Hood (King Raven Trilogy)

A very cleverly written trilogy; read number one, you'll read them all. In this series, we see the real, honest-to-god Robin Hood and his incredible struggles against the occupying Normans; a small band pitted against armies of Normans. This s not a screenplay, this is the real deal.

Hood is enjoyable and is both familiar and surprising which makes it a good, solid page-turner and perfect for a light read. Both the human characters and the geographic characters; the landscape, hamlets, and of course, the forest in this first volume of the trilogy are well formed.

I enjoyed this book because it really brought the story of Robin Hood alive for me.
I liked how the characters were depicted and it was hard to put down because I always wanted to find out what happened next.
My husbands a Media specialist at a Jr High and I told him that he had to get this for his library.
Very worth my time.

Stephen Lawhead has woven a legend into a world and culture that drew me in and captured my imagination. My son and I have worn out our hard copies and moved to digital (Kindle) version to read again and again.

I do not normally read contemporary fictions, Christian or not. But this novel had taken ahold of me and I must finish the series. This trilogy will join the many classics in my library. Well done Lawhead

The history of Wales is a story of countless battles fought against a larger, aggressive neighbor determined to wipe out any vestiges of welsh cultural and political independence. Over the centuries and with limited resources, the Welsh became adept at using their harsh, mountainous terrain, guerrilla tactics and sheer stubborness to keep the Anglo-Saxon, Normans and English at bay. To a certain extent, the cultural and political struggle in Wales continues today. Even in the last half the 20th century small, secretive groups like the Free Wales Army, the Movement for Defense of Wales, and Meibion Glyndwr engaged in acts of sabotage, rebellion and direct action to fight for their vision for Welsh independence, 700 years after their nation was ground into subjugation. Suffice to say, from the earliest of times, heroic leaders such as Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Owain Glyndwr, Saunders Lewis and Cayo Williams, all engaged in Robin Hood-like guerrilla actions as a matter of necessity to stave off what they viewed as the inexorable dismantling of their nation, language and culture at the hands of the English across the border.

So then, why on earth the need to appropriate an English myth and transplant it to Wales? Regardless of the reason, Lawhead's challenge to transplant the fable was to weave enough myth, sense of place and cultural links to create a plausible scenario. Regardless of the quality of his writing, Lawhead's notion to cymricize the Robin Hood fable falls flat, simply because of his own limits and abilities in grounding his story in Wales, the welsh language and culture. Lawhead frequently betrays his ignorance even in his use Welsh words and language, which he sometimes confuses with Gaelic. Lawhead's inability to maintain consistency in his use of basic Welsh and history reveal a limited understanding of the cultural context in which he is trying to insert Robin Hood. This might sound like minutiae, but without any engaging distinctly Welsh foundation on which to rebuild the myth, the story comes across as a shallow transplanting, evidenced by the "hey nonny" language we've gotten used to from the Robin Hood stereotypes. Ultimately, the trilogy has its entertaining moments but you've seen the characters and stories before, and this re-telling adds nothing new. The relocation of the story to Wales comes across as a shallow marketing gimmick more than anything else (and no, I'm not Welsh). This was my first time to read Stephen Lawhead, and I shudder to find out what he's done with Taliesin and other figures from Welsh mythology. Maybe they all get transplanted to Atlantis.

Lawhead is a well established author but seems to have lost either his ability to write grammatical English or the means to find a competent editor or both. The story and characterization are not strong enough to bear the weight of linguistic error.

A good story should have characters and a setting that I care about; that draw you in and force you to read more.

Problem is that I'm half done and I could care less about anyone in the story. The bad guys, good guys, whatever, they're all the same and protrayed with no emotion, drive, character, or anything. It reads like a bad sitcom script or something with all the usual fantasy cliches thrown in and forced "action" in an attempt to keep things moving. Unfortunately it's just really slow.

I'm not particularly interested in the Robin Hood myth, but I was intrigued by this book enough to give it a shot. Unfortunately it has turned out to be a waste of time and money.

For anyone who likes a good Robin Hood story, this one will give you something new--a territory in Wales that is set entirely apart from the Sherwood forest you're used to, with characters similar to, yet different in many ways, from the traditional Robin Hood.

Lawhead writes in the epilogue that many of the Robin Hood myths did in fact arise in the Middle Ages, from Wales, which makes the story line at least plausible.

In any case, it is enjoyable, and provides a complete break from your usual fantasy for grown-ups.

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.

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This is an interesting version of the Robin Hood story. The author has placed the character of Hood in the forest of Wales in the 11th Century.

The protagonist, Bran, is the resentful and disrespectful son of the King of Elfael - a small fortress in Wales. Bran has no motivation to take on the duties of a Prince or King. Bran is not an immediately likeable character - he is lazy, selfish, impulsive and foolish. It was not until near the end that he begin to care for the welfare of the people and begin to assert himself as a leader.

Bran's father, the King, is on his way to give his pledge to King William the Red when he encounters a Norman Baron who claims he has been given the land grant to Elfael. The Norman knights trap the Cymry party killing the king so he cannot reclaim the land. The only Briton to survive the attack is the king's old champion, Iwan.

Bran, Iwan and Brother Ffreol travel to Lundien to seek return of the land. Along the way they take shelter with another priest, whom they nickname Friar Tuck. Friar Tuck nicknames the big knight, Iwan, as Little John.

Bran meets treachery and betrayal on every side. He flees north, stopping to say goodbye to his sweetheart, Merian. When he helps defend villagers from Ffrreinc soldiers he is hunted down and left for dead.

An old woman finds Bran in the deep woods and rescues him. While he struggles with fever, she tells him a very strange tale. He has vivid dreams of a beautiful maiden, a challenge to win her hand, and a trap ending in his taking responsibilities for the land that he didn't want.

After more betrayal Bran takes to the woods as an outlaw. He makes a disguising hood that makes him look like a raven. Then he and his friends begin to steal from the wealthy and terrorize the oppressors.

I thought this read a bit slowly. I had to reread parts to settle in my mind the historical time and place and there were parts of conflicts that I thought were unnecessarily long. I found the allegory a little hard to follow, although there is clearly despair and chaos when evil surrounds the people and they have no leader and no hope. (Thanks to my friend Susan for helping me understand that bit.)

There are portions of writing that are wonderful in imagery and intensity. Bran's grief and rage upon coming upon the carnage of the battle is excellently portrayed and then followed by a beautiful prayer. The old woman nursing Bran sings a wonderful old song. There is an overall feeling that this is real legend telling.

This was read by our church ladies' book club. One of the readers loved it and immediately bought the sequel. Another didn't like the style. I enjoyed the history, the twist on the Robin Hood legend and the rich writing style. Unfortunately I wasn't really enthralled with the story.

Hood (The King Raven Trilogy, Book 1), by Stephen Lawhead

This is an attempt by Mr. Lawhead to try and make the story of Robin Hood more historically accurate. As he mentions in the note at the end, English forests would be pretty tame by the time the traditional Robin Hood story is set. And since the old story really arose out of numerous poems and songs that often contradicted each other, the setting (place, year, and even most of the characters) aren't known for certain. Thus, Mr. Lawhead decided to set it in Wales during the reign of William the Red.

Bran is the heir to Elfael, a small region of Wales. His father is killed on the way to swear fealty to King William by a man who has already been given the land by the King. Bran journeys to the King's court to complain, and is told that if he can raise 600 marks, he can have the land back. Since he no longer has any way to earn the money via lawful means, he turns to brigandry.

I did not care much for this book. The story was good, but it took forever to get into it. Virtually all of the first half could be left out (or condensed into a single chapter) with almost nothing lost to the story. And then, of course, is all the Welsh titles. Welsh is a hard language to read...there is even a pronunciation guide at the end to help. Overall, I'd probably only give it a 3 out of 5; okay, but nothing to write home about. I will certainly not buy any more books from the series unless they are released in Mass Market form, and even then I will hesitate.

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First of the King Raven trilogy, which is the author's take on the Robin Hood legend. He begins this series in the 1080's in Wales, totally blowing most of the legend as most of us know it out of the water. King Raven (aka Robin Hood) is better known as Bran ap Brychan, who ends up fleeing into the primeval forest when his father and his warriors are slain by a power-hungry Norman count. Welsh lands are being fought over and plotted after by various barons, counts, and bishops who see a rich land ready for plunder.

Bran, near fatally wounded in his flight, is nursed to health by a wizened old crone named Angharad who sings in a beautiful voice and plays the harp, telling old tales about King Raven and his loyal band of followers. Bran resists thinking about this when he can, as he has been something of a ne'er-do-well spoiled playboy and doesn't see himself in the role of a leader of his people. But the magical quality of the forest and Angharad's tales seep into his bones and soon he does, indeed, meld into King Raven.

What a wonderful story! Blending known history with myths and legends, the tale itself is imaginative and written in a style that makes it hard to put down. Told from the point of view of a variety of different characters, the various parts fit together seamlessly to build a delightfully rich tale. I greatly look forward to the next two books in the series and I think I may have discovered a new (well, new to me!) favorite author!

Lawhead presents a thoroughly believable reinvention of the Robin Hood tale with the Welsh Rhi Bran y Hud, meaning King Raven the Enchanter. Bran's home is confiscated by the Normans and his father killed. Running for his life he is attacked by Norman knights and left for dead to be found and nursed back to health by a wizened old woman, Angharad. In the meantime, the tenant's lands are left fallow while they are corralled into building projects for their new Norman lord, Count Falkes.

Though I find the book at first sketchy historically with the characters inadequately fleshed out, the plot is fast-paced and action-packed. The turning point for me was the introduction of the aged wise woman, Angharad, a Merlin-like character that taps into the Welsh tradition of bard and respected spiritual leader of the harried Welsh community. Here Lawhead excels himself in his characterization of Angharad, as she heals Rhi Bran, so King Raven y Hud, the people's much-needed protector can be born. From here on end the book takes off and I couldn't put it down. The description of the forest scenes and ambushes are excellent and gripping. I really look forward to continuing the series.

Stephen R. Lawhead is an internationally acclaimed author of mythic history and imaginative fiction. His works include Byzantium and the series The Pendragon Cycle, The Celtic Crusades, and The Song of Albion. Lawhead makes his home in Austria with his wife. Stephen Lawhead is one of my all time favourite authors and I am only sorry that he does not write more often.

Stephen Lawhead has always been the master of a good historical story. His tales, whether they be original, like the Song of Albion series, or in the case of the Pendragon series a new look at an old story, are always full of life and adventure and he always manages to produce some of the best fantasy fiction around. This book the first in the King Raven Trilogy will not disappoint his legions of readers.

Once again Lawhead put a new slant to an old story. No less a legend than that of Robin Hood. In the story, aptly named Hood our hapless hero, Bran, heir to the Welsh throne becomes an outlaw after his father is brutally murdered by the Normans.

You will either love or hate this book. I enjoyed it a lot, but if you are a lover of the traditional Robin Hood legend, this story is far removed from the original and may be just a step to far for the traditionalists.

Hood (King Raven Trilogy, Book 1) proves that Stephen Lawhead is still the master when it comes to history, fantasy, theology and again in this case all three. His Arthurian series is the best in that genre' ever done and now we have Robin Hood. No, not the Robin Hood in my father or grandfather's day. This is not the fantastic Errol Flynn going through the trees like Tarzan or even the more realistic Sean Connery portrayal.

I would suggest that the reader might want to read the author's notes at the end first. That is if they expect this to be another of the same old-Same old taking place in Sherwood Forest with a Sheriff of Nottingham, a King John and King Richard. This story takes place earlier and the author explains why and it is set in Wales. The author does not doubt that there was a Robin Hood, even the noted English historian G. M. Trevelyan gave credence for the tale, though he calls it "half myth". Lawhead has a different take and as he did with King Arthur, he makes you believe. Several authors like Irene Radford, in her Merlin's Descendents series, have given us a Robin of Locksley as the real Robin Hood. Few of them have passed muster like the first stories we read as kids. You'll like this interpretation better.

The time and setting in Wales is put forward with logic and you will believe that Bran ap Brychan is the basis for the Robin Hood legend, however he will not appear so at first. The young Bran is a prince who does not get along with his father and is considered a playboy. When his father's kingdom is taken over by the hated Normans he is nearly killed. This first book in the series is more about the maturing of a gifted young man and the people who surround him. Yes, there is a Little John and a Friar Tuck though they have other names before these are given. And of course a Maid Marian (Marien). However, there is no King John, Richard or sheriff as that would not fit the time and place.

I do admit you will have to suspend your former beliefs about this legend, but you may certainly still cherish them as do I. This is a rip roaring good story with action and suspense and the reader, like myself, will be looking forward to the next in the series.

Stephen Lawhead is a master of multi-generational historic Celtic tales. I first became acquainted with his writing in the mid-1970s when I was in high school and he was on the editorial staff of a magazine I read occasionally. His writing left a lasting impression on me, and when I later saw he had turned his talents towards writing novels, I made it a point to pick one up. I've been reading his work ever since.

Lawhead is known for his meticulous research and moved to Oxford, England, many years ago to immerse himself in the land that was home to so many of his historical novels. When I read his books, I find myself immersed in the culture, politics, dialect, and relationships that Lawhead so expertly weaves. You do not feel like you are being told a story as much as you feel that you are in the story. He's that convincing with his mastery of the period and its many nuances.

In "Hood," Lawhead gives us the legend of Robin Hood as it has never been told before: plausibly. Set in the marshlands of Wales rather than the traditional setting of Sherwood Forest, Lawhead has created a small controversy and even goes so far as to provide a short section at the end of the book defending his choice of this locale as more probable than Sherwood.

Although readers will recognize characters such as Maid Marian, Friar Tuck, Little John, and of course Hood, they don't adopt their well-known personas until many pages into this book. In his press release for the book, Lawhead tells us to forget everything we thought we knew about Robin Hood, but since I knew little more than the Disney animated movie and the more recent film starring Kevin Costner, it wasn't too difficult to put such obviously far-fetched notions aside and let Lawhead give this age-old story a more believable spin.

Here, Lawhead gives us a distinctly dark Robin Hood, not a laughing, swashbuckling caricature with a feather in his cap and green leggings. After being introduced to the 8-year-old boy that will eventually become Hood, we fast-forward to a handsome young adult entirely lacking in responsibility. When his father, the king, is slain along with nearly his entire army while Hood is out behaving in his characteristically irresponsible ways, our young protagonist - as heir to the throne - finds himself on the run. When the usurping prince's soldiers inflict near-fatal wounds on the would-be heir, he escapes to the forest and crawls into the base of a tree, not long for this world. But before he can expire, he is found by a mysterious old hag who nurses him back to health over many months, and gradually convinces him to stop running from his destiny as a leader.

Lawhead provides a convincing political and personal background that helps us see how this young man went from "prince" to "prince of thieves." The book concludes with Hood again fleeing for his life, with a new and more cunning foe at his heels, setting the stage for book #2 in the trilogy, "Scarlet," which according to Lawhead's website, is in the final stages of preparation.

Like many books by Lawhead, this one starts rather slowly and builds brick by brick. It took me until well into the middle of the manuscript to feel fully hooked in by this one, but once I was hooked, I was well and truly hooked.

I don't think I would characterize this book as a new twist on an old tale as much as I would a much more plausible telling of an old tale that makes it seem not like a children's fable, but a page out of English history. It is well worth the rather slow start and comes highly recommended.

Sometimes I might wait for a certain spell until I read a certain author. For some reason, that was the case with Stephen Lawhead. This was a Christmas present with kind of a "Try it out, and if you like it, great." Well, I loved it! Sometimes I wonder if I'm making a mistake by reading the latest by certain authors. Now I'm convinced that if "Hood" was THIS good, then Lawhead's other stuff has to be just as good, if not better! And in his latest, I was treated to a retelling of happy-go-lucky, merry band of men, with a bow and arrow to boot. We're reintroduced to Robin Hood. And it has a different twist!

So, Lawhead takes away the likes of Sherwood Forest, the Sheriff of Nottingham, and the Welsh take their place. Ok! In all reality, halfway through I kept thinking to myself that this retelling made a little bit more sense. It always seemed like the Robin Hood I was always used to was simply happy-go-lucky, no worries, and he had a great and loyal band of MERRY MEN! This Robin Hood, Bran ap Brychan, has a bigger chip on his shoulder and he has real problems. It appears that he's always been somewhat of a rebel and a misfit, but his real problems start when his father is killed. And he has a reason to have a chip on his shoulder, and a bigger reason to seek justice. And he has his men, Little John, Friar Tuck, you get the picture! You will indeed meet lovely Maid Marion, called Merian in this installment. And without giving too much away, John isn't half as arrogant as movies may suggest, And to give some real credit, Friar Tuck isn't just some sloppy drunk half the time either. You will meet some rather arrogant people. And while they come in the form unjust rulers, the pages will turn even faster! You'll even encounter an old hag. You'll find out what's up her sleeve. We are given glimpses of Elfael, and trudged through the likes of Caer Cadarn and other murky sludge, yet we also walk in the midst of beautiful forest lands from time to time. You may stop for a drink, yet take the time to tend to some of the scrapes and bruises that occur along the way.

The characters in this will easily stay in the memory. It is even easier for me to pick up Lawhead's stuff now that I've read the latest. I can't wait for "Scarlet", book #2 of this adventure! It was great indeed, and hit a bullseye with this boy! Yeah, the only way to possibly perfect Robin Hood is to simply imperfect him just a little. This is going to get interesting, and I can't wait.

From the movies and the books, most people would feel like they have a basic handle on the story of Robin Hood, who lives in Sherwood Forest and robs from the rich so he can give to the poor. Opening the pages of HOOD, I was a bit skeptical, but in a short time I was caught up in the majestic storytelling of Stephen Lawhead, known for epics such as the Pendragon Cycle and Song of Albion Trilogy.

Readers are introduced to Bran ap Brychan, a prince who is the sole heir to the Kingdom of Elfael. When Bran was a small child, his father, King Brychan ap Tewdwr, put a halt to their relationship, so Bran cared little about learning how to lead the people. When Bran is a young man, King Brychan raises his warband and heads off to Lundein to swear their allegiance to King William and the British. When the warband meets British warriors, the Count Falkes de Braose tells King Brychan that it's too late because King William has given him the lands of Elfael. The warriors fight and everyone, including the King, is killed except for Iwan, who barely escapes with his life and goes to warn Bran.

As the British warriors march toward Elfael, Bran tries to protect his family's wealth and then flees. With Iwan and Brother Ffreol, Bran makes a trip to appeal directly to King William to save his people. When they arrive in Lundein to meet the King, the three men are ushered in to see Cardinal Ranulf of Bayeux, Chief Justiciate of England. Because the King is in Normandy, the Cardinal is handling all domestic matters. Bran describes the massacre of his father and the warband nine days earlier. After learning that Count Braose purchased Elfael for 200 marks, the cardinal says that it can be changed for 600 marks and allegiance to the King. The decision is delayed, but Bran is angry and doesn't know where to get such an exorbitant fee. During the return trip, the trio is attacked and Brother Ffreol is killed. Bran flees for his life and ultimately is attacked again and left for dead drifting in a stream.

For a small portion of the book, it looks as though the hero has been killed. Then an old woman, Angharad, nurses Bran back to full strength. As he heals, Bran wants to escape at first but eventually decides to lead his people who are living in the woods. Angharad takes him to the secret place of the forest and reveals herself as Angharad the Hudolion, the Enchantress of the Wood; she becomes his trusted advisor. Iwan is living among these people and he becomes Bran's commanding officer.

And the connection to Robin Hood? Bran leads this band in the haunting forest where a mysterious phantom occasionally appears. Toward the end of the novel, Count Falkes says about this phantom, "The folks of Elfael call it Rhi Bran the Hud." Waving his hand dismissively, he added, "I am sick of hearing about it." Abbott Hugo turned from the window: "Robin Hood?"... "Sorry your grace, no-not Robin... Rhi Bran-it is Welsh. It means King Raven."

The talent of Stephen Lawhead shines with HOOD. Crisp characters are plunged into complex inter-relationships and a page-turning style. It's good to see Lawhead back in his comfort zone.

--- Reviewed by W. Terry Whalin

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. --FanLit.net

In Stephen Lawhead's new novel, "Hood", the legend of Robin Hood is reborn into the history and setting of Wales. This is historical fiction based on the legend of Robin Hood, and Lawhead includes an effective Author's Note that explains how the legend very possibly originated in Wales.

Bran ap Brychan, heir to the throne of Elfael, finds himself fighting against all odds when his father is murdered and his kingdom is taken over by Ffreinc invaders. Bran flees for his life and finds shelter and hope amongst the ancient Welsh forest. Soon Bran faces the decision of whether to flee and save his own life or to return to his people and save them from the tyrants that have enslaved them. Along the way Bran crosses paths with an old prophetess who reveals to Bran that his life may have a greater purpose than he knows. Bran must embrace his destiny if he is to save his people.

Lawhead weaves an imaginative tale that is full of suspense, action, mystery, redemption, and hope. The transformation of Bran ap Brychan into the legendary Hood is fascinating. All the great elements of the Robin Hood legend are here: everything from bows and arrows to familiar characters Merian, Friar Tuck, and Little John. The forest scenes are especially entertaining and will have you gripping your chair.

This is the first book of a trilogy, and while there is a sense of closure in this novel, the reader will find they desperately long for more. The messages of hope and redemption are beautifully displayed here and this story will make your heart soar. Fans of historical fiction and fantasy will love this novel. (From Christian Library Journal)

Stephen Lawhead gives us a top-notch story (as usual) with a writing talent that can only come from a true wordsmith. Lawhead takes us back in time to the eleventh century where men were men and women were men. (Sorry I always wanted to write that. Actually the women were real women and didn't try to be men.) The story is detailed and in-depth with good action but not as much as you'd expect. In my opinion it's more of a political novel then an action one. In a nutshell the French are taking over England and the Welsh are not too happy about it. That's where Robin Hood comes in. Can he stop them and get his kingdom back? Don't get me wrong about the politics, the story is very fun and entertaining.

The religious struggle plays a large part in the story. The Catholic church is split and in book one it seems the evil branch is gaining ground. I can see where Catholics may be offended by this book but on the other hand Christians will probably learn some things about Rome that they did not know.

The book is well researched with most of it being true. The legend of Robin Hood is added to real history to make for an interesting story and a great read. I started "Scarlet" a week ago and can honestly say it just keeps getting better.

I would have liked to have seen a better map in the book. I had to keep referring to a map I found on the internet in order to get my locations correct but that's a pain since my PC is kind of large to carry around.

I suggest you read the chapter at the end of the book entitled "Robin Hood in Wales?" before reading the book. It'll give you important insight as to why Lawhead placed Robin Hood in Wales during the eleventh century.

Note: This book is not fantasy as some suggest but should still appeal to those who like the genre. If you haven't read Lawhead's fantasy trilogy "The Song of Albion" you really need to. Fantasy doesn't get any better.

1 Star = Pathetic
2 Stars = Fair
3 Stars = Good
4 Stars = Excellent
5 Stars = Life changing

I absolutely loved this novel. Now of course I am a former history major and a medieval/dark age "junky" so the material is right up my alley. But I love the weaving in of various languages, the well worked in view of the church and actions of the churchmen.

The language was beautiful, the descriptions grand, the dialogue very well done. I absolutely love "Aethelfrith" i.e. Friar Tuck. There is not much negative I can say overall about the book. I understand that for some there may not have been enough "action".

And don't come to this book looking for the traditional, almost "high fantasy" version of Robin Hood. I love the old Eroll Flynn movie as much as anyone - I watched it countless times growing up - but this is something grittier, more historically accurate to the times. There really just isn't much negative that I can conceive to say of the book. Very well done and worth a read.

Stephen Lawhead gives us a top-notch story (as usual) with a writing talent that can only come from a true wordsmith. Lawhead takes us back in time to the eleventh century where men were men and women were men. (Sorry I always wanted to write that. Actually the women were real women and didn't try to be men.) The story is detailed and in-depth with good action but not as much as you'd expect. In my opinion it's more of a political novel then an action one. In a nutshell the French are taking over England and the Welsh are not too happy about it. That's where Robin Hood comes in. Can he stop them and get his kingdom back? Don't get me wrong about the politics, the story is very fun and entertaining.

The religious struggle plays a large part in the story. The Catholic church is split and in book one it seems the evil branch is gaining ground. I can see where Catholics may be offended by this book but on the other hand Christians will probably learn some things about Rome that they did not know.

The book is well researched with most of it being true. The legend of Robin Hood is added to real history to make for an interesting story and a great read. I started "Scarlet" a week ago and can honestly say it just keeps getting better.

I would have liked to have seen a better map in the book. I had to keep referring to a map I found on the internet in order to get my locations correct but that's a pain since my PC is kind of large to carry around.

I suggest you read the chapter at the end of the book entitled "Robin Hood in Wales?" before reading the book. It'll give you important insight as to why Lawhead placed Robin Hood in Wales during the eleventh century.

Note: This book is not fantasy as some suggest but should still appeal to those who like the genre. If you haven't read Lawhead's fantasy trilogy "The Song of Albion" you really need to. Fantasy doesn't get any better.

1 Star = Pathetic
2 Stars = Fair
3 Stars = Good
4 Stars = Excellent
5 Stars = Life changing

I absolutely loved this novel. Now of course I am a former history major and a medieval/dark age "junky" so the material is right up my alley. But I love the weaving in of various languages, the well worked in view of the church and actions of the churchmen.

The language was beautiful, the descriptions grand, the dialogue very well done. I absolutely love "Aethelfrith" i.e. Friar Tuck. There is not much negative I can say overall about the book. I understand that for some there may not have been enough "action".

And don't come to this book looking for the traditional, almost "high fantasy" version of Robin Hood. I love the old Eroll Flynn movie as much as anyone - I watched it countless times growing up - but this is something grittier, more historically accurate to the times. There really just isn't much negative that I can conceive to say of the book. Very well done and worth a read.

I really enjoyed these books about the Robin Hood legend. Each book was from a different first person viewpoint, but covering a different period of time. It has great information about British history but it came alive! It was not ever dry, and I really could feel that I was in that time. I would recommend this to everyone - and believe me, ever reader on my contact list was sent an email telling them about these books!
OOPS! The book I read I got from a different source (oh bad Erin!), so it had all three books in one.... My review does not change - each book is great in and of itself. I would recommend that they be read in sequence.

I recently finished Hood, the first book in the King Raven Trilogy, and can't wait for the next two books to arrive. Stephen Lawhead does a marvelous job creating believable characters in a gloriously painted historical setting. I have read many versions of the Robin Hood legend, but this is the best that I have seen.

Lawhead intrigued me by placing Robin Hood (or should I say, Bran ap Brychan) in Wales during the reign of William Rufus of England. Normally, legend shows Hood as a Saxon refugee striking out against Norman oppressors during the reign of Richard I (a la Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe). Lawhead makes him of an older time and an older race--Welsh, or to use a less insulting term, British. When his father, the king of Elafel, is slaughtered by a Norman baron hungry for land, Bran ap Brychan must take his place as king of his people. Kingship, especially the unwilling king who must learn to sacrifice for his people, is a favorite theme of Lawhead's (see his Song of Albion trilogy). Through hardship and trial that bring him close to death, Bran learns that he cannot desert his people in the time of their need. He decides to stand up against the Normans in Elafel. Donning a feathered robe and bird mask, Bran becomes the Norman invaders' worst nightmare. He is King Raven, the mysterious avenger who steals their horses, cattle, swine, and silver to bestow them upon the starving British.

Lawhead skillfully weaves other characters from the legends into his tale. Merian, the daughter of a Welsh king from a neighboring cantref, dazzles the Norman barons with her dark beauty and disdains Bran just enough to make her desirable. Iwan (or "Little John") is the sole surviving soldier from the massacre of Elafel's warband. He joins Bran in the forest to wreak retribution on their foes. Aethelfrith (a food-loving cleric whom Bran affectionately christens "Tuck") provides intelligence about the Norman movements and light-hearted comedy with his antics. The villains are also names from legend. Falke de Braose is the iron fist that will pound Wales into submission, and Sir Guy of Gysebourne makes his debut escorting a treasure convoy through the forest.

This book is a fast-paced adventure that will keep you turning pages late at night, ready to read more and rejoicing that there are two more to follow in the trilogy.

Review by Rosanne E. Lortz, author of I Serve: A Novel of the Black Prince

A fascinating take on the Robin Hood legend. Stephen Lawhead has taken the story and set it in 1093 Wales. Bran ap Brychan is heir to the throne of Elfael. After his father's death and after his kingdom is overtaken by Norman invaders and the people enslaved, Bran flees and is presumed dead. He takes refuge in the forest near the Welsh border. Severely injured, Bran is nursed back to health by a mysterious, mystical old crone who convinces him that his duty and honor lie within Elfael. Bran soon finds himself the reluctant leader of those Elfael refugees who fled into the forest when the Normans arrived.

This first installment of the King Raven trilogy takes us through the early beginnings of the man who will be known as Robin Hood. We also meet Little John, Tuck and Merian. I hope that Little John, especially, gets more character development as his role was very minor here. Tuck is delightful and it will be interesting to see how Merian's character evolves as the story continues. A bit of mysticism blended with faith in God brings a richness to the story which I had not anticipated.

I've seen reviews that call the ending abrupt and the story slow, I didn't find this at all. Lawhead mixes English with Welsh and while some of the names, places and words were a bit difficult to understand, it didn't detract from the story. I appreciated the pronunciation guide provided at the end of the book.

Lawhead also provides an epilogue which explains his reasoning for setting the story in Wales and not in England. He provides historical examples of how the legend not only evolved but could have originated somewhere other than Nottingham in England.

Overall, an interesting, compelling story and a relatively easy read. I am anxious to see how the trilogy progresses.

My curiosity was piqued when I discovered this was set in the Welsh borderlands and in an earlier time period than we are accustomed to, but Lawhead's notes make perfect sense of his choice. The people in the book are wonderfully characterized, particularly Robin/Bran, who starts out as a spoiled, spineless annoyance. The book moved along at a good pace most of the time, and I was not put off by the slower parts. I found the details surrounding who was in charge (William Rufus) and what was going on (the Franks in Wales) a little confusing, as though it was assumed that this was information everyone automatically knows. While the author's notes at the end clarified, I wish I'd read them first. Even so, I already bought 'Scarlet,' the second book in the series

This was one of my occasional forays into audio books because for some reason the iTunes audio book was cheaper than the ebook and paper versions. My advice in short to everyone is don't but this on audio - read it on paper - as I eventually was forced to. (I explain why below).

But I don't want to be too negative about this book which was classic Stephen Lawhead, with his rich settings redolent with Celtic/Welsh imagery, good use of source material, and the injustices and fast paced action seens that make Lawhead's books so exciting and enjoyable.

The one major departure here for Lawhead is to use the more saxon legend of Robin Hood rather than his usual Celtic sources. He explains why he does this in an interesting and well argued appendix, but despite the excellent points he makes about the Welsh use of the longbow, I cannot help but feel that the real reason the setting for this version of Robin Hood is in Wales is down to his own love for that culture and period.

But in any case, what does it matter? This book is a wonderful retelling of the Robin Hood legend with a new and interesting Celtic twist. It worked for me. Some reviewers suggest it may be a little overwritten - and that is perhaps a tendency in Lawhead, but I did not mind it. The diversions were thought provoking and added to the deel of the story. For the paper version of this book, I feel it merits 5 stars.

The audiobook, however, I would give no stars if I could. The narrator is very clearly an American affecting what he believes to be an English accent (although I think at times he was aiming for Irish). He does not pull it off, and some of his character voices sound Americans, others sound horribly shrill and the bulk of them just sound odd. He also pronounces many words as an American would ('erb' for 'herb' or 'rout' for 'route' for instance).

This though might be forgiveable. After all, its just an accent. What was unforgiveable was the way this author made no attempt whatsoever to correctly pronounce the Welsh place names and words. For a story set in Wales, this was frankly unforgiveable. Every single Welsh word, without exception, was pronounced wrong. Often the pronounciation was so mangled I had no idea what the real word might be.

It wasn't even just the Welsh words. Simple words like "briton" were mispronounced - sometimes laughably so. But the disservice to the Welsh setting behind this terrible sloppiness had me seething and missing bits of the text as I groaned inwards at the ineptitude. I thought of providing a pronounciation guide for the Welsh words (as Lawhead has done himself often enough) but space does not permit it here. Eventually I gave up and bought the dead tree version.

So in short, a thoroughly recommended classic Lawhead book but if you have any sympathy for the sounds and cadence of the Welsh language, do not under any circumstances buy on audio.

I should give this book a four star review instead of a five - since there is a cliffhanger at the end - but I enjoyed it way too much for me to not give the best possible rating it can get. I can honestly say - it has been far too long since I have opened a book to read and then totally get lost in it the way I did with "Hood."

This is a retelling of the tale of Robin Hood that has a very "historical" feel to it. There is some mystery and magic in it - but it is very subtle - which in and of itself is mysterious. In reading this I noticed that it had the same quality/feel that the Pendragon series did - and those books were very good. It was refreshing to be back in mythological England. There is also some brief overlap in the stories as the tale of Pendragon is retold by the lady of the wood to the hero in this story - Bran.

Lawhead is brilliant at describing battle scenes and his description of archery is very detailed. Actually - if you like a lot of detail - you will love this book - which is rampant with it. Lawhead's writing style isn't for everyone - as he can be very tedious - but if you like Tolkein you will see his influence in Lawhead's writings. I'm anxiously awaiting Lawhead to create his own "Middle Earth" but I must say if that never happens I will always be satisfied with his current works. I'm looking forward to hitting "Scarlet" very soon....

As often happens with books and movies that you expect to follow a certain story-line or a well-known character, you will be disappointed unless you leave the preconceived ideas at the door (or at the book-cover, in this case). To really enjoy the book, forget everything you know about Robin Hood and start fresh. The author gives a great explanation at the end of the book, describing his research and reasoning for putting together the plot the way he did, if you are so curious. Despite a pretty slow-developing plot, the book is a very easy read, with great wisdom nuggets thrown in here and there. On the other hand, the slow pace allows for rather deep development of the main characters. I highly recommend this book for easy relaxation, especially during vacation.

This is good fantasy/historical fiction and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Lawhead is a writer who does a particularly good job of melding legend, and researching accurately the facts of legends used in his stories- as much as can be researched, with fantasy. So, I would describe him as primarily a historically based, and accurate, fantasy writer. Hood is the re-told story of Robin Hood and the first in a 3 book series. I have enjoyed Lawhead's books since I was a kid and this one did not disappoint. At the end of the book, Lawhead goes through his research of Robin Hood and why he chose to place his story in Wales. It is truly fascinating and well worth reading. Protect Your Nuts

An entertaining version of the Robin Hood story, this one set in Wales. Lawhead uses the Robin Hood legend and the characters we all know and love and gives them, and the setting, an interesting spin. Bran ap Brychan is the rightful heir of an area just inside Wales at a time when the beastly Normans kill his father and are set to carry their invasion into Wales, despite agreements in place to the contrary. Robbed of his throne and his people subjected to abuse and starvation, Bran starts to fight back, his features hidden in a raven like hood...

This moves at a slowish pace as Bran finds himself and eventually understands his destiny. There is a slight degree of mysticism but the main interest in this tales is seeing a different reflection of Robin Hood and the circumstances of his origin.

I did enjoy this but found it slightly slow in pace and it ended too quickly for me. A good start and a good end were let down by a less interesting and slow middle. Having said that, the characters are all in place for the next parts of the trilogy and the pace might ramp up, I hope so because there is the potential of a very good series in here.

Hood is a wonderful historically based retelling of the classic childhood adventure story "Robin Hood." The story has moved from its traditional setting of sherwood forest to a more medieval Welsh country. As such the characters are much more realistic and believable. Yet there is no lacking in the areas of mystery, adventure and revenge. From the beginning you know that huge events are on the horizon and i found myself tearing through this large novel in no time. An excellent read well worth your time and money, especially for those who have any love of the Robin Hood story.

On the down side, I did feel the novel was slow, even though this might have been a necessary evil. There is a lot of landscape painting, contextual and physical that takes place to help you enter the story. There is little action in the book for such a tale and a great deal of interest is given to politic intrigues, again probably necessary. The author does a great job of even making these things interesting. Still I am left hoping that the next two books will have more story and less background. Also, by the end of the book, you really need a character guide. And there is a great deal of french and Latin phrases strewn throughout. While this adds to the stories contextual richness, I found it frustrating and distracting as I haven't studied Latin in years and have never studied french. If you are going to include these consistantly throughout a book, please give their translations in either a footnote or an appendix.

worth reading and leaves room for tremendous potential in the next 2 books.

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.

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 invaded by murderous, yet extremely religious Norman conquerors. With his father soon dead, Bran, Iwan (Little John), and many of their people flee to the forest for safety. As more Welsh kingdoms fall to the Normans, Bran struggles to find his destiny, especially as his own plans don't always coincide with the well-being of his people.

Did I find the story suspenseful? Let me answer that with another question: Was I blissfully exhausted after realizing I'd stayed up till 4am to finish the novel last night? The answer is a resounding "yes!" After really getting to know each of the major characters I was happily drawn into the drama.

The plot moved along a little slowly for part of the novel, but what was sacrificed was made up in character development. I was happy with it. And besides, there was plenty of action throughout to keep the overall story riveting. I also truly love Lawhead's descriptions in this story, especially of the landscape, the lifestyle, and the action scenes. At some points his writing seemed exquisite to me. Love love love!

I loved "Hood" and I highly recommend it. Definitely worth 5 out of 5 stars. And I can't wait to read book two in the series: "Scarlet."

I seem to be enjoying more historical or even quasi-historical fantasy these days. I'm quite a fan of Juliet Marillier but had never heard of Stephen Lawhead until, like another reviewer, I came across _Hood_ at Costco! I bought it for my husband, but the poor dear has seen very little of it until I finished it two days ago. I'm pleased to have discovered Lawhead. I think, unlike a couple other reviewers who had problems with the beginning and middle, that the pacing was wonderful -- actually, perfect, for a planned longer work, which I kept in mind as I read the first volume. Also, what a wonderfully fresh re-vamping of the Hood legend -- calling all Celtophiles, here's something to thrill you deeply! Now since I'll have to wait who knows how long for the next of the King Raven series, I've gone and gotten the first in his _Pendragon Cycle_. I am also delighted to learn that King Raven has music to go along with it! Jeff Johnson and Brian Dunning did a EP CD called _King Raven_ to accompany _Hood_, like a sound track to a book. Delightful!