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Levanthria #1
A Forest Of Vanity And Valour
An aggressive debt collector banished from the kingdom. Now his life depends on his ability to help the less fortunate…
Vireo Reinhold relishes collecting his monarch’s proper dues. Working hard to prolong and fund the king’s never-ending war, the self-centered official revels in the perks of luxury that come with his unorthodox role. But his world upends when he unearths an ancient spellbook that promises to unlock a shadowy, forgotten magic.
Embroiled in a secret affair with a fellow noble’s wife, Vireo is mortified when he’s forced to commit an unthinkable act. Driven into exile, no longer able to coerce the vulnerable, and with the powerful tome in his enemy’s hands, the fallen agent’s only shot at survival hangs on his skills at saving others.
Can Vireo redeem himself as the people’s champion before they all fall to a sinister fate?
A Forest of Vanity and Valour is the dark first book in the Tales of Levanthria fantasy-retelling series. If you like fast-paced action, evil-to-good transformations, and classic stories with a twist, then you’ll love A.P Beswick’s ominous tale.
Buy A Forest of Vanity and Valour to fight for what’s right today!
Vireo Reinhold relishes collecting his monarch’s proper dues. Working hard to prolong and fund the king’s never-ending war, the self-centered official revels in the perks of luxury that come with his unorthodox role. But his world upends when he unearths an ancient spellbook that promises to unlock a shadowy, forgotten magic.
Embroiled in a secret affair with a fellow noble’s wife, Vireo is mortified when he’s forced to commit an unthinkable act. Driven into exile, no longer able to coerce the vulnerable, and with the powerful tome in his enemy’s hands, the fallen agent’s only shot at survival hangs on his skills at saving others.
Can Vireo redeem himself as the people’s champion before they all fall to a sinister fate?
A Forest of Vanity and Valour is the dark first book in the Tales of Levanthria fantasy-retelling series. If you like fast-paced action, evil-to-good transformations, and classic stories with a twist, then you’ll love A.P Beswick’s ominous tale.
Buy A Forest of Vanity and Valour to fight for what’s right today!
6 pages, Audible Audio
First published January 13, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 719 reviews
April 19, 2022
Painful tense and prose
Sadly, could barely make it past the first chapter before the use of present tense (I stand at the window before I move somewhere else to brood in a studied and affected manner) and the fact that the characters cannot actually “say” anything, as they are too busy sniping or teasing or rumbling everything. Not since Chuck Wendig have I been so badly annoyed by prose in such a short space of time. Can’t tell you anything about the plot or characters as I honestly wanted them all dead within the first 30 pages. Glad I didn’t part with money for this.
Sadly, could barely make it past the first chapter before the use of present tense (I stand at the window before I move somewhere else to brood in a studied and affected manner) and the fact that the characters cannot actually “say” anything, as they are too busy sniping or teasing or rumbling everything. Not since Chuck Wendig have I been so badly annoyed by prose in such a short space of time. Can’t tell you anything about the plot or characters as I honestly wanted them all dead within the first 30 pages. Glad I didn’t part with money for this.
November 18, 2022
I saw the authors TikTok for this book and was immediately intrigued by a darker robin hood retelling.
While this started out as one, it ended up being a very loose retelling and very little shooting of arrows after a specific incident. (sad face)
The story itself starts out as a complete twist to Robin Hood's character. This guy literally collects taxes for a lord from people who already cant pay and stock piles his own wealth away in his manor.
Some extremely tragic events play out leading to a slight change in character, loss of status and a love. However ultimately this guy is still a pretty big jerk.
Story was alright, could have been more fleshed out in a longer book. It felt very rushed by the end. Overall not a bad darker story. 3.5 rounded up.
While this started out as one, it ended up being a very loose retelling and very little shooting of arrows after a specific incident. (sad face)
The story itself starts out as a complete twist to Robin Hood's character. This guy literally collects taxes for a lord from people who already cant pay and stock piles his own wealth away in his manor.
Some extremely tragic events play out leading to a slight change in character, loss of status and a love. However ultimately this guy is still a pretty big jerk.
Story was alright, could have been more fleshed out in a longer book. It felt very rushed by the end. Overall not a bad darker story. 3.5 rounded up.
January 23, 2023
I admit this was a cover buy, shiny. Short chapters should have made it a quick read but the first person prose was a real grind. Didn't like the characters either they just annoyed me. Shame.
September 17, 2022
Interesting plot with poorly developed characters and even worse writing.
I really wanted to like this book, but couldn’t make it past the first 11 chapters (each of which is only 3-4 pages).
The use of the first person present is done so horribly that I actively cringed at least once every chapter. It reads like an online role play, providing the reader with second-hand embarrassment. Example from the first paragraph of chapter 9:
“The large stonework is impressive; each block of stone is bigger than Lek. I chuckle to myself at my bizarre thoughts.”
The characters themselves miss depth and would be better suited in a game of Dungeons and Dragons. In fact, the whole book feels like it could have been a transcript of a D&D campaign.
Again, I really wanted to like this book. I am a big fan of fantasy, legends and even Robin Hood in general. While I do not wish to discourage the writer, as this seems to be his first book, it is a good example of self-publishing gone wrong.
My advice would be to take additional writing classes, hire a professional editor and try again. For now, a 1-star review is all I can honestly give.
I really wanted to like this book, but couldn’t make it past the first 11 chapters (each of which is only 3-4 pages).
The use of the first person present is done so horribly that I actively cringed at least once every chapter. It reads like an online role play, providing the reader with second-hand embarrassment. Example from the first paragraph of chapter 9:
“The large stonework is impressive; each block of stone is bigger than Lek. I chuckle to myself at my bizarre thoughts.”
The characters themselves miss depth and would be better suited in a game of Dungeons and Dragons. In fact, the whole book feels like it could have been a transcript of a D&D campaign.
Again, I really wanted to like this book. I am a big fan of fantasy, legends and even Robin Hood in general. While I do not wish to discourage the writer, as this seems to be his first book, it is a good example of self-publishing gone wrong.
My advice would be to take additional writing classes, hire a professional editor and try again. For now, a 1-star review is all I can honestly give.
Read
September 9, 2022Pretty strong example of poor usage of present tense. If 9/10 sentences are simply stating what the character does next without any variation, it becomes tedious. I typically refuse to give a star rating on books I find difficult to finish. It could just be me. But that said, if you’re bothered by first person present tense, it’s likely because of books like this and not the tense itself.
July 25, 2024
Well that sure was...
Something.
Full disclosure: I had no idea this was an indie book. I see some folks commenting they 'saw it on TikTok' or something, but I found this floating in the recesses of the Libby app through my library. Usually I'd just quietly remove it from my shelf; I don't like picking on the little guy and when I do read indie I tend to go by the 'if you don't have something nice to say' rule when it comes to reviews.
But y'all. This was bad. It was so bad.
Spoilers below and all that jazz. Huzzah!
Problem 1: why is this written in first person present tense? The author doesn't make use of its strengths whatsoever. In fact the book suffers because it seems he's accustomed to reading/writing in third limited so he's shoving that veneer over it. Everything clunks. Horribly. First person present done well gives a sense of intimacy with the character and immediacy in the circumstances. This book has neither. The characters are constantly narrating their thoughts aloud, even though we are LITERALLY in their head, so there's no need to do this. It just creates a lot of awkward immersion-breaking dialogue.
Problem 2: none of the characters are remotely likable. Yes, Vireo is supposed to undergo a redemption arc so I expected him to be a shitter in the beginning, but what does the author give us to try and make us connect to him? A fridge. A dead lady lover who frankly dies in a way so ridiculous it was comical. Listen, I will never care about a fridge. They aren't people. They're plot devices with boobs meant to drive the male character's story forward. Vireo kept whining about her and wearing her cloak in some attempt to make me feel something I assume, but all I felt was annoyed. I do not care. God, I can't tell you how much I do not care.
Ultimately his transformation is glossed over and ham fisted. He's just magically compassionate at the end, suddenly he gives a shit about other people I guess. Cool, great, whatever. 0/10.
Problem 3: Morgana. Oh, god, Morgana. Sexy lady BAD. EBIIL! Also apparently women doing magic is unnatural and they're all corrupted by it but men can do it I guess? I don't know some character tosses in a misogynistic rant in the middle of the book that was so cliché I rolled my eyes. I don't know why that was even thrown in there to begin with. It served no purpose to the plot, especially since we already established magic is addictive (presumably to everyone) so I have zilch idea why the author felt the need to add this layer to everything.
I guess mind controlling a guy into arranging his wife's death isn't enough to tell us she's evil or something. We're really dumb, guys. Morons.
Anyway.
The prose was atrocious. Short, chopped sentences and on-the-nose-till-you-break-it narration. The character arcs were nil to nonexistent. If I hadn't been listening to the audiobook, which was shockingly well done given the quality of the writing, I never would have finished. The author was actively trying to tell me how to feel about the characters at every stage of this novel, and I guess I just don't follow instructions well because I felt nnnothiiiinnggggg 👁👄👁.
Christ.
Something.
Full disclosure: I had no idea this was an indie book. I see some folks commenting they 'saw it on TikTok' or something, but I found this floating in the recesses of the Libby app through my library. Usually I'd just quietly remove it from my shelf; I don't like picking on the little guy and when I do read indie I tend to go by the 'if you don't have something nice to say' rule when it comes to reviews.
But y'all. This was bad. It was so bad.
Spoilers below and all that jazz. Huzzah!
Problem 1: why is this written in first person present tense? The author doesn't make use of its strengths whatsoever. In fact the book suffers because it seems he's accustomed to reading/writing in third limited so he's shoving that veneer over it. Everything clunks. Horribly. First person present done well gives a sense of intimacy with the character and immediacy in the circumstances. This book has neither. The characters are constantly narrating their thoughts aloud, even though we are LITERALLY in their head, so there's no need to do this. It just creates a lot of awkward immersion-breaking dialogue.
Problem 2: none of the characters are remotely likable. Yes, Vireo is supposed to undergo a redemption arc so I expected him to be a shitter in the beginning, but what does the author give us to try and make us connect to him? A fridge. A dead lady lover who frankly dies in a way so ridiculous it was comical. Listen, I will never care about a fridge. They aren't people. They're plot devices with boobs meant to drive the male character's story forward. Vireo kept whining about her and wearing her cloak in some attempt to make me feel something I assume, but all I felt was annoyed. I do not care. God, I can't tell you how much I do not care.
Ultimately his transformation is glossed over and ham fisted. He's just magically compassionate at the end, suddenly he gives a shit about other people I guess. Cool, great, whatever. 0/10.
Problem 3: Morgana. Oh, god, Morgana. Sexy lady BAD. EBIIL! Also apparently women doing magic is unnatural and they're all corrupted by it but men can do it I guess? I don't know some character tosses in a misogynistic rant in the middle of the book that was so cliché I rolled my eyes. I don't know why that was even thrown in there to begin with. It served no purpose to the plot, especially since we already established magic is addictive (presumably to everyone) so I have zilch idea why the author felt the need to add this layer to everything.
I guess mind controlling a guy into arranging his wife's death isn't enough to tell us she's evil or something. We're really dumb, guys. Morons.
Anyway.
The prose was atrocious. Short, chopped sentences and on-the-nose-till-you-break-it narration. The character arcs were nil to nonexistent. If I hadn't been listening to the audiobook, which was shockingly well done given the quality of the writing, I never would have finished. The author was actively trying to tell me how to feel about the characters at every stage of this novel, and I guess I just don't follow instructions well because I felt nnnothiiiinnggggg 👁👄👁.
Christ.
January 4, 2023
So this book.... I had higher hopes for a gritty fantastical re-telling of Robin Hood. To cut to the chase, I was sorely disappointed. (Not a great start to my 2023 reading) None of the characters' motivations made sense. Some of the descriptions were overly detailed, while others were glossed over (in an inconsistent way). Vireo the protagonist starts off as a jerk and never gets redeemed he stays a jerk and completely unlikeable. He never feels like Robin Hood at all. The only resemblance is that he is an archer and hides in the woods. The antagonist's (the Prince John role) initial motivation is totally unexplained. He is a tyrant and hates that he is, but it is never clear why he acts this way if he hates it. There is a betrayal at the end that makes no sense and is just kind of left there.
I don't recommend this book to anyone. There is more in the series and part of me wants to rage-read them, but not really......
I don't recommend this book to anyone. There is more in the series and part of me wants to rage-read them, but not really......
December 30, 2022
A Forest of Vanity and Valour is the dark fantasy retelling of Robin Hood by author AP Beswick that kept me reading until the very end and a story that definitely could have benefited from being longer than roughly 250 pages.
An aggressive debt collector banished from the kingdom. Now his life depends on his ability to help the less fortunate…
Vireo Reinhold relishes collecting his monarch’s proper dues. Working hard to prolong and fund the king’s never-ending war, the self-centred official revels in the perks of luxury that come with his unorthodox role. But his world upends when he unearths an ancient spell book that promises to unlock a shadowy, forgotten magic.
Embroiled in a secret affair with a fellow noble’s wife, Vireo is mortified when he’s forced to commit an unthinkable act. Driven into exile, no longer able to coerce the vulnerable, and with the powerful tome in his enemy’s hands, the fallen agent’s only shot at survival hangs on his skills at saving others.
Can Vireo redeem himself as the people’s champion before they all fall to a sinister fate?
I did have some difficulty at the start with the narrative however when the story got going this was quickly overlooked. Beswick creates a cat-and-mouse between the two POV characters - Vireo & Jareb - the keeps us intrigued. There were areas that could have been a bit more show-don't-tell that slowed the pace and the book has some incredibly quick POV changes that can through you off guard however I was invested constantly. When the story picks up momentum Beswick shows his retelling naturally. The character development is executed brilliantly and the story keeps us guessing right to the very end. This is a small scale story but Beswick describes the landscape with ease and the creatures here are introduced so well that we forget that there is more to this story than just the town.
Sometimes retellings can be tacky and murky. We've all read the story of Robin Hood before but Beswick has shown me that we don't know everything. Beswick has started a series that has genuinely got me excited. I won't spoil the ending but you're going to want to read until the very last page. A quick, absorbing read that has put Beswick on my radar for future books. The story was pleasing and entertaining and really recommend this for a quick, fulfilling read.
I'd be happy to recommend this to others.
An aggressive debt collector banished from the kingdom. Now his life depends on his ability to help the less fortunate…
Vireo Reinhold relishes collecting his monarch’s proper dues. Working hard to prolong and fund the king’s never-ending war, the self-centred official revels in the perks of luxury that come with his unorthodox role. But his world upends when he unearths an ancient spell book that promises to unlock a shadowy, forgotten magic.
Embroiled in a secret affair with a fellow noble’s wife, Vireo is mortified when he’s forced to commit an unthinkable act. Driven into exile, no longer able to coerce the vulnerable, and with the powerful tome in his enemy’s hands, the fallen agent’s only shot at survival hangs on his skills at saving others.
Can Vireo redeem himself as the people’s champion before they all fall to a sinister fate?
I did have some difficulty at the start with the narrative however when the story got going this was quickly overlooked. Beswick creates a cat-and-mouse between the two POV characters - Vireo & Jareb - the keeps us intrigued. There were areas that could have been a bit more show-don't-tell that slowed the pace and the book has some incredibly quick POV changes that can through you off guard however I was invested constantly. When the story picks up momentum Beswick shows his retelling naturally. The character development is executed brilliantly and the story keeps us guessing right to the very end. This is a small scale story but Beswick describes the landscape with ease and the creatures here are introduced so well that we forget that there is more to this story than just the town.
Sometimes retellings can be tacky and murky. We've all read the story of Robin Hood before but Beswick has shown me that we don't know everything. Beswick has started a series that has genuinely got me excited. I won't spoil the ending but you're going to want to read until the very last page. A quick, absorbing read that has put Beswick on my radar for future books. The story was pleasing and entertaining and really recommend this for a quick, fulfilling read.
I'd be happy to recommend this to others.
July 20, 2023
About what I should have expected from a self-published indie author, but his videos on instagram really had me excited. I'm glad I didn't fall for the hype and grabbed this when it went for free on Kindle.
It's not exactly badly written, but does feel very amateur-ish. The short chapters drove me mad because they were literally two or three pages every time for no reason. Every character was a completely unlikeable dickhead and I don't know if that was intentional but both of the POV characters gave me incel vibes. Ick.
I'm intrigued by the idea of a folklore crossover but I'm definitely not spending any money on a series that started this mediocre. A shame but kudos to Beswick's marketing skills.
It's not exactly badly written, but does feel very amateur-ish. The short chapters drove me mad because they were literally two or three pages every time for no reason. Every character was a completely unlikeable dickhead and I don't know if that was intentional but both of the POV characters gave me incel vibes. Ick.
I'm intrigued by the idea of a folklore crossover but I'm definitely not spending any money on a series that started this mediocre. A shame but kudos to Beswick's marketing skills.
January 5, 2023
I was so excited to get this book started. I wasn't able to finish the second chapter. The writing style was so hard to read. It felt so disjointed to me. I'm sure its a great story, I just can't get past the weird writing vibes. it kinda reminded me of the cringe rp/sexting messages girls make fun of getting on tinder. Sorry!
May 11, 2023
Sigh, I had so many expectations for this one. I found the author on Instagram and was so excited. But what I got was a poorly written book with an ending that left much to be desired.
We'll start with the good.
The book was an interesting take on Robin Hood. The plot itself was solid and, if the story had been better executed, it could have been amazing.
Vireo was a well-written character. He was selfish and greedy and, by all means, an unlikeable tax collector. His reasoning for his actions made sense (unlike other characters) and his evolution from a selfish man to a budding hero felt natural. Most importantly, his grief was palpable. I really felt for him when he was forced to kill the love of his life. Having him wear her green hood was a nice touch.
His history with Lek and Gillan could have been fleshed out more, but I still got a good sense of their characters. Jordell was also an interesting character and, to be frank, the only one with his head screwed on right.
The dialogue was decent. Unlike the writing style, it flowed well even though it was nothing special.
Now for the bad.
The book needs a good edit. Aside from the numerous punctuation errors, the pacing is off and it was inconsistent in its descriptions. There wasn't enough show-don't-tell. There were times when scenes were under described and then a fight scene where every action was written in explicit detail. It threw me out of the story completely which sucked considering how good the plot was.
The abysmal writing style combined with the painful point of view and tense made this short book extremely difficult to get through. By the time I got to the halfway mark, I was reading it out of spite. Seriously. I read six books between starting this and finally finishing it. First-person is difficult to pull off, especially when there are multiple points of view, and this one flopped.
While I enjoyed Vireo's chapters, I despised Jareb's. There was no variation in voice despite them being on opposing sides. He was just so flat! Initially, I didn't mind him because he seemed to be doing his best with what he had. I was intrigued by an antagonist who put his people first, but his 180 turn into a tyrant was jarring. Even if we blame it on Morgana's influence, it should have taken him longer to forget his morals.
And where did Morgana come from? She was creepy as hell. I got r/menwritingwomen vibes from her due to the way that she was described. It's one thing to have Jareb view her in such a way but then Vireo immediately described her as a woman in a skintight dress. Sir, you have more pressing things to worry about. Your friends are dying.
The ending was rushed and made no sense. Lek gave no indication that he would betray everyone. If anything, I thought it would be Gillan. Did he make a deal with Jareb? Was he manipulated by Morgana? Who knows? And what happened to him in the end? Because homeboy just vanished into thin air.
How did Laith, a teenager who had been whipped, beat Cordin, a trained elven soldier? Where the hell did this kid even come from?? Don't even get me started on the fact that five lashings were too many. Slaves used to get upward of 20. Not that I'm discounting that five lashes would hurt, but the characters made such a big deal about it. I get that not everyone is Kvothe but come on!
Also, why did Vireo go into a close-range fight with a bow of all things? Also, you have to be very strong to shove an arrow into someone's skull. Skulls are very hard. The neck would have been a better place.
Will I read the next book? Probably. I have to know if it gets any better. It has to....right?
Verdict: 1 star
Fav character: Laith
We'll start with the good.
The book was an interesting take on Robin Hood. The plot itself was solid and, if the story had been better executed, it could have been amazing.
Vireo was a well-written character. He was selfish and greedy and, by all means, an unlikeable tax collector. His reasoning for his actions made sense (unlike other characters) and his evolution from a selfish man to a budding hero felt natural. Most importantly, his grief was palpable. I really felt for him when he was forced to kill the love of his life. Having him wear her green hood was a nice touch.
His history with Lek and Gillan could have been fleshed out more, but I still got a good sense of their characters. Jordell was also an interesting character and, to be frank, the only one with his head screwed on right.
The dialogue was decent. Unlike the writing style, it flowed well even though it was nothing special.
Now for the bad.
The book needs a good edit. Aside from the numerous punctuation errors, the pacing is off and it was inconsistent in its descriptions. There wasn't enough show-don't-tell. There were times when scenes were under described and then a fight scene where every action was written in explicit detail. It threw me out of the story completely which sucked considering how good the plot was.
The abysmal writing style combined with the painful point of view and tense made this short book extremely difficult to get through. By the time I got to the halfway mark, I was reading it out of spite. Seriously. I read six books between starting this and finally finishing it. First-person is difficult to pull off, especially when there are multiple points of view, and this one flopped.
While I enjoyed Vireo's chapters, I despised Jareb's. There was no variation in voice despite them being on opposing sides. He was just so flat! Initially, I didn't mind him because he seemed to be doing his best with what he had. I was intrigued by an antagonist who put his people first, but his 180 turn into a tyrant was jarring. Even if we blame it on Morgana's influence, it should have taken him longer to forget his morals.
And where did Morgana come from? She was creepy as hell. I got r/menwritingwomen vibes from her due to the way that she was described. It's one thing to have Jareb view her in such a way but then Vireo immediately described her as a woman in a skintight dress. Sir, you have more pressing things to worry about. Your friends are dying.
The ending was rushed and made no sense. Lek gave no indication that he would betray everyone. If anything, I thought it would be Gillan. Did he make a deal with Jareb? Was he manipulated by Morgana? Who knows? And what happened to him in the end? Because homeboy just vanished into thin air.
How did Laith, a teenager who had been whipped, beat Cordin, a trained elven soldier? Where the hell did this kid even come from?? Don't even get me started on the fact that five lashings were too many. Slaves used to get upward of 20. Not that I'm discounting that five lashes would hurt, but the characters made such a big deal about it. I get that not everyone is Kvothe but come on!
Also, why did Vireo go into a close-range fight with a bow of all things? Also, you have to be very strong to shove an arrow into someone's skull. Skulls are very hard. The neck would have been a better place.
Will I read the next book? Probably. I have to know if it gets any better. It has to....right?
Verdict: 1 star
Fav character: Laith
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2023
This Robin Hood retelling was utterly masterful in its execution. Anti-Heros’, good guys turning their back on the world and plot twists that had me actually kicking my feet in the air. I cannot recommend this indie bombshell enough! I devoured it in one sitting!
Also the author released the audiobook for free on his YouTube channel so definitely check that out and subscribe 👏🏻
Also the author released the audiobook for free on his YouTube channel so definitely check that out and subscribe 👏🏻
March 30, 2023
shockingly bad!!! i need a "zero stars" option :))
August 13, 2023
Admission of guilt: Bought Forest of Vanity and the following three books mostly based on the covers and the fun Tiktoks from the author. It's some wonderful imagery and AP is a fun person to watch.
Now, as a fan of myths, legends and lore, I adored the concept of these books, which was the second reason I rushed to buy them. Unfortunately that's where the positives end.
If you want a review on the story itself, I'm sorry, I can't give you one. I only got halfway through before giving up.
The writing isn't great. I don't consider myself a book snob and I understand that self-published indie books come with quirks and occasional mistakes, but I believe writing takes skill and ALL writing benefits from a few goes around with an editor and even ARC readers to really bring out the best in a story.
I became frustrated with the repetitive need for the MC to "strike" everyone and their weird ability to be able to tackle someone and hold them with both hands, yet defy the rules of physics, or grow a new arm, to be able to "strike" them. That's just a small example of where a deep dive into a proper edit would have really helped.
I'm sorry, AP. I desperately wanted to enjoy this but it missed the mark.
Now, as a fan of myths, legends and lore, I adored the concept of these books, which was the second reason I rushed to buy them. Unfortunately that's where the positives end.
If you want a review on the story itself, I'm sorry, I can't give you one. I only got halfway through before giving up.
The writing isn't great. I don't consider myself a book snob and I understand that self-published indie books come with quirks and occasional mistakes, but I believe writing takes skill and ALL writing benefits from a few goes around with an editor and even ARC readers to really bring out the best in a story.
I became frustrated with the repetitive need for the MC to "strike" everyone and their weird ability to be able to tackle someone and hold them with both hands, yet defy the rules of physics, or grow a new arm, to be able to "strike" them. That's just a small example of where a deep dive into a proper edit would have really helped.
I'm sorry, AP. I desperately wanted to enjoy this but it missed the mark.
January 4, 2023
I went into this with fairly high expectations after seeing it blow up online due to a tiktok video. Overall there were some great ideas in this book but sadly I found it to be quite lacking. The prose was hard to get through, there were many spelling and grammar mistakes, the plot felt like it was going nowhere. The big twist at the end was just ridiculous with no explanation and was very rushed. The character "development" just came off as something like a Saturday morning children's cartoon in book format - the bad man who learned his lesson fights against the dastardly evil villain.
Want to read
January 13, 2025Per Ethan, avoid all synopses.
April 30, 2025
RTC
4.5 🤩
4.5 🤩
December 13, 2022
I will admit I had seen the Instagram reel a bunch of times and finally gave it a try. I wasn’t a huge fan of this one. The prose was super jilted to me. It all seemed rather terse and lacked description. It was advertised as a dark retelling of Robin Hood and while it was “dark” it honestly read like YA to me. I also felt that the inclusion of Morgana and the Sword in the Stone set up in the end was super forced. It kind of seems like an amalgamation of interests that were thrown into a book, rather than actually fleshing out the world and characters and the world.
Due to this cobbled together combination, everyone lacks depth and end up being super shallow. I don’t know if this book just wasn’t for me because my expectations were too high, or if I fell for the advertising. Probably both.
Due to this cobbled together combination, everyone lacks depth and end up being super shallow. I don’t know if this book just wasn’t for me because my expectations were too high, or if I fell for the advertising. Probably both.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2023
I dont know why but the entire time I was reading this I couldn't stop thinking "This story does not work in first person". I could not separate that thought as I reading. The overall plot idea was a decent one, robin hood meets king Arthur ish style was a decent idea. However the author makes the main character seem like an egotistical debt collector who enjoys hurting people the robinhood like figure. Yet at the same time make the villain seem like the figure who wants to do good in the kingdom while choosing horrible decisions. That all gets set up and then halfway through switchs to where the good guy is good and bad guy is bad. It would have been significantly better if the characters started off with their respective tropes.
December 20, 2022
Easy, quick read. I felt the writing wasn't amazing, but good enough to hold my interest. The storyline and character development felt rushed to me.
It also needs quite a bit of editing, so that was pretty distracting.
It also needs quite a bit of editing, so that was pretty distracting.
April 27, 2023
as someone from nottingham i had high hopes for my city’s mascots retelling. however, this was not it
June 25, 2023
Vireo Reinhold is loving his life as a tax collector, being surrounded by his best friends at all times. But he walks a delicate edge, as he is also having a torrid affair with the King's Steward wife. But with the King at war and the country pressed for supplies and taxes, the people are displeased and when Vireo makes a mistake that costs him everything, the only option he has is fleeing to the dangerous forest. There he sees the people suffering from a distance and he decides to stand up for all the common people of the city.
This definitely was a dark, gruesome, unnecessary violent story and I was here for it. The rivalry between Vireo and Jareb was almost touchable and even though it was a bit petty, the ending was a perfect way to end their beef. What I didn't like was the use of the present tense for the writing, it made it very hard to get into and the sudden skips in the story, as parts have been added because they were after thoughts of the author. There is a lot of potential here, but there is also some stuff that could have been better.
This definitely was a dark, gruesome, unnecessary violent story and I was here for it. The rivalry between Vireo and Jareb was almost touchable and even though it was a bit petty, the ending was a perfect way to end their beef. What I didn't like was the use of the present tense for the writing, it made it very hard to get into and the sudden skips in the story, as parts have been added because they were after thoughts of the author. There is a lot of potential here, but there is also some stuff that could have been better.
April 14, 2024
I loved all things robin hood growing up. Starting from when I watched the animated robin hood (1973). However it was nice to see a more dark take on the robin hood style of character. I was left wanting more of the story by the end of the book and can not wait to dive into the second in the series. The only "issues" were a couple of spelling mistakes and the end leaving me with a fair few questions about a certain character that I am told are somewhat answered in a standalone chapter sold separately (hence only 4/5)
October 28, 2024
Just dreadful in every way
April 20, 2025
Have you ever wanted to read a dark retelling of the Robin Hood story with magic? How about one where the Robin Hood character is a vicious tax collector willing to beat people to a pulp and will spend several pages complaining about the smell of poor people? Have you desired him to have a distinct ability to forget everyone's face for dramatic reveal? How about for him to avoid the kings war so he can live a lavish lifestyle off the backs of the poor he has beaten? Oh but don't worry he will still have battle experience for some reason.
What about Prince John? Do you want to see him as a more relatable character that is forced to tax the people to fund his brothers war? Him being steward that wishes good upon his people, wants nothing more to give up the throne and live with his wife who he loves dearly, and takes the best care of her?
Would you like the inciting incident to be that Robin Hood tried to steal the steward's wife, and causes both himself and friends to go on the run? How about how when on the run, despite having lost his parents in the past due to highway robbery, Robin Hood starts committing highway robbery and thinks nothing of it? What if I told you that he then gives the money to the poor not as an act of kindness but to try to make the people not turn him in for the bounty? What if every one of his comrades only followed him because circumstances have forced them to?
What if price John, driven by grief over what happened becomes cartoonishly evil because a hot sorceress told him to? What if the only reason you are expected to want Robin Hood to win was because he was the main character?
If you answered yes to all of these questions the you need to go to therapy, and this book may be right for you.
What about Prince John? Do you want to see him as a more relatable character that is forced to tax the people to fund his brothers war? Him being steward that wishes good upon his people, wants nothing more to give up the throne and live with his wife who he loves dearly, and takes the best care of her?
Would you like the inciting incident to be that Robin Hood tried to steal the steward's wife, and causes both himself and friends to go on the run? How about how when on the run, despite having lost his parents in the past due to highway robbery, Robin Hood starts committing highway robbery and thinks nothing of it? What if I told you that he then gives the money to the poor not as an act of kindness but to try to make the people not turn him in for the bounty? What if every one of his comrades only followed him because circumstances have forced them to?
What if price John, driven by grief over what happened becomes cartoonishly evil because a hot sorceress told him to? What if the only reason you are expected to want Robin Hood to win was because he was the main character?
If you answered yes to all of these questions the you need to go to therapy, and this book may be right for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2024
3 Stars - a fun retelling of Robin Hood
For the full review, check out: https://medium.com/hooked-on-books/bo...
What's the story about: A Forest of Vanity and Valour is a fairytale retelling of Robin Hood mixed with some aspects of another English folklorian figure. The main characters are two men trying to make the best of their bad situations: a kingdom at war and a love triangle that divides them. While it may seem straightforward in that one is the good guy, one is bad, there is more gray to it.
A Forest of Vanity and Valour is a fast-paced, intrigue-ridden fairytale of two men at odds with one another. Their rivalry is the center of this story and this keeps the progression tight and focused for the entire length of the book. While you don't really grow with either character, you do get a good understanding of where they come from. There are plenty of grammatical errors plaguing the chapters that can be frustrating while reading, but there is also enough organic writing to make the story captivating and engaging. The writing itself flip flops between being fairly original and realistic in its execution to having a decent amount of clichés common to the fantasy genre. I found the worldbuilding that surrounded the characters to be the most interesting part of this story but the characters were sufficient enough to carry the simple plot. I am definitely going to check out Beswick's additional works set in this world and see how the writing evolves.
For the full review, check out: https://medium.com/hooked-on-books/bo...
What's the story about: A Forest of Vanity and Valour is a fairytale retelling of Robin Hood mixed with some aspects of another English folklorian figure. The main characters are two men trying to make the best of their bad situations: a kingdom at war and a love triangle that divides them. While it may seem straightforward in that one is the good guy, one is bad, there is more gray to it.
A Forest of Vanity and Valour is a fast-paced, intrigue-ridden fairytale of two men at odds with one another. Their rivalry is the center of this story and this keeps the progression tight and focused for the entire length of the book. While you don't really grow with either character, you do get a good understanding of where they come from. There are plenty of grammatical errors plaguing the chapters that can be frustrating while reading, but there is also enough organic writing to make the story captivating and engaging. The writing itself flip flops between being fairly original and realistic in its execution to having a decent amount of clichés common to the fantasy genre. I found the worldbuilding that surrounded the characters to be the most interesting part of this story but the characters were sufficient enough to carry the simple plot. I am definitely going to check out Beswick's additional works set in this world and see how the writing evolves.
February 13, 2023
Meh
I was really excited to read this book after seeing it on Instagram. I saw it's theme and commented on the post "oh guess what I just downloaded " and the author responded with "the next ACOTAR book?" I was put off by this interraction but thought maybe it was in a joking manner and decided to give the book a try.
What I realized through the book is that this asinine sort of condescension was how he treats the women he writes as well as real women.
I will not be continuing this series. I suggest the author learns to interract better with his fans and have at least a working knowledge of women's minds
I was really excited to read this book after seeing it on Instagram. I saw it's theme and commented on the post "oh guess what I just downloaded " and the author responded with "the next ACOTAR book?" I was put off by this interraction but thought maybe it was in a joking manner and decided to give the book a try.
What I realized through the book is that this asinine sort of condescension was how he treats the women he writes as well as real women.
I will not be continuing this series. I suggest the author learns to interract better with his fans and have at least a working knowledge of women's minds
January 9, 2023
I found some incorrect typos randomly, about 8 total, but im a terrible editor myself, so no judgement. The story shifting back and forth between the main characters was nice and smooth. I enjoyed the pace of the story itself. The set up of using Robin Hood folklore as the back drop for the start of the series was smart. The ending was a decent cliff hanger. Im looking forward to reading book 2 straight away. Book 3 and 4 can't come soon enough.
January 22, 2023
This Robin Hood retelling was the best I’ve read! A.P. put his own spin on the story with richly developed characters, incredible world building, and magic! I listened to the audible, enjoying every moment of this punchy read! The mythical creatures and magic combined with quality writing took this retelling to the next level! Well done A.P
January 6, 2025
I enjoy different takes on classic tales. When this came up as a suggestion, I was curious. This story is a take on Robin Hood. Names changed to protect the innocent :) This is quick moving book. I actually listened to this mainly in one day at work on Audible after starting on Kindle to get my mojo going to get into this book the evening before.
This is a more adult version of the story of Hood with many adult situations so not recommended for young readers.
Lately a lot of books I've been reading have had "non-challenging" text. I appreciate Beswick not taking the easy way out and giving this book a more "adult" reading level.
Overall I found the highly entertaining hooking my attention and holding on to it tightly. It moved quickly and smoothly with no slog. The characters are engaging and pretty intriguing. Mr. Smith, the voice actor, does an amazing job. He really understood his assignment.
Needless to say, I'm in if for book 2.
This is a more adult version of the story of Hood with many adult situations so not recommended for young readers.
Lately a lot of books I've been reading have had "non-challenging" text. I appreciate Beswick not taking the easy way out and giving this book a more "adult" reading level.
Overall I found the highly entertaining hooking my attention and holding on to it tightly. It moved quickly and smoothly with no slog. The characters are engaging and pretty intriguing. Mr. Smith, the voice actor, does an amazing job. He really understood his assignment.
Needless to say, I'm in if for book 2.
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