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Lady of the Forest

by Jennifer Roberson

Other authors: See the other authors section.

Series: Sherwood {Jennifer Roberson} (1)

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
8811724,630 (3.8)23
Fantasy. Fiction. Romance. Historical Fiction. HTML:A beautiful synthesis of Robin Hood legends. --Marion Zimmer Bradley

With her king a captive and her coffers drained, England is left in turmoil during the Crusades. After the death of her father in the Holy Land, Lady Marian of Ravenskeep finds herself alone--and at the mercy of men vying for her lands and her beauty. Thrust into games of political intrigue, the sheltered knight's daughter soon learns to trust no one. . .

Afforded a hero's homecoming, Sir Robert of Locksley returns from the Crusades a shattered man. In a country he barely recognizes, one torn apart by treachery and betrayal, he finds in Marian a kindred soul. Their quest for justice will take them into the depths of Sherwood Forest, where the dream of a new England will be born. . .

"An imaginative and riveting novel, impossible to put down." --Booklist

"Robinson expertly evokes the sensations and frustrations of medieval life." --Kirkus

"A diverting, delightful book." --Publishers Weekly.
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» See also 23 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 17 (next | show all)
3-1/2 stars. Very long, too many men madly pursuing the one woman, and a dreadful Harlequinesque cover that I won't record. Aside from that, a really interesting retelling of the legend and how it got started. It was neat watching all the characters come together. Marion was a bit too independent modern woman, but what the heck, I'm all about willing suspension of disbelief. ( )
  Abcdarian | May 18, 2024 |
The prose is very effective -- I was quickly engrossed, invested in Marian’s story! But I took months to finish the final third, and nearly DNF, because there are so many unpleasant men who keep getting POV sections. Ugh. If it had just been Robin and Marian, I would have felt quite differently about it. ( )
  Herenya | Jan 13, 2023 |
A weaving of the fragments of the Robin Hood legend into an entertaining story, with an aspect of female empowerment and PTSD on the survivors of war. ( )
  joefreedom | Feb 28, 2022 |
Not one of the stronger stories I have read based on Robin Hood. It would have helped if it had been less repetitive, had tighter prose, and if just a dozen less male characters had wanted to bed Maid Marian. ( )
  bookwyrmqueen | Oct 25, 2021 |
This was unexpectedly lovely, and unexpectedly complex. Not only does it focus on Marian and play the Marian/Robin romance beautifully and hit all the other major episodes from the Robin Hood legend, but also:

the political situation (Richard imprisoned, John making a power grab, etc.) factors strongly into the plot rather than sitting as background to Robin’s adventures
Robin is a former Crusader with PTSD
it tackles sexism head-on without breaking with the medieval setting
the Sheriff is despicable for more than his increased taxation
you get the POVs of pretty much everyone, including the Sheriff, every Merry Man, side characters new to this version, and Robin’s dad.

It’s good medieval fiction in its own right, though I think some of the “known facts” when Roberson was writing have now been debunked, and it uses the cultural awareness of the Robin Hood legend to its advantage—you know X is coming, but not exactly how, and oh gods, that twist made things so much worse, of course it happened that way. I think new headcanons might have been formed.

I would like to thank a friend for recommending this one. She was pretty spot-on with “If you like Outlander, you might also like…”.

8/10 ( )
  NinjaMuse | Jul 26, 2020 |
Showing 1-5 of 17 (next | show all)
A beautiful girl waits, angry and afraid, surrounded by imprisoning walls and men who desire her both to satisfy themselves and to further their ambitions. A powerful man with dreams of preferment callously manipulates those around him to gain his ends and finally stoops even to treason. A young lord, scarred by war in body and mind, attempts to deal with the waking nightmares that wall him off from others and from himself. A group of once-upstanding men become outlaws in a corrupt world where their very nationality can be seen as a crime.
added by deep220 | editPublisher Weekly
 

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Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Roberson, JenniferAuthorprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Gilbert, YvonneCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed

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Then from among the dispossessed and banished arose the most famous freebooter Robin Hood, and little John with their accomplices, whom the foolish multitude are so extravagantly fond of celebrating in tragedy and comedy; and the ballads concerning whom, sung by the jesters and minstrels, delight them beyond all others.

--entry for the year 1266 by Scottish chronicler
Walter Bower, Abbot of Inchcolm, 1445
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For Mark
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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Fantasy. Fiction. Romance. Historical Fiction. HTML:A beautiful synthesis of Robin Hood legends. --Marion Zimmer Bradley

With her king a captive and her coffers drained, England is left in turmoil during the Crusades. After the death of her father in the Holy Land, Lady Marian of Ravenskeep finds herself alone--and at the mercy of men vying for her lands and her beauty. Thrust into games of political intrigue, the sheltered knight's daughter soon learns to trust no one. . .

Afforded a hero's homecoming, Sir Robert of Locksley returns from the Crusades a shattered man. In a country he barely recognizes, one torn apart by treachery and betrayal, he finds in Marian a kindred soul. Their quest for justice will take them into the depths of Sherwood Forest, where the dream of a new England will be born. . .

"An imaginative and riveting novel, impossible to put down." --Booklist

"Robinson expertly evokes the sensations and frustrations of medieval life." --Kirkus

"A diverting, delightful book." --Publishers Weekly.

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Book description
As Sir Robert of Locksley shuns his life of wealth and aristocracy to fight alongside Sherwood Forest's outlaws, Lady Marian of Ravenskeep, pursued by the Sheriff of Nottingham, joins her lover, embracing his life of adventure and danger
-------------------
FOR THE LOVE OF ONE MAN AND THE GOOD OF ALL MEN SHE DEFIES DESTINY... AND BECOMES A LEGEND

As the gates of Ravenskeep swing open and a young woman flees into the primeval depths of Sherwood Forest, a saga of exceptional power and remarkable passion begins...

He is Sir Robert of Locksley - the heroic nobleman who has turned his back on all he knows to embark on a dangerous quest for justice in an England torn apart by treachery, betrayal and war

She is Lady Marian of Ravenswood - the proud, defiant knight's daughter who leaves her sheltered life behind to join a shadowy band of outlaws who follow no law but their own.

ROBIN HOOD AND MAID MARION - Their love has belonged to legend for centuries, and now it belongs to us all, stunningly brought to life by the masterful pen of a truly gifted storyteller. Against a medieval tapestry of color and pageantry, Jennifer Roberson has woven a rich, sweeping tale of a woman whose courage and passion could forever alter the destiny of that mist-shrouded land of lore we know in our hearts and see in our dreams....
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