didn’t see the twist coming near the end which I’m usually very good at, thank you for another great read Steven, I look forward to more, throughly recommended 😀
September 4, 2023
A mystery with a little adventure
This is a very good book. It's more of a mystery novel than an adventure one and the better for it. I read this in one day because I just couldn't put it down! From the first page to the last this is an excellent tale. Now I'm on to the next one and I can't wait.
This is a very good book. It's more of a mystery novel than an adventure one and the better for it. I read this in one day because I just couldn't put it down! From the first page to the last this is an excellent tale. Now I'm on to the next one and I can't wait.
December 30, 2025
a heart warming story of aged hero’s fighting evil
If you ever wondered what happened to Robin Hood and his merry men, here is a possible answer, respected members of the community.
The hero’s fight evil, fight battles, get defeated by the law, and find cunning ways of doing good despite the law.
A fairly short story, full of action and intrigue, and a happy ending.
If you ever wondered what happened to Robin Hood and his merry men, here is a possible answer, respected members of the community.
The hero’s fight evil, fight battles, get defeated by the law, and find cunning ways of doing good despite the law.
A fairly short story, full of action and intrigue, and a happy ending.
November 29, 2020
Enjoyable, although the Black Lords could have used adding to to make it convincing. At the time people were superstitious but I find it difficult to believe people would fall for something like this without some basis for that belief aside from someones word.
January 28, 2023
Mystery and adventure
A fun little adventure for Friar Tuck, Little John and Will Scarlet. I love the concept of the remnants of Robin Hood's gang still out there righting wrongs and battling evil wherever they find it.
A fun little adventure for Friar Tuck, Little John and Will Scarlet. I love the concept of the remnants of Robin Hood's gang still out there righting wrongs and battling evil wherever they find it.
November 21, 2023
Cracking read.
I thoroughly enjoyed this short story. It's good fun having Robin Hoods band of close brothers investigating heinous crimes. The story romps along at great pace.
Really really enjoyed it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this short story. It's good fun having Robin Hoods band of close brothers investigating heinous crimes. The story romps along at great pace.
Really really enjoyed it.
December 17, 2020
Worth a read
Good groping story enjoyed it very much looking forward to the next one would recommend Steven McKay tells a good story
Good groping story enjoyed it very much looking forward to the next one would recommend Steven McKay tells a good story
January 5, 2021
Steven McKay does it again!
Every time I read one of his books I can never guess the ending! He keeps the reader hooked right to the end. A thoroughly enjoyable book, keep them coming!
Every time I read one of his books I can never guess the ending! He keeps the reader hooked right to the end. A thoroughly enjoyable book, keep them coming!
January 6, 2021
Robin who!
The three medieval detectives made good reading, enjoyed the tale and the outcome, looking forward to more if they come. Many thanks.
The three medieval detectives made good reading, enjoyed the tale and the outcome, looking forward to more if they come. Many thanks.
May 7, 2021
Well that was fun little romping adventure!
It seems to fit in with several others that are based around the same characters, so I’m going to find the rest.
It seems to fit in with several others that are based around the same characters, so I’m going to find the rest.
May 9, 2021
Great story.
This was a great story that continued the adventures of the characters from the Forest Lord books. I’m looking forward to more books from this author.
This was a great story that continued the adventures of the characters from the Forest Lord books. I’m looking forward to more books from this author.
December 29, 2021
Another excellent story with these characters.
December 21, 2020
Welcome back Will! Great to read a book based on real historical events but involving our "crime busting" duo, now a trio and taking place in the UK. I'm not going to give anything away, but as always, they cracked the case and Will was instrumental to solving the suicides in a strange religious sect. A novella that was longer than most, so hoping for an even longer one next Christmas. As always thank you and fabulously written Steven.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews