I’m a fan of Carrie Vaughn’s work and I grew up watching Robin Hood on TV as a kid. So that combination led me to Vaughn’s new book, The Ghosts of Sherwood. Robin of Locksley and his wonderful wife, Marian, are married with three kids–Mary, John, and Eleanor. The events in The Ghosts of Sherwood take place 20 years after Robin and his band of Merry Men defeated the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Robin has plenty of enemies and one of them sends a group of thugs to kidnap Robin’s children. But, the thugs find out Robin’s children have the bravery and cleverness of their father and mother.
The Ghosts of Sherwood is another of TOR’s slim books: a mere 103 pages. The audience seems to be Young Adults. Next month, a “sequel”–The Heirs of Locksley–is scheduled for release.
My review of the 2010 movie version of Robin Hood can be found here. Are you a fan of Robin Hood? GRADE: B
Not a fan of Carrie Vaughn. Most of his novels are urban fantasy/romances like the Kitty Norville books. I lump her into the same group that contains Laurel Hamilton.
As far as Robin Hood goes it starts and ends with the Errol Flynn movie. I like Mel Brooks Men In Tights parody though.The 50’s tv show was terrible and the less said about Kevin Costner’s the better. I have never read any books about Robin Hood.
Steve, I suspect you would NOT like THE GHOSTS OF SHERWOOD. Carrie Vaughn seems to be writing for the Young Adult audience in many of her books.
Nothing against Robin Hood but, as with Sherlock Holmes and H.P. Lovecraft, too many people have gone to the well. It would take something extremely special to make me pick up the book.
Jerry, you’re right about the pastiches of Sherlock Holmes, Lovecraft, and now Robin Hood. These iconic characters have audiences writers want to tap into.
I liked Robin Hood (and did read the book) as a kid, but no interest in this one. The last one we watched was a British show done by Dominic Minghella in 2006-09. We gave up after the second of three series when Marian left. The main entertainment came from Keith Allen’s performance as the wonderfully awful Sheriff of Nottingham, one minute threatening to torture people, the next cringing in fear. Watch the Errol Flynn version or, indeed, any other, and you’ll see Robin has dozens of followers, but the budget was obviously low for this one, as there were never more than about half a dozen Merry Men at any one time.
Jeff, you and Steve are right about Errol Flynn. He’s the Gold Standard for Robin Hood.
I read Vaughn’s BANNERLESS but gave up on the sequel, which just didn’t hold my interest.
Jeff, I was disappointed in the sequel to BANNERLESS, too.
I must be leading a sheltered life because I had no idea Robin Hood was still a Thing. My last memory of Robin was that movie with Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn, but that was way back in the 70s.
Michael, Robin Hood is one of those iconic characters like Tarzan, Sherlock Holmes, and James Bond. “Take from the Rich and give to the Poor” is a message that resonates in these dark times.
Yes, that movie with Connery and Hepburn was pretty good if I remember. But I did watch the TV series in the fifties and enjoyed it. It had just enough romance to win me over.
Patti, I watched the TV version of ROBIN HOOD, too. It had romance and humor as well as action. Perfect mix for kids like me…and you.
I’ll pass. A 1961 Hammer Films version with Richard Greene and Peter Cushing, THE SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST (and Oliver Reed in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it supporting role), was pretty good. The less said about the most recent versions with Russell Crowe and Taren Edgerton, the better.
Fred, I think I have a DVD of that 1961 Hammer Films version with Richard Greene and Peter Cushing around here somewhere. I’ll have to look for THE SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST.
I liked the Errol Flynn version (I could believe people would follow him), the Connery/Hepburn, and the BBC Robin of Sherwood (1984-86). Some others haven’t been bad, but those three set the standard for me. As far as books, all I have read is Howard Pyle’s Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, Ivanhoe (both multiple times), and some of the original poems. For modern fiction, I wouldn’t mind reading Robin McKinley’s Outlaws of Sherwood — that has a good reputation.
Jeff, I enjoyed this BBC ROBIN OF SHERWOOD episodes, too. I think I have Robin McKinley’s OUTLAWS OF SHERWOOD around here somewhere. Time to go looking for it.
We watched the Errol Flynn movie about a month ago, and enjoyed it a lot.
Rick, Errol Flynn is timeless!
I’ve really enjoyed the Tor novellas and will have to check this out. I do like the Robin Hood stories, though haven’t been a fan of all the films. I was disappointed by the Russel Crowe version. Despite the horrible attempt, and then abandoning, of an accent, I do really enjoy Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. And I love the Disney animated film. It is probably my favorite of all the Disney animated films.
Carl, I’ll have to rewatch the Disney animated ROBIN HOOD. I started reading the TOR novellas with the MURDERBOT series. Since then, I’ve bought several others including THE GHOSTS OF SHERWOOD.