The Ghosts of Sherwood is a novella and nothing really great happens until around 70% into the story then you just don't want to put this book down. I will not say anything to ruin the story but now I need the next book.

It is good and I would read the next book.

I've read a ton of Tor.com's wares over the years to know that there is a ton of story that can be packed into the short form. Unfortunately, there just wasn't much to be had here. As intrigued as I was by the premise, this one fell short.

It's not that I didn't like this book. It was a nice story about Robin Hood and Lady Marian's life and family in the reality of the infamous Prince John becoming King after the death of Richard the Lionhearted. Years after their heroic exploits, Robin and Marian have settled down and have had a family. When her parents return from visiting the King, Mary Locksley learns that she is to be wed to a nobleman she's never met. Soon thereafter, she and her siblings are kidnapped while walking in Sherwood Forest. She, her brother and her sister must call upon the wit. cleverness, and bravery inherited from their parents to escape whatever fate awaits them before it is too late.
What I really enjoyed about this book were the characters. They were all pretty well-developed and likeable. I liked seeing these characters I loved in the classic stories once they've received their "happy endings." Unfortunately, I found the plot to be rather boring. No twist and no plot point really stood out to me and gripped me in a good way. It was really kind of bland. I may have enjoyed it more if it was a longer book, but the book is barely over 100 pages. So I found myself bored with this book, even though I certainly didn't hate it or the concept. The pacing and the plotting of this book left a lot to be desired. If you're looking for a light and short read that does harken back to the legends, this book may be for you.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

Robin Hood & Marian have had their happily ever after and now have three children. The eldest, Mary, is supposed to be married soon, but all three kids are kidnapped in the woods...

I am way to old for this book. I might've liked that when I was...7-10 years old and I didn't expect that. It was quite predictable, written quite simple, and somewhat entertaining in its brevity, but I expected something different. Something more mature, I don't know. It's weird.

2,5-3 Stars because I belive that I would've liked it when I was waaaay younger.

The Ghosts of Sherwood is a novella about Robin Hood's children. It's short and sweet and overall enjoyable, but ultimately nothing special.

It is hard to write something so short and fit a good story and enough info for the reader to care about it, or the characters. I expected the main focus to be on the kidnapping of Robin's children, like the blurb promises, but it didn't feel like the main event of the book. It focused a lot more on the relationship between Robin and Marian, and their oldest daughter.

I definitely think I would enjoy it more if the focus was either on the kidnapping itself - which would add some action, or for the book to be longer and focus purely on the characters and develop them to the point where I could start caring about them and what happens to them. In the end, it was a mix of both, with not enough of either for me to get invested in.

I still enjoyed it for what it was, but I guess I just wanted more, hence the rating. Novellas don't always work for me, especially with a larger cast of characters, and maybe that's why I didn't love it.
3.5 stars

A short but fun read. This book tells the story of Robin Hood and Maid Marian after the story ends. It is two decades later and their children are nearly grown. One day, while in Sherwood Forest, they are kidnapped.

It was a good story and I look forward to reading the next book, The Heirs of Locksley, to learn more about the children of Robin Hood as this was such a short book. It was very original and I loved getting to meet Robin Hood and Maid Marian as people: landowners worried about the people the support and loving parents worried about their children.

Carrie Vaughn can really write a fight scene and this one was spectacular. She manages the perspectives well in them and never loses characters. Mary is my hero.

This was a fun little look into the lives of Robin Hood and his family, 15 years after the story we all know. We follow his daughter, Mary as she explores the forest and, along with her brother, John and sister, Eleanor, discover more than they were bargaining for. I really enjoyed this insight into Robin as an older man and thought that the interplay between him and Marian were lovely. Mary is feisty and independent, while also caring deeply for her family. She doesn't have the naivety of many young protagonists about love and marriage - instead, she is pragmatic and understands the need for the protection of a husband in the world in which she lives. This book also does a great job at bringing the forest to life. It wouldn't surprise you if a fairy walked out between the trees at any point. There is a second book to come in this story, and there is definitely more to explore in this world. Overall, this was a great taster of what is to come and I will most certainly be reading the next instalment.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

<i>A huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review!</i>

4,5/5

The Ghosts of Sherwood is a lovely little book set after the legend of Robin Hood. He and Marian have settled down, had three kids, and do their best to still make things fairer for everyone. This book follows the POVs of Marian and Mary, their eldest daughter. Its focus on the women is a wonderful breath of fresh air to this legend I adore. Also, reading about Sherwood Forest makes me want to go back asap; it's just so gorgeous there!

The book starts a bit slow, and it's not until the halfway point the kidnapping the synopsis promises occurs. Given the book's size, however, halfway is not very far off. The pacing is nice and comfortable, and lets you get to know these (new) characters before expecting you to care for them.

Mary is not ready to be a grown up, to be married, and she much prefers being alone in Sherwood Forest. Her younger brother John was probably the least fleshed out character. Their younger sister Eleanor is an instant favorite, however! I absolutely adore this 8 year old's spirit and bravery! I cannot wait to see more of her.
Marian, while clearly a mother, is still the same woman at heart that we've come to know and love. Her spirit has not diminished, and she is still as fierce as ever.

Besides the main story, it was so wonderful to see so many of my beloved characters again, and honestly, when Much was mentioned I was over the moon! He gets ignored so often, and he is one of my favorites. Seeing Robin all responsible, though, took some getting used to, but a fox never loses its cunning. The book starts with him and Marian away to meet the King, after Robin rebelled with several barons to ensure safety of people's lands. He may be older now, a father, and more responsible, but he's Robin Hood still as well as Robin of Locksley!

Four and a half stars because of the book's length. I'm sure there's a reason for it, but I feel that with just a bit more pages the characters and stories could have been fleshed out just a little better, so I would have gotten involved on their own merits, and not on their parents'.

Cannot wait for the next one of this new series!

"Carrie Vaughn's The Ghosts of Sherwood revisits the Robin Hood legend with a story of the famed archer's children.

Everything about Father is stories.

Robin of Locksley and his one true love, Marian, are married. It has been close on two decades since they beat the Sheriff of Nottingham with the help of a diverse band of talented friends. King John is now on the throne, and Robin has sworn fealty in order to further protect not just his family, but those of the lords and barons who look up to him - and, by extension, the villagers they protect.

There is a truce. An uneasy one, to be sure, but a truce, nonetheless.

But when the Locksley children are stolen away by persons unknown, Robin and Marian are going to need the help of everyone they’ve ever known, perhaps even the ghosts that are said to reside deep within Sherwood.

And the Locksley children, despite appearances to the contrary, are not without tricks of their own..."

Summer to me is a time when I think of Robin Hood and King Arthur, so this book is released just at the right time!

A novella that could have been so much more...such a great premise, characters and story...the only let down was the length. I really enjoyed all of it though.

THE CHILDREN OF ROBIN HOOD HAVE HIS GUMPTION

This short novella takes us back to Sherwood, only this time Robin Hood and the Merry Men aren't our heroes - his children are. Mary, John and Eleanor. I am happy ro report that even though they grew up as noble children, they still have their father's mischievous spark. That was probably my favourite part of this book.

👍 WHAT I LIKED 👍

The children: I really liked how Robin's three children are the center of this book. I liked seeing how they worked together to get out of a sticky situation. And I liked how they seemed to have gotten all the best parts of their father.

Robin: Seeing Robin as a protective father was exactly what I didn't know I needed.

👎 WHAT I DISLIKED 👎

Length: This had the potential to be so much more than just a novella. I could have been an epic novel. As it was, it just felt rushed and shallow. Which is really, really sad, because all the right ingredients were there.

I received an advance copy of this book via NetGalley.

<i>The Ghosts of Sherwood</i> is a fast, thoroughly enjoyable read that picks up on the adventures of an older Robin and Marian and their three children. I expected it to be novel-length and was surprised (but not unpleasantly so) to find it was a novella. This is only fantasy in that it re-imagines their lives. It's not a deep, heavily-researched historical fiction piece, either, but one very accessible to anyone familiar with the Robin Hood Legend.

For me, the stars of the story were the children. The eldest, Mary, is a smart teenage girl. When she and her siblings are captured by enemies of her father, they must use their wits to stay alive and well as their parents come to the rescue. The youngest child, Eleanor, is depicted as autistic. As the parent of an autistic child, I loved seeing a realistic portrayal, especially within a loving, supportive family.

I'm glad this is listed on book sites as Robin Hood Stories #1, because I would love to read more of Vaughn's take on the famous family.

There’s a theory going around that people are re-reading and re-watching old favorites right now because they not only already know how they end, but that not-exactly-foreknowledge removes the tension of not knowing that everyone is going to be okay, because it’s already happened. So to speak.

There may also be a trend towards re-tellings as this uncertain season goes on. In a re-telling, we either already know how it’s going to go – and just want to see it told differently (By Force Alone by Lavie Tidhar looks like it’s going to be one of those) or because we already know the characters and want to see them in new adventures. We don’t have to get to know new people because we’re already familiar with the cast. The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow falls into this category and does VERY WELL with it.

The Ghosts of Sherwood is also this particular variety of re-telling. We ALL have at least a nodding acquaintance with Robin Hood’s story – if only from movies like Disney’s 1973 animated version, with a surprisingly sexy fox as Robin. (Which is being remade as a live-action hybrid, Yikes!) Meaning that we all know these characters to some extent, and we know the outline of the original story. Making it ripe for an extension.

Leading to The Ghosts of Sherwood, the first novella in The Robin Hood Stories. Which, at least from this opening, read like “Robin Hood, the Next Generation”. Which has its bit of irony, as Star Trek Next Gen also did a takeoff episode on Robin Hood, but more in the vein of Men in Tights. The episode is best known for Worf’s line, “I am NOT a merry man.” I digress, but this does go to show just how ubiquitous the legend of Robin Hood is.

As The Ghosts of Sherwood opens, Robin and Marion are on their way back from Runnymede, from the signing of the Magna Carta, setting this story in 1215. Robin, as the Earl of Locksley, was one of the barons who rebelled against King John’s rule – yet again in Robin’s case – and brought him to the bargaining table. There is still no love lost between Robin and King John, not even 20 years after the events that made their way into legend.

But Robin and Marion have changed – as has King John. Robin and Marion are married, and are part of the nobility of England, as fractured as it was at that time. The surviving members of Robin’s band of outlaws are part of their household at Locksley. And they have three children, Mary, John and Eleanor. Mary, the oldest, is 16, Eleanor is 8 and John is somewhere in between.

They are all as familiar with Sherwood as they are with their own house, but Mary seems to be the one who is most like her father, and most at home in the forest that is part of their home and heritage.

This story is, not exactly a passing of the torch, but rather a story that shows that the younger generation is willing to pick up that burden when the time comes. The children are kidnapped in the forest by, not outlaws but rather men loyal to the barons who opposed their father over the Magna Carta.

But the children have no certainty that their parents even know they are missing. It is up to them to use the cunning they inherited from both their parents, all the talents they can muster, as well as the legends that make Sherwood a place of menace to outsiders – so that they can rescue themselves.

Escape Rating A-: First, this was a lovely little story. It does a terrific job of portraying Robin and Marion’s post-outlaw life in a way that seems fitting. They are older, occasionally wiser, and often tireder than they were back in the day. And that’s the way it should be.

The details also do a terrific job of placing the story firmly within a historical, rather than mythical, legendary or fantasy context. If Robin existed, he would have been one of the nobles forcing King John to the bargaining table and the Magna Carta. It’s impossible to imagine that the enmity they felt for each other during King Richard the Lionhearted’s absence on Crusade, especially Robin’s armed rebellion, would ever have faded. As this story opens, John is nearly at the end of his reign, and Robin and Marion are no longer the young rebels they once were. (I’m saying the above in spite of the story being billed as historical fantasy. So far, at least, there are no fantastic elements – in spite of Mary referring to her mysterious protector as “The Ghost”. Maybe in a future installment?)

The focus of this story is on their children, particularly 16-year-old Mary, as she faces the decisions of oncoming adulthood.

But the story also deals with the politics of the country as one king’s reign is about to end and his heir is a child of nine. That forces are jockeying for power, and that Robin will have influence and could possibly be influenced is a part of his times.

So the story has large implications for the future of England, and the future stories of the series. At the same time, it’s very small and intimate. Three children, kidnapped, forced to rely on their wits and each other, figuring out how to get the better of their captors in spite of the odds. By banding together.

That the story works so well on both levels gives me high hopes for the future stories in the series. I’m very much looking forward to reading The Heirs of Locksley later this summer. Because I want more.

The Ghosts of Sherwood is a really short novella. Even for Tor.com standards, it is a slim volume – their website says that the print version is just 128 pages. So it’s a very quick read, and I’m happy to say that it’s sequel will already be released in August, which means that there shouldn’t be too much of a wait in between volumes.

This version of the Robin Hood legend takes the story as we know it for granted, and uses it as a building block to put its own twist on the legend. Robin has grown up and become respectable, and built a family with Marian, as well as sworn fealty to King John. Many of the Merry Men known from the various stories are mentioned, though not quite all of them have turned respectable with Robin, leading to the mysterious Ghost of Sherwood Forest… It is interesting how this novella deals with the legendary nature of its characters within the text itself. While the Locksley family is very much aware of the stories and tales, it seems that Robin is trying his best to distance himself from who he used to be and re-brand himself a respectable man, someone to be taken seriously within Anglo-Norman society.

The Locksley children are adorable, and I enjoyed reading about them, and their different personalities. Mary, John and Eleanor are all interesting in their own way, and I’m not sure I could pick a favourite between feisty Mary and clever, underestimated Eleanor. However, the plot is a bit too deus-ex-machina at times, which is likely due to the extremely short format of the novella. A few thousand extra words of space would have allowed the story to develop more organically and helped add another layer to The Ghosts of Sherwood.

All in all, I really enjoyed my brief visit to medieval Nottingham in The Ghosts of Sherwood a lot, and I do recommend you pick up this novella if you feel like time travelling too!

I read this book because I have read every variation of the Robin Hood story that I could find. Reading about the adventures of Robin and Marian and their children sounded great.
It was a well written book that put you in the right time and place for the characters. I would very much like for Ms. Vaughn to continue on with this storyline.
My only gripe from this book was the length. It seemed more like a novella.

The Ghosts of Sherwood, a novella by Carrie Vaughn, was for me a frustrating story, with several strong aspects but also some elements that drove me crazy, leaving me overall disappointed but hopeful for its followup, The Heirs of Locksley.

As the titles make clear, Vaughn is working in Robin Hood territory here. More precisely, she picks up the story many years later. Robin of Loxley and his wife Marian live on the edge of Sherwood Forest with their three children: Mary, John, and Eleanor (in that order) and have thrived in relative peace after Robin oh-so-painfully swore fealty to King John after the death of King James. While bowing the knee gave him influence within the power circle of the kingdom , allowing him to protect not just his family but a much wider circle of “regular folk”, not everyone of his former followers could stomach the thought, creating a rift amongst the old Merry Men. Now, though, old friends are forced back together after someone kidnaps the three children and, leaving Robin and Marian chasing after them while Mary, John, and Eleanor try to survive/escape using their own wits and abilities.

To begin with the positive, Vaughn does an excellent job concisely but effectively characterizing nearly all those who make up the novella’s cast, making each distinctive characters in their own right but also deftly delineating the relationships amongst them. Robin is granted a quiet, mature dignity in his later middle years, described as growing “more thoughtful, some of his starry brightness not dimmed, but turned inward.” We can see his mature wisdom when he is taunted by a drunken lout to prove his alleged marksmanship, and Marian, having “no idea what he was going to do,” thinks: “Twenty years ago Robin would have take up the bow and shot the man’s cap off.” Now though, after a moment’s tension and consideration, Robin merely laughs and declines. He’s not a fully tamed creature though. As noted, Marian here is still unsure which way he’ll tip, and when his children are threatened, Robin hestitates not a whit in not only going after them but promising to kill each and every one of their abductors. The old dog still has bite.

Other characters, meanwhile, match Robin’s strength. Marian is clearly an equal in their relationship, but even better it’s a “rich” equality. What I mean by that is Vaughn does’nt simply show her being able to speak up or disagree with Robin, Early on, she is the one in control, telling Robin via glances or touch to keep his mouth shut when needed. And when Robin springs on her that he’s negotiated a potential marriage for Mary, she doesn’t disagree by shouting or getting petulant. She accepts it to a degree, painting her as both pragmatic and realistic, but also refuses to let Robin off the hook by being the on to tell their daughter, as he hopes. It’s a measured, mature disagreement between two people with not just equal power in their relationship but also equal control and maturity, a more subtle portrayal than is often seen in these sorts of things. That isn’t to say Marian doesn’t get her more dangerous side on as well. Like Robin, she doesn’t at all hesitate to go after the children and, just as great, Robin offers a single word of possible object and immediately backs down when it’s clear he has no say on the topic. Mary is the one most fully fleshed out amongst the children, on the cusp of childhood and adulthood and feeling all the complexity that entails. John is clearly enamored of his father’s legends and wants to live up to the family legacy, but we don’t get much of a sense of him beyond that. We get even less of Eleanor, who is quiet and smart and watchful.

Beyond characterization, the plot moves along quickly and smoothly. The setting is a bit thin but used effectively. And the moment when Robin is reunited with Little John is brief but warmly presented.

Turning to some more problematic issues, the villains are about as non-descript and two-dimensional as one can get, mere plot devices rather than actual characters. Worse, they’re utterly incompetent, with the plot relying completely on them being idiots. Even worse, one major plot point isn’t just implausible, but makes no sense at all. I think I went back and reread the scene three or four times because I was sure I must have just missed something. In fact, I just went back in and read it again before I noted it here, sure again such an obvious issue must be my misreading and not the author’s poor plotting. And then, I read it aloud to my wife, who immediately caught it. It’s an amazingly sloppy oversight.

Finally, the novella felt slight even for a novella. I actually zipped through it so fast I that halfway through I checked to make sure I hadn’t downloaded an excerpt. This obviously isn’t a flaw; it’s a feature. But I did wish it was a longer, fuller story that allowed for more depth to the children, more lingering suspense. I don’t know if this is a targeted story, but I’d say it’s better suited in its brevity and simplicity to a Middle Grade or (younger) Young Adult.

How one reacts to the novella, therefore, may come down to how much such things bother you. I confess, I have a notoriously (amongst my friends) adverse reaction to idiots and idiot plots, not to mention glaring plot holes, so for me, those issues really spoiled the reading experience, which is too bad because I did enjoy the characterization. If you, on the other hand, have an easier time overlook plot problems and shallow, none-too-bright villains, you’ll probably enjoy the story much more. A 2.5 for readers like me, a 3.5 for more tolerant ones (thus the three-star average at the top) or possibly a 4 for those who don’t mind either plot issues or the shorter length.

I really liked this continuation of the Robin Hood story focusing on Robin and Marian's children. I just wish it had been longer to really flesh out the characters.

I liked the story, and it was a quick read. While I enjoyed the book, I didn't love it enough to want to purchase a copy later on.

I started with this book without looking into the synopsis or the blurb. This book was such an entertaining surprise. Not to mention I loved the cover.

It's a short book I think about a little more than 100 pages. It's been a long time since I came across a short story that i loved instantly.
It tells a story of life after the conflicts for Robin, Earl of Locksley and his family. All that is left now are political battles and Robin can handle it, it wont be as dangerous as the ones he has fought before, or so he thinks.

Robin and Marian have 3 children Mary who is almost an adult whose parents are fielding proposals for her. She is bit of a free spirit with a sense of duty. More like her father I would say.
Then comes John the middle child and heir to the Locksley estate, he is still in the teenage phase I could say,
3rd is Eleanor quiet and watchful, though she doesnt talk, I must say boy is she brave and resourceful.

Sherwood is the forest adjoining the estate, the children frequently visit there. On one such visit they are attacked and kidnapped by one of the enemies of Robin. Little John (Ghost of Sherwood) tries to rescue them and fails. But he alerts their parents.

Now here is where I was pleasantly surprised. Robin is none other than ROBIN HOOD! 😍 And those are his children. And you think his children will have learned a thing or two from Robin hood and his friends eh?

You should read this short book to find out 😀

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for providing the ARC for an honest review.

We spent a very pleasant little hour together and, what's more: I'm glad we did. (Though it began abruptly, if I were to make a criticism.)