Review: Terrific re-imagining of the classic tale of Robin Hood
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 27, 2013
I initially waffled over how I should rate this book.  I loved the storyline, the characters, and the author's voice as she brought everything to life with a deft touch.  There was wicked humor, despicable treachery, and steamy romance.  However...if you've watched even one episode of BBCA's Robin Hood then you will understand my perceived dilemma.  While the character names are different, the location is Derbyshire and not Sherwood, and the story resolves in a new manner, at first I was constantly reminded of scenes from the TV show as I read.  As I continued I slowly realized that I love re-imaginings of classics, and I love new novels that pay homage to previous favorites - exactly what this author was doing.  After finishing the book my opinion firmed into one of support for the author.  The classic tale of Robin Hood has been adapted by such varied talents as Walt Disney, Mel Brooks, and Ridley Scott.  The story has been written of, sung in ballads, retold at faires, and adopted as a native tale in more countries than England (France and Germany stake their claims on the tale).  Thus I decided why criticize this author for doing what untold others have already done, that is, give us a new perspective of this timeless story.  Especially when she has done such a fantastic job.Without giving anything away, let me say The Loyal Heart of the title is not Robin Hood, or Ethan, as he is named in this version.  And while I will admit that I pictured Richard Armitage in my mind every time Sir Crispin entered a scene, the character is not merely a reincarnation of BBCA's Sir Guy of Gisborne (and who doesn't picture Richard Armitage in their mind every chance they get?!).  The author no doubt received inspiration from that show but the reader can clearly see she changed the plots and reworked the characters to fit the story she wanted to tell.  I loved the plots and subplots, which all worked smoothly together, moved briskly, and were easy to follow.  The romance built steadily and was captivating and steamy; I really rooted for the H and h from the outset and felt like cheering aloud when they began to be truthful with each other.It would be a disservice to the author to claim this is just a rehash of a TV show; afterall, the TV show was just a rehash of the movies, which were a rehash of the novel Ivanhoe, which was a rehash of the traveling ballads, which were a rehash of the story from folklore.  You see what I mean?  The story of Robin Hood has been around for over 500 years.  It has been told and told often, with a variety of scenery and character changes and embellishments.  Merry Farmer wrote some terrific fan fiction here, with an engaging style and gift for description that brought her scenes to life in my mind.  If you enjoy stories like Robin Hood then grab this book, and be prepared to ignore your chores so you can devour it in one sitting.  I'm off now to read the next book in the series, The Faithful Heart.