Robin: Lady of Legend (The Classic Adventures of the Girl Who Became Robin Hood)

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Robin: Lady of Legend (The Classic Adventures of the Girl Who Became Robin Hood)

by R.M. ArceJaeger (Goodreads Author)

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 483 ratings · 83 reviews

What if Robin Hood wasn’t the man you thought him to be—what if he wasn’t a man at all?

Robin of Locksley is young, headstrong, and about to receive the worst birthday present of her life. Still struggling to define herself in a society that believes women are fit for little more than governing a household and bearing children, she balks at her father’s plans for her future...more

Kindle Edition, 281 pages

Published January 1st 2012 by Platypus Press

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Oct 23, 2012 Misfit marked it as the-kindle-black-hole · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-freebie-slut, young-adult

Hmmm. Free on Kindle today.

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Nov 15, 2012 Matt Schiariti rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm glad I came across this book a day or two ago because it's a delightfully clever and fresh twist on an old classic tale.

Take everything you know about Robin Hood and his Merry Men and turn it on its ear. What if Robin weren't a young man, but an 18 year old girl?

In order to maintain and strengthen his position in the land, Lord Robert Locksley arranges a marriage between his eldest daughter Robin Ann to one Phillip Darniel, the sheriff of Nottingham! Robin, who's always been headstrong and m...more I'm glad I came across this book a day or two ago because it's a delightfully clever and fresh twist on an old classic tale.

Take everything you know about Robin Hood and his Merry Men and turn it on its ear. What if Robin weren't a young man, but an 18 year old girl?

In order to maintain and strengthen his position in the land, Lord Robert Locksley arranges a marriage between his eldest daughter Robin Ann to one Phillip Darniel, the sheriff of Nottingham! Robin, who's always been headstrong and much more interested in male pursuits such as going out into the woods and archery, will have none of it and would rather leave everything she knows and loves, including her younger sister maid Marian, behind and fend for herself in the woods. Slowly but surely her sense of honor and natural leadership has outlaws and the downtrodden of Nottingham flocking to her like moths to flame. They don't know Robin is a young girl though, as she's disguised her voice and is never seen without her hood.

This is such an interesting twist on the old tale, and told in such a great way that it's like being introduced to these classic characters for the first time. Twists on Will Scarlet and Little John as well as Robin herself makes this a fun and exciting read from the first word to the last. It also introduced a world of possibilities and problems for the characters. Will Robin ever reveal her secret, her true identity? Will she ever see her family again? When she starts developing feelings for one of her Merry Men who still thinks she's a boy, how will she handle this? These are the types of clever alterations that make this novel fresh and new even though most people are already pretty familiar with the legend of Robin Hood whether it be from the literature or the score of films that have been made over the years.

The only complaint I have is that it has to end! Getting into the characters that ArceJeager has breathed new life into, I would love to see what other adventures they get into as they get older and get into more hijinks.

A great and fun work that's exciting, entertaining and heartfelt, I would love for this to be a series but if not, I'm still glad I got a chance to read this fantastic new take on well established characters. This author is now on my radar!
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Nov 07, 2012 Levina C. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hmm...there's something very amusing about watching a girl pretend to be a boy, isn't there? Although, I've never seen anyone attempt the inverse; heaven help a male who disgraces himself by wanting to be a girl, right? I mean, who would ever want to be female? What a silly thought.

I've recently come off reading another Robin Hood retelling - Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen - in which Will Scarlet is actually a girl, disguised as a boy, in love with Robin, and secretly the fiancé of (view spoiler)...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Kristin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, kindle

This was a great take on the legend of Robin Hood. ArceJaeger did a great job reconciling the different aspects of the legend with her plot twist of Robin being female.

The one complaint I did have about the story though was (view spoiler). I thought it was contradictory to her reasoning prior and though I understand why it was necessary, I thoug...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Jim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Like the author, one of my favorite books when I was a kid was Howard Pyle's classic "The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood." Likewise, one of my favorite TV shows in the 1950s was a British import, "The Adventures of Robin Hood," with a lively theme song that went "Feared by the bad, loved by the good, Robin Hood… Robin Hood… Robin Hood" (or something like that). And with all of the movies made over the years, the story of Robin Hood and his merry men is one of the most popular and enduring legend...more Like the author, one of my favorite books when I was a kid was Howard Pyle's classic "The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood." Likewise, one of my favorite TV shows in the 1950s was a British import, "The Adventures of Robin Hood," with a lively theme song that went "Feared by the bad, loved by the good, Robin Hood… Robin Hood… Robin Hood" (or something like that). And with all of the movies made over the years, the story of Robin Hood and his merry men is one of the most popular and enduring legends from medieval Europe.

Author R.M. ArceJaeger has done a fine job with her own account of the legend, with one major twist—Robin Hood was actually a young girl, Robin Ann Locksley, daughter of Lord Robert of Locksley. In the author's version of the story, Robin's father has betrothed her to the Sheriff of Nottingham, who, as the king's appointed tax collector, was hated and feared by all. To escape her fate, Robin ran away into the depths of nearby Sherwood Forest and became known as Robin of the Hood, or simply Robin Hood, as others, mostly outlaws or farmers who had been dispossessed by the sheriff, began following her. There's one catch: out of necessity, Robin had disguised herself as a man.

A number of the familiar characters and incidents from the legend were in the book. Little John, of course, was a principal character, as was the Sheriff of Nottingham. Allan was a talented minstrel who sang about Robin Hood's exploits and spread his (her) fame. Marian was an important character, but not in the same role as the Maid Marian in some versions of the story. One character that I missed was Friar Tuck; however, other characters provided enough comic relief that he wasn't essential to the story.

The author's writing style was polished and professional. Her descriptions were detailed enough to describe a scene or location without being verbose. Dialogues were realistic, and the author worked in enough archaic Middle English words to give the story an authentic medieval feel.

"Robin: Lady of Legend" was a very inventive adaptation of the old Robin Hood legend, one that I enjoyed very much. There was enough tension and suspense to hold my attention. At the heart of the story was a tender romance that was complicated by Robin's reluctance to reveal her true gender. The story built to a big finish with a thrilling climax and a very satisfying ending.

Kudos to the author for polishing up an old story and making it fresh and new.(less)

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Jun 10, 2012 Shomeret rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, historical-fiction, my-reviews

I'm a Robin Hood enthusiast,so I would give a try to any Robin Hood book. But a woman Robin Hood disguised as a man sounded like huge fun to me. And that's exactly what it was. It was light and fun.

There were a couple of disappointments. I didn't mind that Robin was Christian, but I would have thought that a Robin who is portrayed as Christian would have had a closer relationship with Friar Tuck who is just barely mentioned. Tuck is one of my favorite characters. I love the concept of a friar w...more

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Apr 11, 2012 CookieDemon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: author-requested-reads, fiction, historical-fiction

(This review also appears on Amazon.co.uk)

*Full disclosure: the author sent me a copy of her novel in the hope that I would review it.*

Forget what else you may think you know about the legend of Robin Hood, because this book turns the myth completely on its head in a new and original way. In this instance, Robin is actually an eighteen year old girl- raised in a wealthy household, though not particularly ladylike given the times, and more concerned with slightly more tomboyish pursuits, includin...more (This review also appears on Amazon.co.uk)

*Full disclosure: the author sent me a copy of her novel in the hope that I would review it.*

Forget what else you may think you know about the legend of Robin Hood, because this book turns the myth completely on its head in a new and original way. In this instance, Robin is actually an eighteen year old girl- raised in a wealthy household, though not particularly ladylike given the times, and more concerned with slightly more tomboyish pursuits, including archery and sword fighting. Headstrong and fiery, she is appalled when she is told her hand has been promised in marriage to the utterly repellent Sherrif of Nottingham and makes immediate plans to escape. Whilst dressed as a boy and hiding in Sherwood Forest, she accidentally shoots one of the sheriff's foresters, and that is when her life as an outlaw really begins and the legend of `Robin o' the Hood' is born...

I have to admit that I initially approached this novel with a bit of concern. There have been many retellings of the myth of Robin Hood across the years (and I loved the BBC programmes, including the CBBC version years ago), so I did wonder what else the author could do to make this story stand out as new and exciting. Thankfully, I needn't have worried one jot. As with most fantasy novels I did have to suspend my belief on a couple of occasions during this story, but I had anticipated that- and after all, this is a story of a mythical character- and one who has been re-imagined as a woman in this instance, nonetheless!

The character development in this book is solid and infinitely readable: having Robin as a teenage girl and with all of the issues that come with it makes for a very interesting story and I really felt I knew who she was and what she stood for. She is feisty and stubborn, but at the same time, having to hide her true identity from those closest to her as she makes her new life in the forest, which adds a very interesting dimension to the plot as her constant frustrations and irritations with society and her situation come to the surface. I kept waiting for someone to stumble across her secret! I also loved Little John, and Will Scarlett and how the rest of her Merry Men protected her with no regard to their own safety.

Working in Nottingham myself (I can see the castle from our office window!); I did feel a real sense of place with this novel and can imagine how it looked in the past through the vivid descriptions of the sights, sounds and smells. I have also been to Sherwood Forest many times and the author's description of the landscape felt very real and natural. It is clear that the author has done her research into the area itself and I genuinely appreciated nice little similes such as `his tongue began to flow like the River Severn' and the nods to towns and cities in the surrounding vicinity as well, including both Lincoln and Mansfield. Driving to them is so easy and quick by car, you forget what an arduous trek it must have been to get there on foot, or even by horse. Nottingham in the past is brought completely to life.

I suppose that my only criticism of this novel is that I felt the ending seemed just a little bit rushed, especially the conclusion to themes that I would have liked to have seen a stronger focus on and that were built up through the novel. Though the story has admittedly been set up very nicely (and effortlessly) for a sequel which I will most definitely read should it happen, I would have liked to have seen a closer look at the reaction of the outlaws as certain events unfolded towards the end of the plot, as well as a bit more emphasis placed on the romantic aspect of the novel (it's difficult to say too much for fear of giving anything away, here!). That comes down to personal preference however, not to mention the complete romantic in me- I'm a sucker for a good romance and this book certainly had a romance with a twist which I found particularly enjoyable!

Recommended- and not just for young adults; this well-written story should appeal to anyone with an interest in the myths and legends of Robin Hood- particularly if a contemporary spin on such a well-known story intrigues you. Full of sword fights, bravery, villains, unexpected romance and with a heroine you can really root for, I wholeheartedly enjoyed this novel and will be recommending it to my friends. (less)

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Mar 30, 2013 Kat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, retell, fantasy, liked-the-main-character, ok, pretty-good-books, quick-reads, spys-theivies-assains, tough-main-character, strong-main-chracter

I don't know why i have been into some of these Robin Hood books, but i have been. Although i liked this one i think ScarletScarlet is my favorite out of the two. While this book was told as Robin being a girl and having to hide it, Scarlet was told as Will Scarlet being a girl. I liked the way this told. I thought all the characters were great and I loved how strong and kindhearted Robin was. I also loved how Robin was such a great leader. She lead a whole town and the whole town trusted and re...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Terri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fiction

Robin Hood has never been one of the fairy tales that grabbed me, and perversely, I’ve read more than a few RH retellings in the hope that one day, someone will do the story in a way that makes me care. Even the Robin McKinley version was just … meh. (That felt like blasphemy. I’m sorry RM!) Robin: Lady of Legend may finally have done the job.

Characterization here is very good. Robin is highly independent, loves to be active, and at eighteen, she’s considered past due for marriage. When her fath...more Robin Hood has never been one of the fairy tales that grabbed me, and perversely, I’ve read more than a few RH retellings in the hope that one day, someone will do the story in a way that makes me care. Even the Robin McKinley version was just … meh. (That felt like blasphemy. I’m sorry RM!) Robin: Lady of Legend may finally have done the job.

Characterization here is very good. Robin is highly independent, loves to be active, and at eighteen, she’s considered past due for marriage. When her father decides to marry her off to the Sheriff, she protests. This is where one of my favorite pieces of writing came into play; this is said by Robin’s father to her:

“You seem to think you are a man, with a man’s right to choose his fate and speak his mind. You are not a man, not even a boy. You are nothing but a girl, and it is high time you faced that fact. If it takes a husband breaking you to him to teach you your place in the world, so be it.”

After this verbal slap in the face, Robin is angry, but determined. She escapes into the Sherwood forest with nothing but a forester’s uniform pilfered from her dear cousin Will, her prized bow, and a bag of supplies, determined to disguise herself as a man and travel to London. The Locksley family are cousins to the King, and she hopes to ask for a place at his court. She meets a man named John Little, and when one of the Sheriff’s men tries to waylay them, Robin shoots him before she can even think twice. Horrified at her actions, she abandons John Little and makes herself a home in the forest. Eventually, she rescues a young boy named Will, and slowly but steadily, their little troope in the forest grows. All the “merry men” believe her to be a man and nickname her “Robin O’ the Hood” for her trademark clothing. They begin to rob from the rich (but only the corrupt rich, not the honest) and give the coins to the people to help them pay the Sheriff’s outrageous taxes and keep their homes. Meanwhile, the Sheriff grows more angry by the day, holds the archery contest to draw her out, and Robin and her merry band continue to be awesome.

What really worked about this retelling was the characterization. Everyone knows the story of Robin Hood, and ArceJaeger really focused on what was driving Robin and how she developed. At first, she was alone and she didn’t want anyone else around. Will annoyed her, first with his own presence and then further still by bringing others to her camp. As she began to be invested in their safety and well-being, Robin … well, she didn’t soften exactly, but she became more caring in her thoughts. Her quick wit and cunning earn her the respect of the people, and without even trying, she becomes their leader. All the while, she’s got the internal monologue going of, “I’m a woman. I’m not allowed to be doing this … but if I don’t, who will protect them?” After John Little and her cousin Will join the Merry Men, Robin begins yet another transformation: that of a leader with someone to lean on.

I really enjoyed Robin: Lady of Legend and I’ve already found myself wanting to reread parts of it. 4 stars!(less)

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Apr 29, 2013 Debbie rated it 3 of 5 stars

The premise of this story, Robin Hood being a woman, intrigued me. The author folded in all the usual legends about Robin Hood and his/her band of Merry Men. The characters are presented much as in the stories by Howard Pyle in his "Merry Adventures of Robin Hood" and R.M. Arcejaeger acknowledges her love of those tales informing her own version.

I read the Kindle edition of this book and want to mention the bonus material that is available with links to websites and additional information. I ha...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Gary rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, booked, kindle

Robin: Lady of Legend (The Classic Adventures of the Girl Who Became Robin Hood) is easily one of the best reimagining of the English legend. Although I’m not familiar with the story that inspired the author’s tale, I’m inspired by this one.

Although it goes against the traditional tale of this legendary hero, it should be placed within their same note. It captures the same things that make other adaptations captivating. This one has the added bonus of a female protagonist which I think will app...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Dan Rogers rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although I was intrigued by the premise behind this book, it was with a certain amount of reluctance that I picked it up. Lately I've become a bit of a skeptic when it comes to books about women taking on male roles. I feel like everyone needs to make the point that women can do anything men can do and sometimes even better than men can do it. I wasn't in the mood to read such a book. I was quite surprised with this story. I was enthralled by the way that Robin "became" and outlaw and then how h...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Jasmine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: retold-fairy-tales

As a warning, perhaps I should firstly admit that I truly love re-told fairy tales, myths, and legends, and among others I am a fan of Robin Hood. The only other retelling of it I have ever fallen in love with so far is Robin McKinley's Outlaws of Sherwood.

The twist in this one is that Robin is not a man, but a woman, and I have to say that ArceJaeger pulls it off quite brilliantly. The premise is very solid, and the progression is, at least to me, believable. The only spotty point I get in with...more

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Nov 05, 2012 G.K. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: retellings, freebies, prequels

This book is about a girl named Robin who ran away to avoid marrying the awful sheriff of Nottingham. She soon becomes the legendary Robin Hood. All right-- I was completely taken by this book. It was not some crappy retelling like some of the books I've read, it was a good twist on the original tale. I read the original book a couple of years ago, so while I was reading this, I could remember some of the scenes--but in this book the had the added element that Robin was secretly a girl. I was re...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Cheryl Carpinello rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Ages 13 and up

I had no clue what to expect from this book. The author was unknown to me. To be honest, I didn't even remember what the book was about. It sat in my to-read folder on my computer for months before the author contacted me to see how I was coming!

Now nearly finished, I have to say that I am impressed with the story telling and the unique twist put on the Legend of Robin Hood. The writing flows although sometimes I found myself skimming through the lengthly description. However, that is how I read...more

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May 11, 2013 Cheree Alsop rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the best Robin book I've read in a long time. I love the legend, and have been in love with it since I was a little girl reading about the adventures of Robin and his Merry Men. To read this version of the tale was delightful. I really liked the take of Robin being a girl, and R.M. ArceJaeger added many little snippets that tipped the hat to the original stories of Robin Hood, which I also enjoyed. Her imagery is detailed and beautiful. I felt like I was in Sherwood Forest and experienci...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Cheryl M-M rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a fun twist to the old tale of Robin Hood. It challenges everything you might have read whilst still remaining true to the original story. In this version our well known merry rogue of thieves is a girl with the skills of a man and devil may care attitude to boot. At least the Sheriff is still the ghastly menace everyone loves to hate. I really enjoyed the opening chapters and the beautiful flow of descriptive text. I think the writer has to make sure that it remains consistent though as...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Sanette rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Robin Hood Fans, Fans of Adventure

Shelves: strong-females

When I started Robin: Lady of Legend I was skeptical but excited. I LOVE Robin Hood stories and I was excited to read a version with a female Robin Hood but this was the author's first book and I wasn't sure of this was going to be kind of a stepping stone for the author. But I was pleasantly surprised because this was a fantastic story, a little slow moving near the end but overall a very fun adventure.

Robin was a fun character to follow through her growth and adventures. The eldest of Lord Lo...more When I started Robin: Lady of Legend I was skeptical but excited. I LOVE Robin Hood stories and I was excited to read a version with a female Robin Hood but this was the author's first book and I wasn't sure of this was going to be kind of a stepping stone for the author. But I was pleasantly surprised because this was a fantastic story, a little slow moving near the end but overall a very fun adventure.

Robin was a fun character to follow through her growth and adventures. The eldest of Lord Locksley's two daughters, the younger one being Marian, she is betrothed to the Sheriff of Nottingham at the age of 18, which is fairly old for that time period. An adventurous and head strong girl, Robin wants nothing to do with the evil sheriff and a few nights before her wedding she finally makes her escape, with the help of her cousin, Will Gamwell (view spoiler). As she ventures to London to seek an audience with the King and beg to be released from her marriage to the sheriff she ends up in Sherwood Forest. On her second night alone a traveler passes by, after striking up a conversation with this handsome John Little, the two decide to travel together. But along the way they are ambushed in the forest by some of the Sheriffs men and after a fight and a horrible accident, Robin flees into the woods to escape the deed she committed. And thus truly begins her journey as she develops her talent as a master archer, teaches herself to survive on her own and her inner talent as a born leader. As more and more outlaws turn to her for help Robin becomes the legend we have all grown up on and finds a love she never thought possible.

This was an absolutely all out fun story for me. Robin was infectious with her huge heart and her wild sense of adventure you just can't help but smile right along with her. Little John (who he is "christened" as later in the story) was fantastic as her right hand man (view spoiler) and Will Stutley was downright hilarious as her first outlaw follower and dear friend who just couldn't stop himself from getting in trouble with the sheriff by chasing after his daughter. I thought ArceJaeger did a fantastic job of weaving together all the characters we loved from the Classic Robin Hood but with a different twist. It was fun seeing these characters through a female Robin's eyes.

The adventures were so much fun and the underlying message of freedom and class segregation was perfectly weaved throughout the story. I only had two real complaints that kept this from being a 5 star read for me. First, ArceJaeger would sometimes switch between character's POV's mid paragraph and it was sometimes hard to figure out exactly who you were following. There was rarely a distinction in the structure of the writing that would indicate you had suddenly changed to Little John or Lord Locksley's POV. But after a while you kind of get into the rhythm of the writing and can figure out who your following. Granted 90% of the book is from Robin's POV so it's not a constant change but still a little jarring once you realize it has happened.

My second issue, and it was not a big deal, was that about 2/3 of the way through the story I felt it started to drag a little and could have been cut down a little bit more. I felt it could have been wrapped up a little sooner than it was and I did find myself skimming some of the chapters hoping to get to the big climax and of course the romance.

But overall this was still a fun and extremely adventurous story and I miss my little Merry Men and of course Robin and Little John. Definitely a read I recommend for anyone who is a fan of Robin Hood and looking for a fun and uplifting read.

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Nov 07, 2012 Joy Findlay rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read the ebook last night (am a quick reader) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I haven't stopped thinking about this morning either. I recommend it to everyone who enjoys a historical romance, a grand adventure, and a well written story. The story shows the author's love of the original storyline, the culture and times of Robin Hood, and the art of outlawishness - and yes that is a word. It drew me in, appealed to the inner noble in me, and the adventure that I am certain every woman longs for. With...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Kelly rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I first read this as a short story - just the first chapter of what would be the book. I really liked the short story and was interested to see how the author expanded and where they went with it. Kind of wish I had stuck with only the short story.

My main problem was that it felt like the author was trying too hard. It would randomly have old English style vocabulary or wording, but then dialogue or narrative that sounded like a modern day teenager. If the author could have just picked one or t...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Tish rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The author writes that she was inspired by the stories of H.M. Pyle in writing her version of the Robin Hood story. In this case, Robin of Locksley, is the older, tom-boy daughter of Lord Locksley who runs away to Sherwood Forest rather than marrying the Sheriff of Nottingham. I thought the book was fun and the author did well, for the most part, with her premise, but there were a few too many coincidences for my taste. Also, although the book was meant to be set in the time of King Richard I, I...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book because again it is a fun take on Robin Hood being a Woman trying to escape the confines of women in her time. The author paints a beautiful picture of medieval England. The author gives enough back story without boring the author and give Robin as a Women a bit more believably. Other books I have read force you to believe but this book creates background to all the little details that some reader will skip over and others will readers will appreciate the small details...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Delicious Strawberry rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

The premise intrigued me - Robin Hood as a woman? Back then in the Dark and Middle Ages, women usually got the short end of the stick, so this story was rather refreshing, but it is also well-researched and written. Some of the scenes made me laugh. The story itself is well-paced and the dialogue is well-done. It is really obvious to me that a lot of research and thought went into this, and for an author's first book, this is amazing!

I highly encourage the author to keep on writing, I would be c...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a kindle freebie I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed most of this book. It's a fun twist on the Robin Hood legend, and I always enjoy a strong female character. I probably would have given this four stars, but a few things held me back. Some of the dialogue gets hokey at times (especially at the end when a love plot line is worked in). Suddenly characters were using language and speaking in ways that sounded totally out of character. Also, the end felt very rushed and left many th...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Rachel Skinner rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While the writing wasn't bad, the middle of the book is simply a retelling of all things you know and love about Robin Hood, but with female pronouns instead of male. In other words, there didn't seem to be much purpose to Robin being a woman; once she's taken on the role of Robin Hood she doesn't have many feminine thoughts or struggle with being a woman in a man's role. While I can appreciate that the author wanted to touch on all the elements that Robin Hood is known for, too much of it wasn'...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've been really into Robin Hood stories lately for some reason, and this one is Excellent with a capital "E." In this story Robin is actually a girl whose sister is Marian, whose cousin is Will Scarlet, and whose best friend (and more) becomes Little John. I like how it's a totally unique story, but the author also hints at the reasons why the legend could be told another way. It's creative, but also believable. All the legendary characters are there and yet each of them appear different than e...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Brian Jaybush rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Surprisingly well written update of the Sherwood Forest legend makes Robin female, oldest daughter of Loxley. The writing style ably follows the older style of legend-telling and, despite marrying Robin off to Little John at the end (an event overseen by the one and only appearance of Friar Tuck), presents a compelling case for a woman making her way in the man's world of early England. While I fully expected the story to drag, as do many Robin Hood tales, ArceJaeger manages to keep the action,...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My first exposure to Robin Hood (outside of Disney) was Robin McKinley's Robin, who was humble and soft spoken. I fell in love with that version and have never really warmed up to the more canonical brash, overly merry versions.

Until now. I loved, love, loved Lady Robin of Locksley. I loved how pig headed and quick tempered she was. And I really loved how, for most of the book, her gender wasn't an issue. She was Robin, she was a woman, and she was a brilliant leader, cocky, arrogant, fun loving...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Duckie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hoodwinkers

“Robin: Lady of Legend” is an entertaining, textually well-crafted novel unfortunately undermined by weaknesses in narration and other literary elements. To begin with, the narration spends most of the time in third-person limited but there are sudden, frequent shifts to third-person omniscient that bump the reader out of the flow, as in the following example:

“Ducking into an alleyway, Robin pulled out a dress from her waist sack and donned her woman’s disguise, too intent on her mission to regi...more “Robin: Lady of Legend” is an entertaining, textually well-crafted novel unfortunately undermined by weaknesses in narration and other literary elements. To begin with, the narration spends most of the time in third-person limited but there are sudden, frequent shifts to third-person omniscient that bump the reader out of the flow, as in the following example:

“Ducking into an alleyway, Robin pulled out a dress from her waist sack and donned her woman’s disguise, too intent on her mission to register the irony that she now thought of women’s garb as the guise, and not men’s. If she had considered it, the thought would have disturbed her, but all her attention was focused on Nottingham Castle.” Highlight Location (2205-9)

The narration also sometimes jumps between characters in the same scene, as when Robin meets Little John; this is especially distracting when Robin thinks of herself as “she” and then in the next paragraph another character thinks of her as “he.” This is going to be an issue in any novel dealing with concealed gender roles, but it can be managed - Scott Westerfeld, for example, handles it with particular deftness in his “Leviathan” series, and with a little work it could have been handled better here.

The narration and interspersed use of song are both faithful imitations of those in Howard Pyle’s classic version. However, their use here serves to mimic rather than evoke - there aren’t any new insights gained from their inclusion. This is the equivalent of remaking a classic Hollywood film by just reshooting it shot for shot. It might have been more effective to evoke Pyle’s writing style as a nod to earlier works, and then to update it for modern readers. For example, keep the same writing style but shorten the sentence length during action or comedy scenes, as these in particular seem a bit slow. Or use Pyle’s flowery prose as a contrast to describe a bloody battle scene.

There’s also a noticeable lack of character arcs, which means plot elements are strung together like individual episodes but there is little overall cohesion. Robin herself does not appear to change much throughout the novel; there are references at the beginning to her behavior being “selfish” and toward the end there are mentions of her accepting her leadership role and caring for others, but we are told this rather than allowed to watch her develop over the course of the story. Her adventures in Sherwood are related with an engaging sense of fun and whimsy, but without a character arc to underpin them the novel as a whole wavers in its sense of purpose.

Perhaps the biggest issue with the novel is its lack of depth. There’s little weaving of plot, symbolism and other literary elements to create a rich tapestry of a novel - there’s only one thread here (the plot), and everything takes places on the surface. Interestingly, this seems to be common to authors with a strong STEM background; Naomi Novik does it, and to an extent so does Neal Stephenson. There is some symbolism, as in the references to a red hart in the forest that no one can catch, but this is spliced in rather than woven seamlessly into the story fabric; in the second reference to the red hart the author explicitly states that the hart represents Robin’s sense of freedom, instead of trusting to her readers’ perspicacity and leaving that in the background for them to find. The main issue is that these elements are logically sequential but are all hit with exactly the same force, which is distracting with the use of such a rich writing style - it’s like expecting to see the London Symphony Orchestra and instead watching a talented soloist play bass guitar (edited because I'm not a great writer and I never liked how I originally phrased that). Regardless of how good the soloist is (and there should be no question, the author really can write), there is still only one stream of music instead of many interweaving melodies. Relying predominantly on plot rather than incorporating multiple literary elements means the novel begins to buckle under the weight of such ornate prose.

In spite of this, ArceJaeger is a more than capable author, and I was more satisfied spending $2.99 for this than I was spending upwards of $10 for other Robin Hood novels. Unlike many professional authors she shows a solid understanding of the main elements of story construction, even if her execution is bit imperfect, and she has an obvious passion for her subject. The novel could have used some professional editing assistance, true, but for a self-published work it’s not bad, and I look forward to seeing if the author continues this story in a sequel.
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Apr 26, 2012 Robin rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, kindle, kindle-freebie, mythology-folklore, 12th-century, children-young-adult

I found the dialogue was often painfully fake or modern feeling, some scenes were rather hokey, and the characters very one dimensional and unrealistic. For example, Robin's attempt to reason with her father that Phillip was not a good marriage match for her because he has a daughter about the same age as her was moot - in that day and age, such a union was commonplace and not even the bride would think it unusual. Even if Robin found the idea repugnant, she should have been smart enough to real...more

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About R.M. ArceJaeger

I am an author, publisher, and computer scientist. In 2005, I was named a California Arts Scholar for excellence in Creative Writing, and I possess a Bachelor of Science Computer Science degree (with distinction) from Harvey Mudd College. I have been writing books since I was five years old, and I especially enjoy making my readers reimagine classic tales.

I love to dance (but only with a partner—I...more

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Robin: Lady of Legend (The Classic Adventures of the Girl Who Became Robin Hood)

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