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Hood (King Raven #1)

3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 · rating details · 6,207 ratings · 772 reviews

Robin Hood

The Legend Begins Anew

For centuries, the legend of Robin Hood and his band of thieves has captivated the imagination. Now the familiar tale takes on new life, fresh meaning, and an unexpected setting.

Steeped in Celtic mythology and the political intrigue of medieval Britain, Stephen R. Lawhead's latest work conjures up an ancient past and holds a mirror to contem...more

Hardcover, 490 pages

Published September 1st 2006 by WestBow Press (first published 2006)

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The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

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Aug 28, 2011 Stephen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fantasy, audiobook, 2006-2010, mythstories-and-legends, retellings-reimaginings-and-mashes

Robin Hood and Friar Tuck together once again...but not quite as all of us remember them:

Never fear HOODites...Sir Daffy’s “oscar worthy” portrayal notwithstanding, Stephen Lawhead’s re-imagining of the Robin Hood legend is among the best I’ve come across and is praise-deserving for both its realism and its fresh, unique interpretation of the familiar tale. For the most part, I found this version very effective.

Rather than England’s well trodden Sherwood Forest, Lawhead has transported his st...more

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Aug 06, 2008 Amber rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: general-fiction

This version of the Robin Hood story is taken from the stand point that puts most of it happening on the welsh side not the English like the story is usually set in. Just one of the reasons I liked the book. The part of Hood is played by a man named Bran and how he started becoming the "Robin Hood" figure starts in this book as well the introduction of some of the characters we know. Bran, "the Robin Hood" character, is not the good guy at first but a womanizing, duty shirking prince. Kinda puts...more

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Aug 07, 2009 Valerie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: retellings, male-protagonist, fantasy, historical-fiction

I've never read any Robin Hood retellings or any Lawhead books so this was pretty new for me. I had no standards for this book because of it, so I was neither disappointed nor pleasantly surprised.

In the beginning of the book it wasn't that hard to get into. There is action within the first chapter. It continues this way for a while, switching between boring details and action. The boring details take forever and consume almost half the book. You learn the whole history of Great Britain to the...more I've never read any Robin Hood retellings or any Lawhead books so this was pretty new for me. I had no standards for this book because of it, so I was neither disappointed nor pleasantly surprised.

In the beginning of the book it wasn't that hard to get into. There is action within the first chapter. It continues this way for a while, switching between boring details and action. The boring details take forever and consume almost half the book. You learn the whole history of Great Britain to the present. There are the British of course, the Saxons, the Normans, then Welsh and another one that starts with a F (I assume they are French). You have to keep up with all of them, what land they own, what land they are trying to get, and how they are planning to get it. The French and the Welsh are the most active during the course of the book but the British are presented often enough. I guess some background is necessary but I’m used to the YA books with a lot less detail. However, I did like the action parts of the book and those did keep me interested.

Bran starts out as a womanizing, selfish, narcissist. He doesn't give a rat's... butt about anyone but himself and has no sense of duty, at least in the beginning. As the story progresses he does follow through -he has to, he's Robin Hood for goodness sakes! I hope the second book has him in a better light. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for 3 dimensional characters but I tend not to like the book as much if I don't like the main character; I do not like womanizing, selfish, narcissists. You don't get a lot of Bran though. There are a whole bunch of other characters that you have to keep up with throughout the whole book too. I don't particularly like any of the other characters either, but if I had to choose it would be Little John. Hes pretty much the exact opposite of Bran, loyal and selfless.

I'll read the second because I do want to know what happens next and I did enjoy reading this book despite what my review might suggest.(less)

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Apr 16, 2009 Kat Hooper rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

Hood is the first novel in Stephen Lawhead's latest series, the King Raven Trilogy, which is a historical fantasy based on the Robin Hood legend. Lawhead places his story in Wales after the conquest of Britain by the Normans and during the reign of William the Red. (If that sounds a bit odd, Mr. Lawhead gives several convincing reasons for this at the end of the book -- you might want to read that first.)

The Normans are encroaching into Wales, confiscating...more ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

Hood is the first novel in Stephen Lawhead's latest series, the King Raven Trilogy, which is a historical fantasy based on the Robin Hood legend. Lawhead places his story in Wales after the conquest of Britain by the Normans and during the reign of William the Red. (If that sounds a bit odd, Mr. Lawhead gives several convincing reasons for this at the end of the book -- you might want to read that first.)

The Normans are encroaching into Wales, confiscating land, and generally mistreating the Welsh. Bran, a prince of one of the Welsh districts whose father was just killed by the Normans, has been driven from his castle. His people think him dead and have no hope for regaining their former way of life. Not that Bran, an irresponsible womanizing rogue, would have been considered a potential savior anyway, but after the Normans injure him severely, Bran is rescued and nursed back to health by a strange spiritual leader who recognizes his potential. Bran comes a long way (without losing his personality), but things are still unsettled at the end of the book.

Stephen Lawhead's writing and story-telling abilities have steadily improved over the years. I found his Pendragon series tough to stick with (although that was partly due to having read too much Arthurian legend, perhaps), but the Albion series was quite good. This latest book, however, shows that Mr. Lawhead has been steadily honing his story-telling skills to perfection. The writing was perfectly clear and lively, the descriptions aptly set the scenes, the plot was quick and entertaining, and the dialogue was rich and realistic. Lawhead is well-known for performing extensive research before he writes, and it shows in this novel. I really felt like I was back in 11th century Wales!

I've always enjoyed Lawhead's complex characters. In Hood, Bran is the "reluctant hero," but somehow he doesn't come across as a stereotype -- perhaps because we clearly see his flaws as he flies into rages, remorselessly kills people who get in his way, and forgets to pine over the woman he said he loves. Some of the most intriguing characters are the several religious leaders who represent the Catholic Church. Some are devout, some are corrupt, and Lawhead deftly uses their points of view to show us that being religious does not make a person good. There are good religious people, and there are bad people who use religious institutions to bring glory (and riches) to themselves instead of to God. Furthermore, through the points of view of the religious people, we see that there are many gray moral areas. For example, God loves truth, but is it right to tell a lie when the truth would cause innocent people to be harmed? God loves justice and mercy, so should we obey or disobey an unjust ruler? Lawhead never asks us these questions directly, and he certainly never answers them for us, but they are there for the discerning reader to contemplate.

I listened to Hood in audiobook format. Despite some unconvincing accents and a few mispronunciations, the reading was good. The reader was enthusiastic, well-paced, and had a generally pleasant voice. This was a good format for this novel, and I recommend it.
Read more Stephen Lawhead book reviews at Fantasy literature. (less)

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Aug 10, 2007 Margaret rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who like fairy tales and historical fiction

Shelves: christianfiction, own, thomas-nelson, sc-fi-fantasy

This book was really enjoyable. It was my first Lawhead book and I think I will look for the sequels and possible other series of his as well. Every once in a while there was a monologue of a character's thoughts on their past and I hated it and love it at the same time. Part of me would just want to get past it so I could get back to the action and events in the story, while at the same time it was interesting and fairly important to understanding the character, the events, and to find empathy....more

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Aug 25, 2008 Matt rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'm not any sadder for reading this book, but I'm certainly not any more enriched or anything. His historical spin on the Robin Hood legend is well-conceived but poorly executed. It's got plenty of action and the dialogue isn't awful, but there was just something missing for me. I didn't care about the protagonist and I didn't love or hate anyone else in the story. It was just one of those books that I had no problem finishing, but when I was done just sort of shrugged, scratched my nose and too...more

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Mar 27, 2009 Kipi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anglophiles and lovers of British history

Shelves: historical-fiction, read-in-2009, 5-star-reads

When I discovered a relatively new series of books based on the Robin Hood legend, I was immediately interested. It began when I saw an ad here on Goodreads.com for Tuck, the recently published last installment of the trilogy. It was one of those flashing ads that for the most part are simply annoying, but advertising works and I finally clicked on it…and discovered a treasure. Stephen Lawhead is an internationally-known Christian writer who, I am somewhat ashamed to say, I had not heard of unti...more When I discovered a relatively new series of books based on the Robin Hood legend, I was immediately interested. It began when I saw an ad here on Goodreads.com for Tuck, the recently published last installment of the trilogy. It was one of those flashing ads that for the most part are simply annoying, but advertising works and I finally clicked on it…and discovered a treasure. Stephen Lawhead is an internationally-known Christian writer who, I am somewhat ashamed to say, I had not heard of until recently. I have, though, become a dedicated fan. His books are usually classified as fantasy, which almost put me off, but reading some of the reviews on Amazon and Goodreads convinced me to give it a try. I am so glad I did!

Hood is the first book in the trilogy. Lawhead has taken the story and placed it a couple of centuries earlier than that of Richard the Lionheart, specifically in the late eleventh century following the rise of William the Conqueror and taken it out of Sherwood Forest and placed it in the forest of the March in Wales. Bran ap Brychan is the young, selfish headstrong son of King Brychan ap Tewdwr of Elfael. The Normans under William’s son William the Red are taking every parcel of land from the native Britons and enslaving the people as their laborers. When King Brychan and his men are murdered and Elfael falls under the rule of the weak but abusive Count de Braose, Bran’s only concern is his own escape. It isn’t until after his own near-death experience and the influence of the bard/sorceress Angharad that he ever so slowly becomes the leader his people need to help them resist the Normans.

This book had me from the beginning. The writing is excellent, the characters are interesting and the story, while stamped with the author’s own twists, is familiar so I never became lost. The only difficult aspect of the book I found was the Celtic/Welsh names. I’m just anal enough that I like to know how to pronounce what I’m reading. Thankfully, there is a pronunciation guide to help as well as a map of Wales and the southern part of England. It takes several chapters before Lawhead’s characters begin to resemble those we know…Little John, Friar Tuck, Sir Guy, etc., but the story stands so well on its own that someone who has never heard of Robin Hood (if such a person exists) would still thoroughly enjoy every chapter. For those like me who are not usually fantasy fans, this is more historical fiction than fantasy so don’t let the classification stop you from trying it.

Lawhead is a gifted writer, a fact made even more apparent by his lack of the use of profanity, illicit sex or unnecessary violence. It was refreshing to read an author who doesn’t need any of those in order to make an exciting realistic story. There are obviously some battle scenes, but they are not violent simple for violence’s sake. All in all, this story is so well written and so clean that I have recommended it to my daughters and to some of their friends.(less)

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Jun 05, 2011 Nikki rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction-alternatehistory, robin-hood, based-on-myth-saga-etc

Stephen Lawhead's new trilogy about Robin Hood, the King Raven trilogy, is pretty unusual in its portrayal of Robin Hood as a Welsh prince in the time of William II rather than a dispossessed aristocrat during Richard the Lionheart's crusades. Stephen Lawhead includes an epilogue, 'Robin Hood in Wales', in which he explains his reasoning.

It will seem strange to many readers, and perhaps even perverse, to take Robin Hood out of Sherwood Forest and relocate him in Wales; worse still, to remove all...more

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Feb 25, 2008 kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 20, 2008 Stephen Edge rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This was the first book by Stephen Lawhead that I read after the Song of Alboin series and I had high hopes. Saddly thse hopes were not fulfilled.

This was supposed to be a re-telling of the Robin Hoob legend, and from Lawhead I was expecting good things. The story however drags on, doesnt have good paceing nor does it draw you in like The Paradise War did. Some of the characters are rich and believeable, and others are wooden and uninteresting.

I suppose that something great could come from thi...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Cameron Brooks rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, history, england, middle, ages, christian, author

Stephen Lawhead gives a convincing argument for placing Robin Hood in Welsh country, as opposed to the much more familiar Sherwood Forest. I've been drawn to Welsh history ever since I watched Sir Derek Jacobi play a medieval monk in the Cadfael mystery series, so Robin Hood's relocation to that time and place was a lot of fun for me.[return][return]In this story, Robin Hood actually goes by the name Bran. He's the reckless and self-serving son of an angry Welsh King, whose lands are about to be...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Alex Telander rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2012

There are a couple of “legends” in British history that many people worldwide know about: one of them is King Arthur and the other is Robin Hood. Arthur has an entire bookshelf of history and fiction written about him, and many of those fiction books profess to be as accurate as the possible truth, even though it is still not fully known if there ever was such a living person. As for Robin Hood, much of the same story and lore shrouds this figure, and yet the amount written about him is small in...more There are a couple of “legends” in British history that many people worldwide know about: one of them is King Arthur and the other is Robin Hood. Arthur has an entire bookshelf of history and fiction written about him, and many of those fiction books profess to be as accurate as the possible truth, even though it is still not fully known if there ever was such a living person. As for Robin Hood, much of the same story and lore shrouds this figure, and yet the amount written about him is small in comparison. There are many seminal works that are considered part of the “King Arthur Cannon,” such as Malory’s Morte D’Arthur, Chretien de Troyes romances, Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Mists of Avalon, Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles, and Jack Whyte’s Camulod Chronicles, to name a few. In fact the author, Stephen R. Lawhead, has even written a series about Merlin and Arthur, known as his Pendragon Cycle. There have been mediocre to poor TV shows about he who robs from the rich to feed the poor, but there has never really been an equivalent book series or trilogy about Robin Hood of a high caliber; until now.

Bran ap Brychan doesn’t really know if he ever wants to be king, but his father is a poor monarch who doesn’t treat his subjects of Elfael as well as he should perhaps, but then Bran doesn’t really know what he wants to be. Then all that changes when a group of Normans invade the Welsh kingdom and his father is killed, making Bran the automatic heir. Except the Normans seize the kingdom, awarding it to a bishop and care little for Bran and his supposed claim to this throne. And so begins Bran’s adventure, as he brings together a band of merry men to go see King William and wrest back his kingdom. Thwarted in London, he is told he can have his kingdom back for a ridiculously high amount of money. So Bran sets about getting the money the only way he knows how: from those cursed Normans who stole his land, as well as making sure his people are treated right and well.

Stephen Lawhead presents the first of his impressive trilogy on Robin Hood in Hood, explaining his detailed research in the afterword, and pointing out the unlikelihood of this character living in the thirteenth century in Sherwood Forest and going against King John. Lawhead posits Robin Hood living in the late eleventh century in the time of William the Conqueror and his overtaking of Britain with his Normans. Bran is a Welshman, and the Normans cared little for this distant part of Britain, except when they wanted to make it their own. It makes perfect sense that a man out of legend would rise up to help the people against those dastardly Normans. Lawhead also pulls from Celtic mythology to seamlessly blend with the story. Hood is a great and riveting work of historical fiction that will have any fan of the genre hooked and wanting to read more in the trilogy.

Originally written on March 12, 2012 ©Alex C. Telander.

For more reviews, check out Bookbanter.(less)

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Dec 17, 2012 Trak rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, fantasy-sci-fi, fiction, historical

I had seen this book around the traps for some time and had thought about giving it a go, yet the time never seem right. Do not why but I think the BBC TV series, the movies etc had kind of made me a bit over the whole Robin Hood story.
This is meant to be a re-telling, losing Sherwood Forest and settling into Wales instead and giving the characters slightly different names etc. I didn't mind that, I am not a die hard on the tradition so I was willing to give it a go.
This first book is the estab...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Tina rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have been a fan of Stephen Lawhead ever since I read his Arthurian series "The Pendragon Cycle." Lawhead takes a familiar legend and pares it back to its roots, then creates it anew with a fresh perspective and different elements. "Hood" is no exception.

Set in Wales, rather than in the commonly-known Sherwood Forest in England, this story is full of depth. I will warn friends: if your idea of a fantastic tale is a fast-moving, quest-driven adventure, this book is not for you. There is a lot o...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Jenna St Hilaire rated it 3 of 5 stars

"The Welsh are extreme in all they do, so that if you never meet anyone worse than a bad Welshman, you will never meet anyone better than a good one." Thus writes Gerald of Wales, quoted at the back of this novel as part of Lawhead's fascinating defense for his choice to set the Robin Hood legend among the Cymry—the eleventh-century Welsh. The quote continues with: "Above all, they are passionately devoted to liberty, and almost excessively warlike."

Lawhead's "Rhi Bran"—'King Raven'—starts off r...more "The Welsh are extreme in all they do, so that if you never meet anyone worse than a bad Welshman, you will never meet anyone better than a good one." Thus writes Gerald of Wales, quoted at the back of this novel as part of Lawhead's fascinating defense for his choice to set the Robin Hood legend among the Cymry—the eleventh-century Welsh. The quote continues with: "Above all, they are passionately devoted to liberty, and almost excessively warlike."

Lawhead's "Rhi Bran"—'King Raven'—starts off rather indolent and dispassionate, thanks perhaps to a privileged but abusive upbringing, but events and destiny waken the outlaw we all know and love. He's at least as much angry freedom fighter as playful robber, however, and his character development and exploits are neatly interlaced with a portrayal of historic Wales under Norman invasion.

Bran himself is a generally well-built character forced to undergo an arduous hero's journey, but Lawhead plays freely with reader affections and allows moments of flat dislike for the protagonist. Not only that, he creates a certain amount of sympathy—not approval, but understanding and pity—for Bran's enemies at times, alternated with horror. Sympathizing with 'the bad guys' is always an uncomfortable experience, but realistic in light of the humanity of the villains, and admittedly well suited to a tale of good-hearted thieves.

While the story is historical fiction first, it reads like fantasy, with several loosely supernatural occurrences to bolster that sense. The character development, action, and world-building so crucial to the success of the fantasy genre are all present, though I've met both worlds and characters with more powerful emotional resonance.

As for the writing, Lawhead is a serviceable if sometimes mildly annoying prosist with a good strong grasp of story structure. Comparing his Hood to Robin McKinley's Outlaws of Sherwood, the former cannot match the latter's beautiful phrasing and quick, powerful emotional connections, but is decidedly structurally superior. Hood may prove difficult for readers to get into on account of that, but the intriguing history and suspense win out eventually.

The portrayal of the medieval Church contains the standard grasping, worldly bishops and cardinals, but also holy, humble, and sincere churchmen—the latter including the ever-amusing Tuck, here in a role of lovable cornball heroism. The lot of them are blessedly free of anachronistic evangelical Protestant thought patterns—which sometimes appear in historical fiction from categorically Christian publishing lines (Thomas Nelson, in this case)—though Angharad has her suspicious moments. Lawhead treats history with deep respect, and publishing house aside, this book is simply fiction without the need for the word Christian preceding it.

The situation among the oppressed Cymry gives the Robin Hood legend a firm and unique placement, setting this novel apart from other retellings. It also raises the stakes enough to make its sequels seem not only like probably reasonable developments, but important and desirable ones.(less)

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Jun 14, 2012 Molly Pace rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

The Cymry, whom their oppressors sometimes called “Welshmen,” are starving. The Freinc king, William the Red, demands tributes higher than anyone could pay. He seizes lands from Cymru lords and gives them to his friends who care nothing for their vassals.
What the Cymry need is Rhi Bran—the Raven King from the old legends who saves his people from their oppressors. What they are going to get is Bran ap Brychan, an angry young man, exiled from his father’s lands. Forced to hide in the forest of t...more

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Jun 14, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Here we have yet another take on the legend of Robin Hood. This time, with a decidedly different tone. Steve Lawhead has taken Robin from his usual standing in Sherwood Forest, among Prince John and King Richard and the like, and moved him back in time and place to Wales. Robin is named Robin no longer, but Bran ap Brychan, the rightful heir to the throne of a Welsh cantref (a small kingdom like a county) named Elfael. His father is on the road to Lundein to grudgingly pledge loyalty to the new...more

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May 17, 2011 Hannah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Everyone knows the story of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. In Hood, Stephen Lawhead takes the tale away from the British and gives it (back, he claims) to the Welsh. While no one really knows the origins of the Robin Hood legend, Lawhead believes thus:

"Several small but telling clues serve to locate the original source of the legend in the area of Britain now called Wales in the generation following the Norman invasion and conquest of 1066. First and foremost is the general character of the Welsh...more

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Feb 14, 2011 Sean Brower rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction

I really did have high hopes for Lawhead (this being my first foray into his work) and for this book in particular. It takes the Robin Hood legend and attempts to offer a more plausible account -- the Welsh prince Bran ap Brychan takes on the persona Rhi Bran of the Hud, and armed with the Welsh longbow and some help from the displaced people of Elfael, tries to take back his kingdom from the invading Normans. It sounds rooted in history, and it is to an extent, but it fails in virtually all oth...more I really did have high hopes for Lawhead (this being my first foray into his work) and for this book in particular. It takes the Robin Hood legend and attempts to offer a more plausible account -- the Welsh prince Bran ap Brychan takes on the persona Rhi Bran of the Hud, and armed with the Welsh longbow and some help from the displaced people of Elfael, tries to take back his kingdom from the invading Normans. It sounds rooted in history, and it is to an extent, but it fails in virtually all other aspects of storytelling.

The great problem with the story is manifested three-fold: the single-dimensionality and lack of real personality for any of the characters (esp. the antagonist "sheriff" analog, and even the protagonist "Hood"), confusing narration with little to no point, and a plot so thin, nothing actually happens until Chapter 30.

The greatest character development in the entirety of the book occurs in the prologue, where Bran has one of those powerful "child disappointment" moments. The rest of Bran's supposed character is given in trite telling-style narration, and it offers nothing other than cliched angst. Aethelfrith (Tuck) has some distinguishing characteristics as far as his physical appearance is concerned, but Iwan (Little John), Bishop Asaph, Count Falkes (kinda like the sheriff), Baron Neufmarche (also could be seen as the sheriff character), et. al. have literally ZERO depth or development. [Okay, we know Neufmarche is a womanizer, but how profound is that? It's the bloody Middle Ages!] It's not just disappointing, it's embarrassing that this passed editorial muster.

The big problem about the narration is that it is simplistic and telling. Nothing is done to evoke a damned thing. Many times this comes off as so simplistic it's confusing, because you expect something else to be said. Days pass without feeling, people act for no reason, and the conflict is absurd.

As far as the Ch. 30 point goes, I'm serious. I kept telling myself not to put it down, something has to happen, etc. Finally, when 100 pages are LEFT in the book, something somewhat interesting happens... then there's some more boring narration, then there is a nice little ambush scene... and then hey, the book is over, and then you have to trudge through hundreds of pages in the next two books to, supposedly, find more story. Hood ends with Bran finally getting his damsel (though he causes the distress part...). It's not even a good cliffhanger, it's a beginning. The first three or four hundred pages could be trimmed down to about forty.

I have been a huge fan of GRRM and his A Song of Ice and Fire series. I consider it to have some of the greatest characterizations in fantasy, ever, not to even mention the storyline and wonderful writing. I don't expect every fantasy story to be like that, but I certainly use it as a measuring cup. If you want realistic fantasy, like Hood proposes to be, look up GRRM's first book in the series, A Game of Thrones. The cliffhangers in his books actually mean something, and his world building is so much more beautiful to read.

Skip this sad, failed, lame attempt at medieval fantasy. You will regret it otherwise.(less)

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Jan 03, 2011 D rated it 3 of 5 stars

As my first Lawhead book, I didn't know what to expect, and therefore was not particularly disappointed, but neither was I particularly impressed. Being a fan of the varying takes on the legend of Robin Hood, I was fascinated by this perspective, but not by the overall experience; perhaps I was not properly in the mood for this kind of tale, but I found myself annoyed by the protagonist and therefore often distracted whenever I picked it up to read. Will I read the others in the series? Probably...more

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Jun 20, 2010 Lydia Presley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, fiction, historic-fiction

Robin Hood is one of my favorite characters in history. I love both the myth and the facts surrounding him and was excited to get my hands on Stephen Lawhead's King Raven trilogy.

First - let me say that the look and feel of these three books is magnificent. The artwork, the font used and the size of them have made more than a few people stop to look and exclaim over how beautiful they are. I had not even read them before I knew I had to have them and I was glad to see that the insides lived up t...more

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Jun 12, 2010 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An interesting take on the Robin Hood myth. Stephen Lawhead transplants Robin Hood from England to Wales following the Norman conquest of William the Conqueror. Some of the characters that you would expect to be part of Robin Hood are there: Little John, Friar Tuck, Marion, etc.

In his notes at the end of the book, Lawhead sets forth his case for why he did set his story in Wales. He makes some very interesting arguments why he thinks that perhaps the stories were taken by the English. Though Law...more

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Jun 09, 2010 Nick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Check out more reviews and SciFi/Fantasy fun at Lions and Men.

One of the most fun aspects of legends is that the details get fuzzy over time. Names get lost and details get embellished. What remains is the moral of the legend, and the enjoyment of hearing the tale. In Stephen R. Lawhead's novel, Hood, we are treated to one rendition of the legend of Robin Hood. If you are looking for King Richard, Prince John, and the Sheriff of Nottingham, look elsewhere. Hood is set in the nation of Cymru (now...more Check out more reviews and SciFi/Fantasy fun at Lions and Men.

One of the most fun aspects of legends is that the details get fuzzy over time. Names get lost and details get embellished. What remains is the moral of the legend, and the enjoyment of hearing the tale. In Stephen R. Lawhead's novel, Hood, we are treated to one rendition of the legend of Robin Hood. If you are looking for King Richard, Prince John, and the Sheriff of Nottingham, look elsewhere. Hood is set in the nation of Cymru (now called Wales) during the Norman invasion of the early 1000's.

In fact, Hood does not resemble the common legend at all until the last 100 or so pages. Most of this novel serves to set up the locations, characters, and events that lead to "Robin Hood"s (Bran ap Brychan, in this novel) exile and criminal deeds. If one considers this as a standalone novel, they may be disappointed with the result. Hood contains a beginning and middle, but then seems to abruptly stop. This reader thought that it could have used an additional 300-400 pages. However, we need to remember that Hood is part of a trilogy, and I am perfectly content with forgiving Lawhead for his early truncation because the "introductory" material presented in Hood is just so enjoyable.

Hood is filled with beautiful landscapes and complex characters. Bran himself is not the lovable rogue that legend has remembered, but a conflicted and - in some cases - failing hero. This makes the metamorphosis he undergoes throughout the book that much more satisfying.

The pacing of this novel (one of the biggest potential stumbling points of a novel, in this reader's opinion), is spot on. So much so that I didn't even realize the pages were turning and the chapters were advancing. The story just seemed to organically flow from the author's mind to my own, which seemed to hearken back to the days when legends were passed on verbally.

Hood has been one of the most enjoyable novels that I have read in a long time. Do yourself a favor: Pick up the trilogy, find a comfortable spot, and read to your heart's content.

4 out of 5! (less)

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Jul 26, 2009 Bonnie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've read several books by Stephen Lawhead, one that totally left me cold, and some I've really liked. I liked this one enough that I'll get the sequels (unless, of course, the second one leaves me cold) since I'm anxious to know where he takes the story.
As one might guess from the cover, this is an interpretation of the Robin Hood legend. Unlike the version that Disney made into his cartoon and the version written by Parke Godwin, this outlaw/hero doesn't live in Sherwood Forest but in Wales. T...more

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Jul 17, 2009 Whitney Cowling rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 20, 2009 Jill Williamson rated it 3 of 5 stars

This story begins with King Brychan, Lord of Elfael, leading his warband to Lundein to swear fealty to King William the Red. A half day’s journey away, they meet Norman Raiders. The king explains their mission, but the Norman’s do not care. It is three hundred Normans against thirty Welsh, and King Brychan and his men are slaughtered.

One man escapes to bring news to the people of Elfael. When Prince Bran hears the news, his first thought is to flee to his kinsmen in the north, but he is persuade...more

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Apr 10, 2009 Joshua Keezer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Hood is one of those books that could have been truly amazing if not for some really simple problems. As a thousand other reviews will tell you, this is a variation of Robin Hood that pits a Welsh prince named Bran in the seat of Robin Hood and using The Marsh in place of Shirewood Forest.

The concept of the story is a great one. I was finding it very refreshing to discover a character I had met was one of the mythology. Certain characters kind of sneak up on you where others are obvious. Even w...more

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Mar 25, 2010 Terri rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, historical-fiction

Okay, I only gave it two stars, but honestly, that is not this books fault, nor is it the authors.
When I bought this book off the shelves of my local book store, I had no idea what-so-ever that it was actually classed as 'young adult fiction' and when I found this out it actually explained a lot because that is precisely how it read.

I have read no other Lawhead books so can't comment on how his adult fiction is written, all I know is that in this book, the writing and story is very, um, uncompli...more

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Sep 16, 2011 Caroline rated it 2 of 5 stars

I will not be reading the sequels. Slow-paced and barely interesting. Lawhead managed to suck the adventure and color out of the legend of Robin Hood. The characters had no depth - I did not feel a connection to any of the characters or feel that any of them had feeling. The physical descriptions of people and events were poor. In one scene, Lawhead describes a group of soldiers traveling on the road - there were 5 on the left, 5 on the right side, two in the back, and then the leader. That actu...more

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Oct 20, 2009 Allison rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Dianna

Shelves: arlington-pls, historical-fiction

I like Stephen Lawhead. I am currently obsessed with everything Robin Hood from the original ballads, to the new kids fiction, to old DOS games. That being said, I really liked this book and that is a rare complement for me to give on a piece of Adult fiction. Lawhead has an easy writing style and I can understand why he put the series in Wales. The historian in me appreciates the research (though I wish the Author's note had been in the front), and I expected a bit of unorthodoxy from him anywa...more

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About Stephen R. Lawhead

Stephen R. Lawhead is an internationally acclaimed author of mythic history and imaginative fiction. His works include Byzantium, Patrick, and the series The Pendragon Cycle, The Celtic Crusades, and The Song of Albion.

Also see his fanpage at Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/stephenlawhead...

Stephen was born in 1950, in Nebraska in the USA. Most of his early life was spent in America where he earned...more

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The Paradise War (The Song of Albion, #1)

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“If thou wouldst seek justice, thyself must be just. ” — 43 people liked it

“When heaven joins the battle against you, who could stand?” — 13 people liked it

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